The biggest critical success factor in any direct network marketing opportunity is the ability to build a productive downline. Many direct network marketing companies tout their training programs but believe me most are completely inadequate or outdated for today’s business environment.
After being in this business for some time now, two things have become abundantly clear. First, you have to dispel the fact that your downline doesn’t have to do anything to make money. Hopefully your company doesn’t sell itself on “the easy road to riches” or “our product sells itself.” But if it does, be honest and give your new members a realistic view of what it is going to take to make money. This will let you quickly weed out those who will never succeed from those who are willing to work to get their business started.
The other thing you must do is provide your own step by step training program based on what you have found that works for the type of business you are promoting. Now that doesn’t mean you should completely ignore all company provided training. Pick and choose the pieces you have found to work the best and add it to your approach. This step by step plan will go much farther in helping to “duplicate” your methods in your downline.
Here’s what I have done for my downline in the past. I’ve built a step by step program for them to follow. I’ve found that you have to have a web presence for any kind of success in direct network marketing today. So I laid out a detail approach of how to get a website up and running. This included how to register a domain name, how to find a good hosting service, what tools to use to build the content itself (e.g. how to install Wordpress) and how to build meaningful content based on keyword research.
With a website in hand, I began to teach them how to generate traffic. I showed them what they needed to do to start building their own list of followers. I spent time explaining to them why having a list was so important and how to brand themselves so they would become known and trusted. Email marketing is the lifeblood of direct sales. I gave them an approach for promoting the business opportunity using email marketing.
I explained how becoming an affiliate marketer would provide multiple streams of income in addition to the business opportunity they were promoting. I showed them another reason for building a list and establishing a trusted relationship with their subscribers.
Now most people would say this effort took a lot of work and they would be right. This was all put together in a course-like series of email instructions delivered through an autoresponder on a regular schedule. Questions were answered promptly by email. Additional material was available on my website. In the end, the hand holding paid off and everybody’s business was better off for it. Look at what has made you successful. Build a step by step approach and train your team. You won’t find a better investment of your time.
Todd Gleason is a frequent author on small business development and internet marketing. You can learn more about the new skills needed for direct network marketing and get a free copy of “7 Secrets to building a Productive Downline” here.