In previous blog posts I have both discussed “first wins” and posted links to other blogs that discuss “first steps” for online marketers. I have also talked about how online MLM marketing usually takes a lot longer to get off the ground initially, but pays better dividends later on in terms of the ratio between work and reward.
The reason I put so much focus on “first wins” and initial goal-setting is that it is easy for the newbie online MLM marketer to get discouraged when it appears that “nothing is happening” … for what seems like a very long time.
Why Nothing Happens at First in Online MLM
Read my blog post on “Online versus Offline Marketing Lifecycles” to get a feel for the pros and cons of online MLM marketing, and why it can sometimes take a long time to get going (and why that’s not always a bad thing).
The real reason that nothing happens for a long time in online marketing, as opposed to offline marketing, is really the difference between cold and warm markets. Most newbies who get into MLM and start with offline marketing are prospecting to their warm market: their family and friends. Since your family and friends already know you, most of them already trust you, so it’s easier to prospect them. They will more easily buy product from you or join the business. Your opinion carries weight with them, and they tend to be loyal to you.
On the other hand, with a cold market, you are basically talking to a bunch of people who don’t know you, may not care to know you, and often don’t even know you exist. So the first 6-12 months of online MLM marketing are all about creating an online presence that:
1. people can find online
2. offers value to visitors
3. gives people a reason to return
4. gives before asking often enough to generate trust
5. delivers enough consistent value that people will act (buy or join) when asked
These steps are all “givens” with your friends and family, but represent bridges that have to be crossed online before anyone will join your MLM or buy product from you. These steps eat up time and effort at the beginning of your marketing efforts, and make it appear that nothing is happening.
But, and this is a big deal, once you have established yourself online with the five steps mentioned above, then you have a trusted online presence, which is golden. Once you have a trusted online presence, when you ask people to do something, they are happy to do it. Happy to do it. That’s when your business really grows.
What to Look For in Online MLM in the Beginning
But that golden moment can be a ways off, especially for those who are just getting their feet wet in the online world, which is why “first wins” are so important. Recently I’ve been corresponding with various people who have just gotten into online MLM marketing, and I’ve come up with a new list of “first wins” that newbies can consider real accomplishments. The list keeps growing, of course, but it’s a start. First wins for newbies include the first:
- comment on your blog (good, bad, or ugly)
- email about your website (good, bad, or ugly)
- online product inquiry
- online business inquiry
- 10, 50, or 100 blog posts
- achievement of “expert” status in any online forum
- 1,000 unique visitors to your blog or website
- retweet on twitter
- email asking you for help with online MLM
- request to republish one of your articles on another blog or website
- genuine appreciation of thanks from a fellow online forum member
- 10% consistent increase in web traffic
Notice what is not on this list: the first online product sale and the first business builder to join your group. Why didn’t I include these on the list? Because once you have achieved one or both of these, then you’re on your way. The above list of “first wins” is all about that dry spell before your first sale or business sign up.
Why “First Wins” Are Important
The reason that “first wins” are so important in online MLM is because they tell you, unequivocally, that you are making progress even when you don’t have a single product sale or business signup to show for it. Online MLM takes a lot of lead time so you need these wins to keep you going when times seem tough or you feel down-hearted about your business. Trust me, I know. It took me a long time to build a trusted online MLM presence that generates true passive income, but it was worth every moment I had to work and wait. These “first wins” helped me keep going.
So look for these firsts in your online business, and check them off the list when they happen. Then knock yourself out patting yourself on the back, because these are real achievements, even if they don’t yet appear in your commission check.
What other “first wins” would you add to this list?
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