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by Susanna K. Hutcheson |
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When you get a list of prospects do you know what to do with it? Lots of people in network marketing really don't. Your company may tell you to sit down for an hour or two each night and phone people. And that's fine. There's nothing wrong with that and it works for lots of people. But what works consistently over time is direct mail. It is easier on you. The prospective recruit, in most cases, prefers it. It saves you time and money. So aren't those reason enough to use direct mail? I'm not saying you should use "only" direct mail. But it should be one of the cornerstones of your marketing. So how exactly do you market through direct mail? Do you market product or the opportunity? Do you use a one-stage or a two-stage mailing? Do you follow up with a telephone call? Do you need a toll-free number? Those are just some of the questions people ask when considering a direct marketing campaign. So let's try and answer them. Do you market the product or the opportunity? Certainly your income comes from the opportunity. In addition, the people on your list (in most cases) are opportunity seekers. You do, however, want to let prospects know that the product or products your company offers are above-average in quality, highly consumable and will help them in their own personal lives. That makes it easier for them to represent the company. One can not long represent a product, service or company in whom they do not believe and in whose quality they don't trust. So yes, you must sell the product. But spend most of the time in your letter selling the opportunity. Do you use a one-stage or two-stage mailing? This is perhaps the question I get asked most often by network marketers. In fact, by most marketers in general. There is no easy answer. But the rule of thumb is that you use two-stage mailings. The first stage of your mailing usually consists of a single lead-generating sales letter and usually a reply device of some sort. The letter is designed to get people to raise their hands and say, "Yes, I'm interested. Send me more information." You can also use a postcard in which case you definitely want to use a toll free number to make it easy for your prospect to respond. You don't want to give them too much information in this stage of the mailing. Lots of network marketers want to stuff envelopes full of brochures, applications, flyers, letters and all sorts of "stuff" that no one is going to read. This is a waste of time and money and it will kill your chances for success. You want to give them just enough information to interest them; to intrigue them and to get them to respond favorably to your offer of additional free information. That's about all the first stage should consist of. Do give them the opportunity to call you, to fax you or to mail you a reply device. A toll-free number usually increases responses. But, not necessarily sales or new recruits. If people are really interested they will call. This is definitely something you want to test. What about the second stage? The second stage is the reply that you send to the prospect after you get a phone call from him, a card back in the mail from her or in some other way the prospective recruit lets you know he or she is interested in learning more about your opportunity. Now keep in mind, you are not the only person out there selling your opportunity. The competition is keen! There are lots of other people selling the same thing. The ones who are using professional marketing methods are the ones getting the big productive downlines. The rest are just out there wasting time and money. So in the second stage you must shine. Of course you must have a very good sales letter. But this one, unlike the first one, needs to sell more and tell more. It needs to tell people why they should take this opportunity from you and not someone else. Chances are good they have or will hear about the opportunity from others. The letter must impress upon them the value of the product, the strength and honesty of the company and the benefits of the pay plan. In addition to the letter you need to send out a brochure telling about the company, pay plan and product. Should you send an application? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on the opportunity and how you sell best. If you want to entirely avoid person-to-person contact then you need to send an application or, if your company offers it, the instructions on how they sign up in your downline with the company. Lead them every step of the way. Do not make it complicated. Make it easy for them to sign up. If they want more information you need to have it available to them. Give them a phone number to call you and YOU BE THERE! If you can't be there DO have someone answer the phone and get messages to you and DO call your prospects back promptly. This is critical. And remember, when a person phones you, he or she wants immediate service. This person is saying to you, "I have responded immediately so I expect to be served immediately." Don't let her down. You do so at your own peril. Do you follow up with a telephone call? Whether or not to follow up with a phone call depends mostly on you. Remember, phone calls are expensive. But you should call the people who have in any way responded and from whom you have not received a positive response within a reasonable time. These people are hot prospects. And if they don't join you, you want to know why at the least and you want to sign them to your downline at the most. So do call these people. Always. But you do not need to phone the entire list. You can, however, send them another sales letter. Use the list until it doesn't produce anymore. The same is true with your letters and cards. Use them until they no longer work for you. If people on your list still don't respond, mail a post card. Mail to the list at least four times before you give up on that list. And remember, get an excellent list! It is meaningful to your success. A professional direct mail package and a professionally- culled list by a reputable company like Leaders Club will increase your chances of success greatly. It takes two stages to recruit. This is true in just about every case. If you follow the suggestions we've outlined above you have a better chance at success than most people. Recruiting by mail is very rewarding. It is most profitable. But you must know how to do it. To become a heavy-hitter you need to mimic the methods of these powerful network marketers. Begin today to use direct mail — the two-stage method — and you'll find you build your downline quicker and become successful faster. About the author: |
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