MLM Group Friending Strategy

One thing I have learned from many years in network marketing and Internet marketing is to KEEP IT SIMPLE, and FOCUS on a proven method rather than trying to do too many things all at once.

Click below to watch the video I've recorded of me demonstrating this MLM Group Friending Strategy.

It's so much easier to get your team and downline to duplicate something that is simple rather than something that is very difficult to do.

Many network marketers use Facebook almost exclusively to contact other network marketers to build their business opportunity. You can also use Facebook to find Home Based Business Seekers, Real Estate Agents, Insurance Clerks etc etc…

Facebook is a HUGE social networking site and if you can use it correctly, you will see a lot of success.

The golden rule for me in contacting others either online or offline is respect. I accept there are “alpha” personalities who use hard sell techniques to build their busines successfully but that’s not who I am and is not my comfort zone.

I approach others, as I would like to be approached myself. This is what works for me. Perhaps you have a different philosophy and should stick to methods that work for you. Be careful using pushy sales techniques on Facebook as the users of Facebook DO NOT like the HARD SELL.

How To Use Facebook To Grow Your Network Marketing Business

Stage 1

Facebook allows you to build lists of “friends”. As you build friends you can interact with them to talk about your MLM business. I use my Facebook profile mostly for business anda small amount for personal contact. Therefore, I lookto add friends who are in network marketing or home based business.

Do a search on Facebook for a specific network marketing opportunity. Let’s pick an example of Abunza.

Go to the search bar at the top, and search for Abunza… when the results come up, click on the “groups” tab. Look for a group that has a decent amount of members – 100+ members is usually enough to get started… open the group.

Click on “Members” to see all the Members of that group individually. You (You don’t have to join the group to do this). Gradually go through the members and individually invite them to be your “friend”.

Don’t invite everyone in one go, spread it out over a few days. Start off with 20-30 each day. (If you try to make friends with too many early on, it can get pretty hectic when you have to reply to everyone and you might get a warning message from Facebook)

Be selective and use your judgement as to who you invite. If someone doesn’t have a profile picture or if they have a terrible picture, then don’t invite them. You wouldn’t make friends in the real world with someone who looks a bit weird to you, would you? You can go back in to this group and invite more people later, and you’ll be able to see those you’ve already invited.

Click on “Add as Friend” and it will give you the ability to add a message.

Always add a quick message. I keep mine very simple: (Make sure you use your friends first name)

Hi <Firstname> I look forward to networking with you. All the very best, Gavin”.

Stage 2

A portion of the people you invited will confirm you as a friend and this is shown on your “wall” of your profile page.

Click on your “Friends” tab at the top, then “recently added”, it brings up the friends added in sequence.

I use a basic pad of paper to write down the people I have invited to take a look at my MLM business, so that I keep track of where I am in the sequence.

At this stage, you will click on each of the friends in sequence and look at their profile. If they are obviously not network marketers, do not invite them – you do not have to invite everyone.

Once I've gone through their profile, I look to see if there is something we have in common, or if they are involved in a network marketing opportunity. I can then include this in my next email to them to build up the relationship.

The invite I send to those friends is here. Please use your own words for your comfort zone and it also avoids multiple invites in the same language if those friends are friends with more than one of us. You can check that in the “mutual friends” area on their profile:

Hello <Firstname>,

Great to meet you and hope everything is going well for you.

I saw from your profile that you are an entrepreneur and have embraced the network marketing business model.

Congratulations! I'm delighted to have seen the power of that too. Along my particular path, I came across a system called SD that is really helping build my primary business and I was wondering if you'd be open to finding out more about it.

I was introduced to SD a few months ago and it has had a massive impact on my primary business. It is a lead management, training, development and marketing system all in one place. It will work superbly to build your Abunza business opportunity.

The best part of it for me is that I can talk to other networkers about SD, and instead of the silly and pointless cross-recruiting dance we usually do, where we try to recruit each other into our primary opportunities, we can talk to other networkers warmly about SD as it benefits all networkers.

This has lead to multiple network marketing businesses cooperating and gaining from each other. SD benefits any network marketer and the Global audience is massive.

Please let me know if you’re happy for me to send the link for you to take a further look.

I hope this message finds you well and happy,

Gavin

Stage 3

Once you have invited people in this way, a portion will ask for the links to SD. My experience is that about 25% do. If they request the links, I will send them, but in this case, tailor the message much more personally than the previous messages. Talk more about them and their opportunity, their profile pic or any hobbies they may have.

An example of how I send the link is below, but again, you should personalize it to the specific friend you are sending the links to:

Hi ……,

That's great! The link is here:

http://www.LinkToYourWebsite.com

SD is 2 things. In short, it will help build any network marketing business through sorting, sifting and development of leads. Second, because of that, it appeals to network marketers globally, so it’s a huge opportunity in itself, especially if you know and/or meet other network marketers.

It’s a win win situation.

As you follow through the site, click on "System" and it will take you to the site explaining the SD opportunity.

We have a "Leaders Club" group here on Facebook to help each other use SD  to the best efficiency. I'll send you the invite.

Cheers and all the best,
Gavin

Stage 4

Now, as is the true glory of SD, I do nothing with that contact until they enter the SD site. I may send a general update, or invite them to a webinar.

Sometimes they ask me to contact them later, which obviously I do. This is the part where your traditional network marketing techniques will come in to play. The “Hot Leads” that come from this require traditional follow up action.

As always, keep the Facebook prospects’ needs in your mind and not your wants and needs. This way, you’ll retain the respectful attitude, you won’t be spamming people and you will in fact endear yourself to others, whether or not they are interested in your business.

Make sure you adapt the emails to suit your own personality, and your own company. I am involved with SD (This is a nickname), but I'm not revealing what SD is and nor am I giving any links out to SD in this strategy.

I would like to thank Andy Smith for providing this simple but very effective Facebook Strategy.

You can see Maggie talking about this in much more depth in this video.

http://www.networkingsuperstar.com/members/facebook-interviews/video/maggie-lancy (Premium Content)

Here is an actual Facebook conversation with me using the technique…. I've used it lots of times with success. You'll notice that I've changed my message a little bit to personalize the conversation with Bob.

Real Life Example of Permission Based Marketing

Hi Bob,

Thanks for becoming my friend here on Facebook, I look forward to getting to know more about you.

I took a look at your profile and had a look at your blog and websites. I saw that you were taking your first (painful) steps in network marketing, lol… I know all about that!

How long have you been with NM for now and how are you finding it?

I've recently recorded a hello message here on Facebook to introduce myself and to ask you a question…

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/video/video.php?v=71991416213

If you like the video, would you be able to add a quick comment at the bottom of the video?

I Look forward to hearing from you,
Thanks
Gavin

Here is the Reply back from Bob

Hi Gavin, just a quick response because I have to go to work (still…).

I have been at it for a little less than a year.

It is still painfull because I am still waiting to make my first dollar.
I have received thousands of email from gurus.

I have build up a few web pages and sites targetting MLM products without much success. I agree that I have not followed all the rules given but I am still working at it. Yester I enlisted in another opportunity : xxx and crossing my fingers.
CIAO
Bob

Here is the Reply back from Gavin

Hi Bob,

Thanks for your reply. It's a big learning curve Network Marketing and Internet Marketing, takes a while to get everything in order and to find a team of people you can work well with and be part of a mastermind group with.

Yep, there are thousands of 'guru's out there and the funniest part of it is, most of them are not making any money either… they just pretend to.

Looked at your site, and I've seen xxx before.

Are you working full time whilst working your network marketing business?

The best thing to do is to keep it simple. I'm putting together a Facebook marketing course which shows people a simple method of generating leads rather than the complex ways people are teaching online.

I've been in Network Marketing for almost 10 years on and off and I've been making a full time living online for the past 5 years.

Along my path, I came across a system that I'm currently using that's really helping me build up my primary business. I was wondering if you'd be open to finding out more about it.

I've written a few in depth blog posts about how the system works and how I've been using it to build up my existing network marketing business.

I was introduced to this system a while back and it's had a massive impact on my primary business.

The best part about it for me is that I can talk to other networkers about it because it will actually help them build their business and will provide them with the tools of the trade.

So instead of the silly and pointless cross-recruiting dance we usually do, where we try to recruit each other into our primary opportunities, we can talk to other networkers warmly about this system because it benefits all networkers.

Let me know if you'd like to know more and I'll send you the link to my blog posts.

Thanks
Gavin

Here is the Reply back from Bob

Hi Gavin,

It cost nothing to listen (I hope)! I am evaluating two different systems at the moment and I am not sure who to believe. So go ahead and let me have your blog address. thanks

Here is the Reply back from Gavin

Hi Bob,

No, you are correct. Costs nothing to listen.

Our of interest, which two systems are you currently evaluating? Let me know as I might already have experience with them and could give you some feedback.

Here is the link to the first blog post, you will find the link to the 2nd post at the bottom.

http://www.LinkToMyWebsite-RemovedForThisPost.com

Speak soon,
Thanks
Gavin

After a few more emails and a chat on the phone, Bob eventually ended up in my downline

Notice that I haven't spammed Bob with a link to my network marketing business. I asked his permission first, and then instead of sending him to my primary network marketing business, I sent him to a post on my blog where he can get to know me better.

The post on my blog will then do the selling for me and will also help build up that relationship with Bob.

I understand that you may not have a blog, thats fine…. there are other ways around this, but I just want you to understand the principle of permission based marketing Vrs spamming your business opportunity link on people's Facebook walls etc.

Blogs are very powerful and I will actually set you a blog up as a bonus for investing in my Facebook course.

If you scroll down to the bottom of http://www.networkingsuperstar.com/facemlm/mastermind.php – you will see the blog set up bonus.

I look forward to hearing what kind of results you've got from this strategy.

Thanks

Gavin