HOW TO SUCCEED IN NETWORK MARKETING

by; Leigh Giordano

In 1993, 700,000 jobs disappeared in the United States. With the trend toward corporate downsizing, job security is a thing of the past. Not only are jobs not secure, working for someone else places a glass ceiling on your salary. According to John Milton Fogg in his book Money, Money, Money, Money, Money, "Working for someone else, you can only expect to earn, at most, about 25% of your real-market worth." In addition, there is tremendous growth in home-based businesses, over 35 million in households today. Women in particular are attracted to home businesses for the flexibility and freedom they offer in juggling home, children and work. Women are moving from executives to entrepreneurs, and one of the easiest ways to be an entrepreneur is in network marketing.
How badly do you want it?

Unfortunately, most people do not stay with network marketing long enough to succeed. They simply quit too soon. Fogg, editor of Upline, claims that "90% of those who start networking quit within a year." People are willing to invest a sizable amount of time, energy and money to get a college degree to get a "good-paying job." Network marketing costs far less and provides an opportunity to make a sizable income without any specialized education or background. This opportunity in which you train as you earn is literally open to anyone willing to do what it takes to build a strong network.

Most people new to network marketing don't realize they have to make some changes to be successful. Some — usually those who do not have enough determination, self-discipline and persistence — quit in three months because they're not rich yet. Those who do succeed are able to visualize where they want to be, have a plan with well-defined goals and persist until they get there. Francis Hutching, in "broom Business of the '90s," says, "Anything shorter than 12 months is not enough to even out the ups and downs that the whims of human nature will bring to your network."

Coming out of your comfort zone is paramount to success. Approaching people about a business opportunity might make you uncomfortable at first. Your willingness to come out of your comfort zone is directly related your belief in yourself, your company and your product. Bob McAdams, a national trainer and network marketer, days in "Why (and How to) Retail..,?" in Upline, "When you are comfortable...you are not growing. Outside your comfort zone is where personal growth really occurs. The greater the discomfort, the greater the growth potential " Prospecting.
              According to John Kalench, president of Millionaires in Motion, your job is not to convince others of the business opportunity, but to sort for leaders. In his book, The 17 Secrets to Master Prospecting, Kalench identifies what qualities "Master Prospectors," those who excel in network marketing, have in common. He says, "In my years of studying the Masters, I discovered that all of them have mastered one thing in both their attitude and their approach to the business: consistency. They are consistent. They are consistent. They are consistent. And they are consistent -- consistently."  By not getting caught up in the ups and downs of rejection, "Master Prospectors" stay on an even keel, and that takes a willingness to be rejected.
          According to Professor Charles King, who teaches network marketing at the University of Illinois, "Network marketing is a numbers game. Reflection and personnel turnover are realities of the business. Only five to 10% of the population will be successful. The challenge is to find and develop these people."

Kalench claims that "Master Prospectors" have an insatiable curiosity about the people they meet and what desires, dreams, frustrations and hopes are driving them. Is it sending their children to a private college? Being debt-free? Buying a first or second home? Taking luxury vacations? Buying a boat, a classic car or a ranch?

The size of your organization is directly related to the time you put into your business. Are you willing to temporarily cut down on the time you watch TV, play golf and enjoy other recreational activities if it changes your financial future forever? This is not like winning the lottery; it is building a business. Most companies say it takes two to five years to build a stable network. But the rewards can last a lifetime.
Sponsoring,

Being a good sponsor is absolutely crucial to succeeding in your business. In network marketing, this relationship changes over time. Initially, your efforts far exceed your compensation because you are building your business, but eventually your compensation far exceeds your efforts. You become underworked and overpaid instead of overworked and underpaid.

Sponsoring involves teaching others how to build a solid organization. Good sponsors are not necessarily good sales people; they are good teachers. Teaching others how to invite, present, close, train, coach and motivate will pay off in building a solid organization for yourself and others.

In his book The Greatest Networker in the World, Fogg describes the role of a sponsor as involving four parts: 1) to coach your people to have fun; 2) to teach them the skills they need to succeed; 3) to help them develop and grow, first as individuals, then as members of a team; 4) to win...when you can." He goes on to say that by doing the first three, you will always win.
          Are you the type of person who would succeed in network marketing? First, assess your dreams. Then ask yourself if you are willing to do what it takes to make your dreams come true. With determination and persistence, you too can have it all.