When The Internet Met MLM...

The world of network marketing used to be so simple. Friends, family, neighbors, strangers. 10-second speeches, 2 minute conversations. Everyone’s a prospect. Always be closing. 

Good times. 

Then, Al Gore invented the Internet and everything changed. The technology revolution of the early 1990s put a personal computer in every home. The efficiency and affordability of 24-7 Internet access knocked down many obstacles that had hindered MLM professionals in the past. Instead of chasing every prospect within three feet, you could anonymously cast your net wider.  Much, much wider. All from the comfort of your own home. And in your pajamas no less.

For those of you yet to venture into the online world of network marketing, let me highlight a few basic concepts:

• Access to everyone, all over the world, all the time: You don’t have to be in network marketing long to know that the more you get your message to people, the better your business will be. Now imagine you have a friend that will spread your product or opportunity message for you, 24 hours a day. Not only that, but this friend will travel almost anywhere on the planet and talk to an unlimited amount of people, all at once. This friend never gets tired and will work until you tell it to stop. Sounds great doesn’t it? Well, meet the Internet. No longer do you have to confine yourself to your town or state or circle of friends. Using basic programs, you can communicate with “opportunities” all over the world, eliminating postage, mileage and saving your valuable time in the process. How wise does using the 3-foot rule seem when you have the entire world within your reach?

• Leverage your time: Talking to the amount of random people it takes to create a successful downline one by one is similar to finding a program to watch on television without a remote. Getting up every couple minutes to change the channel, then sitting down only to find out the show isn’t what you had hoped. So it’s back up to find another one. All that extra effort repeatedly wasted on randomly searching for a potential fit. The Internet is the new-age remote control that lets you not only quickly and efficiently browse through channels, but also search menus by topic to narrow down your search. No more flipping to a channel, watching it for a moment, and deciding if it looks interesting. Jump to the stations you know you’ll be interested in. Cutting out this unnecessary motion is a short cut to a better business.

• You don’t have to have a rock star personality to be effective in your network marketing business: Every company has a “natural,” a one-man wrecking crew that can create sales and opportunities anywhere they go. Handsome, charming and effortlessly persuasive, they seem to find business even when they’re not looking, … at the grocery store, the dry cleaners or even in line at the DMV. They are the network marketing all-stars that make the kind of money everyone thinks they are going to make when they step into this business. If you’re this guy already, life is good. Most of us, however, are not. The good news is the Internet has leveled the playing field for the shrinking violets of MLM, rewarding the shy and soft-spoken. Yes, you still have to meet people, but an effective Internet based communication platform and a sound online marketing strategy can overcome many a personality deficit. Even people without personalities can apply themselves and succeed. So leave the grocery stores and the dry cleaners to people trying to buy groceries and look nice. Use the Internet to shine your personality.

• The Internet can not supply everything:  Despite the advantages of the Internet, it can not provide everything for your business. Even if your airtight e-mail marketing campaign is generating lead after qualified lead, you still have to follow through at some point and connect with another human being. The best systems in the world can create a downline for you without you doing any more then paying a few bucks and clicking a few keys, but without personal interaction, it wont last. There is nothing keeping anyone under you from jumping ship at a moments notice. A lot of us in the business are after long-term income. Yes, we want it as fast as possible, but using completely automated systems to build your downline in record time cuts out the main ingredient for stability. A personal relationship with other people. People show commitment to other people they know much more then random names on a computer screen. If someone has the choice of reading a manual or having me show them step by step how to build a business, and we get to the same result, what do you think they’d rather try? Which one do you think they’re more willing to stick to?

Recognize the Internet for what it is – a powerful, necessary tool. It can replace some tools, and do the work of multiple others. But keep in mind that it should be just one of several tools you should have in your marketing toolbelt.