"Are You Right For Network Marketing"

Before I came to Network Marketing I was a successful business owner, had served as the CIO of a 150 million dollar a year company and had sold consulting services to many Fortune 500 companies. I tell you this so you will understand where I was coming from as I offer this advice. Many times throughout my adult life I have been approached by friends and business associates with the prospect of getting rich through network marketing. To be honest I never really gave it a second thought because of the preconceived notions I help about the business and it's people. The fact is that we all know one or two people who were really excited about this new concept called residual income at first, made a half hearted attempt at the very beginning but eventually decided that network marketing was too much like work and gave up before really making any real money. Another likely scenario finds one of our friends or family members treating this business like a real business and building a significant residual income only to have that income cut in half with the latest comp plan or worse yet have the company disappear altogether.

It was for these very reasons that I turned my nose up to the entire industry until I heard something one day that peaked my interest enough to look a little deeper. Much like every other business dealing or investment vehicle I had considered before I chose to do my homework and over the next year studied everything about the subject I could get my hands on. The following is a good guide to deciding if this business may be fore you and more importantly if you are right for this business. Furthermore I have included the absolute MUST HAVE criteria for selecting the right opportunity should you decide this is something you want to do. I cannot take credit for this list as I have compiled the information from many different sources over the years.

These tests are by no means a guarantee of success but failing any of them may be an indicator of high probability of failure.

First, let us dispel the notion that network marketing is away to make lots of money really fast and with no real effort or a "Get Rich Quick Scheme". While there are many unscrupulous distributors and even some less than on the level companies, they are by far the exception and not the rule. Network Marketing is as legitimate a business model as there has ever been. If you still struggle with this core belief than you need to do your homework.

Read what Donald Trump and Warren Buffet have to say about their Network Marketing companies. Check out Robert Kyosaki and Sir Richard Branson and their opinions on the subject.

Research the billions spent each and every year around the world on products sold this way. Once you have accepted this fact you are ready to move on.


Next you must decide if you are willing to do what it takes to succeed in this industry. Regardless of which company you decide to partner with or what product or service you decide to sell, the core principles necessary to be successful in ANY of them remain the same:

Vision: Your why must be crystal clear and ever present each minute of each day. It is not enough to "want to be rich" if it were everyone would be rich and yet that is far from the case.
Many studies have shown that the clearer one's vision of their goal is the more effectively their mind can bring those things to pass. Scientific study to religious doctrine, everyone agrees that what the mind can conceive and believe the mind can achieve. Want to know more about crafting your vision? Check out Mach II with Your Hair on Fire by Richard Bliss Brooke

Belief: In the industry, in your product or service, but most of all in yourself. Although many new distributors start out by borrowing belief from people they know and respect, no long term success will be possible without this most important ingredient.

A Plan: To better your plan and the closer you stick to working it, the better your chances for real success become. The most successful people in ANY industry are taskmasters. They create very detailed daily, weekly and monthly plans and work them to the letter. From laying out your calls and appointments to planning for meals and leisure time, the better your plan the more likely you are to succeed. Everyone has heard the old saying "Most people do not plan to fail but fail to plan". Regardless of whether you use Outlook or another CMS or a yellow pad and index cards, planning your work and sticking to your plan is essential. The reality is the man upstairs is not giving you an extra 10 hours a week because you decided to get involved in Network Marketing so unless you manage your time better, your new business will become just another thing you have to do that will just not get done at all.

Support: You must have someone in your up line (your sponsor) who can assist you in developing your business plan and support you with continued training and advice. You are also going to need the support of your spouse and family because as I mentioned before you do not get "granted" additional hours in each day to achieve your new goals.

Discipline: Studies show that most people who fail at something fail right before they were about to achieve success statistically. That means that even when you want to give up because your efforts are not showing immediate and satisfying results; you don't. When you want to stop making those warm market calls; you don't. You MUST have the ability to protect your brain from the constant bombardment of negative input that we are all exposed to each and every day. How do you do this? One of my favorite coaches and mentors Janine Avila, a well known MLM success story, talks about closing her "ear gates" to protect her mind from these influences. For more about Janine and her proven MLM success systems visit JanineAvila.com


Once you are sure that you have met these minimum standards you are ready to look for the opportunity that will give you the greatest chance of success.

Next Week: Picking the best MLM opportunity for you.