Hi Everyone,
I have another great article for you all to read written by Darren Olander again! I have written about this before myself, but I think that Darren has written it more eloquently than I have! Network Marketing really is about yourself first and foremost, and that is one of the biggest mistakes that people make. People want to try and sell something without anyone knowing who they are! Do you usually go to a doctor, lawyer, or any professional without getting a recommendation from someone that knows them? Just something for you to think about because online is the same way!
Network Marketing is all about you. It is about branding yourself.
It is not about your product, service, or opportunity. Your company
pay plan means nothing. Even the famous and rich founder of the
company or their track record can be totally forgotten. Keep
reading and you will learn why.
The Network Marketing arena is actually a small world. You will
find a lot of the same people joining a lot of the same programs or
companies. If you have been in this industry long enough you are
probably used to seeing the same people again and again, as you and
them are exploring the new life that enters our industry at a rapid
pace. It is normal for most people and even expected to be in many
more than one business. In fact, it is not uncommon to be, or have
been, part of a dozen or even more over time.
How can this benefit you as a network marketer? It is not only you
who sees other marketers time and again, they also see you time and
again. But in order for you to make an impact on them and draw them
to you, you need to make a positive impression that will be a
memory attached to your name. To be the person that this person
decides to join the next business under you need to attract them to
you, and they need to like you. This means you need to create
personal branding for yourself. You need to create an opportunity
for them to actually WANT to be a part of your business, buy your
product, or whatever else your final goal is.
No e-mail list is exclusive. The fact is, each and every person is
on many other marketers contact lists and so they receive e-mails
from all kinds of people. If you have an e-mail list (which you
should, or else you should start building one) you need to remember
that it is not exclusive to you. These people are receiving
messages from other people. When the next business launches or the
next product is launched, they could potentially receive an
invitation from many other marketers, not just you! What are you
offering them that will make them want to work with you instead of
all the other people they could work with? Now you can see the
value of personal branding. Once you have built a personal brand so
people trust and like you, they will be much more inclined to go
with you instead of all those other people... and that is when you
start making the real money.
As I said in the introduction, people are not interested only in
the product, service, or opportunity. The pay plan alone will not
make them join you. YOU will make them join you. That means that
the impression you give them will help them decide if they want to
work with you or not.
So how do you create personal branding? I will cover this briefly
because there are really many possibilities, but there are some
major tips I can give you:
1) Always strive to offer more support to your downline, more
helpful tips and content for your e-mail list, and more quality
relationships than anyone else. This in turn will provide you with
a loyal membership that will want to always stand by your side, no
matter what. I know many people who have huge lists compared to me,
yet when I send an offer to my list they are highly responsive
because of this.
2) Use websites to brand yourself. Offer people who don't know you
the ability to read and learn more about you online, without even
interacting personally with you. It is surprising how connected
someone can feel to you just by reading your printed words on your
website, listening to your audio, or viewing your video. No matter
who you are, you need a website. The network marketing industry is
relying more and more on personal connections, and if you aren't
following the wave you could be left behind while the ones who
started branding themselves now pick up the pieces you left behind.
I have had people read my blog, my bio I posted on my website or
articles I have written and later during our first actual
conversation they tell me that they feel like they already know me!
If people feel like they know you before you even talk to them you
are on the right track. On your website create a personal bio and
tell your story. Explain how you got into network marketing, why
you wanted to get into it, and what your goals are. Let them see
the whole picture and invite them to become a part of it.
3) On every promotion you have, include your name, and preferably a
photo picture, with a personal touch. If you promote splash or lead
capture pages online try to create your own so you can add a
personal touch and a photo. Think of the individual that you would
be talking to, and write like you were actually speaking to them.
This way your words will mean something to them and draw them in.
4) Write a regular newsletter to your contact list. I dedicate
myself to writing at least one quality article per week. If I would
write more maybe they would not be as top quality and I want to
offer the best I can to my subscribers. If your contacts are seeing
value in being on your list they will not want to unsubscribe
because they know they will become more knowledgeable and in turn
improve their online business. If you help them improve their
business they will be more likely to return the favor and work with
you. Always seek out to learn and increase your knowledge and you
will always have more to write about. If you have a blog you can
easily post your newsletters to it and increase traffic and exposure.
There is much more you can do but that should help you get started.
Remember to focus on creating quality relationships with others. As
a rule, ask more about them and their experiences than you do
talking about your own. If you stop trying to think of a way to get
them into your business and instead focus on helping others and
connecting with them then you will start to experience more joy and
accomplishment in your business. The students I have had and the
people I have seen most successful in network marketing are those
that you can recognize by their name alone. Next time when someone
sees you in another business, especially in social networks, give
them a reason to say... "I remember you because..."
Dive in and get noticed!
Have a great day and God Bless!
Love Marilyn