Another member of my marketing co-op told me, on our recent phone conversation, about her downline's downside. Paula made a good start at recruiting 18 new members but nobody would start promoting the business. I told her to refer all existing and new recruits to me and ask for a month's worth of free marketing services. They will receive everything the co-op could afford to invest in them in return for a chance to get a share of their advertising dollars in the future. The co-op lowers its overhead costs with each additional member regardless of their affiliation.

Now, why do slackers deserve a free ride? Here are clear reasons. It is good business sense for all parties to open up new alliances, no matter how bleak the potentials are. You must understand that most motivational tactics fail to budge doornails. If they don't want free support (free ads = free money), you can be sure nothing else will transform them into producers. This brings me to this article's main topic. Don't consider leadership as a last ditch attempt to save your valuable organization. Being proactive, sometimes an empty word, is your best weapon.

There is still hope for Paula, who doesn't have enough sponsor support and has very limited resources. Now, even Big Al, if I remember correctly, said that not even one of the usual motivational tactics will probably trigger a favorable response from your recruits. What then, is the best motivator? Money? Astronomical projections of wealth? Appeal to emotion? Pure reason? Showing by example and hope that they will duplicate you? As a last resort, fear? Yes, you are now so irritated that you will tell each and everyone of them, "If you lose your present job and you have no second income....." Abandonment?

Forget most of the traditional stuff. Today's networkers are no longer traditional. And, what works for the big guys isn't for everyone. Revisit exposes on MLM smoke screens to see why things are not always what they seem to be. Ringing in your ears? Too much motivational tapes, maybe. But the prognosis isn't all grave. There is one motivator, maybe the only effective one left, that can save at least some piople in your inept group.

Do a part of their job. If you can, even most of it. They want results and so do you. It is only after going that far that you can justify, at least to yourself, sorting out the bad apples. Believe me, those apples are the dime a dozen variety. See the stats later. Remember back in '97 when a mail order tabloid publisher expressed disappointment for receiving a low redemption rate for his 'free ad offer' ? He said, "This proves that you can't even give things away for free!" Remember, assume that you are working with wannabee entrepreneurs not as dedicated as you. You can't make them make you money by just ringing up your phone bill and playing the part of a professional MLM coach.

You win some, you lose most. And you would want statistics to be on your side. Be the provider, help them now or you will never see them again.

Establish an ad cooperative or a lead generation system. You don't have to re-invent the wheel but still be creative. Your home business or company has a supposed success replicator in place. Just customize it for your group. Instead of talking too much on the phone, use e-mail or printed media. Visuals always beat audio. It's more effective and ecomomical. Monitor your postage and supply expenses. Don't be overwhelmed by the work or the co-op concept. Do adequate research and trust only reliable providers. Ask around. Now is the time to be extra careful because you will be spending other poeples' money. Some companies prohibit 'stacking', but it will never hurt to give an extra boost when helping your recruit bag one for himself. If you're using a proven system, get your downline to use it now. Statistically, more than 92% of networkers drop out or never earn real money. Don't let this happen to your group.

One of my new ad co-op members, Roy Babineaux, owner of Cajun Country Candies, said that he has further improved his distributors' lead generation effort by managing it himself. Rotational systems were set up to efficiently divide and deliver the freshest leads to all participants. I also remember a friend from Watkins who ran a regular newsletter, nothing fancy, so that he can keep in touch with his downline.

My ad co-op members come from different companies and have various home based ventures. Still, they have one goal in mind and it's the same as yours. If you can not show to your new recruits that you are earning money, they are gone. Even when they do see you getting rich but they can not do the same, they are still gone. This is the right time to talk to your sponsor and your company's sponsor relations staff. Set up a system and you will be glad to have an answer at hand the next time a starry-eyed prospect asks you what you've got to offer him besides dreams of gold. Personally, even my talk is cheap, that's why our relationship doesn't have to end with this article.

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D.CRUZ leads an advertising co-op that offers "almost-free" marketing services and straightforward solutions. "Make us worry about your promotions so you won't have to," is the co-op's slogan. Exploit the savings and power in numbers by reaching D.Cruz : Box 984, Seminole, TX 79360. (915) 758-5355. Visit http://www.freemall.com/dcruz