How To Succeed at Network Marketing?

Network marketing used to require an outgoing personality. Outgoing personalities, are those who see anyone within '3' feet as a potential prospect.

They approach people in supermarkets, banks, doctor's offices, and everywhere. They work the network in network marketing, like crazy!

Network Marketing is people. You network to make sales of your product/service. And you network to interest others in your business opportunity.

The problem is, many people can barely approach their warm circle of family and friends, let alone a 3 foot circle of cold strangers.

At first glance the out going, bubbly, natural born sales woman would seem ideally suited for a people business.

On the other hand, A stay-at-home Mom would seem to be at a competitive disadvantage with less opportunity to network; as are individuals who are shy by nature and/or those uncomfortable “selling”. This view of MLM isn't necessarily accurate. Moreover, technology has really leveled the playing field.

Network Marketing (MLM) in the New Millennium:

The internet has flipped the script. Each website (read each person) has the potential to be heard; not just around the block, but around the world and across the nation. The internet puts the ‘net’ into network. Now shy, introverted, stay-at-home moms, or don't like to 'sell' types can network on the internet with the same gusto as the so called natural born sales woman.

Sadly, it hasn't completely happened. Here’s why.

Human nature being what it is, MLM companies can't totally control their sales forces. As a result, over zealous reps made wild, sometimes ridculous income and product claims. Governments around the world responded with stiff regulation. Now, due to legitimate legal concerns, MLM companies do not allow associates to speak for themselves.

This is extremely important because the key to success on the Net is to be different. Marketing types call this differentiation.

Prevented from giving reps the tools to attract new leads and/or sales on the Net; MLM companies provide a "cookie cutter" web site for each associate.. Every associate has an identical website, except for name, telephone number, and picture.

The problem is Search Engines ignore cookie cutters. Their business is providing ‘unique’ relevant content. No search engine can long stay in business returning 30,000 identical web sites for one MLM company. So, each rep/associate is forced to do her own thing to drive traffic to her cookie cutter.

Time for a different approach:

Let's say, you're a 47 year old female flight attendant, who's into fitness.. You've just joined Healthy Food MLM. You know lot's about fitness. And what you don’t know, you can study.

What you do now, is build a terrific website with a fitness related theme. Fill it with keyword focused content pages. You adapt, but do not copy (word for word) content provided by your company. The result will be targeted free traffic from the search engines. These are your own pre-qualified leads that come to you. You don't chase them. (This simplification does not imply easy or quick!)

By over delivering quality information, you are seen by visitors to your website as a sharing, generous expert.

What do you do now?

Do you ask your visitor to fill out a form for your free CD-ROM? Do you send them with a link over to your online store to see the professional athletes endorsing your product? May be not.

Because it's a safe bet, your visitor didn't arrive at your site looking for a business opportunity. She was looking for information. Before you can give her what you want (information about your business opportunity), you must give your visitor what she wants; i.e. information related to her search.

Frankly, it's a happy coincidence if your visitor, at the precise moment of arriving at your site, is even remotely thinking about starting a business.

Qualify... Qualify...Qualify

The internet is a beautiful tool to sort (qualify) people. It allows the building of relationships, as opposed to selling. The key is relationships. After all, it's why the business is called network marketing, isn't it?

Speaking of networking, you should know that success in MLM and life, has more to do with how you think than with what you do. Want to know why? Register for my monthly news letter, Future Focus.

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