This came out of the conversation on the weekly Coaching Call we do for the folks in the coaching program after TGNWeekend. (
CLICK HERE to learn about that.) They are a stimulating, at times demanding group. And that's a very good thing for you... and me, too.
The Drip Campaign
It's THE classic approach for any sales & marketing effort based
on Relationshipping. The epitome of Get Rich Slow, the Drip Campaign is
a century old method for continually enlarging your inventory of
prospects— your circle of influence— and securing your place in their
"top of mind" awareness making you a Center of Influence. The result, a
steady stream of new prospects open, willing & able to look at what
you're offering.
John Milton Fogg
______________________________
What's THE Key to building a successful Network Marketing Business?
There are about a dozen of 'em. One biggie is simply accomplishing a
little bit each and every day. Easy-to-do. Easy-not-to-do as Mr. Jim
Rohn teaches.
Another Key— one which especially applies to building a successful
Relationships-based Networking business is the "Drip Campaign." I come
close to "hating" the term. Kind of like calling someone a pansy—
insulting that most tenacious and robust little flower that smiles up
at us defiantly through ice and snow— "drip" brings up images of Eddie
Haskell and other low-level, self-absorbed about nothing nobodies. And
also like the "pansy," that misinterpretation masks something way more
powerful...
The essence of the Drip Campaign is "a little doing a lot," a
philosophy, which helped an ignorant man become one of the greatest
sages of the Talmudic period of Orthodox Judaism.
Akiva, the shepherd, saw water dripping on a stone. He noticed a hole
had worn through the stone where the drops were hitting. He said to
himself, "If water can do this to a rock, imagine what the Torah can do
to my heart." So he went off to study for many years, carrying with him
the image of how much a little bit can add up to.
As water dripping consistently over time bores a hole right through
solid rock like a diamond-tipped drill bit, the Drip Campaign can—
almost all by itself— build an unshakable foundation for a lifetime
(literally) of Network Marketing success.
It is easy. It's fun. It's proven (many wealthy Network Marketing leaders have been using it for years). And, it works.
The Drip Campaign is THE SINGLE MOST POWERFUL element in building a
business with the Relationshipping, Friendshipping and Partnershipping
approach of Get Rich Slow.
And it has (at the very least) one awesome side-benefit: After a year,
perhaps two, your Drip Campaign will enable you to travel the World (no
kidding) and never have to stay in a hotel, buy a meal or spend time
alone, unless you want to....
Here's what you'll need to create and keep your Drip Campaign going, growing and productive: Four things....
1. Relentless Patience.
Yes, it is mandatory. This IS Get Rich SLOW. And the "SLOW" refers
specifically to your willingness to take small, consistent, daily
actions, over-time to harvest a long-term and lasting rich reward. If
you're not up for that, hit Delete NOW!
2. Curiosity.
This is also mandatory. You MUST enjoy learning new things, expanding
your horizons, adding to your knowledge and the richness of your life.
If you're not up for that... well...
3. Organization.
Oh No!
Oh Yes!
The "O" word. Discipline— daily. Following through— daily. You'll need
some kind of system to keep you and your past and future actions
organized. (You've probably guessed this, too, is mandatory.)
Don't despair on this one. There's a cheap an' easy "fix" I'll tell you about shortly.
4. Conversation.
Whether speaking and listening or writing and reading, the conversation
is required. I'll skip the philosophical explain behind "Life is
created in conversation" and simply state with ABSOLUTE CERTAINTY that
in Network Marketing it's ALL a conversation.
The conversation is what there is for you and your
people to "get good at." It is the Number One Skill for you to learn
and master.
Talking to People is what you do for a living in Network Marketing... It is ALL you ever do....
What if you're not good at Conversation...?
Get Good!
What if Talking to People is not a strength you've developed yet?
Develop it. No kidding. It's a MUST for success in this business.
Back to, To Drip or...
What I'm up to here is to create a pool of people, prospects— my
"inventory" as a Network Marketer— from whom I will get my
product/service customers and new business partners. I will use the
Drip Campaign to create that pool. (Cute, huh...? Drip.... Pool... I
did say you'd need "Relentless Patience," and not just with my puns:-)
There are two things to understand here: Timing and "Top of Mind" awareness.
One thing you cannot control is another person's Timing.
If some somebody hits the lottery for $7,000,000 on Saturday and you
come along with your great business opportunity first thing Monday
morning... You get the idea. And if someone you've been talking to for
months and months suddenly looses her job... or needs a lawyer... or
their doctor demands they change their diet... or...
Unless you're in-touch with each and every person on your "name's list"
every week or so, you're bound to miss those "decisive" moments when
they're most ready, willing and able and OPEN to what you've got... to
listen (and really hear) what you have to say.
The solution to this challenge is what marketers call "Top of Mind Awareness."
What it means is that when people's timing is perfect for your product
or opportunity, they THINK of YOU first. They do this— without you
being there— because you've already systematically placed You, Your
product/service, Your opportunity...
IN the TOP of THEIR MINDS.
When I say (and I don't even have to sing it), "You deserve a..." Most
of you over 40 can easily and automatically complete the phrase with,
"... a break today." McDonald's famous advertising message hasn't been
heard in nearly 30 years BUT they drummed it into our heads so
relentlessly back then (starting in 1971, revived in 1980) we still
remember it. That's Top of Mind Awareness.
Fancy a cheap, clean burger fast— think McDonald's. Want fries with that...?
Since you and I do not have $700 million (a year!) to invest in the
kind of promiscuous, intrusive, trespassing advertising it takes to
accomplish such Top of Mind Awareness as that, we're going to have to
do it differently. And we can with the Drip Campaign.
Here's what the Drip Campaign looks like in action....
I get to work in the morning and after e-mail an' coffee and a romp on
Twitter and Facebook, I pop open my 3 x 5 "Manager In a Box" (or ACT
software) to see what's to be accomplished today.
A "Manager in a Box" is a simple 3 x 5 file-card box organizer with 1
through 31 Day/Date dividers. Behind each day's date are a side-ways
stack of cards that contain individual's names, contact information,
personal stuff such as family info, birthdays, Values, likes/dislikes,
dreams and aspirations etc., plus a record on the back of the card of
the Actions I've taken in the past; what I did when and what's next for
me to do with that person.
I take out all the cards for today's date— lets say it's the 30th and set them on the desk.
The cards in front of me are there because I put them in there (behind
the 30th divider) at some time in the past month when I decided that I
needed to do something with that particular person on this date—
probably the last time I spoke with him or her, or sent something
snail- or e-mail.
Now I can and do use this simple 3 x 5 card system for reminding me
when people need to be contacted about re-ordering products, phone and
other kinds of appointments and the general "things to do" and be done
of both my business work and my life. But I want to focus here on how
it's used in the Drip Campaign.
First card: Chris. Last spoke to Chris well before Christmas (so my
card tells me on the back) and agreed to get in touch today. He was
about to travel east (again, it's on my card). Okay, something for
Chris. Now, here's where the Drip Campaign gets Fun for me....
With Chris' card in front of me containing all the stuff about Chris
and what's important to him, I ramp up my Mac' and start surfing with a
purpose. First stop, The New York Times on the Net. (I have
subscriptions to a dozen news and views sites, plus I've book-marked a
hundred-plus others. you'll learn why shortly.)
Bingo! That was easy....
In the Travel section: "An Oasis of Serenity in Los Angeles." Chris lives in LA. What's this about?
The Century Plaza Hotel in Culver City, just completed a $70 "face
lift" which includes a new Asian-themed spa and fitness center. So I
read all about vigorous Korean Akasuri scrubs and Japanese sento baths
(performed at low spigot while the customer is seated on a wood stool)
and more. Very Cool. I click on "E-mail this article", address it to
Chris and in the personal message box I write (because I am a
card-carrying smart aleck) "If you'd signed-up with me six months ago,
here's where you'd be spending next Wednesday— all day— and I'd be
paying!"
Now please, I'm not that "forward" nor playful with everybody. I know
Chris and we like each other and kid around a lot. I know his wife and
I've met his two girls. If Chris were someone else there'd be a much
different message.
To illustrate further: Right below "An Oasis of Serenity in Los
Angeles." is another travel piece, "At Ease on the Maryland Shore."
That's where Frank and his wife Gingie live. I wonder if they've know
about St. Michaels (population 1,200), a historic old shipbuilding town
and the Five Gables Inn and Spa. The author of the piece wrote, "...my
plan, a one-night getaway for some serious body-pampering." I wonder if
Frank's been there. Click. Message: "Hey Frank, just came across this.
Ever been there? Sounds wonderful!!! Hope you're well and healthy. Talk
to you soon. Love to Gingie—John." Send.
Now here's a problem with my card-file system. I don't have a clue
where Frank's card is! Well, I'll come across it sooner or.... And you
know what? I don't care and Frank doesn't know or care that I can't
find his card. All Frank knows is I'm thinking about him and was good
enough to send that article and now I'm back up in the Top of Frank's
Mind!!! And Chris'. And...
Let's see. What else "The Times" has got for me today?
"Isadora: Making Sense of a Genius and an Icon," which I'll send to
Betty, Kim and El— each a dancer and all fans (as I recall) of Isadora
Duncan.
Do I make time to read the article? You Bet! First, I want to be able
to talk with Betty, Kim and El about it. It's a quick an' easy
Conversation starter. "Kim, tell me more about Isadora Duncan. That new
biography, Isadora: A Sensational Life, I sent you the article about
claims she was 'the Chosen One.' Do you know what they mean by
that...?" And I'll settle back and learn from Kim and expand my
Knowledge and richen my Life, and maybe even get a lead on the next
great book I should read, or don't have to read 'cause I learned all I
want about Isadora from Kim.
And I'll find out what's going on in Kim's life. And if there's an
opening wide enough to drive a Kenworth 18-wheeler through, I'll bring
up my product/opportunity, and if not I'll say good-bye all the happier
for the time I spent and Kim will have me back on TOP of her Mind, too.
Just like Chris and Frank, and Betty and El and all the other people I
will DRIP on today....
And The New York Times on the Net is just my first stop. I've got all
the major news e-mags and net-editions like USAToday, CNN, Newsweek and
the like. A crazy-wide variety of special interest digital publication
sites; Drudge Report, WorldNetDaily and a ton of esoteric and fun stuff
like the home page for Nanotechnology, a free numerology site, the
Weather Channel on-line (so I can always talk about the weather 8^),
the Small Business Advisor, the Quotations page, Dates in History
(where I can find a list of interesting things that happened on
people's Birthdays, TomPeters.com for Bob (he loves Tom's stuff) and on
and on and on.
If all else fails— and frequently when it does not— I've got my absolute favorite Super-Size Search: Google.
I just type in a word— any word, any subject— and get a ga'zillion interesting links to play with.
Like this: Friend George's card is also in my stack to deal with today.
He has a passion for old corvettes. Wants one really baaaad. Search
Google with the words "old corvettes." Results 1 - 10 of about 17,800.
Search took 0.22 seconds. What fun. I'll find an article or three to
send him, a link or the whole thing. Pictures. Whatever... Then I'll
give him a call. Probably tomorrow and find out what he likes best
about what I sent him.
All of this and these I use to DRIP on the people I'm Relationshipping
and Friendshipping with. I simply send them stuff on a consistent
basis; things of interest, articles, links, stories, news, ideas...
It's fun-learning for me. And I've developed an uncanny ability to
recall what's important to many of my people even without looking up
their cards. I know who my dancers are (remember Isadora...), my horse
people, skiers, hikers, techies, nerds, poets and lovers of same, film
buffs, wine nuts, Harley-Davidson riders and wanta' bes, and on and
on....
I Drip... Drip... Drip... on these folks. That's what I do every day.
Most people get something from me every couple of weeks— some more,
some less. That's How I'm BUILDING my Network Marketing business with a
growing inventory of prospects that know, like & trust me.
The purpose of my Drip Campaign is stay "in- touch"— High Tech / High
Touch. I'm using my e-mail and the Internet to keep my Relationships
and my Friendships going and growing. Sometimes I'll follow up via
e-mail. Sometimes by phone. Sometimes with a hand-signed card.
I use the Drip Campaign to keep me in people's Minds— on the very TOP OF THEIR MINDS.
I use my Drip Campaign to accomplish two vital elements in my Network Marketing Success Plan:
1. To create and keep CONNECTED with people.
2. To become a CENTER of INFLUENCE.
I use the Drip Campaign to make CONVERSATIONS happen easily and
effortlessly, because I know all my success will come from a
Conversation. Once they get my article, link, some thing of Interest
and Value, I'll contact them and ask what they think...? What they
liked best...?
I am not leading with the product.
I am not leading with the opportunity.
I'm leading with the RELATIONSHIP.
Growing it into a FRIENDSHIP. And sooner or later the Timing will be
righ. THEIR Timing. Sooner or later there will be an Opening... And
they will have created it themselves. And when they do, I will know it.
I will have their "Permission." And right then and there, I will drive
my Network Marketing tractor-truck-trailer straight through that
opening in high gear...
And I can do this because of my Drip Campaign.
It may take weeks, or months, or lots more months. Fine. I've got more
than 1,147 people I'm dripping on right now. (I've been doing this for
a couple of years...) I know that 10 percent of them— mas o' menos
minimum— will become Customers and/or Business Partners in time: In one
year, 140+ of them even if I never contact anyone else: 12 or more new
Customers and/or Business Partners per month.
Because of my Drip Campaign I'm going to be there connected, on the Top
of Their Minds, in Relationship and Friendship, when those people are
ready for "The Conversation for Partnership."
And what about the rest... those 900 people who don't buy my products or become my Partners?
We know and like each other. How many people who might be interested in
what I'm offering do you suppose they know? And who knows, perhaps some
day the timing might be right for them, too.
Want to build a Business for a Lifetime?
Try the "Drip Campaign."
GET RICH SLOW
Network Marketing for the rest of us...
Thanks.I appreciate you!
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