If you’re trying to build your network marketing business, chances are you’re struggling with the best way to grow your downline.
For some people, the network marketing business solicits uneasy feelings. It may bring up uncomfortable memories of family members avoiding your phone calls.
Your business has the potential to dramatically change your life. It can result in a great success story or a huge failure.
So, what makes the difference between success and failure in network marketing?
According to Forbes, 8 out of 10 startup businesses fail within 18 months. The number one reason they give for this failure is being out of touch with customers.
In network marketing, your downline is your customer base. No other business gives you a greater opportunity to dialog daily with your customer base.
Few people understand the nature of network marketing. The key to success in network marketing is to build a strong and lasting downline.
Building a downline is the core of the Network Marketing success model. And building can be very financially rewarding.
Network marketing companies like Young Living and Herbalife generated billions of dollars in revenue in 2017.
And distributors of their products shared in that success. In 2016, there were more than 20 million people involved in direct selling and the industry is poised to continue its growing trend.
Are you ready to take your network marketing business to the top? Here are some key factors that are necessary to successfully grow your downline.
Commit with All Your Heart
A successful network marketing business requires long-term focus and commitment. Many times, families invest in the business as a team. So, having a passion for what you do makes sense.
Commit to a company and a product you can believe in. Make their story your story. The best way to do this is to discover your “why”.
There should be a compelling reason why you are willing to commit your time and resources to build your business. Here are some possible reasons:
- The product is helping people and changing lives
- The business opportunity has made it possible for people to fulfill their dreams
- The company’s mission or values are aligned with your beliefs and values
- The humanitarian works the company is doing are saving lives
Your commitment to your business will drive your dedication to build your downline. Step out of your comfort zone and commit to living larger.
Treat your network marketing organization like a business, not a hobby. Create a vision and connect the success of your business to that dream.
The cost of starting a network marketing business varies. Don’t make the mistake of connecting your level of commitment to the amount of your investment. If you decide to commit, commit with your heart.
Network marketing is a relationship business. Build authentic relationships with your downline. Mentor them with gentle motivation. Inspire them to advance in rank, don’t push.
Go to conventions with members of your downline. Spend time with newbies. Celebrate victories together. Share milestones with your team.
Above all, enjoy what you do. You’ll spend a lot of time doing it.
Model Leadership
John Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
As a leader, you should focus on being a network marketing professional, See yourself as an entrepreneur. You are the founder and CEO of your own business.
Eric Worre’s book, Go Pro: 7 Steps to Becoming a Network Marketing Professional, outlines the importance of developing a professional mindset for your network marketing business.
Leverage your unique abilities. What skills and talents do you bring to the table? Make your business a part of your own brand.
If you have a financial background, show your team a better way to manage the financial aspect of their business. If you are a great presenter, mentor them in making presentations.
As a good leader, you want to empower your people by pointing them to other resources. You don’t want to become their only resource.
Develop a leadership strategy for your team. Mentor and support them, but give them opportunities to step out of their comfort zone to help them grow.
Build an “I Can” culture and encourage mutual support among team members.
Build trust with your downline by following through with your promises or letting people know why you can’t deliver on them.
And don’t forget about the power of the “Ask”. If your people have questions or need help, be sure they feel comfortable asking and give them access to you whenever possible.
The same goes for you as a leader. You don’t have all the answers.
If you have questions or need help, always call on your upline for assistance. It’s another great way to model leadership and to support your downline.
Learn to Prospect and Recruit
A key part of the network marketing business is generating new leads for people who may be interested in joining your business opportunity. Many people who are new to network marketing find the process challenging.
Many books have been written on network marketing. Read this article about 11 great network marketing books.
Prospecting takes practice, and eventually, it becomes second nature. Especially if you like meeting new people.
Once you get a system going for building a list of quality leads, hone your skills for recruiting your prospects.
There are basically two types of recruits. The buyers who want your product, and the builders who want the business opportunity. Both can be helpful to your organization.
When you recruit a prospect, you are not selling them on your business. You are offering them hope for the future.
Sometimes good prospects need a little nudge to embrace the opportunity they are being offered. Read this article about some strategies for overcoming hesitance from your prospects.
Build your network with quality people who can add something to your team. Here are some traits to look for:
- Business experience
- Sales experience
- Money to invest
- Resourcefulness
- Knowledge of MLMs
- Desire to build a network
- Leaders with an entrepreneurial mindset
- Good work ethic
- Credibility and trustworthiness
It’s important to ask new recruits to think about their “why”. People with strong “whys” make good builders.
Don’t assume everyone is in it for the same reason you are. Knowing why they joined helps you to keep your people motivated and committed.
One of the first things you need to talk to your recruits about is expectations.
Lisa Grossmann, a well-known leader in network marketing, said managing the expectations of your recruits is key to building a strong and stable downline. When expectations are unrealistic, people become discouraged and many quit trying or drop out.
Help Your People Grow
As a leader, your goal is to help your people reach their full potential. Mentor and develop your team to become the best version of themselves.
Abraham Maslow’s Theory of Hierarchy talks about the levels of human desire from the most basic needs to the highest aspirations. Here are the levels of Maslow’s theory from lowest to highest:
- Physiological Needs: Food, Water, and Shelter
- Safety Needs: Personal and Financial Security, Health, and Well Being
- Social Needs: A Sense of Belonging, Having Family and Friends
- Self Esteem Needs: A Sense of Being Respected and Treated with Dignity
- Self-Actualization: The Need to Reach Your Full Potential
Every human aspires to reach self-actualization. Unfortunately, many of us get stuck in the lower stages for any number of reasons.
Your goal is to help the people in your organization reach this higher stage in their development.
Helping your people for the short-term involves teaching them about the company, the products, and the business. It requires that you mentor them to make their first rankings, so they can get paid and experience success quickly.
Long-term mentoring is about developing them as leaders and responding to their needs on an ongoing basis. In short, it’s about teaching them to do what you do and helping them become self-sufficient.
Many people drop out because their leaders fail to keep them connected. Like any business, you have to give good customer service to retain your customers.
Try to anticipate the needs of your team members and show them you care. Keep in mind that if they succeed, you succeed. Keep the success of your downline front and center, and your success will follow.
Develop Discipline
The road to success is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work and determination. You will need to be disciplined in everything you do.
Pouring through a lot of information about your company or product for hours may not be your idea of fun, but it is absolutely key to becoming an authority on what you do.
Discipline yourself to learn all you can about your business. Educating yourself is like investing in yourself and your business. Read up on your industry. and teach your people to do the same thing.
Work on developing the daily habits that make your organization function smoothly. Identify the practices that work best for growing your business and be consistent in using them daily.
Your process for success should include good work habits. The process must be duplicatable for your downline. If it can’t be duplicated, you won’t grow.
These daily habits will develop your team’s discipline and structure. And it will help with setting your organizational goals and your business plan.
Connect frequently with your downline. Conduct brainstorming strategy sessions with them. The behavior you model will be reflected in your whole organization.
It takes discipline to stay focused on the details that can have an impact on growing your business.
For example, prepare the supplies and equipment you need to document your daily activities.
This is helpful for two reasons: 1) Keeping a record of what you are doing for training purposes and 2) Creating resources that you can use to promote your business.
You can use video to journal daily activities like product demonstrations or team training meetings. Then publish the videos on Youtube, post on your website, or share on social media.
Implement Effective Tools
Technological innovations have resulted in three very important developments for the success of your network marketing business:
- More free time to invest in your business
- A greater ability to connect with people
- An easier way of managing tedious tasks
Staying organized is critical for keeping your business flowing well. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software designed for network marketing is a helpful tool for managing growth. Check out this software here.
CRMs can help you with various tasks like the following:
- Lead generation and management
- Records Organization
- Managing contacts
- Email marketing
Use social media to build community. Google hangouts or Facebook groups allow you to connect with your people to inform, educate and train them.
It’s also a great way to organically recruit and advertise to friends simply by sharing what you’re doing.
One word of warning. Don’t spend too much time on social media. Get good at using one platform at a time and do it right. Good time management is essential to keeping your business healthy.
Blogging is another great tool for telling your story. If you love to write, regular fresh content lends great value to your ability to establish yourself as an expert in your industry.
Platforms like Skype or Zoom are online communication platforms that keep you connected with your downline.
Of course, a robust website with all the bells and whistles is a great resource if you know how to use it effectively.
Create great content and learn how to use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to keep your website visible in cyberspace.
Learn how to develop landing pages that capture leads. Use automated email responders. Don’t forget to include a call to action.
Find the tools and resources that can help you build your downline more efficiently.
Growing Your Downline Successfully
Are you ready to build a successful downline for your network marketing business? The amount of information may seem overwhelming, but it’s quite simple. Just keep the following ideas in mind:
- Love what you do
- Do it well
- Mentor Newbies and Help People
- Find the Right Tools and Resources
At Yoobly, our mission is to provide you with excellent resources for growing your network marketing business. We specialize in helping you implement the automated systems you need to help you succeed.
To learn more, request a consultation.