Well, I was hoping to do a Network Marketing Tip of the week. . .as you can see – it has become a network marketing tip of the month
If you haven’t seen the last one on the Social Media Revolution, go ahead and take a look now – it really puts things into perspective on how powerful the social media is for any type of business. . . and that, of course, includes network marketing.
This week, I chose these videos – they’re short (about 3 minutes each) and simple but again, they really bring us back to the reality of what it takes to succeed in our businesses and our personal lives. I got chills when watching this one. Take a look for yourself:
And here’s just a reminder of what it’s all about – Smile and Enjoy your network marketing tip of the month!
Network Marketing books are somewhat overlooked nowadays since you can easily find electronic information on the web, and much of it is free. But many of us (myself included) still like to sit down and open a real book with a real cover and turn the pages – something that you can hold on to and put on your shelf.
Another interesting thing that I’ve noticed is that books on Network Marketing seem to share a little bit more on attitude and mindset, whereas the information that you find online tends to cover the more of the strategical and technical aspects of network marketing.
And if you haven’t already discovered this, your mindset is half the battle (if not more) when it comes to succeeding in Network Marketing.
So, what are some of the most talked about Network Marketing books in the industry?
Pretty much anyone would agree with me in recommending the books by Robert Kiyosaki. Perhaps his most famous is called “Rich Dad Poor Dad”. As you can gather from the title, the book is about how most of us learn the “poor Dad” philosophy that is taught to us by our middle class upbringings while “rich kids” learn a whole different set of rules from their rich dads.
Among other lessons which are must-learns for network marketers, Rober Kiyosaki’s book teaches us that we need to start thinking like rich, successful people in order to be rich and successful people.
Kiyosaki has also written several other books including “Rich Dad’s Guide to Investing”, “Rich Kid Smart kid”, “Cashfow Quadrant” and the “Rich Dad’s Business School”. Robert Kiyosaki’s books focus greatly on attitude which most successful marketers will say was the key to their success.
“How to Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends”, by Michael Oliver, is actually one of my personal favorite network marketing books because it gives a great deal of attention to the art of listening which is a weak point for many of us that are involved in network marketing (or in any profession for that matter).
Listening is something that all successful salespeople have mastered to some extent.
This book offers an understanding about how being true to yourself and to your team and potential customers and downline will lead you down the path to success and well-being.
“The Ultimate Guide to Network Marketing” by Dr. Joe Rubino is very interesting because it actually features the industry’s 37 top income-earners who share their so-called secrets to success. Get truth, testimonials and tips from industry success stories.
On the more “how-to” side of network marketing books, there is “Your First Year in Network Marketing” by Mark and Rene Reid Yarnell which offers more action-oriented strategies on how to overcome those first-year obstacles and position yourself for lifelong success.
“Network Marketing for Dummies” by Zig Ziglar is sort of a combination of the motivational inspiration needed for network marketing and the more strategic and methodical issues. This book has received mixed reviews: many are on the positive side but some of the more experienced network marketers were not overly enthusiastic about the book.
Richard Poe has published 4 Network Marketing books: “Wave 3: The New Era in Network Marketing”, “The Wave 3 Way to Building Your Downline”, “Wave 4: Network Marketing in the 21st Century” and “The Wave 4 Way to Building Your Downline”.
“How to Build a Large Successful Multi-Level Marketing Organization” by Don Failla is on the top of many network markters’ lists – and something they require their downline to read.
The last one I will mention in this article is called “The New Professionals: The Rise of Network Marketing as the Next Major Profession”, written by Charles W. King and James W. Robinson.
Due to the growing internet economy coupled with the economic crisis, the numbers of people turning to network marketing are definitely on the rise and this book goes into more detail on that.
There are many, many Network Marketing books that can offer you the solutions you are looking for when it comes to succeeding in network marketing. Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from the computer screen and do your studying the old fashioned way!
So, you’re looking for the Best MLM Companies. . .
Before I go on with my tips in helping you find the best ones for you, let me give you the link to a list of all network marketing companies. As far as I understand, it’s not broken down into categories so you’ll have to go through each page and sift through the alphabetical listing or you can do a search for a specific company but this list does seem to be VERY comprehensive and updated:
So, back to the point of this article. . . You’re looking for the best MLM companies and you’re not alone! This topic is very much sought after. For some, this will be your first MLM. Others of you might be thinking of switching companies or taking on a second one or just poking around to see what’s out there.
Either way, it is crucial that you accept this fact. . .
There are no such things as “best MLM companies”.
Sorry. . .but don’t lose hope. . .
This article will explain why this is true and why it is a GOOD thing. You will also learn what you do need to look for in a company and what you might want to steer clear of.
First of all, no matter what company you’re considering, make sure that you are guaranteed the right kind of network marketing training and support.
It is not a particular MLM Company that will make you successful in your endeavor. Instead, it is the training and support you receive and how duplicatable the particular company’s marketing system is.
How successful is your upline and how easily can you do what they are doing to bring success your way?
Find a company that can show you a plan right upfront. The plan must be one that works for YOU and your potential downline – it should simple and easy for everyone to understand and apply.
Having said that, there are some things to look for and some things to avoid as you are researching your next MLM company.
The 5 Myths of What Constitutes Best MLM Companies And the Reality Behind Them. . .
Myth number 1: The Compensation Plan is the most important factor to consider.
The Reality: While the Compensation Plan is definitely something to weigh in, it shouldn’t be the most important factor in making a decision about which MLM company to join.
As stated above, you can be successful in any Network Marketing company with any compensation plan if you have the right tools and marketing system.
Do keep in mind that the Compensation plan should be team-focused (meaning that if you do well, your team also does well) and hopefully (but not absolutely necessarily) simple.
Myth number 2: The best companies are the ones where the upline says they will do your work for you.
The Reality: You want to make sure that your upline has a system that will work for you and all the tools and resources if you need them. But you should be 100% involved in all your marketing efforts – no one should be doing your work for you. This is how you will prosper in Network Marketing.
Myth Number 3: Getting in at the start of a new Network Marketing Company is a plus. Because that’s how you can really make the most money.
The Reality: Be wary of New Network Marketing companies – they are the most likely to have problems and even fold early on. A good rule of thumb as far as stability is concerned is going with a company that has been around for at least 5 years.
You can start with a company that’s been around for 50 years and be incredibly successful if you make sure the rest of these criteria are in place.
Myth number 4: The Company has a great product that sells itself.
Any of you who have read Ann Sieg’s 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing already know why this is a myth. (And if you haven’t read it, I definitely recommend it. It’s free and packed with valuable information).
The Truth: No product sells itself. You can have the greatest product in the world but if you don’t know how to market it, it doesn’t matter. On the flip side, if you have a mediocre product and know the right way to market it, the sky is your limit.
By the way, I’m not endorsing mediocre products – I AM endorsing professional marketing.
Another important aspect concerning the products of your next MLM Company is that the products /services offered must need the Network Marketing model.
This simply means that the products or services must be suitable for the direct sales process in which the consumer needs a good deal of information before they buy the product.
If the product is too straight-forward and doesn’t need anyone (you, as the potential distributor) to explain its value, you might want to look elsewhere. A good example of this type of product would be books.
On the other end, if the product is too complex, you want to avoid that as well. Anything which requires a license or some sort of qualification to sell the product is not a viable option.
So, here we are, this is what I personally deem the the Number 1 Criteria of Best MLM Companies. . .
It might not be what you think. . .
The reason that there are no best MLM
companies is . . .
. . Because YOU are what makes your MLM the best.
YOU must love what this company offers. It must be something that genuinely interests and excites YOU. This overrides everything else including the compensation plan. Your prospects will know whether you really believe in your company or if you are just in it for the compensation plan. Your potential customers will understand if you are using your company’s products or not and how you feel about them. People pick up on attitude . . .and they pick up FAST!
Your belief and commitment level makes a difference. Who wants to join someone who isn’t even passionate about what they are selling? Who wants to join someone who isn’t even using their company’s products? How can you refer the products to others if you don’t love them?
Did you know that most people join an MLM because of the person who is recommending it and not because of the MLM itself.
BE THE PERSON YOUR PROSPECTS WANT TO JOIN! LOVE YOUR COMPANY, ITS PRODUCTS/SERVICES, USE A SUCCESSFUL TRAINING PROGRAM AND TEACH YOUR TEAM TO DO THE SAME.
As mentioned above, training and support are an absolute MUST if you want to do well with any company so make sure that the company that you love also offers that. Make sure they have the most up to date resources such as company websites that you can send customers to for orders, marketing materials, product conference calls, etc.
And a final note, look for an MLM company that is “hypless”. The more valuable information provided and the less hype, the better it looks. . .
Hopefully these tips help you in your search for the “Best MLM Companies”.
This network marketing tip originated from the really cool video (above) that was pointed out to me today by a fellow network marketer and mentor, McKay Earl, of the 90-Day Marketer and 30-Day Marketer.
In a nutshell, the tip is. . .DO NOT IGNORE SOCIAL MEDIA.
I think many of us have heard about the power of social media. We hear the success stories involving the use of social media for business. We may even hear some of the statistics or read a couple of them here or there.
For those of you “social-minded” network marketers, you don’t even have to think twice about getting involved in social media. In fact, no one even has to tell you to get involved. You already are!
This article is more for those of us (yes, I include myself) who’ve heard of social media, we know how powerful it is and yet, it gets brushed to the side because, let’s face it, we just don’t like it all that much.
Can we talk twitter? Do I like Twitter? NO! But I’m not about to hide my head in the sand and not take advantage of this FREE powerful tool. Have you ever asked yourself why some of the biggest companies in the world are on Twitter and Facebook? Do you really think it’s all about being “social”?
So, I sort of let Twitter and Facebook slip out of my mind while I work on “important business-building” activities. And then. . . I see a video like the one above.
I’m positive it will have the same effect on you!
If you want to get going with social media but lack the confidence to get your social site / system up and running – don’t let that stop you!
Your Network Marketing Strategy – Let the Media Work for You
One of the many things that media considers when they are deciding what to promote or talk about is what effect that subject will have on various social groups. The media does whatever it can to have some kind of impact on whatever market they are chasing after. If you want to be a smart network marketer, you will use this commotion to your advantage. Ride the wave with a network marketing strategy involving social media.
One of the hardest aspects of any network marketer’s work, whether on-line or off, is to create a stir around what they are trying to offer. Besides instilling believability and trust (which is hard enough when it comes to network marketing!), you have to have some level of excitement surrounding your business and products/services for it to see any success at all.
It can seem like you are beating your head against a wall many times as you try to get anyone to notice you and to get them to even care.
You surely think that you have something that is very important to offer people. But unless you have a network marketing strategy that can educate and convince others that it is important, they just won’t get it . . .and you won’t get their business.
Luckily, there is a very exciting network marketing strategy that lets you get by without having to do all the work of trying to generate excitement and educate the masses about your offering. That way is to let the larger media outlets do all the work.
Create a network marketing strategy that leverages off the effort of the media.
Sometimes you will luck out and find that there is a big buzz related to your business already and it will only take a little bit to get the social groups interested in what you have.
Well, we already know the current biggest trend to affect the network marketing industry , right? People have lost their jobs, their savings and their retirement? Need I say more? Can you think of what you can offer those people? A chance at financial freedom? Never having to worry about being laid off again? Those are just a few ideas. . .
Sometimes you will have to use your imagination and find a relationship between something big that is going on in the media that has a huge impact on social groups of one kind or another. Once you find that relationship, though, you can find a network marketing strategy that can make that connection obvious.
Keep your eye on the news, sign up for google alerts, and look at what is hot on television or on the Internet. Look for what are popular topics on the regular news media, what trends are hot in the world of finance, or what gossip is going on in social circles. What is popular? You cannot help but find something that your business can relate to in some way.
There are times, though, that it might be good to look at the media and decide on a product or service that is timely, that social groups of one kind or another are buzzing about. Choose something that there is already a lot of excitement about. Watch trends and if you see something that is starting to gain some attention in certain social circles, it may be something that takes off and has widespread appeal. Pay attention and take advantage of these things.
On your own, you will be trying hard to make waves about your incredible network marketing business but what you will end up making is a tiny ripple. Be a smart network marketer – take notice of the tsunamis being made by the larger media outlets and adapt your network marketing strategy to capitalize on these.
As I mentioned earlier in the article, more and more people are flocking to the internet to find solutions for their financial problems. Will they find you? Can you offer them what they are looking for?
Many of these complete newcomers to the internet are looking for automated systems that can help them make money while they continue to learn all the ins and outs of network marketing online. Can you offer this to them in your network marketing strategy?
