Does telemarketing/cold calling work for building a MLM/Network Marketing Biz?

If you are talking about cold calling people from a phone book, it can be a tough nut to crack. I'm not saying it can't be done, but many people aren't waiting around for the phone to ring for someone to offer them a product that they might not have any interest in or a "business opportunity" that required them to invest money in.

I know this cause I am part of an MLM but I don't try to recruit anymore.

If you are wanting to try to sell and recruit people in your MLM, by all means start cold calling. Also you can purchase leads online and for the most part, the tire kickers are somewhat weeded out so you can focus more time on finding the right people. The cost per lead varies in price by what type of leads you want.

Just search the internet for purchase leads or lead wholesalers

You could also try affiliate marketing. In most cases, you can do affiliate marketing for free using the internet.

What you need is to target opportunity seekers and generate incoming calls via employment classified ads. Where else can you target opportunity seekers?

Take a look around, you are swimming in one of them... there are thousands of places where they hang out.

Then you need a good script for the call ins...

Either that or buy an opportunity lead list, but its better to generate your own.

I am involved in two direct / network marketing companies, and I never cold call.
I have my lead capture page for each business which generates leads for me, where the people are asking for more information. As they have requested the info, this means I am calling warm prospects, which is much easier, and friendlier. I also communicate by email with my autoresponder messages
One of the businesses is in my sig

Yes it works. Cold calling/Warm Calling, I would suggest a good Lead provider or generate online leads, if your just starting I would buy some load them into a dialer then have them emailed once or twice, the better lead gen companis have everything set up for you, if you have any more detailed questions PM me.

It works better in some markets than others. For insurance, loans, and anything financial I would stay away. Make sure you get good leads from a good provider and give it a go. The better the leads the better your success will be.

Personally I wouldn't do it unless they were my own captured leads via an auto responder and people know there is a good possibility of me calling. It works way better this way.

All the best.

I did that for a while. I got out about two years ago because I wanted to actually own my business. Not just do marketing for someone else and, for a while there, "have all my eggs in one basket". The so-called "solid" company I was with disintegrated and so therefore so did my 5 figure checks.
/rant

One system that helped me a ton was called My Lead System Pro. Not sure how they are now though. Definitely look around. There are a few "systems" like theirs.

I'm a big fan of generating your own, exclusive leads as that is how I was able to sponsor 20 people in my first 2 months in my network marketing company.

Once you have warm leads that have given you their contact information, the conversation is generally much easier & pleasant.

I would suggest NOT buying leads from ANYONE online. I have tried almost every single source out there... and nothing even comes close to generating your own leads!