This is a true story about how I tried to give my network marketing business away for free. A few years ago when I joined my network marketing company Prepaid Legal Services I was Gung Ho about the opportunity and listened to everything my mentors were teaching about how to build the business.

I was considered the 3-way call guru on my team. I was sold on using 3-way calls using my uplines help with every prospect I was trying to follow up with. I recruited a few people and after a few weeks they quit. This was the pattern in my business. I tried very hard to coach my team and encourage them to go to trainings and briefings with me. Some did but most did not. After about a year in Prepaid Legal I was desperate. I was in the hole big time financially and I knew that I needed a way to recruit prospects into my business fast.

One day I had this bright idea that I would give my prospects the opportunity to join prepaid legal for free. At the time the business fee was $149.00 for a new associate and after getting three new recruits to sign up with a membership my new associate could essentially get their investment right back. My offer to any new associate who wanted to start a business and be on my team was that I would help them recruit their first three associates for free. All I asked for was their warm market list and we would use my marketing materials, prospect and follow up. It was just that simple.

I would sign up their first three prospects under me but use the commissions to pay his/her membership fee. This way my prospect could start their business without having to pay any money up front. You know what happened? NOTHING! That's right, I couldn't even give my business away.

I would talk with broke minded people and offer to work with them to build their business and they still wouldn't take the offer. I admit, I was plain stupid for trying this. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. I thought that if I took away a major 'rejection' (money) then I could recruit more people faster. All I was asking for was access to their warm market list and then we would begin building their business. Anyways, I tried it and bought the T-shirt. What a waste of my time!!

I'm convinced there are certain people who if they were starving and you led them to an oasis would not eat. I since learned my lesson and now build relationships and brand myself as a leader seeking serious business minded people to work with. Another thing I learned is that money is not an issue to the right targeted prospect. The normal entry fee to start a Prepaid Legal business is $249.00. Many top associates started out paying that fee and they know the entry fee price is a deal compared to starting any other business.

So, my advice to you, if you are struggling building your network marketing business, is to not waste your time pitching your business to deadbeats but learn how to market and build your own list of targeted prospects. Doing this will give you the best warm market you could ever have.