Most people that I know who are, or have been in network marketing, never seem to make a dime! Others (myself included) make a small fortune. If youre not doing VERYwell with your business, and youre honestly putting in the effort, let me explain to you how to turn things around!
First of all, you need to make sure that you have the rightproduct. Thats the biggest mistake I see those whore failing make. At the same time, I see many marketing thesame products that I do, not having the same success. So thats only one piece of the puzzle. Still, its a very important piece of the puzzle.
The product must be:
- A product that you cant buy cheaper at the local Wal-Mart!If your potential customers could get the product cheaperlocally, youll have a hard time marketing it to peoplewho, at least subconsciously, have to believe that theyre being ripped off. To honestly evaluate the true valueof the product you also need to separate the product fromthe biz-op end of it. The product has to actually be worththe asking price even if it didnt offer resellers or representatives a chance to profit from selling it.
- A product category that a large group of people are alreadybuying. Having to educate people that they need your productis an uphill... and often losing... battle. Why not offer them something theyre already using.
- A consumable product. One-time sales mean you are constantly searching for new customers. Its sooooo mucheasier to market something that they will love, use up, and keep getting more of from you. Built-in residual income simplycant be beat. Make the sale once... do the work once, andthen earn commissions for a very long time.
Let me give you a quick example of such a product. Practicallyeveryone over 6-years-old in America, and in many countries, send greeting cards. They send them for holidays, birthdays,graduations, the birth of a child, wedding, etc. Some peoplesend as many as 70 cards a year... my wife probably falls into that category.
My wife and many others send tons of cards costing up to $5each. Actually, its more correct to say that she now sendscards on all of these occasions for less than $1 each. No,those are NOT e-cards, and that price includes postage. Shesends them through a network marketing company that doesprint on demand cards, and allows her to upload her addressbook into an online database, and then reminds her of when its time to send birthday cards, etc. This product alsohas wide appeal to professionals such as car dealers, bankers,realtors, lawyers, etc., because the system allows them to send entire campaigns of pre-scheduled sequences of personalize cards. Its very powerful.
That is just one example, one I happen to really like, of a network marketing business where you dont have to createdemand, or search for customers. Theyre just waiting foryou to show them a product that will actually save themmoney. Since these cards are fully personalized, dontrequire you to even leave your house, and can be sent in afew seconds... all for under a dollar, I doubt that evenWal-Mart can compete. Its a no-brainer! Take a look at:http://www.makeloyalcustomers.com/willie
You can even request a sample account be set up so thatyou can take the system for a test drive. The try beforeyou buy model is time tested and PROVEN to work!
The only drawback to the card system is that they dontaccept distributors outside the U.S. and its territories.Customers can be from anywhere though.
Now, aside from the product, you need:
- A proven company. The management needs to know whatits doing, and that only comes from experience in managinga similar business. It simply doesnt make sense to riskyour time and other resources on inexperienced management.
- A well-designed website. This is a BIG drawback formany network marketing companies I see. Their site leaves you guessing What in the world is this site about!Most visitors that you manage to attract to such as sitewill simply leave, and in the process leave you frustratedwith your lack of success.
- A compensation plan that doesnt require a Ph.D. to understand. For some reason, most network marketingcompanies choose to express their compensation plansin terms only someone high on crack cocaine could begin to comprehend. The easier it is for someone to understandthe compensation plan, the better. After all, yourprospects are coming into it for the money, so they mustbe able to understand how, and how much, theyll get paid.
- A belief in the product strong enough that youcan honestly recommend it. All of our communicationshave a tone to them... even our written communications.We humans pick up on subtleties in communication, andwe ARE able to tell when someone doesnt really believe what theyre saying to us. We get that feelingthat something isnt quite right. At the same time,when someone shares information with you about a productthat theyre totally ga-ga over, you pick up on thattoo.
The business also needs to require some initial investment. Having studied hundreds of different companies, and differentbusiness models, I expect to make an investment to get into a good network marketing program. You need to attract seriousbusiness people, and programs that you can get intofor absolutely nothing generally only attract those who will never upgrade, never do anything to really promote the business, and expect you to do everything for them.
A nominal fee for the starter kit serves to weed outthose who would waste a lot of your time, and allowsyou to spend time working with those willing to invest inactually building a business. The reality is that theresno business, that I know of, that you can get into withoutsome type of investment!
Another essential is training for team members. You MUSThave a duplicable system that anyone can plug into. It cant be only suitable for certain personality types. Any new person must be able to follow the step-by-steptraining, and because of the system in place, achievethe same results. The training needs to be availableon webpages, in printable form, and in audio form, so that team members can digest it in whatever form they learn best in. Live training events... or perhaps webinarsneed to also be available.
Far too many people fail in network marketing simplybecause they cant do what the top producers aredoing. When that happens, its because the top producersare often lone wolves off doing their own thing outside of the system. What that does is allow the lonewolf to bring in a lot of people who cant do what theyre doing. That formula simply cant work long-term.
One final factor that differentiates the successful from the unsuccessful network marketer... the successfulnetwork marketer only recruits the right people. Theyinterview prospects to determine why they want to getinto the business in the first place. If the prospectdoesnt have compelling, emotional reason for wantingto get into the business, top producers dont wastetheir time recruiting them. That takes a lot ofdiscipline, but its the only way to build an organization that will be successful long-term. Bringing in the wrong people... people who wont work, and wantyou to do everything for them, only leads to disappointmentsfor everyone involved.
Ive just shared with you the key to actually making lotsof money in network marketing. Its all really justcommon sense, but common sense that far too few peopleseem to be applying. Think about what was just sharedwith you above. Then ask if youre doing it right. If not,making a few corrections will dramatically improve yourresults.
Willie Crawford is a corporate president, published author,seminar speaker and host, tele-seminar speaker and host, retired military officer, karate black belt, Master Network Marketing Trainer, and lifetime student of marketing. He showspeople how to actually generate substantial income on-line using very simple, easily modeled systems. An example of such a system that you can study and duplicate is at: http://ProfitMagician.com
While a virus, in Medicine, is the smallest infectious agent, it is an extremely potent strategy in Marketing speak with similar abilities to proliferate. It is an effective means of advertising and relies on an understanding of what individuals may accept, should the price favour them.
Viral marketing by definition is any type of a marketing campaign that encourages those in receipt of an advertising message to voluntarily pass it along to friends, family and others that may be interested. [unlike a bad virus which one would not want to knowingly spread or pass along.]
Examples of successful viral marketing are: hotmail and their simple teaser at the bottom of all their emails that stated Get your free private email at www.hotmail.com.
In its first 1.5 years, Hotmail acquired over 12 million subscribers.
eGroups.com [Yahoo Groups] is a free place on the Net with tools for groups to share ideas, coordinate schedules and exchange documents. It reached 4.1 million users at a faster pace than Hotmail did.
MeMail.com, the Canadian publisher with over 300,000 subscribers, has 97% of its new subscribers from direct referrals.
Every time a subscriber passes along a story or joke, attached is a subtle endorsement for MeMail.com brand.
Other forms of viral advertising are based on the idea, that people will pass on and share cool and entertaining content, which is often sponsored by an individual or company.
This is looking to raise awareness and use of a product or service. These viral commercials can take many different forms: funny video clips, interactive Flash games, images, or even text.
R.S.S. is not just a gift, but a means to propagate your brand via incoming links. It will provide content to any who wish it, but its true purpose is to infiltrate the market, virally.
Viral marketing is usually carried out by email, although it is not the same as email marketing.
Email marketing is a message that is sent out by a company to a database.
In Viral marketing a conventional database is not used. The idea is to get your reader to pass your message on to their friends, family or associates. The message then carries a powerful personal endorsement and is much more likely to be read and/or acted upon.
When a viral campaign is properly constructed and executed, you will be rewarded exponentially by the spread.
Example: 2 readers tell 2, which in turn tell 2 more and so on. It spreads 2+4+8+16+38+64 and hopefully swells to a reach massive number of readers that act on your offer or message. Ironically, even without action or direct financial participation, a mental impression can be formed through branding.while no-one will click on the large billboards that fill the landscape, the memory of it, can prompt future action with the sponsor in question. Exposure and impressions have consequences, both on and off line.
Most internet programs including mlms initiate novices by impressing them to harvest their circles of influences. This involves such novices telling everyone that they know, and giving the product a personal recommendation, or endorsement.
Some insist that a circle of influence strategy could spread the word to an incredible nine hundred people.
Examples of viral marketing can be seen everywhere: free email addresses, branded software, branded ipods or accessories, bravenet tools, some newsfeeds, syndication and other content, jokes (via email and offline), quotations even, anything that people want for nothing but agree to a link, like phpnuke or WordPress.
Look at the Marlboro Cigarettes campaign suggesting saving miles to purchase merchandise. Most items purchased are branded physically or by word-of-mouth, I got it from Marlboro catalogue by saving miles.
Miles that can only be accumulated by purchasing a pack of their cigarettes.
By offering a simple download with an email or as a bonus to your offer your branded name will become known. For instance you can go here and download a great set of tools that will benefit webmasters at any level. This branded tool will benefit both the consumer and the one making the offer.
E Books are invariably information products that can be branded and embedded with affiliate links. These are often given away as free reports, but with the firm consciousness that they will be passed on to enhance a viral campaign.
Brand it, and recieve widespread recognition. Embed it with affiliate links, and recieve any associated revenues.
Indeed, affiliation programs could be considered to be viral in nature. While the new affiliate may not make a sale, they will surely be aware of the product and may even purchase it themselves. This does happen, incidentally.
The most powerful vehicle of a viral marketing strategy is the one that is carried to the most valuable target of all; Those that want something, and those that want something else!
Good Luck and happy viral marketing.
Judy Webb is a strategy analyst with . If you want a powerful suite of Webmaster tools (which I still use myself), you can download it here Webmaster Tools , with my compliments. You may reprint this article if done in total, including this resource box.