I've been in Network Marketing for about 3 1/2 years. I knew NOTHING before I began this journey so I became a student of the business and have done a great deal of studying and reading on this topic.

I'm a black and white, get down to the facts, don't sugar coat it kind of person. My eyes get all fuzzy when I pop on to a site that is filled with about three to four feet of content. When I do a search on-line I am looking for consice facts that are easy to find and easy to understand. I don't need all the jargon usually added to make it rich in "content". Just give me the facts.

That's why I decided to author this site. It is a consice, yet thorough overview of the topic of Network Marketing. By the time you are done reading through it you should:

• Know the difference between Network Marketing, MLM and Direct Sales.


• Understand why so many people are choosing Network Marketing.


• Understand what a Pyramid Scheme really is and why it isn't much of an issue any more.

I'd really appreciate you taking the poll at the beginning and the end of this Squidoo so that I can be sure that I am being clear enough for those that don't need all the "content" to grasp the facts.

Enjoy!

Gail Wahl
Team Leader & Success Coach
http://www.at-home-networking.com

Don't forget to participate in the 2nd POLL located at the bottom of the page AFTER you've read through the material.

Network Marketing is nothing more than the movement of products or services from the manufacturer or producer to the end user via word of mouth marketing. It is conversational marketing.

Example: When you purchase a product in a retail store that you really like you tell other people about that product. If they like it too, they will tell someone they know. Wouldn't it be great if that retail store gave you a commission on the sales you generated from just sharing your testimony?

Well that is exactly what Network Marketing is; sharing your testimony with others and earning on-going commissions from your efforts.

Here are some facts about Network Marketing you might find interesting:

• Network marketing is well over 50 years old and is legal in all 50 states and 125 countries.


• The network marketing industry does about $100 billion in retail sales annually.


• There are approximately 50 million distributors worldwide (14 million in the U.S.)


• Business Start-Ups Magazine (a division of Entrepreneur magazine), rated Network marketing as one of its 100 Best Businesses to start.


• In recent comparison, publicly traded network marketing companies outperformed both the Dow and S&P 500 by nearly 80%!


• In an issue of Entrepreneur magazine they wrote, "Literally thousands of people are realizing annual incomes in excess of $1000,000."

(Facts found in "The Twelve Power Secrets" by Rod Nichols)

Now that you understand a little better what Network Marketing is, let's look at how it could provide a solution to your uncertain future.

Network Marketing offers......

• A positive, supportive environment in which to work.


• Unlimited income potential.


• Part-time effort can generate a solid full-time income.


• Work from home means more time with the family.


• Great family business where the kids can learn about business and money.


• Excellent tax benefits.


• In a short period of time (2 to 5 years) people can secure their financial future with a long-term residual stream of income.


• Residual income can result in more free time to spend with family and enjoying life.


• Network marketers can help people get control of their financial life and reduce financial pressures.


• Great opportunity for personal growth.

How To Fail In Network Marketing

Recession looms before us. Layoffs are common, Social Security is uncertain, Real Estate is plummeting, the stock market is volatile.

Many are choosing Network Marketing as a primary or secondary source of income because:

• Low Start Up Cost - Try to start a traditional business or open a franchise for under $500. You can create a million dollar business with a very small investment.


• No Experience Necessary - Any successful Network Marketing business will have duplicatable systems you can implement.


• No Degree Necessary - Network Marketing is a "learn while you earn" business. The opportunity is available to ANYONE, but not all choose to take the challenge.


• Low Overhead - All you really need is a voice, a phone, and ambition. Having a computer will progress your business faster, but not necessary.


• Start Part-Time and Work to Full-Time - Network Marketing can be started along side your other job until your income builds up to the full-time level.


• Very Little Risk - Your investment is low and often includes products and services you can personally use.


• Residual Income - Network Marketing offers you the opportunity to leverage your time by earning off the efforts of others. This is called residual income. Is this any different than the owner of a company earning off the efforts of his employees? Actually, the difference is, ANYONE can earn big in Network Marketing; not just the owner.


• Home-Based Business - You can stay home and be with your family while you work your business around YOUR schedule.

MLM (Multi-Level Marketing), in its' original form was originated over 50 years ago. This system of marketing was developed prior to computers. Companies used multiple levels of people to distribute products and pass down the commissions.

A typical arrangement was for people to join a company and begin purchasing their products from another distributor. This other distributor (Direct) had achieved a level with the company where they were contracted ot purchase large quantities of the product (at a discount) from the company and provide it to the rest of the distributors in an area. They would sell the products at a profit, thus justifying the huge inventories they were required to carry. As distributors in their downline would begin to qualify for commissions, the company would pay the Direct and he or she would have to determine what to pay the downline distributors and issue checks. This was very time consuming and led to many errors. (Defined by Rod Nichols in "The Twelve Power Secrets")

Network Marketing - We've already defined Network Marketing as the movement of products or services from the manufacturer or producer to the end user via word of mouth marketing. It is conversational marketing done by distributors that are all contracted directly with the company. Products and commission checks come directly from the company. Products sold primarily through one-on-one sharing and commissions are paid on multiple levels.

Direct Selling- The sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location. These products and services are marketed to customers by independent salespeople. Depending on the company, the salespeople may be called distributors, representatives, consultants or various other titles. Products are sold primarily through in-home shows and commissions are paid on limited levels.

Answer: No. Pyramid schemes are illegal because no products or services are ever really involved, only money and paper trails. As a matter of fact, many large and successful companies have found Network Marketing to be an efficient and cost-effective way to distribute and market their products, with some such companies having been in business for over 40 years!

Pyramid operators benefit from the fact that on the surface, their schemes look simple. An individual is asked to contribute money, and in exchange, as new people are recruited into the scheme, money will flow back to them. But the results of pyramids are inevitable and predictable. All eventually collapse and fail.

The bottom line is this: if it sounds too good to be true... it is!

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www.at-home-networking.com