People everywhere are using the Internet to find the right people to do the things they want done. Many network marketers also use the Internet to find prospects.
This week, comScore, an Internet search research firm, released data showing that
“Two out of five local searchers (41 percent) were looking for information on a local service in their home area, including car rental office, dry cleaner or lawyer.”
And most significantly, they found that “performing a local search drives consumers to take action. During the second quarter of 2006, 47 percent of local searchers visited a local merchant as a result of their search behavior…
Translation: People are doing massively more local searches for local people and services than before, and doing business with them when the find one they like.
Many people are doing recruiting via the Internet. Some are trying to get customers through the Internet.
My question to you: Looking back to when you first got started in NM, would you at that time have been better off or worse off with a local sponsor?
Yes, I know that as a sponsor, you might not care where your new people might be. But this question is about whether you, when you first started, thnk you might have done better (or worse) with a local sponsor.
Remember when you FIRST got started?
Please reply in the Comments below…
When I started with Network Marketing in 1981, there was no Internet, no cold calling and no leads lists. I started with a local sponsor in Amway. He promptly front-end loaded me up with soap and cleaning supplies to the tune of several thousand dollars, most of which sat in my garage for three years before I dumpstered it after getting divorced.
Having a local sponsor is a good thing, but also we’re living in such a global village now with all the technology, so it probably doesn’t matter if a sponsor is in the same city, or in another state or even another country.
On the other hand, if you’re trying to build a customer base first, working your home city is a priority. As you pointed out many people who search the Internet looking for services or products end up doing business on a local basis.
My experience with a local sponsor wasn’t a good one because of the front-end loading. But having someone local to depend upon and to help you is definitely a plus.
I did have a local sponsor and there was even a local leader but they were disasters. Their upline were not local and were somewhat better. The location of a sponsor isn’t as important as the quality of the sponsor’s ability to lead and coach and train.
Ruthan
I agree with Ruthan. This whole story is just an exercise in futility.
You can’t change your upline, no matter how bad or good. These stories do nothing more than stir up ill feelings.
I would like to see more posts on self development, the lack of, probably being the biggest reason people don’t make it in this business.
Ruthan – thanks. I’m sure others will agree with you…The more independent someone is, the less they will need that personal close contact.
Dave – Well the exercise was really not for you to change upline, but to think about advertising for people locally, online. If new people who are thinking about NM happen to prefer a local upline, then it might be good to start advertising locally online. The survey shows that local searches for people are VERY high, and nearly 50% of those who look for local people end up doing business with them.
Might work for network marketing, also. People are more and more ready to find others online, including for NM, who are local.
That was the point of reporting those findings.
Self-development? Sure. Coming up. 🙂
It all depends on where your locality is! In a town of 2000,
about two hours away from any larger center, the internet is your best friend.
Besides, Health Canada rules have
made retailing illegal for many health products.
Too bad, I am normally a big fan of retail. But that is another topic. My present sponsor was an internet connection and I have no complaints.
There is a big part of me that really wanted to be part of something I could do here, in my home, or near my town. I have never been to a meeting, never held a meeting, only networked with local company people in different lines, who are naturally quite reluctant to work with or help anyone they don’t directly benefit from. On the one hand, I understand, but on the other hand, I do feel a little isolated. I think in the beginning, I would have really liked a local organization to plug into. I still would but I guess it’ll have to be mine that I create, after I get a strong customer base to work from.
This story was helpful to me as I am about to do an ad (with what I am learning in your New School Class) with MY product story in a small local paper here where I live.
I wondered how it was going to work and now I have some stats. So this was great for me and TIMELY.
No guarantees I know but this does make me want to put it in multiple times and see what happens….. so thanks… as always.
Mary
I think a lot of it has to do with the individual. One person may need that local support, and another might do quite well without it, as long as the training is good and there is good contact between the recruit and the upline/sponsor.
For me, I wanted and needed that support initially, and actively seeked it out.
After a while, however, it became obvious that the activities that were being advocated were not meshing with my personality and strengths, and the “support” felt more like pressure to do what I was uncomfortable with.
Right now, my support is from you, Kim, and other like-minded people who are in no way “local” to me, but are more in synch with the methods I want to use, that suit my personality.
I think for a beginner it can be extremely helpful to have local support, someone to go mall walking with and do bump-intos, for example, but just as important as location is the ability to help your new person adapt techniques – for retailing and/or recruiting – to his/her own personality.
Ditto for Suzanne’s comments — especially the mentoring from Kim.
In addition however, local sponsorship is often important from the standpoint that many new network marketers are new to running a business. Lacking the knowledge to set up a functional work setting and accounting system spells disaster for many newbies. It really helps to see how a functional, successful home office is set up. I’ve found that difficult to learn or teach long distance.
Distance or close, now let me think. I could comment allot on this with my whole story. But i am going to try and be quick. I was first introduce to Amway way back in 93. My sponsor lived 45 miles away nothing say in the U.S but here in the U.K when you have a very limited income that was a very long way to have to travel to pick up products which i had no idea on how to retail. Give my upline there due they would come to me for a meeting even though i had no one turn up. In My second company my sponsor was only several miles away and i always had to go to him. He was not the type to go two by two. I had to discover how to myself. I did get him to show me how to show the plan once. Funny enough i had moved 70 miles away at this stage but he did come to me. I then had a little success after that bit of help. But he was a network junkie moved companies and i followed like a plonker. There i was back to square one. I am not one to give up and i still believed in the power of networking. Again another local sponsor but no rear training in how to do anything. I gave it rest for a while then the next company, same thing no how to from my upline living 80 miles away, and then the company had internal problems and collapsed from within. I still believed in NW so I waited for the management of that company to relaunch which they did a year or two ago. I gave it in till this April this year to try again as they had the product for us the one I could get behind. So i thought my uplines have never really been any good what shall i do? I have always been told if you get no help from your upline go above and keep going in till you get what you need and want. So i went right to the top He is one of the top bananas in NW but as he is also in the management of my company he could not directly sponsor me. Please note even though, he could not sponsor me he has been the best help I have ever had within NW. He gave me a name of someone to contact, he is Two from the top of the company, travels the world giving workshops etc. So I had his ID number and signed up under him. He is U.S based i am in the U.K. This is it I thought, with world communication that we have now i am really going get the help i would like. Now it is my turn to succeed. Wrong all I get is the odd generic e-mail and the company news letter with a weekly teleconference call for the whole of Europe. Even after e-mailing him i have never had any answer back, hmm so much for going to the top then. So let me summarize whether you have a local sponsor or a distance sponsor i do not think it matters. What you need is some one who will communicate with you show you how and go two by two even if it is over the net. I have now decided to stay with my present company. I see Kim as my upline as i have learnt much more from her than any one else. I am now just starting to put it into practice. Retailing first then later sponsor hopeful i will find those who really want something of there own just like me and we can go forward together and build.
Sorry this has been a little long winded but it feels great to vent off and give you my views. Richard
Funny, I was reading “New New MLMr” today and when it came across the part about who a “good prospect” is, I was like ME! Every word there was me to a tee and I came into my co. with a bang. THEN, my direct upline became threatened by me because they didn’t feel like they were a good enough “leader” for me. Well, remember how every dud knows a stud? Yeah, same scenario. Then this person proceeded to tell me that they “needed a break”, one month into my biz. after spending thousands of dollars. So, what did I do? Belly up and quit? Nevah! I pushed forward and “found” Kim Klaver. Changed everything for me and I am my own leader and I will make this happen and help others to become the leaders they want to be. It’s all about your own accountibility.
Hmmm….I may have been way off subject but I would like more info. on personal development, too. Thanks for everything, Kim!
I would also LOVE to do training calls on Kim’s stuff…any tips?
My sponsor, and 3 above him, were all local – and now, are all gone. They could have lived in Japan – nice folks but their training consisted of the infamous contact list and recruiting anything that moved. I now live in the same town as another well established upline, but his passion and methods are not right for me. So from my experience, especially with all the tools available to us now, yes I do shop online for some things where I need a local service – window cleaning, as an example but first, I’ll seek a personal recommendation. Beyond that, it’s the person, service, support and connection, not the location so much, that matters. I believe all my reps would agree.