I was first exposure to MLM (network marketing) in the early 1970s while I was in college. My cousin called and invited me to a meeting; he had something he wanted to share with me. As he was my cousin I said yes and went to the meeting. If my memory serves me correctly I was the only prospect at the meeting. I purchased a bottle of the product, some kind of liquid soap, just because I couldnt tell my cousin no, and went home. We have not seen to each other since then.
Several years after graduating from college, a colleague and his wife showed up on our doorstep unannounced late one evening and proceeded to give my wife and me a long presentation about their company. My wife and I had never requested nor even given any slight indication that we had any interest in their products or business, yet late one night they just barged into our home uninvited.
Needless to say, that after those experiences we were never big fans of Network Marketing. However occasionally I did find some products from several MLM companies that I felt would be of benefit to my patients. I would join the MLM company just to get the products for my patients, but would never mention anything about the company to my patients.
A few years ago one of my patients introduced me to a product from a new network marketing company. The product intrigued me, so I registered with the company and started recommending it to my patients. As with other companys products, I did not mention a word about the company or business opportunity to any of my patients.
Old School Marketing: Meetings, Cold Calls and Leads
A few months after joining this company I received a notice that a doctor would be in town speaking on the product. Since I was interested in learning more about the product and its uses I went to the meeting.
After the doctors presentation (which I enjoyed because he gave a lot of information on the science behind the product), there was a business meeting also. Since I was already there, I stayed for the business portion of the meeting. I dont remember the name of the person, but he gave a very good presentation. The opportunity that residual income offered was suddenly very clear to me.
I cant say that I was completely sold on network marketing. But I did see why so many people get involved with MLM. I decided to give it a trial run and started working on the business. Since I had a captive audience with my patients it was easy at first. In a short while I started to receive some nice checks in the mail, nothing fantastic but large enough that I became more interested in pursuing the business actively.
However I soon realized that to make a full-time income I was going to have to grow beyond my patient base of associates and customers. Thats where I hit the proverbial brick wall. This was more difficult that I had originally planned on.
Like most new associates, I started going to meetings, inviting people to opportunity meetings (I see visions of my cousin). Making appointments to show the comp plan; mailing out info to prospects. I did everything my up-line told me to do (except showing up un-announced at 10 PM on someones doorstep I had some self respect).
Then I learned about buying leads and cold calling people. So I purchased a leads list and started calling people. It sounded good if someone requested information by putting their name on a list, they must want you to call them RIGHT? Naturally my wife was very supportive of all my efforts (NOT), especially after she saw the phone bill. On top of it all, I had not enrolled a single person.
Next I was told that I was doing it all wrong and that I needed to call other network marketers, so I needed a genealogy list. Out came the credit card (again) and I got my list of genealogy leads. I must admit that I did recruit a few this way about one per thousand calls. Not a very good R.O.I. (return on investment).
What was even more frustrating was that those I did recruit were not comfortable with making calls no duplication. To be honest I was not very good at making calls myself, so I couldnt blame them. I was just very stubborn and wouldnt quit.
MLM Internet Marketing
About this time I became interested in marketing on the internet. I invested in several websites (out came the credit card again) developed by a few of the leaders in my network marketing company. I did receive a few product users, but at a very high R.O.I.
During this time I was surfing the internet trying to learn the secret techniques to market my business. I purchased e-mail blast, placed ads in ezines and FFAs (Free For All). I joined half a dozen traffic exchange sites, trying to get more visitors to my websites.
I knew I was on the right tract I just had to figure out how to effectively market over the Internet better. This is when I came across Mike Dillards Magnetic Sponsoring. I purchased it (first edition before he made it generic), but found it was difficult to implement because he had it set-up for his specific MLM company. But it had a lot of good information and encouraged me to keep looking.
I continued searching the Internet, looking for the best tips to marketing techniques and all the various other methods of online promotion. Frequently I would run across sites referring to The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing and The Renegade Marketer. I was very tempted to look further into these, but was hesitant that they were just another marketing scheme.
The Answer Web 2.0 Social Marketing
In January, 2008 Mike Klingler launched Renegade University. At first I was reluctant to get involved but with free registration I figured what the heck! Needless to say I am very happy that I did. Finally I have found the answer to my marketing questions.
Mike and his assistant Diyana Alcheva have put together one of the absolute best online trainings ever. All the pieces have come together to form a systematic approach to marketing your opportunity world wide on the Internet. Mike gives you step-by-step video tutorials showing you exactly how to set-up you own personal Internet social marketing system.
The Secret Is Revealed
There is no doubt that the Internet is the future of Network Marketing. The sooner you learn how to properly and ethically market on the internet, the faster you will start to profit from it.
Its hard work, but its also fun.
Several years after graduating from college, a colleague and his wife showed up on our doorstep unannounced late one evening and proceeded to give my wife and me a long presentation about their company. My wife and I had never requested nor even given any slight indication that we had any interest in their products or business, yet late one night they just barged into our home uninvited.
Needless to say, that after those experiences we were never big fans of Network Marketing. However occasionally I did find some products from several MLM companies that I felt would be of benefit to my patients. I would join the MLM company just to get the products for my patients, but would never mention anything about the company to my patients.
A few years ago one of my patients introduced me to a product from a new network marketing company. The product intrigued me, so I registered with the company and started recommending it to my patients. As with other companys products, I did not mention a word about the company or business opportunity to any of my patients.
Old School Marketing: Meetings, Cold Calls and Leads
A few months after joining this company I received a notice that a doctor would be in town speaking on the product. Since I was interested in learning more about the product and its uses I went to the meeting.
After the doctors presentation (which I enjoyed because he gave a lot of information on the science behind the product), there was a business meeting also. Since I was already there, I stayed for the business portion of the meeting. I dont remember the name of the person, but he gave a very good presentation. The opportunity that residual income offered was suddenly very clear to me.
I cant say that I was completely sold on network marketing. But I did see why so many people get involved with MLM. I decided to give it a trial run and started working on the business. Since I had a captive audience with my patients it was easy at first. In a short while I started to receive some nice checks in the mail, nothing fantastic but large enough that I became more interested in pursuing the business actively.
However I soon realized that to make a full-time income I was going to have to grow beyond my patient base of associates and customers. Thats where I hit the proverbial brick wall. This was more difficult that I had originally planned on.
Like most new associates, I started going to meetings, inviting people to opportunity meetings (I see visions of my cousin). Making appointments to show the comp plan; mailing out info to prospects. I did everything my up-line told me to do (except showing up un-announced at 10 PM on someones doorstep I had some self respect).
Then I learned about buying leads and cold calling people. So I purchased a leads list and started calling people. It sounded good if someone requested information by putting their name on a list, they must want you to call them RIGHT? Naturally my wife was very supportive of all my efforts (NOT), especially after she saw the phone bill. On top of it all, I had not enrolled a single person.
Next I was told that I was doing it all wrong and that I needed to call other network marketers, so I needed a genealogy list. Out came the credit card (again) and I got my list of genealogy leads. I must admit that I did recruit a few this way about one per thousand calls. Not a very good R.O.I. (return on investment).
What was even more frustrating was that those I did recruit were not comfortable with making calls no duplication. To be honest I was not very good at making calls myself, so I couldnt blame them. I was just very stubborn and wouldnt quit.
MLM Internet Marketing
About this time I became interested in marketing on the internet. I invested in several websites (out came the credit card again) developed by a few of the leaders in my network marketing company. I did receive a few product users, but at a very high R.O.I.
During this time I was surfing the internet trying to learn the secret techniques to market my business. I purchased e-mail blast, placed ads in ezines and FFAs (Free For All). I joined half a dozen traffic exchange sites, trying to get more visitors to my websites.
I knew I was on the right tract I just had to figure out how to effectively market over the Internet better. This is when I came across Mike Dillards Magnetic Sponsoring. I purchased it (first edition before he made it generic), but found it was difficult to implement because he had it set-up for his specific MLM company. But it had a lot of good information and encouraged me to keep looking.
I continued searching the Internet, looking for the best tips to marketing techniques and all the various other methods of online promotion. Frequently I would run across sites referring to The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing and The Renegade Marketer. I was very tempted to look further into these, but was hesitant that they were just another marketing scheme.
The Answer Web 2.0 Social Marketing
In January, 2008 Mike Klingler launched Renegade University. At first I was reluctant to get involved but with free registration I figured what the heck! Needless to say I am very happy that I did. Finally I have found the answer to my marketing questions.
Mike and his assistant Diyana Alcheva have put together one of the absolute best online trainings ever. All the pieces have come together to form a systematic approach to marketing your opportunity world wide on the Internet. Mike gives you step-by-step video tutorials showing you exactly how to set-up you own personal Internet social marketing system.
The Secret Is Revealed
There is no doubt that the Internet is the future of Network Marketing. The sooner you learn how to properly and ethically market on the internet, the faster you will start to profit from it.
Its hard work, but its also fun.