Network Marketing
What is Network Marketing, and why does it work for some and not others?
I have been involved in network marketing, on and off, for over thirty years.
In their book Why We Want You to Be Rich, both Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump have a chapter on Network Marketing. They both concur that it is an excellent way for an average person to get started on the path of entrepreneurship.
According to them, the greatest strength of Network Marketing is that it teaches people about the necessity of personal growth, and provides a pathway to building skills needed to become successful in business.
It is a great concept, but unfortunately, the hype used in promoting the company and its products has given it a bad rap.
When people get started in network marketing, generally speaking, they have no idea what they are getting into. It requires very little investment to get started, and the hype makes people think that they will make a lot of money quickly. What they don’t realize is that it takes time and persistent effort to make it work.
While I never made any money in it, I am still a big fan of the concept. I personally know people who have made money and are still making a lot of it, as well. I also know people like myself who have gone from one company to the next and never made money.
Network marketing is not a get-rich-quick plan. It is a get-rich-slow-and-steady plan, but it is not presented that way, and there are components of the business that push people into biting off more than they can chew.
My friends ask me if you’ve not made money in network marketing, why do you get involved in it again and again? My answer doesn’t always satisfy them, but it is true that every time I got involved in network marketing, I grew personally. I grew in confidence about the validity of the business model.
I also benefited from the tax benefits of owning my own business. That is the reason, I believe, a lot of professionals, such as doctors and lawyers, get involved in Network Marketing. It offers them an added tax shelter.
If you have never been involved in Network Marketing, or have not had success with it, I would recommend that you study the concept and what it takes to be successful. Then decide for yourself.
I highly recommend the following books to educate yourself about it.
- The Magic of Part-Time by Jim Rohn
- Your First Year in Network Marketing by Mark Yarnell
- Go Pro by Chris Wehr
- Beach Money by Jordan Adler
- Yes, Sometimes It Is About Money by Steve Schulz
