Network Marketing Journey

Network Marketing has a really bad PR problem.

From the time someone is introduced until they leave they are feed a misguided view, a quick fix–a solution to all of their problems. Just talk to lots of people, sign up a few people and teach them to do the same and you’ll be rich.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Building a business (selling product yourself) OR sales team around a network marketing product takes a great deal of time, focus and some sacrifice.

This way of thinking leads to a mass of individuals who started their business for all the wrong reasons and/or don’t have the business skills required to survive.

Starting for the Wrong Reasons

Of all the reasons a person could struggle and fail in business, this one is the one an entrepreneur takes ownership of from day one. The planning and business skills can be learned over time, they can even be delegated but starting a business for all the wrong reasons is your decision to make, therefore you own it.

Everyone has their own reasons for making the decision to become an entrepreneur but making the right decision is essential to your businesses livelihood.

What are your motives for being in business and are they inline with your business’ direction?

Some great reasons for the path of the entrepreneur include:

• Possess the physical and mental stamina sometimes required to see yourself through the challenges.
• You have the drive, passion, patience and a positive attitude.
• Failure doesn’t defeat you. Success comes from learning from the times you were less than successful.
• You thrive on interdependence, but you are skilled at taking charge when a creative solution is needed.
• You genuinely care about people and show this in your honesty, integrity, and interactions with others.

Wanting a new car, home or financial freedom are things -everyone- hopes to achieve. These make great goal markers but they aren’t a reason for starting a home-based business. Home-based business is a lifestyle change and if you don’t have passion, drive, and a love for people (among other things) you’re going to find yourself on a precarious path.

Poor Management

One of the best parts about a legitimate network marketing opportunity is the fact that you don’t have to create a product, produce it or manage the staff that does all of these things. Your job as a representative of the company is to go out to the masses and tell others about a product you believe in.

Essentially, tell a story and sell some product to the people who are interested.

Many people are sold on Network Marketing because they are given the impression that all of the benefits above mean the business takes care of itself. It’ll just happen. Or they don’t realized the industry calls them opportunities because it is an opportunity to not only create change in your life but to build a business around a product which is already created.

These misconceptions lead to a failure in communication, word-of-mouth and other forms of marketing but most importantly the growth of the individual. Without learning you can’t grow, without growth you can’t become the leader who will take the ‘opportunity’ and create a life change business.

Expecting Too Much, Too Soon

Again, the misconceptions about our industry are causing very capable people to expect overnight success. Times have changed so I might be a little off on this but when I was in high school the statistics showed a small business surviving 5 years to have been lucky. They were doing alright but not out of the woods in regards to making it through the uphill battle of estabishing their place–their compelling value.

It takes time to find a comfortable niche, learn the ins and outs of it plus its consumers, and then to serve them to the best of your abilities. All of this takes time, marketing and a lot of elbow grease. But because they’ve been sold (ironically enough) on the idea that they don’t have to sell OR do any work–they fail.

The average person has no business, marketing or product experience, decides to get involved but isn’t taught–maybe doesn’t want to be taught–how to establish and create a functioning business. Then quits after an estimated 3 months.

They haven’t even begun to absorb what networking is all about in that time, let alone learn the skills they need to establish their dreams. Or take the time to invest in themselves so they might be able to take in the information which will lead to a lifestyle change.

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