If you want to grow your business, it’s important to grow your network. This is true of any business, but especially if you’re in network marketing. Even if you’re satisfied with the current size of your network, it’s important to develop your prospects so that they may become customers and/or team members. 

Your network may seem static, but it’s actually dynamic. Although you may be able to count on your advocates in most instances, some people in your network may move on after a while. It’s important to fill their spots in order to maintain the strong foundation of your network. 

So how do you grow your network? If you’re like many network marketers, you may have added everyone you knew to your network in the beginning and you’ve been growing those relationships since. You may be thinking, “But, I don’t know anyone else, much less anyone else I can add to my network. I’m tapped out.” The good news is, there are always more people to add to your network.

How to grow your network: It starts with a conversation…

Relationships are built on conversations. A stranger can become a lifelong friend with a simple ‘hello.’ There are two ways to add people to your network: start conversations with strangers or tap into your network of advocates and get them to introduce you. In both instances, you’re talking to strangers or acquaintances with the intention of adding them to your network, perhaps not now, but you’re laying the groundwork for the future. How do you go from “hello” to “want to learn more about my business?”

For many network marketers, that’s the most difficult part. Sure, they love their business and the products and services they sell. And, of course, they love helping people. However, they may feel awkward initially talking about it. After all, they don’t want to sound salesy or pushy, especially if they used traditional sales techniques in the past and got burned (or, more likely, burned their relationships along the way). What’s the secret to building these relationships?

Say hello

What starts with ‘hello’ can help create a strong advocate for your business. When you say ‘hello’, your intention is to make someone’s day. You’re not going in for the hard sell, you’re not trying to get them to join your team, you’re not trying to get them to buy right now. You’re planting the seed for a strong relationship. You want to add them to your network, whether they have the potential to become a top customer or one of your best team members. 

Perhaps you’re at your child’s soccer game or at the gym using your favorite elliptical and you’re next to someone you see regularly, but have never spoken to. Say “Hi, how are you?” That’s it. You don’t have to go into details about your business or give them a long description of your day. Just say hi. From there you may start a longer conversation, but don’t rush it. Over time, as you get to know them, you’ll be able to learn more about how you can help them and if they’d be interested in your business. But, for now, you’re focusing on building the foundation. 

What if you’re introduced by an advocate?

If you’re introduced by an advocate or someone in your network, that’s what is called a warm lead. They may already be familiar with you. Perhaps your advocate has mentioned you or your business before. Often, they’ll send their information to you via social media, text or email. To start your conversation with them, you may initially send a message. Whatever you say, keep it short and sweet:

Hi Marie! Just wanted to say hi! Going anywhere fun this summer? I hope you’re having a fantastic day!

Then throw in some emojis. The message is short and clear. You’re not there to take up their time with all of your new products and services. You’re just wishing them well. This will put you at the top of their minds. They’ll be happy that you took the time to reach out and say hello and will be eager to hear more about your business, and may even become advocates themselves.

Then what?

This is where many network marketers stumble. In a perfect world, in the effort to grow your network, the person you’ve started the conversation with will respond and they’ll become huge advocates of your business. The next time you see them at your child’s practice or at the gym, they’ll come running up to talk to you. If you reached out to them online, they’ll respond to your message right away. 

In reality, they may not say hello immediately the next time they see you. Or, they may not respond right away to your message. In fact, it may take a few days. Should you give up hope and strike them from the list of prospects. Not yet.

The next step to grow your network is to follow up. Now, after you’ve initially started the conversation, this may take the form of saying hello again and striving to make their day. In in-person connections, it may take a few hellos before you get to the point where you’re sharing what you do. When it gets to this point, that’s when you discuss your business and why you love it. Or you mention a product or service you offer that may help them with an issue they’re having. If they seem interested, this is your chance for the soft sell. 

The same is true with online messaging. Once you’ve reached out, they will reach back. People get busy, though, and may not respond to your first message. When you reach out again, it may jog their memories that they were going to connect with you. This is the point when you can share more about your business.

Following up is an act of love

Once you’ve shared about your business, the next step is to follow up. If they seemed interested, following up is vital if you want them to join your network. Once the conversation is over, they’ll continue to think about your business. They may have questions or want more information. Following up a few days later gives you the opportunity to answer those questions and provide the information they need to decide whether to join your team or become a customer. 

However, most network marketers do nothing after they’ve discussed their business with someone. They figure that if the other person wants to buy from them or take them up on the opportunity to join their team, they’ll get in touch. This may be true in some instances, but for the most part, if you want to grow your network, you need to follow up with them. The biggest reason network marketers don’t follow up is that they simply forget. We all get busy, so we need a reminder to prompt us to act. Teamzy allows you to set follow-ups so you never forget. Once you have the conversation, set the follow-up to circle back and connect. 

Additionally, Teamzy makes it easy to remember who to contact and when. Once you put in their information, Teamzy will let you know when to contact them based on the level of their relationship with you. This will help you stay top of mind of your biggest advocates while ensuring you still contact those relationships that you’re still developing. 

Make it a habit

Although in a perfect world, everyone you have a conversation with would turn into a top advocate, that’s not always the case. That’s why you need to continue to have conversations with people and ask your top advocates to introduce you. Additionally, keep in touch with the prospects and new people in your network. The majority of sales happen between the 7th and 10th follow-up. That means you have to keep connecting with people – and connecting with them consistently – so that they become top customers or team members. Starting the conversation is planting the seed, and the follow-ups you do are the water that the seed needs in order to grow. 

Teamzy can help you grow your network

We created Teamzy to make it easy and fun to grow your network. In addition to keeping your contact information organized and easy to find, we also offer scripts, goal setting, and training videos to make it even easier. Click here to learn more.