As paradoxical as it sounds, there are many Network Marketers out there who never network. They never engage in the process and mechanics of networking to build their list of contacts with any speed. I’ve often wondered why this is the case. Who knows — maybe it’s lack of understanding about what it takes to succeed in this business, maybe fear, maybe just lack of know-how.

Yet networking can jumpstart an MLM business like nothing else, and it’s vital for maintaining a profitable MLM business. Here I’ve outlined seven fundamental actions we all need to do to fully access the potential Network Marketing offers each of us:

1. Be Where People Are
2. Expectation Intention
3. Host Mentality
4. Plant First, Harvest Later
5. Discover for Connection
6. Reconnect and FollowUp
7. Provide Value

Let’s look at each one of these for better clarity.

Be Where People Are – Think about it: Where is the greatest number of folks going to be? In a business function? Social function? How about chamber events? Civic events? Charity events? Be where people are. You can’t be a hermit unless you want to fail in this business! Get out among the crowds, start engaging in conversation. Few people will be coming to your house begging to get into your business. You need maximum exposure! This means ensuring that you have plenty of “face time” with people — and often.

Where people are is where the gold is in this business.

Expectation Intention – Expect to create and start new friendships and relationships. If you go out to a place where there are people you don’t know, expect to make new friends. Your focus and expectation will cause it to happen.

Expectancy is like a magnet; it draws people to you. They are compelled to become a part of your conversation. Expectancy creates a dynamic power in you that people can feel, and when you are networking, you must have that power on!

What you expect to happen at networking functions usually does. Expect to meet at least five new people at a function, to have fun, and to begin some great new relationships. Expect people to like you. Expect people to be friendly. Expect people to want to become your friend. Expect people to want to do business with you. And don’t be surprised if they do. . . .

Host Mentality – Adopt a host mentality for relating to others. Do not wait to be introduced in a social setting, introduce yourself — and take the initiative to introduce others to each other.

A host mentality shows strong leadership skills which attracts people to you and portrays you as a worthy business partner. Put your hand out first to shake another, shake firm, not wimpy; shake full-hand, not finger hand. Don’t stand around in one place — work the room. You should have a goal to meet and engage in conversation with at least seven people. Let people know you have good self-esteem and make sure anyone around you is included in your conversation with others. Behave the way you would if you were hosting a party and responsible for people having a good time and feeling welcome.

Plant First, Harvest Later – Every networking session is a planting session in which you are planting seeds of future business and contacts. You will harvest, but first you must plant.

Bear in mind that you will also harvest what you don’t plant You can’t expect results right away. Plant the seeds of relationship, as many brand new ones as you can, and then water them and see that they grow. Send your new acquaintances articles about their business when you follow up, information about a training you run across for their profession, a book about a hobby or interest they have. Show them you’ve been listening and care about them. Be patient and then harvest the fruits of result later. “As you sow, so shall ye reap” could not be more true than in networking.

Discover for Connection – From the very start of every conversation with a new acquaintance, set out to discover .. .

• What interests them
• Where they work

–  How they feel about their work
–  Their education
–  Their family tree
–  Their hobbies
–  Their favorite sport
–  Their favorite TV show
–  Their favorite music

These are the easiest ways to connect and learn who people really are and find something you have in common. Discover what lights up their life and then plug into that mentality!

Most of the time we are not trying to discover but recover from talking about ourselves too much and losing the interest of the new people in front of us. Keep the conversation focused on them; your turn will come.

Reconnect and FollowUp – Take the initiative to reconnect and follow up with people you meet and people you’ve known for a while. Whoever reconnects first becomes the “power source” of that relationship. Send them a thank-you note, give them a call, email them “hello,” drop by, invite them to lunch, whatever it takes to reconnect. . . first.

I have developed a lot of relationships, and found when I reconnected first, I harvested results a lot quicker with what I really wanted to bring to the table in that relationship. Reconnecting is a way to reconfirm your harvest.

Provide Value - You must bring value to any potential relationship or it will be short-lived for business. Be sure you are offering personal value, professional value, leadership value, and future value to your networking friend. Value is the key in establishing any relationship.

One of the greatest truths about Network Marketing is that if you help people get what they want, they will help you get what you want. If folks perceive value first in you, by you taking an interest in them, then they will increasingly perceive value in what you do. Give value first — everything else second.

These are the fundamentals for effective networking — the basis for your MLM Network Marketing success. Reflect on how often you incorporate these important actions into your week and increase it to jumpstart some momentum in your business! Grab your calendar and set plans to do a networking blitz. Employ these fundamental actions, making sure to achieve your goals for the number of new contacts you leave with from each function. Plug into their electricity of interest and you will ignite new relationships!

Tags: MLM business, MLM Network Marketing success, network marketers, Network Marketing, profitable MLM

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