I see people doing the equivalent of trying to raise the Titanic in their online efforts all the time. That is, I see online MLM marketers working really hard to build an online presence but getting very little result. This happens because people know just enough about online MLM promotion to be dangerous, but not enough to get results.
Online MLM Tactics versus Strategy
The people I’m talking about have learned some basic online marketing tactics, but haven’t learned enough to create a strong basic strategy for themselves. For instance, they’ve heard people say that having a strong Google ranking is important, so they spend all of their time trying to get a great Google ranking … to no avail.
An Example
Here is an example that makes eminently clear what I’m talking about. The other day a referral contacted me about helping them improve their website’s Google ranking. On their website, they were offering three items: a well-bred horse, some horse equipment, and their MLM opportunity.
After reviewing their website, I realized that raising the website’s Google ranking was going to be about as effective as raising the Titanic with a rubber raft–in other words, ineffective as heck. It’s a good tactic, but not a good strategy for this person. Now why do I believe this?
1. The website offers too many diverse items to fit into a well-defined niche.
To have a strong Google ranking, you need a well-defined niche that is popular yet doesn’t have too much competition. If this website was focused on horses only, I might consider pursuing a horse-themed niche, but the MLM opportunity doesn’t necessarily fit in with that.
2. Using another site’s popularity would be more effective.
If you are selling specific discrete items, it’s often easier to sell them on other sites that already have a strong online presence. For instance, the horse could be listed easily on high-ranking horse sites like Dreamhorse. The horse tack could be listed on Craigslist, eBay, or various horse tack sites. These sites already have high online visibility, and it’s cheaper to pay the commission fees to list the horse and the tack on these sites than to pay someone to move the person’s site up in Google rankings.
3. The MLM opportunity can be better-promoted elsewhere.
Trying to find a set of niche keywords to chase on Google for a straight MLM business opportunity is like trying to find your contact lens after you’ve dropped it on the floor–possible, but a pain in the ass. There are more MLM business opportunities on Google than there are blades of grass in my lawn. The better approach would be to write a series of articles that individualize this person as a great MLM business partner. These articles should then be promoted in forums, article directories, social media sites like Twitter and Squidoo, and possibly on a blog. Again, as with Dreamhorse and eBay, these sites already have great visibility, so the person doesn’t have to work as hard to get their material seen.
Being “You” is Worth a Lot Online
The online MLM world is, to my mind, still dominated by tire-kickers. People sign up for free newsletters and webinars by the dozen, but don’t read or attend any of them. At this point, I feel it’s better to reach out to people who are serious about doing an MLM business and know a little something about the online world. Not surprisingly, people in this demographic often have already participated in a failed business of some sort, whether MLM or not, and already have some business savvy. In addition, these kinds of people are patient and understand that any business venture takes time, effort, and money.
Those kinds of people are usually not the people who click Google ads or Google listings for generic keywords like “MLM opportunity.” Instead, these people are likely to participate in discussion lists, forums, and other active online activities to learn more about the MLM industry before diving in. They are looking for the right business person with whom to partner. They are looking for an individual, not a 19 page sales letter.
So the next time you feel tempted to “raise the Titanic” by lusting after a good Google ranking, don’t. Instead, look for online platforms that allow your individuality to show through. That way you attract serious MLM business partners instead of a bunch of tire kickers. Make sense?
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