Coming from an HR Management background, I like to think of starting a new team member in my business similar to when we started a new employee in our company. On their first day, we had a “New Hire Orientation”. The importance of this “New Hire Orientation” is to get your newbies through that initial set-up and familiarization as quickly as possible so they can “get to work” as quickly as possible. In order to do so, you need to have the following Six ingredients in your initial training/orientation process.
But before I get into that, let me briefly breakdown the 3 types of individuals that will join your team. It’s a little off subject but I believe very important to get your head around and I’ll tie it in at the end….
First, you have your 3 ‘percenters’. These are the people who say “Get out of my way, I’m gonna make it happen!”
Second, you have 27% of the people who get involved in this industry. They are hardworking but need direction and leadership. These 27% are the backbone of the industry.
Third, you have the remaining 70%. These people just don’t get it and never will. They peak when they enroll. They will blame Everyone and Everything BUT themselves.
It’s really the 27% that you will focus the majority of your energy on. Of course you never know where someone falls until they ‘show themselves’ and it is possible for someone to transfer from the 70% into the 27% if something changes in their life that ignites that fire. But the bottom line is don’t focus your energy on the 70% who just don’t get it because if you do, the frustration of their inactivity can (WILL) “kill” you and your business. Besides, it’s not fair to you and the other 30% anyway.
Okay, with that said, here are the Six ingredients you have should have in place for everyone who joins your team:
One: You want the initial training/orientation to separate the “need to know” from the “nice to know”. What do they NEED to know to get to work. Of course, they’ll want to come back to the entire training system over time but it’s real easy to get side-tracked and lost in all the information/tools/resources available and delay actually getting started. So, get them through that initial set-up and training as quickly as possible, into action, and then they can come back and learn as they go.
Two: Get your new team members introduced and plugged into the company, team, network. This is important because even though you should be their first point of contact, at least initially, by getting them plugged in, it creates a sense of “community” and belonging to something bigger than just the two of you and helps them see the “big picture”.
Three: You must have a communication tool in place so that your new team members have access to you for their questions. The last thing you want is for someone to sit there frustrated with no one to go to. With all the tools available, it’s very easy to leverage your time in this area (i.e. skype for example).
Four: Get them started where they’re standing on lead generation. By this, I mean when introducing your newbies to lead generation, don’t start someone who is new to the industry and the internet on advanced internet marketing strategies out of the gate. I don’t care how good of a swimmer they are, they are sure to drown. Instead, have them select 1-2 advertising/marketing/lead generation strategies that they’re comfortable with NOW and start there. Perfect it and then move on.
Five: They need an automated marketing system they can simply plug into that will do the explaining, selling and follow up.
Six: Get your newbies plugged into and working on Personal Development immediately. Really this should be number One but… Personal Development in this industry is Absolutely, Positively ESSENTIAL! AND it’s a process NOT an event. So plug your newbies into your company-sponsored personal development training, your team training, professional mentors, books, CD’s, etc. They should be working on personal development daily.
Well, that’s my Six ingredients to successful newbie orientation. When bringing on new team members, keep those percentages I talked about above in mind. Understanding the breakdown will alleviate a lot of the frustration in this industry. Yes, it’s difficult to see potential wasted but it’s not enough to want it for someone, THEY have to want it. So, be available to everyone you bring on board but just like you shouldn’t chase people to join your business, don’t chase people to build their business. Be there for when they’re ready but don’t ‘chase them’. Instead, focus on your own personal growth and being there for those who step up and ask for your help.
Well, I hope this post was useful. I would love to hear your feedback. Do you agree? Disagree? Did I forget anything? Something I included you don’t believe IS necessary? Please also share with your network. It’s very much appreciated. Make it a Great Day!
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When most online entrepreneurs are asked these questions, they often brush it off.
Mashable has a great blog post today listing the 5 keys to making lasting connections online that will help you achieve your business goals.
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27 Responses
Hello Laura,
Great post on getting your new business partner started off in the right direction. You touched on a lot of very important points.
You must have also read the book “Who Stole My Cheese” Great book!
Keep up the great work and I’ll be back.
Wishing you all my best…
@Larry Bilich, Hi Larry,
Thanks. It’s been awhile but yes I did 🙂 Very good book and I highly recommend – easy read! All my best! Laura
Thank you Laura!
I’ve coached dozens and dozens of network marketers in various industries and companies and trained quite a few over the last 5 years, your post is fantastic and on point.
There is too much information in training and ingredient #1 cuts through the clutter and focuses on functional to work the business.
After they are clear on their why and scheduling and blocking out their time commitment PT or FT to the business (Eliminate working Spare Time, doesn’t exist), they are ready to go.
There are three types of learners. Analyzers, Watchers, Doers. We all learn by doing but some have to analyze or watch first before they take action.
“Learn as you go” is a great lesson for life. You can read a book about driving a car but you won’t learn it until you get behind the wheels.
Here’s one strategy I share with my coaching clients for training is Tell Show Try Do. Tell them (Analyzers) Show them (Watchers) Let them try (Doers) Give feedback and make adjustments till they are doing it without you.
People follow what you do not what you say so OJT and showing them the hows is valuable to duplicate.
A tactic to implement this is to host call parties so that you can leverage your time and create that sense of community and support. It can start off with you and your newbie. When you get 3, 4, 5 team members together making calls it creates synergy and an expectation of success. Imagine within a month, those call parties are packed with 20-30 people.
Building a team is a WIN-WIN partnership. Helen Keller said “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.”
Your post is super valuable and is a must for anyone who wants to get their new rep off to a solid start.
To Your Genius,
Eiji
@Eiji Morishita, Hey Eiji, Wow! You definitely nailed it, that’s for sure. I couldn’t have said it better myself. Thank you! I love the “Tell Show Try Do” strategy because not only are you leveraging your time, but those added benefits (all around) that you list are HUGE. I do the same as well.
And I like how you break down the different learning styles – Very key! Giving someone a manual, a training website, etc. just isn’t going to “cut it” because you can only learn so much. It’s the actual “real life, hands on” that is key!
So thanks again for taking the time to add such valuable information with your comment.
“Together Everyone Achieves More”!
Have a blessed day! Thanks, Laura
These are great tips. Getting people started in their new business in a way that makes sense, creating a sense of community and encouraging them along the way with your 6 great ideas is perfect. Thanks so much.
@Bruce Backman, Hi Bruce, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I appreciate it.
I enjoyed reading your guest post above from your friend Patrick. Very powerful! Yes, “God-incidences”, as Patrick puts it, is what they are 🙂 There’s no doubt about that. Thanks for sharing. Blessings, Laura
Hey Laura, outstanding post. I know from my own experience that it helps to be patient and give newbies a solid base through training before throwing them into the real life of everyday issues. I also know how tempting it can be to skip (part of) the training.
That is probably why I so appreciate your blog post and the opportunity for me to be reminded that training is an integral part of success.
Karin.
@Karin, Hi Karin, I agree. Training is so important and is continuous but they do need a good base from the start. It can be VERY overwhelming at first so having someone to go to is key. And that’s the advantage of our early struggles, we can show others what NOT to do and save them some of the headaches 🙂 All the best! Thanks, Laura
Laura, I think you are spot on with your six ingredients! I really like the way you break down the 3 different types of individuals. Shows everyone who they should focus on. Very useful post! Thanks, Joseph McDevitt
@Joseph McDevitt, Hi Joseph. Thanks. Yes, I think it’s important to understand the breakdown (eliminates a lot of the frustrations). I’m glad the information was useful. Thanks for stopping by. Take care, Laura
Hey Laura,
I loved reading this article. An excellent and interesting overview of what we need to do for any newbie who joins our business.
Thank you, I will certainly be using this plan from now on.
Sue
@Sue Collier, Hey Sue! Thanks for stopping by. Oh I LOVE that video and yes perfect for a Monday morning or any morning for that matter 🙂 Thanks, Laura
Laura,
This is just the type of information people need to help their new people get started. A lot of people do not take the time they just sign them up and that’s it. I will share this with my team so that they will know what to do when they bring a new person on. Thanks
@Lori Robertson, Hey Lori, Cool! I’m glad it was useful. Yes, unfortunately, this is true but hopefully things are changing. Make it a Great Day! Laura
Laura:
This is such a great post. I’ve been in several network marketing opportunities. Each time I’ve been mailed a distributor kit from the home office and my sponsor said “read through the kit and let me know if you have any questions.”
Thankfully I found a company I wasn’t about to let go of and got some generic training from industry leaders, so I do many of the steps you have outlined. I hope everyone who sponsors people into a business will someday use these “quick start” methods you’ve outlined. I think the success rate of the industry will rise dramatically.
Thanks for stepping up and being a leader.
Live with passion and purpose,
Vanessa
@Vanessa, Hi Vanessa, thanks. Afterall, we are business “partners” and we all rise or fall together in my book so, to me, it’s a given that we provide guidance and leadership to those we bring on board. Whether they choose to take advantage of it or not is up to them. Unfortunately, however, what you experienced happens far too often.
You’re Obviously a True Leader because you found your passion, didn’t let anything stand in your way and were proactive in “making it happen”. That is SO awesome!
To your continued success! Laura
This kind of article can only come from an experienced network marketer. Laura, you are so full of resources. I can see you’ve been doing this for years.
Keep it up
Loic
@Loic, Awwww that’s so sweet 🙂 thank you. I’ll have to pass on your recent post to my sister. They have an older dog with joint pain that’s been getting worse. She’s a little too old for surgery but hopefully they can at least help alleviate as much as possible so helpful information. Thanks Loic! Blessings, Laura
Great post. Treating our online business as an actual business is really important.
@Clint White, Hi Clint, excellent point. You get out of it what you put into it so it’s important to treat it like a business and not a hobby. Make it a Great Day! Thanks, Laura
Laura,
Having your newbies connect with 300 leads is a strong starting point. I also like the “junk in the trunk” analogy. You’ve raised excellent, comprehensive points. I look forward to your future posts.
@Darlene Davis, Thanks for stopping by Darlene and for taking the time to leave a comment. Much appreciated. Have an Awesome Day! Laura
Laura,
Your newbies are pretty luck since you sure have a handle on what’s most important to include in their “orientation”. Thanks for giving such detail on each step.
We also agree with you that self-development is really #1 and most important to achieve success in business and in our personal/family life.
We look forward to your future content-rich posts!
Dawn and Dave
@Dave and Dawn Cook, Hey Dawn and Dave, thanks for the kind words. Yes mostly definitely, self-development/improvement is critical in all aspects of our lives. Thanks again! Laura
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