Leads are the fuel an MLM network marketing business runs on. You cannot expect to be successful if you do not create, or borrow, a good MLM lead generation plan. Before the Internet, offline lead generation was the only real choice and it proved to be the cause of the end for many MLM businesses. Most people new to MLM and network marketing had no concept of lead generation as a science, or even an art. With the Internet, lead generation has actually gotten much easier; but simply due to ignorance on the part of most new MLM entrepreneurs and their recruiters, there is no matching growth in success rates. When approached properly, however, there are plenty of opportunities for forming quality leads and building a successful MLM business using the internet.

An MLM network marketing business is based on leads, but what IS a lead?

In its simplest form, a lead is a person who you can present your opportunity or product to. As you can imagine, there are good leads and poor leads. Anyone you hand a brochure to or show your website to is, to some extent a lead. You cannot discount any contact because, as any experienced network marketer can tell you, there is no telling when a chance, or even off-the-wall, contact may turn into a loyal customer or a powerful member of your downline.

However, in terms of effective use of time and resources, the hunt should be for good quality leads. These are people who have at least a passing interest in your particular product or MLM business opportunities in general.

The importance of good quality leads cannot be stressed enough, but where do these leads come from, and should you try for customers or business partners?

In an MLM network marketing business a person needs two types of leads in order to make a profit. They must first get leads on potential customers who are interested and wanting to buy the product. Second they must get leads on other people who are interested in being part of the MLM business itself. The leads for customers help to turn the initial profit while the leads for new business partners helps build the residual income that make MLM’s a great business. If a person fails to get both types of leads they will not be able to build the MLM business they desire.

This does not mean, however, that it is wrong to concentrate on one type of lead from time to time. If, for example, I have a lot of product being sold to my customers, it may be time for me to concentrate on building my downline. In fact, the size of my income from personal sales could even be a recruiting tool when talking to potential business partners. On a slightly different note, in many MLM network marketing businesses, one of the best pools of potential downline members is found within your group of satisfied customers. Wherever we find them however, in this world of the Internet, we cannot ignore offline leads.

Offline MLM leads are usually obtained in one of three ways.

The first would be leads that are family, friends or people the person knows. These people are generally referred to as their "warm market". These leads are usually the easiest to get, but closeness does not guarantee success. The second is by placing ads which result in interested people calling the business owner. These leads are also fairly hassle free, but the results can be somewhat disappointing. In the days before the "no call" list, the third method was by telemarketing calls. However, even if you can avoid the pitfalls of violating the regulations, telemarketing is difficult and can be costly. If a person does not have any experience they could end up getting few, if any, results from telemarketing attempts.

Offline MLM lead generation takes a lot of work and produces less than desirable results, and is best done in combination with online MLM lead generation.

Online MLM lead generation can happen in a variety of ways.

One of the easiest is by capturing names and emails off the business website. This sort of site is often referred to as a "lead capture page". By offering free information such as a newsletter, or a free service or sample, people can more likely be induced to give this information. You can also write articles relevant to your product, service, or field and submit them to various article directories. These articles can contain useful information that the target market needs or wants and includes the business owner's contact information and website link. Leads generated online in this manner may be considered warm leads. The people already know something about the business and are interested. They are giving permission to be contacted. An added bonus with this is that you avoid the problem of spam when you have the individual’s permission to contact them. When done right, online MLM lead generation is not pushy and produces good quality leads, i.e. people who really are interested in the MLM business or product.

Verizon wireless has billboards and instantly recognizable TV ads. These are seen by thousands, perhaps millions of their "leads" daily. For the average MLM network marketer, however, lead generation is the bread and butter of a successful MLM business. As stated previously, to be successful a person must build or borrow a good lead generating process. By using a combination of offline and online methods a person will get the best results. The goal is good qualified leads that will lead to a sale or a new MLM business partner.