You know the routine; write down 100 names. Include everyone you know; from Uncle Bob to Dr. Cranium. Then, tell them about the amazing new “Vita-Juice” and the fantastic business opportunity that they need to join NOW! Be sure to crank out the calls and not leave anyone out.
A few weeks later, if anyone is still talking to you, you realize that MLM is a lot tougher than your sponsor led you to believe. That’s because you have focused all your energy in contacting your network (your “warm market”) and have tried to sell them on your business opportunity. You have done almost nothing to market them.
People don’t like to be sold; but they like to buy. When you try to sell your friends on the business opportunity, you encounter a natural resistance that we all have to being sold. It’s marketing that gets around that psychological barrier and taps into the desire to buy.
Marketing is preparing people to buy. It’s presenting all sorts of intriguing information to someone about a product. Then it attracts them to take a stroll down “Marketing Lane” , where they end up at a cliff called “SOLD”. If marketed effectively, they willingly jump off that cliff and later heartedly encourage their friends to do the same!
Traditional MLM has put the order of actions backwards and almost entirely ignores the more important one; marketing. You are taught to focus on your network and then sell them on the opportunity; great company, great products and what a compensation plan! You are taught to chase and pitch them; but not to market them. Instead of working on your network and trying to market (sell) them, you need to focus on marketing so that you can find a qualified network.
For the most part, the overwhelming majority of your “warm market” is no more qualified to start an MLM business than is any guy on the street. That’s why your sponsor will stress, “It’s a numbers game.” It sure is and it’s a lot of numbers!
If it isn’t obvious, the most qualified group for network marketing is network marketers. There are plenty of them out there that are open for a new opportunity. If you want to discover a simple and effective way to attract (market) them, read my article; Internet Network Marketing - You Only Get What You Give.
