I created this little infographic to describe the success cycle of the average home based business owner. I used a track as the backdrop for my analogy, “The 400 Meter Dash of Success and Failure.” In Network Marketing, this is as plain as it gets and the new person doesn’t understand how it works. Success in your business is just a matter of consistent effort over a period of time. If you desire to succeed is there, just finish the entire lap and things will get a lot easier.

Click on image to enlarge

Unfortunately, Network Marketing companies come and go, or, you are someone that comes and goes, bouncing from one company to the next. Although a company seems solid, with a good product and great compensation, there’s no guarantee that it will be around forever.

My BIGGEST mistake as a home business owner, was putting all of my eggs into one basket. I put so much trust in the concept/product/owners of the company I was part of that I didn’t have a back-up plan. Now, if it’s all solid, there are no worries. But, if things go a different direction, if the company crashes, if the products lose their value or if any other variable happens that effects the company, it also directly effects your income. Instead of putting so much into the company, put that focus on the goal.

So imagine that 6 figure income you had managed to create while working your home business, suddenly gone, or significantly reduced. Now, if it was your doing, that’s one thing. But if was a direct correlation to something that happened in the company, that’s an entire different story! Without pointing fingers or taking a victims mentality, how does one recover from something like that?

Here’s how I recovered……I relied on the online presence I had. With the amount of content I have all over the net, the presence in social networking sites and the organic rankings on all major search engines, I had choices. With consistent, FREE traffic coming to my website, this site, a crash of a company wasn’t a complete disaster. All that did was gave me options.

I could…….

1. Join another business opportunity or….
2. Do something else with the traffic I was getting.

I could develop my own products and promote them on my site. I could completely monetize my website with sponsored listing from ad networks such as Adsense. I could continue to capture leads and sell them. I could promote affiliate products on my site. The list could go on and on.

So if you find yourself in a home based business, and you are purchasing leads, spending high dollar on CPC ads or don’t have a web presence, you may want to rethink your strategy. Set yourself up to win regardless of the opportunity.

One thing I teach people about marketing is to use three or four different sources of lead generation. If one or two drop out, you have the other two to rely on until they can be replaced. Without spreading yourself too thin, the same thing applies for your sources of income.

I believe in the Cortez concept of burning your boats, but I also believe in having a back up plan. Expect the best but prepare for the worst and you’ll never find yourself in a hard spot, without options.

Stay tuned for my SECOND BIGGEST MISTAKE in the next post!

I had a conversation today that inspired me to write this post. The conversation was not a very successful conversation as the person on the other end of the line seemed to think that Network Marketing was a ridiculous business to be involved in. I asked him if he was a business owner and he said that he was. The conversation was very short, and to the point. He seemed to thing that my business in Network Marketing, was not a very reputable business.

So, I would like to do a comparison of the Traditional style business versus a Network Marketing business in Direct Sales. So here we go!

Let’s start with a traditional business, or a brick and mortar type of setup that has a boss, employees, health plan and all that jazz. First off, I would like to get something straight, this type of business is set up just like an ant colony. All the worker ants support the queen by bringing her food, building her home and providing protection. The boss/owner of an enterprise is the one that obviously makes the most money. Who makes that money for him, his workers. These types of businesses obviously offer a valuable product or service for it’s customers but only the owner makes a real profit. Now I could go into this a lot deeper but we know that the employees aren’t the ones making the most money. Employees struggle to make ends meet. They definitely don’t flourish and what does this do? It makes them more dependent and they are paid the minimum wage possible for their work. The minimum! So we can safely say that the boss, is the profitable one.

The product or service offered obviously varies and can make others money depending on what it is, but usually, the customer does not profit monetarily from your product. They just give their money in exchange for the item or service of value and that’s it.

Now, Network Marketing. Most people in this world will automatically think of MLM when they hear “Network Marketing.” I am speaking of Direct Sales, which is much more lucrative and on more of a level playing field for all involved. In this type of business, which most people call a Home Based Business, the owners of the company still profit the most, which is standard with most businesses, but Network Marketing companies are designed to profit others monetarily instead of just themselves. They provide a product or service of value to the customer attached to a lucrative business opportunity. Network Marketing can be classified as a group of Entrepreneurs working together to market a specific product or service as independent contractors. So instead of being paid employees, they are independent business owners usually paid through commission when a product is sold.

Now this is where the huge difference is between this business model and the traditional one, the independent business owner makes nearly 60% of the total sale as commission! As far as my experience goes, no other traditional style company offers employees that type of a payout. They are usually paid a wage and a small percentage of their sales volume.

Network Marketing is a leadership factory. It teaches, trains and often times is a stepping stone for Entrepreneurs moving on to bigger things, but the basis for their success was learned while in Network Marketing. Donald Trump said that if he had to start from scratch all over again, he would start in Network Marketing. There is so much potential in this type of business model, which obviously most people don’t realize. Every new associate or independent business owner has the same income potential, regardless of the experience, education, or employers point of view. Their level of income is dependent on their own ability to create it. There is a product in place, a system to show you how to do the business and others who have gone before you to mentor you. I don’t know an easier way!

I absolutely love Network Marketing. It allows people complete freedom….time freedom, Financial Freedom and the lifestyle of their choosing. It empowers people to realize their own greatness instead of making them work for the minimum at great sacrifice to their home life. It is a curse and a plague for those who misunderstand it and fail at it but a jewel for those who dicover it and succeed at it. It is definitely not meant for everyone but everyone is welcome. The possibilities are endless and in my opinion, Network Marketing is the business model of the future.

At times I get asked if we are a member of the Direct Sales Association.  I’m sure there are good reasons
for some companies to join….and some companies NOT to join. A colleague of mine sent this to me in an email.

But, right now, I’m glad we’re not a member.

Check out this quote from CNN/Money.com:

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Amazing.

CNN/Money decides to do a feature on the direct sales industry and the
best they can say is that this industry is designed to help people fix their
appliances?

Sheesh.  How embarrassing.  It’s the best evidence that the DSA is completely
disconnected from what people are looking for from a home business.

Because, I don’t know about you guys….but most of my prospects want $100k+.
They’re not looking for $200 a month to “fix their refrigerator”.

Promoting Network Marketing

Be proud of the industry you are in!

Network marketing and direct sales have produced more self-made millionaires than any other industry in the world.

There will always be nay-sayers telling you to stop pursuing your dreams, regardless of the vehicle you choose to achieve them.

By promoting the industry you are in with pride, you will begin attracting other people to your circle of influence who feel good about the industry and people you can collaborate with to create the success you seek.

Here are five reasons to promote network marketing:

1. Network marketing and direct sales have produced more self-made millionaires than any other industry in the world.

2. If you are in this industry, you want to spread the good word about the opportunities available, not fall in with the crowd who is skeptical.

3. You never know who you might “accidentally” find as a teammate or product user simply by positively promoting yourself and the industry.

4. Life is a game of networking, regardless of your vocation. You have the opportunity to meet some of the greatest people in life as a network marketer; people who are in the process of designing a life rather than making a living!

5. Some of the most innovative products on the market are available only through network marketing. Our society deserves to know abo! ut their options to increase their health, wealth and quality of life!