Building Your Network Online Without Building Relationships? *The Advantages of Becoming A Master Networker! Revised July 2001
Copyright © 2001 by Sue Seward. All Rights Reserved.
(***You may copy this article using the attached bio below)
Building your Network Marketing business without building relationships whether it be on the internet, off the internet, or both is like building a house without a FOUNDATION! As soon as the first big storm hits it all washes away and you have to rebuild it again don't you? This could be quite costly to you couldn't it?
I found a Network Marketing company in Nov. 1996 from an ad on the internet.
I had just moved to my community 4 months previous to joining this company and had moved from another state about 1300 miles away. So consequently I had no warm market here at that time. I had just bought my computer and was very green to the internet.
I was very interested in Network Marketing because of past experiences and had been studying the industry for quite some time and realized that Network Marketing was the career choice for me.
As far as online marketing goes though I never really put the two together. In the beginning of developing my business I approached people that I was beginning to meet out in my community which I consider my "warm" market. Many of them are now my "HOT" market because of the relationships and friendships I've made with them in the last 3 years we've lived here. I've developed a trust with them.
They see me still involved in the same industry and are impressed. What I've been saying to them all these years is starting to sink in! It's called the "DRIP" approach. I just constantly drip little bits of information to my friends on a consistent basis. Sooner or later something clicks with them and when the timing is right, they ask ME about it.
Most of my business partners however, have come from internet marketing. It took me longer to build this way because it is considered a "cold" market. Warming people up by building relationships with them via the Internet is possible!
Anyone who chooses to make the commitment and put forth the effort can make this work if they have a duplicatable and supportive team system. That's the key! Duplicatable and supportive! It can be more difficult to succeed with online marketing without the support of an experienced team all working together. Having a tag teaming system can be quite effective. This is where you follow up with a prospect online and tag your upline to also follow up with them. I even tag my downline. It's a great circle of teamwork!
Because of consistent efforts, determination, focus and commitment, I am working with some quality people that I have developed relationships with. These folks are now duplicating these same business building efforts all over the world.
Personally I started out by placing ads on the internet and AOL. Lot's of them, everyday. Be diligent in your efforts. It always takes a ton of follow up.
Back five years ago all we had was email! We didn't have all the online systems, email programs, autoresponders, and all the fancy automation we have now. We had EMAIL and building relationships just happened! Now it's very rare to get a real personal email from someone! I am still very personal and do not want to lose that! I've built my reputation on that personal touch! But it is necessary to become somewhat automated when you grow. It's just easier to follow up that way and follow up is so crucial!
When I would get responses I sent them my follow up letter and tagged my upline and they sent their follow up letter. It's called the "tag team" system.
Now I use an educational website for people to go through. They check out the information provided there and leave their contact information. I contact them using the tag team system and if it's something right for them they respond with questions.
When someone expresses an interest for further information I get them on the phone to determine further if they qualified to receive more information. Because I'm using some sort of follow up system, by the time I do speak with someone by phone they are pretty warm and are quite interested because they have reviewed enough information by this time to determine if they are ready to speak with me. Then I do a 3/way call with them or invite them to a weekly support call with myself, another upline leader and other people on our team where we can discuss their concerns and answer questions.
It's best to keep a non-pressure low key atmosphere to make people feel very comfortable. Afterall this is for their benefit. We are there to guide and advise them not to pressure them into something that may not be right for them.
Notice I said, "may not be right for them". That's what we are there to find out. Is this RIGHT for them? That's why we ask some specific questions. Not only that, but are they right for us? More questions! Believe me it doesn't take long to find this out. After you've been doing this for awhile you start to pick up on those clues (PDQ) pretty darn quick! (that's an entirely different article!).
Something I have done, which is very important, is to develop a presence online by becoming a promoter of the Network Marketing industry and by becoming a helper and an encourager by giving back to the industry in general. I have become a master networker!
I have gotten involved in MLM forum boards, written articles, I publish a Free weekly Internet Marketing newsletter etc. all to genuinely promote the industry with the utmost of respect and integrity.
This hasn't been something that has happened overnight. It's because of the relationships I've developed over time. Becoming a master networker!
Building a relationship with your business partners will create strength and long term stability in your organization. After all you are working to build a long term residual income. An income that you want to last.
It's the PEOPLE that count! So become a master networker!
You do not want to continuously be starting over in your business do you? Endlessly hoping from company to company will really not get someone very far. Now that doesn't mean if something isn't working out for you to stay in a bad situation. By all means, if something isn't good for you then find something that is!
As John Counsel said in his recent UPLINE magazine article entitled "Are You An MLM Junkie?"......."They fail to comprehend the fact that persistence and personal relationships are the proven keys to MLM success and long-term security."
I am also out in my warm market constantly talking to people and building more relationships that turn into friendships. I belong to the chamber of commerce, to a newcomers club, my local health club, etc. I do health fairs, in home presentations, go to chamber functions, etc. I'm always out there networking.
Does everyone join me in my business?....of course not. But I sure make a lot of friends! It's my life and I enjoy what I do very much. Network Marketing is in my blood!
If I can help people in the industry by writing about my experiences, then I have done my job as a Network Marketing Professional.
Is it possible to build a network online? YES it is.... with a proven duplicatable system, a strong commitment to succeed, a reputable company of the highest integrity with quality products and services of value and benefit to people, a strong support team, a willingness to follow up and eventually build those relationships for strong stability and long term security.
Should you do this exclusively to build your network? In my ho opinion, NO you should not put all your network marketing eggs into one online marketing basket! You could choose to do this exclusively but it will most likely take more time to develop and sooner or later there will come a time when you will have to talk to people, whether you meet them online or offline!
Network Marketing whether done online or offline is a relationship business! It's always been this way and it always will be! The more we try and get away from this the more we take away from what Network Marketing is really all about!
It's about people reaching out to other people and helping them to become the BEST they can be!
Sue Seward
Ms. Seward is an Internet Business Consultant, entrepreneur, wife and mom, and has been earning an income for five years from home. She is also a published writer, speaker and Internet Marketing trainer. To find out more about how to earn an income on the Internet contact
Sue at: CommerceHomeBiz
This article courtesy of http://thaispa06.ru/.
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