There are so many MLM, network marketing companies in operation. How do you know which one is a good fit for you? Have you thought about what type of product you’d like to sell? Or the compensation plan that would work best for you? Do you have a sponsor that will support you in growing your home-based business?

As you are researching your options, keep the following six questions in mind before you choose to sign up with a direct selling company.  

1. Does the direct selling company have a valid product or service that you believe in—that you are passionate about selling?
2. Does the company management have proven experience in network marketing?
3. Does the compensation plan provide retail profit to the distributor and pay bonuses for developing a downline organization?
4. Does the MLM company offer top quality promotional and support materials?
5. Does the network marketing company offer ongoing field training and support available throughout the country?
6. Do you have a sponsor that is willing to work with you and help you in your efforts?

These questions are all imperative to the success of your distributorship business. Weigh your options carefully. Network with other distributors about the companies in which they’ve had success. Do your research, compare each company apples to apples, or apples to pears. Make sure that you choose a company that you are not only passionate about, but that is also supportive of its distributors.

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Because we are globally-connected, you are bound to become involved in long distance sponsoring.

Embrace the opportunity to recruit beyond your city walls. You never know if – in a city a thousand miles away – long-distance sponsorship will be your most productive downline.

Like everything else in this business (in life); however, there are right and wrong ways to go about long distance sponsoring.

In a Business Start-Ups magazine interview, a national developer and producer of marketing and training materials for MLM companies and distributors, notes that “a conscious game plan may make all the difference in effective long distance sponsoring.” The interviewee points out that the helter-skelter approach to sponsoring (“go wide and see where it goes”) won’t necessarily yield the best results for your time and effort. Using this approach, he says, people are told to sign up anyone “as long as they breathe.”

Like any other important financial decision, the interviewee goes on, give it thought. “Just because you know a guy in Ohio, doesn’t mean you should sign him up, particularly if he is going to do nothing in your organization but draw on your time.”

This approach may support a few heavy hitters at the top of a network marketing organization, but not the average distributor. The interviewee points out that the top people in a network organization always try to put active, motivated people on their organization.

Here are 10 tips to help you when it’s time to cash-in on long distance sponsorship:

1) Know your craft: Before you start sponsoring long distance, make sure that you’ve mastered sales and recruiting in your own locality. The interviewee advises, “Know what you are doing and what you are going to teach.” Be a deal closer!

2) Choose wisely: If you want to increase your chances of success in long distance sponsoring, look for people who are “wired to win;” independent people with a track record of success. In fact, the further the distance, the more independent and reliable that person must be. The interviewee parallels the long distance sponsoring relationship to that of a long distance romance, saying, “If I am in LA, can I have a successful romance with someone in NY? Perhaps if I choose wisely.”

3) Create a system: You should start off with a comprehensive plan of attack and communicate it to your downline distributors so that you are all singing from the same song sheet. This is best accomplished at the beginning of the relationship by emailing them your proposed plan of attack.

4) Agree on responsive commitments: When you first establish relationships with long distance recruits, take some time to qualify the candidates. You need to talk to them, says the interviewee, and determine what they want, how much they are willing to commit in time, money and resources, and in what timeframe. Although you are all operating independent businesses, you are somewhat dependent on one another. Once you find the right person, develop an agreement that details your respective commitments – at the very least – in an email dedicated to the subject of business goals and plans.

5) Establish a long distance sponsoring budget: You have to spend money to make money. Long distance sponsoring is going to create expenses you don’t normally have when you sponsor distributors locally. To determine whether it will pay off for you, you’d better understand the costs involved. The first obvious expense is of calling charges and data rates on phone plans that don’t have unlimited data. Are you going to be mailing support materials to downline distributors? Plan on postage and mailing expenses for communication and shipping expenses for support materials. Are you planning on flying out to meet your downline or join an event? Plan a travel budget to support your downline group. This is obvious, but must be mentioned anyway: Make use of free technology (email, Skype, messaging services, etc.) to cut down on your long distance communication expenses.

6) Get some support from your company: If it looks like long distance sponsoring will be a real winner for you, you should take a close look at the multilevel marketing company you are working for to see if it has systems that will work to support your efforts. These may include voice messaging systems, national conference call service, digital communications and documents, email services, distributor website, as well as engaging materials to support retailing and team building.

7) Make sure the company training program supports long distance growth: Although this has been a problem in the past for some network marketing companies, many MLM companies today are developing new systems to support essential training for long distance recruits. Just take a look at their marketing materials.

8) Build your downline in geographical areas supported by your company: When you build your organization long distance, try to build in areas where the company is supporting growth through tours, rallies, events, and training. It’s much easier (and less expensive) to arrange meetings if most everyone in your downline is located around the same regional area.

9) Focus on areas where other successful distributors are located: Geographical areas where there is an infrastructure of successful distributors should be your first focus. It is particularly helpful if you can develop a reciprocal relationship where you support distributors of long distance recruits in your city in exchange for your distributors being supported by successful leader outside your city.

10) Provide the personal touch: The interviewee suggests that “training is everything and three-way calling is the name of the game in long distance sponsoring.” Be sure that you are on the phone with the first 10 contacts your new, long-distance distributor calls. This bonds potential customers to your organization from the very beginning. And also – when your distributors contact their potential customers – your new recruit will have the opportunity to listen to your presentation, gather information, learn how to overcome resistance, learn how to close the sale, and begin to build their own successful business.

In network marketing, long distance sponsoring opens a world of opportunity. If you’re willing to do it right, it can be an extremely profitable world. Remember, it takes time. It take a lot of effort and patience. And, above all, it takes determination.

Learn more about recruiting from Attorney Jeff Babener!

What is the benefit of recruiting experienced distributors? Video!

What’s the difference between sponsoring and recruiting? Video!

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Can online-only starter kits be done in a way that ensures a high perceived value?

There has been a clear trend in recent years to offer sales and marketing support online and in the cloud. In reality, the developmental costs are equal or more in providing such support. The quality of support is quite significant, including: all company forms, distributor agreements and terms, policies and procedures, administrative housekeeping rules, product descriptions and updates, compensation plan descriptions and updates, training, communication tools, back office management of down line sales performance and financial reporting, replicated websites, the list goes on. In reality, the real and perceived value of emerging online sales and marketing support will far exceed the limited (physical) sales kits of “yesterday.”

If you are interested in attending the Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference visit our conference page, view our speaker list, or get more details. All executives/owners of direct selling companies are welcome to attend. Call 800-231-2162 to register.

Our next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place October 22 and 23, 2015 in Las Vegas. View our conference flyer and speaker list online. Participate in our Innovation Campaign for your chance to receive TWO FREE TICKETS to attend our next conference.

If you’re reading this blog post and the conference dates above have passed, check our website for the current conference dates.

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In reality, the real and perceived value of emerging online sales and marketing support will far exceed the limited sales kits of “yesterday.”

There has been a clear trend in recent years to offer sales and marketing support online and in the cloud. In reality, the developmental costs are equal or more in providing such support. The quality of support is quite significant, including: all company forms, distributor agreements and terms, policies and procedures, administrative housekeeping rules, product descriptions and updates, compensation plan descriptions and updates, training, communication tools, back office management of down line sales performance and financial reporting, replicated websites, etc.

In reality, the real and perceived value of emerging online sales and marketing support will far exceed the limited sales kits of “yesterday.”

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Our next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place May 15th & 16th, 2014 in Las Vegas. Call 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162 to register. If you’d like to see how you can get free tickets to the next MLM Startup Conference, visit our Innovation Campaign page.

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