Launching Your Network Marketing Business

In the beginning when I was launching my Network Marketing business, I really had no idea where to start. I threw together a FB Page, sent out a quick email to family and friends and called it a day. I sat back and waited for the business to pour in. After a of couple days, a few likes on my Facebook Page and zero activity from the email, I started to wonder if I had chosen the wrong company, or if everyone I knew was crazy?!  I was even offering them a discount, and I knew how amazing the product was. So, I did something I hadn’t planned on doing ...

I posted on my personal Facebook page.

And I still got nothing. What was going wrong?

I think this is the trap that so many new Network Marketing Consultants fall into. They expect to declare themselves open for business, and to automatically have customers. But the truth was, I hadn’t necessarily even told anyone yet. My email may have warmed up a few contacts, but I needed to get my product into their hands to truly get their interest, and I needed to start reaching out personally.

For me, this didn’t happen for another 8 months.

I plugged along at a snail’s pace for months, never truly doing any of the right things, but dabbling in many of the wrong. It brought in a few sales here and there, but the biggest lesson for me was that I needed to teach the gals who signed up alongside me how to do it better.

So, what is the key to successfully launching your new business?

One word, momentum.

Here are my recommended steps:

Step 1: Set up a Facebook VIP Group

This is the place where you are going to house all of your amazing customers. It took me almost 2 years to start mine, and is now where I do 60% of my monthly business. You will want to be consistently and excitedly posting inside this group. I recommend 2-3 posts a day.

*if you prefer Instagram, this might be when you set yourself up there.

Step 2: Announce through Social Media Outlets

Use whatever Social Media Platforms that you are a part of to announce your new business. Make your announcement authentic and personal, share why you have started and how excited you are. Do not necessarily expect anything to come from this, but you want to create as much awareness as you possibly can. You never know what can come from this awareness down the road. Referrals are the lifeline of these businesses.

*I recommend posts + lives (maybe an unboxing?)

Step 3: Plan a HUGE Launch Party

You want to invite absolutely everyone you know (and welcome them to bring guests) to your Launch Party. Pack the house! This is your opportunity to get your products in front of your friends and family and truly share your excitement. While there will definitely be buyers, what you are looking for is to practise playing Stylist (Consultant) and Hostess, and creating awareness. Ideally you want to book as many of your friends & family in to be hosts themselves, so show them how easy and fun it is. This will help you get outside your friend & family zone and really launch your business.

Sidenote: There are going to be many people unable to make it to your Launch Party, that’s okay! Ask these people if you can drop off a catalogue, or set up a personal consultation to show off the products. You should even ask them if they would be willing to host.

*Again, when I wrote this - Virtual Events weren't really a thing! But they are now - so layer one on!

Step 4: Set up More Parties

Pack your calendar for the next 2 months to build amazing momentum in your business. In Stella & Dot we recommend launching with the Power of 4, however, the more you can do in the first couple of months, the stronger your business is going to be. Especially since many companies have Compensation Plans set up to support launching your business strong. Try to spread out the different channels of your life. Ie. family, high school friends, work friends, etc. This will lead you in different directions, and you will be meeting tons of new people.

The key is to be booking at least 1 new party/event from every single one that you do, and to always be pulling new customers into your VIP group/social media platforms, and building that base. The more events you can book, the faster your business is going to grow.

Step 5: Do Personal Consultations

Personal Consultations do not need to be formal, when I started out I would simply pull out all of my jewels anytime we had company over and we would play dress-up! This gave me the practise of answering questions, brought in a few sales, but overall really worked to create awareness. And it was fun! You could also consider meeting for coffee to chat about your new business venture, or offering to bring a small assortment of pieces over to friend’s houses. Keep it simple and light, your enthusiasm will shine through. Always be YOU, this is your business, you decide what it looks like. You can do these online too if people live far away.

I would also recommend dropping off and mailing out catalogues to people who live further away. When you do this, make sure to add personal notes and to follow-up after you know it has been received. I will even put little post-its on pieces that I think that person would really like!

Step 6: Stay Consistent

The key with launching a new business is always going to be consistency and persistence. It is easy to get discouraged, but if you manage your expectations and continue to do everything that I chatted about above, you are going to have an absolutely amazing business. It just takes time! Let your passion and enthusiasm be your spark, you will find that it is contagious! You are going to be the determining factor for your business. Everything that you do, will pay off in some way. It may not necessarily be the way that you expect it, but every single action creates energy and that energy will be a defining element of your business.

Step 7: Stay Positive

Your mindset will be one of the things that will have the greatest impact on your business. I have seen women never get out of the gates because they simply could not get passed their own negativity or fears. Whatever you put out into the Universe will come back to you, so make sure that you remain positive and excited. You started this business because you loved a product, all you need to do is share that love.

Good luck!

I want to personally wish you luck in launching your Network Marketing business. Whether you are looking to bring in a little extra income for your family, support your addiction to travel (or shoes!) or find a new career, the tips above should help you launch strong. I recommend going full gusto for your first few months to truly get started on the right foot, but at the end of the day, you need to decide what is right for you and for your business. Remember to always have a positive mindset and to simply share what you love, in a way that is authentic to you. Build your business are your life and you will find it much easier to keep going!

ps. want to learn the ins and outs of building a thriving Network Marketing business? Join us inside the Level Up Academy! Not only do we have a full course on launching - we dig into sales strategies, social media growth, leadership and so much more.