Recruiting for network marketing question

I've recently signed up with a very reputable network marketing company. Not usually my style, but I'd been a customer for a couple of years and believed in the product, it fit the needs of the same target market I was reaching in other parts of my business, and the lady who recruited me made me an offer I couldn't refuse--she takes care of all the sales calls, followups, and recruiting--all I have to do is provide leads!

Here's the problem. When she talks to the recruits, they often sound very excited ("I could sell bacon to a pig" was one enthusiastic comment.) And then, they never call back. So she follows up, and more than once now, she's gotten a "this isn't a good time" response. In one case she got that response twice in a row; in a second case she asked when would be a good time and got a "please don't call me" response.

This lady has done sales before, and she's very nice, so I can't imagine she's doing anything to push these people away.

Any ideas? How is recruiting for sales people different than selling and what selling techniques could be helpful?

Quote:

Originally Posted by terriz

Any ideas? How is recruiting for sales people different than selling and what selling techniques could be helpful?

Hi Terri,

I'm not involved with network marketing myself. However, for the past couple of decades that field has dominated the direct selling industry. The history of traditional direct selling has always been an interest of mine because of my family background. What I discovered was that the training and information available from the top experts in network marketing seems to be a cut above most of the stuff in traditional sales.

One thing really surprised me. These experts appear to be unanimous in saying that professional sales people do not make the best network marketers. But they do get a lot of "enthusiastic" response in the early stages which disappears quickly. It's possible that you and your upline are experiencing that.

It is also possible that she is unable to adequately follow in your own footsteps which appear to have the ability to get someone to at least listen because of the trust and respect they have for you personally.

One of the biggest tools that the network marketing people use is edification. In your case that would mean that you would nurture the introduction of another personality (third party) into the picture. Nurturing and edification work very well also in advertising, a field that I have more experience with because of my direct response marketing lead generation.

I hope that is helpful.

A few things are crucial to be successful in network marketing. One is to be with a respected and growing or beginning to establish itself company with strong management committed to a long term vision for the company. Another is to have unique products with a market waiting. Also, the structure of the compensation plan rewarding people for their efforts is crucial.

One more thing you can't do without is training and support from the company and those you work with who have a vested interest in seeing you be successful.

Hot, warm, and cold market come into play including conventional marketing and promotion.

When it comes to warm market meaning people you know that requires the right approach.

Before all that comes training and appreciation for the business you are in, the company, etc. meaning that sometimes weeks or months have gone by before you begin to market - some would disagree with this and be correct as methodology can vary as well as learning curve.

Nevertheless, next comes making contacts to inform people of an opportunity to see if it's something they want. With warm market, introducing someone you know to a successful person is important. If Gary and I joined forces in his business and our business was about bringing in new people I'd want to introduce people to Gary - to defer to his experience and ability.

I'd do warm introductions [face to face or ear to ear] and up front let my contacts know the purpose is an introduction to my business partner Gary to see if my contact wants to continue after that.

There are other things that can also be done.

There's some thoughts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MitchM

A few things are crucial to be successful in network marketing.... There are other things that can also be done....

There's some thoughts.

Mitch, has your experience as a teacher been one of the things that have made you successful in your field? I know that's getting off the subject of recruiting, but Terri obviously has excellent communication and coaching skills. Is that a better fit than, say, sales experience?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Boye

Mitch, has your experience as a teacher been one of the things that have made you successful in your field? I know that's getting off the subject of recruiting, but Terri obviously has excellent communication and coaching skills. Is that a better fit than, say, sales experience?

That's a simple question and can have simple or more fascinating answers. For one, Gary and Terri, yes, communication and coaching skills are typically a better fit than sales skills.

On the other hand, having teaching experience is no guarantee to network marketing success nor are sales skills necessarily a detriment to network marketing success.

Learning a company specific system and working with it is most important - but so are the coaching and communication skills especially listening, probing, not pushing or pulling, etc.

Jacque Werth's book http://www.highprobsell.com/ has been especially useful BUT our company specific business model has been to "find motivated people, not try to motivate people" [similar to JWs perscription in my experience] meaning what we have is what they want so the motivation is theirs.

In the end, longevity is everything in network marketing and so is teaching people to become teachers - Gary is on the right track with his question, Terri.

I gotta run - big family birthday party - my dad turned 85 yesterday.

Hope that helps some.

To build and have long lasting security both wide and deep in your organization, the best approach is to listen for a need and then present the oppurtunity as a solution to that need.

The MLM/network marketing industry has so much bad wrap because of all the over agressive and competitive attitude that so many companies push.

Quote:

Originally Posted by msanti85

The MLM/network marketing industry has so much bad wrap because of all the over agressive and competitive attitude that so many companies push.

I thought MLM was like pyramid schemes and Avon. Is that true?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Boye

Terri obviously has excellent communication and coaching skills.

Thank you, Gary!

You have all enlightened me! Definitely some things for me to think about and share with my upline.

One dichotomy that has always struck me in network marketing, is that the most successful aren't those that can sell (although that's a plus), but rather those that can recruit those that can sell (and/or can also recruit). That definitely brings the teaching angle in, too -- sometimes you have to teach those that you recruit, how to be successful.

This is definitely a new adventure for me--thanks for all your insights.

Quote:

Originally Posted by terriz

I've recently signed up with a very reputable network marketing company.

Please forgive my stupidity...What IS a network marketing company (what do they do?)

Please don't call it a stupid question. Many people new to business or the industry in general don't understand the full concepts and power behind network marketing.

A network marketing company utilizes word of mouth referrals made by other people to their product. People work as independent distributors and are compensated for referring new people to a company's product line.

There is a lot of negativity and a lot of hype out there in the industry, however, which is very unfortunate.

However, when done correctly, it is a beautiful model. Warren Buffett has even invested in two different companies.

Network marketing can be referred to as relationship marketing, matrix marketing or multilevel marketing. It is all one in the same.

Recruiting for network marketing question

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