Remember Your Referrals!
If you are responsible for bringing someone to WA remember that they are far more than just a source of revenue and another number on a graph - they are real people and they are people that you brought here.
They are here because of YOU.
That means you have an obligation, a duty and a responsibility to continue to personally coach and mentor them and help them as best you can to consistently make progress toward goals of their own choosing and to achieve their own version of success.
That of course is my opinion and the way I see it - you may feel differently.
While I am still new to affiliate marketing I am not new to recruiting and from my own past experiences recruiting is one thing - and retention is another. Most people (and companies) focus like crazy on recruiting new people while at the same time almost totally neglecting those they have already brought in!
That is a serious mistake - not to mention just not a good thing to do either.
If you go above and beyond to take care of the people you bring in they will become your biggest ambassadors and advocates.
How Can You Do That?
Start with communication. Be certain to personally welcome them and let them know you are available should they need you or have any questions.
Let them know where to start and what to do next (even though WA does a very good job - it can be and is overwhelming to people when they look at all that is here!) and that little bit of help and reassurance can make quite a difference.
When people know what to expect - realistically and truthfully without the smoke and mirrors and puffery that are all too common - then they feel more comfortable and are more likely to take action.
When they have realisitc expectations in regards to the amount and type of work that will be needed and potential outcomes as well as when to expect each - they are more likely to stay happy with their choice to become a member and to keep on being a member.
On the other hand, even people with all the necessary drive, and ambition necessary for success can eventually become disheartened and quit relatively quickly - especially if they feel neglected by the person responsible for getting them to join in the first place.
What are your thoughts?
Recent Comments
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Great point LD. I believe if you are collecting a commission from referring someone to WA, you have both a moral and fiduciary duty to the new member. There should be a mandatory period of time, say time limit of 1 year or when the OEC training is completed whichever is longest, that the referrer must coach/mentor the newbie.
I ran a question here at WA a couple of weeks ago out of curiousity to see if many WA members were operating with mentors/coaches or not. Whilst purely anecdotal, and with only a couple of happy campers, it doesn't make for very good reading: Do you have a mentor or personal coach here at wa? ~ Randall
I think people should take care of those they recruit/refer etc. - but that's just me. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that it works, it builds loyalty and it produces additional referrals - especially when you go above and beyond to help people.
That does not mean babysitting or hand-holding either - but more of an organized systematic way of providing support and being available to the people you bring in.
As I have mentioned my experience has been recruiting, training, coaching and mentoring people in other areas - and I intend to apply the same concepts with a vengeance here too. Time will tell... but in the end, human behavior is human behavior so I anticipate it will work the same way here as it does elsewhere.
I look at it from the perspective of how I want to be treated and what kind of help and support would make me beyond happy - and then try to provide that. Beyond that even - ASK PEOPLE what they want... then use the information to make continuous improvements and try to keep doing just a little bit better on an ongoing never-ending basis.
Just my opinion and just my way of doing things. Everyone else has to decide what works and do what they choose.
Opinions are good and everyone's got one. I know this might sound a little bit cliche, but if we are having problems with personal coaches/mentors, maybe they need mentoring?
Great!
This is so true, we must not forget what is the source of our success, helping others to move forward and this development is part of the commitment of all those who have referals. Referals are part of the success of this platform and it is very good to remind us.
Ingrid
Completely agree, but at the end of the day, what they do with this is up to them. The best thing you can be is to be a role model....be somebody who somebody else would want to follow. If you have to constantly hand-hold....it starts to be a serious drag. Just me. Christine
I hear you and I agree - once the effort is made and the support is available - the rest is up to each individual to use the help and all the resources available, or not. Either way, it is their own personal responsibility.
Thanks for your comments!
Best regards,
L.D. Sewell
Who says that their advice is worth following in the first place? they are only as good as the sum of the knowledge and garnered experience so far which may be very limited indeed let alone value based. I had an interaction with one who was so consumed by greed and very limited in knowledge that she was hoodwinking people into joining WA when WA has at its base a very good reputation right from the start with astute value based brand building and is not served well through these type of tactics. It will lead to problems in the strategy component on a longer term perspective, if too many of these people are allowed to outnumber those that people would gladly follow through a positive recruitment base. Agree too much hand holding leads to too much reliance on an easy way out spoon fed mentality and serves the afflicted person no good. A happy balance is key.
I love your post. Such high-value content. I am very lucky to have a mentor who brought me here who follows up the values you have pointed out. I feel extremely grateful for this as it is such a great benefit in your journey to have that person walking beside you and helping you out when you get stuck. Additionally to having a mentor I have to add that the support from the community has been equally important to me. I feel very grateful for both resources and I wouldn't be where I am now without them. Jude
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I agree completely. In the past, I was involved in recruitment and training and I know how important it is to follow new folks past the welcome and on-boarding phase. It's essential for the growth of the individual as he/she progresses in his/her career.
Just my thoughts
Greg