Marketers:
Where do you find customers when your
warm market turns cold?
by
James McCauley
One
of the advantages that network marketers have over location bound retailers and
mail order firms is that they can bring their products and services directly to
their customers. Good network marketers initially do this by meeting with their
warm market (family, friends and acquaintances) and people referred to them by
this group. Optimally, they speak with people in their current circle of
influence to determine their interest in products and business opportunities.
Most marketers will experience some success but many are surprised at the
negative reactions they receive from the people close to them.
Network
marketing is all about locating prospective customers and building long-term
business relationships. One of the keys to success is attracting a critical mass
of potential customers to your product, service or opportunity. If they can't
see it, or do not know about it, there is no hope that they will buy it. In my
experience the same question always arises for all network marketers, what do I
do after I've pitched my opportunity and products to my friends and family?”
Approaching
Potential Customers and Opportunity Seekers
Network
marketing already has a negative image in the marketplace. Direct sellers should
be careful not to “hype” their offerings and “hard sell” their products.
Avoid programs that encourage you to make claims to prospects that include the
achievement of vast wealth or product benefits that cannot be backed with
documented facts (versus testimonials). When you receive a negative response to
your sales efforts you should move on to other candidates. There is little point
in contesting someone’s deep seeded negative bias toward the business or
disinterest in your products. If you truly think that this person will benefit
from your offerings, or might be interested after giving it some thought, back
off and revisit the issue in a few months. You’ll be surprised to see that
some people’s attitudes can change, but it takes time for this to occur.
Face-to-face
marketing combined with a “soft sell” approach are powerful tools in any
network marketer’s tool kit. The problem with this approach is meeting a
“critical mass” of prospective customers and opportunity seekers. Marketing
(e.g., purchasing cold calling lists, setting up a retail location, executing
automated e-mail campaigns) and advertising (e.g., placing classified ads,
building web sites, sending direct mail, placing ads in promotion packs) as
methods of finding new customers can become expensive on a cost per sales basis.
Marketers should look for free or low cost marketing and advertising
opportunities first (e.g., flyers, ads on supermarket bulletin boards, free
classifieds, distributing business cards).
With
all of this said, an old fashioned, traditional sales approach can be the best
of all. Sitting in your office and waiting for business to come to you is not
what network marketing is all about. Getting out in public, striking up
conversations, making new friends, learning about the needs of new
acquaintances, telling them (slowly) about your business, and asking for
referrals is a time tested sales technique that can help you expand your circle
of influence and build a business.
Ideas
for Meeting New Prospects
1.
Ask for Referrals from Your Current Warm Market and Customers
Your
current warm market and customer base may be your best source of new leads.
Everyone knows people who are interested in business opportunities or have
purchased the types of products you are trying to sell. Ask for a name, or
better yet, a group of names of friends of friends that you can contact (i.e.,
call, invite to your home). Make sure that the person who is making the referral
allows you to use their name when you contact the lead otherwise you will just
be shut out like most other consumer marketers. Keep the person who gave you the
lead up to date on your progress and find ways to reward them for their
referrals.
2.
Approach Candidates with Potential
When
you are in public and you see someone delivering excellent customer service or
someone who is obviously a hard worker there is no harm in approaching them.
Complement them on their work Offer them your business card and let them know
that if they are interested in small business opportunities they should contact
you. Don’t pressure them. Leave it in their hands to ask for more information
on the spot or contact you later.
3.
Get a Part-Time Job
Meeting
new co-workers can be a great opportunity for network marketing. If you take a
first or second job you’ll both earn extra income and meet new friends that
may have an interest in your opportunity or products.
4.
Take a Business Course
People
willing to expand themselves through lifetime learning usually have strong
self-motivation skills. The classroom is a great place to meet these people and
grow your own skills at the same time. Take classes that meet over a period of
several weeks, have students that are interested in business, and include group
interaction as part of the course work. Good choices are college level courses
in sales/marketing, entrepreneurship, and general business.
5.
Teach a Course / Speak in Public / Write an Article
Are
you knowledgeable about a subject? We all have areas of interest that we are
strong in. Teaching a continuing education course, speaking in public or writing
articles for publication are great ways to have prospective customers and
opportunity seekers come to you.
6.
Become a Joiner / Leader
Take
on as many opportunities as possible to get out, support your interests, and
meet new people in your community. Examples include health clubs, professional
organizations, religious groups, political parties and social clubs.
7.
Volunteer Your Time
There
are few greater satisfactions in life than helping others. Improve your
community and make new friends. Contact your local government, community groups
or non-profit organizations to see how you can help.
8.
Participate in Sports
Sports
are a great way to bond with others, be part of a team, meet people who like
challenges and have fun. Organized sports can help you expand your circle of
friends.
9.
Meet Your Neighbors
It
is surprising how many people do not know their neighbors. These are people you
see every day. Many of them can become potential customers or may be interested
in business opportunities.
Remember
that even the best sales people in the world experience many no’s before they
get to yes. When they hear a customer say “definitely not” they shrug it off
and move on. Don’t take it personally. The bottom line is to get out from
behind your desk, meet new people, expand your warm market and have some fun.
James
McCauley is the founder of Network Marketing Analyst.
NMA provides tools and advice to network marketers. James can be contacted at mailto:jamesmcc25@msn.com.
Permission is granted to reprint this article for personal or commercial use as
long as it is left unaltered and reprinted to include all contact information
for James McCauley and Network Marketing Analyst.
