Have you found yourself in this scenario?

1. You meet someone who is familiar with your business.
2. They ask you for more information.
3. You follow up, answering their questions.
4. Prospect stops following up.
5. You worry you will lose their interest.
6. You bombard them with emails and phone calls.
7. Still no response.
8. You lose a potential new partner.

I have found myself in that situation on several occasions. What I've learned is that sometimes NOT following up works just as well. I had a new prospect contact me not too long ago who was already familiar with my business. This person asked several questions and I made sure to follow up promptly.

After some time, I didn't hear from this person. I decided to try something different from my usual follow up routine. Since this person was already familiar with the business, I felt there was no need to persuade with information overload. Sometimes we are overly eager and give out way too much information. The natural tendency is to follow up too much because the thought of no response makes you feel rejected.

After a week or so, this prospect followed up with me again and was ready to start their own business within my network. This person thanked me for not being pushy and giving time to make a decision.

You see, people who are already familiar with what you do will do comparison shopping. They may reach out to others who do the same thing to get a feel for who they want to work with in the long run. Other people may have been pushy and continued to press for someone to join their network. Often, that tactic pushes people away.

When someone makes it clear that they have an idea about your business, you shouldn't treat them as someone who has never heard about it before. Following up with prospects who have never heard of your business should be handled differently. Give a someone who is familiar more time to make their decision.

Chances are they are doing more research and if you are disrupting them during this process, they will not view you as someone pleasant to work with. Put yourself in their shoes. While it is exciting to think that you could possibly have someone new in your network, sometimes you need to step back and let the person come to their own decision.

Constantly following up is not always the best answer.

It's hard to remember that everyone that joins your network works at their own pace. You may be wondering why it is taking so long for one person to get active while someone else is consistently making sales and building their own downline. Generally speaking, success in your own downline really boils down to a numbers game. If you only have two people in your network and neither are producing, you will become quickly frustrated.

However, if you are consistently marketing, selling, and introducing new people to your business opportunity, the higher the chance you will get new people to join you. The more people you have, the more likely you will have hard-working individuals in your network. People will work at their own pace, however, because of the amount of people in your network, you will not have to stress out when a couple of people lose interest and stop running their business all together.

It Takes Time to Get the Swing of Things

Regardless of how much you try to help your downline, some people will not soak up the information you are providing right away. They will need time to figure things out on their own. This may mean that they don't produce right away. Don't become discouraged at this. What you need to focus on is how much you are producing. Unlike having employees, you can't control other people output. Therefore, focus on your efforts and when a person in your downline needs your input, they will ask.

Remember, you are not controlling the people in your downline. They are running their own separate business. You all are just have the same business in common. While it is wonderful when you can all discuss various topics and help each other improve, you won't always experience that. Be there for your downline but don't push. Enjoy the fact that everyone is doing their thing whether some do it fast or slow.

The people who choose to sign-up under you may seem like they are a really good fit and stick to the business for a couple of months. However, after several months, you may notice some of them beginning to drop off. They may stop purchasing products or quit all together. You may reach out to them to try and help but they don't respond to you. Basically, it's like they just fall off the face of the planet.

High turn-over rates aren't uncommon in the network marketing industry. I have even experienced people in my downline who aren't very active and stop all together. What can you do when this happens? Here are a few ideas I've come up with.

Help Your Downline Make Money

Most people get into this business to make money. We all like instant gratification. When sales don't come right away, it's easy for a new marketer to give up. However, when they see that first paycheck, regardless of its size, it's motivating. They will get a boost in confidence and know that they can accomplish even more. You can help your downline by teaching them how you make sales. Of course, this will only work if the people you sponsor are willing to listen and take action.

Put New Distributors in Your Current Distributors Downline

Another way to motivate your current downline is by placing new people who are interested in starting their own business in your current distributor's downline. This is a huge plus for them as well as for you. Their business begins to grow and your network expands. It's a win-win.

If All Else Fails, Keep Making Sales

If none of the above works out and your downline still quits, it's time to focus on sales. By selling you continue to earn income and you can step back and figure out how you can change your current strategies. Something is causing your downline to give up. You can ask them what it is that made them quit. Take that information and improve upon how you currently attract new marketers.

Don't become too discouraged if your downline begins to leave the business. It is bound to happen. People leave for all types of reasons. It's best not to take it personal. Just work on implementing new strategies and learning what works best for you. Persistence is key in this industry.

photo credit: Brymo

When I started as a network marketer, I admit that I had second thoughts after I signed up. I wondered if all of the negative things that I heard about network marketing were true. I wondered if I could sell products and if I would even be capable of building a downline. I even thought that I had made a mistake! These kinds of thoughts are not uncommon. If you are a new network marketer, you may be having these types of thoughts right now.

Give Yourself a Chance

If you have ever heard or read any success stories of successful network marketers, you will find out that many of them did not have backgrounds in sales or marketing. Of course they had to develop these skills and in time you will too. It's important to give yourself the chance to learn the ins-and-outs of this buisness and apply what you have learned.

Stick to the Positives

For every negative thing you may read or hear about network marketing, there are tons of positive things as well. You are better off staying focused and positive on your business and the industry rather than feed into the negativity that is still out there. Most people that feel the industry is a scam probably were scammed themselves by unethical network marketers.

Don't Lose Sleep Over Your Decision

What is the worse that can happen after you have started your business? The worse that can happen is that you decide it isn't for you and you quit. Sometimes this happens. You are not trapped to run your business. You can close it anytime you want. Knowing this should relieve any thoughts that you have made a mistake. Thankfully the investment spent on a network marketing company is peanuts compared to other types of businesses. Go into your business knowing that you've made the best investment and that is in yourself.

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In the same way that you do not need to answer to your upline, you do not need to constantly contact your downline. When you take on a new member to your downline, you may immediately go into "training mode" and want to teach this new person everything you know about the business. I used to feel the same way and I've started to approach new team members differently.

Be Available But Not a Nuisance

I used to reach out way too much to new members of my downline. I'd get so excited at the thought of having a new member to the team that I would go out of my way to welcome them and bombard them with training information. Personally, I would like that type of personal attention but some people don't care for it. We have to remember that just because someone has signed-up under us, they are still their own separate business owner and will run things their way.

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Now I send out one email for every new networker in my downline. I give a brief introduction about who I am and how I can help. I let her/him know that they can get in touch with me anytime. After that, I don't make anymore contact unless they come to me first.

Since a person goes out of their way to choose you as their sponsor, it's easy to assume that they want to learn from you. Keep in mind that they may not have chosen you because of who you are. They may have really liked the opportunity and happened to sign-up with you - plain and simple.

While you may want to go out of your way to make your downline successful, you can only do so much. If most of your downline is unresponsive, don't take it personal. Everyone is different. Once you have made it clear that you can be reached when they need you, leave it up to them. In the meantime, continue growing your business your way. When people need assistance, they will reach out to you.

photo credit: Fletcher Prince

Many network marketing companies say that the person who sponsored you will train you on how to run your business in order to begin making sales and growing your network. I find some faults with this common network marketing training method. Now that I have been growing my own downline, I realize that not everyone is responsive to me when I reach out to help. At first I wondered if I was being pushy, but that couldn't be it considering I only sent an email or two offering my help.

Not everyone in my downline is non-responsive. Some are very communicative in terms of how to get going with their business. What I realized is that we are all independent distributors. The way I run my business is not the same way someone else will want to run theirs. When I started my business I asked my sponsor a lot of questions since I had no idea how anything worked. Fortunately, I have a good sponsor and he was very helpful.

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However, as time went on and I began applying my own methods for attracting new leads and sales, I realized that I don't need to check-in with my sponsor or run my business in the same way he does. We are all separate "businesses." He has no right telling me how to run my business just like I have no authority in telling my downline how to run theirs.

We Don't Have to Be Duplicable

I've also realized that the common saying that we must teach our downline a duplicable system is nonsense. Why would the methods that work for me, work like a charm for my downline? Chances are, they wouldn't. When I started, I was taught about the 3-way phone call. I quickly disliked this form of bringing on new team members. It seemed weird that I would sit quietly on the phone while someone else explained my business for me.

I didn't want to push this on my downline for several reasons:

• What if someone isn't comfortable talking on the phone with strangers?
• It's by no means easily duplicable
• I don't like talking on the phone so why push it on someone else?
• It makes you seem incapable of talking about your own business when your sponsor is speaking for you.

Over time, I learned that marketing online was a much better fit for me. I don't know a large enough network of people to throw home parties and I wouldn't feel comfortable inviting strangers into my home. Cold calling is out of the question and speaking to random people is time consuming, particularly if they are not interested in the first place.

By using the internet, my endeavors are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of what I'm doing. When leads contact me, they are truly interested in what I am promoting. I rather spend time talking with a qualified lead than random people who could care less.

As independent distributors, we are not required to set up a duplicable system. What we can do is offer our advice and if it is accepted fine, if not, no big loss. Every network marketer can run their business in a way that works for them.

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Contrary to popular belief, not everyone is cut out to be a network marketer. That is the big misconception about the industry because some marketers will try to recruit anyone who will listen. What tends to happen is that people with an "easy business" or "fast money" mindset join a company and as soon as an obstacle appears, they quit.

It is true that almost anyone can start, but there are still some requirements to consider when talking to a prospect. There are a few things we can do as network marketers to help people who truly want to be in this industry.

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1. Be honest with your prospect
The worse thing we can do as marketers is try to dazzle prospects with the hopes of easy money or an easy business. You can ask any successful network marketer today if running their business was easy and I bet they will tell you that it took a lot of work to get to where they are. Let your prospects know up front what is involved. It is a business and requires time and effort.

2. Learn about your prospect's mindset
This is someone that you may potentially work with. Do they have a "make money fast" attitude? Are they looking at the business short-term? Is the only thing on their mind, "How much can I make?" These are the wrong mindsets and you will only be hurting yourself by working with that kind of mentality. Chances are, a person with that attitude will surely quit at the first sign of "work."

3. Get out of desperation mode
When we take on the desperation mindset as marketers, we attract people who are in it for a quick buck. If you want to attract qualified individuals who understand the work that is involved then change your own mindset. You don't need to be desperate to build your network. There are people out there that you can work with, you just need to have them find you (learn marketing skills.)

I have experienced all kinds of mindsets in just the first few months of being in this industry. I have run into those who are all about the dollars and cents. I have met those who understand that it takes work. In the long-run, it is much better to have a smaller team of individuals that will run their business rather than signing up those who are seeking something easy only to drop out later.

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Many new marketers are often pumped up and excited about their new business and that is a great way to start out. Yet, when it comes to presenting the products or business opportunity, they fall flat and wonder why their prospect doesn't take the same interest as they do. How can someone NOT like what I have to offer? These products are awesome! Who wouldn't want to own their own business? Have you asked those same questions or very similar? Don't worry, I have also and I believe one of the biggest reasons new marketers have trouble pursuading others is because they aren't probing their prospects.

Probing Your Prospects

Now, when I say probing, I don't mean literally poking your prospect and trying to see their insides. Besides, that is a good way to get arrested! All kidding aside, probing simply means asking the right questions. I've learned that everyone is motivated by something. If someone takes an interest in your products or business, it is very likely that something inside of them is motivating their interest.

When someone contacts me about products or starting their own business, I begin by finding out why they are interested in the first place. I will ask about what they do, their background, family life, etc. Most of the time, they are very open and will tell you right away why they want to use the product or start a business. Once you learn their motivating factors, it makes it much easier for you to tell them how what you are offering can meet their needs.

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Shut Up and Listen

Often times, we can actually over promote and talk the prospects ears off without ever listening to what they are trying to accomplish. Sooner or later, the prospect is turned off and realizes that you could care less. Most people can read through a sales pitch and most people do not like being sold to. You may feel it is necessary to get out everything at once about your business. It's easy to think that the more information you pile on, the better a person will understand the value in your company. It's important not to get caught up in information overload.

Diagnose Their Concerns and Offer Remedies

Network marketing is a great business model because it is based on helping others reach success. As you help others achieve, you in turn achieve also. Consider how much easier it would be to help people if you understood their concerns first. Having a deeper understanding allows you to offer a remedy to their concerns. Maybe your prospect is looking to earn some side income to pay bills but can't take on another job. You can use that information and explain why joining your network is a convenient way to start a business part-time. You can go into how the business can be run from home, etc.

When your prospect can relate their concerns to your offer, it makes it make it easier for them to make the decision. You help them see how they can benefit. Of course, there are no gaurantees that asking the right questions and listening will convince every prospect to take on your offer. However, it is a much better method than making them feel like just another lead.

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When you were first introduced to a network marketing company, you were probably highly-motivated and excited about building your business. After a month or so, you realize the work that is involved. You may begin to have doubts and question whether the business is right for you. Feeling as though you want to quit is very common among new marketers. Before you call it quits, you should really consider what the real problem is.

It's Natural to Feel This Way

Almost everyone who steps foot into this industry feels like quitting in the beginning. It is a natural human emotion to want to give up when things aren't happening the way you expected. It's not uncommon for many new marketers to throw in the towel after a few weeks because they realize the work involved in growing a business. If you understand that it's very common to feel like quitting, you can get past those feelings much easier. Don't be so hard on yourself if your progress is slow. You can't compare your progress to others. Your success is waiting for you but not if you give up so easily.

Have Time to Get Over Your Learning Curve

What many new marketers don't often realize is that learning how to market and network takes time. Most new marketers don't possess any marketing or networking skills. There is a learning curve to learning about this business. Everyone learns at their own pace and chances are you also have another job and work your business part-time. Before deciding to quit, at least allow yourself the time to get past your learning curve. You may be amazed how things can pick up once you begin applying what you have learned about marketing and networking.

Learn How to Handle Disappointments

One sure thing about network marketing is that you will be faced with rejection which leads to disappointments. It's a good idea to learn how to develop a strong mental attitude and learn not to take setbacks personally. You will no doubt have high expectations of those you present your business to. If they should change their mind about signing-up or reject you all together, you have to remember that you can only help those who want to help themselves. Some people are not ready to start a new venture. Keep this in mind and disappointments will be easier to handle.

Remember, just about everyone in this business has had their share of failures. The successful ones have learned from them and used it to their advantage. Don't give up because you've had one bad week or aren't progressing the way someone else has.