Network Marketing – Building your local customers and representative base

The Internet has taken Network Marketing to whole new levels in the past 10 years. Much focus is placed on using online promotion methods as well as building systems that use only online efforts to build your Network.

I have not been approached personally about a business opportunity for 5 years or more, but in the last 6 months I have been asked by no less than 100 people about a business of some sort online. The Internet has left local marketing almost untouched.

Every company has its own set of terms, conditions and rules relating to how you can promote. Some companies allow blind promotion where you advertise, but do not mention the company. Other companies allow approved advertising where you can advertise and use the company name but the company must approve the ad. Some companies do not permit any form of marketing other than word of mouth.

Suffice to say any recommendations or suggestions made in this article should be referenced back to your upline or should be used in conjunction with your companies’ rules of conduct.

Car Boot Sales and Local Markets
Car boot sales and markets are an excellent tool for building brand awareness, making direct sales and building a list of potential business prospects. Car boot sales or markets are often conducted by a local church, school or community group. You pay a fee to set up a stall and make it attractive to passers by. You could give out free information packs and samples in exchange for completing a survey, which would include contact details for you to follow up.

Advertising in Local Papers and Magazines
When it comes to advertising Bigger is NOT always best. When you are seeking business representatives to build a business you will want to keep it all simple and duplicable. In other words you want people to do what you did to grow their own business. If you put flash expensive ads in the paper, people will look at the ad and think, “…I could never afford to advertise like that” and will likely pass up on the idea. A simple 3 or 4 lined ad is more duplicable and much less expensive than larger flashy ads. Co-ops with other team members can work with larger ads but you should include a note that the ad is part of a Co-op of a certain number of people sharing the cost of the ad and the leads generated.

Handing out Business Cards
A friend in the Networking industry would print business cards with “Write your name and number here” written along the top on the back of the card. He would hand people a card and ask them to write their name and number on the back. They would hand him back the card and he would have their contact details. His reasons were a little unethical because he didn’t want his prospects to cancel their meeting time. If they didn’t have his number, they couldn’t cancel. He at least had the chance to show them the business and they had a chance to say yes or no.

It worked for him but my morals are a little higher. I couldn’t use his methods but I do hand business cards out. And I do get calls from people who say they have my card or they got if from a friend. Business cards continue working beyond the initial handout.

The Internet is an important part of building your business but don’t let your local market slip away while you focus on the Internet based market.

June 14, 2010  Tags: , , , ,   Posted in: Network Marketing

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