Yesterday, I was thinking back about my first sale in Network Marketing, way back in 2008.
Seems like a long time ago, but I can still remember that rush of adrenaline, thinking to myself, “this can work!”
It was a powerful feeling!
And just as powerful was the feeling of dread that followed… about 10 seconds later.
“Oh Crap! Now what do I do?”
You see, I was so green back then. I never sold anything in my life and it seemed ridiculous that I would be able to help someone else grow their business when I couldn't even help myself half the time.
And as someone with limited time to devote to my business, how could I spare all the time my new recruit would need to get started?
Maybe you've felt that way after making a sale.
Or maybe you haven't made your first sale yet, but it's crossed your mind.
Maybe… just maybe that fear is holding you back from being successful!
Ever think of that?
That would be a shame because it's hard enough to make those first few sales without sabotaging yourself.
So let's take care of that right now.
5 Ways to Help Your New Team Member When You're Just Starting Out
Here are 5 strategies I used to help my new team members when I was just starting out, and some I still use today.
1. Contact your new recruit immediately
Don't get paralyzed thinking of what to say to your new team member.
Get on the phone immediately. Congratulate him on his decision and let him know how happy you are to have him on your team.
Set up an appointment to help your new recruit set up his plan of action in getting started.
2. Call your sponsor and set up a 3-way call
If you have an active sponsor, call him/her and ask for a 3-way call with your new recruit. This will help you feel more confident during this important call, and will also serve to educate you on how a business plan call should be done.
If your sponsor is not active for some reason, contact your closest upline member who is.
3. Take advantage of any social media groups
Some company teams have a dedicated page on Facebook just to provide support for their team. If your team has such a group, you should definitely take advantage of it.
You will be able to get your new recruit the help she needs and you'll be learning a whole lot in the process.
The key is to leverage other people's knowledge and expertise.
4. Leverage your company's training
If your company has training available for new and existing members, you can and should send your new team member over to receive the information. Hopefully, your company will provide a step-by-step guide for those just getting started.
It may be the same training that you completed when you first started.
Again, leveraging the training so that you don't have to provide it is key.
5. Consider an attraction marketing system
I urge all my new team members to strongly consider joining one of the attraction marketing systems that are currently available online.
While this isn't a necessity, joining a system that has extensive training for all levels of experience, high converting landing pages that are ready to use, and is generic in nature will help your new recruit make that first sale quickly.
And we all know that those people who get off to a fast start are more likely to stick around in your business.
Of course, the cost must be low enough to be accessible to all.
This is an especially attractive alternative for people like me who have a traditional job and limited time for their own business.
If you're interested to see what Attraction Marketing System we use to train our new members and get them off to a fast start in their business, you can check it out here.
Now Have Fun!
These 5 strategies will all help you get over the “Oh Crap!” stage of making a sale. Once you put these into practice, you'll be able to fully celebrate each new sale in your business the way you truly should …. with exhilaration!
28 replies to "You Made a Sale! Oh Crap, Now What?"
Hello Bob,
Excellent tips here.
It is crucial to call the new member but I also call whenever someone opts in with a phone number.
Calling shows that you’re a real person and you do care about the prospect.
That action step alone is very powerful.
thanks
Akos
I agree, Akos. Too many people shun the telephone, but really what’s the worst that can happen? The person tells you not to call again? So you don’t call again. Not sure what the big deal is.
Calling someone puts you a cut above others who don’t call. I’ve had more than one person tell me how GRATEFUL they were to hear a human voice.
That should tell you something. Thanks for the comment, Akos.
This made me laugh (not least the title and the picture) but for when I had my first affiliate commission online – I was overjoyed when I sold a Magnetic Sponsoring product and got a $20 commission but 20 days later it got refunded !! (Who in their right minds gets a refund on THAT product??)
Going back to my first recruit, I had a very inexperienced sponsor and I was “kept away” from her upline as she was a high achiever and the impression I was given was that I would have to go through my sponsor to reach her!! As i said – a very inexperienced new distributor (me) and a very inexperienced sponsor leads to disaster – unless you’re as stubborn as me!
Great tips – especially about using a marketing system!
Nicky
Glad you fought through that situation, Nicky.. and its a testament to your determination that you’ve become the marketer that you are today!
Thanks for the kind words!
Having a sponsor for a new venture is critical to level out the excitement and keep you focused. I need that when I am on a roll and want to keep that excitement about what I am doing. Having a mentor to help you through all the ups and downs keeps you level-headed and grounded. I can’t count the many times I lost focus, got bored and frustrated with the many programs I started and didn’t finish. Most times I didn’t take advantage of the additional training that was afforded to me. Lesson learned. Great post Bob!
We’ve all done that, Sonia… you are not alone.
I can’t tell you how many unfinished programs I have on my computer and my bookshelf. I think it’s part of the learning process.
We want to learn, learn, learn… but sometimes it’s not what we SHOULD be learning at the moment. That’s where the experience of a good mentor/sponsor comes in handy.
I think this is the reason I got such a slow start at this Bob because I didn’t have the support of a sponsor in my opportunity so I had no clue whatsoever of what I was suppose to do with a new person should they join me so I sabotaged myself.
I didn’t know who I should be learning from and I soon learned that by listening to what my company was teaching me to do was exactly what I shouldn’t be doing. Those were the hard days in this industry and I’m so glad their over.
This is why it’s important to not only join a great company, but team up with a sponsor that you know will be there to show you the way. Just words of encouragement are fabulous when you’re just getting started.
So glad those days are behind me now Bob so thanks for the memories!
~Adrienne
We’ve all experienced those dark days in the beginning, Adrienne… seems that it’s part of the learning experience. Knowing you know, it’s hard for me to imagine that you struggled in this way, but when we are newbies we just don’t know how to do things, right?
And look at you now!
Great comment, thanks for sharing your experiences!
Hey Bob,
Nice tips. My first affiliate sale was in 2010, it was a weight loss product. Since then, I only manage to sell one sale for Hostgator. These tips will help me a lot to strive more in this online business endeavor.
Thanks for the share…
Noah
Hey Noah, sounds like you needs some tweaks in your funnel, man!
Contact me and I’ll help you through it.
Bob,
Engage! The best thing we can do for new team members is to get them into the party right away. This take confidence on our part though…and if this is your first sign up / team member, then it’s a bit of a concern for sure. the fear of the unknown.
I distinctly remember this fear as well when I enrolled my first business partner. I was so concerned about how to lead him that i didn’t hear what my sponsor said. But that’s part of the dues we all must pay for the success does cost.
We all must pay the dues. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
Ken Pickard
The Network Dad
It is such a memory for all of us… the reason I used the title of this post is because that was my exact reaction when I signed up my first person in my primary program… Oh Crap! Now What?
Makes me laugh now, but back then it was darn scary!
Thank you for sharing wonderful tips. This will be very helpful to me.
No problem, Lucius… glad you found them useful!
Those are great tips, Bob!
Yes, it sure reminded me when I had my first sale in network marketing years ago in 2006 and later in affiliate marketing. Sometimes, people say that once you’ve done it once you are so sure you can do it again, but I didn’t really feel that way for some reasons.
When I got a new recruit I would definitely call my upline and we would do a three way. This was a long time ago for me. Maybe, just maybe I may come back one day to network marketing.
Thanks for the valuable post 🙂
It takes practice and a building of confidence, right Slyviane?
Glad you’ve moved past the struggles and into success!
Great advice. It helps to get your new recruit involved immediately. You definitely made some great pointers about having your upline call them, using social media and giving them access to a system. Thanks for sharing this great information.
Chuck
You’re welcome Chuck! I’m glad you found these tips of use to you.
Thanks for sharing your useful advices, they are very helpful for me, because i’ve just started my online business.
You’re welcome, Julie! Good luck in your business.
Keep us posted on your progress!
I have a different scenario that I run into but the same theme. I know how much work I can handle in my business right now, but obviously I want to grow. So there is part of me that is out there looking for new business and part of me that is afraid to take on new business because I worry how I’ll manage it all! It probably does boil down in some weird way to fear of success.
It’s a matter of stop… breathe… and go forward.
PS: Love your title 🙂
Thanks, Carol… as I told Ken the title was used because that was my exact reaction after I made my first sale.
Your situation is not uncommon. You want more business on one level, but on a deeper level you may be holding back because you’re not sure you can handle it.
My biggest tip would be to consider outsourcing in this situation. Surely there are things you could pass on to others, to free you up to do what you love… and get more clients!
Hey Bob,
Making the first sale online was very exciting for me too..it’s a psychological barrier that is demolished after this moment..the next one comes , Now what should I do.
There is a part of us that knows that is possivle while other is still in fear. That’s why awareness is the first step..Hey, wait a minute..my mind want to invent a story here. After you become aware of the situation there are the 5 solutions you talk about..
Contact the person , he or she won’t bite you 🙂 Introducing them to your system is the easiest solution.. It has everything in place so that one can get started properly.
Bottom line: after making a new sale instead of overthinking use whatever you have at your disposal to assist the new rep/customer .
Thanks for sharing these points. Love your coaching style 🙂
Great points, Radu… I like your tip about becoming aware first. That’s definitely true!
I found this funny! It seem like your afraid of success. Lol. Anyway, I enjoyed reading this.. Thanks for sharing!
Hey Cley, it DOES seem ridiculous, doesn’t it? But it’s very common and can hold people back.
Glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
Hi Bob,
A hearty LOL on this one!
I remember those days well. So excited to have a new team member, then 5 seconds later…”What the hell am I going to do?” It can be scary, and exciting at the same time.
Your tips are spot on. Be present. Calm yourself. Contact your new member immediately. Your primary job is to listen. If you do not have the answers, simply note the questions, and consult your upline, or backoffice training.
The 3 way call helps a great deal. Get your coach on the horn. Tap into their experience. I lacked the confidence to even get in touch with my sponsor, so I learned through other folks, from blogs, etc. I studied pros, learned more about my program, and used experience as my #1 teacher.
Thanks for sharing Bob!
Ryan
Thanks, Ryan… the fear is real but the key is to stay calm and use the resources at your disposal, as Radu pointed out.
Appreciate the comment, bud.