Today, I’d like to share some simple offline MLM recruiting strategies, secrets and tips that work. Some people refer to this as old school network marketing.
While most people are obsessed with promoting their network marketing business online, they often overlook MANY good opportunities they have to promote their business locally, offline.
Let’s face it, our industry is a RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS. Yes, you can build a relationship online, but it’s much easier to do OFFLINE, face to face.
I believe it is smartest to THINK GLOBALLY, but start LOCALLY. Start out in your own back yard. Whether you live in a small town or big city, there are plenty of simple things you can do to recruit locally. That is the purpose of this article.
My Top Offline MLM Recruiting Strategies
Listed below are my favorite offline MLM recruiting strategies, in no particular order.
# 1: Drop Cards
I prefer drop cards over business cards. A drop card is about the same size as a business card, but has a simple marketing message on it. It has a headline, a few bullet points and a strong call to action. You can hand your drop cards out to people you meet or leave them in public places. The $100 bill drop card is the most effective.
Most people are told to go online to target people and bring them back to their business, but only a few are actually taught about DROP CARDS TARGET MARKETING and you should take advantage of that.
Source: Darren Little
# 2: Business Cards
If you’re set on having a business card, keep it generic and make it look more like a drop card. The purpose of having a business card is to get the other person’s business card. Exchange your business card with other entrepreneurs and follow up at your convenience.
Also, whenever you are in public places such as the library, gas station or grocery store, collect several business cards from the bulletin board and reach out to those people. You can also leave a few of your business cards on the bulletin board.
As business cards are part of an introduction, they are important for making a favorable first impression.
Source: AZ Central
# 3: Live Events
You can attend flea markets, health fairs, farmer’s markets, jobs fairs and countless other live events. You can set up as a vendor or simply go and network with other people. Live events allow you to meet HUNDREDS of people in one day.
Attending a networking event can literally transform your business overnight, so take the time to get pumped on your new business venture, meet other eager entrepreneurs, and make potentially important and lifelong connections!
Source: Forbes
# 4: Clothing
Wear MLM Clothing whenever you can. Get some shirts and hats made that have a catchy phrase on them such as “Lose Weight Today” or “Got CBD Oil?” or “Work from Home, Ask Me How”. Your clothing can be a great conversation starter. Whenever you see someone looking at it, hand them one of your drop cards.
The attraction of wearing something that “advertises” a brand also speaks to one of the big problems direct sellers face—rejection. Starting a conversation out of the blue can be a difficult skill for a newcomer to master. But when someone is asking about your T-shirt or button, they are making the first move, and are much more likely to be receptive to your message. They may even tell you of someone else they think might be interested, thus generating another powerful form of word-of-mouth advertising—a personal referral.
Source: Direct Selling News
# 5: Car Sticker or Car Magnet
This is such as easy way to to recruit new MLM Reps. Have a GENERIC car magnet or car sticker. Do not say the name of your MLM Company. Instead, have a catchy headline and then direct people to a sizzle call or your website.
According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, it is estimated that during an average day, a car advertisement can reach up to 70,000 impressions. That’s a lot of eyeballs! In fact, vehicle advertising reaches more people than billboards, radio, direct mail, local group mailers and mass transit advertising. But here is the best part – most individuals say that advertisements on vehicles are actually more noticeable, more memorable and caused them to take action quicker than traditional forms of advertising.
Source: signs.com
# 6: Public Speaking
If you enjoy public speaking, this is one of the best offline MLM recruiting strategies. You can volunteer at local civic groups in your community and speak about topics that interest you. At the end of the speech, you can collect everyone’s contact information and then follow up with them at your convenience.
Pick a theme or talk that corresponds with your company. For example, if your company offers skin care products, talk about skin care, cosmetics, or working from home.
If you are a salesperson or business owner, effective public speaking offers many benefits. It provides you with a way to communicate and build trust with potential customers and prospective clients. Public speaking is also a method by which you can establish yourself as an expert in your industry. It provides you with the opportunity to inform people more about your business and the products or services you offer. Public speaking allows you to generate more sales leads and helps you to network.
Source: Chron
# 7: Flyers
Flyers still work, if you use them right. Do not go and blanket a parking lot with your flyers. That’s a quick way to piss a lot of people off. You would be much better off physically handing your flyers to someone. Go to events and venues where there are people in your target market and give them your flyer. You can also enclose them in all outgoing mail.
Our patience with printed media vs. our online behaviour has been explored in many studies, with the majority concluding that we read more intensively on paper than we do on screen. You want your customers to be as attentive as possible when reading about your business, so clearly printed media is a route to be explored.
Source: opportunity marketing
# 8: Your Team Members
This strategy is often overlooked. Rather than trying to recruit 10 new reps yourself, you would be much better off working with five of your team members and helping each of them recruit two new reps. This is called tap-rooting and it is a very effective way to grow your business.
Successful MLM leaders don’t work with just the people they sponsor or worry about who is at their pay level. The smart ones look down at their tree and get those at the bottom for growth. When they see someone at the bottom of their line with new growth they work with her so they can create volume and momentum that works up the line.
Source: EliteBusinessBlueprint
# 9: Bandit Signs
Yard signs and bandit signs work great. Just check your local zoning and HOA laws before doing it. If allowed, you can have some simple signs made up promoting your home business or products. Do not say the name of your company. Keep it generic and refer people to a sizzle call line or website.
Most people who pass by your sign will be driving to work or on-the-go. Make sure that your bandit signs grab attention and convey your message quickly. To do so, ensure you have bold, black lettering, clear copy, a bright background, and memorable phone numbers.
Source: FitSmallBusiness.com
# 10: Yellow Pages
Yes, the Yellow Pages still work. I have my business listed in the Yellow Pages and so should you. Many people, especially Baby Boomers, still refer to the Yellow Pages when they are looking for a specific type of business.
According to the surveys that point to more popular use of the Yellow Pages, the primary audience is rather niche: elderly people in rural areas. Why elderly, and why rural? Those in rural areas are less likely to have reliable internet access, and older folks are more comfortable with (and more accustomed to) using the Yellow Pages directory to find a local service. If this sounds like your target audience, it may be worth putting out a few print ads.
Source: Blue Corona
# 11: Referrals
Referrals are always your best source of new leads. Whenever you meet someone, ask them for referrals. Be very specific. Ask them questions such as:
- Who is one person you can think of that would like this product?
- Can you give me the name of one person you know who has done network marketing before?
- Who is the sharpest, most ambitious person you know?
- Do you know anyone who drives for Uber or Lyft?
Just come up with a few questions that are relevant to your product or business and use those questions with the people you talk with.
84% of people trust recommendations from people they know making referral marketing the most influential form of advertising.
Source: invesp
# 12: Handwritten Notes
If you aren’t mailing out handwritten notes, you should be. This is a quick way to stand out in the crowd, because so few people and businesses do it. You could get some custom stationary made, even a postcard, and mail out 1-2 handwritten notes per day. The note can have your business information pre-printed on it. You could also use generic notes and include your drop card or business card.
Circle back to the fact that no one sends handwritten notes anymore. That means that when you do, you’ll stand out from your competition. You’ll be unique, and your customer will appreciate that you took the time to do something no one else could be bothered about.
That’s powerful.
Source: Inc.
# 13: Newspaper Classifieds
Yes, people still read the daily newspaper, especially the Baby Boomers. If you aren’t advertising in your local newspaper classifieds, you are really missing out. Not only is it affordable, but it’s also quite effective. Just come up with a generic ad and have people visit your website or call your sizzle call number.
Newspaper advertising is a unique platform for sharing your message with a slightly older demographic. Ads in this medium will be able to add to the reach already achieved with promotional materials via online marketing, email marketing, or mailers.
Source: FitSmallBusiness.com
# 14: Postcards
Postcards are my secret weapon. Direct mail is proven. Think about how many emails you get per day and how many calls you get per day. Compare that to how many postcards you receive per day and I’d bet there is no comparison. If you aren’t mailing postcards, you are really missing out and leaving a lot of money on the table.
There are a number of advantages to mailing business postcards as a marketing campaign. These advantages can pertain to readability, content and even the expense of using postcards. The key for marketers is ensuring that postcards are used to generate leads rather than sales.
Source: Chron
# 15: Wear a Button
If you’ve ever met a Herbalife rep before, you probably see them wearing their button that says: Lose Weight, Ask Me How. Mark Hughes, the founder of Herbalife taught his reps to do this.
All I can say is, wearing the button WORKS. Go to your local office supply store, or online, and have some buttons made. Get creative and think outside the box. Come up with something short and simple that is relevant to your company or product line.
Give these buttons to your team members and encourage them to wear the button everywhere they go. When you see someone looking at the button, hand them your drop card and have a friendly conversation with them.
The actual surface area of a button isn’t very large–so it goes without saying that you are going to have to keep your headline and call to action as short and precise as possible.
Just keep it short and intriguing… And try to attend events where people of your target audience might be.
Source: LegendaryWallet
# 16: Fish Bowl Raffle
The fish bowl raffle works VERY well. This is when you team up with a local small business owner and put an empty fish bowl next to their cash register. You offer a raffle for a free gift (normally one of your company’s best-selling products) and people put their business card into the empty fish bowl to be entered into the raffle.
If you aren’t using this method to generate more leads for your MLM Business, you are really missing out. Learn more about the fish bowl raffle here.
Put a fishbowl at your place of business with a sign asking visitors to drop their business cards in for a chance to win something from you.
At the end of the month you’ve collected a ton of business cards, and while you can only have one winner, there’s no reason those other business cards have to go to waste. Use the email addresses provided to let users know that while they haven’t won this time, they are more than welcome to join your mailing list, which will notify them of future giveaways and special offers.
Source: WordStream
Final Thoughts
In review, these are my best offline MLM recruiting strategies I can think of. All of these things work. Rather than try to do all of these things at once, I highly recommend you pick 2-3 that really resonate with you and focus on those first.
What are your thoughts? What are your favorite offline MLM recruiting strategies? Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
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