In today’s economy, having an online business can be a great way to diversify your income. Oftentimes, when we start a new online venture, it is exciting. However, growing your online business can also be an overwhelming experience. Investing your time in the right areas can help you make the most of your network marketing opportunity. Here are three key areas that we believe you should focus your attention:

#1: Being Social on Social Media 

Being Active on your Personal Profile and Business Page 

Social media platforms are often the best and most cost effective way to promote and grow your brand. Facebook alone has 1.98 billion active users. With access to so many people in one online space, you as a small business owner have a vast and diverse audience to tap into. You just have to understand how to reach your target audience. 

So many online businesses aren’t maximizing social media or using it effectively. It is not enough to put what you sell on your profile, post a couple of pictures, and hope that people will start coming to you. You need to consistently seek out opportunities by being active, engaging and following up. 

You need to be creating new daily content that is both informative and valuable to your audience. Avoid posting promotions and product descriptions - there is nothing wrong with sharing an amazing deal, but these types of posts should only be shared on your feed one or two times a month. Instead, provide your followers with useful information that they will appreciate and can benefit from. In doing this, you establish yourself as an authority in your industry and build trust instead of being that pushy salesperson that everyone avoids and hates.  

Consistency is key when it comes to social media. You cannot expect to get a lot of traction with just one post. It takes time and effort to build a following and establish your brand. You need to be patient and persistent in your efforts. It may take three to six months of regular posting and being active on your profile before you really begin to see the results. The more you continue to share your experience with the same company, the more people will see value in what you share. 

Being Active in Groups and Online Communities

Strategically join and spend time on important social networks to your industry. Know who your ideal customer base is, then do your research to find groups that are centred around similar interests. 

When joining a new facebook group, don’t just start immediately sharing your website or business page. While this is the fastest way to promote your business, it is not the most effective. In fact, by doing this, you are likely to turn away potential customers. Instead, consider these groups a place to connect with your ideal consumer. Facebook groups are often a source of information for an online community. People go to a group to ask questions, socialize and find content that is relevant to them. Contribute to the conversation. 

By participating in groups and providing helpful content, you can slowly build authority and establish yourself as a trusted source of information. Take time to answer questions, share relevant articles, and converse with other members. As you become more active in the group, you can start to mention your business in a natural and non-promotional way where appropriate.

The critical thing to remember about being social on social media is that it is all about building relationships and providing value to your audience. By searching out and taking the time to participate in relevant online conversations and provide helpful content, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field and attract customers to your business. 

#2: Prospecting

Connecting with New People

For your business to grow, you need to constantly expose yourself and your brand to new people. Many network marketers agree that prospecting is the least enjoyable and most challenging part of online selling. If you find yourself in this category, it is likely that you either feel uneasy about approaching new prospects or you are uncertain about the most effective approach to take. Let’s look at some strategies that can help simplify the process. 

Prospecting starts with you. You have to really believe in your products, stand behind your company, and believe that introducing your products to others will truly bring joy into the lives of others. Once you have established this foundation, sharing your product and your company with someone - whether they are a friend or a complete stranger - becomes much easier. 

Now that you are in the mindset to introduce your business to people, it is time to start making those connections. When it comes to meeting new people online, it's important to carefully consider the platform you choose. One option worth exploring is vendor events and online markets. These virtual gatherings are specifically designed to help you expand your network and connect with like-minded individuals. What's great about these events is that guests join with the knowledge that a group of network marketers will be promoting their companies and products. This creates a unique opportunity to not only meet new people, but also learn about exciting new products and services that could benefit you and others in the long run.

While it is great to have a place to showcase your company, value is built behind the scenes through personal connections. Your first interaction with a potential customer should not be about selling them something. Rather, it should be about sharing information and generating interest through casual conversation. This approach will help you build trust and establish a strong customer relationship. 

Take the time to gauge your potential customer’s interest and personalize your approach accordingly. When it feels natural and the time is right, recommend products, services or maybe a business opportunity that is tailored to their specific needs and preferences. The key to successful prospecting is to build a relationship that is based on trust and mutual understanding. 

Setting Networking Goals

The most effective way to ensure that you are constantly expanding your network is to give yourself a goal for daily reach outs. Challenge yourself to connect with a specific number of people each day. Start off small and then you can slowly start to increase your targets as it becomes easier to reach your goal. 

Remember that quality connections are always more effective than quantity. Make sure to do your research  before reaching out to potential contacts. Not everyone will be a suitable match for your business or personal goals. If you are attempting to market your company to someone who has no interest or need for your products, your efforts will be unsuccessful. Take the time to identify and target people who are most likely to benefit from what you are offering. 

#3: Leveraging Social Proof

The Importance of Customer Reviews

When creating content and sharing your business, whether it be in a public or private setting, consider leveraging social proof. Consider this: you are browsing through Amazon's vast selection of products, trying to make a decision between multiple similar items. You find yourself scrolling through pages of products, trying to determine which one is the best fit for your needs. You start with a price comparison (we all love a good deal), but that’s not the most important factor. You then look to ratings and reviews to help match value with price to ultimately make a purchasing decision. This is social proof at work.   

Social proof is a powerful psychological phenomenon that influences our decision-making process. It refers to the tendency of people to make buying decisions by placing their trust in the opinions and actions of others. Reviews and ratings are a crucial aspect of online shopping. They provide valuable insights into the quality and performance of a product or service, as well as the level of customer satisfaction. If the product that you are considering has tons of five-star ratings, and customers are raving about it in the reviews, we are more likely to believe that it is a good product and that we should buy it.

By investing your time in gathering and utilizing social proof, you can effectively showcase to potential customers that your products and services are already being used and trusted by others. To establish this credibility, make a habit to request reviews from your previous customers. Not only does this provide an opportunity to check in with your current clients and ensure their satisfaction, but it also enables you to build the social proof that is necessary for future sales. Encourage your customers to take pictures and share how they are using your products or services, and then ask for permission to feature their review. Customer reviews are often more highly valued and trusted than product descriptions. As you gather more and more reviews, you will find that it becomes increasingly easier to expand and grow your business.

Using Yourself as Social Proof

Everyone has to start somewhere. When you first start your business, you most likely won’t have a customer base to pull testimonials from. The good news is that personal experiences with your company and products still serve as a powerful form of social proof. Your potential customer wants to see how you use and find value in your products. After all, why should someone trust your recommendations if you don’t have personal experience in what you are promoting? By sharing your journey with your company, you build trust and credibility with your audience. Post pictures of yourself using the products and share your personal insights. Be sure to give honest reviews and explain how you incorporate the products and services into your daily life. By doing this, you can help potential customers better understand the benefits of what you are offering and feel more confident in their decision to purchase from you. When customers see how your company fits into your life, they can start to imagine how it fits into theirs.