MLM, the Internet and Ways to Make it Work for Anybody Including YOU

This is gonna be what my sponsor calls a "hurricane" training. I am gonna throw A LOT of stuff out there in hope that one thing might click with you, you use it and experience greater success because of it. However, it is gonna be long but stuffed full of goodies.

First, I am not some washed up, MLM junkie, loser online wannabe. I have been using the internet for 2 years as an additional way to build my mlm business. I also work closely with a guy in my downline when it comes to the internet. We have both sponsored many people via the internet. In fact, in a 2 week period he sponsored about 12 people via the net (and this is not some "pay nothing, get nothing" joke of a deal, the average investment was $400).

I am only saying this to show that I am not some slickster who talks a good game but cant back it up. But somebody who is in the trenches doing what I teach and am very successful at it.

So, my takes on the internet. (This is MY OPINION and how I do things. There are other ways - some as/more effective, others not as effective.)

FIRST, online malls are a waste of time, energy, money and server space/bandwith. Yell at me all you want, but PLEASE only provide FACTUAL information on WHY I am wrong.

SECOND, the internet should be viewed as another lead generation source, NOT your only business building technique. We are in the LEADER BUILDING business. No matter how you look at it, you cant create a leader out of somebody who is in his underwear, in the spare bedroom, sitting behind their computer for 8 hours a day hitting the "check email" button every 2 minutes hoping that "the email" will come in from the person who will build them a huge business.

Unfortunately too many people get caught up in the internet and this becomes their daily method of operation (I was there once too!!) The problem is, this type of activity does not encourage PERSONAL GROWTH, it actually hinders or even reverses personal growth... pretty soon hours turn into days turn into weeks into months and next thing you know it is the year 2002 and the last book you read was TV Guide from 2 months ago. AHHHH!!!!

You NEED personal contact with your upline, downline and prospects.

THIRD, the internet is JUST another way to generate LEADS.... NOT build your entire business.

How do you generate leads? What we do is create a generic website (you can check mine out at the link below). We offer them a reason to submit their email address requesting information that says "Yeah I am looking for a home-business." (Oh, by the way, I forgot to say this... I ONLY use the net to generate Business Builders NOT product users. That is because that is what I know how to do, not saying the other is not possible though.)

Then, I followup with these people via email FOREVER unless they 1) die, 2) change email addresses, 3) tell me they are not interested.

My followup is in this form...

First, they get a "presentation over email". Each day I send them an email... first the industry, then our company, then our products, then our comp plan, then why they should join me, then about getting started, then a followup to getting started, then tax advantages, then I go into another followup sequence. I also send out 1 time messages to everybody on my follow up list besides the above which are all automatic.

I use automated software for the above. I have used and tested a lot of the stuff out there and have found the more you automate the better. Anymore I spend about 1 hour a day online, followup with at least 50 people a day automatically and my entire online marketing system is self operating. Very independent of myself. It HAS to be that way, otherwise people fall through the cracks.

EVERYTHING I send these people is designed to educate them a little more, create a higher level of interest and MOST IMPORTANTLY get them to respond so we can start a conversation through email or eventually over the phone. That is how you sponsor people... you create a dialog (build a relationship/trust) between the 2 of you.

Figure it will take anywhere from 50 to 100 prospects to sign up 1 new person using traditional online marketing techniques. To get somebody from a "suspect" to a "prospect" to a new distributor will require anywhere from 8 to 15 emails from you with new, different and useful information.

FOURTH, the internet is colder then cold market (people can be down right nasty as witnessed on this board) due to the secrecy the net provides. AND it takes a LOT LONGER then any other method out there. On average a person will be on your follow up list anywhere from 1 month to 1 year or more before they raise their hand and say something or join. That is another reason why it is so important to NOT solely rely on the internet. New people will give up way too early because of lack of results, dont get discouraged.

FIFTH, the internet is VERY unduplicatable. Yes, people with internet experience and marketing can do what I do, and probably better since I dont focus on it that much. But, for some newbie to join and think they can build a business online when they still have problems sending email or dont really know what a search engine is... well we are talking about a 6 month long education process to just understand the internet... THEN they are at a point when they can consider really using the net to build a business.

However, offline techniques can be much easier duplicated because everybody knows how to talk, how to watch a video, listen to an audio tape, use a phone, etc....

SIXTH, people will be drawn to the way you sponsor them. I do not sponsor people over the internet if their intention is to sit behind a screen in hopes to never, (YIKES!!) talk to somebody. I sponsor people who are willing to go out a build a good sound business following my lead and training. The internet might be one part of that bigger picture.

However, that rarely works. They are drawn back to the way they saw you recruit them (over the net) and want to do that and nothing else. So, you better be clear upfront what you expect and they should expect.

SEVENTH, and this is the BIGGIE!!! The internet is the GREAT TRAINING EQUALIZER. Instead of having some 7th generation fuzzy photo copied way of training where after a few levels the system goes from building a business the right way to "getting drunk and standing up on a table at a bar and try and give a presentation to everybody there on a Friday night" way to building a business. (I have heard stories so dont laugh too hard.)

With a team training site where EVERYTHING is provided to build a business... everything you know, your upline knows, and their 565th Star Fleet 6th Generation Grand Puba Commander upline knows (and then some good MLM Guru information hijacking for good measure) is provided. This way, EVERYBODY has the same access to the information no matter if you sponsored them or their next door neighbor who still doesnt know how to order product sponsored them.

Here is the scenerio I used when developing my training site and when I feel this requirement is met I will feel my training site is complete... "A lady is really motivated and determined to make her brand new MLM business work for her. Just 2 days ago her brother signed her up and she is fired up. She goes back and meets with her brother and he barely knows how to order products let alone build a business. His upline is almost as bad. All of a sudden her big dreams seem almost impossible because she doesnt have a clue what to do. Then, the next day a letter arrives in the mail from somebody in her upline she never heard of before. It tells her to log onto the internet and check out their teams training site on how to build a business. She goes to the site and then....."

For an example, you can check out the "open to the public" section of my teams training site, go to http://www.lostandfind.com/tod/

Realize, I just provided you with the 5 minute overview. However, I hope it helped in some way.

Some other thoughts... use your site to generate LOCAL prospects. (Now that is a good idea!!!) In fact, that is one of my biggest cheeses with the net. You sponsor people all over the country (even the world). Then you have to try and train them, etc... Why put yourself through that when you can sponsor people who live blocks away from you instead of states away? But, that is another story for another day.

About the Author

Kevin Wilke is a full-time distributor for the Network Marketing company USANA. He also publishes VisionPro MLM E-Training, an unbiased generic training newsletter and website for all network marketers. He lives in Arlington, Texas USA. He can be reached at phone:(817)640-5590 fax:(707)215-6686 or the web lostandfind.com | http://www.lostandfind.com/visionpro


kevin@lostandfind.com
http://www.lostandfind.com