Social network marketing: Show you care at every opportunity

Social network marketing: Show you care at every opportunity

NOTE — This is the fifth in a series on social network marketing. Earlier posts gave an overview and focused on how to relate to people, figuring out why you’re in business, and how to help people.

If I could give people using social network marketing just two words of advice, they’d be, “Don’t sell.”

The reason for this is simple: 90 percent of people don’t like it when someone tries to sell them something. Everyone has a “salesman” detector of sorts. When they sense that they’re being sold, they put up a nearly impenetrable wall.

In social network marketing, the reaction is even more pronounced. Sales tactics will get you blocked on Twitter, banned on Facebook and ignored on blogs.

So, if you can’t sell, what do you do? You care for people. Show your concern. Participate in conversations. Be honest. Let people know you and your business.

One way to understand this is to think of what one of my mentors calls the four boxes of marketing.

The first box is where they don’t know your or your product. This is known as the “box of death.” It’s all but impossible to make a sale from this position.

In the second box, they know your product, but don’t know you.

The third box is where they know you, but don’t know your product.

In the fourth box, your prospects know you and they know your product or service.
Think of it like a baseball game. When a prospect doesn’t know you or your product, it’s like you’re standing in the batter’s box. The only way to score is to hit a home run.
Babe Ruth
Creative Commons License photo credit: majorvols
Babe Ruth, one of the greatest home run hitters of all time, had 11.76 at bats per home run. In other words he hit a home run about every 12 times he came to bat.

Many networkers in social network marketing try to hit a home run the minute they meet someone. Many swing for the fences without even taking the time to know anything about the other person.

When the person knows your product or service but doesn’t know you, think of yourself on first base. Someone on first base is still a long way from home, but they could still score on a home run, a triple or perhaps even a double. This is better than being in the batter’s box, but still not a great situation.

In network marketing, this is rare, because most MLM products are not well-known in the marketplace. It’s even worse if you think of the business opportunity as the service offered by network marketing.

The network marketing profession has developed a poor reputation due to many aggressive, pushy distributors who hassle their friends and family. It’s like trying to get a hit when you’re sitting in the dugout.

If the person knows you but not your product, that’s similar to being on second base. Many runners on second will score with a solid base hit. A double or better is sure to score them.

In social network marketing, it takes time for people to get to know you. You have to show a genuine interest in them and their lives. If you’re blog is done well, they’ll learn more about you with every visit.

When the prospect knows you and your product, it’s like being on third base. You’re almost home. There’s multiple ways to score from third. You’re sure to score on a single or better. You could score on a walk if the bases are loaded. Scoring on a passed ball or wild pitch is possible. A fly ball deep to the outfield will score you if there’s less than two outs. You might even score on a well-placed bunt.

When people know you and your product or service, they’re much more likely to join your business.

The best situation is to find people who understand network marketing and are committed to it. This is like starting out with a stand-up double. When they get to know you, they’ll join you if they’re looking for an opportunity.

If you care for people and allow they to get to know, like and trust you, MLM will stand for Major League Marketer.

Steve DeVane

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