A REALISTIC RECIPE FOR NETWORK MARKETING SUCCESS

It seems that as opportunities for homebased businesses and network marketing grow there’s a proportionate increase in “miracle motivation” books and videos which are purportedly going to be the holy grail for creating wealth as long as we are faithful in buying them ourselves and promoting them for others to buy.

My name is Chadwick Schroeckenthaler, I’m 24 and I’m here to offer some real tips for those new to networking or already in network marketing, and how I went from being a pauper at my parents’ house without ever being employed, to joining the top percent of my company within the first three quarters of my first year. I was also blessed in being able to purchase a new suburban home within my first 2 years, and two brand new vehicles, one of which was my long-time dream car. I feel that I have insight, not as a seasoned heavy-hitter with years of experience, but as someone who started with no previous knowledge or skill and learned the hard way about how this industry REALLY operates and what it means to increase your odds of success.

And rather than to be taken as bragging, I wish instead to give everyone perspective that there are real people making it in this industry. And it’s not true that you have to be well connected in order to succeed, although you certainly have to make huge life-changes if you want to see life-changing rewards.

No hidden catches or purchasing of my “secrets” books or videos will be necessary. Just a a lot of free upfront candor and a realistic evaluation of what it truly takes to make it in this industry.

You may wonder why I’d even venture to waste my time on something so unprofitable, but the truth is, I feel that ultimately I DO have something to gain from it. Whether I’m looking to merely instill potential confidence in others by expressing myself or merely trying to obtain a little closure by telling you how to avoid all of the time-wasting that greets you on the journey to success, I'll let you decide.

I do not doubt for one moment that a good mentor and a systematic program of advice can contribute to a more successful homebased business business, but such results can only come from an application in our own way of the methods we hear of, watch or read about, and many of the attributes must be found within ourselves and can more often than not be stimulated from freely available sources of advice. Yet, many seem to have an unconscious belief that by buying a motivational book or seminar that they are automatically getting closer to having the kind of success so passionately conjured up in their dreams. In fact, some companies almost make it a religious requirement.

I might be stepping on some toes by saying this, but the reason for such a steep rise in “how to become successful” movements is because many motivational speakers have already likely worked as a top or relatively successful distributor in a particular or several(?) network marketing company(s) and are simply not interested any more in continuing to maintain and grow their business (like all successful businesses must, if they are going to remain successful). So they decide one day that it’s easier and less work if they use their past successes (if they’ve had any at all) and inherent talents of oratory to create a series of motivational tapes, books or movies about how YOU too can become just as successful in your business by following the steps outlined in their literature – in the end they’ve made money whether you have or not. Talk about discovering El Dorado! Some may view it as an escape from the “work” necessary in netWORK marketing but with all the profits intact.

Many times, instead of these individuals actually experiencing what they are talking about and helping the people out on the field achieve and make money, they're just telling others "how" to do it and being able to reach an almost infinite audience of desperate people clamoring to make more than what they are putting in. Some can make a great living off of this, and more power to them, as long as they aren’t regurgitating more of the same abstract hype we’ve heard time and time again. After all, I’m all for free enterprise and some of them do offer a few helpful nuggets amidst the morass of endless meandering that often leaves you still wondering where the magic wand is.

I am not doubting that many of these authors have some great things to say, but I’m just telling you that it’s not always so hard to have good results in that which you think is impossible without costly “professional” advice. Now I too might get caught in the vicious circle of putting out a book that’s illustrating how other people simply put out books to make profits, but I suppose I’ll excuse myself from that vice for now and save a little greed for other exploits. *grin*

I might summarize everything I’m about to say in two words:

Hard work

But that would be way too simplistic and naïve for even someone like me who would prefer everything were just a little less convoluted.

Truth be told, I believe that there are some of us cut out to be leaders in networking and others who simply aren’t. Some don’t realize that they have a huge undiscovered potential to be good at it until you awaken it, while others have a mindset that’s just too bothersome and high-maintenance to waste precious time with, and yet many times we are so afraid to lose the very people that are preventing our business from growing by putting so much, otherwise profitable, energy into them.

Becoming a networker is like becoming a doctor or a statesman (with maybe a little less cost and time). It requires education and acquired skill through application and repeated effort. You don’t just get good over night either, but you can learn rapidly if you’re already naturally talented in people skills or willing to discipline yourself. You might have already guessed that not everyone can be the top CEO or owner of a company either!

It’s always an advantage if you find an upline who is going to be helpful and offer advice until you are able to become leader enough to take full charge of your own business without requiring outside accountability. And it can certainly be discouraging if you come into network marketing at the beginning and you feel stranded by not having someone who is there to answer your questions. Even if you happen to be a successful networker now and you're reading this, I’m sure you will agree with me that it pays to give plenty of attention to those new in a particular enterprise and that you were the same way when you first started.

I’m going to list a number of things that I’ve learned from being in the business for 4 years. Some of them you have already heard or figured out on your own and others you haven’t. But grasping the whole picture here is what is important. So let’s get to the substance now shall we?


WORKING HARD DOESN’T GUARANTEE SUCCESS

Everyone will not become financially successful in a career or job that they pursue – it doesn’t matter what it is. It is impossible. It’s also just as impossible to justifiably criticize the industry of network marketing as a whole if you have failed. This is why talking about a 95% or 97% failure rate (or whatever it may be) is meaningless.No matter what business it is, there will only be a small percentage that will experience the best fruits and the others will “fail” (or give up before they do succeed) because of either personal reasons (mostly the case) or simply because not everyone can ultimately win. So what should you do, quit and go live in a cave somewhere?

If you feel that pursuing a success in a particular enterprise (in this case a network marketing company) is what you want then you must simply tell yourself that no matter what it takes you WILL be part of that small percentage that wins. That’s all you can do, really! And believe me, the odds of success are in your favor, because there will already be enough people who eventually give up to make room for you to win as long as you stick at it! That’s what I told myself when I built my homebased business, and look where I am now! (I know you can’t look at me, but you get my point!)It all comes down to trial and error and getting back to the basics. Is there an element of chance? Absolutely. You increase your chances by innovating and repeating the basic principles of advertising, which I’ll discuss in a later section.


NETWORK MARKETING ISN'T EASY

The best way I can put it: Network Marketing is simple - but very hard, mentally exhausting, work. In fact, it’s probably the hardest thing you’ll ever do, so just get used to it! It’s about being grossly underpaid in the beginning and grossly overpaid in the end. But when all is said and done it’s quite difficult to put a value on being your own boss and deciding your own hours. There are a lot of myths going around that all you have to do is “share” your “opportunity” and you’ll have a thriving business. And it is true that if you have a good product or service worth sharing that you will receive marginal monetary benefits depending on the compensation plan and what your long-term goals are (months, years or decades), but you cannot earn a life-changing income by being casual. You have to treat it like a real business and make real working hours for yourself. So whoever told you that making a lot of money in network marketing is easy – lied!


DON’T FOCUS PROSPECTS ON MONEY, FOCUS ON PRODUCT


The long-term fiscal success you experience will be proportionate to the quality of the product and service you are offering, otherwise you’re just slowly running out of gas, especially if you think your “leadership” skills are the only thing that matters. If you don’t ground an interested candidate for your business in the product or service you are offering, then once another company comes along offering (as phony or truthful as it might be) promises of bigger and faster income, then you’ve just lost your person sooner or later and you don’t even know it! Now some people are more interested in the money at first, and that’s perfectly fine, just make sure you don’t skip helping them to understand that the cornerstone of your business is the strength of its product(s). There’s no guarantee telling anyone anything is going to work, but it’s nevertheless an important step that is indispensable. And you’ll know by their feedback.


STRENGTH IN CUSTOMERS, NOT ELUSIVE “HEAVY HITTERS”


Keep in mind that your network marketing business and hence profitability are only as strong as your product or service, so if you cannot keep enough little guys ordering WITHOUT having to constantly lure with promises of wealth, then you’re already in the wrong company and it’s probably leaning toward a scam – it doesn’t matter how great of a leader you are, it will eventually exasperate you until you quit, jump to another “opportunity” or resort to making some ungodly “how-to-become-successful [in that which I probably have not]” tapes.

No successful business will last if its gospel is about making money and finding only others who want to make money by participating. Appealing to greed a little is alright but at the end of the line there has to be a product that keeps people coming back for more, regardless if they will get a check in the mail or not. That’s why it has to be innovative and have a “superior” quality that can survive the competition among similar products or services.

(Note: telling people that they can make money by recruiting others to peddle an ordinary product does NOT constitute as a “superior quality” incentive for the average customer).

In my experience, I have found that the while you may occasionally become fortunate by having a “heavy-hitter” join your ranks, that many times they are the first to leave because of some other “opportunity” that they think is going to make them more money. There is so much ego tied to this business that you can’t predict the future of what people will do, even when you have a marvelous company, compensation plan and product. You will find that the customers who order the product because of the benefits that they receive from it will be the ones who, in the end, keep your business going either by ordering strictly for the product itself or by becoming business builders from loving it or seeing the value in it. If you find a heavy hitter, WONDERFUL! But don’t bet on keeping them, just be thankful while they last. And some of us do get lucky by finding permanent ones – But I know I haven’t!

Furthermore, the people who have been teachable and grown successful through working with you on a regular basis are the most likely to stick with you all the way, as long as you maintain a positive and actively helpful relationship with them.


FAMILY AND FRIENDS WON’T MAKE YOU SUCCEED

The idea that you can become successful at network marketing simply by recruiting family and friends in your downline is as absurd as believing that if you opened up a restaurant that your family and friends would be able to keep you in business. Family and friends are only a potential minor bonus along the way, and many times they are the least interested anyway, because after all no man is a prophet in his own land. You have to find a way to make what you have available to substantial amounts of people. I’ll discuss that in a later chapter.


WHEN I STARTED MY HOMEBASED BUSINESS

Interestingly enough, my parents ended up becoming my upline, therefore I didn’t have much hope getting their “warm” market”, so the next thing I did was go after the moms of my friends, because I already suspected that a lot of my friends wouldn’t be interested, nevertheless I didn’t take it for granted and I still talked to the people who I thought weren't going to do anything. I had the expected results at first, but was fortunate that a few of the moms were receptive to what I had to say.

I remember talking to the first person as though I was already as successful in the business as I am now, and I think that by opening up in a genuine non-pushy fashion about what I had to share that it had a very positive effect. Do keep in mind that I approached only on the merits of the product I was offering and NOT a business opportunity. Needless to say, this paid off because a great deal of the people who I thought would only be customers ended up becoming passionate enough that they were willing and even eager to build a business out of it!

None of this came of course without me first disciplining myself to learn all that I could about what I was going to be sharing with people, and I made it a point to familiarize myself with any competition that might be out there just to make sure I wasn’t peddling something I believed to be inferior.

Not everyone has the gift of oratory, and if this is the case then it’s important for you to make it a point to improve. You don’t have to become perfect at it, but make sure first and foremost that you are telling the truth as you know it. Some people can tell if you are just trying to sell something to them for the money or if you actually believe what you are saying. All that matters is finding someone who is willing to give what you have a try, and if they are satisfied and have a positive result with it, then you’ve just found yourself a customer.


NO ADVERTISING, NO BUSINESS

The problem with most people is that they will only try a few methods of reaching out to new prospects and then give up once they are not having the success they had hoped.

Imagine if wal-mart decided that they were going to close down because their advertising one year didn’t yield the kind of revenue they were hoping? Or any business for that matter giving up because their ad campaign failed and their profits plunged that year?

You have to keep trying different things, and if they don’t work you have to mobilize, improvise and attempt something else! There’s no magic to it. The magic happens when you do what you already know you need to do.

First I tapped my warm market; the people I knew. Then, if they weren’t interested I would always make sure that I was understanding but asked them if there was anyone they knew who might have a particular need for what I had or would even possibly be interested in a homebased business.

70% of the time the person would give me a referral. I would then call that person at a decent hour, mention my name and that they do not know me and then proceed by saying that I had been sharing something with the person who referred them and that their name had come up as someone who deserves to hear about it! There are obviously many possible variations and outcomes, but using a referral based approach is always important.

I did not cold call people from a list very much, and when I did I had limited results. I’m not discouraging you from trying it, because there are a few people who do experience results, but it’s brutal work with usually little reward.

The other thing I did was join MLM forums and some places that allowed me to post advertising. Not all MLM forums allow this but there are a few that have specific sections for this.

It’s best to simply build relationships and not worry about how much you can spam and convince others about your company. You end up appearing desperate and as unsuccessful as you obviously are.

I remember calling up a person who was promoting another company randomly and told him that I saw his advertisement and asked if he would mind if we compared notes about our companies. With nothing to lose or necessarily gain, he agreed and I began to tell him about my company and product. Making a long story short, it took me about 5 months to convince him to join me but he eventually came on board and turned out to be a great business partner.

The other thing I did with some success was leaflet advertisement. Some targeted for making money and others targeted to product. I made sure they were short, to the point, always provided website and email and phone and left them on car windows (preferably tucked between the rubber and the window on the drivers side), or in magazines or bulletins or any other place that wouldn’t be too obnoxious.

Another tactic is to carry a few in your pocket or coat (depending on the season), and during your normal every day interaction, pause before you leave to grab a card and ask the person if they would do you a favor and to give your card to someone they care about.i.e. “By the way, could you do me a favor and give this to someone you care about? Thanks!”

Of course, make sure that the product you are offering would even make sense according to this line of reasoning, otherwise you’ll just look stupid!It’s also important to make business cards that are professional and yet insightful, but this I’m sure you know. And make it a point to strike up as many conversations and give it to as many people as possible during your day. But whatever you do, don’t think of everyone walking around town as a potential “leg” in your business otherwise you’ll lose your ability to function normally.

Just let the opportunities open up themselves as you engage in everyday activities.

I also made sure I would constantly keep in touch with my organization. You should be calling business builders at least twice a week if not more and find out what you can help them with, and if they need you to talk to some people for them then you make sure you are available to fit them in your schedule, as long as they are actively working as best as they can to get their own people for you.

You obviously don’t build someone else’s business for them by giving them your prospects, otherwise you’re just building a stack of cards that will collapse the next month.

You should be calling all of your customers at least once a month, and when your organization starts getting too large to micromanage everyone you have to teach your leaders to get their people on a weekly conference call you feel is good to answer everyone’s questions and or concerns on the call. It’s quite simple actually.

After I had enough people who would be actively having enough people with a large volume of questions and interest I created my own short 20min conference call dedicated strictly to product and not business, that way all customers could participate as well as potential customers from all of the business builders.

If your organization is not big enough or it is big and dormant, then a conference call is not necessary unless you have a big enough demand for it. I would suggest having one call on the product and one on the business. And if you don’t feel you’d be good at doing this then you either need a good upline who is willing to do this or become the leader yourself through some good old-fashioned labor.

Another effective means of advertising is going door to door in upper-middle and upper class neighborhoods, but don't stand there and lecture people about what you have, just tell them who you are and then give them something they can read. If done right, it can be hugely effective and you might end up getting a good percentage at least interested in trying what you have.

Too bad I’m not able to give you the holy grail like all of the people who charge a little more.


DON’T BE PUSHY

There’s nothing that turns someone off more than when you start trying to convince them by being pushy about what you have. Just as you aren’t going to convince everyone to think the same way that you do, you are not going to be able to help everyone see that what you have is valuable. You will only be instrumental in helping them to decide on their own.

People do not want to be convinced anyhow; they want to feel as though they convinced themselves (even if you are responsible for it). Get into a conversation or look for an opportunity when it would be appropriate to bring up your product or what you are doing, and if they seem to be more interested in money then mention the reward aspects in a tactful way.

Make it a general rule to focus on the value of the product primarily, not any kind of money-making opportunity because people have already heard countless schemes. In the end, all that matters is if they are happy with the product you shared with them. If they decide to make a home-based business out of it, GREAT, but at least you gained a customer.


DEALING WITH DISCOURAGEMENTS

We all get a little down in the dumps now and then for whatever reason (usually massive rejection) and feel as though our business will never develop. Especially when the person you thought was going to be as excited as you turns out to be a complete dud. Even experienced networkers have dismal moments and similar challenges on different levels. The best way to deal with this is to take a nice healthy break and then come back again with full force.

Quitting is not exactly the wisest way to deal with stress if the business is right. But do take time to evaluate things from a realistic viewpoint from time to time. Depending on our situation, of course, sometimes logic will dictate that the business we are in just doesn’t have a product that is good enough for personal use and/or the compensation plan simply isn’t lucrative enough to be worth our difficulties – the same way we would treat any job or item we are considering.

But if we believe the product is indisputably the best of its kind and the compensation plan is viable and generous enough to create a good income for those who work hard, then the only thing we need do is figure out how we can improve and make it operate productively!


THE BASIC THREE

There are three basic principles that must occur in our business if we are going to become successful. This applies equally to part-time as well as full-time workers.

They are as follows:

LEARN

It is not only crucial that you yourself learn about the product(s) you offer, but that that everyone who may be a prospect is educated on the importance of the product or service you are offering and why they need it. If this is not achieved, then it is pointless to continue with the person. Secondly, they must be taught why your product or service is a “superior” or “better” choice when comparing with other similar or competing products on the market (this applies equally to products not associated with network marketing as well). If this is not the case with your product then you must rely on persuading people exclusively on personality and emotion, which I don’t recommended.


EXPERIENCE

An imperative part of keeping your customers or distributors is that they experience firsthand the benefits of what they are involved in or consuming. If someone doesn’t use their own product then they aren’t really a customer or a distributor at all and it is impossible for them to ever be instrumental in helping anyone else get involved.

SHARE

Those who are satisfied with their products should be encouraged to share them either casually or aggressively, depending on the goals of the individual. In this process you will be able to distinguish the business builders from the customers.

CRITICAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE FULLTIME NETWORKER

While it is possible to create a small side income by using the “The Basic Three” as a guideline for your part-time business, you cannot create significant capital or increase your odds of success to the point where failure is almost impossible, unless you implement the following guidelines into your business routine:

1. Make 25 real contacts per day (125 per week). A real contact is not simply someone answering their phone, but rather a person who at least shows interest as a potential customer/buyer or accepts an appointment (phone, or person). Find out if they would be interested at a future time. If all else fails, ask for a referral.

2. Ask open-ended questions to obtain information. I.e. "How do you feel about…?” etc.

3. Find out if they would be open to an email (website, etc) with more information for them to evaluate.

4. Set an appointment to follow-up.

5. Assess each contact, and indicate next action. Now it becomes about contact management to ensure people don’t fall through the cracks and are contacted regularly in order to attain them as clients. Some will be made RED, which means they won't be called again.

6. Contact the most interested members at least every 2 weeks.

AFTER TALKING WITH A PROSPECT ON THE PHONE:

1. Evaluate Each Prospect After Every Contact Evaluate whether the client or prospective client is Green, Yellow, or Red and make any needed coding change.

2. Create Next Action. Determine when the next proactive contact should be scheduled, and plan immediately. This is following up.

Greens are the best candidates for business purposes. Greens should be scheduled for follow-up as soon as possible and no more than a month out.

Yellows are usually indicated by an expressed delay, but lingering interest in being able to take action regarding ordering or business building. Sometimes they won’t seem to need what you have right away, or be fully interested, but would be worth talking to at future times.

Reds should not be contacted any further, as it's unlikely they are of value to your business structure.

And remember, train yourself to ask for referrals, whether it’s helping someone to build their own business or if they are not interested themselves:"Who do you know that would value from nutritional guidance or would have an interest in building a home based business?" (Then pause... even if it's dead air).

Even if you just get one or two referrals per day... that will highly improve your closing rate of prospective people!In the end, I can only give you general ingredients, but you must figure out the amounts and add extras for it to work. Personality, quality of product(s) and consistency are all indispensable.

There is NO magic potion. Anyone who tells you otherwise is just lying. A combination of perseverence, constant innovation, endless advertisement, non-pushy promotional tactics, a duplicable system, consistent communication with teammates and a few breaks are all going to be key in helping you achieve the independence you're looking for. All good things come with a price and being willing to pay to reap the rewards is where it all counts.



Note: the contents of this article are subject to be edited, added on to and modified at any time. If you have any feedback you are welcome to email me at: chadwick.health@gmail.com, or visit my myspace: http://www.myspace.com/_hydarnes