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MLM Recruiting
MLM recruiting is a big part of growing
your business. Make sure to do it the "friendly" way and
this will prove for more success in the future.
Direct Sales Tip: Are You a Recruitment
Friendly Company?
Building from within is the fastest and
most cost effective way to grow your organization.
Visions of distributors holding opportunity events,
conducting one-on-one interviews and requesting
three-way calls with their upline are the things that
direct selling executive’s dreams are made of. And while
there are these precious, self-motivated individuals in
every organization, “how to find more of them,” is the
question that is on everyone’s mind.
What is the formula that will ignite a wave of
sponsoring and infuse your organization with fresh new
distributors? Is it a sexy new incentive trip, a “Triple
Bonus Point” program, or perhaps a two-week recruiting
blitz with all the bells and whistles? Perhaps. It is
certainly true that direct sellers, by nature, love a
good contest and all the recognition that comes with it.
But then again, it just might be time to listen to the
sage advice we often share with our distributors… “If
you keep on doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep on
getting what you’ve been getting!”
Today’s direct selling executives need to dig a little
deeper to find new solutions to their recruiting
challenge. Don’t get us wrong…we are not suggesting that
you do away with the contests and incentives. These are
the foundation of your growth strategy and deserve your
time, attention and capital. But perhaps there are some
new ways you can spur new growth from within, ways that
get to the heart of the matter and shift your
distributor’s perspective on sponsoring.
To do this we need to first look at your distributors
blocks and barriers to sponsoring. It comes as no
surprise that through interviews, surveys and focus
groups throughout the country with distributors
representing every product or service possible, the top
two barriers to sponsoring were common among all
participants.
Let’s start with the winner - fear of rejection. While
the world continues to evolve at a breakneck speed,
human nature remains constant throughout the years... we
hate to be rejected. At the risk of simplifying the
matter, it is safe to say that nearly all companies are
dealing with this barrier as best they can by offering
scripts and training on how to approach and interview
prospects, encouraging distributors to hone their skills
by offering the opportunity again and again, and by
offering exciting contests and incentives that inspire
distributors to “push through the fear” and ASK, ASK,
ASK! So rather than preach to the choir, let’s look at
the second fear, the runner up that you may not be
addressing quite so eloquently.
The second barrier to sponsoring is… fear of
responsibility. Countless distributors have shared that,
although a new recruit often helps them move one step
closer to earning an exotic trip, winning a prize or
receiving the recognition they crave, it does not help
them once they’ve got the new team member!
Here is what we heard…
* "I’m not sure what I’m doing yet… how can I be
responsible for helping someone else?"
* "I don’t want to feel like I have to have all the
answers or be responsible for their success."
* "The thought of others being dependent upon me for the
answers scares me to death!"
No matter how many carrots you dangle, how well you
train them to offer the opportunity -- what lies on the
other side of the “YES,” could be what is keeping them
from growing their organization. The “responsibility”
they feel to train, support and guide new team members
after they’ve joined could be what is holding them back.
Recognizing that distributors do have a responsibility
to train and guide their team and receive an override
for their efforts, there are still some steps you can
take to reduce distributor’s fear of responsibility.
Let’s see how your company measures up.
Check those that apply…
* We address the “fear of responsibility” in our
training material and newsletters and clarify their role
as a sponsor according to our program.
* We offer thorough training that address various
learning styles, including a detailed and indexed
Distributor’s Manual (for detail style learners), a
variety of audio training tapes and CDs (for auditory
learners on the go), Video demonstrations (for visual
and kinesthetic learners who like to “see and do”).
* We share the responsibility of training by offering
regular corporate training through conference calls,
video streaming and satellite events.
* We recognize the importance of the “coaching
relationship” and offer company-wide training on the
latest methods of team coaching.
How did you do? Have you adequately addressed the fear
of responsibility? Are you offering training that shifts
their perspective of what a leader and coach truly is?
Could this be a barrier to sponsoring worth looking
into?
Research with distributors from a variety of companies
revealed that while some “forward thinking” companies
have dedicated time and precious training resources to
the topic of team coaching, many distributors feel they
are not receiving “quality coaching” from their uplines.
“The skill of coaching someone toward their goals and
dreams is a learned behavior that involves specific
skills and tools, borrowed from the practice of
professional coaching,” explains Coaching Center
Director, Jennie England.
“By teaching leaders these skills and incorporating them
into the culture of an organization, companies will
begin to see an increase in performance at all levels,”
England adds. “With 85% of the top Fortune 500 Companies
using professional coaching skills within their
organizations, doesn’t it make sense that the direct
selling industry can benefit as well?”
Article by:
Jane Deuber is a Co-Founder of
www.DSWA.org (the only association dedicated to the
needs of the independent party plan and network
marketing professionals). Discover what makes the DSWA
so unique. Listen to three motivating and informative
free teleseminars by visiting www.mydswa.org/tele_class.asp
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