Where is the Happy Medium Between Online and Offline Marketing?
The conversation of online versus offline as it relates to building growth and momentum in your business, starts with your “focus” or “intention”.
Because I am primarily building a network distribution business where teams of people are engaged in the movement of tangible products or services through a “network” of end-users…
we’re going to focus on this subject of online versus online from a
Network Marketer’s point-of-view.
When we say online versus offline, what we’re really addressing is “where” are your energies for inviting, educating, and validating being directed,
and what can we expect for the investment of time and energy.
Start with the End Result in Mind …
Remember Your Core Business Model
In Network distribution, we are working through our network of “warm” contacts, associates and relations to build TEAMS.
The driving force in Network distribution is a solid “network” of people who are really leveraging the power of their “relationships” to result in enough people who are ordering product or service each month and building an ever-increasing “monthly sales volume”.
Individuals are rewarded financially based on their ability to grow TEAMS from city-to city in a given country, and even into other countries, based on the sales volume built by their network.
The growth is determined by the quality of the network and the speed of duplication of a simple proven process with every individual in the network.
So … in Network Distribution … relationships are equally as important as the “sales/marketing process”.
You can certainly have casual relations that you develop in social media platforms like facebook, youtube, linkedin, twitter, etc …
But you must quickly pull those people into a “real-time” connection with you by phone or skype, so that you can really see if they resonate on your team’s core values and have a desire level equal to or greater than yours for TeamBuilding.
In this case, online mediums such as your blogsite, facebook, youtube, linkedin … become tools that you use to really share your personality, your unique talents, your viewpoints, and your story to a global audience …
and to meet people who resonate with you and share in common with you, the things that you find interesting.
You post photos, videos, and even notices of events for the things that are interesting to you … and from there you will find some people who are on the same frequency as you.
Remember … when you meet someone online, it generally takes more time to develop “know/like’trust”.
And know/like/trust factor must be built FIRST, before anyone will join you as a business partner on the path to financial fulfillment.
What online does offer, is a FANTASTIC medium for you to showcase yourself .. and build your personal/professional BRAND.
Think of your “online presence” more as a series of places that you will SEND people you meet, who are interested in details on you and your offering,
versus a place to “develop” a warm relationship.
Over time … you will want to build your “online presence” as a showcase where people can come and reference great content about you and your interests.
The key word phrase is … “over time”.
Your primary job is to develop your network of people who want to build passive, Monthly Residual Income, not fancy websites.
If you’re in network distribution …
Off-line, up-close and personal …
is where the growth is!
If you want WARM RELATIONSHIPS, FAST … start with your circle of influence … and start locally.
Unless you live in a very small town, you can absolutely grow the 10 to 20 personal strong contacts that you need to launch your network distribution business.
The reason why you are always told to BUILD A BIG LIST when you first start your networking venture is because the statistical averages say that your core growth will come from about 5 – 7 people in your TOTAL ORGANIZATION.
That’s right … even as your team grows into the THOUSANDS, you will be able to spot “DIAMONDS” who have been the sparks for all of that phenomenal growth.
Those “DIAMONDS” will show up, on their own, in due time.
In the mean time, you need 10-20 good people that you will personally sponsor in order for those 5 – 7 to eventually show up.
You will want to “tap root” your growth, and that means focus on the relationships of those first few people who join with you to build.
Quickly dig deep into their universe of contacts, to place information on your offering.
If done properly, and with little or no lag time on the part of your or your new associates … you will find that digging deep into the new associates universe of warm contacts is the FASTEST way to grow your organization.
This has been proven over and over again by the top producers in any given company.
Local Networking Events and Social Events …
A Treasure Chest of Great Contacts
Between your Local Chamber of Commerce Meetings, MeetUp.com, and google listing for “Professional Networking Events” in your area, you will have tons of opportunities to meet people who are HUNGRY in this economy to meet others who are serious about gaining complete mastery over their own financial affairs.
More and more people are willing to take a chance on their own productivity, rather than rely on a job.
You MUST take the effort to free up time in your schedule to GO OUT AND MEET PEOPLE, if you truly want your networking business to grow.
Whether you’re online or offline, your ability to make any relationship “warm” has a LOT to do with how much value that you can pour into your contacts.
People who are progressive and hungry for getting to the “next level” of personal accomplishment look for others who can speak to issues and challenges that they may face on their journey.
Your ability to engage your contacts in conversation about “real issues” … and not just casual talk … will go far in their assessment of you as a strong resource.
It does not matter whether you “meet” your new contacts online or offline.
Connecting with new contacts in REAL TIME will make your relations warm, and greatly increase the probability of those new relations becoming business partners.
In network distribution, it is each person’s ability to harness and leverage their RELATIONSHIPS into wealth teams … that makes the difference between financial success or failure.
Both Online and Offline have merit … just remember your “core business” and take the proper balance between both strategies.