Aug 10
2
I have worked in traditional marketing; producing campaigns and creative and buying and selling advertising in television, print and radio for the past 20 years. My career has developed from being just another employee, grinding through a daily commute, office politics, stress and occasional raises and promotions, to being a freelancer working from home and having more control over my life, my time and my income.
To some, being a freelancer carries a great deal of risk and uncertainty. However I can tell you from experience, that the rewards of freedom and peace of mind and control over your destiny are far greater than any 9-5 job could provide. And the risks, quite honestly, are all in your head.
With that said… the greatest risk today is to only have one source of income. And if this economy has taught us anything, it is that whether you are an employee, freelancer, business owner or professional, it’s not only smart.. it is critical to have more than one source of income. For me, that reality was hit home when the advertising agency I spent four years building was sold out from under me. I had no stake in ownership and was cut out of the picture. Ouch. That hurt.
Instead of just looking for another freelance gig or (gasp) another job, I decided to broaden my horizons. I was tired of making other people wealthy and not owning my hard earned sweat equity. While exploring my options I very quickly discovered Network Marketing. And maybe this is where you are now. Exploring options so that you can create more diversity in your income and live a more free and abundant lifestyle. Smart. Very smart.
Now my Mom did Avon back in the day and I had a friend who once did Tupperware, but I have to admit.. I didn’t have a clue as to what Network Marketing was all about. However I quickly noticed the upside; that it was an affordable business to get into, it was something I could own, and it was ‘portable’ meaning that I could take my business with me wherever I went. Cool.
But boy-o-boy did I have a lot to learn. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to share some of the common mistakes that I and others have made when they first venture into the brave new world of Network Marketing.
If you can learn from my mistakes.. maybe… just maybe you can join the millions of people who are creating a better lifestyle for themselves in this new economy where information and individual freedom rules and network marketing provides an affordable and viable option to participate in the trends that our shaping our world.
1. The company you keep
This can be the single biggest mistake that most people make. The company DOES matter. Of course it has to be legitimate and legal and have quality product, leadership and compensation. But I encourage you to look deeper than that and check out market trends and the company’s position in the marketplace.
Is it in a growing industry? Is there long term opportunity for growth and expansion? How about the competition? Is the company one of a thousand just like it or is it in a niche by itself (lets face it.. if you or your customers can buy a same or similar product at Walmart for half the price.. keep looking). Does it have a product that people will want to buy on a continuing basis or is it a one time purchase?
And finally, does it have the support systems and culture that will help you get started and stay involved. No one wants to be around stressed out, negative people. How you ‘feel’ when you use the product, work with your upline or participate in company events is critical to your ongoing success.
2. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours
This is related to the previous mistake. So many people, including those who have been in the business for a while and should know better, will jump at any opportunity to show someone their ‘deal’ that they’ll agree to look at someone else’s ‘deal’ and think that they will sway them over to their way of thinking.
Guess what? The person you are meeting is thinking the same thing! My ‘deal’ is better than your ‘deal’ is a dangerous road to travel and in my experience is a big time waster. Instead, go find people who aren’t in any ‘deal’ and are hungry, open and looking for an opportunity. They are all around you and their numbers are growing.
3. Why are you putting yourself through this?
What is your WHY? It’s not enough to say you want to ‘make a lot of money’ and it’s not enough to say you want to ‘get out of debt.’ Somewhere along the line, many of us lost the ability to dream, or at least to believe in our dreams. Life, media, parents, friends and teachers have taught us and continue to remind us to be practical and to stop ‘day dreaming.’
With Network Marketing you have the ability, in fact are encouraged, to dream again. And I’m not talking about silly, hyped up fantasies of being a millionaire in 30 days. I’m talking about putting pen to paper and thinking through WHY you are embarking on this new venture and what will motivate you to get up early or work late. It’s not about the money, it’s about what the money can do.
How would life be different if you were earning an extra $200 a month? $2000 a month? $20,000 a month? Do you want to give your kids an education.. or an Ivy League education? Do you want to take one vacation a year or one vacation a month? Where would you go? What would you do? Who would you help? How would you spend your time? What have you always wanted to do.. write a book… help impoverished kids.. learn to fly a plane… take cooking classes in Italy?
Give yourself a timeline and some goals to achieve along the way (be sure to celebrate achieving those goals). Paper is cheap and dreams are free. Write them down, have fun and spend some time up front working ON your business before you spend hours, days, weeks and months working IN your business.
4. Go back to school
Thought that you were done with school? In the new Information World Order, gaining new skills and being open to learning new things is not suggested… it’s REQUIRED. And I’m not just talking about tactical and strategic things like learning how to build a website or how to write ad copy or understanding your company’s compensation plan.. I’m talking about the more elusive soft and squishy stuff of working on your attitude, openness and control of your emotions, often referred to as PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT.
You have to first have the MIND SET of a successful person before employing the tactics, skills and strategies of BECOMING one. Just like water finds it’s own level and runs to the low spots during a rain storm, if you don’t raise your mental game you will also continue to return to the same place.. your emotional and financial mud puddle.
Many people in the industry refer to this as coachability. Which is their way of saying that you should listen to them and do as they say. I think you can do better than that. There are so many resources offline and online.. books.. audio.. dvd.. that there is no excuse for not working on yourself and re-wiring some of your neural pathways so that you have greater confidence, greater emotional control, greater peace and become the kind of person whom you want to attract.
Be real.. do you want to attract a bunch of misfit whiners and complainers and emotionally challenged people to your business or do you want to attract fun, motivated, mature and positive people to your business? The only way I have found to do that is to first BE one myself.
5. Whack a Mole
Okay, I don’t have kids but I HAVE been to Chuck E. Cheese. If you haven’t, then you have to go check out this kid’s game called ‘Whack a Mole.’ It’s a game where a little plastic mole pops out of a hole and kids whack it back down with a rubber mallet. And that is exactly what most new and amateur network marketers do!
As soon as someone they know or meet ‘pops up’ and mentions something about wanting to earn extra money or live a better lifestyle, the marketer ‘whacks’ them with a barrage of hot air about their company, comp plan and product. And then continues by trying to convince and cajole the ‘mole’ into taking a look at their business.
And what does the ‘mole’ do? Get beaten down into the hole from where they came! It is this exact tactic that gives network marketing its bad name and why most people fear talking to friends and family. Who wants to come off as ‘salesy’ and ‘cheesey’ to everyone they know? No one!
In order to change that, first be sure to invest in your education as pointed out before. BE the person that people are going to be attracted to rather than the person they run away from. This is called ATTRACTION MARKETING. Make your business part of your conversation… but not the only thing you talk about. Ask probing questions. Someone needs to make more money? Ask them why. Someone hates their job? Ask them what they would rather be doing.
Show an interest in them and their needs, desires and dreams and PLANT THE SEED that you may have an answer to their problem. That way you’re not selling.. you’re offering a solution. If you are patient, caring and you LISTEN you will probably find ten more reasons of why your network marketing business (or product) will solve their problems and allow them to enjoy a better life and lifestyle.
This takes practice. And I have found that when I talk less, people listen more. When I take an interest in them, they take an interest in me. If you do this right.. they will soon be asking YOU for an opportunity to look at what ‘mysterious’ thing you have going on that is giving you new confidence, financial blessings and peace of mind.
Want more? Click HERE to go to the Bonus Material category and download a simple Prospect Profile exercise which will help you identify your best Customer and Business prospects.
