Let’s talk about the most famous and controversial topic in network marketing prospecting: ‘Talking to your warm market (friends and family) about your network marketing business.’
Isn’t it funny that one of the first things you usually hear when you join a network marketing company is, “You’ll need to make a list of 100 contacts to start your business.”
Have you ever thought, “Why do I have to flirt with my friends and family to build a network marketing business?” If you confront your sponsor about it, you’ll usually hear something like this: “Well, the products we have are so good, why wouldn’t you share them with the people you care about?” Y: “You don’t want them to miss out on this amazing financial opportunity, do you?” Or: “All we’re doing is ‘sharing’ products and the opportunity.”
Sounds familiar?
Well, if you just saw a great movie or ate at a fantastic restaurant, sharing would come naturally with your loved ones. However, when you have a financial interest in something you recommend, the ball game changes and people know it. It loses its power and effectiveness the moment your friends realize that you’re not really sharing because you care, but because you’re now a representative of company xyz, and suddenly you’re so excited about their products. Put yourself in your prospects shoes and really think about this.
Now, I know you might be really excited about the products or the compensation plan, but why do people ONLY seem to be excited about your new company product and no other product? There are many network marketing companies that have great products and services that help in all kinds of areas. Why would you simply recommend the products that your particular company produces? And why do you do it only AFTER you have registered as a representative of that company, in most cases?
The answer is that you have a financial interest in getting people interested in the products or opportunity.
What does that look like when you’re suddenly approaching your warm market with just a particular line of products that you make a commission on yourself?
I understand that most people don’t really think of it this way, and really want others to know about the products and such; But think about how your friend, family member, or co-worker sees you. Now they see him as “your typical network marketer who joins the people he meets for his own financial interest.” Even though he believes that he really is helping others, the way he does it looks terribly backwards in the eyes of his supposed prospect.
Let’s stop this example and return to another:
Ok, let’s say instead of making your list of 100 people and working on your warm market, you actually don’t mention anything to the people you meet instead.
So you say, how will you market the business and get people involved?
Simply by building your business using true EFFECTIVE marketing and common business sense. Instead of chasing prospects and trying to convince them how great your product or opportunity is, simply market to your target audience and draw people to you.
There are some who regard prospects as anyone with skin and hair (hair is optional!).
That is not true at all. Those people are SUSPECTS and are not true PROSPECTS until they have responded to your offer and contacted YOU.
Back to our second example: So instead of spending your time pestering your warm market, you educate yourself in real marketing and start driving people to you and generating your own high-quality leads. You don’t have to worry that your ‘Why’ is big enough because you are getting results from day one and you are already motivated by your own effective action.
Then you start building a solid business that appeals to your true target market and predictably achieves greater success each month. Now, as a result, your warm market is now starting to come to YOU to find out what you are up to! Also, they now see him as a true expert in his field, unlike their ‘crazy mlm friend’.
Why not do it like this from the beginning?
The main reason people don’t take advantage of this proven example above is simply a lack of knowledge or education about effective marketing and sales. Most of the ways people build their mlm business are based on hope and luck. These are mostly ideas that can work some of the time, but they are not true trading fundamentals that can be traced each and every time.
The real ‘big fish’ in the industry build their network marketing businesses totally differently than the masses do. That’s why most people fail; because they follow the masses and get the same results as always. All the great leaders I know ‘think outside the box’ and become independent experts in their chosen field, while everyone else just follows the advice of others and becomes a ‘follower of the follower’. That’s where this ‘cult mentality’ comes from and people start living within ‘xyz company land’.
It’s not about your ‘why’ or your presentation or your desire to walk up to a total stranger at the mall and foam at the mouth about your opportunity or your products.
It’s about educating yourself on how to achieve your desired results in an effective and profitable way, and being willing to question the effectiveness of everything you do and think for yourself.
Success in network marketing is not a big mystery. It is just a matter of correct education, proper skills and effective action.
Remember, the more EDUCATED you become, the more EFFECTIVE you can be!
By: Scott Rogers