There is much debate in the arena of network marketing about securing leads to build a profitable business. With the explosion of the internet, it seems that the new paradigm in network marketing is focused more on building a business online. Network marketing "experts" are coming out of the woodwork with tips, strategies, and systems that supposedly will help anyone build a business online. In fact, these pundits claim that if done correctly, you will never have to chase your friends and family again. Instead, people will chase you and sign right in to your business opportunity.
Now, let's study this new line of thinking and use some common sense rationale to determine whether it is possible to build a business online without ever having to contact someone you know.
First of all, let's examine why someone would choose to go strictly with the online marketing approach to network marketing. One online marketing "expert" told me that she preferred online marketing because she felt the overwhelming population of people were not comfortable marketing their business opportunity in person.
With the advent of the internet, we know that people have become more and more bold in terms of how they behave via the internet. Every single one of us has received a scathing email from a friend or an associate. Would this same person have been as bold with the message had they been forced to communicate it face to face?
Cyber bullying has been on the rise in recent years. Using the power of the internet, kids and teens no longer have to confront their adversaries face to face. They are using email or other social media forms like Facebook to communicate their hurtful words to their victims.
What's my point? What's happening in society today is a trend away from face to face meetings, conversations, and relationship building. Instead, people are moving away from one on one interactions and are opting for the safety net of a computer. This trend is occurring in all facets of life. Kids don't talk anymore! They text! People don't resolve conflicts in individual meetings. Instead, people trade emails back and forth because it feels safer.
The same trend that is driving people away from building intentional relationships through face to face conversations is happening in network marketing. The so-called "gurus" of MLM are taking advantage of people's inhibitions and fears and they are using this to market strategies, coaching materials, and systems that convince people that they will no longer have to build a network marketing business the old fashion way--in person! These "gurus" are making money, not you!
So to address the original question, is it better to spend your time obtaining leads offline or online? I would say that it is possible to obtain leads online. I am proof of that. I met my upline sponsor, Eric Allen, through an online ad. However, if you ask me what sold me on the business opportunity, I will tell you that it wasn't his ad. It was a person to person phone call. Eric picked up the phone and spent 30 minutes building a relationship with me. It was after getting to know him and hearing his story that I became convinced that the business opportunity was the right one for me. So I am living proof that online marketing can attract people.
However, every single one of us has a gold mine of talented and proactive individuals right in our own sphere of influence. Are you willing to share your business opportunity with someone you know? Are your confident enough in your business that you would be willing to sit down face to face with someone over a cup of coffee and invite them to check out your products and your business opportunity? If the answer is no, then I think you will find that building a viable and profitable business is going to be challenging!
Ultimately, those who achieve success in this business are the ones who don't mind picking up the phone, setting up a meeting, and talking with people face to face. The 97 percent of those who fail do so for a variety of reasons: 1) They are afraid of rejection. 2) They are ashamed of network marketing. 3) They don't believe in their company's product therefore they are uncomfortable sharing it with others. 4) They are lazy. 5) They are looking for a "get rich quick scheme".
Here's what I have learned through the years. You can't create success through anonymity. Living a successful and purpose-driven life occurs only if you surround yourself with the right people. Proverbs 18:24 reminds us, "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Building your business does not require you to be an expert salesmen. However, it is important that you have a product that appeals to a wide range of people. It's also important to select an MLM company that offers the kind of support that will give you a chance to succeed. One of my upline leaders once told me, "Bill, don't worry about being a salesmen. Just be good at inviting. The products and the opportunity will sell itself." That's the key.
If you want to succeed in network marketing, begin today by changing your thinking. Think of your business as a gift that you are sharing with others so that they can be empowered to make a difference in the world they live in. Get out there. Talk, share, and give of yourself! You will build a business and you will do it the right way!
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