Today, we’re going to discuss how to build your list for your network marketing business. To get started, you should know I am NOT talking about your warm market list. This is not your name’s list you build when you first get started in MLM. Instead, I’m talking about building an email or direct mail list of people who give you PERMISSION to communicate with them about your business, products or service.
You’ve probably heard that the money is in the list. You’ve probably heard lots of successful network marketers and online marketers tell you how important it is to build a list. Of all the things I have done in my home business, building my own list was the smartest decision I’ve made.
There are countless ways to build your list. I build my list by blogging. This is my system to build my own list. Other people send postcards. Some folks have a YouTube Channel. Others do classified ads. Some people build their list face-to-face. Your key to success is to find a strategy that works for you. There is no one right answer or one way to do it.
The process for building your own list is quite simple.
The first step is to pick your target market. Which type of people do you want to add to your list? Are you trying to recruit other network marketers, business opportunity seekers, people interested in your product line, small business owners, or another group of people? I suggest you focus on people who will be interested in your product line. Whatever you do, you want to target a specific niche.
The second step is to have an offer. This should NOT be your business opportunity. You simply offer a freebie, such as a free product sample, free eBook, free DVD, free coaching session, consultation, or anything else that people in your target market will be interested in.
The third step is to have a lead capture system. If you are building an online list you need a capture page and auto-responder. If you are building an offline list you can use a pre-recorded sizzle call, where people can call a toll free number and leave their mailing address and phone number. In either example, this is how you will CAPTURE the lead and have them added to your list.
The fourth step is to advertise your free offer and send people to your lead capture system. You can do that by sending out postcards, creating YouTube videos, direct mail, article marketing, classified ads, pay per click, or a variety of other advertising methods. This is the mot important step in the process. Without traffic you won’t generate any leads.
The fifth step is to follow up with people on your list and build a good relationship with them. This where most folks mess up. They think their job is to try and sell to their list every time they communicate with them, rather than offering value. Your real job is to educate your list and build a relationship with them so they know you, like you and trust you.
You do that by communicating often (at least once a week) and by providing valuable content, training and information. You don’t try to ram your business opportunity down their throat. Instead, you TEACH them what you know and help them solve their problems. Yes, you let them know about your business opportunity and products, but you don’t pressure them to join or buy.
Final Thoughts
There you have it folks. That’s how you build your list for your network marketing business. That’s it in a nutshell. It ain’t rocket science.
You simply get your system set up and you get started. You start out by getting your first lead and you learn as you go. Starting today, make a commitment to start building your own list. Start out with a small goal of adding one to two people a day to your list. As time goes by, bump up that number to five to ten people a day.
If you can do that, your network marketing business will grow leaps and bounds. People will see you as their leader. They will see you as their solution provider. Some of these folks will join your team on their own or call you up to sponsor them.
That’s what the pros do. And that’s what you should do. Become the hunted, not the hunter.
Remember, the money is in the list.
What are your thoughts about building a list for your MLM Business? Leave a comment below to let me know what you think.
Sincerely,
Chuck Holmes
Network Marketing Professional (21+ years)
Top Recruiter & Top Rep
mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
The first step of picking a target market is crucial to the process. Not everyone is in the market for what you have to offer, and if you try to sell to everyone you will frequently be disappointed. When you identify your target market you maximize your selling potential because you are only reaching out to those people who want, need, or have interest in what you are selling.
Find the group of people “most likely” to be interested in what you have to offer and focus on them.
I think people often just look at the simplest places for their target market, and overlook many who could also fit into the target. If you carry products that are geared towards a healthy lifestyle, I believe your target market is huge. You could market in almost any means and find people who desire healthy options. If your products are women’s jewelry, you probably do not want to market to men, but in all actuality, you may. With the gay movements, and men who want to get gifts for their wives, you could do well marketing there.
I say this because I believe sometimes people lose money by making their target too small. Just a thought.
These five steps really simplify the lead generation process and make building a big list seem like a much more attainable goal. Step #5 is of the utmost importance; having a big list of prospective customers and distributors means nothing if you don’t know how to use it effectively. A ship with big sails can’t go anywhere if there’s no one who can pilot the ship!
People love free stuff! This is such a good way to get people in the door. Investing in your list is money well spent. Since some people are slow adapters and need longer to make decisions, network lists are key to keeping them engaged and interested without being forceful or overwhelming.
They sure do. Giving away free stuff is a great way to get leads.
This is a great five-step system to follow to build your list for your network marketing business. It seems so easy when you mark it out this way. I believe that one of the most important steps is following up with people in a no-pressure way, and building relationships with them. I agree: this does seem to be where so many people mess it up. Build up to the client or recruit relationship slowly, basing it on trust and mutual respect. This may seem like taking the slow approach (which it is), but the rewards of a long-term relationship with be far greater than a rushed one that falls apart.
The follow up is huge, especially if you do it the right way. Most people will take MONTHS to upgrade into a distributor or customer. If you only follow up with them one time, you are really missing out.