The Enlightened Networker » Prospecting

7 Forum Marketing Tips For Network Marketers

Ilka Flood — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:03:54 +0000

Online Marketing Forum

Is it worth spending time in online marketing forums? Does forum marketing really work?

I would definitely say “YES!” Considering you are following the forum marketing tips below.

You can make some great connections there. Find answers to your questions by posting threads. Well, even find prospects for your business opportunity.

However there are some rules you need to follow.

Some are common sense but still I see people violate them all the time.

Just like blogs, or social networks, online marketing forums are very public. People can follow and observe you without you even knowing it. So it is of utmost importance that you are at your best behavior at all times.

I think it goes without saying that you should be treating people with courtesy and respect.

Here are some forum marketing tips that will make your experience in online marketing forums more fun:

Read the rules. That should be a no brainer, as not following the rules can get you banned from online marketing forums altogether.
Be transparent. Don’t hide behind an avatar, company logo, picture of your dog or any other such nonsense. People want to know who you are. They are much more likely to connect with you when they can see your face.
Be kind and polite to fellow members. Think twice before cutting someone down, leaving a rude comment, or being darn right nasty. Remember, these are real people you are interacting with. Just like you, they do have feelings. Offensive language doesn’t get you anywhere. It can actually get you banned from the forum as well.
Never sell or promote anything. People don’t like to be spammed. An online marketing forum is not an ad board, but a place to communicate, share experiences and help and support other members.
Always give value. If you have helpful information that you can add to forums, or the solution to someone’s problem , by all means share it. Share freely without expecting anything in return. The more you contribute the better people will get to know you.
Be appreciative. If someone helped you out, please let them know that you appreciate their help and support. A little “thank you” can go a long way.
Create an attractive signature file. This is the place where you can link to your opportunity, your website or your blog. The only place where you can toot your own horn. So make it interesting for people to want to find out more about you or your business.

There you have it. It’s not rocket science. Most of it is common sense.

Remember, whatever you say in online marketing forums is public and out there for everyone to see.

I hope these forum marketing tips have been helpful.

Oh, by the way, you can find some great online marketing forums by doing a search on Google.

However, the best online marketing forum I have found is BetterNetworker.

If you are already at Better Networker, make sure to connect with me. I’d love to meet you.

To your success!

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. If you found value in this article please share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you!

How Do You Get Past That Sting of a NO in your MLM Prospecting?

Ilka Flood — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:36:49 +0000

Positive MLM Prospecting

We’ve all heard it that dreaded “NO” when we were out presenting our opportunity. Maybe our presenting skills where still a bit rough, maybe the timing wasn’t right, or maybe our prospect just wasn’t interested. Whatever the case might have been we heard that devastating “NO.”

Yes, it can really sting and it can really hurt and sometimes it really can let the air right out of your balloon.

However, if you know that it is coming then you are way ahead of the game.

And if you have been in the network marketing industry for a while, you know that it’s coming. You can prepare for it.

Network marketing professionals know, that it takes at least 8 NO’s before they hear a YES. They know, the more NO’s they hear, the closer they are to a YES. So it doesn’t bother them when they get those NO’s.

But, for someone that is just starting out in the network marketing industry, 8 NO’s can be devastating. Most of the time it doesn’t even take 8 NO’s before they throw the towel and quit.

They just signed up for their new home based buisness. All excited they run to their family and friends and they get shut down by NO after NO, after NO. They are disappointed, think network marketing doesn’t work and that’s the end of that. They haven’t learned to not take rejections personally yet.

So again, how do you get past that devastating NO?

Know that it’s coming. Know that it is just part of the game. Better yet, try to avoid it in the first place.

How do I do that you may ask.

There are two ways you may avoid a NO in the first place.

The first way is through “qualifying” your prospects. This business isn’t for everyone. Anyone can do it, but not everyone will. Chose wisely whom you want to work with. Joe Sixpack isn’t right for this business. Don’t sponsor people who need the money, but those who want it. Stay away from negative people. Always sponsor up, meaning sponsor people that are a level higher than you.

The second way is, never ask for a “YES”. By never asking for a yes, you’ll never get a NO. When you approach your contact with your opportunity, don’t firehose them with all the info and then ask if they’re interested. Instead, ask if you have their permission to “educate” them on something you are excited about. Most people like to be educated but hate to be sold. They’ll say, sure, send me some info. It’s a totally non-threatening way.

To your success,

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. Before you go, please share this article with your friends on Facebook or Twitter.

P.P.S. If you are on Facebook I would love to connect with you. Send me a friend request and let me know you’re coming from my blog. This way I know you are a friend and not a stranger.

Don’t Assume Anything About Your Prospect – Ask Questions Instead

Ilka Flood — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:10:46 +0000

Don't Assume Anything About Your Propect

Have you ever totally ‘messed up’ a meeting or conversation with a prospect? I mean, it seemed so promising. And then you got into your car to drive home (or you hung up the phone) and you thought to yourself, “man, I totally messed this one up”. What the heck happened?”

Could it have been that you have been “assuming” things about your prospect?

Someone once gave me the definition of “assume” and it’s not the one found in the dictionary or Wikipedia. It goes like this …

ASS-U-ME = When you assume something you are making an ASS out of U and ME.

Yes, it’s a bit strong language and I normally don’t talk that way but … it hits the point spot on. Don’t assume things about people. Especially those you don’t know or have just met.

When we assume something about our prospects we come to false conclusions which can lead to misunderstandings, non-understanding and mis-communication. And that messes everything up.

Also, how often do we say to people, “I know exactly what you’re thinking?”

How can we know what someone is thinking? We only know what we ourselves are thinking. We could assume (there’s that word again) what someone may be thinking based on certain circumstances or our own experiences, but then again, that would get us exactly to what I mentioned above.

So the best thing to do when meeting a prospect for the first time, either in person or on the phone is to ASK QUESTIONS. Ask lots of questions.

The more questions we ask the better we get to know our prospect and the better we can assess what his or her needs are.

That’s what we’re there for. That’s our job. To find out what our prospects problems are and then find a solution to fix them. We can’t do that by assuming but only by asking questions.

So do yourself a favor, don’t assume anything.

To your success,

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. You don’t have to share this on Twitter, Facebook or Digg, but if you do, I surely appreciate it. Thank you!

Quick Sale Or Lifelong Customer Which Would You Choose?

Ilka Flood — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:02:48 +0000

Instant Gratification or Lifelong Customer?

Instant gratification or delayed gratification?

Would you like one marshmallow or two?

Marshmallow? Okay, now you may think I have completely lost it. But please stay with me for a moment and I will explain where I am going with this.

A study was done on a group of four year old children. They were taken one at a time into a room with a two-way mirror and given a marshmallow. They were then told they could eat the marshmallow right away, (instant gratification), but if they didn’t and instead waited until the person who gave it to them returned from an errand they could have two marshmallows. (Delayed gratification).

Some children grabbed the marshmallow and ate it right away others waited up to 20 minutes until the person returned.

Watch this video of a similar Marshmallow Test...

The same group of children was tested again at age 18. Those who had waited for the second marshmallow scored an average of 210 points higher on their SAT tests.

Researchers find that the group of kids who could force themselves to wait, tend to have better lives and better relationships.

Hmm, tough choice … Instant gratification or a chance for a better life? But a four year old is just that, a four year old.

So, how does that relate to your network marketing business?

Well, you can either go for the quick sale by promoting your opportunity every chance you get on Facebook, Twitter or any of the other social media sites.

Or, you can really make a conscious effort to cultivate and nurture the relationships with people you meet in your social networks.

Let’s take a look at the marshmallow study example above and substitute the marshmallows with customers.

Let’s say Sue is your newest friend on Facebook. You exchanged “nice-to-meet-you” messages and now you just can’t wait to tell Sue all about your business opportunity. So you keep sending her messages telling her how great your products are and that she surely could benefit from using them.

Sue breaks down and buys something from you. (Quick sale – Instant Gratification. But, she is so turned off by your method, that she deletes any further messages you send to her or even ‘unfriends’ you altogether.

Different scenario…

You and Sue have exchanged messages for several months, maybe even talked on the phone a couple of times really getting to know each other.

One day she calls you up saying … “You know, I am really glad we connected and got to know each other. I have been checking out your products on your website and I think I would really like to try some. As a matter of fact, I have talked to my friend Jill and she would be interested in learning more about them too. Would it be possible to set up a time to do a 3way call so you could tell us more about your products and your company?” (Lifelong customer or maybe even business partner).

So which would you rather have?

One marshmallow or two? Quick sale or lifelong customer/business partner?

It’s really not that hard to figure that one out, is it?

Do you think relationships count in business? Just think, how much of your product would one customer treated well buy in a lifetime? How many referrals would he send your way?

The value of a relationship build and nurtured over a lifetime is worth much more than a quick sale.

By delaying gratification you could actually win big. Therefore it is very important to build customer relationships and nurture them.

So, my question for you …Do you want one marshmallow or two?

To your success,

Ilka Flood
The EnlightenedNetworker

P.S. You don’t have to share this, but I would sure appreciate it if you did. Thank you!

Are there times you refer business to your competition?

7 Reasons Why Women Make Natural Network Marketers

Ilka Flood — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:06:44 +0000

What Advantages Do Women in Network Marketing Have?

Why are there so many women in network marketing?

Good question! According to the Direct Selling Association about 82% of network marketers are women.

Is that surprising? No, not really. When you really think about it then it actually makes a lot of sense. Why is that?

Are women just better networkers?

Well, they do have some advantages over their male counterparts.

Here are just 7 advantages women have over men in network marketing. I’m sure there are quite a few more…

1) Women want to stay home with their kids

This is probably the number one reason why there are so many women in network marketing. Moms want to stay home with their kids. They don’t want them to be raised by nannies or grow up in day care. They don’t want to miss out on those all important ‘firsts’ in their children’s lives. At the same time, stay-at-home moms want to contribute to the family finances.

2) Nurturing instinct

Women are natural nurturers. They want the best for their families. They make the purchasing decisions in their household and know quality whey they see it. They are also very community oriented.

3) Better Networkers

Network marketing is a people business. It’s based on building strong customer relationships. Women know the importance of relationship building in business. They are great listeners and have a natural ability to relate to other women’s situations which helps them to understand and meet their customers’ needs.

4) Better Communicators

Women share information all the time. Think about it? What group of population talks more to each other. There are school get-togethers, kids sporting events, scout meetings, birthday parties, luncheons. There’s always an opportunity to talk and build new business relationships.

5) Equal Playing Field

Network marketing offers and equal playing field for men and women. Equal pay for equal work and no glass ceiling. It’s not like that in the corporate world. Women are still at a disadvantage in the corporate world. They are neither treated the same nor is there equal pay for men and women .

6) Multi-Tasking

Women are great multi-taskers. They have the ability to focus on more than one task which is a great skill to have running a busy network marketing business.

7) Security

Women want security for their families. There has been no such thing as job security for quite some time now and women are usually the first to lose their jobs. Network marketing offers a “Plan B”, a security blanket for if the unthinkable should happen. A home business can be started part-time while still being employed.

So, there you have them, the 7 advantages women in network marketing have over men.

If you can think of any more, please share them with us below in the comment box.

To your success,

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. Go ahead, I dare you to share this post on Twitter, Facebook or Digg it! And if you do, I sure appreciate it. Thank you!

3 Costly Mistakes To Avoid If You Are Blogging For Business

Ilka Flood — Mon, 24 May 2010 23:52:22 +0000

Start a Business Blog

First off, if you haven’t yet, start a business blog asap.

Especially if you have a MLM or network marketing business it is essential to have a nerve center or some sort of a ‘home base’ online. The reason behind this is, that you want to brand yourself instead of promoting your opportunity.

When I first started blogging I made all three of the mistakes below (and then some) and they cost me a lot of money.

Well, I didn’t know that when I first started, but by hanging around the right people I found out what I did wrong and corrected my mistakes very quickly.

So here they are … the 3 Costly Mistakes To Avoid If You Are Blogging for Business

1) Wrong Blogging Platform

When I started blogging two years ago I set up my blog on Blogger.com. But as I found out, if you want to blog for business then Blogger isn’t where you want to be. You want your blog to convey a professional image and the best blogging platform to accomplish this is to set up a WordPress blog.

2) Not Having Your Own Domain

I said earlier that you want to brand yourself. The best way to do that is to get your own domain name. (You can get your own domain name for very little cost at GoDaddy.com) If you don’t want to use your own name, then pick something that best reflects your business. For example, I picked “Enlightened Networker” because that best reflects me and what I do.

By the way, the best hosting service (in my opinion) is HostGator. I have a “Baby” account there which lets me host unlimited websites for under $10/a month. (You can set up your WordPress blog with just a few clicks in your HostGator back office once you get your account.)

3) The Missing Opt-in Form

This is a BIG one. Remember, you are blogging for business. So you need a way to build a list and build a relationship with that list. As we all know, people only buy from those they know, like and trust. And they don’t buy the first time they see our product either. It will take some time.

Once you have decided which autoresponder service you want to use, (I am very happy with Aweber) create an opt-in form and place it at a strategic place on your blog. The best place would be above the fold (top right or top left) so your visitors can see it and don’t have to scroll down for it.

(And yes, those links above are my affiliate links. So if you click on them and decide to use the service I will get some pocket change.)

Now the only thing left to do is write some eye-catching, attention-getting and money-pulling emails.

By the way, my friend Jason Better just happened to write a post about this subject today. Go over and visit his blog and click on “3 Surprisingly Simple Ways To Write “Better” E-mails”

So, there you have them, the 3 mistakes to avoid if you are blogging for business.

To your success,

Ilka Flood

P.S. If you enjoyed this post why not share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook? It’s truly appreciated.

Oh, and please make some noise and leave your feedback in the comment box below. Thank you!

Do You Have The Patience It Takes To Be Successful in MLM?

Ilka Flood — Fri, 21 May 2010 20:48:29 +0000

Patience is an essential business skill every network marketer needs to be successful.

Unfortunately, it is something I personally was not blessed with at birth. I do have to work very hard on it. The good news is, it can be learned.

Wouldn’t you agree with me that anglers would make great network marketers?

They definitely would have the patience for it. Just think about it. They sit there for hours on end with their fishing poles in the water and wait for a nibble. Sometimes they catch something. Sometimes they don’t. And sometimes they get lucky and catch “the big one”. But they never get upset if they don’t.

Network marketing – especially prospecting – is pretty much the same as fishing, isn’t it?

We sit there with our fishing poles in the water, that juicy bait attached to the hook and we wait for that nibble.

Some of us are not patient enough to wait for that nibble. So we keep checking the bait on the hook or even get so frustrated that we change the bait all together.

Sometimes we get a nibble and then JANK that fishing pole out of the water … and by doing so lose the fish on the hook.

(In other words … We had an interested prospect and then totally threw up on him or her. Or we bombarded them with phone calls and emails pushing our business opportunity on them.)

Sound familiar?

Fishing takes patience and so does prospecting.

Once our prospects take the bait we want to be really careful and gently reel them in.

That’s where ‘Follow Up’ comes in to play.

Make sure you have a good follow up system in place …(give value)….so you can keep in touch with your prospects. Because, very seldom will your prospects buy or join with you on the first bite.

“All things being equal, people will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust.” – Bob Burg

I would like to add one more … REMEMBER

People need to REMEMBER you.

And the only way they will is if you keep yourself on the top of their mind.

They say “the money is in the follow up”.

That is really true. Remember, I said earlier, very seldom will people buy or join with you on the first bite. (Or after the very first contact.) It can take weeks, months or sometimes even years before a prospect is ready to join you.

So, go ahead … put that fishing pole back into the water. And when you get that nibble, reel that fish in ever so carefully.

Happy fishing! …uhm prospecting!

Ilka Flood

P.S. Have any fish tales you would like to share with us in the comments below?

P.P.S. If you liked this post and would like your peers to reel in some big kahunas … tweet this post and/or share it on Twitter or Digg it. Thanks!

The Importance of Qualifying Your MLM Prospects | Network Marketing Tips For Beginners

Ilka Flood — Wed, 12 May 2010 21:23:03 +0000

Are you barking up the wrong tree in your MLM prospecting?

If you are still fairly new to network marketing the following scenarios may sound painfully familiar to you. But don’t feel too bad. Most of us network marketers have experienced them or something similar. As time goes on and you get better, none of this will be an issue anymore. So, here’s my question …

Has any of this ever happened to you?

1) You just drove over an hour to meet with a prospect. When you got there they were a no-show.

2) You gave what in your opinion was the best network marketing presentation of your life and your prospect tells you they are not interested.

3) You got over your fear of picking up the phone, called your prospect, gave an excellent presentation for your network marketing business and as soon as you were finished they started pitching THEIR business to you.

4) You know someone would just absolutely be perfect for your program or service, but when you approach them they’re giving you the cold shoulder.

5) You made several appointments with a prospect to get feedback on the DVD you send him/her, but they keep coming up with excuses why they haven’t watched it yet.

In all the scenarios above you have been just wasting your precious time.

I should know, because all of them happened to me.

Not only that, they all delivered a big blow to my self-confidence. I felt like a complete idiot. A total failure!

And I could have prevented all of them from happening … If I had pre-qualified my MLM prospects.

But at the time, I didn’t know any better. I just followed what my upline told me to do.

Network marketing today is a bit different from when I first started.

You can google just about anything and find the answers to your most pressing questions.

Or you can hang with the right people … Like “The Better Bunch” and learn from them. Don’t know who the Better Bunch are? Read “The Story Behind The Better Bunch” by Dwayne Huggins. I highly recommend you read his article and find out. It could shave years off of your network marketing learning curve. And YES, there is one!

Sorry, I got a bit off track.

So, how do you qualify your MLM prospects?

By asking questions like…

“If I can show you a way how you can add additional income to your monthly paycheck and you feel completely comfortable with it, would you be ready to do business?

“If I can show you a way how you can get a pay raise without going to your boss, when would you have 30 minutes to have a closer look?”

“If I could show you how you can take advantage of tax benefits like the rich people do, would it be worth your time to spend 30 minutes with me? And when would be a better time for you, Monday at 7:00PM or Wednesday at 6:30PM?

Notice that these questions nail your prospect down to either give you a simple yes or no answer or a commitment to meet with you.

No more wasting your time on lookiloos or tire-kickers. Your time is way to precious.

Hope this helps you separate the good prospects from the bad ones.

If you would like to share your own personal experiences or you have more tips on qualifying mlm prospects, please share them with us in the comments below.

To Your Success,

Ilka Flood

P.S As always if you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook or Digg it. It’s much appreciated. Thank you!

Are You Struggling Because You Don’t Know Your Numbers? | MLM Tips for Beginners

Ilka Flood — Mon, 10 May 2010 18:46:48 +0000

Knowing Your Network Marketing Numbers Can Save You A Lot of Frustration

Many new networkers get frustrated because they don’t know their numbers. But knowing them has a lot to do with their success in network marketing.

If you are just starting out in the network marketing industry (or in your new home business) you must know your numbers.

Realize that your numbers will be lower than someone else’s who has been working in the industry for a while.

Don’t compare yourself to your sponsor, or other people in your company.

This will only get you discouraged and frustrated, because most likely you won’t be having the same results.

Just like with any other profession there is a learning curve in network marketing also.

There is a lot to learn and things change on almost a daily basis. It takes practice to get better.

Now let’s look at some numbers …

Let’s say your sponsor has a closing rate of 5/10 which means out of 10 people he talks and shows the business to, five will join with him.

If you are brand new, you can’t expect the same rate of success.

You may have to talk to 20, 30 or more prospects before someone joins you. But if you know your numbers then that’s no problem. Then you know that you have to talk to that many people before you will enroll a new business partner. (By the way, a lot of times it’s easier to get customers vs business partners. So you might want to keep that in the back of your mind.)

The more people you talk to the better your numbers will get.

Don’t worry your network marketing prospecting skills will get better over time. Remember, practice makes better.

To Your Success,

Ilka Flood

P.S. If you found this post helpful please share it with your friends on Twitter or Facebook. Thank you!

How Do You Build “Trust” With Your Prospect?

Ilka Flood — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 21:51:09 +0000

“The more trustworthy you become, the more success you have the potential to achieve” Jeffrey Gitomer

Ask any successful network marketer and they will tell you that the key ingredient to their success is TRUST.

Doesn’t that make total sense? Just think about yourself. Would you join or buy from anyone you don’t trust? Of course you wouldn’t.

So how do you go about gaining your prospects trust?

Here are some examples…

Take the focus off of yourself .

Build trust by showing a genuine interest in your prospects. Learn about them, their needs and wants by asking questions.

Make it personal.

In your conversations (especially on social media sites) talk about you not your business. People don’t like to be bombarded with info about your business. They want to learn about you as a person, your family, hobbies, etc. They want to find out if there is a connection.

Brand yourself as a leader.

Share your knowledge and expertise. Always give value. The more value you give freely and unconditionally, the more trust you gain back.

Don’t act like a hunter.

Leaders don’t chase prospects. They wait for the prospect to come to them. Wouldn’t it be great if your prospects would come to you asking if they could join your opportunity? This only happens if they completely trust you. So always build trust first.

Be available.

Nothing is more frustrating to a prospect as if they have to wait for the answers of their questions. Make sure you are readily available. Answer emails or phone calls within 24hours. 48 hours absolute maximum.

Never over-promise and under-deliver.

Be true to your word. Say what you will do and then do what you say.

Remember, know, like trust and that trust doesn’t stop once your prospects join you in your network marketing business. Au contraire. Now begins the real test. Will you be there for your prospects to teach them the ropes and support them in their business so they can become successful in reaching their goals? You become responsible for them as soon as they join with you. But that doesn’t mean holding their hands all the way through. Well, that’s a topic for another post.

How do you develop trust in your business? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box below.

And … if you found value in this post, please share it on Twitter or Facebook. Thanks!