Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, feel like you have the gift of gab or just don't know how to make small talk, networking know-how is very important for your business success. There is a notion in business that I believe most of us subscribe to that says "all things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those they know, like and trust." And the key to this is obviously being able to develop relationships.
Think of networking as the cultivation of mutually beneficial, win-win relationships. In order to be win-win, there must be GIVE and take (notice the emphasis on give). Networking shouldn't be viewed as "events" where you go to sell your business. When effective networking is taking place, the parties involved actively share ideas, information, resources, etc.
Ok, so you know that you should be networking because it is one of the most cost-effective lead generation activities when used wisely, appropriately and professionally. But, maybe that seems easier said than done. Here's a seven step plan to really get going with networking for your business.
1. Check out several groups to find the best chemistry and perceived value. Most groups will allow you to come and visit at least a couple of times before you have to join. Go and ask around to find out why others have joined and what value they get out of belonging.
Resist the urge to just go join the Chamber of Commerce simply because everyone tells you that's what you need to do. If that's not where your target group can be found, then you might just be wasting a considerable amount of time (and money).
I'm not telling you not to join the Chamber. Just be clear about what you'd like to get out of this or any other group. If it's to find prospective clients or referral sources, then you need to be networking where those resources can be found.
2. When you find a group or two, join and go to all the meetings you can. Don't go just once or twice expecting things to happen and then if they don't quit. Building mutually beneficial, win-win relationships will take some time.
The contacts you make need to constantly see your face and hear your message. Continual contact with others over time will open up opportunities for you to go deeper and learn more about each others thoughts, ideas and capabilities in regards to your respective businesses.
Know, like, and trust generally only happens over time. Being regular and persistent will pay off.
3. Get involved - be visible. Do as much as you can to make yourself more visible within the organization. Volunteer to help with meetings, be on committees, or become a leader or board member.
Being involved does a couple of things for you and your business. First, you'll get more opportunities to establish connections and get to know some of the contacts you've made even better. Secondly, the higher the visibility you have in the group, the less you'll have to work to make new connections. Instead, as new people come into the group, they will likely seek you out because they view you as a leader within the organization.
4. Keep your circles of contacts informed. Don't just assume that running in to someone once a month (or even once a week) will cause them to start doing business with you or sending it your way. You need to let them know what's going on when you're not at that particular group in order to inform and educate them.
Send them invitations to your events or open houses. Send them email or letters to share big news or success stories, especially anything of relevance to them or those in their networks of contacts. If you believe that you have valuable ideas, information and resources to share with others, then doesn't this just make sense?
5. Work at GIVING referrals and sharing valuable information. That's right, you need to be willing to GIVE before you get. That means you need to get to know other members and what makes a good prospect for them. What kinds of information might you have access to that could be useful to them?
You may initially think you don't have much of value to share with others (besides your business and what you provide). Part of the key to getting good at giving is to not make assumptions. For example, don't assume that some basic resource (e.g., a web site) that you're aware of is familiar to someone you might be talking to just because they are the "expert" in that field. Be willing to ask if they know about the resource and ready to share if they don't.
Want to get better at actually giving referrals? Here's a simple question to ask someone you're connecting with. "How am I going to know when I meet a really good prospect for you?"
Just the fact that you are willing to explore giving will elevate your know, like and trust factor.
6. Focus on Quality, not Quantity, Quantity, Quantity. It's not necessarily about the number of connections you make, but about the quality of the ones you do make. Are they mutually beneficial, win-win relationships?
Quality connections will be identifiable because all involved parties will be actively sharing ideas, information, and resources. Yes, it is true that you need to spend some time and effort getting to know the other person(s) and what's important to them. But, you also need to be clear and actively thinking about what information or resources you want and need.
Staying in touch with and following up with a smaller number of quality relationships will generally be much more productive than trying to follow up with a larger number of superficial contacts.
7. Be persistent, but be patient. The goal of a networking event shouldn't necessarily be to come away with prospects every time you go out, but to come away with great connections. Networking usually takes time to get the relationships developed and nurtured.
Don't approach networking as a scary proposition or a necessary evil for being in business. Take the pressure off yourself and really focus on how you might be able to connect with someone you meet. Focus on them first and look for ways to be useful to them. As you become known as a connector you'll eventually be ready to reap what you sow.
7 Traffic Techniques for Network Marketers
Network marketing is a numbers game. The more people you introduce to your opportunity, the more money you'll make. To start generating a steady stream of traffic to your site, try these 7 creative techniques:
1. Write and Distribute Articles, Reports and Ebooks. Internet users are all interested in one thing - information. Use this to promote your business by creating high quality content and allowing others to reprint it for you. One great way to do this is to distribute a brandable ebook or special report. This is one that a website or list owner can change to include a reference to their website. This doesn't mean that it looks like they are the publisher, it's just a way for them to include information on where the ebook was downloaded from and (if applicable) to include their affiliate link for your products and services.
2. Participate in Newsgroups, Forums, and Mailing Lists. There are hundreds of forums online and you can find one for almost any topic imaginable. Most allow you to include a signature line that will be attached to every message. This is a chance for you to advertise your site. Visiting these forums to post thoughtful questions and offer your expertise will mean your signature is viewed by others and will bring you free, targeted traffic. Of course how much traffic you get depends on how often you post and whether your signature makes people want to visit your site. A good approach is to use an ad you've had success with elsewhere as your signature.
3. Join Networking Sites to Build your Personal Network. Networking sites are designed to make it easy for people to meet others in their industry and to advertise their products and service. Similar to offline networking events where lots of people come together for the sole purpose of meeting people, online networking sites work the same way.
4. Use Classified Sites and Traffic Exchanges. Classified ad sites and traffic exchanges have gotten a bad reputation, but they really do work if you know how to use them. If you're promoting a product or service that advertisers can benefit from then they're a great place to get traffic. Although not very many consumers visit this type of advertising sites, lots of website owners do in order to make sure their ad appears on the site. While there they can't help but notice other ads and if one catches their attention you're likely to get a visitor.
5. Run a Contest. People love the prospect of winning something - that's why a contest can be a great traffic generator. The key is to choose a prize that will attract people from your target audience. If you make the grand prize a new laptop you'll get entries from everyone who would like to win a new laptop (which is basically every computer user in the world!). Get more targeted traffic by choosing something that your target audience is interested in but wouldn't mean much to other people. To start promoting your contest do a search in Google for "Contest Directories" and you'll find lots of places to list your contest for free.
6. Include a Powerful Signature on all Outgoing Email. Every time you send a piece of mail you have the potential to get a visitor to your site. Simply create a "signature" that is automatically added to every outgoing message. Use the signature to briefly explain what you do, give your USP or slogan and add a hyperlink to your site. Once it's set up you don't have to think about it again!
7. Try Newsletter Classified Ads. There are lots of newsletter publishers who give classified ads to new subscribers. Although these don't typically bring a huge response, they can generate some traffic if you offer something with a high perceived value but low price tag. They're also a great way to test new ads to see which ones get the best response. Once you've found a winner use it in a PPC campaign, make it your new email signature, run it as a top sponsor newsletter ad or use it as your forum signature.
8 Tips to Help You Become a Networking Guru!
Effective business networking is the bringing together of like minded individuals who, through relationship building, become walking, talking advertisements for one another.
Keep in mind that networking is about being bona fide, building trust, and seeing how your relationship can genuinely help others.
1. Always figure out before you even walk into a room, what your specific goals are in attending each networking meeting. This helps you to pick groups or associations that will help you get what you are looking for.
2. Ask open-ended questions during your networking conversations, questions that ask who, what, where, when, and how. Try to avoid questions that require a simple yes or no response. By using this line of questioning you can open us the discussion and show listeners that you are interested.
3. Become a walking resource centre. When you become known as a strong resource, others remember to turn to you for suggestions, ideas, names of other people, etc. This keeps you at their "top of mind".
4. Make sure you have your "elevator speech" prepared and know it like the back of your hand. An elevator speech is the commonly known as the response you would give in the amount of time it would take to reach the tenth floor in an elevator. Always rehearse your spiel and be genuine, so that you don't sound automated when you relay it to someone who asks what you do.
5. Always know what is going on in current affairs, if you don't feel comfortable just rolling into a spiel when you first meet someone, have a back up topic to break the ice until you do.
6. Never just throw your business card at someone the minute you meet them, you must get to know the person and their business as well as explaining your business before you even contemplate a business card exchange. Some people will find you rude, pushy and unprofessional which will in turn reflect badly on your business.
7. Always phone or email your new contacts and let them know that you enjoyed meeting them. If possible mention things that you discussed on a more personal note (i.e. I hope you enjoyed that movie you were going to see that night.) people will come to know you as someone who listens, remembers them and they will form a trust with you.
8. The most important thing to remember is to follow through quickly and efficiently on referrals you are given. When people give you referrals, your actions are a reflection on them. Respect and honor their trust and your referrals will grow exponentially.
10 Ways To Make More Money In Network Marketing
Network Marketing is an excellent way for the "average Joe or Jane" to make an extra income. This business concept has been around for decades, and it will not disappear any time soon. The reason for its popularity is simple... It Works! It does however, require lots of work and most importantly, dedication and persistance to get the job done. The best part is, once you are able to set up a solid network, your business becomes MUCH less time intensive. Almost like going on "autopilot". The key is to get there as fast as possible.
Here are just a couple of tips I have found to be helpful in maximizing your Network Marketing Business:
1. Use your products regularly. This is Number 1 for a reason, this is the most ignored part of ANY network marketing business. How do you expect your business to succeed if you will not even use your own products? It does seem silly to even have to bring this up, but there are many who are not using their own products, and wonder why they are not making any money. Make a commitment to use your products for a year, and see where your business goes.
2. Educate yourself constantly. This is very important! You must rid yourself of negative ideas, sometimes referred to as "stinkin thinkin". This can be done in a variety of ways. I recommend reading at least 15 minutes a day, but try to shoot for 30. Business and self-help books are a great way to start. Don't forget your Multi-level magazines, as they are full of tips and advice. Lastly, listen to cassette tapes on multi-level tips from top earners in your business.
3. Spend as much time as possible with your upline. Your upline should have only one goal in mind, To Help You Succeed! They are a vast source of knowledge and information. Mingle with top distributors in your group, or other groups, and ask how they made it. Most everyone should be more than happy to provide you with excellent tips and advice.
4. Present your products and marketing plan personally to at least one person daily. Remember above when I said you are going to have to work, well here it is. Now here is the key, the prospects to whom you present your plan, do not have to be yours personally. Show the plan for your downline, and not only will you create "security" by placing members in your downlines' downline, it will also give you a boost in your personal income! I can guarantee if you were to follow this rule for 6 months, you would create a downline with enough width and depth to create an income to sustain you and your family for life.
5. Care for your downline. An entire book can be written on this topic. Usually, it's the little things that show you really care. Try to maintain regular contact, and always praise your distributor's accomplishments. You can even offer incentives for specific achievements, such as money, travel, recognition, or other rewards, to help motivate your group.
6. Duplicate yourself by making distributors independent of you. This will help to multiply your time, thus making you and your group more effective. Always lead by example. Never stop recruiting, training and retailing. Remember the KISS formula - "Keep It Simple, Sweety" I know, I know, I changed the last word, but it maintains the meaning. This can be done my conducting simple, brief, yet dramatic presentations, and teaching your downline to do the same.
7. Create a large customer base. This is another largely ignored, yet very important, piece of your network marketing business. Many try so hard to build a huge downline, that they forget how much profit they could also make by selling their products to retail customers. Some people will just not want to become part of your downline, no matter how great a product/system you may have. This does not mean they will not be personally interested in your product. Try to make everyone your customer. Once you earn their trust, they will come to you more, and perhaps even join your downline later. Always "leave the door open", as people's needs do change.
8. Focus on your customers needs. You must give customers more than they expect, and always satisfy your customers complaints immediately. Try to listen 80% of the time, and talk only 20%. As stated above, your customers can be a huge source of future referrals and/or business. You must earn and maintain their trust. Once you have their trust, you can always ask for referrals, which leads to even more business and a larger downline.
9. Set daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly goals - and Write Them Down! You may have heard the expression, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." Breaking up a larger goal into smaller easily attainable goals, is the key to success. You cannot just jump to the end, you have to make progress everyday. Writing them down is another largely ignored, important tip to help you succeed. A goal is just a "passing thought", or "wish" until you put it in writing. That is when it becomes concrete and real. It is also a great idea to keep a business journal of your daily activities, as it will help you to become more productive and time-conscious.
10. Get Out There And Do It Now! All of the knowledge in the world is useless and unprofitable, until you put the most important ingredient of them all in place. This "secret" ingredient should come as no surprise at all, but this is the #1 reason for failure at anything in life. It is ACTION! Remember, knowledge is useless without action.
Following these steps will almost give you immediate results. Thank you for reading this, and I truly hope this has provided you with valuable information to help you and your business grow and succeed.
Four Ways to Boost Your Online Business Through Networking
When you think about networking, do you visualize a bunch of people standing around schmoozing, trying to pitch their services to each other while exchanging business cards and "elevator speeches"?
You know, some people actually enjoy that sort of thing. And when they do it right (which is a rare talent), they reap genuine rewards. Rewards such as new clients, joint venture partners, knowledgeable advisors, helpful friends... in other words, mutually beneficial relationships.
But for many of us, the idea of going to a networking event ranks right up there with bathing an angry cat. Even if we think it ought to be done, we'd rather be flea food.
Don't worry. There's much more - and less - to networking than you think! You can reap the same wonderful rewards without having to mingle with a bunch of strangers.
Important: With any kind of networking, the key is to build powerful relationships by giving. Give your attention, advice, ideas, suggestions, support, compliments, referrals - and maybe even your business - to others. Give, give, give... then receive more than you can imagine!
There are many ways you can get freelance work by networking, even if you hate schmoozing. Below are four powerful examples.
1. Tell your family and friends about your online business.
This seems like a no-brainer, but you'd be amazed at how many people fail to do this.
You don't have to pitch your services/products to your family and friends, but you certainly should not be keeping them secret! You'll have many opportunities during normal conversations to mention that you enjoy internet marketing and earning money with your online activities. Just plant the seed and eventually it can grow into unexpected business.
And remember, even if your family and friends have no need for the products/services you offer, it's very likely that they know someone who does.
Key: Every person has connections to an average of 250 other people. When you decide not to mention your services to cousin Annie and neighbor Tom, you're missing an opportunity to offer your services to hundreds of people they know!
2. Engage in virtual networking.
You do this online, from the comfort of your home office. Besides the benefits of not having to deal with people face-to-face, virtual networking allows you to create contact lists and join online communities comprised of people from all over the world. Most of these people you would probably never meet in any other way. Your virtual network can grow larger and faster than any form of traditional network.
Are you on someone's email list? (Of course you are!) When they ask for opinions, give yours. When they raise an issue that's of interest to you, send them a response about it. If they're selling something you can benefit from (and it fits your budget), buy it - then give them positive feedback about it.
Key: Become someone they know and enjoy hearing from, rather than just one of the many anonymous names on their mailing list.
Participate in online discussion forums, especially those where your ideal clients hang out. Lurk before you leap so you don't jump in and accidentally make a fool of yourself (not good for winning clients). Read the posts, get a feel for the ambiance. When you have something worthwhile to contribute, start participating. If the forum rules allow it, include a signature block that has a link to your website. But do NOT sell your services! Give valuable advice freely. The idea is to show your knowledge, expertise and desire to help others.
Key: Eventually the forum members will get to know you, like you and trust you. The next natural step for them is to think of you when they (or people in their network) need the products/services you provide!
3. Show off your talent.
Write, write, write! Submit articles to online article directories, write reports and/or ebooks, create your own website and e-zine - put yourself and your knowledge/skills on display, always including your contact information. When appropriate, offer to provide free special reports or articles for people with whom you're building connections through your virtual networking activities.
Consider giving free workshops related to your niche through your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club or other groups. If you have a job, check into offering "brownbag" (lunchtime) sessions on topics such as "10 Tips for More Earning Money Online in Your Spare Time" for your coworkers.
Key: You want to become the obvious person people will think of when they need your expertise, or the products/services you provide.
4. Attend seminars.
What types of seminars, workshops, conferences or meetings do your customers attend? Go to those events. They are networking goldmines and offer many opportunities to engage in natural conversations with people you want to meet. You don't have to schmooze or pitch your services. Just be friendly, ask questions, participate in discussions, and be yourself.
Key: You'll not only learn about the specific issues and topics your target customers are interested in, you'll build relationships with them at the same time!
Hottest Business & Social Networking Site for South Asians
DesiMySpace.com is an excellent portal for South Asians who are on the lookout for new friends and to increase the network. It is easy to find people who have the same tastes and likes as that of you. Some of the search features in this site enables you to locate people who are like you, as quickly as possible. To make use of all the features you have to become a member and becoming a member is free!
While you create your account you have to add your profile to your account. Giving out all the interesting information about you will enable you to get more friends in a short period of time. You can even upload your picture and design your profile in a way that you feel would attract others towards you. With so much information about a user in DesiMyspace you can search for the people in your chosen field and initiate contact with them.
The search feature in DesiMySpace.com has an option to search by sex, dating status, smoking and drinking habbits, location, occupation, religion, state, city, zipcodes etc.. You can use this feature to search the people in your field of interest. The data that you have to input in this option are Field, Sub-Field, Role, and Keyword. Apart from these can also choose whether you want the result of your search to have only women or men or both. You can also choose the age range and the location preferred. Since some of the users may not have photos you can search people who have photos in their profile. Once you have the search result in front of you can send instant message or email message to them. You can also add them to your friends list or add them as your favorites. If you are concerned about your privacy, you can block all those who are not in your friend's list and they can't view your rofile. To increase you network you can also add yourself to a group that interests you. There are many groups that are formed my people who are like minded. Joining these groups will enable you to connect to them and share information with them instantly.
If you are person who is doing your own business then you can also use DesiMySpace.com to generate contacts in your chosen business line. Forums and Groups for Business and Entrepreneurs are available in DesiMySpace. You can join these groups and participate in the forums to increase your network in your chosen business. You can contact the entrepreneurs listed in this group to interact with them about any business issues. Links that are useful for that particular group are also given in the web page.
By creating a proper profile for your membership with DesiMySpace.com and creating your URL in DesiMySpace in an attractive way you can increase your network and hence your business contacts. Make use of the web space provided for your id in DesiMySpace efficiently to promote your business and products. Join the groups that are relevant to your business so that you have the latest information and contacts that are shared in that group. The forums related to your business also help you to post your queries and get them answered by people related to your business. These are some of the ways by which you can do your business efficiently by increasing your network. Though, it's a relatively new site, it's probably the most popular amongst South Asians popularly known as Desis. They are not only widening their social networking horizon, they are also using it to increase their businesses.
The new Free SMS feature launched by DesiMySpace for it's member is also very cost effective tool. Now, not only the members are using it to contact their near and dear ones but the businessmen are using it to keep in touch with their employees and vendors across the globe. For all your social networking and business networking needs, DesiMySpace is the right place!
How To Build a Duplicating Downline
Regardless the controversy that the term Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) or Network Marketing brings to mind when mentioned in a conversation, the success of such an industry cannot be denied at the moment.
The long existence of multitudes of MLM organizations is a wonderful indicator that network marketing is here to stay and flourish. As such, additional people are trying to join the bandwagon, building their own MLM .
But, a lot of people are completely misguided or misinformed resulting into the collapse of several network marketing businesses. True that it is difficult to maintain multi-level marketing that could proliferate well, but undoubtedly there is one key component for a network marketing organization's success, and that is a duplicating downline.
Most people do not know how to build a duplicating downline, but hopefully with the tips to be presented, one may be able to gather a well generating force that almost immediately translate into a productive MLM business.
Multi-level marketing certainly entails leadership, specifically when building a downline. Since building a downline is only another designation for the recruitment process, great people management skills is important in order for the downline to operate well, and thus duplicate.
A lot of people think that network marketing is a self-generating business, but if that was the case, then no MLM organization would have had failed. Downlines certainly not duplicate on their own, even if the product being marketed is perfect. The people in the downline are to be trained and mentored well or else the business would take no direction and would lastly fall flat.
The person on top of the downline may be able to sign multitudes, but that does not guarantee duplication. Without a clear direction, the network would not expand towards success, but instead be paralyzed. The ones on top may easily put the blame on the ones at the bottom, but who recruited the people down there anyway' Managing a multi-level marketing organization entails a lot of generosity and selflessness.
Duplicability is after all not just the expansion of people in number, but the duplication of the success throughout all the people in the downline.
It is a sad fact in human life that a lot of people think only for themselves. The people on top could think only of their success and see the ones under as nothing but machines to propagate the success. But that cannot happen in multi-level marketing.
In order for the top to succeed, the bottom should be able to succeed as well. When building a downline, one should have a mindset that allows the success to trickle downwards, and not just to remain on top.
The founder of the network marketing organization should be very conscious that what he or she was able to do, the people in the downline could do perfectly as well. There should be no secrets within the organization for the downline to duplicate.
The topline should be able to share and teach the downline the same philosophies and techniques so that the success of the top could be replicated by people in the downline.
Building a duplicating downline actually means duplicating one's self. This means that when building a downline, one does not just inform people how to sell, rather, one influences or even infects others with one whole self, well at least just the business component of one's self.
When building a downline, one has to transmit the psyche of the top to the bottom, the bottom should be able to act in the same way as the ones on top.The downline ultimately becomes one with their organizer or founder, they should be able to share the same dreams, anxieties and hopes so that the success that the ones on top experienced would be replicated by the ones on the bottom.
This speaks a lot about the recruitment process itself. True that is hard to enlist exact copies of the founder, but one has to carefully enjoin individuals who have the capacity to act and think in the same wavelength as the recruiter.
In this light, the leader of a network marketing organization should reflect and see how the connection with the downline, or the prospective downline is. First one has to be sure if the people in the downline could relate with the leader and vice-versa. Duplication is unachievable without proper relation. Second, the leader should act in a way that is not so alienating to the downline, otherwise they might think too highly of the leader that they might assume they would never be able to be like him or her.
Again a duplicating downline should have a duplicable top. With this in mind, building a duplicability can be ensured as well as the success of the business.
How To Make A Net - Work!
Many job seekers are confused about networking, and therefore doubt its effectiveness. Networking is the art of building and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. So, like anything else, networking requires a bit of practice and finesse, but if done correctly, networking can be an invaluable part of your job search campaign.
Here are a few tips that can help develop a network that works for you:
Be Patient
Networking doesn't happen overnight; it's a process. Networking is not just something you can check off your job search list like "Send resume to Pfizer".
While people may want to help you, they might not be able to do so right away.Quite simply, you may not be the first item on their agenda. So, if someone agrees to meet with you but can't do so immediately, accept their offer graciously and patiently. Never let an opportunity to meet with someone during the course of networking slip away. Always be open to meeting!
Be Authentic and Kind
When you do meet with someone resulting from your scheduling attempts, take a sincere interest in their life, not just the information or possible assistance they can offer you. Don't push people for their knowledge or connections and then abandon the relationship. Networking means fostering relationships. This objective cannot be achieved by one person constantly taking while the other person constantly gives information or time. Relationships are built on trust and sharing over time.
Remember, one day you might be in a reverse career position; so be considerate and respectful to all you meet. Find ways to periodically reconnect with the contacts in your network to stay up to date on their lives,and let them know that you genuinely care about what is going on with them. Also, connecting and re-connecting, take the time to let them know that their advice and counsel was heard and put to good use. Acknowledging their individual value to you and to your career. Reinforcement of the time and advice offered by those in your network will foster gratefulness, awareness of their value to you and encourage them to continue helping you and others.
Be a Conduit
Remember, the objective of networking is...well...more networking. You should be constantly adding people to your list of contacts. Always find more contacts to meet and, in turn, become a great connector yourself! Open up your network to others. Hopefully they'll follow suit and do the same for you, keeping the cycle going. Think about those contacts who could help others in your network,then introduce them!
Be a Teacher
Keep in mind that not everyone you meet will understand what networking is or how they can help you. Many people think that the best way they can help you as a job seeker is to take your resume and pass it along to their human resources department. While their intentions are noble, their strategy won't help you and could actually wind up being counter-productive and consequently,losing you a great job.
HR managers, like recruiters, are sometimes only motivated to take action on your resume if there is a current job opening within the organization that matches your skills. If a position is not available, they have no incentive to contact you and the connection is lost.
Rather than giving your contacts a resume, ask them if they could introduce you to a member of their company so that you can learn more about their position, industry, and organization. This way, you'll learn more about the company, share information about yourself, and begin to build a relationship rather than ending up as just another resume lost at the bottom of the pile.
Be a Helper
Networking is all about reciprocity. No matter who you're dealing with, you should always try to give more than you receive. For example, if you have information about a particular company, industry, or educational program that would be valuable to someone in your network, share it. By sharing you will help others and in turn, others will help you.
Whether you're currently employed or job seeking is irrelevant - networking is a constant process. Obviously, you'll be more on the receiving end of your contacts' information when you're on the look out for a new job. But that just means you need to work that much harder at giving information and sharing your network while happily employed.
If you're constantly looking for ways to help people in your network achieve their goals, they'll be much more likely to help you in return.
How To Skyrocket Your Business With a Nework Marketing Builder
A Networkmarketing Builder? Yes, I will outline now step by step how you and your downline can use a "Networkmarketing Builder", to create excitement and explode your easy home business, fast. Consider for a moment, the perfect automated recruiting and training system, that will work for you promoting any Network Marketing business or Ordinary Business.
A"Networkmarketing Builder" is a user friendly software for your PC that makes it simple and automatic for any network marketing business(es) you're involved in.
You need a completely automated duplicable system anyone can use...
* A free E-mail Marketing Course that you can download from here: http://newsletter.easy-home-business.com/EMS.pdf (This file is in PDF format (Acrobat Reader). Acrobat Reader: http://www.adobe.com * A Free Networkmarketing Newsletter that you can obtain here: http://newsletter.easy-home-business.com * A Networkmarketing Builder
Let me first explain exactly why a "Networkmarketing Builder" is the perfect tool for you and your downline to build your business fast. Then I'll get right to the strategies for success using less time and effort. I'll insure you're maximizing your efforts using the "complete" system for your PC while saving you valuable time. Time you need to "get away," knowing your PC is hard at work for you. Spend this "time" with family, friends and for yourself.
Let me tell you the "Secret of Networkmarketing Success":
"The fortune is in the follow up!"
Did you know that you can automate the "Key" aspect of successful Network Marketing Online and GROW YOUR NETWORK, STARTING TODAY!
A "Networkmarketing Builder" can insure your success, as well as your organization, by providing the tool that will automate the "Secret of Networkmarketing Success":
YOUR FOLLOW UP!
**Plus, you can provide this tool to your organization that will generate excitement, growth and cash! Not only for sales made through your own "Networkmarketing Builder" Web Store as a reseller, but cash from ALL orders your Associates and contacts make as well.**
**All while you and your downline are exploding your organization!**
And there's a brand new Web based version of "The Networkmarketing Builder" called "The Online Networkmarketing Builder". If you would rather manage your contact base and automated marketing from a Web based interface, and not use PC based software, click here: http://newsletter.easy-home-business.com/hts/postmasterol.html
More about "The Networkmarketing Builder"...
A "Networkmarketing Builder" can help you manage your contact database and keep in touch with automatic, personal and consistent follow up, because was originally designed specifically for the Network Marketing Industry.
The biggest problem we see in the Network Marketing Industry is people just don't have enough TIME each day to build their business. So, they soon get frustrated and quit or move on to the next opportunity promising wealth and freedom, only to find out they have the same problem.
Not enough TIME to build their business!
There are a few keys to the beginning of a successful Network Marketing business.
* First, above ALL else, you must get started right away. Procrastinating this step will nearly insure failure.
* Second, realize people DO procrastinate and put decisions off. The first few times you contact a prospect the timing just might not be right. You simply MUST follow up and keep in touch consistently. This will insure when they're ready you get in touch with them. Don't miss the opportunity to recruit a player that decided to go with another company because he or she hasn't heard from you.
This is where the problem comes in. People don't have the time to follow up with prospects and their downline near enough to be REALLY successful. You must make it easy for a new member to get started and duplicate your system!
E-mail and the Web are the answers! It costs you about $20 a month to send as much mail as you want; And $300 a year to host an entire web site The cost of phone calls and the postal service can be hundreds of dollars a month. Now, I would never recommend to forget the phone, fax, voice mail or snail mail. These are all part of building any successful business online and off-line and simply must be used.
* The third is a good consistent supply of pre-qualified leads for you and your downline.
This is a Networker's dream come true! Because you can do it all with less than 15 minutes a day!
* Copy your sales and training follow ups into "The Networkmarketing Builder" * Import your prospects and downline members * Then "The Networkmarketing Builder" does the rest for you, following up and keeping in touch for as long and as often as you want.
INFORMING, SELLING, EDUCATING AND TRAINING AUTOMATICALLY
Imagine an automated system that delivers information to your potential customers and then follows up with them automatically over a preset number of days, weeks, and months. An automated system that nudges, inquires, follows up, reminds and answers questions for each and every contact in due course, over and over...
Having an automated system to send e-mail communication and follow up to your potential and existing customers will save you time and money. Maximize your marketing efforts, stay organized, and make more MONEY in less time.
Systematic follow up will insure all your prospects are walked step by step through your opportunity and your product line. They will receive the whole story a little bit at a time taking them by the hand right to the sign up. Keep telling them about the features and benefits you and your network marketing company can offer them until the time is right for them to join or you strike a chord.
What if you could AUTOMATICALLY...
* Help train and motivate your downline members? * Follow up and keep in touch with your prospect ? * Contact your customer to remind them of their reorder cycles? * Get new recruits started off fast and started off right? * Import your coop leads and begin to further qualify immediately? * Make one file of your prospecting letters to send to your members so they can import it into "The Networkmarketing Builder" to begin building their business immediately?
Sounds great, but where will you get the sales letters to follow up with?
This is a fair question. But there are many resources to depend on. This is one reason you decided on network marketing in the first place right? The support of a company and your organization!
* Contact your upline (often the letters you need are ready) * Find all your old sales letters and applicable outgoing mail * Work together with your upline and downline to assemble a series * Be sure to share your series with your members * Subscribe to our free Easy Home Business Newsletter, going to the following web address: http://newsletter.easy-home-business.com/index.html
"The fortune is in the Follow up"
You can use a "Networkmarketing Builder" to expand your organization, then resell it to your downline creating excitement and results right away. Encourage them to resell it to their new recruits as well and earn second level commissions.
Another important benefit is you can send new members one file to import into their "Networkmarketing Builder" that includes prospecting and training message series for your Networkmarketing all ready to go! This way, your Associates can simply plug new and old prospects or import leads directly into their "Networkmarketing Builder". Then they automatically start sending sound consistent follow up in a timely manner. This will boost their sponsoring efforts and build excitement immediately!!
This is a powerful Networkmarketing tool. When a NEW Networkmarketing member joins, you can mail them a file to import into their new "Networkmarketing Builder" program that contains tons of sales letters, follow ups, training and more. They can customize them; then import their own contacts and new prospects into the "Networkmarketing Builder", and start sending messages that sell the plan and your products. They can now keep in close contact with all their prospects and organization, automatically!
If you have an existing organization that's even better, you have a built in prospect list and reseller force. Since it will be in their best interest, and yours, this is a win-win situation! Tell them how a "Networkmarketing Builder" can help build their business and organization while saving valuable time and money.
Even beginners can simply plug people into the "Networkmarketing Builder" and let their computer do the lion's share of the work following up.
This would be perfect for your network marketing business!
Do you see the power with your own personal "Networkmarketing Builder" for your networking business and Associates?
Another very successful strategy is to coop your lead generation and put a system in place to divide up your leads into files and send them to your associates. Using the "Networkmarketing Builder" and participating in your coop lead generation system your downline has access to the perfect downline building system. They import their leads and start building their business right away.
The Industry is growing faster than any other time in our history but competition is fierce....
YOU NEED TO LAYOUT A SIMPLE AND EFFECTIVE RECRUITING SYSTEM THE AVERAGE PERSON CAN GET RESULTS WITH. COMBINING A LEAD GENERATION SYSTEM WITH THE POWER OF THE "Networkmarketing Builder" IS THE SOLUTION NO MATTER WHAT NETWORK MARKETING COMPANIES YOU REPRESENT!
Imagine providing the marketing tool that almost guarantees your new and existing Networkmarketing recruit's success. You can help them automate their follow up and lead management. This insures you and your downline are doing a TON of work, in just minutes a day.
They can import yours or the company's pre selected messages right into the "Networkmarketing Builder" to grow their new business and yours. The "Networkmarketing Builder" automatically gets your new partner started off right and started off fast!
Don't forget you earn commission on every order your downline and customers sell as well. The power of duplication at your fingertips. Your new recruits just plug their new and old prospects into their software and off they go sponsoring faster than ever. Not only can it follow up with hundreds, even thousands of your prospects in a few minutes per day, but you can also ...
<1> Send a training series over 12 months or more keeping your downline informed and motivated <2>Advertise and mail a free "Networkmarketing training series." Of course your information covers the benefits of your products and opportunity all right in the same series. <3> Mail a "getting started fast" training series to all your new recruits.
Let's review how much time you're spending on your mail communication. Use minutes or hours in each blank.
1) Keeping customers posted on specials and new products per day_________ 2) Following up with prospects requesting more information per day_________ 3) Keeping track of your contacts and e-mail communication per day_________ 4) Introducing a new product to your contact database per day_________ 5) Motivating and training your employees and associates per day_________ 6) Educating your customers and prospects per day_________
Total hours spent per day on these activities? >>>__________ Your cost ($$$$) ? _________
A "Networkmarketing Builder" affords you the opportunity to do much of this communication in minutes, not hours.
WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER!
Click here to download a free copy of Postmaster "The Networkmarketing Builder": http://newsletter.easy-home-business.com/hts/postmaster30.html
To Your Success, Dr. Roberto A. Bonomi
Networking Clubs And Their Relevance To Contract Cleaners
If you are a new business just starting out into the world of contract cleaning then your immediate aim is to gather as many new customers as you can and constantly grow the business. The initial stages are hard and it is difficult to gain those first few customers. How gain you gain a foothold in this highly competitive market? Many of the marketing strategies you might employ have been explained in previous articles. One area that was not explored in these articles was networking.
As a new business you will probably receive a number of invitations to go along to various local networking organisations meetings. At these they will no doubt try and impress upon you the huge benefits to be gained by networking. You will also be told how much business was generated for its members over a period of time. All will seem very impressive and like myself you may very well be impressed enough to join the weekly breakfast or luncheon meetings. This could cost you anything up to £500 a year to be a member plus the cost of the meal or maybe as little as the cost of the meal. Some of the internet networking organisations charge a small monthly fee and then organise monthly local meetings.
When I started out into the field of commercial cleaning I was willing to try anything that might generate business so I joined a number of these organisations. So how successful was this as a means of expanding my business?
I did in fact persevere with some of these breakfast meetings for a whole year, having paid the yearly subscription it was in fact something of a necessity. However it does not take long to realise that the people who attend these meetings are not in fact your likely customers. Many of the individuals who attend networking meetings are just starting out in their business and are operating as sole traders working from home and not in any way, shape or form likely to be your potential customers. Others are well established but still operate as single entities such as business coaches and have no office as such. Others may be proprietors of shops just starting out and these are potential customers.
However you as a contract cleaning company are looking to clean offices and office complexes and these are inhabited by well established companies who do not by and large participate in local networking groups. So you are not going to come in contact with the group who are going to provide the more lucrative cleaning contracts.
I can look back on my time with these networking groups as a learning experience and we probably just about recouped our membership fees. Other than that very little long term benefit was derived from the experience. Networking it would seem from my own experience is not a path I would necessarily recommend to the start up cleaning business. Use that time period to utilise other marketing techniques which are more useful to the cleaning business entrepreneur. If you do fancy the idea of networking then you must target a different audience. That is the established businesses, and to do that you will need to join such organisations as the Chamber of Commerce where your networking will not be so overt and often done in a more sociable and relaxed atmosphere.
Networking while traveling
Networking is more than just putting your business name out there for people to find you, but it is also a part of getting to know people, who are going to spread the word about what you do, what you sell, and that are going to support you in all that you do. Networking is going to involve getting to know as many people in life as you can, and putting your business in front of those people, so they will represent your name, your business, and will tell others about what you have to offer.
If your business requires that you travel often, or perhaps you travel often to find supplies, visit relatives or just because you like it. You should make it a point to get to know those who you are sitting beside, those who are surrounding you on the plane, even those who are sitting on the bench while waiting in the airport. Make it a point to meet and greet at least one new person a day.
How are you going to get started on this?
Start the conversation by saying hello, how are you today? Ask questions. The best way to get to know someone is to ask questions. Without asking questions, it can be difficult to carry on a conversation. Asking questions is a good icebreaker, in turn, the person is going to want to talk about their self, and where they are traveling too. You can then lead into something like, is this business trip or a personal trip? As you go on with the conversation, the person is going to ask you questions, which is where you will be able to talk about your business and what you do.
As you make it a point to get to know at least one new person a day- you are going to increase your network, which means you will increase the people that you know in life. Increasing your business network is going to be dependent on your abilities to carry on a conversation and to talk with others. Force yourself to do this. Force yourself to stick to your habit of meeting at least one new person a day. As you make this a point, you will make this a habit and in the long run, your business will thrive for it.
Networking Your Way to Online Business Success
Forums, groups, boards, and loops; they're all synonymous for online locations facilitating online networking. Some are entirely public, where everyone and anyone can click to the URL, read the messages and if they have no interest in contributing, they can just lurk. Some require active participation and others require registration before members can participate. These online forums, groups, boards or loops are different from paid membership sites in that there is no cost to network at these websites.
Some are active, some are sleepy. Some are strictly for online business related topics; some allow more OT (Off Topics) and social interaction. There are forums for every imaginable topic: Entrepreneurs, International online business, Health related fields, Technology, Copywriters, Web Designers, Work at Home Moms, Programmers, Finance, Ebay, Job Seekers, Internet Marketing, Writers, Inventors and Virtual Assistants, just to barely scratch the surface of what's out there on the World Wide Web.
Time management skills need to be paramount when participating in online forums. You can very easily get swallowed up and spend hours and hours online networking with others who have online businesses, yet you miss real opportunities to get some productive work done!
From a online business standpoint, there are two areas you should consider before participating in a loop. It's always good to have a network of like-minded online business people. If you're a web designer, hang out with other designers. You can help and support each other. If you're just starting out, you can learn from the pros.
Don't get stuck though, just hanging out with your own kind. You're not going to be very successful trying to promote your design services to other designers. This is where balance comes in. Pop into the boards, check new posts of interest, ask or answer questions, then get out. Then move onto groups who need your services or products. Who is your target market and where do they hang out? Go there. Word of caution: Do not go to these forums with the sole purpose of SPAMMING the group. You'll be tossed out on your ear quicker than you can blink if that is your sole purpose. People like to do business with people they know and trust - or at the very minimum have at least heard of.
If you're trying to sell your curriculum to a group of home school parents and you just pop in, spew your sales rap all over the boards then expect any sort of return, you're missing the point of online networking. It's networking - not advertising. You need to build a rapport with your other "loopies". Then if a need arises and they know one of their own fellow networkers has that special skill or product, guess who they'll call first? You hope it's YOU.
For starters check MSN, Google, Yahoo, AOL, and Ryze. Inside there are literally hundreds and thousands of groups just waiting for you. Start networking your way to online business success today!
Network Marketing Home Business
Many people that think operating a business from home is glamorous, exciting, and filled with freedoms that you can never experience if you work for someone else. Without the obligations that come from reporting to an employer everyday and they then think the money is easily acquired. This article will look at both the positives and negatives of owning a home-based business.
An important part of working from home is letting others know you have a business and this is done through networking. Network marketing is not always easy for everyone. There are individuals who are very natural at talking with others and find it quite easy to be in a room full of strangers and talk about what they have to offer. Then there are those terrified of the idea of network marketing and would prefer to stay home and pay someone else to do this portion of the business for them. Network marketing does not have to be a horrible experience for you and you do not have to have a panic attack at the thought of attending one. When you prepare for network marketing and do not go in with your eyes closed, you will find that it will make an enormous difference in the productivity of your business. Network marketing can be beneficial in building a plethora of resources and contacts that you can have at your fingertips to propel your business forward.
Decide in advance how many people you want to talk to and do just that. If it is your first time, you may only want to talk to three people. Although once you are there, you will probably find yourself relaxing and notice that you came home with more than three contacts. Do not forget the business cards of the people you meet. In the excitement, you may forget their names. It is a good idea to jot down some relevant information on the back of the card to help you remember why or why not you like that particular contact.
In order for your home business to be successful, you have to make your presence known. You can do this through advertising and word-of-mouth. However, staying inside your protective home and never letting anyone know whom you are will not generate many clients or bring an increase in your profits. Go out, have coffee, and talk to others about your services. Walk into businesses that you think will profit from your services and let them know what you have to offer. If you have children in school, you can offer your services to the PTA or other groups that your child may be involved. Do not discount your sphere of influences because it is from this circle that your business will grow.
Network Marketing the Simple Way
But it network marketing could be tricky. A lot of persons are aware that they could be scammed or could be webbed into something they could not get out of. But of course, this all depends on the legitimacy of your network marketing business. Provided that your business is 100% permitted, then here are various tips to do network marketing in a very simple way.
1. Think Positive. Your outlook will all determine it. Imagine of all those revenue that you can earn. Remember, the hardest customers you will encounter are the first ones. So don't give up. If you can handle to get your first two referrals or recruits, the rest will follow as easy as pie.
2. Focus on the advantage. Yes, it could happen that your friends and family will listen closely to your sales pitch but will put you off eventually. They always appear to say no, although nicely. Well, you need not push them. But if you emphasize what they could be missing if they don't sign-up, the tables might turn. You might get a lot of down lines than you could ever hope for.
3. Use the internet. Networking is simple if you can reach out to a lot of people. Produce a website. Begin forums and threads. Tell everyone you come across the internet about the great opportunity. The law of averages applies. The more persons you talk to, the more persons you may persuade.
4. Select your market. If your network marketing business has a certain product, let's say bath soaps, you will appeal more to women than men. You will save a lot of pains and energy if you pre-select your candidates than just barking on every tree you encounter. Pre-qualify, but be cautious not to overdo it.
5. Be Educated. You have to demonstrate your customers your trust in your product and the business. You have to totally grasp all its bits and pieces. This way, you can explain the process entirely in one run. If you know a lot around your products, more individuals will believe in you.
6. Have First-hand Experience. It would be simple to sell if you, yourself, have proven that the structure works. You can show your prospects your own earnings, paychecks, and collectibles. Show them how effective it is with you. If it has worked for you, chances are, it will work for them too.
7. Give Referrals. A network marketing business occasionally is being solely based on the company's and your personality and character as its marketer. This is remarkably true if there is a demand for an primary investment. Show them it is legal. Show them you are trustworthy. You needed to do that to get into them.
8. Demonstrate the Company's Financial Capabilities. If they wanted to earn big, they intend to get it. Individuals should feel that they won't get turned away when the show up and collect their income. If they can see the company's financial backing beforehand, then they won't have doubts about their income being held or not given on time.
9. Be of Full Support. Individuals who are getting second thoughts about all of these would require additional direction and assistance. Be certain to spot individuals who are just buying time because they can't make up their minds on the spot. Help them decide. Be present to their needs. Address their apprehensions. Summon all your convincing ability
10. Use Every Online Tool Accessible. The internet has different avenues and tools you can use freely. Build your own blogsite. Advertise with different websites. Join affiliates program. There are so numerous useful things online that you can take advantage of.
Network marketing is a concept which can make you earn residual income quite easily. Although it becomes easy just when your first line of referrals are all doing as well. But past that, network marketing is sure to give you riches, especially if done the proper way.
Network Marketing Training -- Arm Your New Distributors for Success
"Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them."
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene i (58-90)
Hamlet may not have been talking about network marketing, but his words do apply. Almost every network marketer has experienced the "slings and arrows" of the naysayers, those often well-meaning friends and relatives that stand in the way of our making an "outrageous fortune!" Experienced network marketers, clothed in the armor of past success, are less vulnerable to outside influences. The new distributor, however, is vulnerable, and that "sea of troubles" can act as a barrier to reaching their true potential.
What did the knights of old do to prevent an injury? That's right - they armed themselves. Their armor was heavy and cumbersome, and they needed a squire to help them prepare for battle. Well, the same is true for your new distributors. While the armor they must use is less cumbersome than that of the knights, you must help them arm themselves for success. In other words, you must be their squire.
What do I mean by "arming for success?"
When a new distributor joins your network marketing organization, they are moving into an environment that demands strong armor. There are a lot of "slings and arrows" that can hurt their chances for success and create a sea of troubles -- of doubt, disbelief, even failure.
As Rich Dad, Poor Dad author Robert T. Kiyosaki points out, most people in this world are afraid to experience success. They are held back by negative thinking, and consequently suffer the pain of mediocrity. Because they have not been armed for success, and are more focused on security and survival, they subject themselves to a life of servitude and poverty and being someone else's employee.
Arm your new distributors from negative thinking and potential disaster. How? By understanding why so many people are negative about network marketing and the prospects of the success it can bring.
Let's face it. There are a lot of people out there that do not want you to become successful. When you are successful, you point out the lack of success in their lives. When you take away any excuses they've been hanging onto and you force them to look at their lives as they really are, it makes them very uncomfortable. You've heard of the expression "Misery loves company." Well, it's true.
Doug Firebaugh, network marketing guru, calls it the "Unspoken Understanding," which is simply the silent agreement that most people have with each other, namely "don't mention my mediocre life, and I won't mention yours." Your success and the success of your new distributors, just points out the naysayers' mediocrity.
Leaders help others. If you are going to be successful in network marketing, you must arm your new distributors against people who will try to convince them their business won't work. Show your downline you want them to be successful. Encourage them. Show them how the most successful network marketers have achieved their success, and teach them to model those attitudes, habits, and actions. Remind your distributors that they are the CEO of their lives. Arm them with the power of positive thinking so they don't let others live their lives for them with their negative attitudes.
To paraphrase Hamlet, by opposing negative thoughts, we end them.
Bruce Bailey, Ph.D.
Network Marketing - Why is it so great?
If you've ever heard of Network Marketing, you've probably heard it said that it is essentially a people's business. Some have also labeled it a people's franchise because of the similarities between the business models of network marketing and franchising. Advocates of the industry name it as the ultimate people's business and say there is nothing quite like it. People that are in network marketing will immediately respond positively to this.
One of the unique characteristics of the network marketing type of business is that every individual distributor is in business for themselves but never by themselves. They will always be part of a larger organization and the compensation models are designed in such a way that every person can count on some form of support from their upline.
It is no secret that fortunes can be made in this type of business and many have done just that. Of course this is not the majority of network marketers, but every individual distributor does have the same chances. Success or failure in network marketing is not dictated by politics, race, age, background or gender, but always by results. In that respect it is probably also the fairest business model in the world.
For many people however the true value of their home based business is not directly in the financial return. The lessons a person can learn while building his or her own network marketing business are truly priceless. Many people are totally transformed through the personal growth they experience as a direct result of their challenges in their MLM businesses. It forced them to get out of their comfort zones, grow, and in many cases become a better person.
So what is so unique about network marketing in this respect? Doesn't every entrepreneur have to deal with challenges? The answer of course is: Yes, they do. And they also experience personal growth as a result from this. However there is a significant difference. Most entrepreneurs are self made and many of them learned their trade largely outside of formal education. Either they were taught by a family member, a mentor or perhaps they learned everything the hard way: by trial and error. Very rarely will you find an entrepreneur that has an extensive library of books and tapes on personal development. Most businesspeople don't attend seminars and motivational trainings. They think it's all a bunch of hype. While in some cases this can be true, there are many trainings and seminars that teach the principles of success better than any textbook found in business schools.
One of the great things about network marketing is that this type of education is built into the training systems of all good companies. There is no business on the face of the earth that places such a strong and direct emphasis on the importance of personal development as the network marketing industry. Many companies might argue that they spend a great deal of their budget on education; training employees and as such assisting them in personal development but in most cases what they are actually talking about is personnel development. Although the words are almost identical, their meanings are vastly different.
Network marketing is all about building people. It is probably the best school on the planet if you want to learn about what it takes to be successful in life and you don't need rich parents or some kind of scholarship to enroll.
ProBuilderPlus Review - A Venture Into World Of MLM
I want to start with simple statement - I have always told myself that I will never fall for Multi Level Marketing or as it's called most often MLM. I have always believed that most MLM business opportunities are nothing more than glorified pyramid scheme brought online. So what changed my mind? How did I, a self taught Internet Infopreneur got sucked into it? Read on ... to learn how, why, get the skinny on the latest hottest MLM opportunity and see my real day-by-day experience.
So, lets start with why. I run a website dedicated to affiliate marketing and home based business. I investigate and share my experiences with anyone willing to read my articles and make recommendations on what I consider a solid opportunity. I make my money on Yahoo ads and on multiple affiliate sales I get, when people do follow my recommendations. In last two month I have gotten at least 10 emails from my visitors asking me about different MLM programs and my personal opinion. Since I have only had experienced myself only with SFI, a known affiliate MLM I could only answer based on that, which wasn't enough ... So here I was. I have picked the hottest MLM I could find currently running and one of the youngest with low membership fees - ProBuilderPlus. This review is dedicated to my readers and hopefully my experience will help you make your decision.
Now to the how part we move ... How do you make money using ProBuilderPlus business opportunity? It's really a quite simple forced matrix with 3 levels of payoff but quite a bit more intricate system of payments. Once you build a matrix of 9 people in your downline, doesn't matter how far, you guaranteed a weekly check of $30. But it doesn't stop there. You also get $10 for each paying member you personally refer and then $3 for second level from that member and $2 for 3rd level. All this in addition to payments based on maintaining your minimum matrix. As your matrix grows, so does your weekly income.
The system is quite simple but let's have a look at how effective it is and what does it takes to recruit new members...Actually this is the part that surprised me most and quite pleasant surprise it was. It was designed to be used by anyone, with no marketing experience and no prior knowledge and recruiting is a lot easier than I thought was possible. I have joined this system for free, while doing evaluation of multiple MLM programs about 7 or 10 days ago. As soon as I did I started receiving emails with interesting subjects:
"Here you go Alex, we put Kathy under you..." "Here you go Alex, we put James under you..." "Another One Alex - Joseph just joined YOUR Powerline..." "Alex - AWESOME Mark just Upgraded to Member in YOUR DOWNLINE..."
And they just kept on pouring in. Before I knew it I had 587 pre-enrolled members, free members but all interested to learn how to make money, all with an open mindset and just waiting for a push to be converted. And believe you me, emails with subjects like I shown above was powerful push even for a skeptic like me, so I decided to join, reasoning that I can always cancel.
And now I move to the tools that system provides, and their quality. It comes pretty much with everything one might require:
1. An autoresponder follow-up system that makes you want to upgrade.
2. A matrix structure and pay plan that almost guarantees you make money.
3. Lead capture pages that get the job done.
4. A traffic rotator that allows you to funnel traffic to your downline.
5. Online training that highlights simple steps to success.
6. A Contact Manager that allows to to stay in touch with people you personally sponsor.
7. A tool that allows you to send a voice message to thousands of people per MINUTE. Quality design shows in every tool and all of them quite compelling as far as MLM goes.
Day 1-3. All we are left with is my personal experience. I have had accounts already with several traffic exchange programs that require members to click on your add and actually look at page. I have found them quite effective for building my mailing lists, so I figured I would just add my link from ProBuilderPlus to rotation and see what it brings. Completion of that part only took me a few minutes and once done I had a chance to have a closer look at all tools I described above and specifically training. Nice day of work, if I can say so myself ...
Day two went pretty much on autopilot, due to my preoccupation with regularly scheduled job and I only had an opportunity to check my stats on third day. To my surprise I had over 530 views of my signup page and one paying member! That is $10 back to my pocket, 2 more and I will return my investment. Not bad, not bad at all.
To do a quick summary - I don't know if you can become filthy rich using this system or not but looking at weekly leaderboard I can see people with over 414 paying members enrolled, and that is for one week. So what I will do is continue to investigate this opportunity and post updates on my regular site, so feel free to visit and read them if you liked this article or just want to learn more from a person who is doing it and honestly sharing. No hype, no fuss, just an honest opinion.
Profiting From Online Social Networking
This is the second in a series of articles we will be publishing relaying thoughts and ideas from the Internet Retailer Conference in Chicago, which occurred June 5th through June 7th. Peter Kosciewicz, Director of E-Commerce for the Eastwood Company, and Chris Saito, Senior Director, Shopping Products for Yahoo! Shopping, delivered a presentation entitled "Social Networking: The Peer Pursuasion Marketing Tool."
According to Kosciewicz, the Web today has grown into an "architecture of participation" that facilitates social networking through devices such as blogs, wikis, RSS, podcasts, and more. Forrester Research has published studies that show that traditional marketing is continuing to lose credibility. For example, in 2002, 78% of respondents in a survey said that ads are a good way to learn about a new product. In 2004, that number had dropped to 46%. In 2002, 14% of respondents agrees that companies generally tell the trust. As pathetic as 14% is, in 2004, it had declined even further - down to 7%. Social networking as a means of marketing overcomes this lack of consumer trust because it relies on the word of the consumer rather than the word of the producer. Research from Datamonitor reported that 85% of repondents in a survey indicated that word-of-mouth from friends, family, or colleagues is more trustworthy than corporate-generated content.
So how do you take advantage of social networking to sell more product? Simple - you open yourself up. You plant the seeds of a community to grow up around your site by using devices such as blogs, customer reviews, and forums to give a voice to your customers or prospective customers. The caveat is that you must be high quality. You must have high quality service and a high quality product. If not, avoid this marketing method.
Kosciewicz outlined four important rules for using social networking on your web site:
1. Guide but don't control.
2. Never censor.
3. Don't be afraid of the negative.
4. Don't be paranoid.
If you open up a forum on your site but then restrict what people are allowed to say, such as removing posts that are negative toward your company or that mention your competitors, then you will do more damage than good to your reputation. Use negativity as a way to improve your business. If people are negative, look at that as feedback and act on it. Make changes, and then let your community know about it. Don't worry about your community talking about your competition. Your attitude has to be that you are the best, so why worry about it?
As a community develops around your web site, certain members will establish themselves as more influential than others. They will be more outspoken, and will be the ones who often respond to others. Cultivate these members, because they can be powerful allies. Once you have identified the more influential members of your community, contact them regularly, give them free product, become their friend. Feed your influencers information, and they will distribute it for you. But do not make it appear that you are only interested in them because they can help you sell stuff. You need to be genuine.
Measuring the impact of social networking is difficult. Unlike other forms of marketing, there is no direct connect between social networking activity and sells. What you will want to do is track traffic to pages such as customer reviews, referral links, etc.
Social networking can be a powerful marketing tool, if you have a high quality product and are not afraid of an open dialogue with your customers.
If you would like help implementing a social networking strategy for your web site, call Work Media at 1-888-299-4837 or email info@workmedia.net.
No comments:
Post a Comment