Many of us use forums, but I know there are some internet & network marketers who do not. I doubt there is anyone on this call who hasn’t heard of Facebook, even if you’ve never used it. Facebook is a forum.
· Exactly what is a forum? An Internet forum, or message board, is an online discussion site where people can hold conversations in the form of posted messages. They differ from chat rooms, which many of you are also familiar with, in that messages are not shown in real-time, to see new messages the forum page must be reloaded...
· An Internet forum is a web application for holding discussions and posting user-generated content. Internet forums are also commonly referred to as Web forums, message boards, discussion boards, electronic discussion groups or forums and bulletin boards.
Forums can help you grow your teams, without even placing a single ad on them! I highly recommend that you check some out and use them to help your business grow. If you know of others (than those I’ll mention later in this call), please share with us.
There are myriad forums throughout the Internet. Some are for single moms, some for work-at-home moms, some for people interested in politics, business, finances, genealogy or economy. I’ll provide you with a few sites later in this call, but feel free to search the internet for forums geared toward a subject you enjoy.
The first thing you’ll do when you go to a forum is to register. Many allow you to register with a “user” name rather than your actual name. You can do that if you wish, but remember that “branding” yourself to promote your business is important, so forums may help you in that manner.
When you first join a forum, take some time to read some of the posts before you begin posting yourself. That way you can get the “tone” of each forum, learn the environment, what element of society posts there and what type of discussions take place there. Once you get to know what the forum is about, it is important to participate on these forums. Don’t just register & read posts. And DO NOT use your posts as advertisements for your business!
When you join each forum, it is very important to read their rules. They are different at each site. You may be suspended or banned from a site if you violate their rules. Don’t let that scare you. These are rules, not laws. The only penalty a forum site can impose is suspension or banning you. Just read over their rules, and you can ask your sponsor or a forum member if you don’t understand something.
Once you get used to forums, you’ll likely really enjoy getting to know other members, learning from them and contributing to them. You’ll grow relationships with other posters.
Try to spend some time each day on your favorite forums. I suggest you set a scheduled amount of time each week to participate in forums, and stick to it.
· Also, you’ll want to join groups within the sites. Search the groups available, and join those you think you may enjoy. You can always “unsubscribe” from a group later if you wish.
Once you’ve established relationships in a group, a contact may ask you what you do. At that point, feel free to say something like, “I sell xxxx with xxxx.” That’s it. Don’t go into a big presentation. If they want to know more, they’ll ask.
Also, one of the best ways to get one of your contacts to ask what you do is to ask what they do first! You must show interest. As long as they are affiliated with a reputable company, you need not feel as though you’re being phony about it. There is no business that’s a good fit for everyone, and just because their business isn’t something you’d like to do, it doesn’t mean that they don’t love what they do as much as you love what you're doing. So, when they say they work for XYZ company, if you aren’t familiar with them, ask them about it. If you do know their company – say it’s Avon – you can mention that you know what a really good company they are. And something like, “It’s great that you found something you enjoy doing so much.”
· Some of these sites offer a signature block, which means that every time you post on the site, you’re also posting a mini-ad. I suggest your signature block contain your name, your company name, and one of your websites.
· On WAHM, you must post 30 times before you qualify for a signature block. You’ll want to post wherever you see a forum that seems interesting to you, but do NOT post just to get your 30 in. You must be contributing to the “conversation.”
Some forums offer free or paid advertising. If it’s free, be sure to take advantage of it, but keep in mind, oftentimes those ads will appear among the posts. So you don’t want to place too many ads and appear to be using the site just for that purpose.
Two VERY IMPORTANT items I’d like to advise you about when posting on forums.
1. Anyone can join & read these forums. Keep that in mind when you post. For instance, on general forums, I avoid posting anything related to politics. Since we all have different opinions about political affairs, I believe it could be harmful to my business relationships if I get involved in political discussions.
VERY Important! NEVER bash or insult anyone or any company on a forum. It is always against the rules, but more than that, it is rude & unprofessional.There are probably hundreds of forums, some are just for women or men, some specific industry-related or hobby-related. Using your browser, search for forums to use that you like. Give several a try. If you like one, great. If not, you can delete your profile or simply not participate.
Forums are an excellent tool, but only when used properly. So go out there, and enjoy posting!
