Network Marketing And The Attraction Marketing Model

I guess this could be regarded as a "get out of jail free" card - I've made mistakes and still do, but not to such a high degree (that's how we learn, I guess). Cold calling just didn't work for me. I felt uncomfortable because I was pestering people with my sales pitch. I wish someone had offered me a lifeline before I spent thousands of dollars on stock that I couldn't sell!

It's my intention here to guide you down the safest and easiest path and avoid any high start-up costs and also high weekly or monthly costs. It is possible to set up your business very cheaply, and add to it as the business grows if you choose carefully.

There is a lot of good free information on the web, and there is a lot of useless trash too. It's important not to overload yourself with the wrong information . If you jump quickly from one business opportunity to another, whilst learning a little from each one, you eventually end up nowhere and learn nothing.

With the global economy biting into everyone's pockets, a well thought out internet marketing plan could help to stave off financial disaster. Implementing your own mlm lead generation system means not having to buy lousy leads, and the ones you generate are highly targeted, high quality and possibly free (if you follow my advice).

I am here to offer my help to anyone else with similar problems, or teach them to avoid them completely (even better). Please feel free to check my bio and contact me.

My beginnings in network marketing....let's see.... Oh yeah.

I was at work one day, feeling down and day-dreaming of a way to make some extra cash so I could give up my dreary job and work from home. You know, that dream where you spend every day lazing on a beach in the Bahamas and doing lots and lots of nothing, yeah that dream.

So there I was, flicking through the newspaper classifieds (yep, working hard) when I noticed a small classified ad promoting working from home (can't remember what it said exactly, something about making a fortune with a home based business and financial freedom in the blink of an eye).

Anyway, I decided to respond to the ad. Before I knew it I was given a general introduction to the business and was signed up with my first network marketing company - a very popular health and nutrition company. I couldn't believe it - Shane Lawrence, entrepreneur! However, It wasn't too long after this that things started to go pair-shaped.

Don't get me wrong, the company in question is a great one, they must be to have survived so long and grown so large, and their products are first class - I've used them, and still do. Unfortunately their business plan and marketing methods didn't suit me at the time (as inexperienced as I was).

My first hurdle came when I realised I had to keep stock on hand at home for my legions of customers (once I found them). The problem was that the stock had a reasonably short shelf-life, and legally you're not supposed to sell it if it's expired, so I needed to move the stuff fast.

My first MAJOR shock, however, was the size of the stock order I had to place, and the cost - several thousand dollars worth! This order was for me to become a supervisor and receive commissions. Now I was really getting worried.

Trying to move so much stock without a client base and dwindling use-by dates on the stock was starting to look more like a nightmare - not a beautiful sandy beach in the Bahamas.

Next problem... the marketing methods I was introduced to and the ones I was told to stay away from. This was a simple problem with a not so simple solution - I was told to do all my marketing off-line and discouraged from any online marketing methods including social marketing (as instructed by my up-line).

As I've already mentioned, cold calling just doesn't cut it these days. People don't like complete strangers phoning them, trying to push their products or business opportunity - to them, you and your product both appear cheap!

I'm the type of person who would benefit more from on-line marketing methods than off-line, I've always been a bit of a computer geek. I'm sure I would have been able to achieve more by incorporating both off-line and online marketing methods.

I printed off hundreds of fliers and dropped them in mail boxes all over town, and I got two lukewarm replies - but at least I got exercise from all the walking I did.

I started on a fax-blast program ( my up-line's suggestion). I sent three faxes each day to different businesses for around three months - probably 300 faxes - and got one favourable reply.

I also mailed letters to my family and warm list (anyone I knew and wanted to harass).

I drove 1000 kilometres (round trip) for a training and motivational meeting. These rah-rah meetings are held monthly, and are designed to motivate the distributor for the next few weeks until the next meeting is held.

I ran classified ads in a regional newspaper (not cheap), the results were slightly better but people only wanted something for nothing. When they found there was a cost involved (postage) they got abusive.

I also purchased so-called high quality or premium leads. Unfortunately they weren't high quality, they were generated from people doing online surveys so they could earn cash or win a free ipod or something. They had absolutely no interest in my business opportunity and no intention of buying anything either. My "work from home" dream was capsizing!

By this stage I'd had enough. I spoke to my sponsor and voiced my concerns regarding the marketing methods and how things weren't working out. You know what the incredible part was? I was told to just keep doing more of the same and in time things would work out. How stupid was I not to see the light? The answer was so simple. If something isn't working, just do a whole lot more of it and it will be fine!

So where are we up to?....

A stack of inventory gathering dust,

Bank accounts going Titanic,

Marketing methods that Noah used,

And don't forget this one... wife about to divorce me!

By this time I had totally lost it. I decided to cancel the replicated websites, the company voicemail account (used to send voice messages online) and started arranging to re-sell the inventory back to the company. At least I would get some money back - minus their processing fee and freight costs.

Then one day I came across something that really opened my eyes. I went to one of my mlm websites (I believe it was the company's main admin page) and noticed an ad for a free e-book, which I promptly downloaded.

It was called "The Seven Great Lies Of Network Marketing" by Ann Sieg.

Things haven't been the same for me since then.

As I stated above, replicated websites just don't cut it. I would recommend one of three avenues regarding your websites;

• 1."Build your own website from scratch." I did, and I had a lot of fun doing it.
  
  I guess my little website doesn't stack up against the professional sites, but for me it's not a bad effort and it does the job. I have the option to edit it whenever I feel like and I don't need to pay someone to do it.
  
  However I had to learn at least some basic html programming as I was building my site (I planned doing this anyway).



• 2. Have a website built by a web developer, I'm not sure of the cost, however I would expect this to be quite expensive.



• 3. Use Ken Evoy's "Site Build It" system to build your site. It's excellent value and takes you step by step through the entire process.

The biggest problem with replicated websites is that you can't differentiate yourself from everyone else. What I mean is, you can't stand out from the crowd and make yourself visible to your prospects when everyone in the company is using exactly the same websites.

Ann Sieg has been working in the mlm industry for quite a few years now. In that time she has tried a lot of different recruiting methods that are still being taught in mlm today, (I tried quite a few of these myself) including:

3 foot rule
Names lists
Prospecting in shopping centres
Social clubs
Flier drops
Prospecting her family and friends
Hotel meetings
3-Way calls with up-lines
MLM company conventions
3rd party leads
...And more.

Unfortunately, even with Ann's drive and determination, people in Ann's downline weren't willing to go to the lengths that Ann went to in order to make their mlm business a success. For Ann, duplication of her business by her downline was non-existent. Studies have shown that the failure rate in the mlm industry is over 90%. People just find it too hard to succeed and they give up.

Instead of getting upset or giving up, Ann got mad because although she had put her heart and soul into doing what her upline had told her to do, it wasn't working (sound familiar?). What was even worse is that her upline had the nerve to tell her that she just needed to have more belief and do more of it; as if she needed to believe more or do more!

So instead of quitting, Ann Sieg went in search of answers.... Enter "the internet attraction marketing model."

We would normally think of a professional as someone that you seek out for specific advice in relation to a specific problem, correct? Well, approaching people who aren't interested in the first place does not position you as a professional, it just makes you a pest.

When someone comes to us seeking advice, we need to have the skills to identify their immediate concerns and offer a solution that matches their problem. This is what professionals do.

Ann had found two key points of interest regarding how to approach her mlm business;

1. Position herself as a professional so that people would approach her instead of the other way around and;

2. Have the necessary skills to identify the prospect's fears or concerns, and then offer a solution to fix or match those fears or concerns.

It is simply good marketing that has people approaching you and good sales that will allow you to match your product to their wants and needs.

Ann knew by now that there are the ordinary 3rd party leads and then there are the Pre-Qualified mlm leads that come looking for you. This was a lesson that Ann was about to stumble upon and it would change the way she approached mlm marketing forever...

Ann found that by using her new found marketing skills, and being able to help solve peoples problems by offering solutions, whatever problems they may be, she was elevating herself above being just another network marketer. She was presenting herself as a professional and someone who could be trusted.

Ann used what is called the consultative approach technique when communicating with her customers and prospects.

She listened intently to the customer and identified their needs, then tailored the sale to suit the client. This ensured the sale is a win-win situation, and in turn built credibility.

She now had a healthy supply of leads being generated, enough for herself and her downline.

Ann wrote her first book, The 7 Great Lies Of Network Marketing, around 2-3 years ago. This book turned the network marketing industry on it's head. It revealed all the lies and tricks used in network marketing at the time.

It's hard to say which of the seven lies was the worst. All I know is some seasoned hard-hitting marketers wanted blood! But there where, at that time, also a lot of marketers that agreed whole-heartedly with what Ann had written (including me).

This is Ann Sieg's original report, The 7 Great Lies Of Network Marketing. It is also the 35 page e-book that started my business on a new course.

I must say, however, that I didn't agree entirely with the report title. I think their still is a place for both the old-style marketing methods which have been successful for so long, and the new attraction marketing methods. It's just a matter of finding common ground between the two.

Sure, network marketing has it's flaws, but it's still one of the best methods for many of us to create a residual income. Now with the social marketing methods which are being implemented (web 2.0), mlm lead generation is so much simpler for all of us, and a lot of fun too.

I remember when I first read the report. I knew their had to be a better way, and Ann found it. I suddenly realised that someone else understood exactly how I felt and what I was going through. So it wasn't just me that was the problem!

I experienced quite a few of the seven "lies" my self. The book reveals the flaws which have given network marketing such a bad name... and it has been considered by some to be quite controversial. It also upset quite a few old-school network marketers.

Although the book sometimes goes to extremes with some comments, the content is right on the mark. Whether you're having problems with getting your business off the ground or not, I would recommend to anyone involved in network marketing to download and read it. It costs nothing, so judge the content for yourself.

The Renegade Network marketer is a 143 page "must have" for anyone in, or considering starting out in network marketing. It's Ann's main work, and the book that introduced me to attraction marketing methods.

Internet Attraction marketing is where prospects are drawn to you by offering them high quality information. This is information such as solutions to their problems, fears and frustrations - instead of the old network marketing lead generation methods of finding and pitching to prospective clients, cold calling and the "3 foot rule".

One of the biggest problems internet marketers face when starting off is creating cash flow. When I downloaded the Renegade Network Marketer book, I was dumb-founded. This is what I had been looking for. It showed me how to generate multiple sources of income.

When I bought the Renegade book, I was also given access to The Renegade System. This is a special website linked to the Renegade Network Marketer book.

Anyone who purchases the book is given free instant access to the Renegade System and all it's training and marketing resources. The back-end area gives you access to around forty affiliate programs where you can earn commissions (including Clickbank, Commission Junction and more).

This is one of the easiest ways to start bringing in revenue - with affiliate commissions. Affiliate network marketing is one of the easiest ways I've seen to make an additional income. The renegade e-book has a one-off cost involved, but when you read it, and access the training areas of the renegade system, you'll realise just how much value is available here.

The great thing I found when I purchased the Renegade Network Marketer was that I had 90 days to try it out - completely risk-free. If I wasn't happy with it, I didn't pay a cent, but I also got to keep everything. The manual... the bonuses... the audio's... yes, even access to the back end training area.

If you'd like to learn how to attract pre-qualified leads to you, rather than chasing people down... I highly recommend checking out this ground-breaking e-book - 'The Renegade Network Marketer.' You'll learn some of the guarded secrets of the mlm industry that were previously only enjoyed by the top 3% of all earners.

You can download your copy of The Renegade Network Marketer here.

Kody Bateman is the creator of SendOutCards

A few years ago, Kody was relocating from Salt Lake City to New York City and had a prompting to see his brother and say goodbye. Unfortunately he didn't act on that prompting until it was too late. His brother Kris had been killed in a freak accident. Kody made a commitment to his late brother that he would act upon his promptings and teach others to do the same. This is how SendOutCards came to be.

I personally love this program, so does my wife. I've never come across anything like it before. We send all our Christmas, Easter and Birthday cards in no time at all.

SendOutCards is a wonderful concept and service that is changing countless lives.

Anyone can send a printed greeting card with a message and even a gift in less than 60 seconds. It's as simple as:

* Choosing your card
* Writing your message
* Clicking send

SendOutCards prints it, packs it, and mails it, all for less than a greeting card at the store.

You can also add your own images to the front cover and inside the cards, as well as your personal hand-written signature.

When was the last time you sent an unexpected card to someone you care about?

If you would like to send a card or two, visit my SendOutCards website and give it a try!

The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto is Ann's latest e-book, and is designed to fill in the blanks for people who are confused or don't know where to start with their online marketing. Many people are out of work at present and with the economic downturn a lot of people are turning to home-based business opportunities.
The manifesto takes business development to a new level above the Renegade Network Marketer in that it shows how the attraction marketing model works, but it also teaches you how to elevate your credibility ranking so people see you as an authority in your field.

I remember when I downloaded my copy. I couldn't wait to soak up every word like a sponge.

Download your copy of The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto here.

I was originally encouraged by another "Renegade" to sign up with Mike Klingler's Renegade University. I'm glad I did.The Renegade University is a great free course run by Mike Klingler. It's designed to take your business training to the next level using the attraction marketing techniques.

The Renegade university training is free, but you can also upgrade to the Renegade Professional training if you like. I'm currently in the Renegade Pro training and I have to say, for what it costs (very inexpensive), the training can't be beaten. You're shown step-by-step how to do everything with nothing left out. The training covers such things as Squidoo, ezine articles, bookmarking, youtube, face book, and many more topics.





Click the banner above or this link to check out The Renegade University

Ann Sieg and Mike Klingler have joined forces to create a great new training course called "Build Your First Email List In 3 Days". It's designed to help people who may be struggling to build an email list of prospects as quickly, cheaply and painlessly as possible.



As I mentioned previously, purchased leads are a waste of time, and you should be generating your own. This course will show you how to do this with Mike's step-by-step tutorials and videos.

Join the "Build Your First Email List" Course now.

So it looks like we're nearing the end... for now. But remember, the only way is up!

My immediate plans and options are simple; I'm going to continue working my way through the Renegade Pro training. There's a wealth of information in there which is being added to regularly, including training calls, videos, and webinars.

Personal development is important in anything, especially network marketing. I also find myself going back to each of Ann's books from time to time, searching for that piece of wisdom.

Your options?

If you are interested in a career in internet marketing, I would suggest you take me up on my offer for a free consultation. We can discuss any worries or problems you have without obligation or simply discuss your plans and where you want to go with your business.

I would also suggest you get a copy of Ann Sieg's books. The 7 Great Lies Of Network Marketing and The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto are both free downloads.

The Renegade Network Marketer has a fixed price, but also gives you access to all the crucial extra resources and affiliate links which are included in the Renegade System website (we call it the back-end).

Thanks for your time, I look forward to speaking with you.

Cheers.