When Alan Noble stood up at ASEA 2019 Ascent and shared a message about telling the ASEA story, no one expected it to be from such a unique angle. He talked about how being compliant can both lead to success and protect you in your business. In case you didn’t happen to be there, his message is reproduced here, taken from transcript.

Testimonials – A Two-Edged Sword

I want to talk to you today about how to deliver your ASEA story, your product testimonial. Testimonials are a very powerful tool, but they can also be a two-edged sword: On the one hand, they inspire people, they tell your story, and they share what this incredible technology can do for people; but on the other hand, they can often be non-compliant. I have been inspired by Tyler’s reminder that this is OUR company and that each of us is a steward of the company. I used to say in the early days that if I could tell the world everything about this technology and what I have personally witnessed in over 10 years, we could be a billion-dollar company overnight. However, that is not possible. It is the responsibility of every single person in this room to assume their role as steward of this breakthrough technology and this opportunity—and it’s time we all take it seriously.

Sharing Our Story Today Without Losing it Tomorrow

When I think about what is possible for the future, I know we’ve got our hands on something absolutely astonishing. But again, we’ve got to take responsibility, and we’ve got to increase our level of awareness of what we’re putting out there. I’ve spent over 10 years of my life shaping a message that is compliant and that also connects with people. Of course, I could have spiced it up a little bit, made it a little flashier, put some more dramatic before and after RENU 28 photos, for everyone to get excited about. Absolutely I could have done that, but I didn’t. Because the single most important thing about this opportunity is that we are a legacy company, that we will still be here 10, 20, 30 years from now! Associates need to stop trying to sensationalize the message to get a quick sale. We all need to learn to deliver our ASEA testimonial in a genuine and compliant fashion.

The Purpose of Your Story

Network marketing involves storytelling. We get out there to tell the story of ASEA, and we use testimonials to help us do that. It’s not just to have great conversations. It is our job to collect a decision. The reason we invite people to meetings and share our testimonials is to collect a decision—to collect a yes or a no or maybe later.

In order for you to collect a decision, you want your testimonial to deliver a punch. The two major mistakes that people make when they deliver testimonials is first, as I have mentioned, they’re not compliant. Secondly, we tend to go off on so many detours in telling our story, that it doesn’t deliver the punch. It twists and turns so much that by the time it hits its target, there is no power left in the story. There is no impact.

Take the Time to Train

When I am going to interview someone on a public call and have them share their testimonial, it’s important I take time to coach them on how best to deliver their story. Some are absolute naturals, and they get it down very quickly. Others, not so much. There is often a lot of work editing, highlighting the important details and cutting out the unnecessary, deciding what’s important and what’s not important, and making it flow. It takes work. It takes time and it takes practice!

So, let me give you my formula. I like to call it TIME, DESCRIBE, and IMPACT. It’s very simple. For this amount of time, DESCRIBE what life was like. Do not mention any disease names or medical conditions. Even the implication of such conditions is problematic. Share how ASEA may have impacted your life.

The IMPACT is the most important part of the testimonial because that is the part that connects with the human condition; that’s the part that connects to the heart. That is the part that people can relate to. When someone starts to tear up during a testimonial, it’s because of the IMPACT this technology has had on somebody’s life!

Then comes the bridge. Share who introduced ASEA to you. It probably wasn’t your doctor, and it certainly wasn’t from an advertisement on TV. By simply staying, “then a friend at church told me about this incredible technology,” you are validating the power of word-of-mouth marketing!

Then share the sequence again: after this amount of time using the product, DESCRIBE what you noticed and how it has IMPACTED your life for the better. Again, do not mention any disease names or medical conditions.

It’s that simple— there is no distraction. There are no detours. You deliver the story, and you deliver the impact. A clear snapshot of life before and after ASEA. This is what it’s about.

Let’s Deliver the Right Punch Together

I apologize if I come on a little strong, but I’m passionate about this company and its legacy. I want to urge every single one of you to take responsibility for how you are delivering your product testimonials. If you see something that’s not quite right or is overstepping the mark, will you please raise your hand and call attention to it? It’s not about putting your head in the sand. It’s about protecting your work and the work of everyone in our company.

Be a steward of ASEA, and learn how to deliver your product testimonial in a compliant fashion and with a punch so that more people can connect to the ASEA story and benefit from having these incredible products in their lives.