Network Marketing, anyone?

I am a network marketer, Look at my blog in my sig line.

Cheers.

My personal thoughts are when I think of Network Marketing, I instantly think of MLM "Opportunities", and Pyramid schemes, cash gifting and the like.

I'm not saying there aren't good NM companies out there, it's just that there have been so many bad ones, it ruins the taste in your mouth.

I think this is why you don't see IM'ers and NM'ers interacting... they are two different professions entirely.

Here's my take on these 2 different professions:

Internet Marketers work for themselves, create their own products, choose which affiliate products to promote, and generally have the freedom to do what they like.

Network Marketers work for a Network Marketing Company, and sell whatever products the NM companies want you to sell.

Just my thoughts...

- Jared

Yeah man I wonder the same thing sometime. I think network marketing is the future of business, and not a lot of people are talking about it. Which is a shame.

I think people think that network marketing is a scam, but that is really not the case at all. Its pretty just internet marketing now, with a chance to build responsive followers and a really good residual income.

I think people ASSociate Network Marketing with scam programs. Although a few are scams, just like anything else on the internet and in the world, there are a ton of them that are legitimate.

The thing that gets me is there are a lot of so-called marketers here that bash network marketing.

If you're a true marketer, you know that you have to find your target market. Which will be people who have a need or want for your products.

That's how you grow a network marketing downline.

If you market weight loss products, find people who are looking to lose weight. It's as simple as that.

It's no different than doing keyword research for people who want abs, writing articles, setting up pre-sell pages for the 6-pack abs ebook, doing PPC, and collecting commission.

Say thing with Network Marketing.

People think "inside the box" when they do Network Marketing. They think that you can get 3 who gets 3 who gets 3. Or tell a bunch of friends and their family about the company and expect them to jump in. Of course that doesn't work. Name one affiliate program or JV project that works like that.

Unfortunately, for too long MLM was sold on the premise that 'anyone' could do it - which really is not the case. It takes work, and that wasn't made clear to the those that were recruited!

LOL - seriously, MLM is a great business, and there are some truly terrific products sold through this medium - it also taught me the BEST lesson I ever learned about making money: RESIDUAL INCOME!

To this day - whether it's MLM or not - there are few projects that I touch that do not produce a residual income stream.

Sell once - make money for the life of the customer.

THAT is how you build a real income.

Melody

Network marketing is surely sold as "Easy" and a sure shot way to make enormous money. However, its definitely not a business model where you work for yourself Just like working as an affiliate is not Exactly working for yourself unless you've developed at least a few products to go along with your affiliate promotions.

I guess NM has earned a lot of bad reputation over the years especially after the advent of internet where stories of scams and fraud spread like wildfire. Of course this is not to say that NM is a pure scam but rather its more a case of few bad Fish polluting the entire pond.

Bhupinder

I agree with the fact that there are a few bad fish that pollutes the pond. However, saying that Network Marketing isn't a business model is completely false.

If you build you a list, buyers or people actively seeking info on MLM, you will make a killing in MLM.

The reason being, there are a lot of people in NM that love the products, which is why they promote it.

So, they'll do anything and everything to grow their business. This means they will buy a lot of marketing products.

Jaz Lai had a WSO about a Firesale not too long ago. I'm sure he made a killing with that product.

The difference between newbie affiliate marketers and network marketers is the fact that network marketers are passionate about their products.

Many of them actually use the product. Unlike affiliate marketers. Which isn't wrong or anything. I'm an affiliate marketer as well. I find a demand and fill it with a supply.

Reading the replies on this forum, I think people underestimate the power of Network Marketing.

I've used a different definition for network marketing that was synonymous with business networking - things like chamber events, business after hours, and BNI - not to mention the online networking such as linkedin and ecademy.

The power of this type of network marketing, combined with Internet marketing, has proved extremely beneficial / powerful for our company.

Matt

The great thing about Network Marketing is that anytime you get in someone who is almost as prolific as you are, it's like you have created your very own franchise system.

You literally hand them your ad sources, entire autoresponder follow-ups, and you have replicated your business.

Do this 10 times, and you have 10 people basically building your business full-time for you. Get 100 capable people, and you are set for years.

Definitely worthwhile.

Fabian

If you can get your number of associates up like Fabian says, I'm sure you could make a killing. MLM simply isn't too appealing to me however.

I joined my first MLM just a few months ago and I really like the idea behind the one I am in and I am still trying to learn how to build a 'downline'. However, I have figured out a few things in a relatively short time. Basically... you have to have a better business plan than the the one they give you. In other words, don't drink the Kool-Ade.

We've all heard the top-money earners and got excited about the idea of a life changing business that can make us millions. That excitement that you feel at the meetings is truly contagious. Everyone there really believes in the product and the idea that everyone they know will want to sell it. That energy is truly wonderful! But after I joined the business and was turned loose, I found out that this is not nearly as easy as they made it out to be. I went to the meetings and did the things they told me to do, yet I am only making a handful of dollars each month. What am I doing wrong? Well, first of all, I was listening to "them". "They" want me to sell a bunch of stuff and get some more people under me to sell a bunch of stuff and they'll get some more people to sell a bunch of stuff and we'll all make a bunch of money. It all looks really good on paper but it rarely seems to pan out. I keep hearing people say, "the only people that ever make money in these things are the ones who get in early." I don't believe that. But what I am finding out is that the biggest difference between me and the top-money earner is that he is a professional network marketer and I'm not. Not yet, anyway.

Also I recently figured out that I'm selling the wrong thing. In MLM, it is important to understand that you are not selling vitamins, juice, make-up, etc., what you are selling is a business opportunity. You may have to move some product along the way, but the only way you will make the big money is to sell the business opportunity. Therefore, to be successful you need to fill your downline with people who are interested in a business opportunity and not people who are interested in health and make-up.

Every MLM tells you to seek out your neighbor, sister, cousin, retired father in-law, etc. Why do they tell you to do that? Because they understand that the majority of the people who get involved in MLM have little or no business sense at all. The warm market people are the easiest to sell, but are they the heavy-hitters? Not typically. If they were, everyone in MLM would be a millionaire. I think you have to go outside of your warm market and put the feelers out to have the people who are already looking for a business opportunity find YOU.

Anyone with some ideas about that, I'd love to hear them.

I'm in Network Marketing. The good thing about Network Marketing is that you get Residual Income and you don't mind sharing your techniques or secrets with your downline because the more they recruit, the more money you make. And not many networkers are IM savvy and know how to use the internet properly. The competition is not much.

How many GURU's do you know of in Network Marketing as compared Affiliate Marketing? Not many.. that is the reason the competition is wide open.

The bad thing is that a lot of people are still skeptical of Network Marketing especially when you call it MLM. People relate MLM to scams so you have to covince these people that there are legitimate MLM business around.

I just joined a network marketing company couple weeks ago...the ONLY reason was because it was related to a niche that I am in...if you want to know...pm me

Companies don't allow you to make false claims or statements. However, that's my point. You don't have to promote your companies logo or the name. No one cares about the name.

As I have stated before, find people who have a need or want for what you offer. This has absolutely nothing to do with your companies restrictions on what you can do.

Example: If you want to market on the internet and let's say you market travel, you can have a opt-in page that collects name, email, and phone numbers in exchange for a report or ebook that will show someone the top 7 things to do to save on travel expenses.

You can then promote your travel packages to that person, showing them how to save money on travel.

Or if we could use the example I talked about in the previous post with the abs ebook. With that list of buyers who bought the abs ebook, you could send the an email about your weight loss products, if you are in a network marketing company that has weight loss supplements.

As I have stated before, you have to think outside the box.

If anyone is on Joe Vitale list, you've seen him market a health juice from a network marketing company.

One other thing to consider. Mike Dillard and all of those who copy him are internet marketers. They have adapted the concepts of funded proposals, liscencing (see Bob Serling)and internet marketing to create a system that works for those who use it honestly and right.

Of course, one thing that Mike shares also, that most people miss. The point is to eventually become Mike Dillard yourself. In other words people, figure out how to service the MLM industry as an internet marketer and you will find that they are willing to spend alot more than your average $47 ebook buyer.

Once you become Dillard, you will create a passive income that depends on the industry and not the opportunity. But the beauty is that you get THAT (people within the opportunity) too.

You really have to think outside of the box to get this one.

Charles

I've been involved in NWM full-time for many years and have reached the top of companies. It's a great vehicle, you just have to have a great system working for you.

Once your "warm market" dries up, what do you do to consistently sponsor new people and explode your downline??? Everyone's biggest challenge is sponsoring and duplication. What if you could solve both??

I've recently discovered a very powerful online system that works for any company and works quickly. I'm not trying to sell you on my company as it works with your current opportunity . I've sponsored 3 people in the last 10 days alone using this system none of which were people I knew.

Check out my signature link to see a brief overview of this revolutionary way to get massive exposures in your current opportunity.

Cheers

Well, basically you cannot realistically expect to earn
a professional-level income in any field without a
professional-level of skill and commitment.

Unfortunately a lot of people get involved in NWM stuff
and treat it like a lottery ticket, a game of chance...
and they lose.

Approach it like a pro, get ongoing training, and you
can make some good money in NWM. Not for wimps though.

Network Marketing + your knowledge of internet marketing FTW (for the win).

I have joined a new - but solid - NM company recently that provides 40% of revenue to humanitarian causes. No other organisation could have this much impact for the world and its members.

I'm now trying to integrate IM with this to promote the business and I also want to write more about NM to dispel the myth that the model is not to be trusted.

There are people that make a fortune in network marketing, but they worked at it, got in early, and are not shy about making it happen. I know, some of my family works for an MLM company and they tell me all the time about the large checks some reps are making. 50K plus monthly.. one guy over 1 million a month... however.... those are the minority and the stories every likes to tell.

You can choose any way you want to make money. Remember however, in network marketing ...
1. You don't own the company
2. You don't control the commission percentage,
3. The very people that make your income (downline) are out of your control and you need a ton of them. Only a small fraction of them will do anything or make you money.
4. You don't control the products

You are building someone else's empire really. As long as you are happy about that its fine. Just realize you'll never have the same control that you would in your own business.

Both internet marketing and network marketing are both very VERY powerful methods...you just have to learn how to use each and master it.

Words of wisdom: GOOGLE is an internet marketers/network marketers best friend!


-Earl

Hey Guys,

Thought I'd throw in on this. Network marketing is still alive, but it's changing. It's now not the ultimate solution (online at least) that it once was to people. The economics of the situation make this tough. For the smart marketer, it's part of a more complex and stable business entity.

To the top,

Daegan