Network marketing is hard, right?So hard in fact that after you sign up you don’t know what to do. You buy a stack of brochures and one or two of the products, but what then? You’re done before you even really get started.
Why is that? Network marketing is advertised as the easiest business that you could get into. It doesn’t cost much to join. You don’t need a lot of specialized skills. Finally, there is no cap to how much money you can make. What could be hard about that?
Why Is Network Marketing So Hard?
Lack of training. I don’t know about you, but I didn’t receive any training to speak of when I started. Maybe my sponsor was responsible for that, but he was brand new too and hadn’t received any training either.
My training was pretty much “make a list of 100 people and call them.” Yeah, and tell them what? “Hey! I just got into network marketing. Want to join me?” That’s not going to work.
Three Kinds of People
I just read Eric Worre’s book, Go Pro – 7 Steps to Becoming a Network Marketing Professional. Someone several steps up my upline sent it to me in the mail the other day. I recognized Eric Worre’s name so I decided to read it.
In his book, Eric Worre talks about the three kinds of people in network marketing – posers, amateurs and professionals. Most people in network marketing are posers when they start out. I guess I would have been categorized as one too when I started but I didn’t really know enough about what I was getting into to even be considered that.
Eric says that posers are those people who get in and hope that they can quickly find that one person who is going to explode their business. Basically, they let their entire future ride on luck. You probably have better odds of success at a casino in Las Vegas.
The second group are the amateurs. They’re the ones who always talk about positioning and ground-floor opportunities. These are the people who jump from one opportunity to another to get themselves in just the right spot at just the right time to ride the wave. The thing is, there is no wave unless you create it.
That brings us to the professionals. They are the people who seek out the training for how to approach people and get them interested in your product and opportunity. Professionals are always learning to improve and expand their skills.
Network Marketing is Hard
Once you think network marketing is hard then it is easy to make a few other assumptions.
- Network marketing doesn’t work
- It’s a scam or a pyramid scheme
- Whatever company you chose doesn’t work
- The compensation plan doesn’t work
As Eric Worre points out in his book, if one person can make good money in network marketing, then the problem isn’t with network marketing. The same thing with the company and the compensation plan. I know of several high income earners in the company that I aligned with, so the company, the product and the compensation plan all work. If I’m not making money then it’s all on me.
How to Do Network Marketing
Don’t depend on your upline to train you how to be successful in network marketing. There’s a good chance that they don’t know. You have to find the people who are successful and model them. They could be in your upline somewhere or they might not be.
Now I consider myself a professional network marketer, though I don’t go about it exactly the way Mr. Worre suggests.
The way I see it, there are two general ways to build your network marketing business – the traditional way offline, or online through internet marketing.
Eric Worre promotes the traditional network marketing way. His book is excellent training on how to approach people, get them interested, and get them to some type of event. Those events could be one-on-one meetings, phone calls, hotel meetings or big company conventions.
If you want to do this the traditional way then I highly recommend that you read Go Pro.
Internet Network Marketing
I chose to go the internet route to build my business. Instead of networking with people at coffee shops, I use a blog (a few of them actually), Facebook and Twitter to connect with people.
The internet works for me because I’m a stay-at-home Dad and I homeschool my kids. I also live out in the country where the population is much less dense. I can go through a whole day and see maybe only 5 people.
The internet gives me the ability to connect with more people over a much larger area from the comfort of my own home, or where ever I happen to be.
I’m creating a free membership website to show my team how you can build your network marketing business online like I have. Check it out.
Online or Offline, the Goal is the Same
It’s funny really. A lot of people come to me to teach them how I do network marketing online because they think that it is somehow easier. It isn’t easier. It’s really just a different way to do the same thing.
To be successful in network you have to connect with people who want to buy your product and/or join your team. They both also require that you work as a professional – be motivated to learn and get the training. Online or offline, the goal is the same and the amount of work is the same. Which one is better depends on your circumstances.
Network Marketing is Hard, Isn’t It?
I don’t believe that for a minute. Anything else that you want to do you would get the proper training. If you want to be a photographer, you learn how to use your camera. If you want to be an artist, you learn how to draw or paint. Why would you think any different if you want to make money in network marketing?
Do you still believe that network marketing is hard? I hope not. You just have to want to succeed and learn the necessary skills. If you agree, leave me a comment below and please share this post with your followers on social media.
If you disagree, leave me a comment below and convince me. Then please share this post with your followers.