Networking is great but....

I know networking is a great business, but there are many who have tried and failed. Why is that? It may be because of not enough continous referrel and expansion of the network. So, not everyone can succeed. -khunvi

Networking is not the same as network marketing. ;)

Why do some people fail at network marketing? Probably for the same reasons people fail at other businesses such as lack of motivation, skills, or experience. -AZBroker

I've been in network marketing with one company for ten years and I've seen lots of failure. AZBroker gives some good reasons - lack of motivation is always one of the top - BUT so is lack of proper training. The most singularly highly motivated in anything will figure things out. The rest with motivation need coaching and sales skills - networking skills which I find very close to sales skills in many ways.

Building a network of sustaining productivity is also a big challenge which requires individual leaders of groups to reinforce training and give support. It's a challenging business model many disparage, many misunderstand, and many never look at.

Like everything else, perhaps 3% are top earners and many earn extra four figure incomes.

MitchM -MitchM

Many of these network based sales schemes also have a pyramid aspect so that late entry salepeople are never that likely to do well do to saturation. -rattitude

I read your view as limiting and untrue in most cases, but those are common misconceptions and uninformed biasaes. Also, your depreciating words "sales scemes" serve no good purpose any more than "shady salesman" or "unsavory used car salesmen."

MitchM -MitchM

Well said MitchM. -SalesGuy

People fail due to lack of motivation, experience, confidence and consistency. Some people go into a business with the expectation of easy work and easy money. What they don't realize is that it takes consistent effort, patience and determination to make a business succeed. I have seen many people go from poverty to rich in Network Marketing, but they treat their business like a real job with diligent effort. -wlctrent

It is good psychology for salespeople to see success as under their own control due to theor own efforts at every stage of the game *except* choosing what position to accept or what business to start. Drive and motivation will have very little effect if the product is expensive rubbish that nobody wants or everyone already has. Rather than become super salesmand and shift it anyway it makes more sense to select a desirable product and make your life a whole lot easier ;) -rattitude

One of the first sales a salesperson needs to make is to himself/herself on the product/service being offered. If the salesperson doesn't believe in the product/service then performance will take a hit. -Agent Smith

I understand your point of view but it is useful only after committing to a product. Yes, you mkust believe in it to sell. But choosing to work with and *objectively* quality and high demand product is *also* wise. I see friends labor over selling magical kelp diet pills which are a hard sell and also something of a con--I would not touch them. I would not believe in them for they simple reason that they don;t actually work. Life is nicer if you sell a product that is beneficial to people and so deserves to be believed in. I would rather make money selling useful medicines and suppliments than con-products. -rattitude

I think rattitude makdes a good point. What's the attrition rate for participants in network marketing programs? Pretty much anyone is accepted in order for people to develop their downlines, but few of them succeed. -Bettina

rattitude - kelp has some heath benefits - if a person were to promote "quality kelp that can help in the body's ability to have a stronger immune system is this something you want" they'll find people who want kelp AND if it's in a network marketing system they'll find people who also want to sell kelp. Many studies have shown that just vitimin C, fiber, and iron kelp is benificial to people.

BUT if people market kelp as a magical cure all they've got a marketing problem AND a potential FTC vs company problem.

What you put together rattitude are mixtures of good sense and personal biasis which obscure what it is you're trying to say on this thread.

MitchM -MitchM

Well I was speaking more generally, but there's undeniable hype by people selling MLM products. -Bettina

wait - don't pick on MLM - I've heard lots of people hype what they sell in what's called "conventional" sales - I've had shoddy and dishonest people try to sell me rugs, cars, wash machines, home water filtering equipment, auto repair services I didn't need, lawn service, gutter guards, windows - AND most of it along with the shoddy and dishonesty was also hype hype hype.

MLM is no different in that kind of person BUT when someone in conventional sales picks on MLM generally that's only a reflection of their own bias.

MitchM -MitchM

I agree with that. However, almost all posts on a forum like this are a reflection of the contributor's own bias. It is interesting that in a setting like the, where the majority of posters preach the validity of "persuasion" in selling, it would be extremely rare to see anybody prove their skills of persuasion skills by altering the bias or view of anyone here that holds a view in conflict with their own.

I think when this thread has long grown stale, nobody will go home with a changed viewpoint on "networking" except for authentic newcomers to sales who are truly out to gather knowledge. -Gary Boye

I agree, this type of "hype" selling is more about the person's selling style than any one particular industry. -Agent Smith

I agree, Gary - you're right about that. I've seen the same digging heals in of beliefs and opinions when people open the conversation up to looking at sales methods from different perspectives - maybe it's like politics - who changes whose mind about anything.

All I can do is point out someone's bias - and expect the same regardless if it's a two way or one way conversation - I'm sure I've yet to see all my biases but I can think of times in my life when my thinking and hence actions were changed for good when I was confronted with my bias AND not always in a delicate way.

Authentic newcomers - I like that, Gary - compared to authentic oldtimers or nonauthentic newcomers and old timers . . . you got me thinking now - I want to live my life authentically open minded and attentive.

MitchM -MitchM

This quote was in the "quick quotes" when I logged in today: -Liberty

Manipulation in action. All upside no downside. Does that come with a guarantee? ;bg -Houston