Leads are the lifeblood of any successful network marketing company. Converting solid leads into downline entrepreneurs – and doing so frequently – is what will take your business from a “hobby” (at least in the eyes of some) to a massive income-building machine.
But in the haste of contacting leads, many network marketers actually shoot themselves in the foot. How? I’ll explain right after I offer my Number One Rule when contacting new Network Marketing Leads:
Never spend any longer than Three Minutes speaking with a cold lead.
Sound crazy? Some would say so. But those “some” are probably still chasing down friends and family or getting stood up at coffee shops night after night.
Here’s the reasoning: Most cold leads will say “no.” It’s a fact, deal with it and move on. Literally. Almost all of them are dead-set against what you’re offering, and your pitch will fall on deaf ears. So why waste your precious time?
Wouldn’t you rather devote your time and energies into prospects that are excited about your opportunity? I know I would. Now imagine not having enough time to fully expand your warm lead pool because you’ve exhausted yourself by trying to sway multitudes of no-goers?
Three minutes is ample time to identify the lead’s intentions. Is he or she firmly set on saying “No?” If so, cross the name off the list and move on.
This is usually when most people ask:
“But what about the people who are mildly interested in your system? Three minutes isn’t nearly long enough to get them signed up, is it?”
Short answer: No, it’s not enough time. But at the same time, it’s too much.
Long answer: Within three minutes you should have planted the seed of interest and offered your personal website where he or she can get more information. After three minutes, tell him or her something like:
“I’ve really enjoyed speaking with you, and I’d like to follow up this conversation really soon. I’ll give you a call tomorrow at 4 p.m. In the meantime, check out the resources I gave you and please contact me if you have any questions.”
This does several important things.
- It doesn’t wear out your welcome (really important!).
- It doesn’t subject your lead to the dreaded Information Overload.
- It sets a definitive call-back time (work with their schedule if necessary, but nail down a specific date/time for a call back).
- It gives the lead a chance to browse your online information.
- You leave them with the opportunity to contact you.
Now you’ve got a warm lead – and one who is primed for more information. Remember the old philosophy of “always leave them wanting more?” This is kind of like that. It turns frigid leads into luke warm ones, it turns luke warm ones into tepid ones, and it turns tepid ones into sure-fire sign-ups.
I know several network marketers who buy leads by the bushel, and only sign up a handful of new clients through this philosophy. But those handful work really hard once they sign up. On the flip side, I know several other network marketers who spend an entire month working down a list of only 20 or 30 names because they can’t get off the phone – and they actually convert fewer leads. Guess which type makes the most money?
Case in point, I worked with a MonaVie rep who prospects leads exclusively from pricey leads lists. After some initial hesitation, he followed this suggestion and actually increased his conversion rate. His downline is going strong and he’s never once bugged his friends or family.
Conclusion
Handling leads is one of the most critical aspects of your network marketing business. And by following this simple rule you’ll maximize your results with fewer headaches. And you’ll save yourself time and money in the process.