Part of what I do online is provide help desk support, and about a month ago, I got the following from a customer:
“I am looking to create a list for my primary business in the health and wellness industry; I am promoting a business opportunity, so I need names and numbers to call and speak with. I’m really not supposed to be doing this according to the company policies, but I am tired of buying poor quality leads and want to promote nationwide, not just in my local area.
It seems like my advertising efforts get lost with all that is out there on the internet.”
Here’s the reply I sent back:
Since I too am involved in promoting a few business opportunities, I hope you won’t mind my candor, which is simply meant to be helpful to you. I’m going to assume that you’re a network marketer, like me. And because I’ve been online for 5 years and have finally figured out what does NOT work — for me, perhaps you can benefit from what I’ve learned.
First, it’s always a waste of time and money to buy leads because you have no idea where those leads are actually coming from. People could have filled out a survey or sweepstakes and not remember doing so. You were probably sold their contact information as someone who is looking for a business opportunity when that simply is not true, OR they forgot they even filled out an online form.
Second, unless you like rejection, it’s always a bad idea to call on people you don’t know. Besides, there’s the “Do Not Call” list you have to consider.
Third, you want to talk to people who have the same values that you do, who care about health and wellness, like you do. Just because you feel, or have been taught, that your product is something that “everyone” should, or would want to, try, that also simply is not true.
While most people are looking to make extra money, my experience has proven that many are not necessarily interested in joining a business opportunity or doing the work required to be successful. Whatever you offer to others has to benefit them from THEIR point of view, not yours.
With all that said, I’m going to list some websites that I have found extremely useful and beneficial to me in promoting my business opportunities, as well as generating FREE leads:
Establish a profile on Ryze if you haven’t yet done so. This site was the first one I joined 3 years ago where I found people just like me who were willing to help me figure it out. It’s still the place I send people first.
Visit Kim Klaver’s blog and sign up for her Blog Updates Daily or Bulletin. I subscribe to both because I’ve been a paying (showcased) member of Network Marketing Central for the past year and have learned the NEW School of Network Marketing. Here’s a recent example of what she teaches:
http://kimklaverblogs.blogspot.com/2007/11/is-calling-leads-prospects-and-other.html
She also has a Manifesto called “Friends, Lies and Network Marketing”, that I encourage you to download and read.
And I use the following resource to not only generate free leads for my business opportunity, but also earn an additional stream of income by using it. I personally think the author took lessons from Kim Klaver (but that’s neither here nor there).
What I like about this particular resource is that it allows me to give away a free ebook to help people who haven’t yet figured out what I learned the hard way, because of what I believed based on what I was taught. The OLD SCHOOL methods simply do not work like they used to.
Here’s the link to get that ebook:
http://netmarketingfornewbies.com/recommends/7glnm.
You can rest assured that I won’t be calling you to pitch you into my deal . . . I simply don’t operate that way. I’m of the mind that if someone is interested in what I’m doing or have to offer, they will contact me. Less stress and no rejection. That works for me best.