Recently, two very prominent Network Marketing companies had their national conventions during the same period of time.  I actually wonder if one did not plan theirs based on the other company to help prevent their people from being in both (We all know how that goes lol).  The one thing that I noticed is that my facebook page is buzzing with excitement from people who are a part of both companies.  The members of both companies are posting pics and telling stories from the event with excitement!

This excitement is great and it is good for the industry overall, but I just feel that it is a shame that people don’t maintain that level of excitement in their network marketing business.  Why does it take a pep-rally style meeting to get some people motivated to go out and share their business like they are actually enjoying it?  Why does it take promotions and incentives for people to actually admit they are working a particular business and come out of the “MLM Witness Protection” program?

Do yourself, your company, your upline, and your team a favor; put your business in DRIVE and BREAK THE GEAR so that you never return to PARK.  Do what it takes to maintain that level of enthusiasm that you get after a huge meeting, conference, or after someone joins your business.  If you maintain this level of business, you will be way ahead of promotions and incentives and now you can be one of the ones who experiences massive growth and accomplishments after the big meeting ends instead of always trying to create it.

To the folks in the two companies and to all who read this, stay motivated, create your own excitement and make your business a place where the atmosphere for success is always at a high level.

Preston Scott

I just got word that a well-known income opportunity company was indeed shut down.  If this is the case, do your best not to allow this to destroy your faith in the industry of home-based business, MLM, or Network Marketing.  Remember that each company is owned and operated by a corporate CEO and just like with traditional employment, people make mistakes and some even SCAM others for gain (based on greed).

If you were a part of the company, know that MILLIONS were involved, so don’t feel bad at all.  You did NOTHING wrong as long as you followed what you deemed to be compliant.  There is no shame is looking for an opportunity for you and your family to get ahead, especially in these extremely tough times.

You will hear several shouts of “I told you so” from the poverty minded people and from the so-called experts.  The poverty minded will NEVER take chances, even if the opportunity has been around for 50 years, they just don’t get it.  Some of the so-called experts had a secret “spot” in the company in hopes that it would work out, but stayed vocal with their respective teams in efforts to “kill two birds with one stone”…  Had things went as most thought, they would have gone with the flow like everybody else.

What have we learned?  When taking risks, take cautious and calculated risks.  Never release funds that you can NOT afford to lose.  If it is indeed over, which the majority of the reports claim…take a break, do some research, regroup, LEARN how to do it right, and go for it again.  Do NOT settle for less than you deserve because of one negative experience.

When in financial need, it is still ok to call on Network Marketing just like when in danger, it is still ok to call on the police (some of yall won’t get that until next week…lol)

Preston Scott

One of the biggest mistakes that people so often make is being afraid to make mistakes.  Mistakes can be stepping stones towards success.  Mistakes can also be a great deterrence as well.  How you view mistakes can determine how much success you will have in business and in some cases even in life.

In the film industry, they have a clear understanding that it takes several “takes” to get what they desire accomplished.  Very few scenes have been established on “Take 1”.  The next time you watch a movie, realize that the movie would have never been accomplished if they were afraid to make “Miss-Takes”.

Let’s look at it from the sports aspect.   During the course of an NBA game, how many shots are missed?  If they were afraid to miss, they would never take shots and therefore never score.  It is not about how many you miss, but how you overcome those mistakes.  Michael Jordan (arguably the greatest basketball player ever) said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Fear is a motivator and it motivates people to not want to make mistakes.  We look at the finished product of success and we don’t think about all that it took to get there.  I think part of the problem is that so many successful people are too arrogant to admit their mistakes, leading people to believe that they were not or are not being made.  If you only knew how many times successful people have failed, you would never quit.

So whatever it is that you are trying to accomplish in life, embrace the mistakes.  Take the time to learn from them and do what is necessary to correct them.  Understand that the mistakes you make today can one day help sumwon else who desires success to make fewer mistakes on their way to their goals.  Oops, I spelled someone wrong.  Yep I made a mistake…lol  So what!  I will fix it next time.

Preston Scott

As much as I love our great network marketing companies, they do not have the ability to create millionaires in and of themselves.  I hear the following all too often from distributors and reps, “My company has created 50 millionaires in the last 2 years, etc…”  They are attempting to use it as a selling point to recruit those who are eager to earn substantial income.

The challenge usually occurs when someone who has an employee mindset takes notice and views it as a job announcement.  To them, it means this particular company is paying people millions of dollars.  What they don’t see is the type of labor and sacrifice that it requires.  In business the type of labor and sacrifice that millionaires make does not always equal upfront income.

Millionaires are created from the minds of men and women who build the companies.  There is a certain mindset that most millionaires have.  The first thing they understand is that it is certainly more about who they become far before the millions arrive that will eventually equate to millionaire status.  Napoleon Hill said, “More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men, than has been taken from the earth.”

Sure your company may have an exceptionally lucrative compensation plan, but notice that only a handful of people ever become millionaires.  Oh, and it is not always about who joins first either.  Do your research.  In some cases those who have joined in the so-called post momentum stages of companies that have become millionaires is because of their mindset.  So while you are in awe of your company and those who have become wealthy, be sure to “Mind” your business on your way to becoming a Network Marketing Millionaire.

Preston Scott

The Urban Dictionary says that the word “swagger” means:

“How someone presents him or her self to the world. Swagger is shown from how the person handles a situation. It can also be shown in the person’s walk.” The definition goes on to say… “A poised “sassiness” that can’t be touched. It may be in the walk or it may be in the talk, but there is no doubt it means you own the room and you have that natural charisma. Basically, someone with swagger dominates at life.” Wouldn’t you like to feel more of THAT while working your business?

I don’t think you’re alone. Most people would love to have that confident charisma that all the “heavy-hitters” in your company seem to have. Many Networkers spend years hoping to recruit someone on their team who possess that “swagger”. They email me asking, “Tim, how do I find big recruiters? Where do I find the heavy hitters? I REALLY need to find one…now! Help!” Well, lean in for a second, because I want to share a little secret with you. You know, I wasn’t always “Tim Sales”.

I mean, I’ve always been Tim…but there were many years that I spent building my downline with my nose to the grindstone and believe me, when I walked into a room no one said, “Hey look! There’s Tim Sales!” No, instead I’d walk into a room unnoticed. I got stood up for countless meetings. Prospects laughed at me. People thought I was nuts. But inside….I had SWAGGER. I felt it. I knew it. I owned it. And I ended up building a huge organization because of it.

Tim Sales

Problem was – he never took the products! That is an absolute no-no. If you are marketing XYZ product, you better be taking the product and be a product of the product. Otherwise, you really can’t speak about the products with any confidence or conviction. The distributor who died, perhaps needlessly, didn’t appear to suffer financially, but who knows what he could have done in his business if he had used the products and really been able to speak with passion and enthusiasm. We will never know, but the odds are it would have been even more impressive.

The monthly commitment you make is minimal in terms of the income potential you have in your company. Let’s face it. You can go buy a vitamin, a cream, a shampoo at the grocery store and you will never earn an income from it. Not in a million years! However, if you purchase the products your company offers, you have unlimited earning capacity. That earning potential can pay you for years down the road and often can be willed to children and grandchildren. Those facts alone should have you signing up for your monthly commitment with joy and glee!

And lastly, you will never build a substantial business with leveraged income from a growing team under you if you do not set the example. The example must be: make your monthly commitment and do not cancel. Ever. It should be as automatic as paying your phone or water bill. It gets taken care of and is part of your budget.

Randy Gage, multi-millionaire in this profession, suggests that you purchase the product at wholesale and then buy it from your company at retail. That will really help you to see the true value of what you have in your hands.

When I hear people complaining about their monthly commitment I know that:

1. They don’t understand the concept of network marketing

2. They are operating from a place of fear that they can’t do the business and that needs to be allayed by the upline

3. They may not be in the right network marketing company that sells products they would normally use

The monthly commitment is also what helps the company determine the future needs of their distributors. It gives the company cash flow and helps them maintain all of the vital services that you need to run your business. Having been president of a network marketing company, I understand the importance of monthly commitments better than most. You want your company to be around 5, 10 or 20 years down the road? Commit to a monthly purchase that enables you to earn money and then go make your dreams come true. It is completely possible in network marketing and that sure can’t be said for many professions today.

Jan Janzen

Network marketing, has become a very different animal from years previous because of the Internet. However, many still struggle with knowing how to be successful multilevel marketers. How can you recruit people for network marketing in the best way? If you’re having a lack of success, you’re not alone. There are two tips on how you, too, can help build a successful downline.

Tip number one: Change the way you think. People fail for many reasons, but one of the chief reasons is that they simply think they’re going to. Be comfortable with thinking outside of your “comfort zone,” and be prepared for some discomfort as you adjust to a new business. Just because you’re struggling when you start doesn’t mean you’re not cut out for network marketing. Many people who struggle to begin with became successful multilevel marketers.

Most people think that network marketing is all about sales. It’s true that sales are part of it, but you also have to keep in mind that you have to keep recommending and promoting products to a potential downline as well, so that others come on board under you.
One of the best ways to become a successful network marketing person is to mentor and coach your downline. To build your downline, you are going to have to help the people under you be successful. You have to be as interested in their success as you are in your own, because their success actually means your success will happen to a greater degree.

Tip number two: Generate your own leads. Many people who engage in network marketing buy leads, but this isn’t the best way to build your business or your downline. Many leads lists are sold to many different companies, so that a particularly hot prospect to you might already have gotten a lot of other calls from other companies and either be burned out on the idea or have gone with someone else.
When you recruit for network marketing, you can’t duplicate the system and use it over and over. You can’t pay $100 a lead (which, yes, some people are doing) and expect to make a return on that investment a fair amount of the time, much less even most of the time. It’s simply not worth the investment.

When you generate your own leads, not only do you know the people you’re speaking to have not been approached again and again by other companies, but you have a vested interest in talking with them about this opportunity. This makes you much more interesting to talk to because you’re not just trying to sell them on something (and if you are, stop it right now, since this will only make future prospects run away), but you really want to give them a chance to jump in on a good opportunity.

SG Jerome

1. Be Passionate About Your Product: One of the most important things you can do is to chose a network marketing business that offers a product that you will use yourself and that you are passionate about. What I mean by passionate is that you should enjoy using the product and you should enjoy proudly sharing it with others and promoting it both offline and online. If you love what you do then it will show in your marketing.

The worst thing you can do is choose a network marketing business opportunity just for the money. If you are only in business for the money, then you will probably quit the first time you are challenged in this industry. And yes, you will face challenges no matter what network marketing business you choose.

2. Read Your MLM Company’s Policies & Procedures: This is a HUGE yet common mistake that most people who consider starting a network marketing business make. I know that it’s boring legal mumbo-jumbo but it can keep you from making a damaging mistake that can cost you years of wasted time and money.

Look for a company that actually supports it’s distributors and encourages them to grow their business. The P&P reveals the heart and soul of a company and a company’s management style. Look for a company that allows you to market your business online (this is critical in our 21st century economy).
It’s crucial to know what your rights are as a distributor and what restrictions the company places on you as a distributor. Most P&P’s reveal that most distributors won’t be able to enjoy long-term residual income. There are strings attached and you should be aware of what those strings are.

3. Learn About the Company’s Owners, Managers and Founders: Do they have the background and experience needed to manage a network marketing company? Do they have in-the-field experience as a distributor? Have they ever successfully run a business before? Do they conduct business with honor and integrity.

Look for the same things when choosing an upline. Is there transparency within the leadership of the organization? Do they communicate effectively with their distributors? Does the company actually own its own software? A young company may not, and they may have it farmed out to a third party vendor. Do they offer high quality training and support?

Does your network marketing company embrace new business models and new technologies? Be wary of people who argue for outdated business models. It usually stems from fear and loss of power. The harder they work to maintain it the more quickly they lose influence. Their focus is on the wrong thing.

Positive influence, on the other hand, when properly used can create a massive movement. Entrepreneurs will naturally go where they can be most free. Progressive company’s get it and know that they must adapt with the changing times.

4. Good Timing in the Industry: Look for timing with national & global trends, product introduction, consumer demand etc. Watch out for red flag words like, “ground floor opportunity”, “now is the time”, “pre-launch”, “just launched”. This could be very risky for you. Most start up mlm opportunities fail within the first 2 years. Look for an established company with a solid reputation.

5. Remarkable Products and Services: Look for products and services that are remarkable, unique, patented, high quality with life-changing effects, consumable and competitively priced. Wellness products should be scientifically based, tested and proven to work while being reasonably priced. Again, choose products that you will use yourself and are passionate about marketing. You should become a product of the product.

6. A Strong Compensation Plan: Look for one that rewards not only the top builders but also the part-time builders. Because the majority of people that come into this industry are part-time people. Check out the company’s comp plan thoroughly and analyze it and ask questions. Make sure that it is not too complicated and that you don’t have to jump through too many hoops in order to get paid.

A good compensation plan should be fair and balanced and reward good behavior in the field. Watch out for companies that heavily push and emphasize how many millionaires they have created, this is a BIG red flag to avoid. Look for top network marketing companies that put most of their emphasis on gathering customers and retail sales. Customers are the life-blood of ANY business. No customers means no business. And oh yeah, “customers” does NOT mean the number of distributors that are buying the products.

If your network marketing company/downline mostly pushes the business opportunity, then you don’t have a business, you have a pyramid scheme which is illegal in all 50 states. (Example: McDonald’s doesn’t just sell franchises, it focuses on selling hamburgers and french fries… it focuses on CUSTOMERS).

If a company only pushes recruiting, recruiting, recruiting, without any emphasis on retail sales, then you don’t have a legitimate business, you have a pyramid scheme. RUN and don’t look back if you encounter this kind of behavior in ANY MLM opportunity.

Mike Wilson