The answers to questions about how to generate quality MLM leads seem to always have something to do with working in the "warm" market, or getting out into the "cold" market. But there are alternatives that should be included in every MLMer's arsenal.
Let's begin with a very brief overview of the warm and cold market approaches to finding MLM leads.
The Warm Market
The idea of reaching out to your warm market is that it's much easier to approach people who already know and like you. That makes great sense as far as it goes. The problem is that people are usually asking these questions after they've exhausted their list of warm market MLM leads.
What many people upline will tell you is to go back and re-contact people on your warm market list. They do this because that's all they know to say. Unfortunately, that's probably the worst thing you could do. It's this kind of harassment that causes so many of your warm MLM leads to become former friends.
So, when you've exhausted your warm market prospect list, it's time to move into the "cold" market, right?
The Cold Market
The standard advice for developing quality MLM leads from the cold market is to do something like going to the mall and talking to retail sales people. There are always tons of unhappy, frustrated retail sales people out there, right? At least that's what your upline will probably tell you. Again, that's because that's all they know to tell you.
It's true that there are probably are a lot of unhappy retail sales people out there. But that doesn't automatically mean they'll be interested in making the leap from retail sales person to MLM business owner. In fact, if that frustrated retail sales person were entrepreneurial enough that they might seriously explore your opportunity, they'd probably already be engaged in some sort of homed based business. They may even already be involved in MLM.
Seek Alternatives
Am I saying you shouldn't engage in the various traditional MLM lead generation methods taught by your company and upline? Not at all. But many network marketing companies and upline leaders have become myopic and unwilling or unable to explore alternative retailing and recruiting techniques and strategies. But there are alternatives that should be included in your retailing and recruiting arsenal.
One alternative strategy is called attraction marketing. I learned about it a few months ago myself, but it's really not a new concept. Attraction marketing has been going on for decades, both in and out of multi level marketing. But it was never systematized as part of the MLM culture. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't use it to help create quality MLM leads for yourself.
In fact, if you're using it and most others in your company are not, you'll have a pretty good chance of becoming one of the top achievers in your company.
What Attraction Marketing Is
Attraction marketing is simply creating a scenario where prospects and referrals are attracted to you because they trust you. You build that trust by providing them with something of value that’s indirectly related to your MLM business.
I’m not talking about giving out free product samples here. Free samples would be directly related to your business. They come with an implied expectation that the prospect will buy something later.
The value I’m talking about must have no strings attached. It has to be something that stands alone and can benefit your prospect whether they buy something from you or not.
This no strings attached value you provide will almost immediately create a level of trust that will attract prospects and referrals to you.
How It Works
Let's say I'm a distributor for a company that markets weight-loss supplements. A good way to provide something of value might be to present an in-home seminar on nutrition for weight loss. I say in-home because it’s good to start out in a small venue. That way, if you only have a handful of attendees, it’ll still seem like a nice sized group.
Even if I know nothing about the subject, I could easily present an informative, valuable seminar simply by doing some research and preparing a 30 minute talk on the subject.
If I’m going to be successful long term marketing weight-loss supplements, I should become something of an authority on the subject of weight-loss anyway. So any research I do will have a dual purpose and benefit.
Believe me, 30 minutes isn’t all that long. I’ve given dozens of 30 minute talks over the years on a variety of topics and it’s actually difficult to present a lot of information in that amount of time. So when you do this you may want to do 45 or 60 minutes, depending on how much information you want to present.
OK, I’ve prepared my 45 minute talk and presented it to the five individuals who came to the in-home seminar. At the end of my presentation I mention, almost in a by-the-way manner, the products I have that can help with weight-loss. The other 99 percent of the presentation consisted of pitch-free, useful, stand alone information.
What I’ve created by doing this are five potential customers and referral sources. By positioning myself as knowledgeable on the subject of weight-loss, rather than blatantly pitching my products, I’ve created that all-important high level of trust.
Now it’s a simple matter of repeating the process by scheduling more seminars.
As I continue to present these informative seminars, my credibility increases. People begin approaching me for advice. This is where I can casually recommend one of my products, if it’s appropriate, and they’ll likely buy. Not because they know it’s a fantastic product, but because they trust me enough to know I wouldn’t recommend something that isn’t good.
Attraction Recruiting
Continuing with my weight-loss products example, let’s talk a bit about how the attraction marketing model can help in my recruiting efforts.
Having established myself as being knowledgeable on the subject of weight-loss, I’ve built a base of loyal customers for my products. Where is one of the best places to recruit new distributors from? That’s right. Your retail customers.
You already have their trust as a weight-loss expert and product provider. Now you have a very warm prospect for the business opportunity. Just casually ask them if they’d be interested in exploring an income opportunity. At the very least, they’ll probably become distributors so they can get product at wholesale. Once that happens, they’ll begin to see the potential this business offers.
Will all of your seminar attendees become customers and eventually recruits? No. But many will. At the very least, those with whom you’ve developed a high level of trust will recall, and probably mention, your name whenever someone they’re speaking with brings up the topic of weight-loss.
Attraction marketing is a very organic method of creating hot MLM leads for your business. This is more fun and more effective than the scripted, manipulative systems being practiced throughout the multi level marketing industry.
If done properly, attraction marketing can create scores of highly motivated MLM leads for you and your MLM downline.
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