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The What + Why of Network Marketing

I’m a people person {hence my dream + passion for helping women get organized}, so it might not surprise you that I’m a big fan of network marketing. 

Truthfully, I think people misunderstand what exactly it is. At its core, network marketing is simply marketing your business through others {aka your network of peeps}. Some might even argue, it’s the original method of marketing! 

Here’s why I like it:

• It doesn’t require a huge investment 
• It doesn’t require fancy training or education
• It isn’t risky but has a high reward potential

So, how exactly do you get started with it? 

 

The Different Forms of Network Marketing 

There are a variety of ways to leverage your network to spread the word about what you do + how you do it. Like I said, it may not require a major monetary investment, but it does force you to get out there and talk to people!

 

Referral Marketing

Friend, if you haven’t been leveraging referral marketing, now is the time. Essentially, it is just promoting your products or services to new customers through referrals of existing, passionate customers. It can be one of the best ways to organically grow your business.

My go-to referral marketing guru is Denise Praul, founder of Whiteboard Learning. Denise provides business owners with education, connections, and collaborations that result in more sales with the right clients. 

Some strategies to get you started today include:

• Leverage the power of influencers, especially ones you share an audience with…and make it easy for them to refer you by knowing WHO you serve
• Make the product/service experience shareable 
• Just ASK for referrals {if you don’t…someone else will}

 

Networking Events

What you know will help you create a business, but who you know will help you grow it. 

It can be TOUGH to put yourself out there + make connections, but the benefits are worth it. That’s why I think attending networking events is the best way to navigate the discomfort because literally everyone there is in the same boat. At these events, you can stay in the industry loop, meet others with similar goals {hello, accountability partner!}, and make partnerships with people you wouldn’t have met otherwise.

Ready to put on your business casual and get to networking? 

Here are some ways to find events near you:

• Ask friends, colleagues, former colleagues, etc.! {Yep, it’s that simple}
• Browse networking sites like Eventbrite or Meetup
• Check out local organizations, such as your city/area’s Chamber of Commerce

 

Speaking Engagements

Now, on the subject of getting out and talking to people….let’s look at using speaking engagements as part of your network marketing strategy. 

You started your biz because you have a passion. One of the most impactful ways to grow your customer base is to share that passion with your network directly.

Speaking engagements offer a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their knowledge and network with business prospects. You might speak as part of a panel or by yourself, but either way, it’s an opportunity to highlight your business’s advantages through your knowledge and experience. 

 

Here are some examples of speaking engagements to get you thinking:

• Host a webinar 
• Say YES if you’re asked to do a podcast interview {maybe network some podcast hosts…}
• Volunteer to be apart of a panel for a networking event 

Marketing is an expansive, dynamic, and honestly, ever-changing landscape. It is something you have to stay up on for it to truly work for your biz. Next month, we’ll dive into the power of connecting through email.

 

If you’re ready to really dive into all the back-end pieces of your business {including marketing}, join the Dreaming + Doing Implementation Mastermind ~ coming August 2023!