Build A Business By Building Relationships First

Copyright © Lawren Smith

Generate Success Online
Guide 2 Marketing Success

Today, I had a very interesting conversation with someone online. I would like to share with you the topic of our conversation and what one should learn from this conversation.

I met this person through a social networking site, which will remain nameless. This individual, I shall refer to as “Bob”, is involved with a MLM. He is very passionate about his business, which I believe one must be if he or she is to be successful in any business. I like this person’s mindset because he is very personable, but also a go-getter, which is another necessary characteristic for someone who is trying to establish a home business for himself or herself.

Apparently, Bob had a conversation with a woman who has expressed a strong dislike for MLM’s. Now, in the various conversations I have had with Bob, he has never tried to recruit me into his business. This is not his style, nor is it mine, which is probably why we get along. He told me that he did not try to recruit her but he mentioned to this woman that he is involved in an MLM and I assume she figured this was the basis of their conversation.

In response to Bob’s business and his honesty about his association with an MLM, she shared her story about why she did not like MLM’s. Apparently, in the past, she has been involved in various MLM companies, but she became disenchanted with MLM’s, network marketing companies because of the way in which many members of MLM’s tend to promote their business.

She said that many people in MLM are all about selling their products and promoting their business opportunity without any adherence to the individual with whom they are speaking. Many members of MLM’s spend very little time listening to their prospects. Instead, they spend much of the time talking and trying to sell the prospect on the products, services, or business opportunity of their respective MLM, or network marketing company.

It was based on her experiences with MLM’s that she has decided to never venture back into the world of MLM’s or network marketing and I can vehemently understand her objections and perception about many MLM’s.

She, unfortunately, has had the displeasure of dealing with individuals who use the wrong approach in trying to build a business. The first thing one should learn, once he or she has made the decision to start a home business, is that building relationships with your prospects should come first. Why? Most people prefer to associate with people whom they trust. Building trust with people takes time. It is ok to let them know that you are involved in an MLM, but it is not ok to then go in for the kill; meaning start bombarding the prospect with your business opportunity or the products and services it has to offer. Keep in mind, most people, especially those on the internet, are constantly being bombarded with messages from people who want to sell them on a business opportunity or have them purchase the products and services. It is then, not a surprise, why most people do not like to be sold to.

By focusing on the relationship and learning more about the prospect and what their interests are makes them feel as if you care about who they are and about what they think. This also sets you apart from most other people on the internet whose actions display otherwise. By building trust and building a relationship, you also earn their respect. One example I can share with you is when I send messages to members in my FaceBook group, rarely do I talk about my business. Most times I share information, or a personal development message or something other than my business. I have had a number of responses from people telling me that they would feel more comfortable joining my business than anyone else’s because I don’t just talk about my business.

Building relationships and establishing a reputation as someone who genuinely cares about the other person will, indirectly, help you with your business. Because then you are giving people an opportunity to get to know who you are. Most people find other people far more interesting than the business itself. Thus, once they get to know who you are and what you are about, they will more than likely want to know more about your other interests, such as, your business opportunity.

In the end, both Bob and the woman came to an understanding. Bob, has accepted the fact that this woman is not interested in his business and never will be, but this does not deter Bob from wanting to talk to her. He still wants to remain friends with this person because he genuinely cares about who she is and her interests. The woman in turn also accepts the fact that Bob is involved in an MLM but she also has learned that Bob is not interested in selling her his business opportunity. He just wants to be her friend. Thus, the relationship building continues and even if it Bob does get her to join him in his business opportunity, he now has made a new friend and, to Bob, this is what having a business is all about, building positive relationships with people you encounter along the way during the business building process.

In conclusion, and I will often say this, people will only stay around when they feel that their needs are being met. Your business is not about you, but about those you serve.

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Lawren Smith is a member of MLMLeadSystemPro and CarbonCopyPro. She writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic, Lawren recommends you visit:

Automated Marketing System

A Business For The Serious Entrepreneur

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Failures Can Be Good Teachers

Copyright © Lawren Smith

Guide 2 Marketing Success
Generate Success Online

When I started my first home business, I was not sure what I was getting myself into. In fact, when I joined my first MLM company, almost six years ago, I paid over $4K, to start at the top level. that night, I could not sleep. I was very excited about starting my own business, but I was also very scared. I knew nothing about operating my own business. There was one thought in my mind, "Did I make the right decision?".

One of the first things I learned was that it was not going to be easy. I put out tons of fliers. I passed an tons of business cards. I talked to as many people as I could and even got kicked out a number of parking lots. I also attended all of my trainings and seminars. I was doing exactly what my upline had been taught me.

Despite all of my work and efforts, I still could not get anyone interested in my products or my business opportunity. I did not understand why. The products and the company were great, I thought. When I expressed my situation to my upline, he just said, "Keep going. You need to do more."

And, I did. I continued and worked hard on developing my business. After six months, I recruited a few individuals and began to sell some products. It was not long after this initial progress that things seemingly improved. I had started to make some money and my business was picking up, but I was still spending more money or just breaking even. I just could not get over that hump.

Over the next few years, I had come to a realization that I was no where near where I needed to be. I wanted to be running my own business full-time. I did not understand why this was not happening.

After almost four years, I decided to look for another business opportunity and this was a hard choice for me to make. I did not want to give up on something I had worked so hard on. I failed my first business and I felt overcome with anxiety. Failure is not a reality I took well. Again, the same question popped in my mind, "Did I make the right choice?"

Fast forward to the present. When I reflect on my years in the home business industry, I now recognize what was going on in the early days of starting my own business. I was going through a learning phase. When one starts a business, whether that business is a brick and mortar business or a home business, there is going to be a lot of growing pains.

I have learned a lot about running a business and I have become quite skilled in marketing, but in the beginning, I had no knowledge and no marketing skills, no skills period.

Another fact is that the marketing methods I used early on, can work, but I was not successful at it because it did not fit my personality. Being an introvert and someone who never felt comfortable talking face-to-face with people always made me feel stressed. And, this leads to my last and probably one of the more important reasons for failing my first business opportunity. I was taught to talk to as many people as possible. In other words, sell, sell, sell.

My upline often told me that marketing was a numbers game. The more people I talked to, the more success I would attain in my business. He was right, about this being a numbers game, but it was the methods used that were a detriment to my success. You see, I had been taught pretty much to "slam people to the wall and see which ones stick." Actually, a friend of mine gave me this analogy, but this analogy was right on target.

Today, I learned that this business is not about selling your products, services, or even your business opportunity. In fact, most people do no like to be sold to. If you are going to sell anything, it should be you that you should be selling. Why? Well, because people join people, not businesses. To sell yourself, you offer value to others in need. The value that you offer is your knowledge and experience in business. By doing this, you display your leadership and people love to follow leaders. This will also set you apart from those who sell, sell, sell... This is what is known as "attraction marketing". A concept developed by Mike Dillard.

Since implementing "attraction marketing", as part of my business practices, I have attained much more success than ever before. I have also discovered that I am enjoying my business much more so than in the past. I believe that if you have a business of your own, enjoying it is key because, first, it makes your home business feel less like a job and second, you are more likely to stick around and work on your business because you are enjoying it.

In conclusion, having your own business is a lot of work. If you are just starting a new business, and you have never had a business before, expect some painful growing pains. This is just the nature of the beast. There is a lot to learn, even for the more experienced. Learning is always going to be part of the life of an entrepreneur. There is no graduation for us. Those individuals who are just starting out with a business, I advise to spend most of the time learning as much as you can about business, and focus on developing your skills in sells, communication, and marketing. Once you do, success will not be far behind. Without these skills, you will not get far in your business.

Also, once you have acquired the skills and knowledge, you can then share them with other entrepreneurs. There are so many who will be in need of your knowledge and your experience. Believe me, the more you help others, the more you will be rewarded for your generosity. Soon, you too will discover the benefits of "attraction marketing" and hopefully, realize that failure was not such a bad thing. It can be a great teacher. When you are going through your daily struggles within your business, keep this in mind, "The difference between successful people and unsuccessful people is that successful people have failed more."

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Lawren Smith is a member of MLMLeadSystemPro and CarbonCopyPro. She writes on a variety of subjects. To learn more about this topic, Lawren recommends you visit:

Become A Master Marketer

A Business For The Serious Entrepreneur

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