Network marketing or multi-level marketing (MLM). Is it for you?
Probably about 95% of us don’t want to be “sales people.” However, legitimate MLM companies all have a product or service that needs to be sold. So, why are so many of us “non” sales types drawn to a business that requires “sales?” We may need additional income, have the hope of residual income, or desire to work the hours we choose. We may simply desire the top-notch, unique products & services that are offered by good MLM companies.
So you like the idea of being financially free and network marketing sounds like it could be the vehicle that gets you there! Is there actually a way you can succeed in this interesting business without having to be a super sales person? Yes! If you choose the right kind of company and you have the right kind of support!
Some MLM companies have high-volume sales quotas and are geared for the super sales types who can do very well retailing their products. Other companies have lower volume requirements and may be more attractive to the average person.
However, one major problem looms loud & clear — in order to make money, the distributor must either be very good at retail sales or he must be able to build an organization of people under him, who use or sell the product. Going out on our own, without an organized support system, results in discouragement and ultimately, in failure, for most of us.
Oh, our dream is super, and our written goals can keep us motivated for awhile, but without success, even a very determined person will quit sooner or later. Unfortunately, with most “opportunities” we can lose a lot of time and money before we sadly realize that this just “will not work” for us. Then maybe we will join another company…and another…and another…and eventually we “burn out.” And our hopes and dreams are shattered!
Fortunately, however, some people have taken the time to identify this failure syndrome and have worked hard to do something about it. Eureka! Here comes quite an array of support systems to choose from!
But…when choosing a support system, you still need to be careful since some are not reliable, are expensive, and do not work very well. No matter how good the hype, you can still fail in your business if the support system is not able to deliver as it has promised.
Due to unhappy experiences with a few very expensive support systems, I have learned to reduce my risk of failure. To me, perhaps, the only thing worse than spending my own money and time just to lose it all to a group that could not deliver on its promises…is to introduce someone else to a losing group, and see someone else lose their time and their money because of me! MLM is said to be a “people helping people” business and we are to help other people, not hurt them!
To reduce your risk of loss and increase your odds for success, most of us, I believe, need to have reliable, low-cost support combined with a stable company that has a good, solid product line. The people who head up a support system should understand marketing and be available to help you. They should send you regular communication and the cost should be low. A good support system can actually help the average person who is willing to work, to be very, very successful.
So, is this too good to be true? Could a previously unsuccessful network marketer actually make money if the right kind of support is there? Is this a pipe dream? What’s the catch here? Yep…there actually is a catch! Like all internet businesses, you still have to get people to visit your website! A good support system can help you a lot here, too, but will not do it all for you!
In closing, one thing I should mention — new start-up companies and new start-up support groups do have a high failure rate. You cannot be successful if your company fails. For lower risk, look for a company and a support team that have been around long enough to be stable, have definitely been successful, and will do their best to help you succeed!
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