Prospecting your Warm Market in Network Marketing

Let’s talk about the most famous and controversial subject in network marketing prospecting: ‘Talking to your warm market (friends and family) about your network marketing business.’

Isn’t it funny that one of the first things you usually hear when you join a network marketing company is, “You will need to make up a list of 100 contacts to get your business started.”

Have you ever thought, “Why do I have to hit on my friends and family members to build a network marketing business?” If you confront your sponsor about it, you will usually hear something like this, “Well, the products we have are so great, so why would you not share them with the ones you care about?” And: “You don’t want them to miss out on this incredible financial opportunity, do you?” Or: “All we are doing is ‘sharing’ products and the opportunity.”

Sound familiar?

Well, if you just saw a great movie or ate at a fantastic restaurant, sharing would be a natural thing to do with those you care about. However, when you have a financial interest in something you recommend, the ballgame changes, and people know it. It loses it’s power and effectiveness the moment your friends realize that you are not really sharing because you care, but because you are now a rep for xyz company, and all the sudden you are just so excited about their products. Put yourself in your prospects shoes, and really think about this.

Now, I know you could really be excited about the products or the comp plan, but why is it that people seem to ONLY be excited about their new company’s product and no other products? There are many network marketing companies out there that have great products and services that assist in all sorts of areas. Why would you just recommend the products your particular company produces? And, why do you do it only AFTER you have signed up as a rep for that company, in most cases?

The answer is, you have a financial interest in getting people on the products or opportunity.

How does that look when you are out there suddenly approaching your warm market with only one particular line of products that you yourself make commission off of?

I understand that most people don’t really think of it this way, and really do want to let others know about the products and such; but think about how it looks to your friend, family member, or coworker. They now see you as “the typical network marketer who gangs up on people he knows for his own financial interest.” Even though you believe you are truly helping others, the manner in which it is done looks horribly backwards in the eyes of your so-called prospect.

Let’s stop this example and pick up another one:

Ok, let’s say that instead of making up your 100 person list and working your warm market, that you instead don’t really mention anything to the people you know.

So, you say, how will you then market the business and get people involved?

Simply by building your business using true EFFECTIVE marketing and common business sense. Instead of chasing down prospects and trying to convince them of how great your product or opportunity is, you just market to your target audience and attract people to you.

There are some that consider prospects as anyone with skin and hair (hair optional!).

That’s not true at all. Those people are SUSPECTS, and are not true PROSPECTS until they have responded to your offer and contacted YOU.

Back to our second example: So, instead of spending your time bugging your warm market, you become educated on real marketing and begin to attract people to you and generate your own high quality leads. You don’t have to worry about your ‘Why’ being big enough because you are getting results from day one and are already motivated by your own effective action.

You begin to then build a solid business attracting your true target market and achieving greater success each month in a predictable fashion. Now, as a result, your warm market now begins to come to YOU to find out what you are doing! Plus, they now see you as a true expert in your field, as opposed to their ‘crazy mlm friend’.

Why not do it this way from the beginning?

The main reason people do not take advantage of this above proven example, is simply the lack of knowledge or education on effective marketing and sales. Most of the ways people build their mlm business are based on hope and chance. They are mostly ideas that may work some of the time, but are not true business fundamentals that can be tracked each and every time.

The true ‘heavy hitters’ of the industry build their network marketing businesses totally different than the masses do. That is why most people fail; because they follow the masses and get the same old results. All the big leaders I know, ‘think outside of the box’ and become independent experts in their chosen field, while everyone else just follows the advice of everyone else and becomes a ‘follower of the followers’. That’s where that ‘cult mentality’ comes from and people begin to live inside ‘the land of xyz company’.

It’s not about your ‘why’ or your presentation or your desire to go up to a total stranger at the mall and foam at the mouth about your opportunity or your products.

It’s about educating yourself on how to achieve your desired results in an effective and leveraged way, and being willing to question the effectiveness of everything you do and think for yourself.

Success in network marketing is not a huge mystery. It is just a matter of correct education, proper skills and effective action.

Remember, the more EDUCATED you become the more EFFECTIVE you can be!

By: Scott Rogers

Network Marketing Consultant/Professional Network Marketer