Wednesday, November 22, 2006

In the following brilliant article, Jamie Jefferson succinctly summarizes some sage advice for all network marketer leaders.

Network Marketing Success: 8 Strategies for Effective DownlineLeadership

By Jamie Jefferson

1. Ask questions. Effective leadership involves empowering your downline to do things for themselves. Allow your downline to solve their own problems and answer their own questions. Guiding them to the answers is a matter of asking the right questions as an upline:

"What do you think you could do in that situation?"
"What worked out the best for you with this business-building event?"
"How would you handle that differently next time?"

When you are tempted to tell a team member what to do, ask a question instead and allow them to discover the answer for themselves.

2. Find each individual's personal strength. Many times, the network marketing industry is so focused on duplication that we forget the fact that each individual brings a unique set of skills, strengths, and experiences. Invest some time identifying particular ways that a person can be successful with your business - even if they are beyond the duplicatable system that you have set up.

3. Lead, don't push. Effective leadership doesn't involve pushing, dragging, or bribing people to success. Leading is about walking out in front of people, successfully working the business so that they will want to follow you on their own accord. It's about making personal relationships with people so that they can ask you questions. Provide the information and tools they need, and then inspire them by successfully demonstrating the example yourself.

4. Manage your time effectively. As a leader, you're constantly identifying the one thing that is the most valuable use of your time, right now. Effective leaders don't allow each of their team members to chat away for hours on the phone. View yourself as a businessperson, and keep each conversation on task.

5. Teach that consistency is the key to success. Help your downline to understand that success is never about one isolated event. It's a marathon - not a sprint - with continual and consistent baby steps. Create a list of simple business building tasks, and teach them to keep a log of the tasks completed each day. Whether it's 3, 5, or 10 tasks, let them know that success depends on how many of these tasks they commit to completing on a consistent basis.

6. Keep consistent communication. Send team updates or newsletters via email to your downline at least every two weeks. Recognize achievements as much as possible. Everyone loves to see his or her name in print. This, in itself, can be tremendously motivating.

7. Know when to move on. Recognize that you can't make anyone do anything. You can lead, but if one of your downline won't follow - it might be a better use of your time to find a more self-motivated person than to beat yourself up to motivate someone who, for one reason or another, isn't working at the business.

8. Take five. Creating a large and successful network marketing team is so fun and rewarding that we sometimes forget to take breaks - and that can lead to burnout. Take some time off every now and then, and enjoy the journey.

Would you be interested in a business opportunity that would teach you skills and techniques for motivating your present downline - while giving you another income at the same time? Details are here:
By George Shears
Most of the following articles provide important education about traditional network marketing and how it's changing as it merges with internet marketing. Each of these articles can be accessed by clicking on its title.

The Online Network Marketing Franchise--An Exciting New MLM Hybrid

Choosing An MLM Network Marketing Company As A Home Business--What To Watch Out For

Network Marketing Residual Income--How To Predict When You'll Achieve Financial Freedom

The Funded Sponsoring Franchise System--A Revolutionary New Approach To Network Marketing

Choosing A First Class Network Marketing Company--Ten Key Guidelines

How To Fail In Network Marketing--Confessions of a Recovered Leads Junkie, Part I

How To Fail In Network Marketing--Confessions of a Recovered Leads Junkie, Part II

Network Marketing For Work At Home Moms and Pops--Its Advantages and Pitfalls, Part II

Network Marketing For Work At Home Moms and Pops--An Introductory Primer, Part I

Key To Home Business Success--Getting On The Right Track With The Right Network Marketing Company

Considering A Home Business, Part I--Is Your Job An Asset Or A Liability?

Network Marketing--Its Three Deadly Sins and How To Find Salvation From Them

Network Marketing and Mindfulness Training--Four Ways It Can Increase Your Success

Network Marketing--It's Major Pitfalls And A New Effective Way To Avoid Them
Network Marketing--11 Ways To Be An Effective Leader

Network Marketing--A Powerful Way To Increase Your Success Through Mindfulness Training

Network Marketing Outside The Box--Funded Sponsoring Franchises

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Antioxidants--A New Improved Source

New Hope of Attaining--and Maintaining--A Healthy Body Weight

Improve Your Health While Saving Money On Pure Water

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A New Nutritional Approach for Both Pet Allergies and Allergies to Pets

Helping Your Immune System Win The War Against Disease