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It’s Not Your Fault…
Many network marketers are the “choosee” rather than the “chooser”. Most of us have experienced one or more or ALL of the following:
- We were approached, hunted, stalked, tricked, coaxed, lied to or begged to go “see this thing” that couldn’t be explained over the phone. We “just had to see it”.
- We signed up based on emotion…we started dreaming again as we watched the presentation and were told how we could make more money than we ever imagined! All from the comfort of our home!!
- We were told “It’s a no brainer. Don’t think about it. Just get in. If you don’t, you’ll walk out of here and life will happen. And your mother, brother, sister, uncle will bust your bubble and tell you this is a scam and you shouldn’t do it.”
- Training consists of repeating #1.
- We were told how the people that love us are dream stealers and we shouldn’t listen to them…but show them the plan anyway, because you never know…they could end up being an “ace”…or they may know an “ace”…or someone somewhere out there is an “ace”.
- We were told “this business sells itself. You don’t have to sell anything.”
Any of this sound familiar? I could go on and on…
Wow!!! That’s a lot of heavy advice to take from a bunch of strangers after a 40 minute presentation in a hotel room. But the real reason we end up joining is because we trust and feel comfortable with the person who invited us. What we don’t realize, or even bother to inquire about, is that the person who invited us just got in 5 minutes ago and doesn’t know squat about the company…but the person who sponsored HIM does, or the guy who sponsored that guy…or someone up the line knows something. Don’t worry-just get in-we’ll figure it out together!!
Be the Chooser
My point is that we, as network marketers, should be fact finding and researching various opportunities. Then we can compare the information and make an educated decision. Think about how much research you did on the company you are with BEFORE you handed over your hard earned money. How did that work for you? Let me repeat: It’s not your fault!!!
Here are some of the guidelines I developed to choose my company:
- How long has the company been in business?
- What is the background of the leaders/founders of the company?
- Are there any red flags in the policies and procedures?
- How big of a downline do I need to make the kind of residual income I want?
- How marketable is the product/service? (desirability, priced competitively, etc.)
- What kind of training and marketing tools are available?
- Is independent marketing looked at favorably or unfavorably?
- What kind of compensation plan is it? (binary, unilateral, stairstep breakaway, etc.)
- Is it a borderline pyramid or a true direct selling company?
Once you get the answers to these questions, you have to know how to evaluate them. This takes expertise and a higher level of industry knowledge than most network marketers have. In fact, only 3% of network marketers read their policies and procedures, let alone do any kind of research on the company.
The Key Word in Network Marketing is MARKETING
Most network marketers are NOT taught how to market. They are told that EVERYONE is a potential prospect. Make a list of everyone you know and get them in front of a presentation. There is some merit to this system and you will achieve some success; however, there are more effective, and less annoying, methods available. Think about how YOU were taught to market your business? Is it working? I’m guessing no, since you are reading this.
Here are some things that you need to learn when it comes to marketing your business:
- The principles of attraction marketing
- How to use various internet marketing strategies like facebook, twitter and article marketing the RIGHT way to attract massive amounts of leads
- Utilize a comprehensive lead generation system to track and follow up with your leads
Shared Effort = Shared Success: Leadership and Duplication
Are you overwhelmed yet? GOOD. Because the person that stood up in front of the hotel room and said this was an easy business LIED. It’s only easy AFTER you’ve put the time, effort and money into learning how to market to attract leads and teaching your downline to duplicate the process. The ONLY way to do this is to team up with the right people who are providing strong leadership. Who are the right people? Here are some clues:
- People you get a good feeling from
- People you respect and want to work with
- People that will be available to support, guide and teach you
- People that can show you their results
To Your Success,
Jennifer DePetris, MBA
