TARGET PRACTICE

Tired of the Traditional Advertising Approaches? Maybe It's Time to Try a Little Target Practice.

By Mark A. Smith

Long ago I asked a very successful MLM guru where he purchased his mailing list. I reasoned that if I knew where a top MLM producer was getting his names and addresses, it would be smart to buy from the same source.

I was shocked with his response. He said, "I never purchase my names and addresses. In fact, I have no idea where you can purchase the best mailing list."

I was confused. An MLM "guru" couldn't give me a good source for buying a mailing list. Wow!

So I thought quick and responded. "Well, you must place ads in publications for your leads?" He said, "No, I don't do that, either." Still trying to pin him down, I said, "You mean you get ALL your leads from word-of-mouth advertising?"

He laughed. "Of course not. I don't even like doing business with family members or close friends. It's just not my style."

So I thought to myself--Is this guy pulling my leg? He doesn't purchase any mailing lists, he doesn't advertise in any publications, and he doesn't use word of mouth advertising. Yet he's a top MLM producer. Is that possible?"

So then I finally must have asked the right question--I said, "Then how in the world do you advertise?"

"Target Practice," he said. "I simply scan the money-making and business opportunities section of national publications and look for people advertising their opportunities. I pay particular attention to the classified ads. If the ad seems to fit with what I've got to offer, I highlight it. Then I go back and write down the names and addresses of these advertisers. These advertisers become my 'targets' or what you might call my mailing list. And it's Free! Then I simply shoot my offer at the target and hope to hit a bullseye. And sometimes I do. A bullseye is when an advertiser becomes a distributor under me. And I hit enough bull's eyes to keep me in business."

THEN IT CLICKED! I remembered that we got to know each other through a small one-inch display ad I was running back then. So all he does is Target Practice and it works well for him. And it can work well for you, too.

The Target Practice strategy is a kissing cousin to mailing your offer to the businesses that mail their opportunities to you. Yes, when we do this, we are target practicing just like my MLM friend. And we can hit bullseyes with either or both target practicing methods.

And please don't misunderstand me. I'm definitely NOT saying to never purchase a mailing list. A good mailing list can save you the time of searching through many publications. I'm just pointing out that there are some very inexpensive alternatives we can consider. And these options can be very effective.

I think it's best to "test" different forms of advertising to see what "fits" YOU. If you get good results, keep doing it. If not, try another approach. A few advertising strategies include:

1. Display Advertising

2. Classified Advertising

3. Target Practice

4. Internet advertising

5. A purchased mailing list

The key is to test, test, TEST. And NEVER risk more than you can comfortably afford to lose. Never!

For example, a full-page ad in a major publication could run $10,000 or more. I would never, ever risk that kind of money. Especially when there are so many inexpensive options. It's best to start small and keep testing. And the testing process never ends, no matter how large your business becomes. Remember--my MLM "guru" friend never spends a dime for a lead! It just doesn't make sense to risk a lot of money on expensive advertising methods, until you build a large enough business and the expense is insignificant. The more you spend doesn't necessarily mean the better you'll do. In fact, spending less WISELY usually produces better results.

The whole idea of multi-level marketing is to NOT have to invest thousands of dollars as you would have to do in most other businesses. Our combined efforts is what can generate spectacular results. Everybody does a little bit, and it adds up to a LOT. The most successful MLM producers are those who work smart and remain persistent in their efforts, AND pass on the motivation and assistance to their downlines.

So let's get busy and do some target practicing and testing of some of the other inexpensive ways of advertising. Our theme should be test, test, test, and advertise, advertise, advertise. And then advertise some more. No one is going to do this for you. You must push yourself to get the desired results.

Mark Smith, B.A., M.S.M., is the country's largest distributor with a well-known MLM company. His personal success and phenomenal downline growth is attributed to the remarkable upline support system he has developed. Smith's proven training materials teach "real people" how to sponsor ever-increasing numbers of qualified distributors. Smith is offering readers of this column a free sample of his monthly "Distributor Strategy" newsletter. Write him today at:

Mark Smith
1112 Baxter Ln
Freeport, IL 61032

      

         

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