A Novice's Education in Generating MLM Leads

When a novice joins their first MLM company, they usually have no idea of how to generate their own leads. The Newbie depends on their company's training program. These vary widely in quality and the ability of a person's downline to duplicate. It doesn't take long for the new distributor to realize if they have a good training program or not.There are a few "olde school" lead generating tactics that are still being taught by some companies. These methods are thought to be tried and true because MLMers successfully built their businesses with them 10 or more years ago. Social expectations have changed and so have the ways we generate leads.In the first MLM company I joined, I was told to make a list of 100 family and friends.This is known as Making a List. It may sound like olde school MLM marketing techniques, but many companies are still teaching this prospecting today. Anyone who has gone through this method knows it does not work! Not only does it make the distributor feel uncomfortable, but it makes the "prospect" feel awful too.Fact #1 About People and Sales: roughly 70% of the population hates being pitched, sold to, and closed. These same people hate to sell and close. Think about it, why do most people dread the prospect of dealing with a car sales person?If the List doesn't work for a person, or if they refuse to do it, Buying Leads is often suggested. There are also many people on the internet offering to sell "prequalified" leads. The implication is that the people on the leads list are interested in hearing about home based business opportunities.I found out in the nick of time the real truth behind buying leads. BEWARE! Before you buy even one lead, or if you've bought leads and are getting nowhere, you must understand how these leads are generated and sold...and resold...and resold.Have you ever been online and been offered a chance to "win" an iPod or computer? All you had to do to be entered into the contest was to fill out a short survey. You might have been asked about making extra cash or something similar. Since you wanted to be contacted if you won the prize, you didn't think twice about leaving your name and telephone number. The fine print was so minute and long, you didn't bother reading it.If that wasn't you, there are thousands of people who complete such surveys every day. This is just one way companies selling leads packages get the leads for you. They are not interested in your home based business opportunity...they just wanted a free computer!It is best to generate your own leads. Start by networking with like minded people who are already interested in MLM. Offer something of value for free that will help your contacts in building their businesses. As you make connections with people, build relationships with your network.Of the people you help, a handful will likely want to join you in your business. These people will know, like, and trust you. They will be motivated and coachable. You will know they will be committed business builders.There are two kinds of people building their network marketing businesses.1. Those who bring in any breathing body who will shortly drop out. Then repeat the action over and over again. 2. Those who create a plan to attract people who are interested in and willing to build their home based business. Then they help them build their businesses by duplicating what they did.This is the essence of "Work Smarter, Not Harder."Build your business with the second group of people and you will have a low attrition rate, a smaller group of people to train and support, and a group of people making good income for themselves and You.