If you are going to encourage people to buy or to sell a product, you may want to actually try it yourself first, so you can make sure it is something worth paying for. There are plenty of marketable products out there, but if you know exactly what is good about a given product, you will be able to sell it considerably better.

Once you have established credibility and the understanding of the products you are selling, you will then want to begin building a network. This is the only way you can possibly avoid the failure that mos others experience: by doing everything in a legitimate way, rather than cutting corners to save time. Instead, spend the time to know your product; and spend even more time getting to know everyone in your network. The better they are able to replicate whatever successes you have had, the better your network will do as a cohesive whole.

1.3 WHAT MAKES NETWORK MARKETERS JUST AVERAGE
So what makes network marketers “just average”? What prevents them from breaking through and achieving the success that big names have already experienced? While part of it often has to do with effort and consistency, the most important thing that average network marketers miss is LEVERAGE. They concentrate on small targets and small goal and never put the entire network into perspective.

In order to break out of mediocrity, a network marketer must come up with some sort of overarching plan or design that will push them above the marginal day-to-day activities, which are still important, but which will only secure them small gains on average.

Here are some examples of goals that could keep a network marketer “average”, when they could be wildly successful:

1. Disorganization: as a network marketer, you will likely have to manage dozens of contacts, hundreds of customers (if it is your products), and all sorts of payment and scheduling information. If you want to be successful, you must have a clear, workable system for every activity you engage in.
2. Marginal Focus: while the small gains are important too – infact, they will make up the bulk of your activities as a network marketer – it is more important to focus on big gains, which take more work, but when achieved, will completely gain how your network functions. An average network marketer often wont see beyond what is marginal.
3. Unrealistic Goals: this almost always kills anyone who attempts to create a network or start an internet business: they set unrealistic goals and attempt to achieve them in an unrealistic period of time. The end result is a complete disaster.
If you want to be an average marketer and make an average salary, then don’t bother to shatter these three restrictions on your success. Rather , stay safely within these boundaries and do not try to restructure; on the other hand, if you want to take your network marketing to the next level, you must figure out how to bypass all of these.
1.4 WHAT MAKES TOP NETWORKERS DIFFERENT FROM THE REST
What makes top network marketers different from everyone else? This seems like a simple enough question – and yet anyone who has failed at network marketing knows that it isn’t. Anyone who has failed can probably name a person who is raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars each yet with network marketing; additionally, he can probably tell you exactly what that person says he is doing, but for whatever reason, she cannot duplicate success.
While these top network marketers seem to be doing obvious things and making money with it, everyone else can’t seem to duplicate their success. So what is the difference between everyone else and them?
The major difference between most successful and unsuccessful network marketers is that successful network marketers have gained significant LEVERAGE over a long period of time. This LEVERAGE then gave them access to a number of other things, including expert help, credibility, and virtually unlimited resources. This often creates a problem that they do not see when they are attempting to train their network: as a credible person in the field with significant resources, they can do a number of this that new network marketers simply cannot.
So rather than looking at what top network marketers are doing differently than everyone else, it might be better to look at what top network marketers did to become “top network marketers”.
In this case, the answer is almost always simple and the same: to become top network marketers, they started out by developing a system that actually worked for them; and then they figured out how other people could duplicate that system relatively well. They then put in the effort to recruit a number of marketers; and then had those marketers bring in friends.
In many cases, top network marketers actually start off by selling products, rather than creating a system for building a network. You may want to consider doing this too with whatever products you are selling.

THE HABITS OF SUCCESSFUL NETWORK MARKETERS
Habit #1: GREAT SALESMANSHIP
As a network marketer, there are a number of habits you have to develop. Just as bad habits can constantly prevent you from doing things that are critically-important, good habits can force you to do the exact opposite. But in order to have these habits and to employ them successfully, you first must spend the time to develop them.
One of the most important habits you must develop is great salesmanship. No matter how good your products is, no one is going to want to sell it if you can’t convince them to do so. The greater part of doing this is learning the art of salesmanship.
So what does sales entail? Primarily, salesmanship entails being able to communicate everything clearly and concisely. While there are a number of important devices you can use as a salesperson, none is as important as being able to clearly explain what it is that you want your target audience to understand.
This will be important in two instances: the first is convincing customers that your product is worth buying. In order to do this, you will have to clearly connect the product as a solution to a problem they have. You will have to clearly communicate the benefits; and explain why it is different or better than similar products or services.
Now, in the second instance, you must “sell” the opportunity to all of the members of your network. I personally suggest you do this in an honest and ethical way. If they can’t realistically earn $30,000/year or in the first year in your program, then do not tell them that. Rather, tell them what people actually have made and what was required.
It is always important to clearly communicate to new network members. Explain to them what it is that they are doing exactly; and how you would suggest that they could best get it done.
Above all, remember to employ salesmanship often; and to develop it as a habit, not just a skill.
HABIT #2 LIKE HELPING OTHER PEOPLE
One of the most important habits you must develop as a network marketer is the proclivity to help others, even before you attempt to help yourself. This sound counter-intuitive, especially if your goal is simply to make money at any cost; however, as almost all network marketers learn, helping others and helping yourself often means the exact same thing.
The reason why this is so true with network marketing is because the best way to earn is to get others to do the work for you – to gain LEVERAGE. Without gaining leverage, your best hope is to simply sell the product yourself through some type of direct marketing scheme.
Now, if you want to gain LEVERAGE, you have to find ways to teach others to do what you presumably know how to do yourself – which is find prospects, introduce them to the products, and then close sales. Conversely, if you are shooting for a network-perpetuation model, you will want to be able to show people how the can recruit people just like you.
With this being said, there is a significant difference between knowing and doing. You might know how to teach people this process, but if you are unwilling to actually do so, the skill is useless.
So make a habit of helping others- especially those in your network. Whenever someone sends you an email, make your best attempt to respond to it quickly and comprehensively. Even if the person himself is unlikely to earn any money, your simple act of kindness could stir him to spread the word about your network to his friends.
Additionally, remember that helping others is only one part of the equation: the other is making sure you do it correctly. If you can’t come up with a workable model for people to replicate your success, then you may not want to begin building a network; rather, you might want to stick to direct sales.
2.3 HABIT #3 SORROUND YOURSELF WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE
There’s an old proverb that makes quite a bit of sense when applied to network marketing: “Dig you well before you need water”. that’s right: before you need someone to sell a product for you or to recruit for you, have that person there, ready, and willing to do it. If you approach that person for the very first time with a pitch, chances are that he/she will reject your offer on the spot.
So how do you go about digging these wells? You start by surrounding yourself with the right people. That’s right: Start making friends.
There are a number of places where you can find friends in your field who can potentially be business partners in the future. Perhaps the best place to look for them is on the internet marketing and network marketing forums. The more popular forums are, nairaland.com, secnig.com, etc or the warrior forums, for instance, has over 30,000 members and boasts the membership of some of many of the industry leaders.
Starting at a place like nairaland.com is a great way to surround yourself with people who could potentially help you in the future; however, it is important to understand that you have to be careful when you do this. If you take the wrong approach, you could end up wasting your time and preventing partnership.
One of the best ways in which you can approach this is to make sure to be helpful whenever you post on a forum. At the same time, try to be helpful in ways that specifically showcase your talent. For instance, if you happen to be an expert on network marketing or at least very knowledgeable-then take the time to post thoughtful, comprehensive responses to network marketing questions on the forum.
After you’ve spent some time there, you will likely start to notice people who have common interests and positions. Make every effort you can to network with these people. When the time comes to launch a product, your network will already be set in place.
2.4 HABIT #4 BUILDING HUGE NEWORKS AND RELATIONSHIP
Another important habit you can develop is the tendency to network and build relationships. As I’ve mentioned multiple times, the downfall of most network marketers is that they fail to take the human element into consideration. Rather, they mistakenly see it as somewhat of a numbers game, where the only goal is to increase the size of the network at any cost.
Rather than doing this, get in the habit of networking and building relationships. You can do this by making a profuse effort to gain the trust of every single person in your network. I personally suggest that you do the following in order to achieve this:
1. Systematize Training: whenever someone enrolls in your network, it is important that he/she immediately has access to the same training that all other members have received. You may want to do this by automating the system being used to recruit members, this means getting him/her to join an auto responder course or work through some e-course. Whatever you do, make sure that each member immediately has access to high-quality training.
2. Contact all enrollees immediately. If someone enrolls in your network, contact that person within a day to personally greet him/her to explain who you are, and to explain what she can take advantage of as a member of the network.
3. Use databases. One of the best ways you can keep track of all of your network members is to actually write all of their names down in excel, along with some pertinent information about them such as previous experience, level of interest etc.
Most importantly, remember that you have to develop this as a habit, not just a skill you will want to be careful to network and build relationships at every possible opportunity; additionally, you will want to find ways in which you can make these relationships mutually beneficial.
2.5 HABIT#5 DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND CHARISMA
Perhaps two of the most important traits you can develop as a network marketer are leadership ability and charisma. In this specific context, I call them “habits” because they are something you will want to repeatedly do until you feel as if you have no choice but to do the.
Charisma is not something easily attained – nor is it any one thing, as many people incorrectly categorize it. Rather, you can be surly and loud-mouthed, but still have charisma. Likewise, you can be awkward or unconventional and still have charisma. Being charismatic more importantly involves being confident in the type of person you are; and then being able to repeatedly and consistently convey that image to members in your network. If you can do this clearly and boldly, people will want to follow you, regardless of your personality.
This is where our next important habit comes in: leadership ability, which goes hand-in-hand with charisma. If you’ve developed charisma, people now probably want to follow you – the only question is where you will lead them. Do you feel confident telling them how to replicate your success? Do you feel confident telling them to do something you haven’t done, but know will work? Are you decisive?
All of these things are important components of leadership ability. Without them, you may be able to attract people to become members of your network, but you will be unable to lead them to anything other that ruin, which doesn’t help anyone involved – neither them nor you.
So keep this in mind when you are trying to develop new skills: be self-confident and build your network around your own personality. Don’t feel like you have to be constrained to work within a given image of what is conventional or acceptable. Rather, create a personality that attracts marketers; and then lead them with clear, well-thouth-out decisions.
2.6 HABIT #6: DON’T SUBSCRIBE TO CONVENTIONAL WISDOM
Conventional wisdom is the perfect roadmap to mediocrity; and yet, for whatever reason, almost everyone who gets into network marketing or any type of online opportunity will skillfully adhere to each piece of conventional wisdom they have heard over the years. Unfortunately, this is often to their detriment.
Rather than subscribing to conventional wisdom, test it yourself. Find out if it really works. Experts love to tell people what is and what isn’t possible. With that being said, remember that they are experts and often do have valid opinions to offer; however, that does not mean what they say is true for you. This is why it is important to break from this conventional wisdom and test it yourself.
Another reason why it is important to break with conventional wisdom is because it will give you an edge over your competitors. While they slave away, following the dictates of someone who may or may not have any grasp on your industry, you can immediately position yourself above them by introducing a renegade method – something everyone believes is too risky or can’t work.
However, it is important that you do know what the conventional wisdom actually is and why people say it is that; otherwise, you won’t be a renegade – you’ll just be someone who refuses to learn from mistakes, a failure.
So begin your break with conventional wisdom immediately: start putting everything to the test. Conventional wisdom might suggest that you should approach potential members of your network in a certain way. Try doing the absolute opposite. See what effect it has.
The only thing you will want to avoid violating is consistency. In your attempt to break conventional wisdom and to find the best methods, you will want to retain that persona you have worked hard to develop, so do your best to be both creative and to avoid ruining your reputation at the same time.

Chapter 3: EXPLOSIVE NETWORK MARKETING JUMPSTART
3.1: JOIN THE RIGHT COMPANY AND UPLINE
One critical component of successful network marketing involves joining both the right company and the right upline. If the product you are attempting to sell is inferior, uncompetitive, or oversaturated, you will have a considerably tougher time than you would with a highly competitive product in a relatively untouched market.
But, finding the right product poses a challenge. If the product is not your own, you will have to find a business that has a network sales structure. Otherwise, you will only be able to sell the product as an affiliate for commissions, rather than recruiting other people to do that for you.
Currently, there are a number of health-oriented companies that have such network sales structures. Specifically, vitamins and health-testing products often have network structures. Additionally, many as –seen-on-TV products have network structures. Many of these products also have large enough markets, so that selling shouldn’t be an issue.
Now, once you have selected a solid company with a good product, your next step is to actually select the best upline. In some cases, there will be a specific benefit to having someone under you in a given upline. For instance, some networking structures put all new members under older members, so all those who join after a certain period of time, earn a percentage of commissions off of those who join later. If this is the case with your selected product, by choosing a good upline, you are also choosing to position yourself well to earn from all of the people your upline recruits.
So keep these two things in mind when selecting a new opportunity: find both the best business and the best upline for what you want to sell. Combining the two will significantly increase your LEVERAGE when building your marketing network .
3.2: HOW TO SELL YOUR COMPANY’S PRODUCTS EFFECTIVELY

At this point, you have selected a product and an upline. You know what you are selling and who can help you, but you may be unsure of the best way in which to approach the sales or recruitment process.

Step one is to “know thy target audience”. If you don’t know who you’re selling to and understand what motivates them and drives them( and, coincidently, why buying your products would be a good idea), then yor’re barking up the wrong tree. Now, in this specific instance, since you are networking marketing , your goal is to know two different audience” the first is the group of people who might buy the product you are offering; the second is the group who might join your network.

You can get a rough idea of who falls into the first group by looking at the products you are selling: what is it? And who would want to use it? If it’s a vitamin, for instance, who might you target and why should they be interested? Could it help improve their memory? Could it prevent them from getting sick? Could it help them gain muscle mass?

Now, when you’re targeting potential members of your network, you’ll essentially be doing the same thing. You’re marketing the value of your product to marketers, too. They have to understand why the product and the opportunity are better than the other thousands of opportunities floating around on the internet.

If you understand the mindset of both of these targets groups, you should then be able to market to them effectively. Just keep this important principle in mind: whatever you are marketing, you should market it as a solution to a specific problem that group of people encounters. If you can describe who such a person might be in your head, you will also understand what that person might want – and subsequently how to target him or her.

3.3 GETTING STARTED: WRITE DOWN 100 NAMES
Unfortunately, to some extent, network marketing is a numbers game. In order to increase your commissions, you constantly have to set benchmarks for network growth. But as a network marketer, you know that most of those you attempt to recruit won’t do it; and most of those who do it won’t succeed. This means that you have to find dozens of people, present the opportunity to them, and then train those who join to succeed.

If you are to go by using the conventional way of network marketing, you will be required to write down say 100 names drawing from friends, family members, colleaques, or you could purchase leads from a company. After this, comes practicing phone call and presentation. Later we shall discuss why this system of network marketing has failed many not forgetting that this system is purely done manually making your job very difficult.

3.6: HOW TO RECRUIT DOWNLINES BY MASSES

In the past, network marketing was something done completely offline. If network marketers advertised at all, they would do it with fliers or with classified ads in newspapers. Unlike marketers today, they had no opportunity to reach massive amounts of people at a very low price.

Today, you can reach network leads through dozens of different outlets – many of them internet-based. Additionally, there are companies that now specialize in extracting highly-targeted leads for this exact purpose.

One quick way in which you can recruit network leads is to setup a “squeeze page”, connect it to an auto responder. A squeeze page captures names and email addresses – and then send traffic to it. Once leads sign up through the squeeze page to join your mailing list, you can then send them a training course through a pre-written messages in the autoresponder. This system is setup and launch online making the system automated. So, when leads request for information or sign up through your squeeze page, the system will automatically respond to them without you being there. With this system of network marketing, you work only once and you continue to earn.

To really succeed with this system, there are two things you must not fail to do. The first is to market your website address (in this case, your squeeze page – also called a landing page). You can do this by using your address as signature in posting useful contribution in forums frequently and then use a signature file that gives a brief overview of your network marketing opportunity. Another way in which you can recruit network leads to fill your downline is to send out mailings through e-zine advertisements. This is one of the fastest ways in which you can immediately reach tens of thousands of people with very little effort. Also you can advertise in classified ads in newspapers directing prospects to send email to your autoresponder address or your squeeze page url. The second is to make sure you train those who join under you exactly what you have done to attain the level of success you now have. Let them know exactly how to duplicate everything you have done. If you can get extra information that can be useful to their success, do not hesitate to update them, this is very important as their success means also your success.

4.0: EXPANDING YOUR NETWORK MARKETING BUSINESS FURTHER

4.1: Focus More on Leadership by Example
In an industry where many people are fighting nail-and –tooth to earn more money in any way possible, leadership by example is indeed a rare find. Network marketers are far more likely to tell downlines something that will make them stick around than something that will ensure their success. This is especially true when they have heard of some new technique that theoretically could work, even though they haven’t yet tested it for themselves.

This leaves you with a wide open opportunity to gain a competitive advantage: by simply embracing leadership by example, you can immediately do something almost none of your competitors – either within the company or selling for another company – will ever even think of doing.

One of the best ways to lead by example in network marketing is to setup various initiatives. For instance, one month, you could pick some specific type of advertisement and then thoroughly train every person in your downline on the advantages of using it; and the best way in which they can use it. You can then run a campaign yourself. Record your results and methods, and send it to your entire downline.

Working closely with your downline will not only help them to improve how they do certain things, but it will also embolden them to stick around and to promote you to their friends, who might be on the fence, trying to decide whether or not your opportunity is legitimate.

So make this your new goal: always lead by example. Show your downline what to do and what not to do – and most importantly, make sure you have already done it yourself and know that it works. If you lead by example, everyone else has a chance to benefit and help you in return; if you lead with theoretical ideas, you might help someone, but it will most likely be accidental.

4.2: How to Train Your Downlines & Reduce Dropouts

One important part of network marketing is what is called “downline retention”. You can view this similarly to how you would view traffic generation: you can take two approaches – you can either “recycle traffic, so that it comes back; or you can constantly pump fresh traffic into the site. Ideally, however, you want both mechanisms to be working, as that will not only generate more traffic, but it will also keep more traffic on your site. This is true with network marketing.

At this point, however, you have a rough idea of how to gain that new traffic; and further, how to convert that traffic into members of your network. The next step is to retain those new members by training them and reducing dropouts – which go hand-in-hand.

You should start by developing some type of course, which starts by covering the absolute basics of network marketing-and the moves to the more complex, harder-to-understand parts. Additionally, if your goal is to retain network members, you shouldn’t attempt excessive upselling in your course. Rather, only suggest what you believe is absolutely necessary; and only what you believe will affect the best possible results for someone who is either an average or below average network marketer.

Now, in addition to producing a course, you may also want to create a manual of some sort. You can send this to each member of your network immediately upon joining. This can be a more comprehensive field guide that directs them through any potential problem they run into as a new network marketer.

Lastly, you will want to make yourself accessible to everyone whoever needs help. You might offer your email address to all of your new network members in a personal email you send to everyone; or you might even allow them to contact you by phone. These are all considerations you want to make, as the more accessible you are, the more trusted you will be; and the more likely people are to take your advice advice and stick around.