Building a socially responsible network

Driving with Social Responsibility
It is said that people will work for a reward but they will die for a cause. This is never more true than in MLM. Your team is not employed by you, they are independent distributors who can basically decide to work or not work. If they don’t like what you say today, they may well be in someone else’s team tomorrow.  A powerful way to pull  your team together is by rallying them around a worthy cause.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs show that all people want to be significant. At the lowest end of the pyramid you find survival while at the top of the pyramid you find significance. 
Let’s face it, joining an MLM company falls closer to the survival side of Maslow's hierarchy than it does to the self-actualisation side. 

There is an opportunity to make your company count for more than just the bottom line. By embracing a worthy cause and  involving your team in the process you can entrench the concept of self-actualisation in your business.

It’s not about the money
Supporting a cause is not about donating money. There are many companies who donate a portion of their sales to a charity but, although this is laudable, it has little or no impact on how your distributors view your company or themselves. I am not saying you should not make donations. I am simply pointing out that they are not effective as a tool to drive team behaviour.

It’s about involvement
The secret is to get your people involved in the entire process. For example - if you support Habitat for Humanity then get your people to actually build a home for someone. Once the home is built, provide ongoing feedback on how the family is doing and what difference your team has made in their lives. By giving their time and getting involved they experience the true meaning of self- actualisation. 

Choosing a cause
There is so much need in the world. Finding worthy causes is not difficult. What is a little tricky, however, is to find a cause that fits your company's mission and vision, relates to your products and provides the opportunity for personal time-based involvement. 

Make sure that your leadership is part of the decision making process. You will find it far easier to get your distributors involved in a project they are passionate about. Once you have made your choice, focus on being the best you can be in this area.

Social responsibility strategy
This is not a ‘ready, aim, fire’ process. Just as you spent time agonising over your compensation plan and tweaking every single variable, so too must you formulate a comprehensive social responsibility strategy. 

The following are some questions to consider:

1. What cause should you support?

2. Who will champion the cause within the company?

3. What budget can you allocate to the company’s ongoing involvement?

4. How do you link it to your product or service?

5. What time-based activity can your team perform that will be game changing for the cause you have chosen?

6. How will you communicate all the aspects of your involvement to your team and your customers?

7. How will you drive involvement?

8. How will you recognise the people who participate?

9. How will you provide ongoing feedback on the outcome of their participation?

Conclusion
If you can successfully involve your distributors in supporting a worthy cause you will change them forever and in doing this, you will develop a deep and abiding loyalty to your brand and your company. If your brand strategy makes people feel good about themselves, they will automatically feel good about your brand.