Everyone wants to be on the inside... at least if you are on the outside looking in. I’m old enough to remember walking with my parents or grandparents through the downtown streets of Springfield, IL at Christmas time, and looking in the display windows of all the Christmas decorations, toys, and electric trains. I was on the outside, and I wanted inside where the good stuff was.
Well, I don’t know if you are on the outside of the MLM Leads industry wanting to get in, but I want to take you on a tour - to get the inside scoop of the leads business. If you knew what actually went on in some arenas, you may think the inside scoop looks like this picture.
How Leads are Generated
For the most part, network marketing leads are generated over the Internet. While I don’t have a scientific study for this across all the leads companies, I would estimate 85-90% of all leads you find for sale are originated on the Internet.
There are two main reasons for this. First, the Internet is where most people are doing their research today when looking for jobs, for ways to make extra money, how to invest, etc. So, why not go where the people are looking. Second, it is the most cost effective (usually).
Generally speaking, a person is surfing the Internet, doing a Google search, and checking out their options for ways to make extra income. Or, sometimes the person is not even thinking about wanting more money when an online ad catches their attention and they check it out. So, they fill out a form and hit submit.
That is the basics of online lead generation. Some person is out there surfing the Net. There is an online ad. The person fills out the online form and hits submit, and BOOM, they are now a prospect waiting to be sold.
Sounds innocent enough huh? In fact, it sounds like quite a nice system. Wouldn’t we all like to receive a batch of leads after they had been surfing the Internet for ways of making money from home... they filled out a form... and now you have their name, phone, and E-mail address in your hands.
But, let’s look at what happens out there sometimes and some of the variables that can make a HUGE difference in the type of lead you now hold in your hand.
Incentivized Leads
in-cen-tive (noun) - : something that incites or has a tendency to incite to determination or action
One of the biggest problems that exists among the Internet lead generation business is the incentives that "incites" or "entices" a person to fill out a form and hit submit. If you have purchased leads long enough, then you have probably come across the person who did not know they were going to be contacted about a home business... instead they were going to get a new Video iPod, $10,000, or a vacation cruise.
So, what do you do? You go to XYZ Leads company and you buy a batch of leads. The leads are $2.25 each, so you buy 50 of them for $112.50. There is a chance you may find a good prospect in there, but, for the most part, you are going to have "wishy-washy" prospects.
No lead is ever pure because we don't know what other sites the prospect has been to, filling out forms, and checking out other businesses. However, if you are going to invest in leads, it is worth a few extra minutes of research or an email or phone call to the owners, to know what kind of leads you are purchasing. And, even more important, order a smaller batch of leads to test market before moving forward with a company. Leads are all about results, so ask and test.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Spreading The Word About Your Online MLM Business
True to form, any individual involved in multi level marketing (MLM) will eventually have to take their business online. Some will start out on the Internet and then spread out from there into the real world, yet others will begin with a trusted friend who gets them involved in a business and once they feel that they have exhausted the circle of friends and family around them, they will look to the online marketplace and the plethora of opportunities it offers. By and large this process will begin with the creation of a website, having it submitted to websites, and then hoping for the visitors to flock to the site.
Of course, anyone who has ever noticed the myriad of business websites come and go or eventually simply lay dormant can attest to the fact that simply building a site and submitting it to search engines does not automatically translate into busy traffic. As a matter of fact, spreading the word about your online MLM business is of the utmost importance! Yet did you know that there is a right and a wrong way about getting out the word? Embark on the wrong way, and your business’ credibility will be seriously compromised, choose the right way, however, and you will ensure quality traffic to visit your site.
In days past the notion of email blitzes was considered a great way of getting out the word on anything. Even in your personal life you will encounter the individual who is quick to hit forward and then send out an email with a pithy saying or cute picture to everyone in their address book. Sometimes these emails can be a bother, especially if the graphics are slow loading, contain numerous forwarded message notations, or may contain a fact that is inaccurate. When this same individual becomes involved in MLM, the temptation is great to send out information to everyone about the new website as well, but in so doing the person will be working from a disadvantage in that she or he has already lost credibility with you and others by virtue of the emails that were sent out previously. If this example describes you, be wise and do not disseminate information about your business in this manner. Instead, opt to include a text link to your website in your email signature. This will have a greater impact than sending out a blitz outright.
Speaking of email advertising, spreading the word about your online MLM business with the help of email marketing come back to bite you in more ways than one. Do not buy lists of indiscriminately obtained email addresses but instead pay considerably more and purchase qualified leads instead. This will prevent you from getting the reputation of being a spammer. Similarly, if you choose article marketing or blog marketing, be very careful that you do not spam article sites, forums, and blogs since this is not only a quick way to get you banned from these venues, but it will also result in your business’ name and also product getting a bad rep online – an occurrence you will want to avoid at all costs.
Of course, anyone who has ever noticed the myriad of business websites come and go or eventually simply lay dormant can attest to the fact that simply building a site and submitting it to search engines does not automatically translate into busy traffic. As a matter of fact, spreading the word about your online MLM business is of the utmost importance! Yet did you know that there is a right and a wrong way about getting out the word? Embark on the wrong way, and your business’ credibility will be seriously compromised, choose the right way, however, and you will ensure quality traffic to visit your site.
In days past the notion of email blitzes was considered a great way of getting out the word on anything. Even in your personal life you will encounter the individual who is quick to hit forward and then send out an email with a pithy saying or cute picture to everyone in their address book. Sometimes these emails can be a bother, especially if the graphics are slow loading, contain numerous forwarded message notations, or may contain a fact that is inaccurate. When this same individual becomes involved in MLM, the temptation is great to send out information to everyone about the new website as well, but in so doing the person will be working from a disadvantage in that she or he has already lost credibility with you and others by virtue of the emails that were sent out previously. If this example describes you, be wise and do not disseminate information about your business in this manner. Instead, opt to include a text link to your website in your email signature. This will have a greater impact than sending out a blitz outright.
Speaking of email advertising, spreading the word about your online MLM business with the help of email marketing come back to bite you in more ways than one. Do not buy lists of indiscriminately obtained email addresses but instead pay considerably more and purchase qualified leads instead. This will prevent you from getting the reputation of being a spammer. Similarly, if you choose article marketing or blog marketing, be very careful that you do not spam article sites, forums, and blogs since this is not only a quick way to get you banned from these venues, but it will also result in your business’ name and also product getting a bad rep online – an occurrence you will want to avoid at all costs.
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