Be a Good Sponsor by Being a Good Leader

Hello NPN’ers,

I’ve recently had some concerns from members not getting good advice or information from their sponsors. Please listen to the video (audio) below for my take on being a good sponsor..

 

Text Version:
[toggle title=”Click Here for the (rough) text version..” style=”fancy”]I see this happening quite a bit in internet marketing..

One of our members will go to their sponsor with a question, and either their sponsor will ignore them because they don’t know the answer… or they’ll give them some answer that is probably bogus information that they have no idea whether it’s accurate or not, or they just answer with something because they feel they have to give them an answer – because they’re the sponsor.

If your referral asks you for help or advice. Don’t think that you have to have an answer for them – especially if you don’t know the right answer. You job as a leader is to help your team find the answers to the questions they have. For example, if they ask you what’s the best way to get word out about my business on facebook. Don’t give them some answer that you have no idea whether it works or not.

Your answer, as their leader, should be, “you know, facebook isn’t my area of expertise, let me find out what I can for you so I can point you in the right direction. I know a couple people that have been really successful with that type of marketing, let me do some research and get back to you.”

You don’t have to have the answers, but you need to assist in finding solutions. As you can imagine, I get lots of marketing questions from lots of different people, all with different skill sets and experience. And honestly i don’t have the answers to a lot of their questions, a lot of them I do, but with many of the questions, I might not be the right person to ask… but one thing I’m good at is I’m very proficient at finding solutions for people. So if I can’t answer a question directly, I can spend some time researching, and then I can point them in the right direction so they can find their answers themselves.

So I can do some research and answer their question this way, “I’m not the right person to ask, but check out this guy’s blog, he’s really knowledgable in what you’re trying to do and he has some great ideas and can point you towards some great resources that will help you accomplish what you’re trying to do.” or I can take it one step further and reply with “I did some checking for you, and here’s what I found out and this might answer your question..” and then I give them the information. It depends on what it is of course.

But the point is, that is part of how you lead and manage people. I used to manage an IT department at my former job, and this is a huge part of management as well. I suppose now I manage, or take part in managing thousands of pepole online. You don’t have to have the answers, and most of us don’t have all the answers, and you shouldn’t try to make it seem like you have all the answers. But you need to get good at helping people find solutions.

I guess it’s the difference between a supervisor and a manager. A supervisor is the person that should have all the answers because they’re the person that has done your job for a lot longer, so they should know. A manager doesn’t know all the answers, but knows where you should go to find out where to get the answers. It’s about finding solutions.

What do you think your referrals will appreciate more: Giving them some sort of a quick “off the cuff” answer that probably isn’t true, and you yourself have no idea whether it’s valuable information or not… or admitting you don’t really know, but being able to point your referral in the direction that will get them the right answer. What do you think is more valuable, particularly in the long run (which is what we’re all here for).

If you can provide leadership in that way, you will be able to build an organization that will stick around, and will appreciate the help and leadership that you’re able to provide.

So if you get a question that you don’t know the answer to from one of your referrals. Tell them “I’m not sure, but I will contact my sponsor, because I know she might have the answer or can point us in the right direction..”

If you do it that way, you’ll also be learning what the answer is yourself. So if you help someone find the answer, you will have the solution as well.

So that’s my advice for today..

Be a good sponsor by being a good leader.

I really hope this information has been of some value to you and your team and have yourselves a great day.[/toggle]

Thanks, have a great day! Feel free to comment..

– Geoff Stephen

Comment below..

12 thoughts on “Be a Good Sponsor by Being a Good Leader”

  1. HI Geoff

    I always send a personal message to each new prospect and a different one after they join pointing out that my success depends on THEIR success first and that I am always available to help them. My phone umber email and Skype Id are in my signature and I invite them to contact me at any time and also point them at my blog which is all about list building and marketing,

    When I join anything new I ALWAYS test my sponsor and it is surprising how many people in my downlines don’t seem to seem to see the value in this and don’t bother to reply

    Reply
    • Richard, yes communication is always key in a business like this.

      Personally, I’d never join anything until I’ve tested out my sponsor ‘before hand’, and I would expect (and prefer) anyone else – my prospects – doing the same for me.

      Reply
  2. Hey Geoff,

    Funny thing. I had a question today that I could not answer and I was going to send you a ticket, so I could get back to my Member. (I did tell him I would ask you).

    While NPN is Global, how does someone promote it to SPANISH people? I assume that they would have to read/speak English or use a Translation Program? It would really help if NPN had a Spanish AND French VERSION, as these 2 languages are very prominent. And then there’s China. . .

    Anything in the wind there, or have I missed something already?

    Thank you in advance for your response here, as I’m sure many are eager to know the reply to this question.

    Eager Canadian Beaver (LOL!)
    Patricia S.

    Reply
    • I do have translation on my list. But it will have to wait until the backoffice is switched to a different platform. It’s a much bigger job than you might think.

      Reply
  3. Hi Geoff,

    I realize how big the Translation job is, as I too am in Business and have had it done, but just letting your Members know that it is on your List PROVES what a great Business you are providing us.

    We appreciate your constant dedication to the development of NPN and I for one am here until the day I die. And I’m hoping I have a LOT of good years left in me yet, ha!

    If one of our NPN Downline Members has a question we can’t answer, we all NOW KNOW we should do the research and try to help them first, and those that don’t, are the ones who lose their Downlines. It’s that simple folks.

    My advice? READ over your ENTIRE NPN Members area. Click on ALL the links along the left side of your Members area. It always astounds me how many Members have NOT done that yet.

    And to those that have… I SEE you on the Bonus Boards. KUDOS!

    Reply

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