Say you were. And say there’s a new place where you could peruse what’s available, with no one screaming how they’re the greatest. You can nose around incognito.
What’s the first thing you’d click on to get information about, of these three?
What else would you want a quick look at?
Of the three in the survey (or your other choice), what there (if anything) would you be looking for next, given what you’ve learned about NM and yourself so far?
We’ll be using your feedback for the little NM “search engine” we’re finishing for us. Pranksters notwithstanding. Make your comments below.
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(UPDATE: See more comments on “results” page above. Two intriguing sound bites from Pat Crosby, regular commenter here:
“…And Google the name of some company followed by the word SCAM – and read what is the underbelly of a product BEFORE you get sucked into “Wow what a great product” vortex.
“By the way, Ann Sieg, who is posted Google ads all over the internet bashing EVERY MLM company has NEVER built an organization, and is using her ads to recruit for her company. I would call this bait and switch. And RUN the other direction…” (this is Pat’s comment, not mine – I don’t know the facts, and have also never recommended Sieg’s material – does anyone know the real story? -kk))
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Commercial: Here’s a promise you can keep – with all your new recruits. It’s this (click here).
Interesting question. It seems obvious to me that the product comes first — doesn’t matter how great the company is or how supportive the sponsor team if I don’t personally “get” the product. Second has to be the company (which includes comp plan) — doesn’t matter how great my sponsor and team are if the company is not stable and distributor friendly.
Kim,
I think you should have put more choices. One thing that I find is very important is the “Marketing System”…I would first look at the marketing system used to build the business and determine how duplicatable and attractive it is, and then take the sponsor into consideration…
The marketing system has to work for average part time people…
No matter where you go, what company you join, what the company tells you…the activity in network marketing stays the same no matter where you go…
If you can make it as easy as possible for all you bring in…you will have the most success…
http://www.KissMLMFailureGoodbye.com
Product is my number one choice as it doesn’t appleal to me to market a product I am not personally behind.
I would have loved to have more choices like Scott. What about breaking the company choice into several. I would be interested in a company that is several years old (with a history), diverse marketing,a good comp plan, as well as the upline support.
The product is not the first consideration to me because I have been in a company with great products, but the business model did not allow new part-time distributors an equal chance at success.
I fist look at the company:
a)the management and the type of experience they have had…. is it traditional corporate or MLM experience?
b)what does the company allow with regards to advertising, how do they pay, what is my contract like?
I agree with the gentleman above that I then take a look at system the organization I am looking at has in place for their members. Does this particular upline have a system in place, approved by the company contract that will allow me to find success?
Brenda Bunney
http://MLMSuccessBunney.com
brendab@brightok.net
I second Scott’s comment. The marketing system is crucial.
Bonus points if there are strong tools to leverage internet marketing/affiliate marketing tactics.
-Roger
Scott and Roger:
Scott – What specifically about a company’s marketing plan makes it “work for average part time people”
Roger: What do you mean, specifically, by “the marketing system is crucial”? What about it is crucial to you?
And what’s an example of “strong tools to leverage internet marketing/affiliate marketing tactics” that you use, in your current company?
Brenda – you write that even if the product’s great, you’ve been in a deal where “the business model did not allow new part-time distributors an equal chance at success.”
What specifically about the business model you refer to, “did not allow a new part-time person an equal chance at success”?
The product is the most important thing to me when I look at a new company. I have to like the product and be able to fully get behind it. It has to be something that is “me”. For example, there are some incredible opportunities out there involving technical products, like phone services, video emails, etc. But they are not “me” and I could never market those products no matter how fantastic the opportunity.
Second is the company. Who runs the place? What’s the management team like? What about their integrity? Are they honest people or are they just out to make a quick buck and are gone tomorrow? How’s the payplan? Is it fair to the little guy just starting out?
Yes, a duplicateable system would be a nice plus. However, from my experience I have found that even with such a system in place a lot of people just don’t duplicate it. I don’t know why that is. Maybe ego or thinking, “I’ll do it my way”.
Have a great day!
Ilka Flood
http://www.JustDoItWithBooks.com
I think they are all very important, but I do think the integrity of the company is #1. It doesn’t matter how good a product is, or how good your sponsor is, if the company does not have integrity and does not reward you honestly and fairly for your efforts.
1. What would you look for most in a company you’d want to join? Integrity of the Management is critical. If you don’t have that, you might as well keep looking because you are building your business like a house of cards. One gentle breeze and it comes tumbling down. While network marketing has no financial guarantees, you do need to know that that your efforts will be fairly rewarded – and to know that what you build today will continue to pay you for years to come. That becomes especially important if you are planning on relying on that company as your sole source of income (which is why I have a diversified business portfolio :-). Too many companies start out with integrity and end up self-serving. They change the rules and the deal in the middle of the game, and you either have to play by the new rules and take the new deal (pay cut) or find another deal. That can be financially and emotionally devastating (I’m speaking from experience!).
2. What would you want in a sponsor this time? I would want an inspiring and empowering leader as my sponsor. I don’t NEED a leader because I am a born leader myself and I have always had amazing coaches and mentors, but I would love to have someone to share the leadership experience with.
3. What kinds of products would you want to market? It would have to be something I love madly! I must have a passion for it or I cannot share it with passion and enthusiasm. I have tried to sell products I did feel that way about and it felt like a JOB! And I can get one of those anywhere and make A LOT of money. I have been fortunate to find companies that allowed me to follow my passions – for health, weight loss, and travel – to provide me with a rewarding business portfolio and a measure of financial security.
Network Marketing is one of the few ways people can combine making a living with making a difference. It is also one of the few business models available where a person can start from nothing and create tremendous wealth and prosperity. And best of all, Network Marketing allows ordinary people to become extraordinary and lead extraordinary lives. I can’t imagine making a living any other way.
Follow Your Passion!
Michelle Sanchez
Network Marketing Success Coach
http://itworksbodymakeover.networkmarketingcentral.com
http://nonigirl.networkmarketingcentral.com
http://dreamtrips.networkmarketingcentral.com
http://michelle.networkmarketingcentral.com
Product is top on my list. My product is a reflection of who I am, passions and all.
For a while I didn’t think the sponsor was too important because it is my business and a sponsor isn’t like a boss. Since I have added a new company to my network marketing I spent a long time searching for a sponsor I really felt I wanted to work with. I narrowed it down from 6 to the last 2 and finally picked the one I’m with because of her passion and knowledge of the same things my life is about. I wanted a sponsor to offer support without pressure. Someone as passionate about the product as I am. Someone who shares the same passions in other areas of life. Someone I would be friends with even without the business. Someone creative and fun to be around. No I’m not looking for a friend instead of a business partner. I can not work with someone who pushes company events on me, pushes me to buy loads of CD’s to hand out or any other old school network marketing systems.
Company is important but not in ways many people think. Of course the comp plan is important along with company stability. For me it’s more about the question “Will I be allowed to work my business using my creativity.” If I have to buy all my marketing materials from the company it’s not going to be a fit for me. I like being creative with putting my own words on materials. If I have to get approval for every ad, business card or I’m am restricted on where and how I can promote my business and product it’s not a fit.
Bottom line I need a product I will use and love. I need a sponsor I really like. I need a company that isn’t so uptight that they fear letting Independent Distributors market their products with any individual creativity.
Kim,
You asked…
Scott – What specifically about a company’s marketing plan makes it “work for average part time people”
That is a two part answer…
1) In regards to the “marketing plan working for average part-time people” most companies take between 2-5K distributors in their downline on autoship to make 10K/month. In the company I am with it is less than 500 due to the companies overhead being next to nothing…Since the only revenue source comes from the compensation plan…they have cut their expenses the lowest amount possible so they can put more money into the plan…Allowing average part time people (most of the people who join MLM) to reach their goals sooner.
2) In regards to the “marketing system to build the business” it has to be a system you can plug all of your team into, as well as their team members to start duplicating the success of you and your upline leader. You want the system to continue to duplicate 10-unlimited levels deep so the business builds without you and so you as the “leader” are not the issue…As I have learned from my sponsor and our company president…The goal in network marketing is to build up your frontline leaders that will continue to lead and build without you. Once you teach them how to be leaders…then you teach them how to build their frontline leaders so they duplicate…
Having a marketing system that continues to 1) generate leads for you while you are sleeping 2) exposes you, your business, and your products on a 24/7 basis, and 3) is something that is simple and easy to market is imperative to building a massive organization in this day an age.
I hope this answers your question
Best,
Scott
http://www.KissMLMFailureGoodbye.com
Product first – If I don’t think it is a good product, something I would use and recommend, it’s a show stopper for me.
Second – Company. Do they have integrity (i.e., stand by their refund policy). Are they established – more than a year old old? Can I get in touch with a real person – not just upline, but higher ups?
Third – Compensation Plan. Can I read and understand it? Can I base my residual income on customer sales not just distributors.
Kim’s previous post on figuring what we make on regular customers really was an exercise every person should do. Each of us should be able to explain about own company’s compensation plan. Are customers valued with your company?
Carol Raynor
http://www.myvemma.com/yourlife
I responded first in this thread, but neglected to say one thing. No one factor would determine my decision. All three would have to be there and evident for me to decide to begin a network marketing business. Like a 3 legged stool, these factors would need to be present and strong in order to build a viable business. I would rule out any opportunity if either 1) product 2) company and 3) sponsor were inadequate. But I would not accept any opportunity unless all 3 were strong. If product and company were exceptional, but sponsor team was not, I might go looking for a different sponsor.
Hi Kim…I read all of Pat Crosby’s comment in the results section, and since I’d never heard of Ann Sieg, I did a yahoo search.
According to Pat, Sieg “has never built an organization”, but that’s not what I’ve read about Sieg so far. Sieg says she has been in and out of NWM for the past 19 years and has built several successful organizations. She calls herself ‘The Renegade Network Marketer’ and has published a book with that title, as well as audio materials.
Here’s the site, if anyone’s curious to see what she’s about:
http://www.annsieg.com/
Kim,
If I were to pick in the order of the three, I would pick the company first, then the product line, then the sponsor upline. I won’t go even further without checking the profile of the company, like getting a hold of their audited financial statements (which you can go to http://www.sec.gov if they’re traded in any U.S. based stock exchange) to see if the product line has done well (check those testimonials) and your potential sponsor/upline is telling you the truth about the company making almost 5 billion last year, the business is a piece of cake, or any of that yada-yada-yada screaming stuff.
You may want to check if the company markets their products outside of the U.S. This would be an advantage in areas like India, the Philippines, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Canada, and the European Theatre. Populations of all those countries will add up to at least 2 billion.
If it turned out that the company is not a good one to work with, the other items wouldn’t even be an issue. After all, you want to work with a company that pays your paycheck and won’t go south on you.
My few cents,
Sidney Juachon
http://www.youarecovered.net