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Melanie Milletics has been an Internet Entrepreneur since 2001... and just might know something you don't about how to build a wildly successful home based business! To request a call, fill in the form below.
MLM Success Mastery Requires Embracing "Old School" and "New School" Methods of Prospecting
Integrate Internet Marketing and Relationship Marketing and you will be unusually successful in your MLM. Ignoring “Old School” methods and only embracing the “New School” is simply foolish.
I was amused to learn the words “Web 2.0″ and then later, “Attraction Marketing” . As a home based business owner who built my business using the Internet and the phone, I had been using those methods to build my business long before there were labels attached. In fact, the coining of them was such a non-event for me that I missed an opportunity to corner those SEO terms – bummer! The term “Attraction Marketing” is absolutely huge now and the experts abound!
Network Marketers across the world are embracing the “New School” way of building an MLM business by tapping into the millions of prospects who are online looking for ways to become financially free. They are learning how to set up their blogs, build capture pages and how to market those sites using social media like twitter and facebook, search engine optimization and video marketing. It’s a frenzy of learning and application. The content going up is staggering!
We’ve really done a good job of training up the competition 
Now, I don’t really believe that there is scarcity of prospects – but there is scarcity of attention spans. And if all the “New School” Network Marketers are out there teaching “Attraction Marketing“, and posing as experts… where does that leave YOU? If you are trying to claim your spot on the net, how will you stand out? How will you generate a lead in an environment where everyone is standing up and yelling ‘pick me, pick me’ ?
I don’t know man, I just don’t know…
maybe we’ll have to go back to the “Old School” methods of prospecting…
What are the ‘Old School’ methods, really? Does it mean making a list of your friends and family and expecting them all to be your business partners? That each and every one of them is just waiting to be an entrepreneur? Or how about standing at the mall and accosting strangers about making extra money, doing just what you are doing? No way, you say – that’s how you end up in the NFL. “No friends left” after you have unprofessionally approached them all with something that they weren’t asking for.
Is that really what is meant by “Old School” networking? Of course it isn’t, but its what you will hear from those who will tell you that the ‘Old School’ methods of building a MLM business are dead. They will make the offline methods sound stupid and downright degrading. They will make it sound like you’d be a fool to follow the advice of the MLM millionaires who all built their business offline because ‘things are different now’.
Come on, do you really think things are THAT different? People are still people, and this is still a word of mouth business.
So what does “Old School” really mean, and why should you have respect for the ‘Old School” masters, instead of disdain for the term?
Its Relationship Marketing at its best. It is listening for the needs of people and giving them an option to fill those needs. It’s connecting with people in your community who are looking for what you have to offer.
It was never, and never will be about chasing your friends and family, people!
Right now, there are people all over the world making huge money in MLM building OFFLINE, using “Old School” methods.
Right now, people are collecting six figure checks.
Are you?
If not, perhaps its time you took a look at expanding your skill set to include offline methods of building your business.
If you are really an entrepreneur with a product or service that the market is asking for – then you should have no trouble connecting with people who have a need for what you offer.
I’m an Internet Network Marketer and have been building my business online for 8 years. I generate my own leads and call my prospects after they have been exposed to the business through an online presentation. I have mad phone skills and people close themselves on my opportunity all the time.
However, I take every opportunity to look people in the eye and hand them my business card. Their attention to my website is far more valuable than the thousands of clicks I will get to this blog post. They are far more likely to take action to either become a customer, or even a distributor. Why? Because I looked them in the eye and professionally introduced what I do. I heard their need and I addressed it. They can see that I am genuine, am not at all a slimy salesperson, and if they have a desire to move forward, its on them.
My friends and family know what I do – and they are my CUSTOMERS. They aren’t entrepreneurs, and I wouldn’t prospect them for the business opportunity. But they do BUY MY STUFF!
If you are a closet entrepreneur, you are missing a huge profit zone. Get over it already and be the professional you strive to be. Introduce your product or service and let everyone know what you do. Would a paycheck for doing so really be so bad?
There is so much more to this- pages and pages worth. But you really must know that all of the internet marketing prowess in the world is not going to make you residual millions in MLM. You simply must learn the skills of Relationship Marketing. Your upline leader making 6 or 7 figures can tell you how to build a huge business. Listen!
By all means, learn and understand Attraction Marketing and apply those methods of lead generation. But what the heck are you going to say to those wonderful people who have asked you for more information?
Learning Wordpress won’t help you with the one thing that will earn you a check – closing the prospect!
I guarantee that if you work on your offline prospecting and phone prospecting that you’ll make more money. Unless you are incredibly poorly suited for this profession, you can’t go wrong when you increase your skill set in those areas.
When you learn how to combine the Old School with the New School Attraction Marketing methods – You will be unusually successful!
About the Author: Melanie Milletics
Member Since: 10/10/2007
I'm a Distributor For:: ViSalus Sciences
Other Company: Sponsoring Success LLC
Industry: Business Opportunities
Primary Web Site: http://www.MelanieMilletics.com
Old School vs. New School
I have been getting a few emails from other marketers regarding this subject. Must be catching on.
Great post, 'old school'
Great post, 'old school' network marketing is sure alive and kicking. I'm always looking to take the best of both worlds.
Dan
Old School vs. New School
If you embrace just new school without utilizing some old school, your efforts will definitely suffer. For example, if I see a program or offering from a "guru", they better make themselves available to me should I have any questions. If they aren't, I'll move on to someone that will be able to answer my questions. Some are big enough that they have a support team that can answer questions, which is fine, but the bottom line is - if you don't or won't talk to me, I'm outta there! Great article, Melanie.
Joseph J Gomez
Old School AND New School
Great article Melanie. In the words of T. Harv Eker - "CHOOSE BOTH: Poor people think "either/or"; rich people think "both". It's like a person choosing which half of the brain to use, the left OR right when in actuality we NEED to get good at integrating and using both. Thanks for a well written article on a timely subject.
Old School vs. New School
Thanks Melanie, you really hit the nail on the head. I think I put a little to much into "atraction marketing" and forgot to actually talk to people for a while. Now Im back to basics meeting peole and having quality conversations every day. Dont get me wrong O believe attraction marketing is essential its just that you need to develop it as you grow and not at the expense of hiding behing your computor.
The "Versus" Controversy
Thanks Melanie, very well said.
I have to laugh whenever I see the latest IM/Attraction Marketing strategy that promises "sponsor thousands and you don't even have to talk to them".
Who wants a business like that?
In all my years in Network Marketing, I've learned that there are two things that are of ultimate value:
1. The people we meet and the relationships we build.
2. The lessons learned along the way.
The Internet is just a communication tool. The best one ever,granted, except for face-to-face. Nonetheless, it's still just a tool that can be used to build the relationships necessary to grow a team.
For better results, get better skills...in both.
Thanks again!
Old School Never Really Got Old.....
....did it?.....Great article Melanie!!
People are still people and learning to build the relationship and build your communication skills will do nothing but COMPLIMENT & ENHANCE your Attraction Marketing (New School) methods.
Again....great article
Old School vs New School
I think this was a great article. Something to make you think. MLM is a belly-to-belly business, so we definitely need to be face to face with people to grow. The internet is great also, but never forget that we are marketing products for 'people', so some personal touches can never hurt. Thanks so much.
Great thoughts
That was a great thought. Sometimes we get carried away with all the new ideas. Actually there are good, better and best ways of doing things (sometimes only according to you). However, it is best to work in several areas and one may work better than another, but there is no need to leave out another method. You will find prospects and representatives in all areas. Why limit yourself. Don't forget it may depend on your personality to some extent.
Old School, New School, Success School
This is a great and timely topic. And, I'll share some of my thoughts on why these two concepts SHOULD get along, and how we can all come together to stop the perceived "fight."
First, it's crazy not to let people know what you are doing in your business. If you opened an ice cream store, you would let your warm market know. You wouldn't beg them to buy from you, and you probably wouldn't offer them a job (unless they ask.) Simply notifying them is all you need to do.
My friends and family are some of my best customers. None of them are my business partners. That is fine with me. It keeps personal and business connected but not uncomfortable.
They know that I am in Network Marketing and they know that it has provided a nice income; lifestyle and most recently, a beach home for our family. And, they are happy in their own careers, and maybe not all are, but they are not interested in finding out more about what I do. Again, that is fine with me.
Now, part of the problem in what I see bantered about on the internet is this assumption that there is only one way to contact your warm market; and that involves bugging, badgering and begging. Very often, there is success in warm market contacting/notifying. And, when it works out, it can be a great thing. So, our job as sponsors is to teach our team how to contact responsibly, be it warm market or cold market.
Success in Network Marketing is all about relationships. The internet proves that every day as more and more people begin to "Sponsor Shop" and make a business decision about who they are going to join forces with. If one thinks that letting a capture page and series of autoresponders is all it takes to build that relationship, they are crazy.
Yes, fortunes are being made by people who never set a finger on a keypad and get into the online world. And, yes, fortunes are being made by those who are online, "doing" network marketing with integrity and professionalism.
Why not allow the two to co-exist in peace? I'm not sure I would ever be where I am today if I had not first started with offline "Old School" methods. The business skills and knowledge I developed is priceless. And, I never chased my family and friends. I simply notified. I learned to get myself and my personal feelings out of the agenda. I learned that a "no" was not a direct assault on my business decision. And, it in no way determined the legitimacy of Network Marketing.
After 10 years of building my business almost exclusively online, I am taking steps again into the offline world, and having some great results. For me, it's been about timing. The internet offered a solution to me as a mother of pre-school children married to an airline pilot, gone half the month. I needed a way to work my business in a "full time" way without being gone from my home. 9pm to midnight became the perfect business hours for me. I could put in a "full time" day online, with no distraction.
And, those efforts created a viral marketing effort that still creates prospects for me today. Yes, I also pre-date the concepts of "Attraction Marketing" and "Web 2.0." Social Media for me, a decade ago, was about forums and groups online; writing articles and getting involved in "communities." Really, we've changed the platforms, but the concept is still the same. Connect with people; respect people; be authentically involved with people.
Do these things, whether offline or online, and you'll experience huge success!
EXPECT Success!
Jackie Ulmer
Are You Sure We Haven't Had This Conversation
Melanie,
Are you sure we haven't had this conversation? I put part of your article in quotes below because it's almost verbatim to what I do, how I train and what I've been teaching for the past 4 years. I'm so glad you wrote this article. Network marketing first and foremost is a RELATIONSHIP BUSINESS. Every method or tool is nothing more than a means to the end, which is to meet other people and see where you can help and have an impact in their lives.
Old School, New School...if done correctly, it's all the same if you use the tools in the right way. Attraction Marketing and WEB 2.0 are tools, just like flyers and home meetings are tools. In the end, focus on what works for you and what you feel comfortable doing...but then take your energy and get to know the wants and needs of the people you are meeting. Then you can offer them the value that they desire and they will respond accordingly.
"... I generate my own leads and call my prospects after they have been exposed to the business through an online presentation. I have mad phone skills and people close themselves on my opportunity all the time.
However, I take every opportunity to look people in the eye and hand them my business card. Their attention to my website is far more valuable than the thousands of clicks I will get to this blog post. They are far more likely to take action to either become a customer, or even a distributor. Why? Because I looked them in the eye and professionally introduced what I do. I heard their need and I addressed it. They can see that I am genuine, am not at all a slimy salesperson, and if they have a desire to move forward, its on them."
Peace and Abundance,
Deborah Tutnauer
Finally, Someone On The Internet Telling The Truth
The fastest and best money I have made in network marketing has been through "old school" methods.
Did I hound? Did I harass? Did I chase? NO!
Over the past few months, I have been sucked into the "attraction marketing" internet craze and have be feverishly working to generate content and "brand" myself online.
All the while, wondering why if I've made a huge mistake in all but completely abandoning my warm market efforts.
Thank you Melanie for your honesty in helping me to see the truth.
Attraction marketing does work.... it works when people add value to the marketplace, online or off.
All Different But Somehow More Of The Same
How true, also, that so many people seem to be offering the same thing on the internet.
How many home business coaches can there be?
How many free trainings, videos or reports can you sign up for?
How many lead capture pages can you run in to?
After a while it all seems to be lumped into the same category with absolutely NO differentiation.
The BIG Lesson here is....learn to add value. Does value mean offer more of the same? A big fat NO on that one.
Learn to offer something unique, and different. Learn to offer the best of yourself. Learn to serve the needs of people in the marketplace.
I believe this will attract business to you regardless of what methods you use.
Paul Hutchings
http://www.simple-steps-to-financial-freedom.com
Old School vs New School
OUTSTANDING ! I would not even pretend to be able to add anything to that. Just simply outstanding Melanie.
Spence Gruendler
It's All One Big Journey...
Hi, Melanie... I enjoyed your article and the responses from many others.
I think about the 'Old Ways' and the 'New ways' of MLM and I feel that there is no right or wrong way to do things. If it works... then do it! Online or Offline... It all works.
Basically it comes down to finding your "Niche". Some may ask, "Why does it work for them and not for me?" Well, maybe because you do not have all the actions put in place just yet, or maybe because more training is still involved. I say... it all depends on 'PERSONALITY'.
Duplication... what is it that you are duplicating? Duplication should be nothing more that education and performing (duplicate or illustrate) the different tools that are in place and how they all work. We are not Duplicating personalities... we are not duplicating mini-Dereks, or mini-Melanies, or mini-Donald Trumphs and so forth...
Everyone has different strengths, talents, and gifts. Everyone is unique. It is all in the journey. Duplicate what is in place out there... and discovering those strengths, talents and gifts you did not realize you have.
Some are much more successful at cold calling and talking on the phone. Others are winning through their lead capture pages and blogs and web sites. ...Because it fits their personality.
Cold Market vs Warm Market. I feel that we should really separate the two. I would never chase my warm market. I would share what it is that I do (if asked) but I would never pitch to my warm market. Just simply this... because by the end of your Network Working day, plugging at your MLM goals, advertising your product and introducing your opportunity... offline or online... through phone calls or sending emails, either advertising with Web 2.0 or building relationships in house meetings... you do need that little escape and at the end of those busy days... that is what your friends and family are there for.
I have been told by many MLMers that they have friends and family that have no idea what they do... their warm market is that leisurely escape from the working world.
Be creative, be unique, and enjoy the journey! To success... and the pursuit of happiness!
Derek
Listen to SUCCESSFUL Uplines
Great comments. The key is to listen to the Successful Uplines. There are so many wannabes leaders that regurgitate old, worn out methods from the past. I had a perfect example of that just recently.
I got a phone from someone I met at a networking event. The caller asked what I was doing that evening at 7pm and invited me to a meeting. (I had only met her one time and spent 5 minutes talking to her. No rapport, no connection) When I questioned her about the meeting, her comment was "It's visual and I can't explain it over the phone." After I finished chuckling I replied, "I didn't like the curiosity approach 30 years ago when I was in Amway and I don't like it now."
That's a perfect example of laziness. Lazy leaders & lazy entrepreneurs. Take time to develop "mad phone skills" as you said. And realize that everyone is not going to be overwhelmed with your business. It may not be the right time for them. Or it may not be the right opportunity. Or, the harsh reality is lots of people complain about their situation, but few really have the courage and determination to do something to change it.
If we are to be successful marketers, whether online or offline, we have to invest the time to learn the presentation skills needed to evoke action. Otherwise, we're just another voice yelling "pick me, pick me."
Gary Wagnon
Keep what works.
It is refreshing to realize that the people skills used in old school marketing are still useful in new school. You just change your way to attract people so who you talk to changes a bit--but not the fact that you are talking to them.
Great to call, but who?
melanie,
good article! i thought it made a lot of sense except for one thing you kind of glossed over. your "mad phone skills" are wasted if you have no one to talk to. to me, that is precisely where attraction marketing comes in unless you are willing to pour your money into the generic lead bucket.
i think these sites that offer free report this or that have missed the attraction marketing boat. In today's fast paced world folks want to have time saved. give me the cliff notes not dotcomology (over 300 pages)! i may be interested until i actually open it and find out you are wasting my time. you think that giving me that "free" waste of time helped build our relationship?
melanie nailed it when she said relationships are it. provide me a good honest evaluation of a book or online course. that saves me time (and potentially money) and you have provided value. i am pretty sure that most of the people you market to would appreciate your efforts more if you did that.
scott...
Old Shool VS New School
Old School is still alive, if you are selling a products and you 're not implementing Old School ways then you are losing lots of money.
Maybe New School is Really Old School 2.0
Thanks for a wonderful post Melanie, you are so right. I laugh too when I see someone advertising 'Get 1000s of Leads per Month!' when it is not possible that someone could effectively build relationships with that many people.
Auto responders just aren't going to do it, you absolutely must have the skills to talk to and create relationships with those people. And even if you end up sponsoring a good percentage of those leads, if you have no meaningful relationship with them, you will have no retention, they'll be off to join the next opportunity that comes their way.
You need to be able to determine the wants and needs of your prospects so that you can provide value to them (at the roots of 'attraction marketing'), and enough information for them to make a decision.
Internet marketing methods are merely tools to generate more leads and provide some value, but the basic skills required are the same.
Your post
You have been paying attention, Richard! T. Harv Eckert! Cool guy. Go man, you are going full steam ahead it appears to me.
Jo Anne Morris
Words of Wisdom and Experience
Hi Melanie,
These same thoughts have been tumbling around in my head lately. Old school is just an easy way to label what didn't work but there was and is a lot of stuff that does work. Ann Sieg talks about the reason people fail in network marketing is they are not taught the real skills necessary to succeed. And these skills would include "mad" telephone skills. These high touch skills will always stand the test of time as we need to develop relationships. Sorry but I don't think I am going to fall in love with your autoresponder!
And Jackie Ulmer, I appreciate you bringing your experience to the party here. Both you and Melanie made it happen before Web 2.0 and Social Media really existed and you were pioneers so when you have something to share, I am all ears.
Cheers! Calvin
P.S. Melanie, when does your mad telephone skills course come out?!
Forever a Student, Thank You for Your Comments!
You comments complete the article- thank you!
Such fantastic words of advice above.
Feel free to add these comments to my blog post as well, share the love!
http://mlm-list-building.com/newsletter-issue/rospect-the-old-schoolnew-... <-- where to add your comments :)
great information,but I have a question.
What if someone is unable to talk due to illness. Will they be able to succeed in network marketing?
Old School vs New School
I agree that if it's worked in the past, don't ignore it for the future. I also like the concept of competing for attention, not numbers. This comes down to also having a product which is premium and leading edge. I promote and market Kakadu Juice which has such a jump on the competition that getting attention is easy. A mix of Old and New School approaches is certainly working for our networkers.
What an excellent article
I teach my newest team members "old school" first as there is a much higher chance of them making some money pretty quickly. As they continue to talk to their "warm" market, I will then introduce them to the internet. Learning how to ... (do everything you need to do there to get a good following) takes time and many, many people need to feel their bank account growing while they are on the learning curve.
Once you have people to talk to the techniques are the same whether they are your next door neighbour or someone who came to you online.
It's actually pretty easy. The hard part for most people is actually talking to people and it's crazy. If you opened a restaurant you would be inviting everyone you came in contact with to come down and try out your lunch special. Why treat this business any different?
Excellent, well written article.
Joyce Penner
I enjoyed reading your point of view
I practice both online and offline strategies. I now recognize that recently I have gotten a little sucked in. I have been wasting a lot of time trying to learn internet marketing. While you must learn new things to keep current. You must also continue with the face to face meetings. Relationships is the biggest factor in success. Thanks for the wake up call.
Chris Martin
Old Shool VS New School
Thank you Melanie fro this very good post.
As it is a very touchy subject, especially for new comers they get bombarded with all those internet "GURU'S" that mostly have the same speech.
Don’t get me wrong there are some good people out there with a very good message. But i Think some of the so called GURU'S take it the wrong way. And it's just confusing.
A very nice explanation of old school. Witch in my opinion should be the same for new school.
People are still people they still need to like you and believe in you to do business with you. And that , no matter how they are contacted.
The real question is: What is the best way to create that *rappor* With an email or hand shake?
Stanley