From my experience, relational marketing has the highest closing ratio in network marketing. But it also require a lot of training to be able to do it well.

For online prospecting, most people will be able to do it once they follow the steps but as you said, it’s perfect if we can have both. I totally agree with you.

Great comments. I’ve been involved in the network marketing industry since 1979 and have definitely seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Fortunately, I’ve also seen many rags to riches stories and lives radically changed by this great industry.

Your comments about caring for your downline are right on. Too many network marketers focus all their attention on recruiting and forget to help their downline become successful. That’s one of the reasons why historically 98% of those joining a network marketing company never make a full-time income. I learned this lesson from a top income earner. When I asked him how to make a million dollars in network marketing, he said, “go out to make a million friends and the money will follow.” I did just that and am now living the dream.

Another key reason is lack of a simple, easy to use marketing system that attracts people genuinely interested in network marketing and produces quick income. Those are the three inherent problems in just about every network marketing business - time, money, and leads.

The new attraction marketing systems are good attempts to eliminate these problems, but I find that they are not enough to build a solid, full-time residual income. The real key is to talk with top income earners to discover what they have done to build their massive networks. Here you will find what I call the closely guarded secrets of the top income earners. Over the last two years I’ve interviewed hundreds of top income earners and the results were shocking! They were doing a few simple things that the other 98%ers weren’t doing.

One of those was what I call relational marketing. Instead of approaching their friends and family members with their business or products, they would ask a series of questions having to do with life - family, work, fun, and money. Each question was designed to uncover pain areas in their lives. Once they had 2 or 3 pain areas (i.e. not enough time for the kids, dead end job, no money for vacations, no retirement plan, etc.) they could then present their business as a solution. The difference in response was amazing. That is a highly effective way to build a network marketing business and one that has been used through the years by the top income earners, but avoided by those who are failing.

I like the attraction marketing systems, but feel that they need more “old school training” included. A balanced marketing program is the best - one that successfully melds the old with the new.

Have an awesome day!

Rod Nichols
Author and Co-Creator of The 2 Percent Plan
http://www.the2percentplan.com/plus
Best Selling Author of The Twelve Power Secrets for Network Marketing Success
http://www.RodNichols.com

I am entirely with you. I would want to add 2 points and a little more , if you don’t mind.

1) Yes you will have to mentor your folks and you can propose ways that helped yourself big time. Nevertheless, it is them who will have to pick up on it and try themselves. What worked for you may not work for them.

I personally made the experience that only those who are willing to walk the extra mile (remember, there is no traffic jam along the extra mile) are still with me and lead their business as well as mine. And that brings me to my second point…

2) True duplication is not only about making it easy for your folks to grow their downline. It is as much about them being able to reliably and profitably lead their own business and mine.

The tasks you are busy with change over time as you progress. And at each step you will learn and start to teach what you have just learned. That goes from starting your business, generating sales and then leads, to recruiting and the management and leading of your business.

And at each step you will have made your changes and experiences. And it is those who discover influences and trends, who evaluate them and react to them, and it is those who are innovative and willing to go new ways and share their new won knowledge - it is those who are real leaders.

That is quality. And if you are honest you actually need to grow only 5 to 10 such high quality leaders in your direct downline. And you will need to mentor them doing the same. That is true duplication and it makes your business stable, reliable and safe to deal with.

I agree, the more the better. But, careful here: Greed - a facet of selfishness - often makes us falling for the quantity game and prevents us from achieving what we really want - a stable and attractive business that reliably generates a good and growing income. Let’s keep it real with no false hopes.

For a good income, 5 to 10 quality leaders in your downline is already enough - and it’s hard enough a piece of work.

Quantity counts nothing when quality is missing. Do you agree?

Best Greetings
Frank Osterloh
http://Network-Marketing-Internet-Business-Tips.com