Are We Really Listening? - Twitter for MLM'ers

For the past almost two weeks now, I've thrown myself headfirst into the deepest of rabbit holes otherwise known as Twitter. And I love it!

Well, most of it.

I've spent the past ten days or so really becoming a student of the microblogging phenomena, and am blown away by the sheer power of it. The ability to connect with thousands of people from around the globe is a Networker's dream come true. But more and more I'm seeing that a lot of networkers STILL DON'T GET IT.

I wanted to test the scope of my Twitter presence so the other day I asked all the MLM'ers following me to shoot me a list of the Top 5 books that have impacted their lives. How many responses did I get? FOUR. And one of them was from a friend that isn't even a network marketer.

Disheartening? No. Like I said, it was a test and I knew that my ten days of Tweeting, really Tweeting wasn't enough to really make that much of an impact. However, the test DID tell me that MLM'ers weren't LISTENING - a cardinal sin if you're building a business off line as well as online.

If you are using Twitter as part of you marketing arsenal, here are some suggestions:

• BOTS, AUTO DM'S, and anything NOT YOU - Stay away from these! Unless your goal is to come across as disingenuous as possible, then don't touch these with a ten foot mouse pad. Included in this list are those auto-follower-getter things. Useless! Find followers and meet people the old fashion way - one at a time. Start following people with whom you might have a common interest and you'll not only learn some things but also start to pick up followers of your own.



• BLASTING YOUR OPPORTUNITY - The reality is we (MLM'ers) are here to promote our products and opportunities. But if all you're doing is blasting out one line copies telling everyone to go to your site, people will quickly tune you out. You're being a salesman. And even if you're sending your opportunity as a Direct Message (DM), without having first developed a relationship with the person, you again become a salesman except this time you're going door to door.
  
  Build and create relationships. Do this by engaging the people you meet online in a conversation. Remember, to have any sort of credibility with people they must get to know you and trust you.



• LISTEN - am I a little miffed that so few people responded? Sure, who wouldn't be. But my point is, if you're not listening then you're neglecting a good 50 percent or half of the communication process - the MOST IMPORTANT HALF!

Bottom line, it's all about COMMUNITY. While you might be able to make a few bucks by blanketing the Internet with your opportunity or affiliate program, the results will be fleeting at best. The only way to build a lasting Network Marketing business on and off line is by becoming part of, contributing to, and cultivating relationships within the community.

To reference an entry I wrote last year:

"You see, the Internet with all it's fancy technological advances is simply this: the Next Evolution in Human Communication. If you're just indiscriminately blasting your opportunity out to the entire world wide web, people will tune you out like they do TV adverts or sleazy salesmen. But if you take the time to develop relationships and to communicate, really communicate with people, then you've accomplished what every person, consciously or unconsciously desires -- A HUMAN CONNECTION."

see entire entry HERE