Five Advantages of Starting a Network Marketing Business

Too often, network marketing gets a bad rap. Why? There are many possible reasons, such as lack of proper training, shady companies (which are rarer than you think), and misleading expectations resulting in disappointing results. However, the biggest challenge is overcoming the mindset we are all given since childhood.

Go to school, get good grades, get a good job, save for retirement. Sound familiar?

Why is it that when you post on social media that you got a new job, over a hundred people congratulate you, but when you post that you've started your own business in a network marketing company, five people comment, and at least two of those comments are something to the effect of "it's a pyramid scheme!" You find out quickly from your friends who actually supports you, and it's really sad. By the way, the best way to tell if a business is a pyramid scheme or not, is ask if you can make money without recruiting. If you can't make money without recruiting others, steer clear.

I'll be upfront - none of my family are customers of my business. I've had friends signup then cancel a few months, and in one case only a week later. Running your own business is filled with disappointment, and that disappointment is what causes a lot of network marketers to throw in the towel. All too often, network marketers chasing "quick sales" paint a misleading picture of instant overnight success, and when that doesn't happen, the new recruit quits.

Most people would have quit by now, but I refuse to quit. Why do I refuse to quit? There are just too many advantages!

1. Tax benefits - I get to claim business expenses on my taxes! This is one of the things where new network marketers lose sight - they forget that non-inventory expenses can be deducted from their taxes.
2. Personal development - I've learned so much on how to better communicate with people, and give better presentations. I've had co-workers compliment me on the skills I've learned through attending the training sessions provided by the network marketing company I'm involved with.
3. Contacts - Being a business owner opens new doors and opportunities. I regularly attend business owner mixer and happy hour events, and get to meet with a lot of other business owners!
4. Extra income - As long as I continue to do income producing activity, I do get income! It might not always be as much income as I'd like, but it has helped supplement my full time job, especially since I recently took a pay cut so I could work closer to home.
5. Positive impact - I have the opportunity to make a positive impact in other people's lives, and give them a hand-up, not a hand-out, to help with their current financial situation.

By the way, I'll be launching my FREE Build Your Business Mastermind Program soon! If you'd like to join the program, fill out the signup form!

Why You Should Stop Using the Shotgun Approach in Network Marketing

Be forewarned, some of my friends in network marketing are not going to like this post. This will be like pouring salt on a wound, but I've seen so many of my friends going about their network marketing all wrong.

Network marketing is a unique but common business model in which independent associates or agents sell a product or service, primarily to their friends or family, and try to recruit others to join their business. By getting others to join their team, the network marketers can receive "override" commissions on their team sales.

Network marketing has a very bad rap with many people, due to a select few who continue to push their products, services, or opportunity onto every single person they know through post after post on social media. Usually the posts start out innocent enough, telling people how excited you are about your new opportunity. Unfortunately, this "shotgun" approach ultimately leads to disappointment, because your friends and family don't see the value or need of your product or service. They look at it as your "latest get rich quick scheme", an quickly dismiss any of your posts about what you do.

Don't get me wrong, there are many network marketing companies which are rather sketchy, and should be avoided. Many of these companies suffer from the "me too" problem - major retailers sell skin lotion, me too! Major retailers sell energy drinks, me too! Major retailers sell essential oils, me too! But don't instantly dismiss these me too companies - some offer healthier, better alternatives. But, you need to do your research!

Unfortunately, what drives a lot of people to quit their network marketing business is following the same missteps taken by their up-line to recruit others - blast out your information for all to see, and follow the same script to sell your stuff to everyone else. Don't get me wrong, for some people this works great, as long as you have an established brand which brings quality and value to someone's life.

Where I'm seeing many of my friends in network marketing struggle, and actually pushing away customers, is when they post every single day about their "amazing" product or service which has completely changed their life, but then don't really post anything which shows how they have changed.

It's easy to tell someone a product will give you amazing results. There's nothing wrong with claiming that once in a while. However, when you post every day about how much better your life is because of a product, and clearly make sure you mention that product in almost every one of your social media posts, I begin to absolutely despise your product. In fact, I'm going to go ahead and make the statement that I now HATE that "energy patch" (you know which one I'm talking about), and will not ever consider buying it from anyone. Why? Because every other post on my news feed is literally someone telling everyone else how amazing your energy patches are. Your product has not gone viral, you're not actually showing me you're living a better life, you're just putting on a smile in a paid advertisement. You want me to buy your products, try being a normal human being and actually post other stuff besides whatever it is you're selling. In fact, if you approach me personally and TALK with me, instead of blasting your product or service all the time, you might find that an opportunity will present itself to talk with me about whatever you sell during the course of our conversation.

So what's the right way? Well for one, be a human instead of a billboard. It's great to talk about your business, but talk to other people about other things too! I know the struggle, I know how tempting it can be to tell others about your business all the time, especially when you love it. But, slow down a little. Breathe. Take the time to be a human being and actually talk with people. You might be amazed by the results.