One of the best benefits of being a member of The Direct Selling Women's Alliance is having exclusive access to all the wonderful articles written by successful network marketing women! As you may know by now, my goal is to be a supporter and teacher for black women building a direct sales or network marketing business. Well, that is true, but I am also and will always be a student myself, a seeker of information for my own growth and the growth of others. I read a great article today during my daily visit to the DSWA website, it was written by a fellow member and trainer named Sue Seward. The article talked about the importance of making relationship building an important part of how you do business.

Sue explained that Network Marketing is nothing more than building relationships! In other words, it's about people and want they want. As black business women in the network marketing industry it is VERY important that we never see our prospects or our business as a means to increase our income, a cash machine of sorts. In fact, if you begin to look at your business as a PEOPLE machine, you will begin to attract strong prospects to you. Become a giver, not a taker! I know sometimes it feels like you are just giving, giving, giving and no one is giving back. But, with patience, persistence, consistent effort and genuine caring for people, all of sudden, people will begin to contact YOU! Once that happens, you will never turn back and the relationship building begins. Building solid, genuine relationships with your new distributors and team will eventually turn into relationships you can build on for years and years. Also, when you have strong relationships with your new distributors and downline, you will find they want to work harder and stay with you forever.

Today, many black women in the business are building their network marketing business online. Sue Seward mentions that she effectively marketed her company online for the last four years. It is possible to meet prospective business partners online and market your company that way. However, you must be careful to not just sign people into your program online and never build a relationship with them. Too many online network marketers sign people up and never make contact, the internet makes this very easy to do. Once again, even if you sign a new consultant from the internet world, you MUST reach out over the phone or in person in order to begin building a solid relationship. This contact should be constant and regular. Treat the new consultant that you found online just like the new consultant that you met at your church or place of employment. This bonding is very, very important to the long term growth of your business. If you don't form these relationship bonds right away, before you know it your new consultant will be off to the next big money making opportunity! WHY? Because they never got to know the person who signed them up. There was never a real connection or bond.There was no relationship developed. No committment...no long term growth.

How do you form the relationships with  prospects,  new distributors and your downline?

Find out what THEY want! In the case of business prospects, it's important to find out what they are interested in before you go deep into what your company has to offer, how great your products or services are, your superior compensation plan, etc. The truth is some people may not be interested in how fabulous your company or products are until they feel comfortable about YOU and the support you will give them if they sign up. Most people want to know you genuinely care about them and that you will be there for them once they become a member of your team. So find out what is important to them, first, you will be surprised how impressive and powerful this will be to your prospect. This is the beginning of building a real relationship with them.

The same goes for new distributors and your current downline, make sure they understand that YOU are there for THEM. Be straight up and open about the support you can offer and be a giver, giver, giver. Don't be a "door mate" and let uncaring and selfish downline members walk all over you, DO spend the time supporting and giving to your consultants that are working hard to reach their goals. Build a relationship of mutual respect and support.

Also remember that this industry and your business is not for everyone.You may try to build a relationship with a prospect that is clearly not interested in joining your business now or ever. That is just the way it is in our industry, so don't take it personally. Just move on to those that ARE LOOKING and interested, spend time building a relationship with them.

Bottom line: Remember that network marketing is the ultimate People Machine. In other words, this is a business of building relationships and bonds with people. The most successful distributors in our industry understands this very well. Become a network marketing RELATIONSHIP EXPERT, committed to building strong bonds with your organization! 

Much Success to you,

British