by Debi G | Jul 27, 2009
By Michael L. Sheffield | December 25, 2000
Read more:
http://www.entrepreneur.com/bizopportunities/networkmarketing/investigatinganetworkmarketingcompany/article35744.html#ixzz0MKdFgryo
Q: Some friends continue to try to recruit me into network marketing deals that seem like some type of money game or pyramid. Other friends tell me they’re illegal and I’ll get into trouble. How do I know what’s legal and legitimate?
A: To help you understand what network marketing is, I must first explain what it isn’t. First, network marketing isn’t a pyramid scheme. Pyramids are programs similar to chain letters where people just invest money based on the promise that other people will put in money that will filtrate back to them and somehow, they’ll get rich. A pyramid is strictly a money game and has no basis in real commerce. Normally, there’s no product involved at all, just money changing hands. Modern-day pyramids may have a product, but it’s clearly there just to disguise the money game.
Network marketing is a legitimate business. First, it’s based on providing people with real, legitimate products they need and want at a fair price. While some people do make a lot of money through network marketing, their financial benefit is always the result of their own dedicated efforts in building an organization that sells real products and services.
Pyramids are illegal and are based on taking advantage of people. For a person to actually make money in a pyramid scheme, someone else has to lose money. But in network marketing, each person can multiply his or her efforts, skills and talents by helping others be successful. Network marketing has proved itself as part of the new economy and a preferred way to do business here and around the world.
Network marketing isn’t about taking advantage of your friends and relatives. Only a few years ago, network marketing meant retailing to, and sponsoring people from, your “warm list” of prospects. Although sharing the products or services and the opportunity with people you know is still the basic foundation of the business, today we see more people using sophisticated marketing techniques such as the Internet, conference calling and other long-distance sponsoring techniques to extend their network across the country.
Network marketing isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. Of course some people do make large amounts of money very quickly. Many would say those people are lucky. But success in networking isn’t based on luck. (Unfortunately, money won’t sprout wings and fly into your bank account no matter what someone has promised you.) Success in network marketing is based on following some very basic yet dynamic principles.
Now let’s discuss what network marketing is. Network marketing is a serious business for serious people. It’s a proven system where the design, creation and expense the corporate team has gone through becomes a road map for your own success. Just follow the simple, proven and duplicable system that the good companies provide.
The real key is this: Network marketing is all about leverage. You can leverage your time and increase the number of hours of work effort on which you can be paid by sponsoring other people and earning a small income on their efforts. J. Paul Getty, who created one of the world’s greatest fortunes, said “I would rather make 1 percent on the efforts of 100 people than 100 percent on my own efforts.” This very basic concept is the cornerstone of network marketing.
For example, most successful people building a network marketing business do so in an organized method. They work a few dedicated hours each week, with each hour of effort serving as a building block for their long-term business growth. Then they sponsor other people and teach those people how to sell the company product and sponsor others who duplicate the process.
By helping the people you personally sponsor to sponsor others, you duplicate yourself. As this process continues, you create compound growth that can lead to hundreds or even thousands of people coming into your business. You leverage your time by helping others be successful and earn an income from all their efforts.
With network marketing, there are no big capital requirements, no geographical limitations, no minimum quotas required and no special education or skills needed. Network marketing is a low-overhead, homebased business that can actually offer many of the tax advantages associated with owning your own business. Network marketing is a people-to-people business that can significantly expand your circle of friends. It’s a business that enables you to travel and have fun as well as enjoy the lifestyle that extra income can provide.
by Debi G | Jun 30, 2009
Network Marketing
The best article we found about Network Marketing was by Scott Allen in theEntrepeneurs section of About.com. The name of the article is The Real Problem with Network Marketing and Multi-Level Marketing (MLM). Feel free to read the entire article, but here are some points that stuck for us.
Polar views on the topic of Network Marketing and MLM
Some people are passionate about it in the extreme (even top celebrity authors like Robert Allen, Mark Victor Hansen, and Robert Kiyosaki). Yet, in many circles, you might as well declare yourself a leper as admit to being in network marketing.
So, what is the problem with MLM and network marketing?
- Maybe it’s the pyramid structure? But you can’t really take issue with the tiered compensation structure—almost every large sales organization in the world has that.
- Maybe it’s the fact that you have to pay to participate in it? But that can’t be it—that’s a standard franchising model. And the franchise fee of most traditional franchises dwarf the sign-up cost of any MLM program by comparison.
- Now certainly, there are illegal pyramid, or “Ponzi”, schemes. This is where the money is all being made off of signing up other people, with little or no real product ever being delivered. But in spite of whatever perceptions people may have, the fact is that Amway, Avon, Mary Kay, Herbalife, NuSkin, and many others have sold millions upon millions of dollars of products to happy customers, many of whom are NOT also reps.
So other than the occasional illegal pyramid scheme (Bernie Medoff), why does MLM get such a bad reputation?
The real problem with MLM is not MLM itself, but some of the people it attracts.
Network marketing is just a business model, and it really amounts to “micro-franchising”. Its upside is that it has a very low cost of entry, with the potential for exceptional revenue, and there are those who achieve that.
But those same things that make it attractive make it attractive to many who are NOT really qualified or prepared to become business owners. The salient characteristics of MLM make it attractive to people who:
- have not done well in their business or profession and have little money saved up to invest
- have no previous experience owning or running a business
- have no previous experience in sales
- have little or no experience developing business relationships
- have unrealistic expectations of the amount of work involved compared to the revenue realized
As a result, many network marketers end up:
- over-selling the opportunity
- inappropriately discussing business in social situations
- coming across as desperate
- being either inaccurate or deceptive when talking about their business
This certainly does not describe the majority of network marketers, but it does describe enough of them to tarnish the reputation of the rest.
So what’s the solution?
There’s a first time for everything. And network marketing/MLM is a great opportunity for people to have their first business, their first sales role, etc. The point is this—recognize it for what it is: it’s a business, and you are a business owner. And if you’ve never owned a business before, if you’ve never done sales before, if you’ve never networked before, you need to learn about how to do so, not just from the network marketing/MLM experts, but from established experts in those fields.
Network marketers who are serious about building a business should be reading and learning about business fundamentals, the latest sales and marketing techniques, strategies for networking and business development, etc., not just swapping tips at your team’s weekly or monthly meeting. Act like a small business owner, and people will treat you like one.
by Debi G | Jun 23, 2009
Here is your answer to ‘Why should I use Rodan + Fields products?’
Rodan + Fields is a very different company.
- The doctors also created Proactiv Solution-they have a
successful track record
- Rodan + Fields combines the power of Over The Counter (OTC)
medicines with specifically chosen cosmeceutical ingredients in luxurious formulations, to help achieve radiant, healthy-looking skin
- Complex skin issues require a multi-pronged attack to treat
and help prevent the problem
- They use the right ingredients, in the right formulations, in
the right order
- The luxurious and effective regimens deliver visible results
in 60 days-guaranteed
- It’s easy, there is no guessing-the regimen steps are numbered
and color-coded
The Products
- These simple, easy-to-use targeted regimens deliver visible
results-guarantee
- It’s the next best thing to visiting a dermatologist!
The Support
- The Solution Tool delivers customized skincare recommendations
from the doctors every day
- The RF Connection includes nurses and product specialists to
answer questions every day
Your results
- Share your product story and pictures with your customers-be
an inspiration!
We do not ‘dust’ our products with just enough of an ingredient to make a claim. Some companies add ingredients that are not tested to be stable-so they lose their effectiveness.
(This is why many other products can be sold so cheaply) We use the right ingredients, in the right formulations, in the right order and with the best amounts to show visible results in 60 days. We guarantee it.
Just think about it: you’re getting the clinically proven dermatologist medications just under prescription strength, blended with the right ingredients that target all aspects of a skin concern to deliver real results. This is almost like replacing a doctor’s appointment, prescription medicines, cleanser, toner, treatment, moisturizer and sun protection. All products have been clinically tested together they complement each other and are compatible with each other. The Rodan + Fields skincare is treatment skincare-not just a cleanser toner, and moisturizer. You’ll see changes in the skin.
Prescription for Change™
Debi Granite – Level II – Executive Consultant
615-332-9995 – cell
debgranite@bellsouth.net– email
http://www.dgranite.MyRandF.com– website
http://www.debigranite.com/-website
