Does The Way You’re Marketing Your Business Make Sense?
I was talking with another rep in my company the other day about how to grow her business, and she was laying out her game plan to grow her team of reps. She started with her goals, which are totally achievable and doable, and within a reasonable timeframe, and I believe she has everything it takes to make them happen, and I told her that.
Then, she started to lay out her marketing plan of attack. She had everything figured out, how many people she needed to expose her business to, how many exposures it would take to yield a new rep on her team, everything lined up. Then, she started telling me about her target market.
Houston, we have a PROBLEM!!
Her audience was completely made up of people who want to buy health and fitness products, and get in shape. And here’s what I said to her, “Oh, you want to grow the retail side of your business? I think that’s a good way to do it then.” And then she said, “No, I want to sponsor new reps on to my team.” Cricket…
Do customers become reps? ABSOLUTELY THEY DO! But, here’s the key-NOT IN YOUR TIMEFRAME. If you have business goals that you are looking to accomplish by X date, doesn’t it just make sense that your target market would be other people who have financial goals they would like to accomplish on a specific timeframe also?
Potential customers want to buy your product or service. Becoming a rep to sell your product is an UPSELL, but it’s a long term vs. a short term upsell. A short term upsell would be selling them on buying another related product. Like if your company sells workout programs, then also offering them the opportunity to buy a corresponding supplement. That’s a good immediate upsell.
Customers are going to want to use the product, see if it does what they’ve been told that it does, see if other people think it’s a valuable product as well, I think you get the point. Customers come into a transaction with a completely different mindset than someone looking for an opportunity.
Without any hard facts to back me up, I would hazard a guess that industry wide, it probably take, on average, somewhere between 90-120 days for a customer considering becoming a rep to become a rep. Compare that with someone who is already interested in earning income, who will become a rep almost immediately.
In my opinion, that type of marketing is one way that network marketers shoot themselves in the foot, totally irritate their prospects, and end up casting a bad light on our whole industry.
Imagine for a second that you walk into your local Best Buy, to get a new flat screen TV. You mozy on back to the Electronics department, and are met by one of their associates. You let him know what you’re looking for, and they walk you right over to the TV set of your dreams.
Then, before you get the chance to buy your TV set, or even get it wheeled to the cash register, they bring a manager over, and start putting the full court press on you about the 50 reasons you should come and work at Best Buy. HUH?!?!?!
Exactly, it doesn’t make sense in that environment, and it doesn’t make sense in ours. Congruency is a huge part of what makes a marketing campaign successful. Meaning, if you advertise on your store for people to come buy a TV, when people come to your store, they expect to buy a TV. Now, you might train your salespeople to upsell them on a BIGGER and BETTER TV, but we’re still talking about buying a TV, so we’re ok.
People hear the word marketing, and get all panicky and start going into convulsions. And the word network conjures up images of the computer guy at your job, or cheesy politicians shaking hands and kissing babies.
Network marketing is very simple – your goal is to build a network of people, or leverage an existing network of people. You will have success by identifying those people who are in the MARKET for what you have to offer. Through good MARKETING, you create awareness of what you have to offer, and those who are interested raise their hand and say, “I want that.” Then you give it to them, everyone is happy, and your company sends you a check.
Help enough people get what they want, and you will never have to worry about a financial concern again. Unless you’re stupid, and don’t pay your taxes 
Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your stories of “when marketing goes wrong!”
Jamie
PS-If you think my thoughts about network marketing are cool as the other side of the pillow, maybe it’s time you let me take you under my wing, and show you how it’s done. Find out how to join my inner circle here…
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Filed under: MLM Success
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