Social Media & MLMs: Is Your Team Technically Ready?
Knikkolette | Jan 23, 2012 | Comments 10
In today’s economy, I see more and more people starting their own businesses, and of those a good percentage of them are MLMs or multi-level-marketing businesses, such as Scentsy, Tastefully Simple, or one I’m sure you’ve heard of Mary Kay. This a good thing and a bad thing. Many MLMs provide the tools necessary for their consultants such as a website (many times at an extra charge), but mostly these companies want their consultants to go out and sell sell sell, and build a “team” or “downline” because that’s where the real money is made. The problem with this, is many of the distributors or consultants aren’t technically savvy, haven’t been using social media beyond the point of playing Farmville on Facebook and don’t know how to successfully leverage these amazing marketing venues.
Here are some basic steps & tools to help you get your team technically ready to help launch their social media presence:
1. Do they have basic social media skills? Do they know how to post on their Facebook fan page successfully? It’s not about the sell, (although that is the end goal), it’s about the social. Some of the most successful Facebook fan pages are those by individuals not previously online, but just good at talking to people and sharing photos of their events. Facebook is kinda like a family BBQ, you go, you interact, share photos, a good time is had by all. Twitter on the other hand, is more like a cocktail party. You still go, interact & and can share photos, but the conversations are usually shorter and the photos aren’t shared as often. I’ve recently been told LinkedIn is also a valuable asset to MLM distributors not only for making connections but for building teams.
2. Are your team marketing their target market or are they being too general? Facebook is fantastic at being able to zone in to territories, or areas that are assigned to team members. Twitter also allows you to follow your target market, through the use of their search feature.
3. Are they using tools that can help save them time such as TweetDeck, MarketMeSuite, etc… These tools can help your team post to multiple social media platforms simultaneously, while monitoring the content as well.
These are just a few things you and your team can do, and a few hyperlinks to posts they can read and videos they can watch that will help them market their business successfully using social media.
If you liked these and would like to see more, stay tuned, subscribe and if you have a question that has not been asked, feel free to post it on my Facebook fan page.
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Filed Under: Facebook • Featured • For Beginners • LinkedIn • Online Marketing • Social Media
Great post, Knikkolette. I’m working with one MLM client, and right now I’m handling the posting, but when she and her team(s) are ready to take over, these are the kinds of tips and guidelines they will need. Well done!
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Thanks Mallie, I’ll have another post later that will go into branding and the rules of the various companies they need to remember when making their posts.
Knikkolette,
As always, good, solid, relevant information!
You pointed out very well things that individuals can do to be efficient, but I liked that you mentioned “team.”
The element of team is what will make it social!
As we are collaborating for January Jig, independent sales consultant teams should collaborate together to get the most optimal “buzz” or viral effect for their message.
Always a pleasure – Thank you for sharing,
~Keri
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Thanks Keri!
Yes, “TEAM” is one thing I have learned by working with MLMs a lot. Many don’t like the use of “downline” although many still use the term widely. Team gives everyone the sense of being at the same level and working together.
And again… thanks for including me in this great opportunity!
Nice round-up on how to get your team prepared for using social media.
One of my biggest bugbears with MLMs and their use of social media is that they tend to get really excited to start with, throw themselves into it and then get burned out and vanish.
The tools and guidance in this post should help to sort that out!
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Thanks for your feedback Kitty. What can also help with the excitement/burnout are the groups on the various social media platforms that help the team member stay connected, keep each other accountable, help each other reach goals. Sometimes the phone calls that are provided just aren’t the right training tool for all personality types…
Good questions asked and answered here!
Thanks Beverly! Hope you’ll be back to visit!
I’ve had family members do many types of MLM’s, I really liked the information given here.
Hi Jessica – so glad you found the info useful.