Donald Trump took an important step in his quest to be King of the MLM industry by announcing the prelaunch of The Trump Network on June 14 at an important meeting in Atlanta. For those in the industry who thought The Trump Network was just a bad dream, their worst nightmares were confirmed overnight. Many of the network marketing big hitters had already joined even before this announcement as they began the understand the magnitude of what is about to happen.
Most of what Donald Trump has touched in his life has turned to gold and those will be no exception. All the pieces are in place. Great products which are the "best in class" in their segments, well financed with the backing of the Trump empire, a management team with lots of MLM experience and great integrity, a loyal distributor base of industry professionals and most importantly of all...the Trump brand. What can go wrong?
This prelaunch period will last until mid-November when The Trump Network will go into its full launch and full explosion. To support this launch in November Trump will be building a media blitz the likes of which have never been seen before. Massive press advertising backed by Trump appearances on the major TV talk shows (Oprah, Larry King, The View etc.) will expose The Trump Network to more than 100 million views between August and November and is expected to produce between 1 - 3 million inquiries.
Smart people who want to create financial independence are looking at The Trump Network as the ultimate business opportunity that only comes along once in a lifetime. When do we ever get the chance to get in at the beginning of a company that is guarantee to be successful? Suddenly, the old MLM greeting "See you at the top" has taken on a new meeting. At the top of the million participants, or at the bottom?
Colin Buckingham
Global Internet Entrepreneur
The Trump Wealth Opportunity
Monday, June 22, 2009
Monday, May 25, 2009
The "Trump" Effect
Since the announcement of Donald Trump’s acquisition of an MLM company (Ideal Health) and some words of wisdom from the business icon about the plans he has for his latest investment, the web has been abuzz with speculation, rumors and wild guesses as to what is going to happen. Some uninformed Trump haters have even ridiculed the idea that Donald Trump has any chance of being successful in this very fragmented and sometimes immature business.
The trouble they are having is thinking within the constraints of the existing paradigm. The fact is, the very purpose of Trump’s decision to get directly involved is to change the existing paradigm. For those of you that are not familiar with this concept, it is called a “Paradigm Shift” which means that all conventional wisdom that came before is no longer valid. This paradigm shift in the MLM industry will be known as “The Trump Network”, which happens to be Trump’s rebranding of Ideal Health.
Trump has long been an advocate of the network marketing industry and has written about it in his books as an ideal way for the average American to get into business for him or herself. He talks about it on a video with Robert Kiyosaki, which can be found on YouTube. He has even endorsed companies like ACN, which has benefited greatly from plastering his image across their promotional materials. But he has never invested his own money directly into the industry. That is until now.
This investment might be insignificant in Donald Trump’s world but it is monumental in the world of MLM. One trait about Donald Trump that we can all agree upon is he never gets involved in anything halfheartedly. When he makes his move he will have an impact on everything and everyone around him. So I think it is safe to assume the things that he has mentioned about his intentions with this acquisition were not spoken in jest. So what are his intentions?
He plans to build the biggest MLM organization in America in the shortest amount of time with more than one million associates and one billion in revenue within the first two years. This is what is called a “Paradigm Shift”. The only company that is reported to have more than one million associates is Avon and it took them the best part of 23 years to get there. This will not be achieved by Donald Trump sitting back as an observer. He is going to be actively involved. We are going to see a media blitz in the coming months never before experienced in this industry. There is talk of his appearing on Oprah and Larry King (to mention just two) explaining how his new venture can “change the lives of every American”.
The wheels of the MLM industry are already turning. Some major “big hitters” are positioning themselves with the company to take advantage of this opportunity tidal wave that is inevitable. They are getting in now so they can ride this wave of fortune in the coming months and years ahead instead of being drowned by it as people in their existing organization leave to hang on to Trump’s coattails. Even the ACN people can see the writing on the wall as Trump’s future with their company suddenly comes into doubt. This is all happening behind the scenes even before the media blitz begins.
So what can the average American do with this information? The answer is pretty simple. Get on board now! We all know that the best place to be in the MLM industry is at the top, or as close to it as possible. Yes, you can make money at any level, especially with the compensation plan of The Trump Network, but the multi-seven-figure incomes that some people make will be made by those who get in early. Many of those that are MLM veterans will be getting in even as a defensive measure. What are you odds on betting that Donald Trump is wrong? What are you going to do as The Trump Network evolves into a huge magnet sucking in people from other companies in the industry as this thing grows? What if all those people you approached before with your deal that said “No!” start to say “Yes!” to the Trump deal? How long will you be able to resist?
One of the biggest impacts that the “Trump” name will have is credibility. It solves a lot of the “uncomfortables” we have always experienced. “I work for Donald Trump” is a better opener than “I sell these incredible candles”. When it comes to pyramids and products, playing the Trump card is the solution. “Do you think Donald Trump would get involved with something illegal like a pyramid scheme?” shuts people up. “I believe Mr. Trump has done his due diligence before he puts his billionaire brand on the line” covers almost every objection. People are going to join just because it is Donald Trump and have a certain pride being associated with this successful businessman. Handing out your Trump business card could even become a status symbol for many.
So this innocuous little announcement in April is going to produce a “Trump Effect” for years to come. It puts Donald in contact with hundreds of thousand of Americans, maybe millions, over the next few years and his stated hope is that he will have changed thousands of lives with his new venture. As he says it himself, “this will change the health and the wealth of thousand of Americans in these depressed economic times”. Will you be an observer or a participator?
The trouble they are having is thinking within the constraints of the existing paradigm. The fact is, the very purpose of Trump’s decision to get directly involved is to change the existing paradigm. For those of you that are not familiar with this concept, it is called a “Paradigm Shift” which means that all conventional wisdom that came before is no longer valid. This paradigm shift in the MLM industry will be known as “The Trump Network”, which happens to be Trump’s rebranding of Ideal Health.
Trump has long been an advocate of the network marketing industry and has written about it in his books as an ideal way for the average American to get into business for him or herself. He talks about it on a video with Robert Kiyosaki, which can be found on YouTube. He has even endorsed companies like ACN, which has benefited greatly from plastering his image across their promotional materials. But he has never invested his own money directly into the industry. That is until now.
This investment might be insignificant in Donald Trump’s world but it is monumental in the world of MLM. One trait about Donald Trump that we can all agree upon is he never gets involved in anything halfheartedly. When he makes his move he will have an impact on everything and everyone around him. So I think it is safe to assume the things that he has mentioned about his intentions with this acquisition were not spoken in jest. So what are his intentions?
He plans to build the biggest MLM organization in America in the shortest amount of time with more than one million associates and one billion in revenue within the first two years. This is what is called a “Paradigm Shift”. The only company that is reported to have more than one million associates is Avon and it took them the best part of 23 years to get there. This will not be achieved by Donald Trump sitting back as an observer. He is going to be actively involved. We are going to see a media blitz in the coming months never before experienced in this industry. There is talk of his appearing on Oprah and Larry King (to mention just two) explaining how his new venture can “change the lives of every American”.
The wheels of the MLM industry are already turning. Some major “big hitters” are positioning themselves with the company to take advantage of this opportunity tidal wave that is inevitable. They are getting in now so they can ride this wave of fortune in the coming months and years ahead instead of being drowned by it as people in their existing organization leave to hang on to Trump’s coattails. Even the ACN people can see the writing on the wall as Trump’s future with their company suddenly comes into doubt. This is all happening behind the scenes even before the media blitz begins.
So what can the average American do with this information? The answer is pretty simple. Get on board now! We all know that the best place to be in the MLM industry is at the top, or as close to it as possible. Yes, you can make money at any level, especially with the compensation plan of The Trump Network, but the multi-seven-figure incomes that some people make will be made by those who get in early. Many of those that are MLM veterans will be getting in even as a defensive measure. What are you odds on betting that Donald Trump is wrong? What are you going to do as The Trump Network evolves into a huge magnet sucking in people from other companies in the industry as this thing grows? What if all those people you approached before with your deal that said “No!” start to say “Yes!” to the Trump deal? How long will you be able to resist?
One of the biggest impacts that the “Trump” name will have is credibility. It solves a lot of the “uncomfortables” we have always experienced. “I work for Donald Trump” is a better opener than “I sell these incredible candles”. When it comes to pyramids and products, playing the Trump card is the solution. “Do you think Donald Trump would get involved with something illegal like a pyramid scheme?” shuts people up. “I believe Mr. Trump has done his due diligence before he puts his billionaire brand on the line” covers almost every objection. People are going to join just because it is Donald Trump and have a certain pride being associated with this successful businessman. Handing out your Trump business card could even become a status symbol for many.
So this innocuous little announcement in April is going to produce a “Trump Effect” for years to come. It puts Donald in contact with hundreds of thousand of Americans, maybe millions, over the next few years and his stated hope is that he will have changed thousands of lives with his new venture. As he says it himself, “this will change the health and the wealth of thousand of Americans in these depressed economic times”. Will you be an observer or a participator?
Friday, May 22, 2009
Donald Trump Starts An Earthquake
When we think of seismic changes to the status quo we immediately start thinking of products that were invented and which changed the way we see or do things. The obvious ones are the electric light bulb, the automobile, the radio then the TV, the telephone, the airplane and the PC etc. A less obvious one might be the introduction of the Internet.
Another less obvious one is the recent decision by Donald Trump to enter the world of network marketing. This innocuous announcement is spreading like wildfire across the web and I am predicting will have a major impact on how many companies do business in the future, both in and outside the MLM industry. When Donald Trump decides to do anything he doesn’t do it halfheartedly. If we read between the lines carefully when he says “I want to reach a billion dollars in record time” and “want to bring on board a million people in less than two years” we should take him at his word and not take it lightly.
The timing of his announcement is also important. With millions of Americans losing their jobs, there is an obvious need for them to get involved in something where they can create an income to survive. I have said for years that when in this predicament it makes a lot of sense to go sell anything to the 90% that still have a stable form of income. Network marketing has always been an inexpensive way to start your own business. A “Donald Trump” branded network marketing venture provides the most stable platform to start on such a journey.
How cool would it be to say, “I work for Donald Trump” when someone asks you what you do. His powerful brand also solves a lot of other problems that traditional network marketers constantly face. The statement “do you think Donald Trump would damage his reputation by starting something illegal” eradicates “Is this one of those pyramid schemes?” “Are the products any good?” can be countered with “I believe Donald Trump did his due diligence before he got involved”. In fact what Trump is offering to his new business associates is the ability to use his billionaire brand for an entry fee of less than $500, which includes the product purchases. This is probably the best business deal anyone will find anywhere today.
One thing is clear. Marketers with a brain are likely to flock to Trump in droves if nothing else as a defensive tactic. What happens if he does create the storm he is predicting? Do I want to be in front of that wave or chasing behind it? An important question is how will this impact the thousands of smaller MLM companies out there that are under-capitalized? Will they be able to survive as the Trump magnet draws in their people? Even some of the bigger companies may stagnate as the stampede to Trump starts to build.
He is already starting with a collection of top-class wellness products but what happens if he expands the portfolio with juice drinks and other services? Will the likes of Xango and MonaVie be able to compete? Will he build a marketing and distribution machine that will be the preferred vehicle for many other products and services? If this thing grows to the dimension Trump is envisioning it could have an impact way beyond the borders on the MLM industry. With the poor economy creating huge problems with the retail industry, crumbling under the burden of local stores, local inventory and all that personnel, they may be ripe to change their distribution model.
Whatever happens, we could be watching business history in the making. If anyone could pull this off, then it is Mr. Donald Trump himself. He has the audience, the financial resources and the business savvy to make it happen. So this little, unpublished announcement made in April 2009 could be the rumblings of a business earthquake about to happen. Stay tuned and get ready for the ride!
For more information: http://trumpnetworkinformation.com
Another less obvious one is the recent decision by Donald Trump to enter the world of network marketing. This innocuous announcement is spreading like wildfire across the web and I am predicting will have a major impact on how many companies do business in the future, both in and outside the MLM industry. When Donald Trump decides to do anything he doesn’t do it halfheartedly. If we read between the lines carefully when he says “I want to reach a billion dollars in record time” and “want to bring on board a million people in less than two years” we should take him at his word and not take it lightly.
The timing of his announcement is also important. With millions of Americans losing their jobs, there is an obvious need for them to get involved in something where they can create an income to survive. I have said for years that when in this predicament it makes a lot of sense to go sell anything to the 90% that still have a stable form of income. Network marketing has always been an inexpensive way to start your own business. A “Donald Trump” branded network marketing venture provides the most stable platform to start on such a journey.
How cool would it be to say, “I work for Donald Trump” when someone asks you what you do. His powerful brand also solves a lot of other problems that traditional network marketers constantly face. The statement “do you think Donald Trump would damage his reputation by starting something illegal” eradicates “Is this one of those pyramid schemes?” “Are the products any good?” can be countered with “I believe Donald Trump did his due diligence before he got involved”. In fact what Trump is offering to his new business associates is the ability to use his billionaire brand for an entry fee of less than $500, which includes the product purchases. This is probably the best business deal anyone will find anywhere today.
One thing is clear. Marketers with a brain are likely to flock to Trump in droves if nothing else as a defensive tactic. What happens if he does create the storm he is predicting? Do I want to be in front of that wave or chasing behind it? An important question is how will this impact the thousands of smaller MLM companies out there that are under-capitalized? Will they be able to survive as the Trump magnet draws in their people? Even some of the bigger companies may stagnate as the stampede to Trump starts to build.
He is already starting with a collection of top-class wellness products but what happens if he expands the portfolio with juice drinks and other services? Will the likes of Xango and MonaVie be able to compete? Will he build a marketing and distribution machine that will be the preferred vehicle for many other products and services? If this thing grows to the dimension Trump is envisioning it could have an impact way beyond the borders on the MLM industry. With the poor economy creating huge problems with the retail industry, crumbling under the burden of local stores, local inventory and all that personnel, they may be ripe to change their distribution model.
Whatever happens, we could be watching business history in the making. If anyone could pull this off, then it is Mr. Donald Trump himself. He has the audience, the financial resources and the business savvy to make it happen. So this little, unpublished announcement made in April 2009 could be the rumblings of a business earthquake about to happen. Stay tuned and get ready for the ride!
For more information: http://trumpnetworkinformation.com
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Donald Trump Creates MLM Surprise Of The Decade
Donald Trump is renowned for his flamboyance and his business skills but this time he surprised us all. Although he has long been a proponent of network marketing as a way to start your own business he has remained just a proponent. No longer. Donald has just announced he is going to start his own MLM company, which will in all likelihood change the face of the network marketing industry forever. It is no surprise that the new venture will be named "The Trump Network".
So this is the question: If you had the chance to go into business with Donald Trump for $299, would you? If you believe his wealth is based on his business acumen and getting some business decisions right and you had a chance to benefit personally from one of those decisions, then your reply should be a resounding "YES". Well, that moment has finally arrived, when the average American has the chance to join a Donald Trump venture and make a lot of money.
As long-time supporter of the MLM industry he is now taking that final step and putting his own money where his mouth is. After months of research, he decided to buy his way into an existing MLM company instead of trying to start from scratch (sounds like one of his usual sound decisions). He connected "wealth" with "health" and went for a company that has focused on providing top-class products in the health supplement industry. In Trump's own words he decided to help people "better their lives, their health and their financial security". To hear his own introduction to Trump Network click on the recording in the left hand column.
So this is the question: If you had the chance to go into business with Donald Trump for $299, would you? If you believe his wealth is based on his business acumen and getting some business decisions right and you had a chance to benefit personally from one of those decisions, then your reply should be a resounding "YES". Well, that moment has finally arrived, when the average American has the chance to join a Donald Trump venture and make a lot of money.
As long-time supporter of the MLM industry he is now taking that final step and putting his own money where his mouth is. After months of research, he decided to buy his way into an existing MLM company instead of trying to start from scratch (sounds like one of his usual sound decisions). He connected "wealth" with "health" and went for a company that has focused on providing top-class products in the health supplement industry. In Trump's own words he decided to help people "better their lives, their health and their financial security". To hear his own introduction to Trump Network click on the recording in the left hand column.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Seniors Catching Up Online
Teens and young adults seem to live online, but a new report by the Pew Research Center finds that other generations are catching up: Generation X primarily uses the Internet for shopping and banking; Baby Boomers for travel reservations; and the 70-plus crowd for e-mail.
The analysis released Wednesday, called "Generations Online in 2009," is based on 11 separate telephone surveys conducted between 2004 and 2008, with varied questions about Web activities, ranging from blogging to participating in an online auction to job research. The margin of error for the studies ranges from plus or minus 3 percentage points (for findings on adults) to plus or minus 4 percentage points (for findings on teens.)
"Generation Y is the most likely to be engaged in all the various activities — communication, entertainment, e-commerce and entertainment-seeking," says Susannah Fox, the report's co-author and associate director of the Pew Internet & American Life Project. Pew defined Gen Y as including ages 18-32.
She says Generation X (ages 33-44) uses the Internet to "take care of business," with 67% banking online; 80% buy products online, compared with 71% in Gen Y. The 33-44 age group also use the Internet for watching videos and socializing, but less so than Gen Y.
"Generation Y is starting to get into the taking care of business. They're growing up into banking online and getting job information online while maintaining the Internet's social and entertainment pursuits they probably started in their teenage years," Fox says.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Opportunity.com Launches New Website
John Reese's new service was finally released this week and we were not disappointed. The Internet Guru has put together a package to help all those inexperienced new Internet entrepreneurs get a head start with their businesses. For a very nominal monthly fee you can save yourself months of research and browsing the web trying to figure out how all this stuff works. The url is http://opportunity.com and is packed with information for both the novice and the professional alike.
As a follow-up to this service, Colin Buckingham has announced another website that has the antonym of Reese's venture and is called flopportunity.com and will be designed to be a forum that discusses the failures that so many of us have experienced when it comes to MLM and online ventures. The word "opportunity" is very positive but when you add "business" or "online" in front of it the context changes. Flopportunity.com will be a place to go to hear how to avoid all the common mistakes affiliates and associates make when they get "lured" into a new venture by a family member or friend.
It will not be a competitor to opportunity.com and in fact will have lots of links when deemed beneficial. Check out both sites.
Colin Buckingham - Global Internet Entrepreneur
As a follow-up to this service, Colin Buckingham has announced another website that has the antonym of Reese's venture and is called flopportunity.com and will be designed to be a forum that discusses the failures that so many of us have experienced when it comes to MLM and online ventures. The word "opportunity" is very positive but when you add "business" or "online" in front of it the context changes. Flopportunity.com will be a place to go to hear how to avoid all the common mistakes affiliates and associates make when they get "lured" into a new venture by a family member or friend.
It will not be a competitor to opportunity.com and in fact will have lots of links when deemed beneficial. Check out both sites.
Colin Buckingham - Global Internet Entrepreneur
Friday, May 8, 2009
"Flopportunity" - Creating A New Word
Yesterday I was reflecting on the upcoming surge of activity in the direct selling, network marketing and affiliate marketing industries and of all the incredible tools that are becoming available to the budding new business owner, whether it be in the latest word-of-mouth venture or as an online entrepreneur. It is going to be an exciting time as commerce moves more positively into this space as companies realize (finally!) that this type of marketing is the most cost effective and target effective there is. It is also the oldest form of marketing. At the same time I know that the biggest hurdle many will have to overcome to be successful entrepreneurs is the negative stigma the MLM industry has created for itself.
The very word "opportunity" puts peoples' defenses up. How can that be? After all isn't "opportunity" supposed to be a positive word? Even Webster's defines it as "a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances". But when you add words like "business" or "online" or "home-based" in front of this noun, it changes its context into something less positive. We all know the dreaded words coming out of the mouth of a family member or friend: "I would like to invite you to a business opportunity meeting tonight". We immediately scramble for any credible excuse!
So how do we change this paradigm? How do we clear the path for legitimate business opportunities so that both the suppliers and the marketers can flourish in this new emerging world of...opportunities. Well, one idea that came to me at midnight was to create a new classification to separate the good from the bad that would be immediately recognizable to any normal individual. That led me to try and find an antonym to the word "opportunity" and the best I could come up with was "flopportunity"! Now this word is not yet in Webster's but I am working on it and the definition will probably read as: "an impossibility due to an unfavorable combination of circumstances".
So this is how this will work. When being approached by that family member or friend, and not coming up with a truly credible excuse on the spur of the moment, all you would have to ask is whether this is a "business opportunity" or a "business flopportunity". This will put them off guard as you follow up with a series of other questions (which I will discuss in later blogs) to test whether they know what they are talking about. In fact, we could take this a stage further and start creating lists of "opportunities" and "flopportunities" that people can refer to to avoid making those terrible mistakes we have all made in the past in this industry.
We will allow you, the unfortunate victim, to give us feedback so that we can upgrade or downgrade both opportunities and flopportunities. A sort of consumer-run grading system. As this register starts to grow it will have an impact on the MLM industry as a whole and the suppliers will have to take notice and make sure they tread the "straight and narrow" with their overstated promises and complicated compensation plans and payouts. I can see it now. People logging on to flopportunity.com to get the real story and a truly qualified second opinion. As far as I know, this doesn't exist today.
But before you run off and try and register the domain name flopportunity.com, I have already taken it! Right now it will just bring you back to this blog but we will be working behind the scenes to create this compendium for the word-of-mouth community that could become the Dun & Bradstreet for our industry. In the meantime, come back and visit us on a regular basis as we will be posting interesting updates and articles in the meantime. See you at the top!
Oh, by the way, check out our antonym website: opportunity.com...it will be at the top of our positive list!
Colin Buckingham - Global Internet Entrepreneur
The very word "opportunity" puts peoples' defenses up. How can that be? After all isn't "opportunity" supposed to be a positive word? Even Webster's defines it as "a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances". But when you add words like "business" or "online" or "home-based" in front of this noun, it changes its context into something less positive. We all know the dreaded words coming out of the mouth of a family member or friend: "I would like to invite you to a business opportunity meeting tonight". We immediately scramble for any credible excuse!
So how do we change this paradigm? How do we clear the path for legitimate business opportunities so that both the suppliers and the marketers can flourish in this new emerging world of...opportunities. Well, one idea that came to me at midnight was to create a new classification to separate the good from the bad that would be immediately recognizable to any normal individual. That led me to try and find an antonym to the word "opportunity" and the best I could come up with was "flopportunity"! Now this word is not yet in Webster's but I am working on it and the definition will probably read as: "an impossibility due to an unfavorable combination of circumstances".
So this is how this will work. When being approached by that family member or friend, and not coming up with a truly credible excuse on the spur of the moment, all you would have to ask is whether this is a "business opportunity" or a "business flopportunity". This will put them off guard as you follow up with a series of other questions (which I will discuss in later blogs) to test whether they know what they are talking about. In fact, we could take this a stage further and start creating lists of "opportunities" and "flopportunities" that people can refer to to avoid making those terrible mistakes we have all made in the past in this industry.
We will allow you, the unfortunate victim, to give us feedback so that we can upgrade or downgrade both opportunities and flopportunities. A sort of consumer-run grading system. As this register starts to grow it will have an impact on the MLM industry as a whole and the suppliers will have to take notice and make sure they tread the "straight and narrow" with their overstated promises and complicated compensation plans and payouts. I can see it now. People logging on to flopportunity.com to get the real story and a truly qualified second opinion. As far as I know, this doesn't exist today.
But before you run off and try and register the domain name flopportunity.com, I have already taken it! Right now it will just bring you back to this blog but we will be working behind the scenes to create this compendium for the word-of-mouth community that could become the Dun & Bradstreet for our industry. In the meantime, come back and visit us on a regular basis as we will be posting interesting updates and articles in the meantime. See you at the top!
Oh, by the way, check out our antonym website: opportunity.com...it will be at the top of our positive list!
Colin Buckingham - Global Internet Entrepreneur
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Network Marketing And Affiliate Programs
These are two terms that are floating around and I sometimes get asked what is the difference between the two. The answer is simple in one way and yet complex when we start looking into the details. One of the confusions arises because some MLM companies try and escape from the “MLM” stigma and start calling themselves something else. Some call themselves “referral networks” or “direct sales” and call their recruits “affiliates”. Sometimes the term “direct selling” is used for both MLM and Affiliate programs. So what is the difference and is there any synergy that can be created between the two?
Most network marketing companies have a compensation program where the majority of the potential income will be attained by building a large network of associates. You then can earn “overrides” on the activities of your team, which invariably becomes more lucrative than the money you make from selling the products or services yourself. These “overrides” produce the enormous income that many big MLM’ers enjoy and often come in several ways. It is not uncommon that an MLM company gives you 5 -7 ways to earn income, only one of which is your sale of the products themselves.
In a true Affiliate Program you make money only from the direct product sales you make and not from any “downline” activity. In fact most Affiliate programs don’t allow a downline and if they do it is often no more than two levels. The commissions you make from your product sales may be as high as 75% so if you create a good volume it can be very lucrative. The types of products you see being sold through these programs are often eBooks and other forms of “information”. Here the margins can be high as the cost of the product is virtually zero. Downloadable software is also often sold through Affiliate programs for the same reason.
Nowadays, Affiliate Programs are very widespread and are being used by even the larger, well-known corporations to extend their sales reach. Google, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and many more all have Affiliate programs where you can earn commissions just by selling their products online. In fact when you visit any of the major retailers’ website, scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will be sure to find an “Affiliate” link somewhere.
This is a very convenient way these companies can tap into the strength of word-of-mouth advertising without actually running an MLM organization. In fact in this economic environment many of these retailers are finding this to be a much more effective way of distribution than the costs of a local store, distributed inventory and local personnel. The advantages can be clearly seen by comparing the price of a popular LCD TV on Amazon.com compared to the store price at Best Buy. It is often 15 – 20% cheaper. Amazon is not having the carry the same overhead as Best Buy.
During my research it became clear there is an advantageous connection between being involved in an MLM company and also being an Affiliate in others. As people join an MLM company they are going to need certain things to start their new business. Anything from computers to training to domain name registration, websites and business cards can all be offered through Affiliate programs. So if I sign you up for my MLM deal I will give you all my Affiliate links to purchase these items you will need anyway. Now I can create an instant income long before you do (or don’t) get active in the MLM Company. This is what the smart recruiters are doing. They then use this additional income to help promote their main MLM products.
This is one of the reasons I preach that getting involved with any MLM venture requires a strategic plan and careful preparation. I believe this plan should include getting involved with several, complementary products and/or MLM companies together with a whole list of Affiliate programs that are relevant to those businesses. In a later article I will discuss how such a plan should be prepared so that you can reach the right balance and have the right mix.
Colin Buckingham – Global Internet Entrepreneur
Most network marketing companies have a compensation program where the majority of the potential income will be attained by building a large network of associates. You then can earn “overrides” on the activities of your team, which invariably becomes more lucrative than the money you make from selling the products or services yourself. These “overrides” produce the enormous income that many big MLM’ers enjoy and often come in several ways. It is not uncommon that an MLM company gives you 5 -7 ways to earn income, only one of which is your sale of the products themselves.
In a true Affiliate Program you make money only from the direct product sales you make and not from any “downline” activity. In fact most Affiliate programs don’t allow a downline and if they do it is often no more than two levels. The commissions you make from your product sales may be as high as 75% so if you create a good volume it can be very lucrative. The types of products you see being sold through these programs are often eBooks and other forms of “information”. Here the margins can be high as the cost of the product is virtually zero. Downloadable software is also often sold through Affiliate programs for the same reason.
Nowadays, Affiliate Programs are very widespread and are being used by even the larger, well-known corporations to extend their sales reach. Google, Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Best Buy and many more all have Affiliate programs where you can earn commissions just by selling their products online. In fact when you visit any of the major retailers’ website, scroll down to the bottom of the page and you will be sure to find an “Affiliate” link somewhere.
This is a very convenient way these companies can tap into the strength of word-of-mouth advertising without actually running an MLM organization. In fact in this economic environment many of these retailers are finding this to be a much more effective way of distribution than the costs of a local store, distributed inventory and local personnel. The advantages can be clearly seen by comparing the price of a popular LCD TV on Amazon.com compared to the store price at Best Buy. It is often 15 – 20% cheaper. Amazon is not having the carry the same overhead as Best Buy.
During my research it became clear there is an advantageous connection between being involved in an MLM company and also being an Affiliate in others. As people join an MLM company they are going to need certain things to start their new business. Anything from computers to training to domain name registration, websites and business cards can all be offered through Affiliate programs. So if I sign you up for my MLM deal I will give you all my Affiliate links to purchase these items you will need anyway. Now I can create an instant income long before you do (or don’t) get active in the MLM Company. This is what the smart recruiters are doing. They then use this additional income to help promote their main MLM products.
This is one of the reasons I preach that getting involved with any MLM venture requires a strategic plan and careful preparation. I believe this plan should include getting involved with several, complementary products and/or MLM companies together with a whole list of Affiliate programs that are relevant to those businesses. In a later article I will discuss how such a plan should be prepared so that you can reach the right balance and have the right mix.
Colin Buckingham – Global Internet Entrepreneur
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Making Money With Affiliate Programs
So you have finally stepped into the world of making money online. You may have decided to start with affiliate programs and might have heard that it’s not a big deal to make good money with affiliate marketing, provided you choose the right programs and do some strategic planning while promoting your affiliate products. So far so good.
Whether you are promoting other people’s products or promoting your own products - that doesn’t matter because after all it is all your own business and your means to earn good money. So whichever is your case, I am sure you don't want to leave money on the table and invite others to steal your share of profit.
The world of affiliate marketing is pretty competitive but if you are cautious and are strategic in your marketing techniques then, it can be very profitable.
If you take a close look at the industry, you will see that not everyone who gets into affiliate marketing is successful. Those people who are doing well leave no room for failure and take all security measures and understand its potential.
Security is one of the key factors in affiliate marketing. If you do not adopt proper security measures, then your business will be at risk. One of the most important ways to restore security is to protect your affiliate links. Do not take them for granted. Carelessness on your part in regards to affiliate links may cost you a lot of potential income.
Do you know that the long complicated links that you send to your prospective customers not only look convoluted but they can create a lot of problems too! If you send such an affiliate link to your customers, then the smart ones will definitely figure out that you are promoting someone else’s product and they would rather visit the product company directly. Also, if your link does not function properly then your customers have to type a that really long URL into the browser, which might put them off.
You could be a victim of even a worse situation. What if some devious Internet pirates steal your affiliate links and replace them with theirs. If they do that, then you get no commission at all.
Did I scare you off with all of the above possibilities? Well, that certainly wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to open your eyes and state facts that actually happen in the world of Internet. It happened with me until I came across ViralURL , that brought a revolution to my online ventures.
ViralURL is a link cloaker that protects you in the truest sense. There may be many unethical people lurking around, who might play with your affiliate links by cutting them off or replacing them with their own etc. How much effort you put in towards building your business and advertising your business, if your links are tampered with, then all your hard work will be rendered useless.
In order to avoid such a rip off, ViralURL gives you full protection and sees to it that your affiliate links never get exposed to others.
So save yourself from getting ripped. Get all the commissions to your account that you rightfully deserve. All this is made possible by ViralURL
It is a blessing for every affiliate marketer like you and me, who wants to achieve success in their endeavor.
Is ViralURL limited to only link protection?
NO!
It does much much more than that. Let’s see what ViralURL can do for us:
*ViralURL helps us in protecting commission.
*ViralURL helps in building mailing lists.
*ViralURL helps in tracking statistics.
*ViralURL helps in earning extra ad credits.
In short, ViralURL allows us to create massive business leverage.
I don’t see any negative aspect associated with ViralURL. All you have to do is join it for free, then cloak your links, promote them and see your business soaring higher and higher.
You can get all detailed information about the program from the site ViralURL . There, you can find several unsolicited testimonials from various users of ViralURL. So if you want to protect your business and see your earnings grow, try ViralURL. You have nothing to lose with it.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Why Network Marketing Will Continue to Grow - Robert Kiyosaki
For network marketers, the future looks very bright indeed, because there are economic trends already in process that will drive more and more people to participate in this business in the years ahead.
People Want More Freedom
Gone are the days when a person takes a job at age 25 and stays there for life, doing as he's told to keep that job secure. Today, people want to be more mobile and have more choices. They want the freedom to live their lives on their own terms. A part-time network marketing business offers people more control over their lives; ultimately, it provides more freedom. It provides a low-cost-of-entry, ready-made system for those anxious to make a change.
People Want to Be Rich
During my parents' generation, the rules said, "If you work hard, the older you get, the more you'll be paid, earning ever more money (within tightly proscribed limits) through incremental pay raises." As you approached the end of your life, however, those rules reversed: when you retired you expected your income to go down. In other words, the assumption for my parents and their contemporaries was that one would work hard all one's life--and retire poor.
The Future Looks Bright
No more. Today we have 25-year-olds who've never held down a job in their lives, yet have become billionaires by building a software company. At the same time, we have 50-year-olds looking for jobs, hoping to get back to a place where they can earn $50,000 a year. What's worse, these same 50-year-olds have little or nothing to set aside for retirement; indeed, they may never be able to retire. These 50-year-olds don't need jobs; they need the opportunity to get rich enough to provide a sustainable level of income for the rest of their lives. That opportunity is exactly what network marketing provides. Network marketing companies offer this possibility by providing the necessary education, mentoring and business systems to assist these 50-year-olds build their own B quadrant [business-owner] businesses. By the year 2010 (not that far away!) the first of 75 million Baby Boomers in America will reach the age of 65. Many will come to network marketing as a means of building that lifetime of security which their jobs did not provide. Indeed, beyond meeting the basic needs of minimum-level financial security, a person who successfully builds a network marketing business may potentially join the ranks of the world's ultra-rich, becoming far more wealthy than highly-educated and hard-working professional people, such as doctors, lawyers and engineers. They may even become wealthier than many sports stars, movie stars and rock stars. If you are already an established network marketer, what does this mean for you? This is the best news of all: as the year 2010 approaches, many people who are already network marketers will do exceptionally well as millions of Baby Boomers come their way.
Individual Retirement Portfolios Will Be Wiped Out
Never in the history of the world have so many people bet their retirement years on the stock market. This is a recipe for financial disaster. During my parents' generation, retirees counted on the companies they worked for and the federal government to provide the income stream to support their retirement years. They didn't have to worry about managing their retirement portfolio: the companies they worked for did that for them. Today, more often than not, when you retire you're on your own. Millions of Americans have 401k's or similar retirement accounts--and that's all they have. If your 401k runs out of money when you reach, say, age 78, you won't be able to go back to your former employee and ask for help. There'll be nowhere to turn.
The Future Looks Bright
There's also a strong possibility that the US stock market will collapse by the year 2010--if not sooner. If this happens, many 401k retirement plans will collapse along with it, which will mean that millions of people will never be able to retire--or at best, they won't have the pleasant retirements of which they had so fondly dreamed. Suddenly a person with $2 million in mutual funds in his retirement account may find that portfolio cut in half. On top of that, he may be stuck with a capital gains tax that could bankrupt the remaining value of the retirement portfolio. That's the risk of betting your retirement years on paper. The number of people who have bet their lives on the stock market is at an all-time high: if there is a crash, millions of people will be seeking other sources for financial security--such as building the kind of B quadrant business that network marketing can provide.
The Rules Have Changed
In 1989, when the Berlin Wall came down and the World Wide Web went up, the rules of the world changed forever. According to many economic historians, that's when the Industrial Age ended, and the Information Age began. In the Industrial Age, the rules were that if you worked hard, your company and the government would take care of you. In the Information Age, the rules are different: the new rules say, you had better be planning to take care of yourself. How? Starting now, by investing in your own network marketing business. This passage is excerpted with permission fromThe Business School for People Who Like Helping People, by Robert T. Kiyosaki, with Sharon Lechter, authors of Rich Dad Poor Dad.Thursday, April 2, 2009
The Power Of Affiliate Marketing
Summary: Being an affiliate means that you (through a website or via email) represent another company, usually referred to as a merchant, which is willing to pay you for the traffic you refer. Merchants use affiliates to increase their exposure on the Internet, and pay them in various ways. I always recommend that people in network marketing programs also sign up for some of these programs to complement their businesses. Many of these programs will be used to promote any MLM business and can help create extra income to support your main venture.
One of the first sites to offer an affiliate program was Amazon.com, one of the Web's leading retailers. Amazon will pay you a percentage of the amount of each sale made through a visitor that you refer. This is expected to be a trend that gathers momentum as traditional retailers begin to realize they can recruit the planet to sell their goods and services online. The visitors to affiliate sites are usually tracked by some information added to the merchant's website address, or URL. This referring URL will generally look something like this:
http://affiliates.bravenet.com/z/40/CD17851 (Free Web Hosting)
This link will take you to the affiliate’s website and will either drop a cookie on the user's browser to remember you, or it will be carried along for the current browser session to track any sales that occur back to you. Or a combination of methods can be employed – the main thing to understand is that the URL identifies you and compensates you when sales occur.
This system of merchants and their affiliates has worked very well on the Internet, where millions of websites are referring their traffic to merchants of their choice to earn cash. For example, Bravenet has a top-rated Webmaster affiliate program that pays you $1.00 for every new member you refer to us to use their free services. This helps them create new members, and it helps you create cash from your referrals - truly a win-win situation.
This system has evolved over time, and now there are a growing number of affiliate reporting sites that act as brokers to affiliate programs offered by merchants across the Internet. These sites give you instant access to thousands of programs you can join for free, directly from just one site.
Here is a collection of other sites that offer great affiliate programs at no cost:
http://www.projectpayday.com/go/1250217 (Learn and get paid)
http://www.inetgiant.com/freepoint (Free advertising and classifieds)
http://freepoint.hwass.hop.clickbank.net (Blast 2.3 million emails)
http://aweber.com/?313105 (Email Responders)
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2182855 (Get paid to do surveys)
All the materials, including the banners or ad copy you will display on your site or in your email, are available from these affiliate sites. In each case sign up for the free service and then look for the “affiliate” tab or link to sign up.
You can also gain access to valuable statistical information such as the number of impressions an ad has shown, the number of people who have clicked on those ads, and the financial return your hard-earned traffic is providing for you.
This list will get you started, but there are some things you should consider when joining and participating in affiliate programs.
First off, think about who visits your site or receives your emails. What are these people looking for? What products and services are related to what they are looking for? This may sound quite obvious, but it is still apparent there are a lot of websites out there devoted to cars or cats -- and they are trying to sell long distance services.
So, stick to what your website or your newsletter is about. You may wish to take your efforts a step further and create pages on your own website that drive more interest than just running a banner or text link. Remember, you are referring your own traffic to other merchants in the hopes of making a sale. Why not spend a little time to prepare your visitors before they get there.
Some marketers make a lot of money selling other people's goods and services through affiliate programs and similar referral mechanisms. You don't even really need a website to start with affiliate marketing. You can buy traffic and send them right to your affiliate URL from email, click engines, or through other sponsorships.
Finally, it is important to realize that merchants are relying on you to make sales happen for them. This puts you in a position to bargain. So use that advantage whenever you can to request higher payouts that what is being offered. It never hurts to ask, and you'll be surprised how many merchants will up the ante for affiliates looking to get a better deal.
One of the first sites to offer an affiliate program was Amazon.com, one of the Web's leading retailers. Amazon will pay you a percentage of the amount of each sale made through a visitor that you refer. This is expected to be a trend that gathers momentum as traditional retailers begin to realize they can recruit the planet to sell their goods and services online. The visitors to affiliate sites are usually tracked by some information added to the merchant's website address, or URL. This referring URL will generally look something like this:
http://affiliates.bravenet.com/z/40/CD17851 (Free Web Hosting)
This link will take you to the affiliate’s website and will either drop a cookie on the user's browser to remember you, or it will be carried along for the current browser session to track any sales that occur back to you. Or a combination of methods can be employed – the main thing to understand is that the URL identifies you and compensates you when sales occur.
This system of merchants and their affiliates has worked very well on the Internet, where millions of websites are referring their traffic to merchants of their choice to earn cash. For example, Bravenet has a top-rated Webmaster affiliate program that pays you $1.00 for every new member you refer to us to use their free services. This helps them create new members, and it helps you create cash from your referrals - truly a win-win situation.
This system has evolved over time, and now there are a growing number of affiliate reporting sites that act as brokers to affiliate programs offered by merchants across the Internet. These sites give you instant access to thousands of programs you can join for free, directly from just one site.
Here is a collection of other sites that offer great affiliate programs at no cost:
http://www.projectpayday.com/go/1250217 (Learn and get paid)
http://www.inetgiant.com/freepoint (Free advertising and classifieds)
http://freepoint.hwass.hop.clickbank.net (Blast 2.3 million emails)
http://aweber.com/?313105 (Email Responders)
http://www.sendearnings.com/?r=ref2182855 (Get paid to do surveys)
All the materials, including the banners or ad copy you will display on your site or in your email, are available from these affiliate sites. In each case sign up for the free service and then look for the “affiliate” tab or link to sign up.
You can also gain access to valuable statistical information such as the number of impressions an ad has shown, the number of people who have clicked on those ads, and the financial return your hard-earned traffic is providing for you.
This list will get you started, but there are some things you should consider when joining and participating in affiliate programs.
First off, think about who visits your site or receives your emails. What are these people looking for? What products and services are related to what they are looking for? This may sound quite obvious, but it is still apparent there are a lot of websites out there devoted to cars or cats -- and they are trying to sell long distance services.
So, stick to what your website or your newsletter is about. You may wish to take your efforts a step further and create pages on your own website that drive more interest than just running a banner or text link. Remember, you are referring your own traffic to other merchants in the hopes of making a sale. Why not spend a little time to prepare your visitors before they get there.
Some marketers make a lot of money selling other people's goods and services through affiliate programs and similar referral mechanisms. You don't even really need a website to start with affiliate marketing. You can buy traffic and send them right to your affiliate URL from email, click engines, or through other sponsorships.
Finally, it is important to realize that merchants are relying on you to make sales happen for them. This puts you in a position to bargain. So use that advantage whenever you can to request higher payouts that what is being offered. It never hurts to ask, and you'll be surprised how many merchants will up the ante for affiliates looking to get a better deal.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Making The Right Choices
If you have decided to go into business for yourself (full or part-time), and have chosen network marketing as your entry vehicle, one of the first things to come to grips with is which industry and what types of products and/or services do you want to represent. Don’t make the same mistake that many (including myself) often make…getting involved on the spur of the moment when approached by a family member or friend.
Take your time…there is no rush. Make a business decision not an emotional one. Find something that you can feel passionate about and, most importantly, choose a product or service that you are going to use yourself. Making your decision based solely on how much money you can make will invariably finish up as a failure. This is one of the biggest problems in the industry and one that often gives it a bad name. If you have the passion and then choose the right company, the right compensation plan, the right structure and the right marketing materials, you have a greater chance of success.
Finding your passion could take time. Is it a favorite hobby or a lifelong dream? If you are conscientious about your health and the way you look, maybe the health and beauty industry might be a fit. If it is your ambition to travel the world but haven’t done so yet, maybe the travel industry could get your juices flowing. If you are very computer savvy maybe a purely Internet-based business might play to your strengths. Believe me, there is something out there for everyone, especially as network marketing is becoming more mainstream and more and more companies are adopting this method of distribution.
Another consideration is the market segment and you want to address. This could be impacted by your own age, for example. If you are 25 years of age it is going to be harder to go after the baby boomer generation and you probably want to stay in your peer group. If you are a boomer and can relate to their needs then you probably want to stay in that group.
Having found your passion and decided which segment(s) you would like to address then we come to the choice of company or companies that are active in your future market. You notice I am adding in the plural form here as I strongly believe it is possible, and often desirable, to have more than one business. This could be more than one (complementary) network marketing business or a network marketing business backed up with one or more affiliate programs…or both! In a later blog I will go into more detail about the strategy of having more than one business active at any one time.
Having come to this point, the choice of company you join is very critical. This choice should be based on several factors. Obviously the product or products is a very important part of your decision but it is not the only one. The company’s background, its management and financial strengths are very important. Does the management have the relevant expertise, especially in the network marketing industry? What is their MLM structure and, very importantly, how is their compensation plan? Are the products competitive in the marketplace? How are they priced? Is it a juice that will appear at Costco in a few months at the fraction of the price? Is there competition and how are they priced? Is it a one-product company or is there a product development plan with new, innovative products in the pipeline?
I have seen companies that had everything in place but their compensation plan was outdated and made it difficult to make good money without jumping through a bunch of hoops. Some companies looked perfect except the management had a history of starting up companies and then abandoning them for the next big trend. Should you join a company that is a start-up in order to get in at the beginning because everyone is telling you “it is only those at the top” that make the big bucks? Or is an established player better as they have a tried and tested system that works?
Making these choices is a vital part of whether you will be successful or not. The bad rap of the MLM industry has been caused by people making rash decisions to join a company on the promise of huge income potential (under pressure from family or friends) and then not working the business. There is a reason it is called netWORK marketing. To be successful in this industry takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful. You will get a lot of rejection and we will deal with that in another blog. But the ultimate prize is a business that produces residual income that will allow you to take control of your financial life and maybe fire your boss. Stay tuned!
Take your time…there is no rush. Make a business decision not an emotional one. Find something that you can feel passionate about and, most importantly, choose a product or service that you are going to use yourself. Making your decision based solely on how much money you can make will invariably finish up as a failure. This is one of the biggest problems in the industry and one that often gives it a bad name. If you have the passion and then choose the right company, the right compensation plan, the right structure and the right marketing materials, you have a greater chance of success.
Finding your passion could take time. Is it a favorite hobby or a lifelong dream? If you are conscientious about your health and the way you look, maybe the health and beauty industry might be a fit. If it is your ambition to travel the world but haven’t done so yet, maybe the travel industry could get your juices flowing. If you are very computer savvy maybe a purely Internet-based business might play to your strengths. Believe me, there is something out there for everyone, especially as network marketing is becoming more mainstream and more and more companies are adopting this method of distribution.
Another consideration is the market segment and you want to address. This could be impacted by your own age, for example. If you are 25 years of age it is going to be harder to go after the baby boomer generation and you probably want to stay in your peer group. If you are a boomer and can relate to their needs then you probably want to stay in that group.
Having found your passion and decided which segment(s) you would like to address then we come to the choice of company or companies that are active in your future market. You notice I am adding in the plural form here as I strongly believe it is possible, and often desirable, to have more than one business. This could be more than one (complementary) network marketing business or a network marketing business backed up with one or more affiliate programs…or both! In a later blog I will go into more detail about the strategy of having more than one business active at any one time.
Having come to this point, the choice of company you join is very critical. This choice should be based on several factors. Obviously the product or products is a very important part of your decision but it is not the only one. The company’s background, its management and financial strengths are very important. Does the management have the relevant expertise, especially in the network marketing industry? What is their MLM structure and, very importantly, how is their compensation plan? Are the products competitive in the marketplace? How are they priced? Is it a juice that will appear at Costco in a few months at the fraction of the price? Is there competition and how are they priced? Is it a one-product company or is there a product development plan with new, innovative products in the pipeline?
I have seen companies that had everything in place but their compensation plan was outdated and made it difficult to make good money without jumping through a bunch of hoops. Some companies looked perfect except the management had a history of starting up companies and then abandoning them for the next big trend. Should you join a company that is a start-up in order to get in at the beginning because everyone is telling you “it is only those at the top” that make the big bucks? Or is an established player better as they have a tried and tested system that works?
Making these choices is a vital part of whether you will be successful or not. The bad rap of the MLM industry has been caused by people making rash decisions to join a company on the promise of huge income potential (under pressure from family or friends) and then not working the business. There is a reason it is called netWORK marketing. To be successful in this industry takes a lot of hard work and dedication to be successful. You will get a lot of rejection and we will deal with that in another blog. But the ultimate prize is a business that produces residual income that will allow you to take control of your financial life and maybe fire your boss. Stay tuned!
Monday, March 23, 2009
The Secret To Success In MLM
I have already covered some of the reasons why people fail in network marketing ventures...so what are the secrets to success? I will be covering various answers to this question related to different aspects of the business such as: the tools provided, the compensation plan, how to market your MLM etc. But when people ask me: What is the one secret for success in MLM? The answer is quite simple...PASSION!
Many people join the network marketing business because they see dollar signs. They are lured into a venture often because of the compensation plan. The fast-start bonuses, the matching bonuses, the matrix income are the all key components to their decision. There is no time spent analyzing the company, the market for the products/services or the products themselves. Interestingly enough, if the entry cost were to be tens of thousands of dollars (like a franchise) then those would suddenly become the keys factors in the decision making process. What this addresses is the "get rich quickly" mentality that has developed in our society "with little or no investment".
Having spent years in the industry and after trying different types of products/services it became very clear to me what the secret for continued success really is. It is the product and the passion you develop for the product. Part of the reason why health products do so well in this industry is because it is easy to talk about(and see) what the difference the products make. Take weight loss as an example. If you (and others) have lost 10lbs. in 7 days isn't it easy to talk about it? In fact many might say "Well, Bill, you really look good today. Is there anything you are doing or taking?" You don't even have to sell anything!
This comes back to the basics of the industry which should be...word-of-mouth. Now if you join based only on the allure of the big income, then the word-of-mouth concept is weakened considerably. "So, Bill, how much money did you make last month?" is a more difficult question to answer, especially when you first start. Over time this selling point weakens, people start quitting and the company goes out of business. Those companies that make it always have a strong product focus. Think about Mary Kay, Avon, Prepaid Legal, Herbalife and even Amway Global.This is why the core that keeps the juice companies in business is the drinkers.
So the key to a lasting success in your MLM business is going to be the products. You must be a user yourself and then you must be passionate about these products. Word-of-mouth is telling not selling. If you are not a user how can you tell? If you have to revert to the "big bucks" story then you might make some quick money but that perpetual income we are looking for will not materialize.
If you have found a company with the right products for you, then it is also important to take a look at the rest of the equation. We will cover these aspects in subsequent blogs which will include Company/Owner history, compensation plan, available marketing tools and training.
Many people join the network marketing business because they see dollar signs. They are lured into a venture often because of the compensation plan. The fast-start bonuses, the matching bonuses, the matrix income are the all key components to their decision. There is no time spent analyzing the company, the market for the products/services or the products themselves. Interestingly enough, if the entry cost were to be tens of thousands of dollars (like a franchise) then those would suddenly become the keys factors in the decision making process. What this addresses is the "get rich quickly" mentality that has developed in our society "with little or no investment".
Having spent years in the industry and after trying different types of products/services it became very clear to me what the secret for continued success really is. It is the product and the passion you develop for the product. Part of the reason why health products do so well in this industry is because it is easy to talk about(and see) what the difference the products make. Take weight loss as an example. If you (and others) have lost 10lbs. in 7 days isn't it easy to talk about it? In fact many might say "Well, Bill, you really look good today. Is there anything you are doing or taking?" You don't even have to sell anything!
This comes back to the basics of the industry which should be...word-of-mouth. Now if you join based only on the allure of the big income, then the word-of-mouth concept is weakened considerably. "So, Bill, how much money did you make last month?" is a more difficult question to answer, especially when you first start. Over time this selling point weakens, people start quitting and the company goes out of business. Those companies that make it always have a strong product focus. Think about Mary Kay, Avon, Prepaid Legal, Herbalife and even Amway Global.This is why the core that keeps the juice companies in business is the drinkers.
So the key to a lasting success in your MLM business is going to be the products. You must be a user yourself and then you must be passionate about these products. Word-of-mouth is telling not selling. If you are not a user how can you tell? If you have to revert to the "big bucks" story then you might make some quick money but that perpetual income we are looking for will not materialize.
If you have found a company with the right products for you, then it is also important to take a look at the rest of the equation. We will cover these aspects in subsequent blogs which will include Company/Owner history, compensation plan, available marketing tools and training.
- PRODUCTS + PASSION = PERPETUAL INCOME
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Why Does MLM Sound So Negative?
When the letters "MLM" come up in a conversation, most people get very defensive and decide to end the dialog and immediately shut down the communication. It seems to have replaced the subject of life insurance as the number one conversation killer. So why is this?
Well, first of all we don't like being sold something, or being put under pressure to buy something. I guess it is human nature to want to be in control of one's own destiny and the very thought of someone trying to extract money from us "for their own good, not mine" is contrary to our core principles. Of course, it is even worse if these "MLM salespeople" belong to our circle of friends and/or family. Then the peer pressure is jacked up a notch or two to the point it can actually damage or even destroy relationships. And to make things worse, we have all tried one or two of those "schemes" and it didn't work, so why would the next one be any different?
"It didn't work" is the core to answering this question. The fact remains that "word-of-mouth advertising has, and always will be, the most common (and effective) means of advertising. Another fact is, there are several very large and successful companies that use this method to sell their products/services. Ever heard of Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay or Prepaid Legal? Another fact is, there are many people making a decent and/or substantial income with network marketing companies today. And even better, these incomes are often perpetual and would continue even if they stopped working the business. I have several!
You see, it is very normal that people don't succeed at everything they do. It is estimated that 80% of all real estate professionals don't make it. Does this mean there is something wrong with the real estate industry or that it is a scam? Of course not. The real problem is that we don't want to admit that it was our fault so it is easier to blame the industry. In the case of the real estate industry, those Realtors were not cut out for the job and should never have joined the industry in the first place. If they had done some basic research and had analyzed themselves, they would probably never have joined and wasted all that money on licenses, signs and marketing. It wasn't the industry's fault.
And so goes it with MLM. Just as in real estate, people join because of the lure of easy and huge income potential. The decision to join is based on emotion, often on the spur of the moment, and not a careful analysis of the opportunity. If you believe that network marketing is the quickest, cheapest and most effective way to start a business for yourself (and want to take the advice of such experts as Donald Trump and Robert Kiyusaki) , then spend some time finding the company and products that fire up your passion. If you are overweight, then find the right product to lose weight and you will become passionate about it. In fact, your friends and family will start asking you about it! If you don't like selling ads, then don't sign up for a company that sells ads.
Other than the passion for the products/services there are still a few other factors to be considered in your research. Make sure there is a large market for the things you will be selling. Look carefully at the company and the management. Do they have experience in network marketing and what does their history look like? And very importantly, take a close look at the compensation plan and your ability to earn money quickly. There is nothing better for motivation than a (large) check in the mail!
The key to your success, however, will be your passion for the product. You have to be a user yourself. If you don't use the products, you will have no credibility. You see, word-of-mouth marketing is not selling, it is just letting people you know about things that have had a positive impact of your life. In many cases, the first approach should never be about how much money people can make as that leads to disappointment and failure. If they like the products as much as you do, they will start telling others and they can join your team.
Never start in any network marketing company without this basic research. If you are not able to structure this yourself, give us a call or send us an email and we will try to help you through this very important process.
Well, first of all we don't like being sold something, or being put under pressure to buy something. I guess it is human nature to want to be in control of one's own destiny and the very thought of someone trying to extract money from us "for their own good, not mine" is contrary to our core principles. Of course, it is even worse if these "MLM salespeople" belong to our circle of friends and/or family. Then the peer pressure is jacked up a notch or two to the point it can actually damage or even destroy relationships. And to make things worse, we have all tried one or two of those "schemes" and it didn't work, so why would the next one be any different?
"It didn't work" is the core to answering this question. The fact remains that "word-of-mouth advertising has, and always will be, the most common (and effective) means of advertising. Another fact is, there are several very large and successful companies that use this method to sell their products/services. Ever heard of Avon, Tupperware, Mary Kay or Prepaid Legal? Another fact is, there are many people making a decent and/or substantial income with network marketing companies today. And even better, these incomes are often perpetual and would continue even if they stopped working the business. I have several!
You see, it is very normal that people don't succeed at everything they do. It is estimated that 80% of all real estate professionals don't make it. Does this mean there is something wrong with the real estate industry or that it is a scam? Of course not. The real problem is that we don't want to admit that it was our fault so it is easier to blame the industry. In the case of the real estate industry, those Realtors were not cut out for the job and should never have joined the industry in the first place. If they had done some basic research and had analyzed themselves, they would probably never have joined and wasted all that money on licenses, signs and marketing. It wasn't the industry's fault.
And so goes it with MLM. Just as in real estate, people join because of the lure of easy and huge income potential. The decision to join is based on emotion, often on the spur of the moment, and not a careful analysis of the opportunity. If you believe that network marketing is the quickest, cheapest and most effective way to start a business for yourself (and want to take the advice of such experts as Donald Trump and Robert Kiyusaki) , then spend some time finding the company and products that fire up your passion. If you are overweight, then find the right product to lose weight and you will become passionate about it. In fact, your friends and family will start asking you about it! If you don't like selling ads, then don't sign up for a company that sells ads.
Other than the passion for the products/services there are still a few other factors to be considered in your research. Make sure there is a large market for the things you will be selling. Look carefully at the company and the management. Do they have experience in network marketing and what does their history look like? And very importantly, take a close look at the compensation plan and your ability to earn money quickly. There is nothing better for motivation than a (large) check in the mail!
The key to your success, however, will be your passion for the product. You have to be a user yourself. If you don't use the products, you will have no credibility. You see, word-of-mouth marketing is not selling, it is just letting people you know about things that have had a positive impact of your life. In many cases, the first approach should never be about how much money people can make as that leads to disappointment and failure. If they like the products as much as you do, they will start telling others and they can join your team.
Never start in any network marketing company without this basic research. If you are not able to structure this yourself, give us a call or send us an email and we will try to help you through this very important process.
Monday, March 16, 2009
MLM Comes of Age
For many people the very letters "MLM" conjure up images of scams and ripoff schemes and unscrupulous people creating huge "pyramid schemes" to benefit themselves. Of course, then there are the very reputable companies that have built very successful businesses and have created some of the world's largest distribution networks that have lasted for decades...and are still growing.
Such names as Avon, Mary Kay and Prepaid Legal have been around for decades and use the MLM model to build very successful businesses. The old Amway organization is still one of the largest consumer distribution networks in the world. So why does MLM have such a bad rap? After studying this question for some time now and having experienced a number of network marketing ventures, I think it comes down to a few simple facts. These we will take a closer look at on another "blogday" as it deserves its own detailed analysis.
It is clear, I think, to most people that the phenomenon called MLM is about to change. This is due to several events merging at the same time. Firstly, the evolution of the Internet. It wasn't really around in its current form ten years ago but it now provides a platform for smaller companies to compete head-to-head with the bigger players. People, in ever increasing numbers, turn to the web now for all their information, including shopping and placing their orders.
Secondly, in the current economic downturn, people are losing their jobs left and right and it is getting worse. This means in many cases, millions of unemployed individuals will have to seek out some other form of income. As 90% of the population is still working many of the 10% unemployed will be looking for ways to sell them stuff. For many that will be the only way to create a decent income. Investing in a new business or buying a franchise is not an option for most people. They also cannot find another job. So what is left?...NETWORK MARKETING! Low start-up costs and ready-to-use marketing materials and tons of free training. In fact in most cases for a couple of hundred bucks you are in business.
Lastly, we have all the retailers either going out of business or closing stores and trying to find ways to reduce expenses and sell more effectively. Many are finding out a centralized distribution center, a commission-based local sales force and electronic advertising (the Internet) is a lot cheaper than local stores, labor costs and massive consumer campaigns to get people to put expensive gas in their cars for the privilege of spending their money.
We are on the verge of network marketing (MLM) becoming mainstream. The only question is will you be in front of the curve and profit from a trend that is almost inevitable? This blog plans to explore this question in great detail and help you find the right opportunities. The next posting we will explore why so many of us have not succeeded to date in this emerging giant.
Colin Buckingham - Global Internet Entrepreneur
Such names as Avon, Mary Kay and Prepaid Legal have been around for decades and use the MLM model to build very successful businesses. The old Amway organization is still one of the largest consumer distribution networks in the world. So why does MLM have such a bad rap? After studying this question for some time now and having experienced a number of network marketing ventures, I think it comes down to a few simple facts. These we will take a closer look at on another "blogday" as it deserves its own detailed analysis.
It is clear, I think, to most people that the phenomenon called MLM is about to change. This is due to several events merging at the same time. Firstly, the evolution of the Internet. It wasn't really around in its current form ten years ago but it now provides a platform for smaller companies to compete head-to-head with the bigger players. People, in ever increasing numbers, turn to the web now for all their information, including shopping and placing their orders.
Secondly, in the current economic downturn, people are losing their jobs left and right and it is getting worse. This means in many cases, millions of unemployed individuals will have to seek out some other form of income. As 90% of the population is still working many of the 10% unemployed will be looking for ways to sell them stuff. For many that will be the only way to create a decent income. Investing in a new business or buying a franchise is not an option for most people. They also cannot find another job. So what is left?...NETWORK MARKETING! Low start-up costs and ready-to-use marketing materials and tons of free training. In fact in most cases for a couple of hundred bucks you are in business.
Lastly, we have all the retailers either going out of business or closing stores and trying to find ways to reduce expenses and sell more effectively. Many are finding out a centralized distribution center, a commission-based local sales force and electronic advertising (the Internet) is a lot cheaper than local stores, labor costs and massive consumer campaigns to get people to put expensive gas in their cars for the privilege of spending their money.
We are on the verge of network marketing (MLM) becoming mainstream. The only question is will you be in front of the curve and profit from a trend that is almost inevitable? This blog plans to explore this question in great detail and help you find the right opportunities. The next posting we will explore why so many of us have not succeeded to date in this emerging giant.
Colin Buckingham - Global Internet Entrepreneur
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