More Downline Coaching Tips

One of the biggest excuses I see about failing at network marketing is, “I can't sell stuff? What do I know about Product X? How can I get people to buy my product?” I am the first guy to tell you that I am no master salesman. I can't sell ice to the Inuit, in fact, on my worst days I feel like I would have a hard time selling them heaters. But I what I do know is coaching and teaching. I have always been a guy that can make someone better than they are and make a team preform better than they have. Because of this, I am focusing on team building and coaching. This actually leads in to my first tip.

Know your strengths and the strengths of your team

Not everyone can be the star running back or quarterback. That is just a fact of life. However, without a good offensive line the running back and quarterback are going to get hurt, a lot. Not many people know this but the left tackle is one of the highest paid positions in professional football. To use another football example, how many placekickers can you name? Chances are not many but placekickers are responsible for more wins than any other single player. Now that you have heard about football, you may be asking what the point to all this is? The point is that we all have individual talent and skills. A good team is one where those talents and skills complement each other and a good coach will know how to put that together.

Find your leaders

As I said above, everyone is good at something and sometimes you will find natural leaders. Use them! Bring them in and have them work with people in your organization. Some people are natural sales people. Have them work with other to increase their sales or maybe use them as the “voice” of your organization. Let them sell people on the product or opportunity. The possibilities are endless you just have to recognize them

Get feedback from your team

Nothing happens in a vacuum. The decisions you make or the advice you give will have effects. The only way to understand those facts is to talk to your team and see how you are doing. Maybe you are not communicating as good as you think you are. Maybe your ideas need some tweaking. Never be afraid to get feedback from people above and below you, it is the only way you will improve. The best leaders are always looking for feedback and are not afraid of constructive criticism.

Don't micromanage

This is a universal truth that is double in this industry. One of the reasons people want to work from home in a network marketing business is to get away from the boss who always looks over their shoulder. Give general direction, what we in the army often call “Giving them their Arcs”. Point your people in a general direction based on some sound principles and let them be creative.

Hope this helps

Tony

Coaching your downline in goal setting

I believe that coaching is an integral part of success in a network marketing business, as it is in any endeavour. Successful coaching of a down line is one of the inherent strengths of network marketing. By fostering an environment of teamwork and support from an upline, you can make help make each affiliate greater than they would be on their own. Better affiliates means more success. You will be more successful because your down line will send more commissions up the chain and your affiliates will be more successful because they will feel empowered to work harder and stay with the program longer.

One of the traits that I have discovered reading blogs of top network managers is that they have had great coaches and become great coaches themselves. One of the fundamental aims of this blog will be to help you become a better coach to your affiliates. There are many aspects to good coaching but the aspect I will focus on in this post is motivation. One way to help motivate is to help your down line set goals.

A lack of realistic and concrete goals is a major reason for people quiting network marketing opportunities. They see the claims of tens of thousands of dollars being made with little effort and when that doesn't happen they give up. To combat this, I like to set 3 goals covering the short, medium and long terms with specific content linked to each.

Here is an example of my goals:

Short Term: Earn enough income to pay for the cost of my businesses at the premium level.

Medium Term: Make enough extra money to take my family on a nice vacation once or twice a year

Long Term: Have enough residual income to retire early on a reduced pension and still enjoy the lifestyle I have become accustomed to.

Notice there are no specific dollar amounts listed. I know about how much money I need to accomplish these things but I also know that over time those dollar figures will change. By giving the goals as something I want to do, I keep the focus on why I want to make the money rather than the money itself. The money is only an means to an end, not the end itself.

Set goals for yourself and help your down line set goals as well and you will all profit for it. Once your initial goals are reached, set new ones. They don't have to related to money either. Maybe you have goals of helping 20 people a year achieve their goals or getting your website a higher Alexa ranking. Your goals are only limited by your imagination.

Hope that helps,
Tony