This might be an unconventional topic, but it is what it is.
And I am not going to beat around the bush.
SOCIAL MEDIA MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST PLACE FOR LEAD GENERATION IN MLM.
I keep preaching this, even at the peak of the pandemic.
I faced some setbacks due to these, but I have 3 very solid reasons behind my logic.
- Negative Perception- worse in Digital
- You are competing against Brands
- Pushing on Pull Platforms
Negative Perception – Worse in Digital
Let’s do a search on Google and find out the top questions asked on Direct Selling/ MLM.
Here is a diagram from answerthepublic.com that fleshes out the landscape.
These are the top-of-the-mind things when people think about ‘MLM’ or ‘Network Marketing’.
Search intent is a strong reflection of perception.
Let me list some critical ones from the diagram:
So now we know why the perception is worse on Digital.
Do a similar search on YouTube and you will get an equal amount of negative feedback.
People are conscious of scammers increasingly trying to rob them of their hard-earned money, during the pandemic.
Showing up digitally promoting products under the umbrella of ‘Direct Selling’ or ‘MLM’ might not be the best approach. Be aware of the 5 Indian Myths of Direct Selling.
Even if you have a high follower footprint / large social friend circle, this way of lead gen might tarnish your reputation.
You are competing against Brands
You might think of Social Media as just another medium for your outreach.
Maybe connect with some friends/relatives you have not touched in a year or two.
However, maybe you are looking at it from the surface.
What if I say – You are competing against brands for as little as 3 seconds of mind share.
And by brands, I mean all – from smaller ones to the biggest of the companies.
With time, more and more brands are turning digital and have entire teams aligned for framing communication and taking it to their audience.
There’s strategic planning that takes place for the consumer journey in each sector and category, and there are teams and agencies for taking care of each of the phases of the funnel.
Even if you are planning to reach out to that relative you haven’t contacted in a while, you are scarfing through the same surface as these online brands.
Why do we participate in a battle we know we can’t win?
Pushing on Pull Platforms
Push and Pull is an important technique for marketing.
We must understand it for all phases – even for lead generation platforms.
I already mentioned brands are trying to gauge larger mindshare on social space.
However, social media platforms try to keep engagement meaningful so it keeps thriving as an advertising medium.
So yes, there exists an organic part where people interact outside business relationships.
These are mostly Pull in nature.
People are attracted by your lifestyle, tours, and other achievements on Instagram and Facebook.
Trying to push your products there is (1) abuse of the platform and (2) waste of your efforts and time.
People visit these platforms with a specific frame of mind.
You are simply ruining it and along with it digital relationships as well.
The last thing you want to be is skipped/blocked.
Sometimes, DMing your contact to start building a relationship outside social media, and later moving on to lead generation is the better way out.
Network Marketing is fueled by face-to-face interactions, nothing like it.
You make an appointment, set preliminary expectations, and then go in for an hour of consultancy.
You are catching prospects in a frame of mind of doing business.
You are then putting them at the top of the funnel hoping for a long-term relationship.
Social Media might seem like a quick and easy method of lead generation, but it hurts you in the long run.
People make these types of mistakes and later blame Direct Selling for costing us relationships.
Let’s be smarter.
