If you want to promote your network marketing business online inexpensively and effectively, message boards and forums are a solid and proven way to do it. This article lays out a plan for getting started successfully. Avoid the one common mistake that will sabotage your efforts from the beginning.
Once you have started your online network marketing and MLM business, you will need to advertise and promote your opportunity. If you are looking for an inexpensive and effective way to advertise, consider using message boards and forums. Used properly, message boards can be a great source of leads for you.
Choosing the Right Message Boards
There are lots of message boards and forums online, on just about every topic you can imagine. You are looking for people seeking a business opportunity, so you will want to use message boards related to home business or working from home. This is where people looking for ways to make money will hang out.
Do a search for terms like "work at home message boards" and similar keywords. This will bring up a list of boards and forums that you can visit. Look for boards that are active. Most will display the last post date for their various topics, and the total number of posts in the topic. Look for lots of recent posts as a sign that the message board is active and thriving.
Learn About the Community
Once you have chosen some boards to visit, take time to visit them and do some reading. Get a feel for the community and the type of discussions that go on there. Take a look at the board rules and make sure that "signatures" are okay - most forums allow them, but a few don't. Once you have a good feel for the community, create an account and get ready to start posting.
The First Rule for Using Message Boards
The first rule for using message boards to promote your network marketing business - do not post advertisements, or direct invitations to consider your opportunity unless the board has a specific section set aside for ads. The boards you want to use will have strict rules about advertising. Posting ads in discussion areas will not attract prospects for your business, and you risk getting banned from posting in the future.
Become a Contributor and Build Your Reputation
Your goal is to establish yourself as an authority and a valuable contributor to the community. There are a lot of lurkers on these boards. They are there doing research and looking for information, so each time you post you are reaching them. Will they see you as a leader? This is your objective. Your first thought should be "how can I help or contribute something positive". You will attract leads for your MLM business over time by doing this.
Creating Your Profile and Signature
Before you get started, be sure to fill out your profile. This is where you can tell more about yourself and create your signature. People can click on your profile at any time and find out more about who you are. Make your profile as complete and meaningful as possible.
Your signature will appear at the bottom of each post you submit. You can normally have a link to your web site, as well as a line or two for a small ad. A simple signature might look something like this:
Joe Networker
Build a Profitable Home Business
Visit www.myMLMbusiness.com for more information
Start Posting and Contributing
Once your profile is set up, start looking for messages where someone is asking for help, or a discussion about a home business or network marketing related topic. If you know something that will help someone or contribute to the discussion, post it! Draw on your past experiences. Don't get in a rush - spend time providing helpful and meaningful replies.
Again, the key to making this work is establishing yourself as a leader and someone who is knowledgeable about network marketing and home business in general. People reading the boards will get to know you and you will begin to receive inquiries and visits to your opportunity site after you've been active for a while.
Pick a few boards to work with, and try to post something as often as possible. Daily posting is best, but if time is limited you can contribute 3-4 times a week and do well. You want to be seen as active and involved, and frequent posting is the way to achieve this.
Final Thoughts
Proper use of message boards and forums for promoting your network marketing and MLM business can be very effective. The key is to present yourself as a professional. Set yourself apart.
The Internet is full of self-serving business opportunity peddlers who take every opportunity to spam and promote their business on message boards while contributing nothing. These people do not succeed. You, by presenting yourself as a professional, will do well.
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