Conversational Communication

Communication in Relationships is KEY!

Communication is the essence of life. Ok, maybe breathing is, but let's just say life would be a little less interesting without communication. Today, it is impossible to not communicate with all the many methods available at our fingertips. With a simple push of the button, the amazing tacos I had for lunch can be neatly adorned on Facebook & Instagram feeds across the world. Crazy, right?!

How can we leverage all these avenues of communication to share essential oils and Young Living? Let’s begin by looking at how we converse.

Conversational communication is key. It may sound like a method to learn, but really we do it every day. Day to day chit chat like shooting the breeze about how wrong the Bachelorette was for not choosing Robby. There is no pressure with this type of conversation. It’s just what naturally flows about something you’ve recently experienced. Conversational communication just boils down to sharing information in a casual conversation.

When sharing about the natural lifestyle and essential oils or YL products, it is best to speak as if you are just having a normal conversation with a good friend. You don’t want to come off as if you are on a late-night QVC sell-a-thon. Generally, if it feels uncomfortable saying it to your best friend, it's probably not the right approach.

Take this for example:

You have been sharing a lot on Facebook with pictures of your oils and personal stories to go with them, and your good friend reaches out to ask “What gives with all the oil posts?”

I would hope you would not respond with something like:

“OMG they are my little slice of heaven, message me some time and I can get you info on how to purchase them!”

I will assume you wouldn’t respond to your good friend with this either:

"Seriously you need to get some, message me!"

Look at your friend’s question as an opportunity to start a casual conversation. Ask some open-ended questions…

“Really, I have been on the search for natural avenues to support Jim, the kids, and myself with some of our health issues. I stumbled across these oils. It’s been really eye opening. Since we started using them, I can definitely see less down time from sickness. Simply diffusing them throughout the house just lifts our spirits in general, too. What have you heard about essential oils?”

Feeling me? See where this is going?

See how the first one kind of shuts the door, is blunt, and icky salesy (yeah, I just made that a word)? Don’t be that friend, nobody likes that friend!

The second response authentically addresses your friend’s question and opens the door to entice more conversation and allow you to learn where she is with regard to the natural lifestyle. Many times, the conversation will lead to your friend asking you which oils you are using or what may be able to help with issues she is having with her health or emotions. If you keep asking open-ended questions, you will learn much more about her needs and then the door will open wider and wider for you to share more of your own personal experiences with essential oils and the natural lifestyle.

When you allow things in the conversation to flow, you remove the force behind them, and allow the other person to be involved, question, and be a part of the conversation. Make sure to be an open listener as well. Remember little wellness concerns or goals they bring up. Write it down if need be. These little notes serve as reminders of oils to look up or rollers to create and help create future conversations.

Pictures are Worth a Thousand Words

Conversation doesn't just happen with words, especially on Social Media where photos are the driving force.

Photos on Instagram and Facebook can speak volumes. Treat them the same as you would our casual in-person conversations? Let your photos tell the story. If I wanted to show how amazing the Thai food was that I had last night, would anybody be excited if I took a picture of the menu? Ummm... NO.

Now think of the tantalizing image of our mouth-watering French cuisine. Oh my, I think my mouth is watering just writing this…. this photo is real! Imagine what the visual difference does: they can see it, really feel it, and maybe even want a bite of it! Looks like your friends just made reservations!

I mean, really, Instagram would not be what it is without a ton of food photos, right?

With essential oils it is virtually the same. There are many graphics available through our team, by other teams, or by Young Living. Do you really want to inundate your personal feed with these? Probably not. Think of them as the menu.

Although many are very pretty and well placed, you want to be real and authentic to YOU. You want to show the oils as they are in your life. Now, this does take a little creativity, but you don't have to be the next Ansel Adams. Try to think beyond the standard oil bottle alone. Which one of these speaks more?

They are both decent images. They both showcase the oils. But, there is just a lot more visual love in the picture on the right. The one on the left says, "Hey, check me out. I'm a few random oil bottles." The one on the right tells a story. There is still simplicity in the photo on the right, yet there are more details to engage the eye and draw people in encouraging them to engage in a conversation. The background of this photo also gives you clues as to what the would be the purpose of using these three oils together.

Remember to think outside the box: snap a picture of your favorite oil in your purse or next to your keyboard at work. Try a selfie throwing back a Ningxia shot, even if that is outside of your comfort zone. Allow the oils to tell a story: take the oils on the go, show how perfect they are for work, or show them hanging out in nature. Don’t be afraid to touch up the photos. Sometimes they need a little love, and a lot of phones have great tools built in. Play around, change the color, highlights, black & white, exposure. Sometimes a basic picture can really pop with some editing. There are a lot of awesome apps out there to help spruce up your photos. I love Canva for adding little graphics and PicTapGo is great for added adjustment options.

This is not to say you can never use the pre-made graphics. We wouldn’t offer them up if they were not worth it. We just recommend using them very sparingly or in private messages to people specifically requesting the information.

Not all of your friends will be excited about oils, and your pictures my not get a thousand likes. This is fine! One friend, and one liked photo is a great start and could be what changes one more life. Keep sharing and keep posting. Sometimes it takes people a little time and a personal experience to connect them to your content to find the value in your posts.

What do you do when someone requests more information after being inspired by your awesome pictures, posts, and casual conversations? Most importantly, avoid vomiting a plethora of information all at once. Keep it light and breezy. They are interested, so just let the conversation flow naturally. Connect with them personally. Through open-ended questioning, find out what is going on in their life and when the door opens, let them know you have oils or products that can help support them. Ask them if you were to send them some samples, if they would they give them a try.

Share your success stories with them. Talk about what is truly working for you and why…share your personal experiences. Talk about your favorite oils and give specifics as to why they’re some of your favorites. Be sure you are listening to their responses so you can bridge any gaps and help make connections. Let them lead the direction of the information you share with them in your conversation.

When they express an interest in getting started with Young Living, be sure to talk about the Premium Starter Kit. Talk about the value in the kit by relating what it can do to the things/issues they shared with you. Tell them about the benefits of becoming a wholesale member: 24% off future orders, amazing support in the Enlightened Oilers community, access to education, oil recipes, tips and support from everyone in the group. Then leave the decision up to them.

When they decide it’s for them, give them your enrollment link, and walk them through the process (this can be found here). Once their kit is on its way, let them know you will add them to our Enlightened Oilers Facebook Community. Once they're added, be sure to welcome them. Also, tag them in a personal message in the welcome post in the announcements section so they will have several links to important resources getting them started with their oils. Being new in this oily world can be overwhelming, so the more we keep connecting with a new member as they learn and grow, the more confident they will become.

Now, get out there and ROCK some Conversational Communication!!

Reflect and Process What You Learned:

Have you fallen into the sales trap before… the “contact me for more info” or posting a straight up buy this kind of graphic? (It’s ok…tell us so we don’t feel so alone for having made this mistake ourselves, lol.)
Why is it imperative that we speak conversationally when sharing YL?
Who can you reach by sharing as a friend rather than a salesperson?
What is one idea on communication that struck a chord with you?
What is one thing you will do TODAY to strengthen your communication?

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