Four Keys to Success in Network Marketing

Four Keys to Success in Network Marketing
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

The statistics are almost enough to make you forget all about the idea of starting an on-line network marketing business. You've heard all of the negatives: 90% or more failure rate; people losing their money on scams; an over-saturated market; pyramid schemes; inflated claims; government investigations. I am here to tell you that the horror stories you have heard about network marketing are true. So are many of the success stories. So what will ensure success instead of failure? You!

You can make a good living without a PhD, without a lot of training, and without a huge bank roll. Your success is dependent upon how much effort you are willing to devote to your business. Rather than scare you with yet another negative story about network marketing, I'm going to share with you four keys to being successful in your business.

Keep your feet planted firmly on the ground.

It's really easy to get carried away with the hype that surrounds the latest idea on how to make a million dollars. I receive at least a dozen emails a day telling me about the latest, greatest, fastest, easiest way to become rich on the internet. Some of these offers may actually be worthwhile. Most are not. You can make money through network marketing, and the internet is one of the best ways to advertise and develop your business. But, there is no legal way to make a million dollars overnight. Determine a realistic goal. Do you want to make $4,000 a month in your first three months? You can probably do that. It will take work. But, it's possible. You need to stay out of the air castles and on terra firma so that you don't become discouraged and give up when you don't become instantly wealthy.

Realize that like any business, network marketing takes work.

Probably 95% of the business opportunities I see promise a turn-key system for a business that runs itself. Now, I will say this much, if you have a huge contact list, you very well may be able to plug into a turn-key system that will begin to pay off for you within 24 hours. But, if you don't have a long list of prospects who already know and trust you, the overnight success system isn't going to work for you. Many people expect to start a business of their own and be able to work only 1/2 a day. Well, I have good news and bad news. You can run a successful business in only 1/2 a day. But, are you willing to spend that 12 hours a day on your business? OK, I'm exaggerating a bit. But, the point is, you can't expect to get something for nothing. You need to spend some time developing your business, developing contacts and leads, and promoting your product or service. Again, set a reasonable goal. If you truly want to be successful, I would count on spending at least 10 to 20 hours a week on your business for at least the first three months. Once you start actually seeing some income, you may be able to cut back. But, most likely, you won't want to. Because the more time you spend working ON your business, the more income you will generate.

Never stop learning.

There are a lot of excellent resources available. Read books. Subscribe to some newsletters. Read blogs. Suck as much information as you can from others who have been successful. Can you do it all on your own? Of course you can. You can learn the hard way, through trial and error, or, you can learn from others who have already made those mistakes and have found a better way. If you are willing to learn from others, you will be able to shorten the amount of time it takes for you to be successful.

Never give up.

The number one reason people fail at network marketing is that they quit. They either grow tired of trying, or they are impatient and want to be an overnight success, or they lack the self-confidence to think they can succeed. Whatever the reason, if you quit, you will join the ranks of those who "tried" and failed at network marketing. This is a business that you cannot "try". You have to determine this is what you want to do, and then you have to jump in with both feet and do it. You have to be willing to get your hands dirty. You have to be willing to continue to move forward even in the face of discouragement and failure. The only way you will ever succeed is if you keep working at it. And, if you do, I promise you there will come a day when you will notice there is a little bit of money trickling in. In time, that trickle will become a revenue stream that will allow you the time and freedom that made you want to do this in the first place.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
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To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

Warning - The Internet Can Make Your Network Marketing Business Fail

Warning - The Internet Can Make Your Network Marketing Business Fail
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

The internet can be a wonderful driving force for your network marketing business, or it can cause you to be a miserable failure. Are you one of the 10% or less who will harness the power of the internet?

Many people are using the internet to generate wealth. But even more people are spending money left and right and not generating a dime. We've all seen the promises, "Make thousands of dollars a day and become rich without lifting a finger." And, even though our mothers told us that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't true, these business opportunities tempt us as much as the promise of the healing powers of "snake oil" tempted our ancestors.

You try this idea, and then you see a sales letter for another idea that sounds even better. You buy one eBook after another, and sign up for multiple money-making schemes, and find your bank account dwindling instead of building. None of these methods seem to bring you the riches you read about in the sales letter. How do you find the right business that will allow you to succeed?

Here's the shocking truth: There is no right business!

The truth is, you can take any one of these opportunities and succeed (granted, some may be a little easier than others). The problem isn't in the business or the method. The problem is a lack of focus.

I'll let you in a little secret: Most internet marketers lie.

When they told you it wouldn't take any work, they lied. They may not lie outright, but they don't tell you the whole story. When they told you it would only take 2 hours a day, what they meant to say was that once your business became established, it would only take 2 hours a day. When they told you it would be 100% free, they lied. They may have offered a free report, but the money-generating offer cost something. And, likely once you signed up for that, you were directed to yet another offer you just couldn't pass up that cost even more. The truth is -- building a business of any kind takes time, effort, and at least a minimal cash outlay.

So, why should you bother if your network marketing company is going to be just like any other job? Well, it won't be. The difference is that after the initial effort of several hours a week that you don't have, or marketing money you really should spend on something else, you can get to the place where your business basically runs itself and you are making money while you sleep and not spending your grocery money on advertising.

If you get nothing else from this article, get this:

You have to choose a business, and then go for it - with everything you've got. You have to put blinders on to all of the other great ideas out there until you get this one thing going. You can always add other income streams later. But focus on your primary business first. Just "trying" won't get you there. You have to have focus.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
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To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

Choosing the Right Network Marketing Opportunity

Choosing the Right Network Marketing Opportunity
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

While you can be successful at just about any Network Marketing opportunity, not all business opportunities are created equal. So, before you sign up, make sure you take the time to investigate the opportunity to make sure it will make you money instead of just lining someone else's pockets with yours.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Is the timing right?

Bobby socks and poodle skirts were so cool in the 50's. Kaftans, love beads and peace symbols were popular in the 60's. Pet rocks, mood rings and custom vans were all the rage in the 70's. Pac man, parachute pants and mullets were so hot in the 80's. I could go on, but I am sure you get my drift. Make sure there is a market for your product line. If there is a way to integrate the internet with your product, all the better, because internet growth doesn't show any sign of stopping.

Know the company

Look for a company that is well-established and has been around for a while. Now, that doesn't mean it needs to have been around for several decades. In fact, that can actually be a strike against a company. After all, the longer it's been around, the more people who have already been approached by someone about joining. But, beware, getting in on the proverbial "ground floor" of an opportunity could mean you'll spend a few months working your tail off only to have the parent company pull the rug out from under you when it closes its doors. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any unresolved issues with this company. Just as a word of caution, just about any business out there will have negative press on the internet. Be aware that anyone can start a website and publish their point of view, but that doesn't necessarily make it true. So, be sure you are making a decision based on facts, or at least on reliable sources, not just John Doe who has a bone to pick with ABC MLM Company because he didn't get rich quick. Ask to speak with other representatives about the opportunity to gain other viewpoints.

Know your products

If you are going to promote your products with any kind of sincerity and authority, you need to use them yourself. If you are trying to sell me on your business, I will want to know how long you have been in it, how you run it, and how successful you are. I don't care about what your upline has told you about her success, I want to know about yours. If you are selling nutritional products, I will want to know what you are personally taking, and the difference it has made in the way you look and feel. I don't want to just read the company sales pitch on the product.

Know your sponsor

This may not apply if you are joining an on-line opportunity. But, if someone tries to get you into a business opportunity and you know this person is a little shady, or that this person does the bare minimum in order to get by, it's probably in your best interest to sign up under someone else. Remember, your sponsor is the one who will be primarily responsible for supporting you. You can go above that person to someone else in your upline, but if you have a choice -- and you really like this particular opportunity -- try to find another person who will sponsor you and really work with you to help you develop your business. If you stumbled on a great opportunity on line, it's likely that your IP and email addresses have been branded with your sponsor's information already, and you will automatically be placed in his downline.

Know what support is offered

Let's face it; some companies are better than others when it comes to providing training and support. I have known of traditional network marketing companies that make it difficult to talk to a live person and get any help at all without buying a pack of brochures, or a book, or a CD or DVD. On the other hand, I am involved with a couple of internet businesses in which I have never spoken to a live person yet, but the email and on line support is terrific and doesn't cost me a dime. That may not work for you. You may need a flesh and blood person in front of you or on the other end of the phone. Ask to speak to other new recruits and see how they feel about the level of support they are receiving. Make sure you know what you will get before you sign up.

Know the compensation plan

Most are similar, but again, some plans are better than others. Do you get a straight commission on every dollar you sell, or is there a point system? I have never seen a point system that wasn't considerably less than the dollar value. Do you have to sell a certain amount of product every month in order to qualify for your downline commissions? Do you have to purchase a certain amount of product for personal use every month? Do you have to directly sponsor a certain number people? Do you have to purchase other materials (sales/promotion materials, etc.)?

If, after all of your research, you are still excited about the opportunity, by all means, sign up for it! If not, keep looking. There are plenty of opportunities out there.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
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To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

What's In It For Me?

What's In It For Me?
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

Many people fail at network marketing because they don't know what their leads are looking for. You find a great product line and a great company. You are on fire with the potential. You understand the compensation plan, and see the money pouring into your bank account already. You immediately set out trying to sell people on your products and your opportunity. You tell your brother, George. He isn't interested. You tell your sister Kate. She isn't interested either. You tell your best friend. He laughs at you. So, you find yourself sitting at the dining room table looking at your list of names and contacts, and can't bring yourself to dial the phone another time. Congratulations! You have reached the point where 98% of network marketers crash and burn.

The problem is, no matter how great your product line is and how wonderful the company is and how amazing the compensation plan is -- if you try to sell your products or your company too soon, you will fail miserably every time. But, don't despair! You're just trying to sell the wrong thing.

Your first task as a network marketer is to determine what your prospects want. You see, we were all drawn into network marketing because we saw it as the solution to a problem. Truly successful network marketers provide solutions, not products or opportunities. Unfortunately, people are becoming increasingly skeptical toward network marketing. Your best bet is to take a slow and steady approach through sharing information. By providing useful, content-rich information that others can use, over time, you will develop a relationship with your prospects. Some of them will become customers, and some will be receptive to your business opportunity. But, it takes time and effort to develop a relationship of trust.

I know this goes against everything your network marketing company has told you. You are supposed to pitch the business opportunity first, build a big downline who will buy products for their own personal use, and you will become a wealthy distributor in no time. Right? Wrong! Think of yourself as a problem solver, and strive to over-deliver. Give your prospects more information than they expect, and you will be the first person they think of when they are looking for a product or an opportunity in the future.

You cannot help but succeed if you help enough other people succeed. Nowhere is this more true than in network marketing.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
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To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

Brand U

Brand U
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

What do you think of when you hear the name "Kodak?" What about "Coke?" Obviously, branding can be important for a company's long-term success. But, how and what do you brand?

Merriam Webster's dictionary defines branding as to mark with a brand or to impress indelibly; but, I think the Thesaurus gives us an even better definition: a device (as a word) identifying the maker of a piece. You see, you don't want to brand your product, or your merchandise, or your company, or your opportunity. What you really want to brand in network marketing, is you.

You may have the most sought after products in the world, and the best compensation plan around. You may represent the most established and most successful company out there. But, what it boils down to is, do your prospects want to work with you?

How do you present yourself to your prospects so that they want to work with you? You can have your prospects literally chase you down to ask you about your opportunity, what you did to become successful, and how they can follow in your footsteps.

One of the most important things you can do to place yourself as an expert in your field is to continue to learn. How much money do you spend on self-improvement every year? Stephen Covey calls this "Sharpening the Saw." You never want to stop learning. If you stop learning, you become stagnant. Yesterday's new wave of technology is tomorrow's ancient relic. If you don't subscribe to newsletters, blogs, and magazines that have to do with your specific industry, I can guarantee you that you will be left in the dust. You need to spend some time every day listening to other experts, reading books or magazines, and learning from the leaders in your field.

This one thing will set you above the vast majority of the other people in network marketing who are "giving it a try." In fact, if you are just going to try this business, take my advice and get out now. If you are going to succeed, you have to want this with every fiber of your being. You have to eat, walk, talk, sleep and dream network marketing. Otherwise you'll be one of the 90% that fail.

Zig Ziglar once said, "The best way to reach the top is to help someone else get there." In other words, the best way for you to be successful is to help others be successful. You'll never see me talk about "blowing away" your competition. You see, I believe there is a big enough market for everyone to have their share, and I honestly, sincerely want to help you get your piece of the pie.

There is a reason this industry is called "network marketing." You should have a network - not just of people in your own opportunity - but people in other opportunities as well. This is where the knowledge you gained in the last step will really come in handy. With your knowledge and experience, you'll be able to help those who are new to the business build a firm foundation so that they too can succeed. They may not be interested in your particular opportunity, and that's okay. What you will gain, is a friend, an ally, a potential partner in the future for a joint venture project, and good PR in the form of word of mouth. Your new friend may very well tell someone (or several others) about you who will be interested in your opportunity.

So, how do you network? Join some on-line communities. Subscribe to and participate in blogs. Attend network marketing seminars. Introduce yourself to everyone you come into contact with. Exchange emails. Be sure to have a business card on hand at all times.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when entering this industry is thinking that they will be an overnight success. I know you've seen the ads promising riches beyond your wildest dreams in 30 days. The truth is, for most people, it takes longer than 30 days to build up a network of people. But, the good news is, while it may start out slowly, your efforts will gradually pick up steam and have a snowball effect that will begin to create the wealth and lifestyle you long for.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
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To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

The Key to Success in Network Marketing

The Key to Success in Network Marketing
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

Google the phrase "How to Succeed in Network Marketing" and you'll receive 2,220,000 hits in 0.41 seconds (as of this writing). Suggestions range from believing in yourself to knowing your company and products; from selling yourself, to duplicating yourself. All of these are important. But, I believe there is one key to success that overshadows the rest. You have to know why you want to succeed. You have to have a dream.

There will be times on your journey when you will wonder what you have gotten yourself into. You will wonder what on earth you were thinking when you started down this path. You will face a lot of challenges. First, your family and friends will tell you that you've made a big mistake. Some of them have tried network marketing before and not succeeded, and they are sure you will fail too. They don't really mean to drag you down. They probably have your best interests at heart and just want to protect you from the same disappointment they went through.

You will suffer from the disappointment of rejection. Not everyone you share your opportunity with will be as excited about it as you are. You will hear the word "No" far more often than you want or expect to hear it.

You will suffer from impatience. You won't build your business as quickly, or sign people up as quickly as you were hoping to. You won't increase your income as quickly as you wanted. Your website won't initially get as many hits as you thought it would.

During these down times, it's your dream that will sustain you and give you the encouragement to carry on.

So, what do you really want? And, don't come up with a vague answer. You need to be specific. One way to help define your dream is to ask yourself "Why." Don't just say that you want to be rich. Why do you want to be rich? What will being rich allow you to do? What will you do with your money? Don't just say you want to retire. Why do you want to retire? What will you do with your time if you aren't working? Your dream needs to be an emotional touch stone for you, or it doesn't qualify as a dream. It has to be something you can see, imagine, smell, touch and feel.

There are several exercises you can use to help flesh out your dream in detail. Try one or two of these to get your creative juices flowing.

1. Imagine that you are featured on the cover of "Time" magazine as the person of the year. What would you be recognized for?

2. Imagine you are attending your own memorial or funeral service. How will you be remembered by your children, your friends, your business associates and other people in your life?

3. Make a "treasure map" or "dream board" by cutting out pictures, words and phrases from magazines. Don't analyze, just cut out whatever appeals to you. Then, paste the words and pictures on poster board.

One word of caution: be careful with this last exercise. Anytime I have created a "treasure map," almost magical things have happened in my life. The last "treasure map" I created was filled with pictures of family activities in the great outdoors, hiking, lush green forests and foliage. I was living in the concrete jungles of California at the time, working full time and taking a full class load at the community college. Two months later, I was recruited to move to Arkansas where I now live on 15 acres in the country and go hiking regularly with my 15-year old son.

So, to be a success in network marketing, you have to know why you want to succeed. Don't just dream - dream big! Now take action and turn your dream into reality.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
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To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

OK, So Where Do I Start in Internet Marketing?

OK, So Where Do I Start in Internet Marketing?
Copyright © Cheree Miller
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com

Starting a new internet Network Marketing business can be exhilarating, confusing and, well let's face it, overwhelming at times.

It is estimated that the internet grows by 7.3 million pages per day. Between 2000 and 2007, internet use has grown by 225%. An October 1999 Business Week article reported an estimated 3 billion-plus email messages sent per day. Current daily internet users are estimated to be 6,574,666,417 -- with 334,538,018 of those in North America. The overall average of internet use per population in the entire world is only approximately 18%, although the North America average is 69%. Some sources say there are 100 new internet users every minute -- that's 1,440 a day. Others report a first-time internet purchaser every 6 seconds. Reported ecommerce revenues in 2005 were $2,400,000,000,000, which represented a 17% increase over 2004.

So, what does this all mean? There is money to be made on the internet, and it doesn't show signs of drying up at any time in the foreseeable future. The question is: how are you going to get your share of the pie?

By this time, you should know why you want to be in network marketing. You should have your dream in Technicolor and surround sound. If not, see my previous article "The Key to Success in Network Marketing."

Chances are you have already signed up with a network marketing business opportunity. If so, they have likely given you some brochures and tasks, invited you to meetings, and your sponsor and her immediate sponsor have given you the company recommended method of recruiting distributors and selling products. If you are reading this article, it is also likely that you have already decided the company recommended method doesn't sound very fun, exciting, or profitable. At this point in time, you may be seriously considering dumping the whole idea and sticking with your safe, secure job that will continue to earn you a paycheck and benefits. But, before you do anything hasty, let me assure you, no matter what opportunity you have signed up with, you can promote it successfully on the internet. Admittedly, some opportunities will be easier to promote than others.

If you haven't signed up for a particular opportunity yet, take your time. There are a lot of them out there. Again, some are better than others. But, they all sound good. Make sure you do your homework and research these companies before signing up and forking over your hard-earned cash. Be especially careful of the free trial offers that ask you for a payment method. Odds are, even if you decide against staying with this company, you will forget to cancel before the free trial period is over and be stuck paying for a month or more of a service you never use. It's just human nature, and that's what they are banking on -- literally.

Next, you need to decide if you are going to jump immediately into promoting your business opportunity, or if you are going to try to generate some alternate income streams first -- or even simultaneously. This step is more important that you might think. If you get started investing time, money and energy in one direction, your website name you carefully investigated, purchased and developed will go on the back burner because it doesn't fit the idea you decide to launch first. Trust me; this is the voice of experience talking! Not that you can't go back to that idea at some point in the future, but you want to get started and keep going without losing momentum and having to start all over again.

If you are not sure what to market first, do some research to try to determine a niche you can easily move into to make some operating capital to fund your business opportunity, or develop other streams of income. What do you know that you could develop a marketable product around? What other similar products are out there? Is there a large demand for this type of product?

Once you have decided what you are going to market (your biz op, a DVD you created, a series of lessons, an e-book, your product line, etc.), you need to do some key word research to find the names that people will likely type into the major search engine when looking for whatever it is you are going to market. Then purchase a domain name with some good key words in it.

Obviously, I'm not going into great detail fleshing out these steps. There is more information available than I can cram into a brief article, but hopefully I'm providing you with enough information so that you can take the ball and run with it.

Now you have a dream, you have a product (or products) and you have a domain name. These are essential first steps. But, you are still a long way from being a successful network marketer. You still have to create your website. But, that's another subject for another day.

About the Author:
Cheree Miller is a leader in internet based Network Marketing. She uses her wealth of experience in the business world to develop training and marketing programs that can be used in virtually any business.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To find the best home based business ideas and
opportunities so you can work at home visit:
http://www.WealthBuildersSite.com