MLM Financial Success: Struggling to Find Prospects and Convert Leads (Part 3 of 4)

Have you ever had this conversation with one of your downline:

'I am struggling with growing my downline as the prospects I find and/or sign-up do not have the commit that I do to the business. Even if someone signs up they will eventually drop out. This gets me nowhere. I hate saying that I am getting nowhere. I am struggling and getting very frustrated. I am at the point where I want to give up but the thought of that breaks my heart.'

This has probably been the experience of almost every network marketer or anyone in sales in the very stages of their business. It is vital that we really understand how to 'read between the lines', how to lead people to see the best in themselves, even when they think there is no hope.

This is the very point when so many distributors drop out (the classic 3-6 month mark). Some will and some won't. So how do you keep more from dropping out?

Let's break down the above conversion, line by line.

'I am struggling with growing my downline.'

Struggle is such a 'loaded' word. Here are a few definitions of the word from Dictionary.com:

1.     to contend with an adversary or opposing force.
2.     to contend resolutely with a task, problem, etc.; strive: to struggle for existence.
3.     to advance with violent effort

None of that sounds pleasant or easy! A word that resonates better with production, growth and opportunity is 'Challenge'. You can overcome a challenge, whereas a struggle is an 'opposing force' that requires 'violent effort'. Who wants to be around that? Even the basic definition of Challenge is that of an open-ended possibility: 'a call or summons to engage in any contest, as of skill, strength, etc.' [Dictionary.com]

'The prospects I find and/or sign up do not have the commit that I do to the business.'

People want to follow a leader - someone charismatic or inspiring or helpful. Often without knowing the reason, people will shy away from someone who is always negative and struggling - even if that person who is struggling keeps this under wraps. If our friend John is thinking thoughts like, 'I hope this team member doesn't quit on me', he is not thinking is a way to foster the growth of his team or himself. He is focusing on past failures instead of the possibility of a brighter future outcome.

The level of commitment one needs to succeed in business is to do more and never to expect anyone who follows you to do what you are not willing to do. In John's case doing more means, more self-awareness of his thoughts to move along the continuum towards Prosperity. A great exercise for John would be to keep a small pocket book and over a few days to write down all of his negative thoughts and to actively re-state each thought with one that is more prosperous.

'So even if someone signs up they eventually drop out. This gets me nowhere.'

Same as the last point, prospects can almost smell defeatist beliefs and behaviours - thus the old adage, 'Be careful what you think.'

'I hate saying that I am getting nowhere.'

This is the point where as a leader you have to tell your team member with the greatest compassion to give  consideration to the words they choose. It is too easy to say we 'hate' something. It divests us of responsibility. This is passive behaviour. Instead, teach your team member to understand and accept this 'feeling' of getting nowhere as a challenge, an opportunity to do something different. What can John learn from this moment, now?

'I am struggling and getting very frustrated.'

Ah the dreaded 'frustration' - "a feeling of dissatisfaction, often accompanied by anxiety or depression, resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems." [Dictionary.com] Using this definition, the way to overcome frustration is to get to the root of the 'problem', which, in John's case, is to work on changing his mindset  and helping him to understand where and how his ego (frustration) is getting in the way of his success.

'I am at the point where I want to give up.'

This is why John's prospects are not buying or joining. They sense his emotional fear and lack of self-commitment. They have their own concerns, issues, fears, etc. and are looking for a leader who can teach and inspire them to succeed. These prospects also only want to buy from someone they can trust – trust to be around for future sales and service.

'The thought of that breaks my heart.'

Here we can best help John by advising him to turn this emotion of heart-break (inaction) into action, and to create the desire to improve, grow and to become more attractive, to become the leader John and others are looking for.
 

Darren Stehle is the owner and creator of MLMProfitsByAttraction. Darren is an Internet Marketer and a Writer whose passion is to inspire and lead others to achieve happiness and financial freedom. He specializes in training for MLM, Network Marketing and Top-Tier Direct Sales using a customizable Lead Generation & Attraction Marketing System that combines Affiliate Marketing, Cash-Flow programs and MLM into a fully-automatic Income Producing Machine.