Prospecting vs Marketing in MLM

There is a struggle going on between those that have been building their network marketing businesses using the old school methods of prospecting, and those using the newer online methods used by many in network marketing today.

While one does not have to and should not be completely abandoned in favor of the other, there are differences that are important to realize.

The main difference is that to use the newer methods you must be willing to educate yourself and invest some time into building a presence and a name for yourself.

(Not that there aren’t certainly some things to learn in the traditional methods, there are just not so many technical choices!)

But utilizing both methods can be compared to going through a deck of 52 cards to find the four Aces, or to sewing seeds which are bound to yield some plant growth in some proportion to the number of seeds sewn.

It’s a numbers game in that you talk to many people to find the few who are looking.

While some view the traditional prospecting as sewing seeds in an uncultivated garden, using attraction marketing methods is more similar to working in cultivated soil, with the intent of reaching a better return on the investment of seeds by first qualifying the ground in which you work.

But this too applies both to online and offline, when you think about it.

Although you might be more skilled in the old school methods, knowing when and how to bring up your opportunity or products, others who are not might be best served by using online methods while they hone their inter-personal skills.

Online marketing also removes some of the pressure as you talk to your warm market, you no longer may feel the need, often sensed by the other person, to have them join your business.

So while a deck of 52 cards might yield four aces, would you rather be personally qualifying all of the other 46 cards yourself (and even having to deal with the couple of jokers in there) or utilizing a marketing system that will weed those out for you?

Yes the latter will require some learning and a bit of work to set up.

But the point is that it will save you years of prospecting in the long run and yield a set of highly qualified and targeted leads for you to spend your valuable time with.

And as for the customers who are not interested in a business but may be only interested in your product, prospecting and marketing makes sense to be used hand in hand.

The more methods in your arsenal for getting retail sales, the more successful you will be. (That is if your product is not over-priced for retail).

Prospecting vs Marketing and Industry Standards

It seems that much of the resistance to the idea of using marketing to generate MLM leads comes from those in the industry who do have success doing things the way they have been for so many years.

These people have a natural ability to get people to follow them, yet they are very often not as skilled in mentoring and training others to learn those skills (aside from pointing to a few books).

There are certainly a few good, well known trainers and you should definitely take advantage of their teachings; Tom ‘Big Al’ Schreider, Eric Wore, Todd Falcone, just to name only a few.

But these amount to a mere 2% or less of distributors making the largest portion of the money in most MLM companies. Many of these people are telling you nothing else works.

And I have written a post on some powerful prospecting tips that might help if you are looking for it in that area.

Just know that nothing WILL work if you abandon these methods completely and venture online thinking that is the answer to all of your problems, it is not.

In other words, it is not a matter of prospecting vs marketing.

Don’t let internet marketing proponents tell you that it’s the only way; they should know to put the Networking back into Network Marketing!

And it will take a commitment of time and personal fortitude to make online marketing work.

But by going online, I found that there were so many thousands of people looking for opportunities in the industry that I had no idea how to connect with.

There is an entire, thriving industry not limited to my small circle of warm marketing family and friends, but people all over the country and the world.

These are the people I want to be in business with, the ones who WANT to be in business with me, the ones I do not have to chase down, cajole, and convince!

Prospecting vs Marketing Attraction

The term Attraction Marketing is often foreign to those that have been arguing against the newer methods, but it really isn’t even new concepts.

Basically they are built around the fact that you want to be able to provide people with what they are looking for, so that they will be attracted to you.

What are people looking for in this business?

Time with their families, extra money, residual income to name a few.

So if you help them get that, they will be attracted with you.

In either method, online or offline, you will build relationships with the people and a subset of those, and many of those will be lifelong friends, and some will end up going into business with you.

Therefore, your best bet is to utilize both methods!

Know that many people will be uncomfortable approaching their warm market or making cold calls.

Get to know a system that allows people to use automated methods to weed out the people who are looking.

Many online lead generation systems are available, and founded in the Law of Attraction, based on giving without want, and over delivering value to those you are building relationships with, which results in your business growing naturally.

Learn about how to make attraction marketing work and you’ll benefit your team as well.

Revolutionizing Prospecting vs Marketing into Attraction Marketing

It would seem that we are on the slight edge of a revolution in the industry, not prospecting vs marketing but prospecting AND marketing.

With still so high a percentage rooted in the traditional prospecting methods, failing to train their teams not only in those skills but in online marketing methods completely, it would seem that there might be a correlation to the rate of attrition in the industry.

It is NOT about selling or convincing but sorting and qualifying.

You have an opportunity, you are not asking for favors!

But a good marketing system will help you with your efforts, and provide the training in both areas that you can leverage for your team and prospects.

You would want to use tools that provide automation and to leverage your time and that of your team

There are several systems out there but I highly recommend only one, the industry leading DotComSecretsX.

And having this system to offer your prospects and your team will increase your retention, one of the primary keys to building a true passive residual income.

I would think it well worth anyone’s time involved to become a little educated on some marketing and sales techniques to be rejection free and work with Highly Qualified and Targeted Leads rather than pursue any passerby who can fog a mirror!

As a colleague of mine said in response to these ideas in another post of mine, “Like the old MLM parable of getting a hundred no’s. Who want’s to get a hundred no’s for gosh sakes?

Utilizing these systems eliminates rejection, and allows you to sop straining those family and friends’ relationships!

But as for prospecting vs marketing, don’t forget that it’s not a matter of either or, but using both as a one-two punch in reaching your dreams!