You’ve started your own MLM business, and hopefully you have an enthusiastic and committed sponsor who is eager to help you get started.
What should your sponsor do for you? Expectations can run from “nothing really” to “build my business for me”.
As I see it, the responsibilities of a good MLM sponsor include:
- providing training along with an action plan to get you started quickly
- being accessible when you have questions or want to discuss business building strategies
- offering ongoing encouragement and support
- staying in touch and helping you feel a part of the team
The bottom line to creating a successful MLM business is taking initiative and doing what it takes to build your business to whatever level of income and prosperity you desire. A good sponsor will be there to provide you with the tools and assistance to help you get started and off the ground successfully.
Sometime network marketers have unrealistic expectations of what their sponsor should do for them. It’s easy for this to happen – in fact, I recently spoke to one of the most successful network marketing pros I know, and they admitted in the beginning that they expected their sponsor to “take the lead” in building their business for them.
In the real world, here are a couple of things that a good MLM sponsor really just can’t do for you:
- place people in your downline and build your business for you while you watch
- motivate you constantly to take initiative and work your business
Please don’t take this in the wrong way. A good MLM sponsor is always interested and focused on helping downline team members have success. That’s how the system works. They are not responsible, though, for doing the things that you’ll have to do yourself if you want to make it big.
True motivation to build a successful MLM business comes from within. It’s inside you. Nobody can “make you” get excited and motivated to build your business. Your own “why” must be the driving force behind your success.
A good MLM sponsor will guide you through the process of learning your business, and provide regular support and encouragement along the way. The hard part of building a profitable MLM business – the actual day by day action required to sponsor new downline associates consistently and create a profitable home business – is yours.
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About Eldon Beard
Eldon,
I like your post. Sponsors are there to support and encourage but they cannot do the work for their downline. Every sponsor is looking for the self-motivated, the eager, the action taker. Be that kind of a person and you’ll actually gain the attention of your upline sponsor. And, if your sponsor is not willing or able to assist, climb the ladder and go to the next one above. They have an interest in your success also.
Thanks, Eldon,
RICK
Good advice Rick! Successful networkers have to use their time wisely, and part of this is working mostly with people who have shown a willingness and enthusiasm for making something happen.
I totally agree with what you are saying here. I have seen many network marketers who have unrealistic expectations of their upline blame them for their own failings when ultimately it was themselves who were’nt motivated enough to put in the work to build their business.
Team work makes the dream work if you want to build a big downline in Mlm so serious network marketers need go to work and show those people who matter that they are willing to take the necessary steps to becoming a leader in their own right. Take responsibility for your own business at the start and set an example for others who join you and you will thrive in this immensely rewarding business.
Thanks for writing on this interesting topic,
All the best,
Robert Kendray
Thank you Robert. Self responsibility is one of the toughest things for many people to accept. It’s just too easy to point the finger at something else (the sponsor, company, pay plan, whatever) as the cause for lack of success. Getting past this and understanding that those things don’t dictate success is one of the first keys to moving onward and upward.
Great advice. I think it’s so important how the sponsor lays the foundation for their relationship with each new recruit. Of course, sometimes people hear only what they want to hear, but if a sponsor is consistently communicating that message by teaching the recruit how to do things for herself, rather than doing for her/him, then there should minimize misunderstandings or disappointment.
Marquita, thanks for your comment. I learned the hard way a few years ago about the difference between teaching a downline team member HOW to sponsor vs placing people I sponsored under them hoping it would light a fire. In the end, not one person I assisted by placing one or more new signups in their group lasted in the business.
Eldon,
I am one who had misconceptions about what a sponsor should do when I first started. Really because that he promised me he would build my business if I signed up. Need less to say, I didn’t stay in that company too long. I realized if I was getting paid exactly what I put into it.
Anyway, the first step when I sponsor someone is to get their “Why”. I make the person really dig deep, so I know it will drive them…just like you stated.
Jaden
Jaden – we’ve both seen so many examples of people recruiting by promising they will build your business for you. I fell for that many years ago, when I signed up with a nutritional company that featured a binary compensation plan. I was led to believe that having upline spillover build that one leg was virtually a gold mine for me. However, the reality is, most of that volume was wasted unless you were a superstar recruiter in the other leg. So….I’m just saying….there is no free lunch.
A little comment on MLM mentorship, if I may…. It is important to not complain or take out frusterations on your downline. They look to you for leadership, not to be your support system. Instead, lean on you upline for support and questions to any frusterations you might be having.
Absolutely Adrian. Best practice always – take grievances upline, never downline. Don’t want to discourage your team.