7 Proven Network Marketing Follow-up Tips

When you’re inviting people to look at your network marketing business, following up is absolutely crucial. There are A LOT of wrong ways to do it, but these seven network marketing follow-up tips will help increase your sign-ups dramatically.

The tips are listed below in order so that you can use them to create an effective network marketing follow-up system. The more you use these tips, the better you’ll get. Knowing that you are going to follow up with your prospects the same way every time will give you confidence because you’re not just winging it.

You’ll also be able to tailor these tips more to your business and your personality. These work no matter if you are following up in person or over the phone. There are a few examples below of what to say, but you don’t (and shouldn’t) follow these word for word each time. Be natural. Be yourself.

Just like with anything you are implementing into your business, you have to be willing to mess up. The only way to get better at your network marketing follow-up techniques is to do it over and over and over. Also, if you want some great tips on inviting people to look at your business, check out this post here.

Follow-up Tip 1: Don’t Be Needy

You don’t NEED them. You’re bringing an opportunity and value to them, so don’t come across as needy. Your posture tells a lot, and like anything else, you get better at this with practice.

You’re probably not going to be great with this at first, and that’s fine. But when you’re following up with someone, always keep in mind that you are going to grow your business with or without them.

Your success doesn’t hinge on any one person, so don’t be addicted to the outcome. It’s not about you. It’s about them. You’re not asking them to join your business. You are presenting an opportunity to them.

Your mindset when you go through the network marketing follow-up process with someone will greatly affect the other six points below.

Follow-up Tip 2: Stay in Control – Set a Specific Time

Whenever you are followup with someone, always stay in control of the conversation. Here’s how you do that:

NEVER leave it up to them to get back in touch with you. Because that just isn’t going to happen. People are busy, and they have a ton of other priorities to take care of.

ALWAYS set a specific time for you to follow up with them. This might be in person or over the phone. Ask them what time works for them, and try to set it up in the next 24 hours.

This works for a few reasons: It shows courtesy to them because it works around their schedule. Also, if you ask  what time works for them, people will usually give you a specific time because they start thinking about their schedule in the next 24 hours.

After they give you a specific time, just confirm with them and say something like, “Great, I promise I’ll call tomorrow at 8:00.”

See what that does? It conveys value to them. Super-important.

Follow-up Tip 3: Ask What They Liked Best

This is one of the biggest issues home business owners and network marketers have when following up with people. What do I say? How do I control the conversation? What do I NOT say?

Here’s a terrific rule: Say LESS! Don’t throw up all over them with all the bazillion benefits of your product, service or opportunity. Just ask them what they liked best.

This keeps it positive. You can relate to what they liked and tell them how you like the same thing they liked. Also ask them what else they like. Just keep building on the positive.

Don’t ask them, “What did you think?” That keeps it wide open for a negative response. People tend to default to defensiveness, and they typically like to find problems. They like to poke holes.

One of the later tips covers how to get their questions and concerns addressed.

Follow-up Tip 4: What if You Get Stood Up?

You mean, someone might not answer my call or meet up with me when they said they would!?

I know, appalling, right?

It happens, and it happens to even the best of the best. So, just be prepared. Be prepared for people to cancel on you or just not answer the phone, even if you set up a specific follow-up time that you both agree on. Don’t let it hurt your feelings hurt.

If you’re following up with them over the phone and they don’t answer, just leave a message confirming you had the appointment at the specific time. If they don’t call back, call again one day later. If they still don’t answer, DON’T leave a message the second time.

If you still don’t hear from them, they certainly might be avoiding you, but that might not be the case. Wait two more days and call them back. On that third call leave a message that basically says:

“Hi, THEIR NAME. This is YOUR NAME. I hope you’re OK. I never heard back from you. I take it you’re not interested in that opportunity/product, which it totally fine. I just want to make sure we don’t waste each others time. I cross you off my list, but let me know if you know anyone who IS open to earning some extra money.”

Of course, you don’t have to use that word-for-word. But a couple key things: “I hope you’re OK” usually prompts a response because people don’t want you thinking something bad happened to them, or thinking that you did something wrong.

Also, people hate being crossed off lists. They don’t like the notion that they are “not being considered” or that they aren’t open-minded.

Follow-up Tip 5: Validate

This might be the most underutilized part of the network marketing follow-up formula. Some people will say No right away. Some will say Yes. Most will be in the fence.

If someone is on the fence, make sure they get enough information to help them make a decision either way. And make sure they know that’s your purpose. What they’re likely looking for is validation.

How do you know if they need a validation? Ask this:

“On a scale of 1 to 10, with where would you say you are right now in your decision?”

If they are anywhere in the middle, then they need a validation. The goal is to get them to as close to a 1 or a 10 as you can. Don’t leave them hanging at a lukewarm 5 or 6.

Great ways to do a validation are three-way calls with one of your upline team coaches or maybe an in-person business presentation or meeting. This brings on an expert who can answer their questions and address their concerns.

This also lets you leverage your team and those who are better than you. It shows your prospects that you have support and a team working with you. They will get the same support, so it shows they won’t have to know it all to succeed.

Follow-up Tip 6: Set the Next Appointment

Sometimes your network marketing follow-up requires another follow-up. And that’s perfectly fine.

Most people need multiple exposures before they make a decision. That can be a good thing, because it could be an indication that they are very serious about creating a real long-term business. This might mean the initial business presentation, sampling some products, a live presentation, a validation call, etc.

No matter how many exposures your prospect needs, be sure to set the specific time for the next appointment. Don’t leave one appointment without setting the time for the next appointment. This keeps you in control.

Approach it with the attitude that you are giving them all the info they need to make a decision. Because that’s exactly what you are doing for them.

Follow-up Tip 7: Ask if They are Ready to Get Started

Follow-ups are so huge, but they’re not going to be worth anything unless you actually ask for a decision.

A good time to do this is right after the validation call. Here are a few things you can say:

“Well, from what you’re telling me it seems like you’re ready to get started.”

“So, do you see an opportunity for yourself/your family?”

Again, keep it about them. You don’t NEED them. This opportunity is for them, not you.

These seven steps might seem like a lot, but once you start using them to create a follow-up system, it will become more and more natural.

Here are a few other good network marketing follow-up tips:

NETWORK MARKETING: TECHNIQUES TO FOLLOWING UP WITH YOUR PROSPECTS
HOW TO FOLLOW UP WITH MLM LEADS (Ray Higdon)
FOLLOW-UP TIPS (Eric Worre)