Here's the math that should scare you:
The average network marketer spends 15+ hours per week on tasks that could be automated. That's 780 hours per year. At a conservative $50/hour value, that's $39,000 worth of time you're losing every single year.
Time you could spend recruiting. Building relationships. Developing leaders. Living your life.
Automation isn't about being lazy—it's about being strategic. Let me show you exactly what to automate and how to do it right.
The Automation Mindset
Before we dive into tactics, let's establish a principle: automate the repetitive so you can personalize the meaningful.
Every time you do the same task twice, ask yourself: "Can this be automated?" Usually, the answer is yes.
The 80/20 Rule of MLM Automation:
- Automate (80%): Follow-up sequences, onboarding, notifications, reporting, scheduling
- Personalize (20%): One-on-one calls, leadership development, key presentations, relationship building
Automation Category 1: Lead Follow-Up
Studies show that 80% of sales require 5+ follow-ups, but most network marketers stop after 1-2. Automation solves this.
What to Automate:
New Lead Sequence (7-14 days)
- Day 1: Welcome email with valuable resource
- Day 2: Success story or testimonial
- Day 4: FAQ addressing common objections
- Day 7: Personal video or voice message
- Day 10: Limited-time value offer
- Day 14: "Just checking in" + easy next step
Cold Lead Re-Engagement (for people who went silent)
- Monthly value-first touchpoint
- Quarterly "what's new" update
- Annual check-in message
Pro Tip: Use a mix of email, SMS, and voice drops. Different people respond to different channels.
Automation Category 2: New Distributor Onboarding
The first 48-72 hours after someone joins are critical. A solid automated onboarding sequence ensures nothing falls through the cracks.
Automated Onboarding Sequence:
Immediate (within minutes of signup):
- Welcome email with login credentials
- Getting started checklist
- Link to "watch first" training video
- SMS: "Welcome! Check your email for next steps"
Day 1:
- Morning: Product training video series
- Afternoon: Compensation plan overview
- Evening: "How was your first day?" check-in
Days 2-7:
- Daily training emails (one topic per day)
- Milestone celebrations ("You completed module 3!")
- Reminders for live training calls
- End of week: First strategy session scheduling link
Automation Category 3: Team Communication
Keeping your organization informed shouldn't require you to send the same message 100 times.
Automated Communication Systems:
- Commission notifications: "Your commissions for [period] are $X"
- Rank advancement alerts: "Congratulations! You've reached [rank]!"
- Activity reminders: "You're X points away from qualification"
- Event reminders: Team calls, webinars, conferences
- Birthday/anniversary messages: Personal touch at scale
Broadcasting Tools:
- Segmented emails: Different messages for different ranks or activity levels
- Mass SMS: Urgent announcements and time-sensitive info
- Push notifications: For distributors using your app
Automation Category 4: Commission Processing
Manual commission calculation is time-consuming and error-prone. This should be 100% automated.
What Your Software Should Handle:
- Volume tracking: Automatic PV/BV calculation
- Qualification checking: Active status, rank requirements
- Commission calculation: All bonus types, all levels
- Payment processing: Scheduled disbursements
- Tax documentation: 1099s and required forms
- Reporting: Breakdown by type, period, and rank
BizBase handles all of this automatically. Real-time commission tracking means your team always knows exactly where they stand.
Automation Category 5: Reporting & Analytics
Stop pulling reports manually. Set them up once and get them delivered automatically.
Reports to Automate:
- Daily: New enrollments, sales volume, activity metrics
- Weekly: Team performance summary, growth trends
- Monthly: Commission breakdown, rank movements, retention rates
- Custom alerts: "Notify me when X happens"
Dashboard Monitoring:
- Set up alerts for key metrics
- Track KPIs without manual checking
- Get notified of unusual activity
Automation Category 6: Social Media & Content
Your content strategy shouldn't require you to be online 24/7.
What to Automate:
- Post scheduling: Plan a week of content in one sitting
- Recurring content: "Motivation Monday" posts, etc.
- Story templates: Create once, customize and post
- Comment responses: Auto-replies to common questions
What NOT to Automate:
- Personal responses to individual comments
- DM conversations with prospects
- Engagement with your audience's content
Building Your Automation Stack
BizBase's Built-In Automation:
- Email and SMS marketing automation
- Commission processing and notifications
- Onboarding sequences
- Team communication tools
- Reporting and analytics
- Workflow triggers and actions
Complementary Tools:
- Scheduling: Calendly, Acuity for appointment booking
- Social media: Buffer, Later for post scheduling
- Video: Loom, BombBomb for quick personal videos
- Integrations: Zapier to connect everything together
The Human Element: What Should NEVER Be Automated
Automation should enhance relationships, not replace them. Keep these personal:
- First welcome call: Real human connection matters
- Leadership coaching: Cannot be templated
- Crisis support: When someone's struggling, be there
- Major recognitions: Rank advances deserve personal attention
- Difficult conversations: Never automate conflict resolution
Your Automation Action Plan
This Week:
- Audit your time: What repetitive tasks are stealing hours?
- Pick ONE area to automate first (I recommend onboarding)
- Set up your first automated sequence
This Month:
- Build your complete onboarding automation
- Create a lead follow-up sequence
- Set up automated reporting
This Quarter:
- Refine and optimize based on results
- Add team communication automation
- Document your systems for your leaders to duplicate
The Bottom Line
Time is your most valuable asset. Every hour you save through automation is an hour you can invest in high-value activities that actually grow your business.
BizBase was built with automation at its core. From commission processing to email sequences to team notifications, we handle the repetitive so you can focus on the meaningful.
Join 1,000 Founders and get lifetime access to powerful automation tools—without monthly fees eating into your profits.