What Should A Good Sponsor Be?
Are you a good Sponsor? Do you have a good Sponsor? This is what I want to deal with in this post.
I
have been in various Network Marketing businesses for almost 30 years.
Amway was my first venture back in the late '70's when people were
really making big money in it. Living in North Carolina at the time, I
was priviliged to personally meet Bill Britt and Chuck Yeager, two of
the earlier multi-millionaires. What I learned from that early
experience through to the present is the importance of one's Sponsor.
Your
sponsor in any kind of network marketing, affiliate, internet or
otherwise business can be critical to your success. This seems to
especially be true with Internet Marketing type businesses where it is
more and more impersonal and you just deal with faceless names on a
computer screen. Here are some things you need from your Sponsor and
this is what I feel a Sponsor should strive to be or do:
Credibility
-- It is best to have a sponsor with experience but it is better to
have one with character. Credibility is developed from one's experience
and knowledge put into action through one's character. In short, your
sponsor should "know what they are talking about," but have the character to admit when they "don't know what they are talking about."
Accessibility
-- Can you get in touch with your sponsor when you need to? What if you
want to bounce an idea off them before you spend a bunch of money, will
they be available? Is it possible to pick up the phone and call them or
do they at least return emails. I personally prefer those in my team to
email me with most things because then I have a written record of their
question or concern. Still, I take all phone calls and make every
effort to return messages left.
Reliability -- Can you count on
your sponsor to do what they say they are going to do. This is not
always a character issue, but do they have the time, talent, or
treasure to do what they intend to do...especially when you are
counting on them. I have to really work on not over promising. If I say
I am going to do something, I better know I have what it takes to do it.
Accountability
-- As a sponsor, I cannot be a lone ranger, bringing multitudes of new
enrollees on board, but leaving them as orphans. If I sign someone up
in a program, I must be accountable to that person for what I do or do
not do later. Your sponsor needs to be aware that their actions can
have a big impact on your business.
Ability -- Finally, does
your sponsor have any ability? They may be ever so nice, but if they
have no ability, you need to strongly consider whether you should sign
up under them or not. Some clues to look for...what kind of emails do
they write, what does their personal website look like, are they
professional on the phone, etc.
Finally, you probably do not
want some Huge Internet Guru as your sponsor as you may only become a
number to them, but you do want to seriously consider some of the above
before you just blindly sign up under the first person who presents you.
Gary Madden
My Website
I
have been in various Network Marketing businesses for almost 30 years.
Amway was my first venture back in the late '70's when people were
really making big money in it. Living in North Carolina at the time, I
was priviliged to personally meet Bill Britt and Chuck Yeager, two of
the earlier multi-millionaires. What I learned from that early
experience through to the present is the importance of one's Sponsor.
Your
sponsor in any kind of network marketing, affiliate, internet or
otherwise business can be critical to your success. This seems to
especially be true with Internet Marketing type businesses where it is
more and more impersonal and you just deal with faceless names on a
computer screen. Here are some things you need from your Sponsor and
this is what I feel a Sponsor should strive to be or do:
Credibility
-- It is best to have a sponsor with experience but it is better to
have one with character. Credibility is developed from one's experience
and knowledge put into action through one's character. In short, your
sponsor should "know what they are talking about," but have the character to admit when they "don't know what they are talking about."
Accessibility
-- Can you get in touch with your sponsor when you need to? What if you
want to bounce an idea off them before you spend a bunch of money, will
they be available? Is it possible to pick up the phone and call them or
do they at least return emails. I personally prefer those in my team to
email me with most things because then I have a written record of their
question or concern. Still, I take all phone calls and make every
effort to return messages left.
Reliability -- Can you count on
your sponsor to do what they say they are going to do. This is not
always a character issue, but do they have the time, talent, or
treasure to do what they intend to do...especially when you are
counting on them. I have to really work on not over promising. If I say
I am going to do something, I better know I have what it takes to do it.
Accountability
-- As a sponsor, I cannot be a lone ranger, bringing multitudes of new
enrollees on board, but leaving them as orphans. If I sign someone up
in a program, I must be accountable to that person for what I do or do
not do later. Your sponsor needs to be aware that their actions can
have a big impact on your business.
Ability -- Finally, does
your sponsor have any ability? They may be ever so nice, but if they
have no ability, you need to strongly consider whether you should sign
up under them or not. Some clues to look for...what kind of emails do
they write, what does their personal website look like, are they
professional on the phone, etc.
Finally, you probably do not
want some Huge Internet Guru as your sponsor as you may only become a
number to them, but you do want to seriously consider some of the above
before you just blindly sign up under the first person who presents you.
Gary Madden
My Website
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Comments (12)
Allan Haastrup7
Networker
Well my experiencesare that many times, people will develop their own system, because their upline don't copy their upline, hence the replication is not working.
Also, geting back to the main point of this article.
The people sponsoring new distributors into their organisation do not act as sponsors and hence the new distributors, if they want to try and build the business, are forced to make their own programs, or take the company training and interpret it in their own way.
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
Allan, the answer is simple : they offer their upline's advice, which will offer their upline's advice, ad nauseum LOL
Well, there's gotta be an upline member making money, the trick is, find him/her and DON'T LET GO
Allan Haastrup7
Networker
@Paula, I agree. Blind obedience is never good. However I do still believe that many people joining network marketing do not even know what they should/can offer as sponsors to their downline.
@Patsy I do agree to mutual learning. That's what is so great aboutthis kind of business. We can all learn from each other, providing all come with open minds.
Patsy j Payne8
konnektions konsultant
@All
Maybe a new criteria to ass: a mutual learning environment, both for the recruit and the sponsor.
I say that because with each sponsor I have been exposed to on the past six months, although I have learned from them, many have learned things from me also. It could be a "slogan" I pop out with, a different way to discuss issues, lots of things. Thank you Paula and Philippe and all.
Paula van Dun16
Retired
@Patsy Thanks for the compliment. I have laerned things from you too.
@philippe: LOL i do not know Amway but as you describe it i will certainly not fit in
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
Paula, you wouldn't fit in the Amway philosophy, well, the one from the 1990s anyway. They always said to "listen religiously to the upline"
In short, be a little Amway zombie
Patsy j Payne8
konnektions konsultant
@Paula
You added an excellent point to the article and you practice what you preach. How do I know, because you teach me to fish rather than fishing for me. You teach me to bait the hood and throw the line, then how to (what do u do with fish) and cook. I can eat by myself.
Paula van Dun16
Retired
An excellent article. I would like to add that it is also important to teach the people in your down-line to develop their own skills. I do not want people in my down-line that follow me blindly. Being does not necessarily mean than I always know best in all areas. A good team leader listens to his/her team.
Philippe Moisan16
Tutorial videos, sci-fi writer
I was in Amway, back in 1995, in Dexter Yager's organization. They were more preoccupied with selling motivational products like tapes, videos, books, standing order tape, my sponsor was buying every possible Nutrilite product, it cost a fortune, I left very frustrated
Allan Haastrup7
Networker
Gary, this info is indeed excellent.
I've been involved in various network marketing companies and never really had the ability to define exactly what I wanted in a sponsor, and more importantly what I would be giving to my team as their sponsor.
A real eye opener here.
Thankyou so much for posting it.
Gary Madden6
Tax Specialist
Thanks for your well thought out comment Jenny.
I agree. At least one should find out if the person has had any success in similar ventures.
If they have had success previously and they are in a new venture, it may take some time, but they will most likely succeed if the venture is viable.
Have a great day.
Gary
Jenny Stewart11
Hi Gary
Thanks for an excelllent list of the qualities to look for in a sponsor.
Too many people sign up under the first person that asks them, or just under a friend, without considering any of the factors that you have set out.
I would add something else to your list - it might be a good idea to find out if your sponsor is actually succeeding in the programme he or she is trying to get you to join (unless you are someone who likes joining prelaunches - but that is whole different story).