There was a time when those involved in direct sales & network marketing businesses were largely professionals without jobs, home-makers, even odd-job workers looking for some additional income. Network sales or direct sales has come a long way since the 1920’s, where it had started by having housewives refer products to supplement the family income after the war.
These days, direct selling companies are massive global companies that can efficiently and effectively reach new markets, ship to customers and pay earnings of referring partners located globally – in a way that was not possible before – all thanks to accelerated development in computer and internet technology in the last 20 years.
The direct marketing consumer and distribution landscape has also changed. Office workers and business professionals, graduates & senior corporate executives are now more open to the idea of getting involved in direct selling.
And especially in this post-covid economy with inflation being an issue-at-hand for most governments, perhaps network marketing is one a truly viable option for some extra income.
It can be a legitimate, decent paying side-gig, after all. Direct selling opportunities are easily accessible, and comes with minimal risk. By investing to try out a few products, and a few hours to learn some new skills, one can get to work on making marketing referrals to earn some extra dollars on-the-side to supplement the main income.
Some have succeeded in network marketing, but there are also many more who have not. The successful ones are living a life way beyond their wildest imaginations – being far better-paid and feeling fulfilled by doing what they do.
So, how do some succeed better than some others? Are there some things to know if one has just started out in network marketing?
Here are 5 important things to keep in mind :
It is a business
Be proficient in the business plan, as with the products. It’s a limiting mindset when one feels that talking about money or compensation could mean owning up to their own weakness or “vulnerability” and thus avoid wanting to seem “money-minded” to others. So be sure to start talking more about the plan and show others how to get paid their referral fees!
Invite your most successful partners
Another common mistake is to invite others who appear to need some money, or appear to be earning less than their lifestyle needs. This is a misconception about building a team in a business.. any business for that matter. A high performance team should be those who mirror at least some of your own values and principles – of work, of money and / or life and family, and they have made it and are successful. Remember that building a team in direct selling is equivalent to building a high performance team in any business – and CEO’s look for values & principles rather than current income. And you’re the CEO in your business!
Always be Professional
Business proposals without informing beforehand may not go down well with everyone. Admittedly, it takes a different level of conversation to ask someone for a time to meet and if they are open minded to listen to a presentation, and maybe that’s a reason that many avoid asking. However, the down-side of not having done a proper invite to a presentation is to have prospects leave with a slight uncomfortable after-taste of being “surprised” by a business proposal. So, the action required here is to properly inform the meeting intent so everyone is better prepared.
Work on your own Mindset
Business mindset is far different from employment mindset. And network marketing mindset is business mindset PLUS leadership skills. Without the right mindset and some new skills, often there could be some real challenges showing up along the way, such as – having to work with a disempowered, unmotivated or uninspired team due to one’s own poor leadership or communication skills. What is needed here is to know that being in network marketing requires the right mindset to succeed.
Take action on the Business daily
Successful entrepreneurs (in any business) are automatically working on their business every day. They automatically get busy, and constantly learn better ways and tools to self-organise, self-discipline and self-motivate. So, the key in network marketing (as with any other kind of self-employed work) is that one must think and be an entrepreneur, and get to work on the business daily! Avoid unproductive but busy “work” and stick to productive actions that create impact in the business.
If the above resonates with you in your business, even if your business is other than direct selling, be sure to send a comment and let us know how these 5 mindset techniques are helping you move forward.