| If you are in MLM I am sure you've heard that the | | | | (more on that below) but I always try to contact a |
| fortune is in the follow-up. Why is that true, and how | | | | new prospect by phone at least twice. There is no |
| do you follow up? Marketing research has shown | | | | substitute for a live personal conversation. Each time |
| that the "average" person needs to be exposed to a | | | | I do speak with someone, I ask when would be a |
| new idea about 7 times before they reach a decision. | | | | good time to call again and respect their answer. |
| Of course some will decide right away and some | | | | Letters are something rarely used these days. One |
| may need 100 exposures, but they say the average | | | | reason is that most capture pages do not get street |
| is 7. | | | | addresses, and many people are reluctant for |
| There are several ways to followup: | | | | security reasons to provide them. But if you do have |
| - Autoresponder emails | | | | someone's mailing address you can certainly send |
| - Personal emails | | | | them a personal note along with material they might |
| - Social media | | | | find helpful. Now, on to the question of how to make |
| - Phone calls | | | | sure follow up is respectful! This actually has much to |
| - Letters | | | | do with the prospect's personality type. The |
| Autoresponders are a necessity in my opinion. You | | | | personality types are: |
| need a proven system of what to say, at what | | | | |
| interval, to keep people in the loop and it is also | | | | 1. Yellow (phlegmatic-nurturer) |
| helpful if you can see how many of the emails they | | | | 2. Blue (sanguine-fun seeker) |
| actually read. With a good autoresponder campaign | | | | 3. Green (melancholy-analytical) |
| you can actually have people join your business a | | | | 4. Red (choleric-money oriented) |
| year or more after initial contact! Especially if you are | | | | Yellows and blues are both open, and blues especially |
| not experienced at marketing, a system where | | | | love talking, so frequent communication in almost any |
| someone who does have that experience has | | | | form is probably OK. Some people feel you should call |
| written the emails for you is essential. Your | | | | every day the first week until you have a live |
| autorespnder system may also provide a way to | | | | conversation. I personally go for every-other day, 2 |
| send a mass email to everyone. I use this feature to | | | | or 3 calls maximum, then let the autoresponder take |
| invite people to training calls. | | | | over. Blues also tend to be disorganized and can be |
| Personal emails can be used in between | | | | forgetful, so frequent follow-up is needed to keep |
| autoresponder emails to set up times for phone calls, | | | | them on track and thinking about you! |
| or to give the prospect timely new information that | | | | Greens (like myself) do NOT like to be contacted |
| would not be included in previously written | | | | often by phone, and need time to research things on |
| autoresponder emails. Also use personal emails if you | | | | their own before deciding on anything. When you |
| have built a relationship and want to convey personal | | | | encounter this type of person you need to give |
| information, like a "happy birthday" or "is your child | | | | them all of the information you can and let them |
| feeling better today." | | | | ponder. Do NOT follow up too often with a green! |
| Social media has SO many applications! I have formed | | | | Reds are all about the money and quick to see the |
| a group on Facebook from friends I invited and some | | | | big picture. They don't have time for personal |
| people who just found the group and joined it. I send | | | | information and chit chat. These people are likely to |
| one message that I customize each week based on | | | | decide quickly, and if they don't like what they see |
| what is on my mind. The second message I send is | | | | right away they will normally opt out of your system. |
| to invite people to a training call we have every | | | | It is absolutely necessary to always allow people to |
| Saturday, and I tell them what the topic will be this | | | | opt out of communication! You can be sued if you do |
| week. I also find many people prefer to communicate | | | | not allow this and honor it, so be very careful! I hope |
| on Facebook or Twitter rather than using email. And | | | | you find this helpful. The main thing is to realize that |
| I love the information I can get from people's profiles! | | | | you will almost never make a sale or get a new |
| I can learn so much about them, even their | | | | sign-up in the first contact, so staying in touch with |
| personality type! | | | | people is the key! |
| Phone calls are something I personally am careful with | | | | |