Sales Force—by Sandy Elsberg

YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF MONEY IN MULTILEVEL MARKETING - IF YOU KNOW HOW TO SELL. FOLLOW THESE SUREFIRE RETAILING TIPS FOR "RIGHT-NOW MONEY" BY SANDY ELSBERG

COSMETIC COMPANIES HAVE MADE fortunes from it. Nutritional-supplements businesses are booming because of it. And entrepreneurial types with boundless energy and bright ideas have reveled in its financial rewards. What is it? Multilevel marketing or MLM, to folks in the know.

The idea is simple. Large groups of independent distributors–often customers so passionate about a company's product that they join the sales force–sell the product one-on-one. And they earn money on their own sales as well as on the sales of any other distributors they recruit, usually by talking up the product to their friends, who in turn talk it up to their friends.

The backbone of the industry is the fine art of selling, or retailing. Once you've got the technique down, your bank account goes up, sometimes by an astonishing amount.

Do we have your attention now? Here's how to get your customers–and open your business to a world of referrals right now.

Turn 'Em On
You're an example of your product–a walking, talking testimonial. It's your job to show and tell prospective buyers the benefits you've reaped by using your product. For instance, if you're selling a weight-loss product, let people see you looking trim and confident. Mention the compliments you've received and the way you feel.

The key to your success will be your enthusiasm for the product you're selling. The idea is to talk up a product not because you have to but because you're genuinely motivated by its benefits–because, for instance, you feel so terrific after using it that you're compelled to spread the wealth; because you feel that sharing information about your product is like giving a gift or doing a good dear for a friend; because you would share the info anyway–whether or not you made a penny from the plan. Because, at bottom, it's that good.

Use this approach, and people will actually come to you and ask, "What's going on? Why do you look and act so happy, so fulfilled?" Imagine getting one loyal customer a week simply because you look great. It can happen. In fact, it can happen anywhere.

Sometimes customers come from the unlikeliest of places– the next booth in a restaurant, say, or the line you're waiting in at the supermarket. So live your product, and let the curious overhear you talking about it. Your fervor will be infectious.

Give Them a Sample
Savvy retailers invest money in the promotion of their products by creating business cards and samples. Cards that include your name, the name of the company, your phone number, and directions on how to use the product, if necessary, are easy to attach to samples and give just enough information to corroborate your credibility. (You don't want to overwhelm your customers with printed material, of course. But you do want them to feel assured that your samples come from a reputable source.) Then, have them ready for the taking. Just one tip: Make sure you get names, phone numbers, and the best time to call before you leave your product with potential customers. You're a businessperson, and your samples have value. You know your products are the best that money can buy. So act that way.

Follow Up
People will place a higher value on what you're giving them and be more likely to use your sample if they know you're going to take the time to follow up with them. Indeed, the fortune in this business is the follow-up.

Think about it this way. What if one out of every 10 samples resulted in a sale? And what if every sale resulted in a repeat sale and a referral? When you build rapport through follow-up and referrals, those all important royalties grow exponentially.

So call your customers and keep files. Follow up the next day and the next. Ask how they're doing, and field their questions. But always be brief and service-oriented.

Once you've built a relationship, ask for referrals–an essential part of multilevel marketing. Referrals lead to more retailing, more referrals, and more recruits.

Build Up Your Downline
Imagine attracting one committed customer a week for a year. Now imagine your success if five of those 52 become distributors–and if they then turn their friends and coworkers on, and some of those people also become distributors. It's staggering, isn't it?

It's also what multilevel marketers call building a "downline," or finding a reliable team of people who are willing to sell your product with as much enthusiasm as you do. And it's not difficult to do.

Think of it this way. The average person can always use a little help financially, and becoming part of your business could be the answer to all his or her prayers. Simply explain to a satisfied customer that a distributor can receive a percentage of the profit from the sale of the product. The more they sell, the more money they earn. And the more money you earn, too.

Throw a Party
If you're selling a product that can be shown and tried, the power of the home party can turn you into a retailing tornado. Here's what you do. Find a comfortable living area that's free of distraction, and fill it with potential customers (friends, relatives, neighbors). Be sure to show them your product as soon as they walk in the door by setting up an attractive display (complete with a little sign that says DISTRIBUTORS NEEDED). Provide music and a few snacks. Then bring out the storytellers. In other words, ask everyone in the room who has had a positive experience with the product to share his testimonies. And talk dollars and cents, if possible.

If your wallet allows, think about creating a "company video" to play on your VCR. Also, have a speakerphone handy so that some of the best "testimonies" in the organization can be called in.

Learn from Rejection
If I were to come over to your house, plop a bucket of oysters into the middle of the room, and tell you there was a priceless pearl in one, what would you do? Chances are, you'd open every last one until you reached the prize. You'll need the same determination to succeed in multilevel marketing. You may firmly believe, for instance, that someone you know could turn his life around with what you have to offer. But that doesn't mean he'll accept it or even consider it.

To revise an old industry maxim: Some will, some won't–so what? Stop whining and start winning–because someone's waiting just for you.

You will meet people who will believe in the product you're selling and will want to sell it, too. Rather than waste your time and energy on the ones who just don't get it, keep searching for the ones who will. Shuck your oysters. Find your priceless pearls. Move on. And build relationships with everyone going your way.

Sandy Elsberg is the author of Bread Winner, Break Baker and a million dollar earner in the network marketing industry. She lives in Orange County, Calif.