The number of large, multinational companies who utilize network marketing as the primary means of moving their products and services is growing daily. They use network marketing to find and get new customers worldwide. The opportunity to partner with companies like these is huge, AND what it can mean for your financial situation is staggering.

What brought me to network marketing in the first place was the lure of financial independence and financial security. I’ve been in business for myself for over 20 years now, and I love everything about it: the time flexibility, being about to work with whomsoever I want to, the residual income I’ve been able to create, not having a boss or anyone else (but myself!) to answer to, the ability to take time off whenever I want.

One of my biggest learnings from these years of self-employment is that we all need multiple streams of passive, residual income flowing into our lives if we are to truly gain financial independence. The best definition I’ve ever heard for the elusive dream of financial independence is “. . . being able to live the lifestyle you desire without having to work or rely on anyone else for it.” (I got this definition from Harv T. Eker and his workshop, “The Millionaire Mind”.)

Network Marketing – The “PROS”

One of my businesses that is providing me with a nice stream of income is a network marketing opportunity which I got involved in a couple of years ago. I personally love network marketing for a lot of different reasons:

• I’m a “people person”; and, network marketing is a people-centered industry. I love nothing more than working with my downline to train them, empower them, and help them grow their image of themselves and what they can do. I love to work with people who are chasing their dreams!
• There is an awesome income potential IF you do it right. In an excerpt from a book by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) they talk about network marketing as the best chance available for ordinary people to gain financial freedom.
• Network marketing provides total time flexibility. You can work your business around your life rather than having your business control what you can and can’t do and when you want to do it.
• It offers you several forms of leverage. Leverage allows you to get a lot more done in a shorter timeframe than without leverage. Network marketing gives you financial leverage, time leverage, technology leverage, and people leverage
• It gives you an opportunity to help people change their lives. (This is another of one of my personal favorites!) People look for a home-based business for a lot of different reasons, but it’s ultimately about solving problems or challenges they are facing in their lives. I love helping people find solutions so they can realize dreams and goals they never thought possible. I love seeing people grow beyond what they thought they could be and do.
• You can work the business online or off-line, or, what I do, BOTH. 99% of my prospecting (or working with leads) occurs online. This is quick, efficient, and effective because I can put a great deal of this on automatic pilot. The off-line part of my business involves training potential customers on the products I’m selling and coaching or mentoring my business partners (a.k.a. “downline”) on how to run a successful home-based business.
• A little work can produce dramatic results. This is another vote for leverage which I mentioned above. When you teach your downline to duplicate the few simple things you do to create success, AND they start doing it, also creating success, you exponentially increase the results of your efforts.

Network Marketing – The “CONS”

OK, having said all of the above, I also need to share with you that I have been badly burned by network marketing as well. When I was being recruited to work with my current company, the last thing I was looking for was another MLM! I fact, I was so full of skepticism and resistance and doubt that my sponsor almost cut me loose. I’m so thankful today that she didn’t.

What I’ve learned is that there’s a right way and wrong way to run a network marketing business. I learned the wrong way first. However, there are some proven ways to be extremely successful in network marketing and there are ways to be very busy, but make very little money.

Close to 97% of the people who get involved in network marketing make no money and quit fairly soon after getting started.  I was almost one these casualties; but I’m SO glad today that I stuck with it. In network marketing, IT PAYS TO STAY (assuming you’re doing it the right way)!!

Often because of the intensity of the financial pain we are experiencing and the burning desire we have to change our situation, we are very vulnerable to so-called “opportunities” which in fact are helping someone else make a lot of money. But all of this is very unlikely to really help you UNLESS you’re willing to spend a great deal of money for their information products, system, tools, training, etc. on “how to succeed in all aspects of the business.”

Sound familiar? I know this as a fact because it has happened to me more often than I like to admit. The hype was great. The promises of success were very compelling. The testimonials of people making a lot of money, who were much less skilled or educated than myself made me feel, “If they can do it, so can I!” BIG MISTAKE!

Out of my own pain and disappointment I’d like to share with you seven lies to watch out for in the claims and promises different business opportunities make when they’re trying to get you to sign up. I’ve fallen for each of these at different times in my network marketing career.

This is a FREE eBook written by Ann Sieg called The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing which I’m sure will resonate with you. When you hear or read any one of these “7 Lies” from a business opportunity you’re considering, dig deeper before you make your decision. Get statistically verifiable data which supports the claims being made so you don’t get duped!

So what’s the short and skinny of it all? In my experience network marketing’s promise of financial freedom is absolutely accurate, WHEN it’s done right. If you avoid getting sucked into the lies I’m inviting you to look at, you will be on the road to success beyond your wildest dreams.

CLICK HERE to get your FREE Copy of
“The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing”.
—————————————————————————————————
To receive a regular flow of business-building tips to help you turbo-charge your income, sign up for my complimentary newsletter.