Grow Your Downline: Getting a New Member Started Fast

For network marketers, recruitment and networking are crucial for success. However, in 2017, the AARP conducted an independent study of over 1,000 network marketing professionals and found that 44 percent of new members lasted less than a year before quitting. They also found that a quarter of new members left in under six months. Why is the attrition rate so high among new network marketers? Recipients cited a lack of profits, a confusing commission structure, and difficulty selling as primary reasons.

These dropout rates can be avoided with a thoughtful approach to onboarding and training. As you add new members to your network, remember that their success (and yours) is dependent upon their ability to duplicate. Rather than focusing on recruiting more members faster, the following tips will help you focus instead on ensuring new members duplicate faster.

Invest Time

First and foremost, your downline needs immediate support and training when they are brought on board. Teach new members what you know: teach them the ins and outs of network marketing, how to find new leads, and how to build a business. Leverage their excitement about the products and services they’ll be selling. Help them build confidence and find a style that works for them:

Be their sounding board for questions
Walk the website together and highlight the benefits and features of their company site
Review their initial contact list and provide feedback
Help them schedule their home launch event and do a practice run of their approach and delivery
Let them shadow a call with a potential recruit or customer
Give them homework and keep them accountable and focused on results

Create a System

As you onboard more members and your team grows, focus on regular communication and establishing automated systems for training. Hold regular team calls or in-person meetups for those in your city. Get your network signed up for any upcoming events and ensure they understand the importance of networking and team learning. Prepare training materials, tips, and best practices ahead of time, and leverage your company’s resources and systems to help you.

Let new members know on day one what their training plan is and what they can expect from you in the days ahead. Finally, make sure new recruits are excited and feel supported as they launch their businesses:

Try to catch new recruits within 30-minutes of signing up by establishing automated emails to reach them when they most need to hear from you.
Host conference calls and events
Attend live events, training calls, and seminars with your team
Track each new member’s growth and check in regularly to identify the areas that need additional support

Establish a Goal

More often than not, new members are highly focused on earning back their initial investment. Harness that energy to create a list of new leads and a go-forward plan that will keep them excited to win. Make a target goal that will help your new members focus on recouping that initial investment within the first 1-2 weeks, and you’ll ensure that that member will be highly motivated and confident.

Set a goal date for recouping that initial investment and chart out next steps for getting there
Once new members achieve their initial goal, set the next one by asking where they’d like to be in six months, a year, and so on. This helps maintain trust and gives people goals to work toward even when they hit slumps or encounter new challenges.

Train Leaders

Leadership means setting an example for your team, as well as empowering and enabling the growth of new members. As your team grows, be on the lookout for top earners who consistently exhibit leadership behaviors like resiliency, a high degree of trust and loyalty to their team, or a willingness to coach others. Help empower these future leaders by letting their skills shine and praising their efforts.

Similarly, watch for those who are struggling and check in with them to see how you can support them. Remember: when they win, you win. Try to encourage and learn from the different approaches your team takes as they develop their natural strengths:

Educate and empower: Your team should know as much as you do because when they win, you win
Be a source of inspiration by teaching through showing.
Meet new members where they’re at and adapt your training to their needs.