Even without knowing what your products are I can tell you that your true products are not what you think they are. If your goal is defined as creating PROFITS, then your products are not vitamins, phone service, legal services, or cosmetics. Your bottom line is not to ‘get people into the business.’
To attain success, your business is marketing the training techniques and skills necessary for anyone who becomes active in your downline to achieve net profits. The products are already there for the asking. What you are selling is the marketing system. The marketing system, once taught and understood by your downline, sells your company’s product. Each member of the downline must be aware of and develop the alpha traits previously discussed. When this happens and only when this happens will worthwhile ‘duplication’ take place. At this point your distributors can confidently and honestly convey the knowledge that creates the astonishing wealth always promised but so far only delivered to one in a thousand.
An essential element widely unknown or ignored is the concept and value of ‘branding.’ The term simply means no more than creating a recognizable trademark or Brand Name. Maybe this concept has been around forever but for our purposes the present economic environment really began immediately after World War II. When America and the world really began to get back on its economic feet after the war the ideas of mass marketing and developing franchises were reborn.
One illustration will largely explain how important this is to you. The original idea of Kentucky Fried Chicken actually goes back before World War II to 1930, but Colonel Harland Sanders founded the company by this name in 1952. His original location catered to tourists heading through North Corbin, Kentucky on their way to Florida. When the local interstate bypassed his location he sold his property and headed throughout the United States trying to sell his ‘Original Recipe’ until he found his first success in Salt Lake City, Utah.
By the early 1960s Kentucky Fried Chicken was sold in over 600 franchises across the United States and Canada. For decades The Colonel’s secret recipe was known to have 11 secret herbs and spices creating the ‘finger lickin good’ chicken now known practically around the world.
Your downline will need to recognize and feel as they know you as well as they recognize ‘The Colonel’ and first you need to be aware of this requirement so that then you will take the necessary steps to make this happen. Since this is no longer really an option but a necessity and expected by your downline, you must see that thishappens by using the networking tools available on the internet. Going door to door and following the Old School methods will only insure that you start and probably stay at the bottom of the ladder of success – not the place you want to be when the room is at the top.
Even the KFC bucket of chicken has become a well recognized icon just illustrating the potential of advertising to create a universal reminder to the consuming public. But did you know that this now famous bucket used for larger orders was originally created by Dave Thomas who started Wendy’s. It’s a small world isn’t it? Thomas was a franchisee of KFC operating several locations in Columbus, Ohio. He believed using the paper packaging helped keep the chicken crispy by reducing excess moisture and the famous rotating bucket sign that came to be used at most KFCs was his idea. I guess you could say he was in Colonel Sanders’ downline, if you didn’t already get the point.
In MLM you must realize your distributors don’t really join the corporation, they in fact join you. The more they know about you and the more confidence they have in you, the more likely they will be comfortable in doing what you ask them to do, which is of course become part of your downline and put forth the effort to go through the training and develop their own downline.
At any one moment in time I estimate that only one person in five hundred is receptive to starting their own business. Is it likely that you are sufficiently clairvoyant to call or send that person an email today? Not likely. But can you perceive what that one person may be doing today? Odds are that this one person in five hundred makes it to the internet and once you get ahead of the curve, you will be in a position to ultimately attract them to your downline. As I said before it’s either this option or continuing the chase of the 499 potential prey who will skillfully run from you. But it’s your choice.
Two things must happen for that one person to end up in your downline. First they must find your presence on the internet – they must be aware you exist and if they are half way across the country they cannot magically ring your doorbell and ask for information on your MLM, but THEY CAN track you down by Google, Yahoo or MS Bing. Second, you must offer a persuasive presentation to answer any questions and address any reluctance and be available 24 hours a day.
All of this can be accomplished only by effectively using the internet. MLM companies typically govern your participation in their web site and restrict your activities in setting up booths and advertising in store fronts. It’s necessary then to bridge these gaps by enhancing your presence by branding yourself. When your prospects have confidence in you, they can be comfortable in buying your companies products, buying into the MLM downline, and following your advice as your relationship develops.
This needs to take place without pressure or you will just fall back into the practice of chasing down prospects who will then resort to the habit of running away from you. People dislike being sold but we love to buy. It’s a tough balance to strike. If you keep in mind that fulfilling a need is the surest if not the only way to conclude the sell then you can maintain the balance necessary to develop a long term relationship as well as make that initial sell.
Colonel Sanders enticed his customers by the giant red bucket and incomparable smell of his secret recipe and they gladly came creating immediate cash flow and by returning again and again ‘residual income.’ You and your downline will do well to follow this example and not jump into reinventing the wheel. In other words, brand yourself and offer a product and service with real value. Have your downline do the same.
There are hundreds of MLM companies and if you want to play the odds then you might want to confirm that your primary company is one of the top twenty. If your own interest has taken you to one of the smaller companies simply evaluate if your level of interest warrants staying where you are. The important point is to know, not guess, where you and your present company stands. With the facts you are in a position to decide if a change makes sense for you or not. If you plan to trim a tree you may want the sharpest axe around.Refer to the article regarding the necessity of having your own blog further down this site. If you need to make requests or add comments go right ahead and do so, this site is updated several times weekly.