Cold Marketing Techniques Equal Cold Response in Direct Sales

Cold marketing techniques always seem to be the first marketing techniques direct sellers learn (probably because they are surrounded by cold marketing all the time).

But easy to learn doesn't necessarily translate to easy to master or even all that effective.

I participated in a thread recently where people were talking about how much they hate cold messaging. And in that thread, someone shared a screenshot that read, “I'm just following my upline's guidance.”

And it made me stop and think.

Once you join a direct sales company, there are any number of ways you can go about marketing your business to people. And yet, the majority of the techniques taught by the companies and their leaders rely on colder techniques.

We don't teach cold marketing techniques in the Suite. Mostly because they don't work in direct sales.

Direct sales, as an industry, is entirely built on a relationship-based marketing model. By inviting your friends and family — the people you know and trust the most — to join you in your excitement about starting a new company and possibly, maybe, joining you in starting their own professional journey through the opportunity.

Direct sales is founded on the idea that you can (and will) talk to your friends about a product you love and that they will love it too simply because they love you.

So how does it go from being an industry founded on warmth and relationship-based marketing into an industry known for spam and cold marketing techniques?

I'm not saying it doesn't work at all: I'm only saying most people don't like cold messages. It's not an attraction-based strategy that will build a relationship-focused and sustainable business.

Cold Marketing Techniques Equal Cold Response in Direct Sales Because it Doesn't Respect the Relationship You Have

So how do we, as students of attraction strategy and receivers of cold messages, best respond when we get a cold message?

I love to tell the line story.

Reflect on this story for a moment:

We are all standing on a line, numbered one through infinity. There are people in front of you and people behind you on the line. Perhaps the line is based on experience in your business, confidence, certain skills or competencies…

I truly believe it's a privilege to help people behind us on the line while we learn from and get inspired by people ahead of us on the line.

Done well, that's abundance and servant leadership. And that's really the core of attraction strategy.

So, with this line in mind, let's come back around to the cold message example that we've all received. You know the one, “hey girl, I just joined this amazing, life-changing opportunity and I think you would be perfect on my team!“

First of all, we can all give a little grace.

If someone is trying to work their business, there are two responses to “cold” messages that rub us the wrong way.

1. “Good for you for taking advice and guidance from your upline! I can tell you're working hard, I have a tip that might make your approach even more effective…”
2. “Your method sucks and people hate it – stop contacting me.”

Which response is warmer to you? Which one is more helpful? Which one are you more likely to listen to and learn from?

If you are at level nine on the line, and someone who is at level one when they send you that notorious message, how would you want a number twenty-seven to treat you?

The person sending that spammy, cold message is just behind you on the line.

And maybe a little boost, encouragement, or positive reinforcement could go a bit further to help them push you both forward.

#EmpowerSocial