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Choosing A Network Marketing
Company
A Beginners Guide
By Mashubi Rochell
Are you new to Network Marketing and
intrigued by the concept of opening a home business for just a small
investment and low overhead? Do you have what it takes to be successful in
Network Marketing?
Are you wondering how to choose a company to
work with? This article will help you answer some of these questions!
Is Network Marketing For Me?
First, you will want to evaluate whether a Network Marketing business is for
you. Network Marketing is an equal opportunity business. It doesn't require
special degrees, unusual talents, and is open to everyone regardless of
gender, race or age. However, it's definitely not for everyone! Ask yourself
these questions:
Do I have the time and the money to invest in starting a business? Your
answer to this first, and most important question will determine whether you
can realistically start a Network Marketing business: Without a resounding
"yes" you will not be able to get your business off the ground. A business,
even one with a very low initial investment, requires an output of time and
energy, otherwise it cannot flourish.
Money does not come rolling in
automatically after you sign up. Those promises made by "automated
recruiters" and self replicating web pages that you won't have to talk to
people are not true! Not one of the major, successful Network Marketing
companies has grown through this method. Don't be fooled by ads for a "free"
business, as all businesses require some tools in order to get started. Many
Network Marketing businesses can be started for under $200, some for less
and some for more.
You will need to purchase a selection of products in
order to experience them for yourself. You will also have some regular
overhead costs such as long distance phone service, 3 way calling service,
voice mail, postage, a day planner/schedule book, and tapes, brochures,
videos, product samples or other prospecting tools. Most Network Marketing
companies also require that you be a regular consumer of their products in
order to receive commissions, so you will also have a monthly purchase
requirement, usually $40-$100 depending on the company.
Am I willing and able to learn something new? Network marketing is a unique
business. It is also at it's heart a simple business. If you have tremendous
success in other areas, even in traditional business, this does not
guarantee your success as a networker. You must be willing to learn an
entirely new way of doing business! What you do must be able to be easily
taught to others. In Network Marketing we call this being duplicatable. When
you are showing someone your business opportunity, they are thinking to
themselves, "can I do this business?" The business needs to be simple enough
for the average person. Your Network Marketing business is not the place to
show off your special talents, your impressive business attire, your
stunning presentation skills. Humility is a great gift for a network
marketer, it will allow you to learn quickly from those who are more
experienced than yourself. Those who begin a Network Marketing business with
a large ego and the need to prove their know-how have less chance for
success because they are not teachable.
Am I motivated to succeed? Having a "compelling why", a reason that you are
doing a Network Marketing business, is essential. Perhaps you want to have
the time and financial freedom to spend more time with your
family....perhaps you want just a few hundred extra dollars per month to
save for a special vacation....perhaps you'd like to pay off your
mortgage.......donate to favorite causes......travel the world........have
enough freedom to be able to not work for a month.....whatever your
motivation, it must be strong enough and compelling enough to overcome what
I like to call "everyday inertia". What is "everyday inertia"? The tendency
many of us have to do the easiest things first, and to postpone until
tomorrow those actions which are less comfortable, especially high risk
activities like phone calls that might expose you to rejection!
Can I handle discouragement and rejection? While many people that you talk
with will be excited to try your products and to hear about your business
opportunity, not everyone in your life will be interested. In fact, some
people will be prejudiced against Network Marketing because of a bad
experience or hearsay. Some people, regardless of what facts you offer,
choose to believe that Network Marketing is illegal. Some will tell you
you're crazy for doing it! Some people will look down upon you or think you
are silly for pursuing your dreams. Some of these folks might be your
friends and family, even your spouse or children! You must be willing to
handle the inevitable opposition that you encounter from people who aren't
able or willing to see the potential of network marketing. You must be able
to let go of these unpleasant encounters and reconnect with your own vision
and "compelling why".
Can I work my business regularly at least 5 hours a week? If your life is so
full that you are not able to spare at least 5 hours a week to devote to
building your business, think about re-prioritizing your schedule. What is
most important to me right now? If you cannot spare at minimum that 5 hours
a week, then it may not be the right time to start a business. Without
regular, persistent effort, your business will not grow.
Do I care about people? Am I generous and willing to help others? The
essence of network marketing is about helping others to succeed. You prosper
by helping others to prosper. Without a genuine interest in the well being
of others and the willingness to help them reach their goals (not your goals
for them), you will not develop a strong and lasting network of loyal
customers and distributors. Some Network Marketing companies promise a
totally online business, where you won't need to talk with people. However,
only a small percentage of people are found online, and few people succeed
working exclusively on the internet. The internet cannot provide the face to
face connection and relationship that builds loyalty and customer retention
in your group. Phone calls and relationship building are what create true
connection.
Do I have enthusiasm and a positive outlook? If you expect to fail, you will
communicate this to your potential customers and distributors. You must
believe that success is possible. Many successful distributors have studied
books on visualization and positive thinking and have attributed their
success to having learned to reprogram their thoughts.
Do I have integrity? In Network Marketing you are the president and CEO of
your own organization. There is a responsibility in this, a responsibility
to serve your customers and distributors. All those that you bring into the
business will look to you for leadership and guidance. They will do what you
do! If your actions are compromising of your values and beliefs, your
organization will reflect this, and you will find your customers and
distributors end up going elsewhere!
Am I willing to persist in the face of difficulty??? Many Network Marketing
experts have said that there are only two ways to fail in Network Marketing:
to never begin, or to begin and then give up. Many successful distributors
attribute their success to dogged persistence in the face of adversity and
obstacles.
What do you think? Is network marketing for you? If most of your answers to
the above questions were "No" or "Well, maybe", then it may not be the right
kind of home based business for you. However, if you had many "Yes" answers,
then please read on!
Know Yourself!
Network Marketing has been called "referral based marketing". Instead of
using large advertising campaigns, the network marketer conversationally
markets her or his products/business opportunity in the course of everyday
life...with family, friends, acquaintances, colleagues...and then teaches
others to do the same thing. Network Marketing becomes a part of your life
that is integrated with your other activities. Conversational marketing does
not mean pestering, pressuring, or coercing one's acquaintances and loved
ones, but it does mean that you must sincerely and truthfully believe in the
value of the products and the business opportunity that your company
provides.
You must be a product of your company's products so that the positive
results that you receive are noticeable or easily shared with others. If
your company sells skin care products, use the products and experience the
benefits of them. Share the benefits of your Network Marketing business with
others, like more free time, great tax benefits, great team support, etc.
You must want to share the product and business with others! Would you want
to share this company's products or business opportunity with your loved
ones? If not, then find another company.
Nowadays there are a broad range of products and services distributed through
Network Marketing. By far the most popular seem to be the the nutritional
companies. In the MLM Insider's list of Best Companies for 1997 (chosen from the
distributors point of view) all 12 companies chosen offer nutritional products.
Some companies like Watkins, Amway and Melaleuca offer a full range of products
and services to their customers and distributors. Some companies specialize in a
particular product or service, like Pre-Paid Legal Services, The Gourmet Coffee
Club, or Discovery Toys.
Most Network Marketing companies fall into one of the following categories,
however this is not an exhaustive list:
o Nutritional/Health Products
o Cosmetics
o Telecommunications (long distance/satellite/internet access)
o Business Services (advertising, leads, publications)
o Services (legal, travel, financial/debt reduction, motivational,
dental/medical insurance)
o Full Service Companies (a wide range of household, nutrition, personal care,
and services)
o Non Consumable Items (air and water purifiers, toys, books, clothing, jewelry,
coins, stamps)
o Food products (groceries, gourmet food, coffee)
More companies nowadays are broadening their product lines to be offer more
benefits to their customers and distributors. For example the following
nutritional companies have recently broadened their product selections: USANA
now offers internet access and credit cards to their distributors, Cell Tech now
offers natural skin and hair care products and healthy snack foods, and
Longevity now offers skin care products in addition to their nutritional line.
Let's say you've taken inventory of yourself and your interests, and you have
some idea of what kind of company and products you feel connected to...now what?
What To Look For In A Company
If you are new to Network Marketing, we strongly suggest that you choose a
company that is already established. Why? Start-up companies may offer wonderful
'ground floor' opportunities, but statistics show that 85% of new network
marketing companies go out of business within the first five years, most of them
within the first 18 months. As a beginner, you will have an easier time learning
the business with a company that is established and has in place many tools and
systems for supporting it's distributors.
My own experience of working with two start up companies included late checks,
erroneous checks, late orders and back orders, misplacement of distributors in
geneologies (from a computer problem that started when the company went into a
growth spurt), abrupt changes in sales aids, product claims and even product
(one company completely discontinued it's main product after I had purchased
sales aids for that product!). In addition we had no voice mail system for
communication with downline so our upline leaders spent 18 hours a day on the
telelphone! Another problem was that the company grew quickly, attracted
negative media attention and eventually the scrutiny of several state Attorney
Generals. You don't need that kind of headache!
Mashubi Rochell is a network marketing consultant who enjoys pioneering new ways
of network marketing with integrity on the internet. She can be found online at
http://www.Mashubi.com
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