Go with a Sponsor or Seek a Mentor Relationship: What Should You Do?

 How did you land on your Sponsor’s team, by watching a video and filling out an online application?

As a student, what is the difference in a Sponsor vs. a Mentor relationship?

There is a BIG difference. Let me tell you why.

The other day I received a call from an elderly gentleman who is a member of a network business community. He signed up to start his online business six days ago. He was totally lost. He said in a wavering voice “okay, I am at my computer, now what am I suppose to do?” That kind of phone call should have never happened. That lost soul had a Sponsor, but his Sponsor was no Mentor.

There is a part of the human mind that truly believes in the osmosis. Sign me up, take me aboard your Millionaire Ship and let the magic begin! We'll talk, and then you will teach me how to make millions.

I have seen many applicants and hopeful network marketers’ sign up and pay large sums of money  for products in order to be part of the millionaire guru's winning team. They are shocked to realize that they will never have a personal phone conversation or even a simple e-mail communication with the “expert” in the video they watched on the internet. Yes. This is the same top producer who screamed in the application you filled out they would teach you all the secrets of building wealth. 

Your Sponsor's success is NO guarantee that as a member of her team you will also be successful. More importantly, not every Sponsor is a leader AND a Mentor combined, fully capable of helping you reach your personal or business potential.  Rather than devoting attention to their new team member, a low-level Sponsor will quickly and consistently redirect you to order books, sign up for webinars, or fly across the country to attend trainings.

Here are two BIG potholes I have witnessed on my journey that you should be aware of:

1. Strip mining. Taking the gold and leaving the person no better, just poorer. Be aware of a Sponsor trying to sell you their ideas packaged in "discounted" business deals for more leads, or a special search engine campaign that will make you thousands of dollars a month - at a special discount for you, well of course! Unless they are taking the time to teach you exactly how to implement this for your own profit, it’s just more selling to the Downline.

2. Hiding secrets. Some Sponsors have no intention of giving you something they have worked so hard for. You might exceed what they have achieved. How do you handle that? You will never really know if anyone is hiding business tips from you. Suspicion. Paranoia. Get off the low road; take the high road. The key is to invent your own remarkable strategies and add value to his campaign. Don’t make them or anyone do all the work. When you give value and content to your Sponsor, it’s likely to be returned in kind.

A great Sponsor is an inspiration and success coach. They are definitely NOT too busy to get back to you for a brief phone conversation once a week, help you with mindset, review ideas, discuss business plans, give you even more ideas or suggestions for personal development, and genuinely care about YOU, the new person launching out.

Remember You are a Student
The fact is without any online marketing experience you are a freshman-level student of network marketing at the University of your Choice (your business).  A great Sponsor will make progress occur much faster for you, but just don’t count on it 100 percent. By your second year you may or may not have achieved a higher grade level.  It depends upon how much time you invested in your first year, your business background, your ability to learn ideas and take action, your transferrable skills, formal and on-the-job education, and your own unique talents. Your income and Downline are your progress report for each fiscal quarter and grade level.

Getting Curbed by Your Sponsor
It happens. Like the elderly gentleman earlier. Everyone learns the online marketing business at a different speed. Be aware that your learning rate or business growth may or may not be in sync with your Sponsor. If it is not in sync and you're not paying attention, within a short amount of time you will be left on the side of the road wondering what went wrong, strip mined for what you were worth. A great Sponsor will be able to evaluate your background and determine if you’re a good fit for the rhythm and speed of the business model and team.

Sponsor Mentor Hybrid
Don't cheat yourself of the rewards of a mentoring relationship by failing to check out a Sponsor's interest in coaching you before you sign up. Do your homework. Sponsor shop within your field. Raise your standards to include someone capable of success coaching you, too. A Sponsor Mentor hybrid is someone who cares about you and can easily give you the attention you deserve and need. Interview at least a few Sponsors as potential candidates so you don’t later regret falling passively into someone’s Downline. Here is the first litmus test: If your Candidate cannot schedule an appointment to talk with you, the flag hanging overhead is glowing red. Run the other way.

Your ideal Sponsor should be just one of several people on your personally selected internet marketing team that want to see you succeed. She may be a colleague within your community of marketers, or play a much more objective role, such as an author/veteran millionaire marketer who wrote the book on how to make your first million, step-by-step. Another great Sponsor to consider is someone who is much less obvious because they are standing so close to you. The successful friend or experienced business person that has reached the level of wealth and success you want to achieve.

The best Sponsor Mentor is going to be someone who truly cares about you as a person, and will push you relentlessly towards success in all of your marketing endeavors your first year and beyond.