When I first started out in internet marketing – incredible though it seems now – I knew nothing about list-building. And as a result I dove into MLM ...
When I first started out in internet marketing – incredible though it seems now – I knew nothing about list-building. And as a result I dove into MLM without a clue really and nearly burnt out after 6 months of banging my head against the proverbial brick wall.
List-building is not as easy as every product owner will have you believe, but there are ways of doing it effectively and without burning the midnight oil.
For those of you just starting out, I’ve drawn up 7 points you should focus on for making any kind of MLM opportunity work for you. (Without the head injuries!)
1. Build your network one by one
If you think you can email a few friends – Facebook or otherwise – and build a business network, think again. It just won’t happen. This business, like any other business, takes time and hard work. To some people chatting online isn’t hard work, to some it sucks. If it sucks for you, stay away from network marketing. If you enjoy it, or at least can do it effectively, it’s simply a question of thinking one person at a time, not blasting groups and websites with your link.
Remember, if you can get one person on your side/team, he or she may well be motivated to do the same. With time you will build a solid foundation – or downline – not a bunch of people who wondered how in hell they ever came to have your name in their inbox.
2. Write posts and articles on and around your subject
The more you put out there that informs people about the opportunity you are promoting, the more traffic to your sites and your links. You need to produce content to build your list AND to come across as an expert on your chosen opportunity.
3. Attract interested parties to your squeeze page and free gift
Put up a squeeze page where you offer a gift relevant to your opportunity, so that you can collect names and emails.
4. Build a theme oriented site
Once you’ve build a squeeze page which is specifically geared toward one opportunity, you can build a site that caters for various MLM opportunities. Once again this can help project you as an expert in more than one field. You also benefit from a sort of cross-fertilization of leads, as parties seeking one of your number one opportunity decide to sign up for your number two opportunity.
5. You must remain tenacious and consistent
Most network marketers quit within the first year. Cos it’s tough. It’s not work that delivers instant riches, it feels at times like you’re being sold a lie. But think of this, when the going gets tough, most businesses don’t turn a profit in their first year. You simply have to stick at it. And that means doing one task a day to build your list AND motivate your downline. One hour a day is probably enough. Heck even 30 minutes is better than nothing and keeps you in the loop.
6. There is no real secret to a large downline!
Unless you enter network marketing having just inherited wealth or sold a business for a nice lump sum, the only way you’re going to build a downline fast is by steadily recruiting. And by encouraging your downline to recruit too. Let me give you an example of what I mean: with the FantaZ (social gaming) opportunity I’m working, I direct traffic to a squeeze page where I not only inform my visitors of this amazing business opportunity that is about to take off, I also offer them customised and customizable marketing tools to help them build their own downline. Work with your downline members, as most of your growth will come from their efforts. Try to get them to chat with you on Skype or in a Facebook group.
7. Diversify for even greater profits
Once you've developed your downline and your contact list, you should market new opportunities to the list(s) you’ve built. Multiple streams of income will take you to the next level and your monthly income will continue to grow. What I tend to do is bring people in on one opportunity, help them get the hang of it, then introduce them to other, perhaps similar, opportunities and products that will help them build their own lists and downlines.
Follow these magnificent 7 and you'll be mining network marketing gold after about 12 months – sooner if you like hard graft!
