Put Relationships Back Into Marketing

Many times when using an internet marketing system we forget we are dealing with real people who have real feelings, dreams, and desires.  Often in the process of "Chewing Through the Numbers" we forget that those numbers are REAL people.
 
While working with serious and qualified people is important... and to some degree we need to expect certain things from our prospects... in the process we need to realize they have families, lives, distractions, and complications as we all do from time to time.  Even very interested and quality people may miss a conference call or two and they may miss an appointment.  Increasingly we are dealing with more and more busy individuals who, while they want to break free of the rat race, are bound by that rat race and hectic life style.  Many of us are or were exactly like that kind of person at one time.
 
With that in mind, the 2 areas most people fail in MLM are:

1- Who to talk to 
2- Follow-Up

Conversational Approaching, while not Internet marketing, is one of the most highly recommended methods of locating people to introduce the business to and enter into the warm market portion of a marketing system.  As well, internet browsing for experienced entrepreneurs, leveraging online chat rooms and online messaging is a powerful extension of conversational approaching for the internet.  It also cost nothing to do.

Internet marketing such as PPC, banners, email marketing... are all very cold unless one reaches out to develop a relationship. Leads are the exact same... a number assigned to every name, phone, and email address. BUT, I often hear people talk about big words like DUPLICATION & AUTOMATION.  While these things are nice in a "Pipe Dream" without a way to cement everything together one finds that all the automation in the world only lasts as long as the relationships that are built.

So, while "Who to talk to" is the #1 reason people fail... in reality, even if you have a ton of people to talk to, unless you're establishing relationships you're wasting your time.
 
Additionally, in the process of building a business we often forget about the fundamentals of developing a relationship... or follow-up and persistence.  In MLM, I am often reminded about the movie "A Beautiful Mind", in which Russell Crowe as John Nash sits down beside a beautiful gal at a bar and proceeds to woo her by jumping straight to the point... in essence "You wanna have sex?" as if the relationship meant nothing and the point of the interaction was just sex.  And while it's possible that 2 individuals interacting might come to the same conclusion that the "fore-play" or romance is really a way of beating around the bush... 95%+ of the humans out there would likely agree that the journey is as much a part of the experience as the result.
 
Everything in its place, as everything has its place... but, far too often we go through the motions of "Recruiting" as a means to an end, rather than enjoying and even savoring the journey.  Sure, we are all here to develop that income, to provide for ourselves and our families.  However, a saying often touted but seldom taken to heart is, "By helping others reach their goals, I will reach mine in the process." 
 
It sounds good on the surface as a hook to get someone into the business.  But, honestly how often does one really look at their business as a pursuit to help others?  And YET, in reality the saying is indeed true, regardless of the intent.  If you will help others and focus on helping others reach their stated goals... well, you will indeed reach your goals in the process. 
 
MLM has been called "Relationship Marketing".  Yet, rarely do I see people developing relationships at the same time they are marketing.  They market... and then they build relationships.  The key to effective follow-up is putting Relationships... back into marketing.  We are after all talking to real people, with real hopes and real desires.

Good Luck on your Journey,
Mel Atwood