Maintaining communication with your downline is extremely important in Network Marketing or MLM, it can literally be the determining factor that differentiates a failed business from a successful one. The number one mistake novice network marketers make is not maintaining close communication with their downlines.

Even if you do something simple, like a personal email saying “hello” every day, it can be the thing that keeps your downline going. Network marketing is first and foremost a people business, and to be successful as a networker, you need to network. Daily emails, maybe a postcard or a phone call every other week can go a long way to a person. It also builds trust and relationship with the people in your downline. The more disconnected someone is from you, the more likely they are to become greener herders.

Since network marketing is an industry where we are constantly learning new things and constantly discovering new marketing ideas and techniques to promote our business, the topics you can discuss with your downline are almost limitless. You can talk to them about the marketing tactics you’ve been using successfully, ask for their opinion, or share tools and resources. Building a business should be a team effort.

While you communicate with your downline, you don’t want to take the “go to guy” position, while you want your downline to respect and listen to you, you also want these people to become leaders. Communication with your downline should also promote leadership among those below you, ensuring that your business-building efforts will be duplicated.

Inactive downlines occur for many reasons, but the most common reason is a complete lack of communication from upline members. A newcomer to the network marketing industry is likely to feel overwhelmed with the amount of information they need to process in order to effectively promote and be successful in this industry. It is the upline’s duty to make sure these people find the right tools, get the right training, and can work in this industry.

Whatever marketing system you are using should be nearly 100% duplicate with your downline. Whatever YOU are doing to build your business, your downline members should be doing too. People can’t be duplicated, but marketing systems can. When building a business, you need to understand this and be able to communicate this truth to your downline. Duplicate marketing systems is another GREAT reason you want to keep in touch with your downline, they need to be involved in everything you’re doing. Especially if you are very successful and sign up members like crazy in your downline.

Shy people need to break their habit when they get into Network Marketing. You have to be able to talk to anyone and everyone about your business and opportunity, and be constantly promoting and seeking to attract new members to your downline. Only through mass promotion do people find success in Network Marketing, and until your downline can duplicate this, you need to be able to hold their hand until they’re ready. This requires communication.

Autoresponders, automated follow-up, and all of these systems are great for helping you communicate with your downline. But nothing beats one-on-one contact, if you can implement that into your business you will be incredibly successful. The duplicable opportunity, the duplicable marketing system and the personal contact are the three ingredients that a successful business needs to grow. If you follow these simple steps, your business will be a success.