Basic lead generation part three - online
The Internet really has changed the face of Network Marketing forever. While come companies have been a little slow on the take-up, there can be no doubt that the Internet has made many aspects of this business, not least lead generation, much quicker and easier. We really now all part of a global community and i’s just as easy to prospect and recruit people in another country as in your own town. Technologies such as email, IM, VoIP, and of course the web mean that communication, even crossing language barriers, is quick, cheap and simple. Almost every aspect of MLM has become easier due to Internet technologies but it’s lead generation that I want to focus on here.
The first point I want to make is that the Internet is not a replacement for traditional lead generation techniques, it’s not a ‘magic bullet’. Restricting your activities to the online realm is only to place limitations on the growth of your business. Think of online lead generation as just another ‘rod in the pond’, albeit one capable of catching a lot of fish. Use the Internet in tandem with all of the other forms on MLM lead generation so ensure your success and massive growth.
The first thing you’ll need is a website. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a simple ‘lead capture’ page with a form your visitors can fill out to receive information will suffice, although you do want it hosted on your own domain. Since the cost of domain registration has dropped so low over the past 5 years there really is no reason not to have one. Something short and simple is the order of the day although a bit of brainstorming will be required to find something suitable. With billions of dot coms already registered you’ll need a bit of lateral thinking to come up with a catchy name. There are loads of online utilities to help with the process, and you can also check expired domains which can often offer some great domain ideas.
Once you have your domain and have a lead capture page hosted you’re ready to start driving traffic. There ar a multitude of methods to do this but here are just a few of the easiest and cheapest to get you started:
Forums
Forums are online meeting places for people interested in a specific niche. You’ll find thousands with a quick search on Google but we can narrow that number down to something a little more manageable by selecting ones which meet certain criteria. Since forums tend to frown upon blatant advertising we’ll be using a signature line to promote our site. Not all forums allow links in signatures so a quick browse of the site is in order. If most of the posts have one or two lines at the bottom with external links to other sites then you’ll be able to add the same to your posts (although you may have to post a minimum number of times, or be a member for a number of weeks before you’re allowed to in order to prevent spam). You’re also looking for a high volume of traffic. See how many active members are posting on a daily basis. There’s no point in spending your time posting messages if only half a dozen people will read them.
Once you have found a suitable forum the key to success is to join in, and become part of the community. Answer questions, post questions, join in on discussions and opinion polls and generally become an asset to the site. Over time visitors on the forums will begin to recognise and respect you as a knowledgeable and helpful member of the site and will therefore be more likely to click that link in your signature file.
A word of warning - it’s very easy to get led into an argument on a forum. If the conversation starts leading in a direction you’re not comfortable with then stop posting. Posts debating the pros and cons of Network Marketing, or specific MLM opportunities are very tempting to post on, but it’s very easy to be flamed and made to look like a fool or a desperado. Nobody will click on your link if you sound unprofessional, aggressive or annoying and you will find that people with opposing opinions to your own will try and lure you into a heated discussion. So be professional at all times and if someone annoys you don’t rise to the bait.
Tomorrow I’ll look at some other ways of driving traffic to your new website.