Network marketing remains popular, especially for food supplements and cosmetics. Many find themselves drawn to a product and a friend who’s done well selling the product. There are a few critical tips for effectively marketing anything, whether a distributorship for a food supplement or your services as a financial planner or accountant or even raising money for a charitable cause with friends and family.
- Don’t allow yourself to rationalize a faux interaction in order to “sell” your friend. If you are asking a friend to coffee in order to pitch your product, don’t make up another reason. Be honest – “Hey, I’m selling X. Would you meet me to talk about how it’s changed my life.”
- As you make a list of potential “friends and family” clients, consider their situation, e.g. do they need what you are selling, can they afford what you are selling. If the answer is not really, don’t give them the pitch.
- The most powerful sales tool is your actions and experience. If you want to sell cosmetics, wear them and look great all the time. Wait for someone to ask how you look so good. Mention the product and fact that you sell it. Same goes for food supplements. Be the outcome your product promises. Wait to be asked, “how do you stay the picture of great health?”
- Don’t be a pest. The professional steps to selling anything involve the following:
- Craft informative, readable information in a website, brochure or letter. Right up front tell who, what, where, why, how much, when, etc. Be clear about what you are selling and why.
- Contact your “friends and family” by email with a personal note and the information. Ask if they are interested specifically.
- Follow-up by phone.
- If no response, follow-up by email.
- Wait a few weeks.
- Follow-up by phone and/or email once more and ask if they have decided and whether or not you should contact them again about the product/service.
If someone on your list has not expressed interest in your pitch and resisted your efforts to get them to a meeting or additional sales pitch, go back to just being their friend. Don’t bring it up, unless they ask.
Everyone is selling something. In fact, selling our products or services is how we serve our fellow man. It is why Capitalism is the best economic system ever devised. It allows people to freely buy and sell things of value.
Be honest about what you are selling and be okay with the fact that most will not buy your product, at least not right away.