Whether or not he actually invented it, Mike Dillard used the technique of attraction marketing to great effect and very successfully in his network marketing business.
In fact he could even be credited with just about saving the MLM industry from it own self destruction 5 or 6 years ago.
The old fashioned, off-line, method of prospecting your warm market, and anyone else who came within 3 foot got translated onto the internet as pitching people you don't know on any forums (this is before the explosion of social media) and sending spam e-mails to anyone you knew.
The results were just the same as the offline technique - alienation and resentment on behalf of the target.
It compounded the already bad name the industry had.
The economic time have changed now anyway which has meant that by necessity people have had to explore all the option when it comes to making money online or offline.
The internet has allowed greater access to information and people are becoming better educated about how network marketing works, so the evolution may have come about anyway.
Since then Mike Dillard's attraction marketing strategies have been taught and widely copied and many other "gurus" have developed similar systems and made their names as attraction marketers.
This is not surprising given what Attraction Marketing actually is! What is Attraction Marketing? Sadly with traditional methods of selling - networking, prospecting, cold calling or advertising to find leads the more you try to "sell", the more people resist your approach.
People just don't like being sold to! People still want to buy they just don't want to be pressured or "hassled" in the process.
Attraction Marketing is about turning the tables and being "attractive" to your audience; you draw them to you like a magnet.
In online terms that means having an attractive well designed website, graphics and branding.
You become a magnet through giving value to the people you "serve" online.
You become a trusted advisor, a leader and mentor rather than a salesperson.
You provide solutions to a buyers problems and lead them through the process.
Your aim is to be known, liked and trusted.
It is more than just giving away a freebie or a hefty discount, it means giving something of real value before there is any monetary exchange, and investing time and commitment to building a relationship of trust.
If you have a favourite brand, a shop, or maybe an airline, what is it that attracts you? what it is that "attracts" you.
It might be the ambiance, good lighting, music, well set out and good quality merchandise, unobtrusive but helpful assistants? Whatever it is that turns you on to shop there.
When they are looking after your needs as a customer, when they know that you are special to them, rather than just selling to you, you will feel much more comfortable about shopping there.
There is a flip side of attraction marketing having been quite widely taught and with the advent of social media, everyone now advertises themselves as a "consultant" or mentor, helping other people to be successful.
That is where you need to ensure that what you are doing really is at the cutting edge, and that you really are giving exceptional value or originality.
Can Attraction Marketing Help You? Absolutely! Attraction marketing is a painless way of doing business because it removes the obstacles and objections to being sold to.
It does take time to make it work but the investment will pay off many times over.
The end result is that you will attract many clients who you will go on to do business with and better than that, they will likely bring you referrals as well.
What it will allow you to do is also vet your prospects.
As they get to know you, you can also qualify them.
Are they really committed or are they wasting your time? With attraction marketing you get to choose.