I was in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, having lunch at Kenny Rogers at City Square. While enjoying the food, a quarter chicken meal with 3 side dishes and a muffin plus a glass of cafe latte, my eyes were actually observing two individuals – man and woman – who were sitting at the respective corners in the restaurant at that moment. I knew that they were waiting for someone from their reactions and body languages. I could be wronged but my mind thought otherwise.
About 15 minutes later, their friends came. Both couples ordered their lunch sets, enjoying the food and had a good chat. I wasn’t very sure whether they have known each other before or it was their first date. Whatever it was, it got nothing to do with me. I guessed it was a happy ending at that moment for both couples.
Lets get back to business.
One of the daily habits of network marketers is to arrange appointment with people to share the business opportunity. However, before the meeting could be set, you have to prospect for consumers and business associates.
Prospecting in network marketing is the major part of the network marketing business. Nothing will replace it. Prospecting is like a bread that is buttered to grease the wheels of the marketing machine, plain and simple. It is Ok to disagree with this, but it won’t change the reality of where your income is generated from. In other words, when there are no one to talk and share, no money will be coming in. If you are prospecting online, then you need traffic to visit your website.
Prospecting for leads is the backbone of all network marketing realities. You can have a few hundred people knocking on your doors for the product, but if you think that this is the best method for you to make your network marketing income, then you are so very, very wrong.
Naturally, the direct selling companies will not pay you to just sell the products. The big and real money plus the incentives are all wrapped up with the downlines you can create. Your business partners that run your personal franchise are the one that bring you wealth and stability in your network marketing business.
There are only two methods of prospecting – the traditional offline method and the online marketing via email and website. These are only marketing tools. In order for you to succeed in prospecting, you have to apply both method. Both method should compliment each other in term of expanding your network organization.
When you’re prospecting offline, make full use of the telephone to get appointments. Do not mention the detailed plan over the phone. Your objective is to secure the time and venue of the meeting. Tell your prospects politely that the whole plan is very difficult to be explained over the phone and promise them that you will go through all the details when you meet up with each other; and no obligation on their part. This would not be any fun at all.
If you want to create downlines that will provide you with a solid income, then you must venture out into the Internet and generate leads. There is really no other way apart from the online method. Remember, by prospecting online, you are not only targeting locally, but globally.
Marketing prospecting has always been about re-awakening the best of what we all have in us to shine with. By creating your promotional website to appeal to human nature in a positive way, you cannot go wrong. This will touch people in places they might not be aware of even having anymore. But this is actually helping prospects to find something you might have an answer for.
Talk to you soon,
Jai
PS. On my next post, I will share with you some tips on how to prospect and attract them into your network marketing business.
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