“I would rather earn 1% off 100 people’s efforts than 100% of my own efforts.” – John D. Rockefeller
I get it, I totally get it. When I was introduced to network marketing six years ago, I could have told you without a doubt that I would never consider signing up, especially because I had a good career, wasn’ t desperate for money, or hard on my luck.
Try the products? Sure, I’ll take a sample. But, little did I know that one sample would change my life forever. I ended up loving the high-quality products so much that I started learning more about the potential in front of me. After meeting some people who had actually made a good full-time income in the network marketing industry, I quickly got to work and turned my discount on a product into a big business that allowed me to work part-time from home. And, I did this with a newborn baby!
One year after I joined a network marketing company, I retired from my career as a graphic designer. Five years later, I’m running a network marketing organization that does over one million dollars in sales per year. I look back to the day when I took that free sample and can’t believe I almost let this opportunity slide because of my ego!
Isn’t network marketing an illegal pyramid?
No. An illegal pyramid is when a company has no product or service, pays people strictly on number of recruits, and has nothing to offer consumers. The ‘shape’ of an organization does not determine if the company is legal or not. If that were so, then most businesses and organizations would be considered illegal pyramids because they have one president at the top, followed by a couple of vice presidents, many managers, and even more employees underneath.
Legal network marketing companies offer products or services that are used by consultants and consumers. Consultants are then paid on the sales of products or services purchased. This is where recruitment comes in; adding new members allows for increased income (for the consultant) based on the volume of sales from each recruit. Nothing is paid to the consultant solely on the recruiting or sponsoring efforts; rather, income is generated only by the exchange of products or services. This is what makes network marketing legitimate!
Network marketing companies also provide consumers with high-quality products for a more economical price. These companies do not pay for traditional middleman costs or expensive celebrity endorsements. Those savings are instead used to create higher quality products and are part of the compensation plan. It’s a win-win for both consumers and consultants!
Laws that legal network marketing companies adhere to include publishing average income statistics, no inventory requirements, and refund options for consumers. If you are looking at joining a network marketing company, be sure it is registered with the Direct Sales Association (DSA.ca), which governs and regulates network marketing companies here in Canada. Association members must follow all guidelines set by the DSA or face fines and/or closure.
I’m just so busy. I don’t have any time!
I’m not going to sugar-coat it. Finding your own success in network marketing takes time! We are all busy and will only make time for our own priorities. But, here is the good news: network marketing provides you with a business opportunity that you fit around your life (and not the other way around).
If you take a network marketing opportunity seriously and give up a few things in the short term, the payoff is well worth the sacrifice! I know many people who have left a 40-hour-a-week job because of their network marketing careers. Now, these people own their time!
We are able to choose when we work and when we play, and THAT makes this business worthwhile!
Taking the right steps after you join a network marketing company will determine how fast you see success. Essentially, it is a numbers game. The more people you talk to about your company, product, and/or service, the faster you will find clients and business partners. As you grow your team and teach them exactly what you were taught, you will soon have an organization of people duplicating your strategies, and you will then earn a small percentage of each person’ s sales. In turn, your team is also earning a profit. So now everyone is getting paid!
The more people you teach and train, the more your income grows. Over time, you could have hundreds – even thousands – of passionate business partners just like you all doing their part, and you all earn income from those efforts.
As John D. Rockefeller said, “I would rather earn 1% off 100 people’s efforts than 100% of my own efforts.” This is exactly how network marketing works. Yes, you will need some time up front to get started, but once your team grows, you are able to leverage your time. Brilliant!
What if I’m not a good salesperson?
This is one of the most common hesitations I hear, but the good news is that you do not have to be a natural-born salesperson to star in network marketing! Look at it this way: consider the amazing bottle of wine you had the other night, the one you told everyone about. Did the vineyard send you a cheque in the mail for everyone who went and purchased a bottle based off of your recommendation?
No. In network marketing, we are never trying to sell our clients anything. We recommend the products to others. If people like it, they can purchase it from us. If not, we don’t pressure people. Network marketers just share their personal experiences with others; this way, we never have to ‘sell’ a product.
So, the next time someone asks you to try a sample or talk about a business opportunity, don’t forget that this might be a life-changing opportunity for you. At the same time, don’t feel like you are being ‘sold to.’ Keep in mind that this network marketer might be trying to earn a little extra money to pay for their kid’ s hockey, save for a family vacation, or for a down payment on a new home. Or, maybe this person recognizes the value of time leveraging and income potential versus the traditional career route and wants to run a multi-million-dollar business from home while spending more time with his or her family.
Network marketing is not for everyone. But, keep an open mind – it could be for you!
By Shana Recker, Girlfriends’ Guide to Network Marketing