Traditional Methods 2.0

There's a great article by Ferny Ceballos over at Better Networker...

Over the past couple of years, ‘automated MLM systems’ have taken the MLM industry by storm. Initially, what made a ‘funded proposal’ so attractive was that it offered us a much easier and better alternative to the “traditional prospecting” methods.

Finally! No more “3 foot rule”, cold calling, buying leads, home meetings, hotel meetings, and everything else that our uplines said was part of their “system”.

We were watching guys like Mike Dillard, Daegan Smith, Ty Coughlin, Jay Kubassek, among others, growing massive downlines almost overnight, without needing to talk to a single person.

In fact, Daegan Smith even gave himself the title of “The King of Never Calling a Single Lead”. Ah, those were the good ol' days...

Since then, the online MLM market has become saturated with systems promising things like:

“No selling”
“The system does the work for you”
“We close sales for you”
“No phone skills, needed”
“No prospecting”
“Build your downline on autopilot”
I have to admit, I was sold on ‘attraction marketing’ for these same reasons. I was tired of coaching and wasting my time with people who had no business, being in business for themselves. I needed to figure out a way to filter through the “losers” and “tire-kickers” to get to the real leaders who were going to build this thing.

Then Magnetic Sponsoring walked into my life and forever transformed my business and life. Raymond and I went on to create the ‘Attraction Marketing Formula’ based on the teachings from Magnetic Sponsoring, but geared towards Google Marketing and the “techie” stuff.

But then we started noticing something…

The MLM Pendulum is Swinging Back the Other Way
Recently, I had some pretty eye-opening conversations with fellow networkers involved with some of the most popular “turn-key” systems out there. (You’d recognize these systems immediately if I mentioned them by name.) And I have to admit, it was ‘deja-vu’ as I was listening to them.

It was as if I had gone back in time 3 years, before Magnetic Sponsoring was released, and I was listening to the struggles, trials and tribulations of your “Uncle Bob’s MLM”.

“I’m not making any money…”

“No one is joining my team…”

“I’ve lost all my savings…”

“I’m not getting any upline support…”

These conversations confirmed the suspicions I’ve had floating around my head for a long time…

Traditional Methods are Making a Comeback
Now, before you get upset and start sending me hate mail, allow me to explain exactly what is happening.

First of all, NO you DON’T have to go back to cold-calling or prospecting at Starbucks and frisking people for a “dream”. We already know that’s not going to work.

But there’s a subtle trend I’ve been watching happen over the past year.

The systems who were promising “turn-key” businesses, with “no selling” started having live training calls on…

PROSPECTING OVER THE PHONE?
Huh?

What are guys like Todd Falcone, Joe LoBalsamo, and Mark Wieser doing on these live training calls for “automated systems”?

These guys are old school. These guys make like 40 dials per day to grow their businesses. What do we need them for?

This is the Internet Age, baby! Prospecting calls are like soooo 1980’s….

…or are they?

Read More...

Comments

[Jake Jacob]

Hi,
Good writing!
Here's the truth.
The top leaders in MLM - lie - no lie - it's the truth - they lie- the things they tell you to do - they don't .
Jake
http://thejakestershow.com

[Josh]

Do you think the economy downturn will change the pendulum swing?

What I mean, is that as the economy swings downward, people will become more and more desperate for another way to make money.

And a lot of those people just may be desperate enough to buy into all the "automation" claims...

And if things get low enough, perhaps the people in the "automated" systems will find enough other people to join their "automation", and so on and so on for the leaders of those business to "claim" they work...

Just a thought.

[Authority Networker]

Exactly, old school marketing techniques are outdated and worn-out, and cold calling has got to be one of the most difficult ways to make a living. The concept of front end funded proposals, on the otherhand, offers a really big leverage for any marketer. If done properly, this marketing tool can totally eliminate your advertising costs and generate free mlm leads for you without you doing anything.

[mlm prospecting]

Have to agree with authority networker. Old school marketing is going the way of the Dodo. Funded proposals is truly a way to leverage your business and with the internet here, why would anyone still continue to do marketing the old way? Though the internet is definitely not the magic bullet, it can help propel your business faster to success than any other method and i'll argue that til i'm blue in the face.
ErrolD