home business networking
Social media
in a Home Business today is as much as part of the network marketing culture as prospecting or in home meetings.
Social networking is critical for finding good possible prospects in this profession today. I have used it for training efforts and it works well.
Home based business owners know that online recruiting is all part of today’s marketing efforts. But many times, social media marketing does not work very well for folks.
I have talked with many people who seem to be frustrated at social media as they say that they cannot find who they are looking for. And if they do, they do not stay.
MLM social media I have been teaching, (along with others in this business) for 6 years. There are reasons why it may not be working for you. We have identified 7 of them in our consulting with companies and teams, and these may be why you may be struggling with social media.
What are the 7 Reasons?
1) No Target to Shoot For.
Many folks have not target or goal that they are looking to hit. That is crazy. You need to have a set target and defined destination that you are looking to go.
It may be as simple as finding 2 new leads a day or expanding your communication with your clients like Southwest Airlines has done. But whatever it is, WRITE DOWN the target and then start moving towards the bull eye.
2) Expecting Miracles when a Message would do.
It is about your Message, not Miracles. I am a HUGE believer in Miracles, but in social media, it takes time for the Blueprint you have to take effect.
Miracles in 72 hours? Not gonna happen. But a strong message in 72 Minutes?
THAT is doable and a great start to a turn around miracle.
3) Connecting- but Lack of Personal Connection.
Connection in social media is important.
But PERSONAL CONNECTION is IMPERATIVE.
You must create that Connection that moves past the surface and create conversations that start to build a bridge of Trust.
That will do more for your follower count and friends than just about anything.
4) Providing Constant Volume but not Consistent Value.
Your messages, notes, posts, tweets, videos, and podcasts need to be Constant and regularly distributed. But without Consistent Value-people will quit reading them. You must be consistent in your posts. But also you must have VALUE in your posts. I send out posts and I effort to include a LOT of Value to the reader.
It is the same with you. EVEN-if you send out maintenance or utility posts, make sure they carry the Value to the prospect or reader-that will be appreciated and forwarded- not deleted and forgotten.
5) Trying to be Too many Places with Too Little Time.
Pick a social site and build there. My focus has always been pick 5 sites and stay there.
Automate everything else. You have ping.fm, and hellotxt.com, and other broadcast sites. Pick one of them, and then you can be on 75 sites or more daily.
But do it SMART.
Automate the sites with your messages and posts that you are not building relationships currently on. And build the relationships on the other social sites you are on. BUT- I recommend that you build a few relationships on EVERY social site you are working. This is only integrity. If you do that, your REACH in the home business profession expands drmatically.
Some people do not like broadcast social sites, but if you are a marketer, you better use them if you are going to create results over time.
6) Trying to be SEEN when You should be Helping Others to be Known.
You need to be a promoter on social sites.
Become a promoter of great material, and great value. I sent out over 10 links last week of things that rocked. Most of the folks I did not personally know who they were, but knew others could benefit.
What about you? Do you run across things that really impact you? Let others know about it.
Become a Power Promoter and promote others and not just yourself. It works better that way. If you let others know about great Value and Content of others, you will be SEEN, HEARD, and KNOWN quickly.
Trust me. It works.
7) Ambushing the Conversation instead of Amplifying the Connection.
Happened today. Someone connected with me about something I sent out, and the next thing I knew, I was being pitched a financial deal that I was shaking my head on. They were relentless, and after I politely cut them off, they said to me, “I knew this social media stuff was a bunch of hooey. It does not work and people are full of it if they think it does.”
Au contraire.
It DOES work as long as you do not hijack and ambush the conversation with what YOU can GET. And instead focus on what you can GIVE to folks that will help them.
If you do that, what you have to offer they will embrace.
We have been blessed to build a highly successful business on facebook alone- not counting anything else–totally under the radar –quietly–and without hype or ambushing anyone.
You can too- if you do not make these 7 mistakes that a lot of people are in their social media marketing for their home business.
Take each one of the challenges and check yourself on them. Are you making these mistakes? Are you in your MLM efforts really doing the things that will draw people towards you? Are you pushing to GET from social media or GIVE to social media?
Social media in network marketing is about GIVING.
G.I.V.E. means to “Gain Influence Very Easily.”
If you practice that alone, you will start becoming a social media master in your mlm home based business.
blessings…doug firebaugh
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