What kind of sponsor introduced you to your MLM, network marketing or other home-based business?
"The Stranger": The guy (or girl) who's your 'best friend' while he's trying to recruit you into his organization - lots of calls, remembers your kids' names, emails you frequently with good information, knows your 'why' for wanting a home business opportunity, returns your calls in 5 minutes or less - but then DISAPPEARS once you've joined. He's the kind of sponsor that says, "You have my number - call if you need me" and then never calls you again! He talks about "plugging into a system" but the system usually means, 'You're on your own - here's a website.' About the only time you'll hear from this guy is if he's promoting an event (or himself), wants something from you, or when you cancel your auto-ship. These types are easy to recognize - they're sponsoring machines and usually the top enrollers in their companies!
The "HeliSponsor": This is the Sponsor who calls you 4 or 5 times a week to 'check in,' gets irritated if you're not calling with 3-ways every day, and insists that you get together to call your '100 Friends and Family' list right NOW! They use guilt like a finely tuned weapon, and will make sure you have a closet full of product always on hand whether you need it or not. This kind of Sponsor will offer to "pick you up" for meetings, or call you to 3-way in on conference calls, and will essentially 'hover' over you like a helicopter in order to babysit you to success.
The "Newbie": This guy knows nothing about building a large, successful network marketing business professionally, but is convinced that it "just takes three" to get super rich! He's usually 'in and out' of the business before you can even blink, leaving you to deal with upline sponsors for support. Unfortunately, he's also usually your brother, cousin, or buddy from the gym and will be hitting you up for another opportunity within the year.
The "Coach": The Coach will treat you the same after you join as he/she did during the recruitment process in that he'll call you from time to time if you're active, and returns your calls and emails promptly. He generally has a "system" that you can plug into, but also reaches out to 'meet you where you are.' If you're brand new to this industry, it means he'll spend a little more time in the beginning to make sure you understand the training and systems. If you're an experienced networker, he'll customize his level of support based on your skills and commitment level.
He's available for 3-way and team calls, meetings and Webinars and has built a team of upline leaders to provide additional support. He remembers you and your goals, helps you map out a plan to achieve them, and holds you accountable along the way. He'll plug you into great training and lead generation programs, do mock interviews to help you practice, and will support you as long as you remain serious about building your business. The Coach will inspire and motivate, but won't do the work for you; and values his own time enough that he won't waste it if you're not doing your part. He is legitimately concerned with helping the whole team achieve, not just himself. The Coach is a strong, motivated and caring Leader.
If you've ever been in an MLM or network marketing opportunity, you'll recognize these 'types.' The more important question, though, is WHICH TYPE ARE YOU?
As an active Networker and Sponsor, someone that is serious about building a large, duplicating downline, you have to know that YOU "set the pace" for your team. You will attract players onto your team that will mimic your example, so it's critically important to your paycheck that you take an honest appraisal of your own leadership style.
Do you want a team full of "Strangers?" You'll have to keep sponsoring till the day you die because these teams rarely inspire much loyalty, longevity or duplication. There's simply no emotional glue holding the team together and the drop-out rate is astronomical!
How about a team full of "HeliSponsors?" If your team requires a lot of 'babysitting' it can drive you crazy - it's like herding cats! You will spend every waking hour trying to build your business yourself, wishing everyone would work as hard as you do.
Are you a "Newbie?" Are you sponsoring 'friends and family?' That's a long, hard road full of rejection and frustration. It's doable, though, if you expand your reach: Invest in your education, find a successful mentor, and teach your team to do the same so that you can eventually position yourself as a leader. It's critical that you master professional online and offline sponsoring strategies in order to be successful.
Hey, Coach! Imagine if you attracted a team full of "Coach" types! People that care about building long term success with your company! Imagine standing on a stage, getting recognition for your achievements and being surrounded by people that you know and care about. People that have helped you succeed, and people that you've helped to achieve their dreams. Fast forward five years later. You're on stage again, with your same team plus a whole lot more! You're not just building a business, you're creating a family! It's a powerful, powerful thing, and so rewarding.
If you know you've been a "Stranger" to your team, and want to improve your game, start with setting aside just two hours a week to focus on your existing downline in these simple ways:
Have a live team call where they can interact with you and ask questions - don't talk about you and your success, instead focus on them and celebrate their achievements;
Give a 3-minute call to anyone you haven't talked to in the last two weeks to let them know you care about their success;
Keep a calendar of birthdays and enrollment anniversaries - make sure you call to mark those special occasions;
Ask them what they need from you! It may be they just need a little encouragement; it may be they need a better plan of action; it may be that you can lead them to some specific training within your system.
You spent valuable time and resources recruiting each and every member of your team. If they drop out in 4 or 5 months, you lose the residual income. Without residual income you're not building a business, you're creating a job.
I encourage you to take an honest appraisal of your role as Sponsor. If you're brave enough, ask a few members of your downline to give you an honest review - if you're willing to tweak your game it can translate into major long-term rewards - professional, financial and personal!
Written by Gail Kurpgeweit
Copyright, Gail Kurpgeweit, February 2010
Gail Kurpgeweit, President
JLC Marketing Group
800-418-2670
Email: [mailto:
Gail@JLC-Marketing-Group.com]
Gail@JLC-Marketing-Group.com
MLM Coaching Services:
http://www.jlc-marketing-group.com/SERVICES.html
MLM Leads & Training:
http://www.MLM-LeadPro.com
Gail Kurpgeweit is the President of JLC Marketing Group and Net Profit Coaching. She is an Author, Public Speaker and has built multiple network marketing organizations to the top levels of achievement. In addition to team building, Ms. Kurpgeweit also coaches small and home-based business owners to achieve profitable growth through improved sales, marketing and organizational techniques; and specializes in 'marketing to women' strategies. Her new book, SheLanguage, will be available in June 2010 and focuses on helping men 'speak the language' of women to increase sales.
Article Source: [
http://EzineArticles.com/?Network-Marketing-and-Team-Building---How-Your-Leadership-Style-Can-Make-Or-Break-Your-MLM-Business&id=3832748] Network Marketing & Team Building - How Your Leadership Style Can Make Or Break Your MLM Business