Network marketing is all about relationships. You grow your business through consistent contact and follow-up. The more consistently you reach out to your network, the stronger the foundation will be for your network marketing business. However, many network marketers become frustrated when they reach out to their networks, but don’t hear back. They’re putting in the work to reach out and make the days of the people in their network, but those folks may not reply back right away. As a result, many network marketers feel ignored and wonder if they need to continue reaching out.

The answer is Yes! They should continue to reach out, even if it seems as if their network isn’t responding as quickly as they expected. Resist frustration; continue to put in the work and follow up. Here’s why…

Why follow-up is important

Network marketers wonder why follow-up is so important. Why continue to reach out to people who may not reply right away? 

We’re strong advocates of the follow-up. You’ve heard us say that following up is an act of love. When you follow up with your network, you’re showing them how much you care. You’re showing them that you want to see how they’re doing and listen for ways that you can help. 

Although many network marketers know they should follow up, many don’t. Often, they follow up once and figure if the person doesn’t respond, they don’t want to hear from the network marketer again. So, they don’t reach out again or don’t reach out for a while. As a result, their relationship with the person weakens. 

The reality is people are busy. Sure, they see your message and likely enjoyed hearing from you. However, they get busy with life and forget to reply, either immediately or not at all. It happens. Although some people will respond right away, others intend to but just forget. It’s not a slight against you. They still want to hear from you; you just have to be sure to continue to consistently follow up.

Most sales happen between the 7th and 10th follow up

A well-known sales fact is that most sales happen between the 7th and 10th follow-up. That means you have to follow up with someone at least 7 times before they’re ready to buy or join your team. You may think that it’s a lot. However, each time you reach out, you’re planting and nurturing the seed that leads to a purchase or to them taking advantage of the opportunity you’re offering. Each time you reach out, they’re continuing to think about your products and services. You’re building trust in the process. As a result, they’re more likely to want to buy from you as they grow to trust you. By the time you’ve followed up seven times, they may be ready to buy or join your team.

However, it’s normal to feel frustrated in the process, when you get no response. It’s hard to feel motivated when it feels as if you’re talking to a wall.

How to deal with frustration when you get no response

Keep connecting

It may feel like the last thing you want to do. After all, the person may not have responded the last time. However, it’s important to keep reaching out. They may have gotten busy or simply forgotten that they intended to respond. Reaching out again shows that you’re committed to building trust and seeing them as more than a potential sale or team member. This time when you reach out, they may reach back. 

It happened to me. I reached out to someone in my network multiple times over the course of a year and heard nothing. Then, I reached out one day and he responded. He apologized for not responding sooner. Although it can be tough, especially when you’re first starting out, don’t take it personally when someone doesn’t respond. Simply log the contact and wait for them to come up on your Dashboard again. If they had mentioned when you initially connected with them that they wanted you to follow up with them, set a new appointment to do so. 

Look for ways to serve

Continue to look for ways to serve your network, even if you’re waiting for them to respond. This may take the form of creating posts related to your business or posting links to articles pertaining to your industry. For example, if your business is nutrition-related and you see an article online touting mangos as a hot superfood, post it to your social media page. This will show up in your followers’ feeds, which will put you at the top of their minds. Then, when you reach out, they may be more likely to reply back. 

Change your mindset

Sometimes feeling better about something boils down to changing how you think about it. 

Many of us get so wrapped up in creating a narrative as to why something happened or didn’t happen. As humans, we love stories. Unfortunately, this love of stories can mean we’re quick to create one to explain situations. These stories may not be remotely true; however, they help us make sense of what’s happening. 

For example, let’s say you reach out to someone in your network and they don’t respond. Since they asked you to follow up, you had set a reminder to do so. At first, you think that maybe they’re just busy so you set another reminder to reach out next week. Next week comes and you reach out again. Still nothing. You’re frustrated at this point because they said to reach out and they haven’t responded.

Here’s where your mind starts filling in its own blanks in the narrative. The other person is busy, they got wrapped up in volunteering at the school, they feel slighted that you didn’t say hi to them first when you saw them at the grocery store, they perceived the tired look on your face when you saw them last as animosity, they hated the housewarming gift you got for them several years ago and are taking their revenge by not replying to your message, you misheard them and they said to never contact them again, etc.

See how it can spiral out of control? It goes from, “hey, they’re busy and forgot” to “I’ve obviously offended them in some way and they’re never going to speak to me again.”

In reality, maybe the person got busy with stuff going on in the new school year or took a vacation and totally forgot. We’re all human. Sometimes our memories aren’t the steel traps we wish they were. 

Instead of weaving a narrative of growing implausibility, take a step back and check in with reality. Then repeat this: “Maybe they’re just busy.” Because they likely are just busy. Not everything is a personal slight. Instead of writing them off, continue to check in when it’s time to do so. You don’t want to burn a bridge over a narrative that is likely untrue.

Focus on professional development

Although you can’t force people to reply to you in a timely manner when you reach out, you can improve the way you handle it, and other challenges in your business. Professional development is the best way to improve your skills so that you become a more confident and effective network marketer. 

Professional development includes a lot of things, such as reading books from successful businesspeople you admire to listening to business- or industry-related podcasts. However, one of the best ways to build your skills is through training courses. Teamzy has several online video training courses intended to help you sharpen your skills so you can provide your network with the highest level of service and build the foundation of a strong network marketing business. These courses will give you the tools you need to grow a network marketing business that you love. From organizing your business to learning how to follow up with everyone in your network, you’re better equipped to handle the challenges that arise in business.

Additionally, a mentor or coach can help you gain perspective on your business so that when someone in your network doesn’t respond, you won’t jump to any conclusions other than they’re just busy. They can also share how they’ve handled similar challenges.

Never miss a follow-up

Teamzy can help you ensure you never miss a follow up. Created with network marketers and relationships in mind, Teamzy makes it easy to communicate with your network consistently. Click here to learn more.