By Candy Webb
Network Marketing Editor
This months’ article will cover the four primary facets of good organization in running a successful network marketing business: Follow Up Systems, Institutionalizing Training, Time Management and Becoming a Momentum Manager. I will not go into the merits of the various computer-based abeyance, follow-up, tickler and calendar systems available with many different software packages. It you have your favorite, and prefer to do the majority of your organizational activities online, then this article probably won’t float your boat, but here is an observation I have found to be true after twenty years at the top:
Most newer distributors, especially those who are new to the industry, will not have a system of computer-based follow-up they are using, and what will be the very most helpful for them is a simple, paper-based system that they can grasp in five minutes and put into practice in about the same time. What you don’t want is that new person grappling with a sophisticated system before they are even dry behind the ears. Once they have established a rhythm and a routine and know the parameters of what they need to do in your particular company, they can migrate to a more sophisticated system. After twenty years, I still have not migrated to a more sophisticated system and I make millions in this industry. So, is it necessary? ABSOLUTELY not.
FOLLOWUP is as key to building your business as arguably as important as initiation of the contact. Unfortunately, most people have poor, unruly systems of follow-up with slips of paper, notes to themselves, yellow stickers everywhere to remind them of when, who and what. Not too hot; we’re going to eliminate yellow stickers forever.
THE MATERIALS NECESSARY:
- Three ring Binder, Calendar in the Front, the Current Month Divider Next, Followed by the 1-31 Dividers. When you get to the end of that month, advance the 1-31 Day Dividers behind the next month, and so on.
- Three ring Binder paper
- One set of Index Dividers with the Months of the Year
- One set of Index Dividers with the days of the month (1-31)
- A Monthly Calendar for the Binder (I prefer the two page per month type)
STEP ONE: Put Individual contacts, their profile, and their contact info, anything you know about them on ONE 3-ring notebook paper page. ALL notes about this person, all follow-up details will reside on this one sheet. If your notes get too voluminous, staple another page. The key point is to keep all notes together! Start with 100 Contacts.
STEP TWO: As you call each individual, make appointments, etc. make all notes on their sheet. Always make the next appointment while you have them on the phone or while you are sitting in front of them. This appointment goes two places – On the calendar and also, as you complete your notes, the sheet goes under the date of the next appointment, contact, or agreed upon follow-up.
ESSENTIAL: You must check this calendar every night before you go to bed to see what is under the tab for the next day. You will never miss an appointment; you will never miss a follow up call. This is the glue of the system.
INSTITUTIONALIZING TRAINING: Most good network marketing companies have valuable training available at seminars, on CDs, on Conference Calls, Webinars, at local events. We hear amazingly useful information every day, but it never becomes part of our infrastructure. It never gets “institutionalized” to the point where it becomes part of just how we do the business. Hear are three quick tips to make sure that the valuable information is put into action:
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