NOTE: Trainers/consultants and active NM players invited to participate in the event below.
People with lives resent being called at home by uninvited sales types. Even those who feel sorry for telemarketers wish it would stop (see comments here).
Two thirds of the American population has signed up for the Do Not Call Registry. Have you?
Actually, most networkers don’t like calling leads and prospects either. Who wants to spend their time and hear all the no’s and disconnected numbers?
Yet calling leads, prospects and other strangers all over the country has been one of the major recruiting strategies of our industry. Phone spam, victims call it. And they hate it like they hate email spam.
How else do we find people who might be looking for us? In our lifetime?
Shall we start a list of suggestions here for all to see?
Three conditions for your comments:
1) Tell only things you have personally tried more than once (no hearsay)
2) If you are selling whatever you are talking about, say so.
3) You can link to your website, but don’t tell us how great you are. We’re all great here.
Trainers/consultants welcome. You must meet the conditions above, however, OK?
Here goes…
how are you finding people
who might be looking for you
(i.e. for your business or your product)?
1. In the online world?
2. In the off-line world – yes there are lots of people who still prefer belly-to-belly.
I’ll start with one in each category (from my new little gig).
Online: I write a private blog with tips and suggestions that people can study and bring their people to (no, NOT this one.) No link, sorry.
Offline: We have a little mini newspaper we give certain people who are health conscious. Those who are interested call us. (The link to the online version of that is here.Warning – it’s from my new little venture, click at your own risk.)
Who else has alternatives to calling strangers that are working – at least to some extent? Comment below.
Who knows? If we get enough useful stuff, maybe we’ll put out a little eBook – for the field, by the field. (Probably free.)
P.S. Note the new title bar at the very top? I am no longer an unaffiliated “guru” as of very recently. Just an old one trying something new in the field. Since I am now in the same boat as most of you, may as well see what people are doing that’s working better than the old school stuff. It’s not as though anyone has cornered the “how to” in this business.
Hi Kim,
Over the years I’ve found that the most productive way I’ve met new people online is through participating in discussion groups and forums. And by participating, I don’t mean posting ads, or pitching my opportunity at every chance. Joining in the conversation, and letting people get to know you is a great way to meet potential partners.
Like you, I’ve also been trying blogging for the past couple of months. No great “success” stories just yet, but I expect it to be a long-term endeavor, with a bit of a learning curve.
Offline, I really like having magnetic signs on my car. Not so much so that strangers will visit my website, or cal me on the phone. But more so as conversation starter with people I already know.
Just my two pennies … hope it helps,
Todd
Online I am a member of many forums and social networking sites. I post information that I feel is helpful and the people who like what I have to say click through to my blog or my Mentoring for Free page. I just be myself and those who like what I have to say contact me.
The Mentoring For Free system is working great for me. People who are struggling can plug into our system and get help. About 10% of those people are either looking for a different company or just not happy where they are. Those people end up asking me about my business (I never ask them to join me) and most of them sign up with me.
Offline – I have a sign on the back window of my van that says EnergyDrinkTestersWanted.com (This is a product I sell) and I put up signs on bulletin boards with Energy Drink Testers Wanted and my name and phone number. My phone rings at least 3 times/day with people wanting to test the new energy drink. One day I had 34 phone calls. Obviously my answering machine took some of them for me. 😉 Where else can you get 200 HIGHLY targeted leads for next to nothing? And no rejection.
I also have a voicemail that says “If you are calling about being a tester for our new energy drink, please let me know that in your message”. This gets people who aren’t calling for that particular reason to ask about it.
I now have close to 200 people within an hour and a half of my home that are chomping at the bit to try our new energy drink when it is released. Even if only 10% buy the product, that’s 20 new customers, just for driving around and handing out samples.
We have to think of ways for people to come to us. With all of the people who hate to get calls, I don’t want to rely on a leads list because I don’t know where these leads really came from. I would rather generate my own and have them come to me.
~Roxanne~
Hello Kim,
I enjoy your blog!
Everyone appreciates receiving information and value upfront. I’m of the school that believe in “moving the free line.” Whether that be ebooks, audios, video or a training membership, my most effective tactics involve giving first (and automating that process) and then have a thirsty prospect come back for a second drink.
The only offline marketing I do regularly is public speaking. Not speaking about an opportunity, but I do business building workshops teaching a variety of skills. This affords me an audience and I always get questions and follow up long after the presentation has ended.
Cheers!
Tony Zayas
I use a flyer/sales letter and go door-to-door with it.
Also, I have gotten customers using an email signature with a link to my website.
Finally, I have signed up reps who are in my warm market.
Paul Eilers
http://www.PurpleGreenPops.com
P.S. I plan to start an AdWords campaign soon.
I like to work a booth at a vendor show Ieither a craft fair or a health fair). I make sure I have three things on my table besides the product display;
1. A flyer or brochure with my website and contact info
2. A short survey form they can fill out to join my email newsletter mailing list and receive invitations to upcoming events
3. An invitation to the next Wellness Seminar I will be hosting within two weeks of the fair
This past week, I had four people show up for my event and 3 of them were people who called me because of the invitation they received at the craft fair. I also plan to advertise the next seminar in local newspaper
Other tips include car magnets, wearing my business name tag while out running errands, and always being ready with a CD or DVD wherever I go in case someone brings up health, money, nutrition or other challenges I can help them with.
I don’t do much online since my company is funny about that.
http://www.Michele.NetworkMarketingCentral.com
http://www.GoodHealthMadeSimple.com
Hello Kim,
I market online and offline. What I have discovered is hosting an actual network group offline has made it easier for me to do business online.
I host a group called the Small Biz Prayer Network (http://www.smallbizprayer.blogspot.com). It all started online to attract people to an offline network meetup group. Relationships for me seem to be easier to establish in person. The added benefit is connecting with local people who share a common interest.
I do use the phone but it’s primarily with people who want to hear from me. It’s a whole lot easier talking with people who want to talk with me. Of course I don’t do business with everybody I talk with via the telephone right away. But my call is welcome…
http://www.cedreynolds.com
Offline: If your ego can handle it, I know of a large sign (bill board actually) that fits on the back end of your car. It’s called the sign hitch. It’s 22″ in height and 44″ wide. It gets attention.
With the right message, it does make your phone ring. http://www.thesignhitch.com (I do not sell them) The drawback is if you don’t put on a message that pulls, you’ll have to go back to the drawing board which is around $77. Well worth it though to get the right message because once you do, you’ll get calls.
Offline: We just put together a co-op for our team using real billboards. (9 billboards)
They are not up yet so nothing to report as of yet.
Offline: I always have my ‘antennas’ up and if/when the situation comfortably presents itself to get into a conversation regarding my product and/or my business, I am very good at directing the conversation in a certain way in a very low key manner. In fact, I say so little I leave people wanting to know more. But… I learned a long time ago never to ‘pitch on my feet, only on my seat’. Hence, I exchange contact information with them, tell them I’ll get back with them in a day or so on that, and then totally change the subject.
Offline: If I know I am going someplace where there will be a lot of people, sometimes I wear a button about my energy drink that creates curiosity. Like everything else, it works some of the time.
Online: I have also recently been using Google Ad Words. I’m too new at it to say how it’s going but if your budget allows, it sure seems to be a good way to build a list of targeted prospects if done properly.
Online: I also very recently purchased a course by a ‘myspace’ expert on how to generate free leads through myspace. I’m Way way to new to it to offer any advice except ‘they’ say it’s the way to go and it’s free. I’m committed to learning how to use it effectively and shall keep you posted.
It’s been said that ‘Everything works some of the time’ and from my experience, that is very true. Oh and…nothing works ALL the time. 😉
PS Luv Roxannes’ idea on the ‘energy drink testers’. 🙂
WOW!
Thank you, Kim, for another great question.
Great questions stimulate great conversations.
Over my 26+ years in the industry, I would say MEETING people at LIVE events has been most powerful.
Right now I am in business with industry legends I met years ago at generic trainings.
Once my old company crashed our commission checks, I was looking around for a real good company with really good pay. Low and behold, I had met all these great people who had banded together and got a really good company together. So here we are.
Ditto for my team. I meet really great people at events…. lectures, seminars, boot camps, etc. SOME are in looking mode. So if we gravitate to each other, conversations start, and sometimes they are well-matched for mutual timings to partner up together.
Others of my leader reps and customer reps come from old associations that have withered away. But we stay in touch – you know – “So what are you up to” type conversations. That frequently leads to joining up in a company together.
I LOVE doing product demos — health fairs, info tables, etc. So that is also a really good way to get in front of people and vice versa… to see if we like each other and want to do something in a common interest together.
I have just moved to a new community. I serve our company’s healthy snack cookies at dinner, and serve our goody health drinks in wine glasses. So now I have new customers who asked me after dinner IF they could get some of my products. I NEVER ask them (bad manners, in my book.)
I am currently putting up notices in college bulletin boards for our upcoming new energy drink http://DrinkCrave.blogspot.com
Getting lots of good interest from Gen Y.
I use my generic blogs to both train my team, offer good resources back to the industry, and to be able to find everything I like easily for myself, too.
http://NetworkWithPat.blogspot.com
I have several product blogs I made up to share info with my customers and potential reps and customers online.
So if someone is thinking of buying one of my products, or just bought it, I can just send them the link with all the info, audio files, and relevant youtube videos.
I find lots of little mini blogs is an easy way to send LOTS of info to those who want it, and not get blocked by spam filters, and other impediments to the free flow of information on the web.
I made up a yahoo group to offer recipes for our companies soy products…. and am just publishing an online POD cookbook to service the needs to “what do you do with this stuff.”
I also do public food and cooking demos, and samples at trade shows.
I do public education about network marketing in general. My article was just published in Chicken Soup For The Network Marketer’s Soul … you can read my article and see all about the book on one of my blogs
http://TheLittleGirlWhoWantedToFly.blogspot.com
I am preparing to go out and speak about abuses in the industry to wake up naive distributors, and to also speak up about all the good things in the industry. Several of my leaders and I are preparing an online radio show which we should have up and running in the next few weeks. We will be interviewing woman leaders in the industry about how they create their business and integrate it into a full and rich lifestyle. Including balancing all the aspects of themselves.
And similar to Roxanne, I really like using the free Mentoring system to both educate and find professional network marketers — some of whom are looking for a new and long-term home.
http://Pat.MentoringForFree.com
Last, but not least, I am PROUD of being a Professional Network Marketer – so I let that attitude go out and lead ahead of me, and fill and surround any conversations I have with anybody about anything. So people automatically pick up that good feeling, and are drawn to ask why I do. Both reps and customers just automatically flow out of this energy – without any pushy words having to be thrown out in anybody’s face.
Pat Crosby
Professional Network Marketer. & LOVING it :)))
—
Pat Crosby
One of the companies I work with, ITV Ventures has a unique hybrid marketing system. You can market the products using traditional methods or you can use our direct response system whereby customers responding to TV infomercials are directly routed through a patent pending technology to the reps home office. The customers, place their order on the phone and we are at that time able to upsell them with other products that might be of interest. We have a couple of products that we offer free and they just pay for shipping, if they agree to our autoship policy. We also offer a discount for the customers ordering regular products that are not free if they go on autoship which they can cancel at any time. We also have a 30-day money back guarantee. This builds residual income on retail sales right off the bat. There is a co-operative advertising cost on the calls generated from the infomercials which we all view as fair becuse we assess it as a lifetime value of the sale proposition because a large number of customers do go on autoship and remain our customers for life and we are then able to work with them as their personal care consultant to address their wellness needs. Often times when customers find out how our system works they become interested in the business opportunity and we are able to build our team from those leads. Obviously this aspect of our marketing system eliminates the need to recruit warm market and buy generic leads unless we want to go that route too. Also for someone like me, who is involved in a couple of other programs it is a way to cross sell those programs including the new Deppak Chopra nutritional beverage called Zrii http://www.sante.myzrii.com and the healthy chocolate from the Acai berry http://www.chocolatetransformations.com too if my product or service is syergistic with the customers needs. As it is more important for all networkers to identify who our ideal customer is, and what the benefits to them rather than being ego driven in our opportunities, all this works out very well. Juliette Gray http://www.itvsuccessline.com
Hi Kim,
First I prefer offline marketing and it seems to like me as well. About 3 years ago I joined new company that actually had a product I could sell at retail and make some money. (novel idea huh?)
What has created almost my entire business to date was joining networking groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, BNI, women’s groups etc. Now there is a right and a wrong way to do this. I led with my product first. People in these groups are all promoting some type of product or service so I have “permission” to talk about my product at meetings. It’s fun and easy.
And its all about referrals as you teach. The other thing about these groups is that the other members also already have a business many time it’s their own business or a family business (construction trades, interior decorators, graphic and web design, coaches), or they are commission sales people such as real estate agents, insurance or financial planners)
The other cool thing about the people I’ve met through my networking groups is that they are visionary, positive, motivated, upbeat people with great ideas and big hearts that are fun to be around and many of them already make six-figure incomes doing what they are already doing.
Approach this type of group with old school MLM practices and you’ll get kicked out ASAP. But show your product or service and describe your ideal customer or client and many in the group will buy or refer others who will buy. Interesting thing, I’ve also found new team members through referrals from members of these groups!
It’s fun and I didn’t have to leave my comfort zone! (Plus you know who to call if you need your roof fixed!)
Below are links to a few of the networking groups I belong to in my local area. Use these to give you an idea of what to local for near you.
BNI Massachusetts
Wood Square Circle
Women’s Business Network
@Susan Stuhr
Hi Susan,
Could you please get in touch with me? I would like to ask you some more information regarding something you wrote in your comment. I’d appreciate if you could write to this email address of mine: postbox _at_ world-in-union +dot+ net (hopefully you can “decipher” this…)
Thank you very much in advance.
Hugo
In the Online world…
I have tried several options over the years, including Google ad word campaigns, email w/autoresponder systems, pointing people to websites and blog sites.
As one medium becomes unpopular and unproductive, another surfaces and new opportunities present themselves for a period of time for those who are watching.
I think social clubs have a long way to go, but as we adapt and they evolve (now that we are all in the information age) and more of the old ways of doing business pass away, new, more creative ways of reaching each other (identifying our special interests so we can find like minded people) will surely manifest. I can’t wait to hear about them!
Ofline…
I just enjoy being me. I love shopping with my friends (who are involved in network marketing) and just living life.
Every time I make a purchase and someone (a sales clerk as example) asked me if they can do anything else for me I am always glad to tell them ‘Yes, you can… If you know someone who is honestly looking for a way to earn a bit of extra money, working with a group of fun people who are really enjoying life and have discovered how they can use the information age to their advantage please tell them to give me a call.’
Where upon I give the a card (with just my name and phone number) I never give someone my website, my company information, etc. In order to get more info, they have to contact ME!
Often I get a VERY positive response. I let them know how we can get hooked up, such as the next opportunity meeting or a personal one-on-one or telephone presentation.
It’s simple, there is no pressure and ‘no promises’..ha ha
Life is truly abundant when you stop making it so difficult.
P.s. Please, never sound desperate. Just have fun and you will find people like being around people who are positive and having fun.
Tony
http://www.fun2drink.com
Collateral marketing worked pretty well for me. Collateral meaning that I would mail to prospects a physical object(like product samples for retail and Prospecting Cds for recruting). Why? more shelf life: electronic material gets deleted and forgotten easily. I found that in general when people give out their address and actually receive what you promised, 1) they are a more serious prospect 2)it builds trust right away and the follow up is much easier.
Requests come from different sources: Google Ads, forums , newspaper classifieds.
Carmina