Forums

[Don Egnor Contribution Level: 4]

Coming across as needy or desperate in any way is like holding up a sign in front of your prospect that says, "I have NO value!" So it becomes very important that you demonstrate your ability and willingness to "let your prospects go". Successful people don't" need" to sponsor more people. They don't "need" to return phone calls, or constantly chase down prospects. And once a prospect realizes that about you, is the moment they'll feel a strong desire to work with you. We're looking for the people that are truly looking for us.

[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

I think you are right Don. If you present yourself as an expert in your field you don't need to chase down anybody and stuff your informaion down their throats.
As an expert, you can help someone who is willing to learn the business and be an asset to your downline.
Being a sponsor to someone means that you are the expert and can mentor a prospect to help them achieve their goals in the business whether they follow your program or at a crossroads in anther field.

[Shawn Brooks Company: Organo Gold, Inc. Contribution Level: 2]

Great content Don. Chasing down people will never work. Even if they join you, they may just do it to get you to stop chasing after them. That defeats the entire purpose of finding people willing to become leaders.

[Don Hill Contribution Level: 2]

In one of the forums I moderate in another social network, I saw a post by a member that was titled, "PLEASE - I'M BEGGING YOU - JOIN ME IN MY BUSINESS!" If anyone has ever come across as "needy," this poor woman did! It was just plain sad - on so many levels! (I sent her a PM and we both agreed that the post should be deleted. I've been keeping in touch with her and her attitude has changed considerably since then.)

Do I need to sponsor someone? No, but I do anyway! (It's actually a lot of fun! If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing!) But I definitely don't present myself to others as being "needy."

Instead, I prefer to treat my business as a business.

Meetings with my prospects (whether they be online, on the phone, or face-to-face - and even with prospects for my downline team members as well) tend to resemble a job interview more than the typical "make tons of money, sign here, high-pressure MLM speech that most people expect (and what they're typically subjected to).

After all - what I'm actually doing is conducting an interview of a candidate wishes to become my business partner, isn't it?

Besides, since my prospects come to me, wanting me to sponsor them, I'm no longer faced with this particular problem (and haven't been for years).

I try to explain to my prospects, in the simplest terms possible, exactly what they'll need to do - in terms of measurable results - in order to achieve what they want to achieve through the business. (Of course, I always find out what that is in advance.).

I should point out that the overwhelming majority of the people I've sponsored started out by being my customers first. They could have simply upgraded their membership anytime through their "back office," but because I stay in regular touch with them, they'll usually contact me before they upgrade.

If they have unreasonable expectations about what they'll achieve, I'll try explain to them why they'd be setting themselves up for disappointment, and that they should probably not get into the business at all unless they're willing to adjust either their goal or their level of commitment (time-wise). I also explain to them that it will take time to build their business to a level of profitability that will have a significant impact on their lifestyle, and that they definitely won't "get rich quick."

To a person, every single one of them have thanked me for my honesty about that, and many of them have even expressed surprise about it.

When I'm communicating with a prospective business partner (again, they're usually one of my existing customers, so we already know each other well enough that both of us are comfortable enough for me to "shoot straight" with them), I don't paint rosy "word-pictures" or "dream build" with them in order to sponsor them. I tell them that just like any business, this business will require some work - not as much as it takes to make it in the "time for dollars" world, but work nonetheless.

I won't tell them that I'd be willing to walk on broken glass barefoot for 20 miles for them to be successful...

But I will tell them that if they happen to encounter that field of broken glass - and they're willing and determined to walk across it if necessary to achieve their desired goal - then I'd be proud to walk it alongside them if I'm convinced it will help them towards that end.

I've seen far too many people with hearts of pure gold completely burn themselves out trying to do everything for everyone in their downline, not realizing that the more they do for them, the more they're actually hurting them! The people I sponsor understand that I'll work with them just as hard as they're willing to work - no more, no less.

The sooner that your new member achieves profitability - and understands what they must do to achieve it - the better, because once they actually see money coming in, they know the system works!

Then it's just a matter of them working the system - the exact way it was originally designed to work!

As their sponsor I'm part of that system too, and I make sure everyone in my organization understands that I'll never ask them to do anything I'm not willing to do myself - and most likely have done already, many times over.

Finally, I'll tell my "volunteer" that if they expect to achieve any level of lifestyle-changing income in this business, they will need to adopt an attitude of service and assistance - to the customers they'll find, as well as to the distributors they'll sponsor, who will most likely step forward from the ranks of their customers just as they did with me.

Sponsoring is something that shouldn't ever be taken lightly. The word "sponsor" means "to endorse the worthiness of, and assume responsibility for" whatever or whoever is being sponsored.

Are you willing to assume responsibility for everyone you try to sponsor? Are you making sure they get the best information you have available that will help them arrive at an informed decision about whether they would be able to build their - and correspondingly your - business?

And just as importantly, you must figure out just exactly who you want to be in business with - what type of person would you be able to work with. Are you trying to pound a round peg into a square hole? In other words, are you trying to convince someone to go into business with you who is ill-prepared to even be in business in the first place? An MLM business is challenging enough without asking for trouble by sponsoring people who simply aren't ready to assume that kind of responsibility, and/or someone who you just can't get along with on a personal level.

Believe me - there are plenty of people out there who are ready! Just continue to gather new customers, serve them well, stay in touch with them, and almost before you know it, you'll have plenty of "volunteers" to sponsor!

[Don Egnor Contribution Level: 4]

In one of the forums I moderate in another social network, I saw a post by a member that was titled, "PLEASE - I'M BEGGING YOU - JOIN ME IN MY BUSINESS!" If anyone has ever come across as "needy," this poor woman did! It was just plain sad - on so many levels! (I sent her a PM and we both agreed that the post should be deleted. I've been keeping in touch with her and her attitude has changed considerably since then.)

Do I need to sponsor someone? No, but I do anyway! (It's actually a lot of fun! If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing!) But I definitely don't present myself to others as being "needy."

Instead, I prefer to treat my business as a business.

Meetings with my prospects (whether they be online, on the phone, or face-to-face - and even with prospects for my downline team members as well) tend to resemble a job interview more than the typical "make tons of money, sign here, high-pressure MLM speech that most people expect (and what they're typically subjected to).

After all - what I'm actually doing is conducting an interview of a candidate wishes to become my business partner, isn't it?

Besides, since my prospects come to me, wanting me to sponsor them, I'm no longer faced with this particular problem (and haven't been for years).

I try to explain to my prospects, in the simplest terms possible, exactly what they'll need to do - in terms of measurable results - in order to achieve what they want to achieve through the business. (Of course, I always find out what that is in advance.).

I should point out that the overwhelming majority of the people I've sponsored started out by being my customers first. They could have simply upgraded their membership anytime through their "back office," but because I stay in regular touch with them, they'll usually contact me before they upgrade.

If they have unreasonable expectations about what they'll achieve, I'll try explain to them why they'd be setting themselves up for disappointment, and that they should probably not get into the business at all unless they're willing to adjust either their goal or their level of commitment (time-wise). I also explain to them that it will take time to build their business to a level of profitability that will have a significant impact on their lifestyle, and that they definitely won't "get rich quick."

To a person, every single one of them have thanked me for my honesty about that, and many of them have even expressed surprise about it.

When I'm communicating with a prospective business partner (again, they're usually one of my existing customers, so we already know each other well enough that both of us are comfortable enough for me to "shoot straight" with them), I don't paint rosy "word-pictures" or "dream build" with them in order to sponsor them. I tell them that just like any business, this business will require some work - not as much as it takes to make it in the "time for dollars" world, but work nonetheless.

I won't tell them that I'd be willing to walk on broken glass barefoot for 20 miles for them to be successful...

But I will tell them that if they happen to encounter that field of broken glass - and they're willing and determined to walk across it if necessary to achieve their desired goal - then I'd be proud to walk it alongside them if I'm convinced it will help them towards that end.

I've seen far too many people with hearts of pure gold completely burn themselves out trying to do everything for everyone in their downline, not realizing that the more they do for them, the more they're actually hurting them! The people I sponsor understand that I'll work with them just as hard as they're willing to work - no more, no less.

The sooner that your new member achieves profitability - and understands what they must do to achieve it - the better, because once they actually see money coming in, they know the system works!

Then it's just a matter of them working the system - the exact way it was originally designed to work!

As their sponsor I'm part of that system too, and I make sure everyone in my organization understands that I'll never ask them to do anything I'm not willing to do myself - and most likely have done already, many times over.

Finally, I'll tell my "volunteer" that if they expect to achieve any level of lifestyle-changing income in this business, they will need to adopt an attitude of service and assistance - to the customers they'll find, as well as to the distributors they'll sponsor, who will most likely step forward from the ranks of their customers just as they did with me.

Sponsoring is something that shouldn't ever be taken lightly. The word "sponsor" means "to endorse the worthiness of, and assume responsibility for" whatever or whoever is being sponsored.

Are you willing to assume responsibility for everyone you try to sponsor? Are you making sure they get the best information you have available that will help them arrive at an informed decision about whether they would be able to build their - and correspondingly your - business?

And just as importantly, you must figure out just exactly who you want to be in business with - what type of person would you be able to work with. Are you trying to pound a round peg into a square hole? In other words, are you trying to convince someone to go into business with you who is ill-prepared to even be in business in the first place? An MLM business is challenging enough without asking for trouble by sponsoring people who simply aren't ready to assume that kind of responsibility, and/or someone who you just can't get along with on a personal level.

Believe me - there are plenty of people out there who are ready! Just continue to gather new customers, serve them well, stay in touch with them, and almost before you know it, you'll have plenty of "volunteers" to sponsor!

Great answer Don...you hit the old proverbial "nail on the head" with your answer. I want to thank you very much for your reply to the thread. I like where you will be "beside" them going over the field of glass and it lets people know you are there for them but won't do everything for them. Paint no rosy pictures as this is what a lot of people do to get a new person in their business and most of them will fail because of the untold riches they are not seeing in a short amount of time. I look forward to more of your information Don...PM me sometime, I would like to talk more with you.

[Don Egnor Contribution Level: 4]

I think you are right Don. If you present yourself as an expert in your field you don't need to chase down anybody and stuff your informaion down their throats.
As an expert, you can help someone who is willing to learn the business and be an asset to your downline.
Being a sponsor to someone means that you are the expert and can mentor a prospect to help them achieve their goals in the business whether they follow your program or at a crossroads in anther field.

Thanks a bunch Mario...you are right, we should not try and stuff anything down their throat. When people are willing to learn and grow then we can help them. Like Don said below as well...paint no rosy pictures because it will take work, dedication and perseverance to make it. No matter though...it will take the same thing in ANY business.

[lucky Akinola Company: ACN, Inc Contribution Level: 2]

I don't ''need'' to sponsor someone but I do need to sponsor someone. May seem like am contradicting myself, but that's the suituation alot of struggling network marketers find themselves to make a living. Following the tradition methods of most MLM companies to stick to the 'system' of their marketing plan, one really spends a lot of money in anticipation of the earnings and one can actually become desperate to build the business. Just like any new business I know it requires investment of time and money and then patience for the it to grow and yield. This period could be very trying that a lot of people quit at this stage or do things to survive at any cost. Forums like this are very good to rightly educate networkers on how to build their businesses.

[Adil Shamim Contribution Level: 4]

In one of the forums I moderate in another social network, I saw a post by a member that was titled, "PLEASE - I'M BEGGING YOU - JOIN ME IN MY BUSINESS!" If anyone has ever come across as "needy," this poor woman did! It was just plain sad - on so many levels! (I sent her a PM and we both agreed that the post should be deleted. I've been keeping in touch with her and her attitude has changed considerably since then.)

Do I need to sponsor someone? No, but I do anyway! (It's actually a lot of fun! If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you're missing!) But I definitely don't present myself to others as being "needy."

Instead, I prefer to treat my business as a business.

Meetings with my prospects (whether they be online, on the phone, or face-to-face - and even with prospects for my downline team members as well) tend to resemble a job interview more than the typical "make tons of money, sign here, high-pressure MLM speech that most people expect (and what they're typically subjected to).

After all - what I'm actually doing is conducting an interview of a candidate wishes to become my business partner, isn't it?

Besides, since my prospects come to me, wanting me to sponsor them, I'm no longer faced with this particular problem (and haven't been for years).

I try to explain to my prospects, in the simplest terms possible, exactly what they'll need to do - in terms of measurable results - in order to achieve what they want to achieve through the business. (Of course, I always find out what that is in advance.).

I should point out that the overwhelming majority of the people I've sponsored started out by being my customers first. They could have simply upgraded their membership anytime through their "back office," but because I stay in regular touch with them, they'll usually contact me before they upgrade.

If they have unreasonable expectations about what they'll achieve, I'll try explain to them why they'd be setting themselves up for disappointment, and that they should probably not get into the business at all unless they're willing to adjust either their goal or their level of commitment (time-wise). I also explain to them that it will take time to build their business to a level of profitability that will have a significant impact on their lifestyle, and that they definitely won't "get rich quick."

To a person, every single one of them have thanked me for my honesty about that, and many of them have even expressed surprise about it.

When I'm communicating with a prospective business partner (again, they're usually one of my existing customers, so we already know each other well enough that both of us are comfortable enough for me to "shoot straight" with them), I don't paint rosy "word-pictures" or "dream build" with them in order to sponsor them. I tell them that just like any business, this business will require some work - not as much as it takes to make it in the "time for dollars" world, but work nonetheless.

I won't tell them that I'd be willing to walk on broken glass barefoot for 20 miles for them to be successful...

But I will tell them that if they happen to encounter that field of broken glass - and they're willing and determined to walk across it if necessary to achieve their desired goal - then I'd be proud to walk it alongside them if I'm convinced it will help them towards that end.

I've seen far too many people with hearts of pure gold completely burn themselves out trying to do everything for everyone in their downline, not realizing that the more they do for them, the more they're actually hurting them! The people I sponsor understand that I'll work with them just as hard as they're willing to work - no more, no less.

The sooner that your new member achieves profitability - and understands what they must do to achieve it - the better, because once they actually see money coming in, they know the system works!

Then it's just a matter of them working the system - the exact way it was originally designed to work!

As their sponsor I'm part of that system too, and I make sure everyone in my organization understands that I'll never ask them to do anything I'm not willing to do myself - and most likely have done already, many times over.

Finally, I'll tell my "volunteer" that if they expect to achieve any level of lifestyle-changing income in this business, they will need to adopt an attitude of service and assistance - to the customers they'll find, as well as to the distributors they'll sponsor, who will most likely step forward from the ranks of their customers just as they did with me.

Sponsoring is something that shouldn't ever be taken lightly. The word "sponsor" means "to endorse the worthiness of, and assume responsibility for" whatever or whoever is being sponsored.

Are you willing to assume responsibility for everyone you try to sponsor? Are you making sure they get the best information you have available that will help them arrive at an informed decision about whether they would be able to build their - and correspondingly your - business?

And just as importantly, you must figure out just exactly who you want to be in business with - what type of person would you be able to work with. Are you trying to pound a round peg into a square hole? In other words, are you trying to convince someone to go into business with you who is ill-prepared to even be in business in the first place? An MLM business is challenging enough without asking for trouble by sponsoring people who simply aren't ready to assume that kind of responsibility, and/or someone who you just can't get along with on a personal level.

Believe me - there are plenty of people out there who are ready! Just continue to gather new customers, serve them well, stay in touch with them, and almost before you know it, you'll have plenty of "volunteers" to sponsor!

I like your 'Job Interview' approach Don , ,,I try to know the person personally first before pitching in my opportunity and if I sincerely feel that my product will help them or If i feel that my business has a Fit with their goals and aspirations , then I give them details

Adil