Last week, we talked about developing the good habits of success. This week, we’re delving into developing the skills that can help you succeed in business, especially network marketing. Network marketing is a business of relationships. For many years, it garnered the reputation of doing just the opposite due to pushy sales techniques. However, network marketers like you are working hard to change that reputation by putting relationships first. In fact, you likely got into network marketing because you wanted to build relationships and help people live better lives with the products and opportunities you’re offering. To do so the most effectively, you have to build your skills. Now, in business there are tons of skills to grow and develop, but here are the ones that are most important to you as a network marketer.

The most important skills for network marketers to build

Skill: Leadership

Although building leadership skills may not have been a priority when you first began your network marketing business, you’ve likely realized that you need them as your network has grown. The larger your network grows, the bigger your team gets. You’ll need leadership skills to keep them motivated to thrive. 

Be a role model

One of the most important things a leader can do is walk their talk. That is, you do everything you expect your team to do. If you want them to connect with their networks consistently, you connect with your network consistently as well, including your team. If you encourage them to do a Power Hour at least 3 times a week, you should do at least 3 Power Hours a week yourself. If you want your team to value their relationships and serve their networks, it’s important that they see and experience you doing so as well. This not only helps them model your style and emulate it themselves, it also gives them reassurance that you’ve got their backs. 

Commit to personal development

Continuous personal development is the best way to build your leadership skills. Leadership isn’t just one skill; it’s a culmination of skills that are often learned through experience and from watching and imitating the leaders you admire the most. 

• Read. Reading is an important activity, especially if you want to thrive in business. They say that readers are leaders. One thing that is for sure is that leaders read… a lot. They make time for reading each day, whether they’re reading a book to help them improve their skills or they’re reading biographies and memoirs of leaders they admire themselves. You can learn a lot in a book or magazine article. If you can’t find time to read, audiobooks are a great way to improve your knowledge while you’re working out, walking, or running errands.
• Never stop learning. Courses and training provide a more structured way to build your skills. Enroll in courses or watch short video trainings in order to sharpen your skills and learn something new.
• Get a coach and mentor. A coach does more than hold you accountable; they can help you pinpoint which skills to improve and how to do so. A mentor can be a role model who you aspire to becoming more like. Find a mentor who reflects your values and whose success you’d like to mirror. 

Skill: Listening

Listening is a skill that everyone should master. Unfortunately, many of us are terrible listeners. Think about it – when you’re conversing with someone, are you listening to what they’re saying or are you thinking of your response? If it’s the latter, you may need to work on your listening skills. Listening encompasses more than what a person says – it also includes how they say it, their body language, the words they use, etc. If you’re distracted by trying to think of a clever remark or a story of your own, you may be missing out on an opportunity to help the other person. 

How to become an active listener

• Give the other person your attention. Your attention is the best gift to give someone else. Focus on them.
• Repeat what they’ve said. Not verbatim, of course. Say, “What I hear you saying is…”
• Let the other person speak. That is, don’t interrupt. It’ll be your turn to make a point or offer feedback in a moment. In the meantime, pay attention to what the other person is saying and how they’re saying it.
• Respond when it’s your turn. Be sure to respond appropriately. Offer sympathy or empathy if it’s called for. Provide advice if they ask for it. And, resist the urge to one-up with a story of your own. So many of us feel like we’re commiserating with the other person by offering our own experience when it can sometimes be seen as an exercise in one-upmanship – “you think that’s bad? This is what happened to me…” Although your intent may be to help them feel better about a situation, they may take it as you trying to lessen their experience. Before you respond with your own experience, ask if they’d like to hear it. 
• Provide connection, if possible. As a network marketer, you have access to a wide variety of people from all walks of life. If you think someone in your network can help them, if your business can’t, offer to connect them. For example, if they say they need a good plumber and you have one in your network, connect them. Or, if they mention they want to run a 5k (and fitness isn’t your business) connect them to a fitness expert in your network. Always be looking for ways to connect people with one another. 

Skill: Relationship building

Relationships are the lifeblood of your business. Your success in network marketing – and in life in general – depends on the strength of your relationships. Relationships are built on trust – your network has to trust you in order to want to do business with you or to join your team. To build trust, you must be consistent in all you do – from reaching out to connect with them to following up on their questions and concerns. They need to know that they can rely on you to keep your word. Over time, they’ll begin to trust you more and more until they become advocates of your business. 

Your advocates are the folks who will introduce you to other great people who will appreciate the services you offer as much as they do. Although in an ideal world, everyone in your network would be an advocate, it takes time to build those relationships. In the meantime, be consistent with your relationships – connecting often and consistently and making sure to follow up.  

Skill: Team building

In addition to your network, your team is essential to your thriving business as well. The larger your team, the stronger your business. However, many network marketers are so focused on their own businesses that they forget to reach out and build connections with their team. Remember, the challenges you’ve faced or are facing in business are similar to the ones they may be facing as well. It’s important to check in with them, both individually and as a group, to make sure you stay connected.

• Check-in. Checking in allows you to see where your team is struggling and offer advice or just lend an ear. When you do it consistently, it also lets your team know that you’re practicing what you preach in regard to building a business
• Share your experiences and knowledge. If you learn something new, share it. If you had a breakthrough in your business, share it as well. Transparency makes you relatable and also encourages your team to keep going, even when it’s tough.
• Encourage them to share with each other. We learn so much from the experiences of others. Celebrate each other’s victories and challenges, and encourage your team to share ideas and advice to keep motivated and tackle the challenges faced daily. 

Skill: Sales

Relationships marketing is about relationships and it’s also about sales. The difference between it and traditional sales is that you’re not trying to bully someone into buying the product or service you’re offering. There’s no pressure in relationship marketing. The relationship is first and foremost, then the sale. In relationship marketing, you’re offering solutions to help the other person. You’re not strongarming them into buying your product and you’re not shunning them if they don’t want your product or service right now. In fact, even if they don’t buy from you or join your team, you continue to connect with them and check-in. By continuing to build the relationship, you’re building trust and over time they may buy from you or they may introduce you to someone who will.

Teamzy can help you build your skills

In addition to helping you keep your network organized, Teamzy also offers a host of courses to help you build and develop your skills. From short videos to full courses, Teamzy has you covered so you can lead a thriving business you love. Click here to learn more.