Introduction

Many people actualise their dream of doing business online by signing up with a network marketing company. Yes, indeed, network marketing is a simple but powerful business model. And there are a thousand and one companies urging you to join them.

So you have now joined one of them? You are told that all you need do is get as many other people as you can to join. These people are placed below you and are called your downline just as you are member of someone's downline, unless you are the person who started the company. Your prosperity depends on how well you do this and how well your downline build their own downline and so on. In order to do this, you must talk to people who are interested in your business. They are called leads. You need a good flow of leads to build your business.

There are many ways to generate leads. Here we'll discuss 5 simple and effective ways you can follw without breaking a bank.

1. Leaflets or flyers. These are pieces of paper containing information about the programme. They explain the the programme and usually refer the audience to your website for more information or enrolment. Your website is the one the company puts up for you. Some companies offer their members the opportunity to buy leaflets from them.

If this is expensive, you could print them locally, modelling the company's sample. What do you do with this stuff? You give them out to people in stadia, theatres, shopping malls on the streets, wherever.

2. Drop cards. These are similar to flyers but may contain less information than flyers because of their size. The purpose is the same - to bring your programme to people's attention and urge them to visit your website and enrol. Use these as "leave-behinds" at restaurants, petrol stations, stores and other places you visit.

3. Do you like to wear t-shirts? This is another medium to get the word out about your business. What you should do is print a concise and attention-getting message about your opportunity on the t-shirt. When people see it, they may ask questions about the programme and you would then have a superb opportunity to educate and invite.

4. Email signature. Put a message about your business opportunity at the bottom of your emails. Email programmes have this facility. This is however not another email at the end of your email. A brief but curiousity-arousing message with your telephone number and website address will do.

5. What about classified advertisement? This is fine too provided you place them in local newspapers for cost reasons. In developing countries, almost every newspaper is national but then rates are bearable. Many companies have prepared classified ads. Just plcace them. They work.

Lead generation does not need high-level science. Realise that all you want to do is get people to know about the business you are promoting through conversation or a visit to your website. There are many more practical methods than the ones mentioned above. The only limit is your imagination.

Matthew Eigbe has over 25 years experience in consumer marketing and now focuses on network marketing using the internet. He is webmaster at http://www.mattlinks.ws, a site that explains how you can gain Financial Freedom by inviting people to have their own domain name.