Tag Archives: attraction marketing

It’s a SOCIAL Network!

These days, everyone has a computer, smart phone, or tablet. Or all three! And almost everyone has a social network profile with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, GooglePlus, Pinterest, etc. Each of these social networks appeals to different people for different reasons. And more keep popping up all over the place… Causing me to groan. “Nope, I’m not joining another one! I can barely keep up with what I’m already doing!”

The problem is that, just like clock work, there’s this seasonal blitz of network marketers who want to try to recruit as many warm bodies as fast as they can with as little time invested as possible. To do this, they contact you with a private message, direct message, or private email, carefully worded to sound like they’re actually reaching out to you “human-to-human.” But the moment you respond, they hit you over the head with their elevator pitch then ask “permission” to give you more info. It’s really clever, too, that the question is phrased such that you’d be a fool to say no. For instance, “Do you want to make $600 monthly from facebook starting next week? Let me know when you’ve got 45 seconds…” (Yep, that’s an actual quote!)

Is it me? Or am I justified in my need to take a shower after that short interaction?

While I understand the need for speed – not wanting to waste a bunch of time interacting with the unqualified or uninterested, especially not wanting to waste time “socializing” when you need to be “working,” but these “networkers” have forgotten two things:

It's a Social Network!
1) IT’S A SOCIAL NETWORK!
2) The “Know, Like, Trust” factor of Attraction Marketing.

Social networks are great! They allow you to reach out to people all over the globe and build relationships. By extension, then, you could potentially build a global network marketing business. But not if you forget to build the relationship first!

Unless you’ve already got a good internet relationship with that person, hitting them over the head like that turns them off. You’re not being “attractive” at all… Really, you’ve just sabotaged yourself. Big time! Not only does the person NOT “know, like & trust” you now, but you’ve put them off to such a point that you’ve got to really work (at least twice as hard) to gain any ground on the trust factor. Good luck with that.

So, although you’re under the gun with whatever promotion your company has going, you can’t short-cut the relationship steps. If you lay that ground work ahead of time, then when the next promotion comes along, you have the luxury of going back & picking & choosing the people YOU want to work with. You can start with qualification questions to see if they’re open to looking at a (another) business. And you’re pretty certain you’re not asking permission to share with someone who isn’t business minded, or for whom timing is wrong. Also, establishing this relationship sets you up to be the one they turn to when the timing is right for THEM.

Don’t sabotage yourself by being in a hurry when it really counts. Nobody likes to be prospected, but everyone likes to be in a relationship.

Is It Spam Or Not?

Good networkers develop good habits. Sometimes, though, they forget that approaching strangers on social networks still requires the same etiquette as off-line. When they breach that etiquette, it’s called spamming.

A couple of days ago, one such marketer descended on me. Because she’d seen one of my posts on a social network, she sent me this private message:

“Hi Dannielle! Please let me start by saying no, this is not a spam email. I’m emailing you specifically bc from your postings in our ____ Group, I can see the potential and entrepreneurship in you. Do you keep your business options open? I have found a way to make an additional stream of income, as a single mom of # children, on a part time business from the comfort of my home. But if you’re interested, I’d like to speak with you. All I need is 2 minutes of your time. I promise I’m not here to waste your time or mine. Networking is one of the best ways to connect to others to see what kind of opportunities are out there. I would just like to share with you what’s been working for me. You never know what you may find or what you may be interested in. So please call me at 469-233-3832 if you’d like to hear more…thank you for your time and consideration. Stay blessed!”

Is it spam?

Is it spam?

Boy did my tongue hurt from biting it so hard! Yes, it is spam.

There’s only one instance I can think of when it’s acceptable to approach a stranger with that kind of proposition: calling business persons from their business card, which you’ve gotten from any source other than their giving it to you directly. In which case the “script” would be adjusted for that purpose. Otherwise, you would never do that in the off-line world until after you’ve chatted a bit to find out how (or if)  you can help them.

On-line… Sending a private message to strangers on social networks is the same as sending email. So if there’s been no prior connection nor prior communication (conversation), you have to establish that connection first. Don’t forget this is a SOCIAL network. Send a connection request (or friend request) first, then break the ice before extending an invitation to look at your business.

Yes, we’re all prospecting for new business partners, but let’s try to be subtle about it. Everyone talks about attraction marketing, but they forget to be “attractive.” Sure it takes a little more time to establish a connection, but doesn’t that make one more attractive (as a potential partner)? “People may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.” While the language used was flattering, the tactic was not.

Or am I just completely out of touch and wrong about this? What do you think? Leave a comment below & let me know. Because I really do want to know if this is an acceptable practice.