When I was first introduced to Network Marketing as a Business model I was amazed at how simple it seemed. It just made sense. Good Business Sense. However, for various reasons Network Marketing has copped more than its fair share of negative publicity over the past few years. Whether it has been the result of a couple of bad apples tarnishing it for the rest or a gross misunderstanding of the business model, there can be such a skewed perception of what this business model entails that I thought it best to describe what it is and why I now love and respect it the way I do.Described by Robert Kiyosaki as the business model of the 21st Century, network marketing and the limitless possibilities it offers will no doubt grow in popularity and respect in the not to distant future. It has an amazing potential and when treated with the respect it deserves it will stamp its mark on the business world as an innovative, effective and simple business model of the future.
So what is it? No, it is definitely not pyramid selling which is highly illegal! (Although if I had a dollar for every time I was asked that question I would have an impressive income) To put it simply, Network Marketing is just word of mouth advertising and something that most people actually do each and every day and never get paid for it.Have you ever recommended a great movie or restaurant to a friend? Then found out they had gone along, loved it and recommended it to someone else. That is network marketing. It is simply referring goods and or services to others. The beauty of being a part of a network marketing company is that they will pay you for that referral and any subsequent referrals or business that you facilitated. Nifty hey?!
So apart from the fact that your recommendations and referrals within your network marketing business enables you to earn an income, why else is it such a valuable business model?
One of the aspects that I truly enjoy of this business model is that you cannot succeed without also helping others. There is no ruthless cut throat working environment whereby to excel and advance you need to over take and compete with your peers. Network marketing is a supportive team environment that encourages everyone to work together. It is certainly in your best interest to reach out to your network and discover ways in which you can help them achieve their own goals.
One of the biggest sayings in our business is "your vibe attracts your tribe". Therefore, how you ethically conduct yourself in professional business matters is one of the primary attracting factors that encourages and inspires others to go into business with you. You end up working alongside those who you develop a sound and understanding relationship with, whose company you enjoy and whose support you value.
Leveraging your time is truly an exceptional way to increase wealth and success. We are all given a finite number of hours that are possible to work each and every month in order to create an income. Generally speaking in a 'job', to increase your income you are required to either receive a promotion or to increase the hours you are working. Which is only practical up to a certain percent and then you become capped.
Leverage within a network marketing business model essentially means that your income becomes limitless as your network expands. You do not only get paid for the hours you have worked, but you also receive a percentage according to the hours everyone in your network commits. As stated by J Paul Getty "I'd rather have 1 % of the efforts of a 100 people than 100% of my own efforts". Now please don't mistake this as money for nothing. There is certainly time and effort spent in a professional capacity to share, educate and market the products and/or services that your network marketing company provides. Your time and effort initially spent in the beginning however, has the capacity to continually develop and expand as your network does, hence creating leverage. This point also goes back to Number 1, the more you assist your team to development, the larger and more sustainable your network becomes in turn increasing your income.
Simply put, if I shared my business model with 4 people and taught them to do what I do, who shared it with 4 people who shared it with 4…… look what happens
Network: 4 becomes 16 becomes 64 becomes 256 becomes 1024 becomes 4096…..
The beauty of a true network marketing business is that to start your business with everything you need for success, the costs are minimal. Especially in comparison to any other business or franchise start up. My husband and I also run a Building Company, which when I look at what we have had to spend to set that up: tools, equipment, insurance, uniforms, office space…..the investment is quite substantial. Necessary but substantial. Before we could be seen to be earning a profit we have to earn enough to have paid that back. However, when I look at my network marketing business which cost me $105 to register and approximately $1000 in samples, literature and my own products it blows my mind. There is so much potential, the key factor is YOU. What you do with the business determines everything. The business model, plan, documents, advertising material, protocols etc is already done. It is essentially a business in a box.4. Minimal Overheads and No Inventory loading
Network Marketing is not stocking up for a shop and hoping and waiting for it all to sell, nor is it spending big money on products you don't need that get stored under your bed gathering dust. As long as you have access to a computer, phone and the internet your business can work. If you can open your mouth and start genuinely speaking to people it works even better. For myself personally, my network marketing company is focused on health, nutrition and skin care products. All of which I was purchasing from either the supermarket, chemist or salon anyway. There was no need to purchase new things I didn't need, I'm always going to need to shower, wash my hair and brush my teeth so purchasing these products is a necessity which I need to do every month anyway. So to look at it from another angle, my overheads are really only my existing monthly personal care expenses. 5. Proven Business Model
Despite the frequent misconceptions about network marketing rarely working, the fact remains that this business model does work, it has done so for a significant time and it is only gaining popularity and respect. It isn't the business model that doesn't work, it is the people within it who stop.
6. Freedom and Flexibility of being your own boss
For many people, the dream of running your own business and having the freedom and flexibility of working when and where you choose seems too daunting to initiate. The beauty of network marketing is the supportive team environment around you that encourages and guides you along as you take those first steps. It's about being in business FOR yourself but never BY yourself. We all know the feeling when the kids are sick and all you want to do is to be able to snuggle on the couch with them and make them feel better or when it's school sports day and all you want to do is be the cheering parent on the sideline with a camera and a big hug for them when they cross the line.
This business allows you to select when you do and don't work. Now don't get me wrong, choosing to not work constantly will only lead to one thing-no income. You do need to work this business to become successful. However the beauty lies in being able to specify when.
What would your day look like if you got to choose how you spent it and with whom?
I know I've touched on how time leverage can significantly impact on your ability to increase your pay check, however what I never realised before entering this business model is the phenomenal income potential there really is available if you work your business like a business. As well as the fact that it can keep increasing, unlike retiring from an employed position where income ceases the day you walk out the door. And the potential income is more than just some extra pocket money to go shoe shopping. If taken seriously, there is no reason why 10-15 hours a week spent working with your network marketing business cannot generate a full time income if not more.
When you think about it if you were offered a job where you worked flexible hours for 10-15 hours per week, surrounded by a supportive and encouraging work environment, advocating products that you use and love, earning an equivalent full time wage and had the potential to earn it for the rest of your life would you consider it?
8. Work/Life Balance
Now more than ever sees society re-examining this concept of work life balance with a view to restoring it to something remotely sustainable and enjoyable. We are here to enjoy life for such a short time, that to spend the vast majority of those hours working incredibly hard for someone else seems ludicrous. So many people work long and hard to earn enough income to pay the mortgage on that big house that you never get to see because you are working so hard to pay it off…..it seems insane. Whoever initiated this concept has a lot to answer for!
With choosing when I work and who I work with, I am working and living to the beat of my own drum. I'm in the drivers seat, I have the ability to put my foot down or take it off according to both my and my families needs. And I LOVE that. When you're sitting in your rocking chair nearing the end of your days are you thoughts going to be focused on"gee I've worked hard for someone else!" or will you be sitting there smiling at the beautiful memories you have created and the legacy you have passed on to future generations?
9. Personal and Professional Development
When I first started within this business, the topic of personal development was not one that I would have even considered let alone truly valued. However, I can honestly say that because of the continued personal and professional development offered by my company and encouraged by my colleagues that I have expanded my mind and thought processes in so many ways that I am eternally grateful for. I now view myself on a continuous journey of learning that positively impacts my business, my family, my marriage and our Building Company. I no longer feel trapped and stagnant, rather empowered and determined and it's a beautiful thing.
The best and most important thing you will ever invest time, money and effort into is YOURSELF. You are worth it, and the benefits will amaze you.
10. Residual Income/Asset Creation
Network marketing has grown steadily over the last 20 years, increasing 91 percent in just the last decade. With more than 13 million Americans and 53 million people worldwide now involved, it is currently a $100 billion global industry. Yet as impressive as this is, it’s not hard to see that the real growth in this business model has only just begun.
For one thing, demand is increasing exponentially. Because of the ever-accelerating pace of technological advancement, there is a growing flood of new products and services that desperately need their story told in the marketplace—stories which no amount of screaming TV ads or sprawling Internet pop-ups and banner ads can effectively tell.
Neil Offen, president of the Direct Selling Association, predicts that, at the current rate of increase, worldwide some 200 million people will enter this industry over the next 10 years, effectively quadrupling its current percentage of the population. This then becomes an asset with a near life force of its own, rewarding you with an income for the rest of your life. Time and effort spent now will reap benefits for the long term as Network marketing is already a force to be reckoned with—but its growth will explode in the coming decade. 
Network marketing is both the oldest method of sales communication and also the newest. And it’s the best method we have today to change someone’s paradigm and teach them about a new product or service—a new way of doing something that they wouldn’t have gotten by reading a magazine, surfing the Internet or watching television.
Person-to-person, word-of-mouth communication represents the cutting edge of intellectual distribution. This is why we are seeing so many Fortune500 companies jumping into the direct selling arena, and Wall Street investors such as Warren Buffet entering the business.
As you can now appreciate, there are so many aspects of network marketing that are so exciting and make it such an enjoyable, rewarding and successful business to run. If you would like to find out more information about what I do simply head to my website or have a listen to my business audio .
I'm passionate about educating others on discovering a life they too are passionate about that, one that is full of fun, joy and laughter. Living Life, it is so worth it.
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