Cold calling was (and possibly may be) a standard method taught to new network marketers on how to generate leads. I was never one to use cold calling because I found it to be invasive and uncomfortable for me. Maybe you feel the same way and the good news is, you don't have to rely on cold calling to generate leads. In fact, I would say cold calling is a thing of the past for this business model.

Why Cold Calling Doesn't Work

Now a days, almost every household is utilizing some form of caller ID service on their phone lines. People screen calls and refuse to speak to people in which they do not recognize the incoming number. Heck, I'm one of those people myself!

Another reason cold calling doesn't work well for network marketers is the fact that it isn't easily duplicable. If you are uncomfortable cold calling strangers, how can you possibly recommend this method to your downline? Not everyone feels comfortable using the phone and if new network marketers are taught to use this method, they may give up before they even start.

There are new leads everywhere and one of the easiest ways to discover them and have them discover you is through the internet. The internet has made millionaires out of everyday people like you and I who have learned to tap into it. I'm not claiming that you will become an overnight success or earn millions with the internet but I am saying that marketing online is powerful and can bring you a healthy amount of leads when it is added to your marketing plan.

Blogs

Haven't heard of a blog? A simple definition is that a blog is an online journal used to document anything on any topic that you like. For example, I use one for my weight loss blog where I document my fitness and weight loss journey. Now my web site gets free traffic from people who find my blog in the search engines by typing in keywords.

Articles

If you can write on a blog, you can just as easily write articles. You can write articles pertaining to the topic of your business and submit them to tons of free article directories. The key in using articles is using your targeted keywords in the titles. Submit your articles to top directories (most are free) and you will get free traffic as they are found in the search engines.

Video

Creating videos is fun and easy. Thanks to video sharing sites such as YouTube, Viddler, and others, you can record a quick 2 - 10 minute video and upload to these web sites for more free traffic. You can create videos around your business providing helpful tips or demonstrating how your products or services work. I often post my videos on YouTube and also post them on my blog.