Network Marketing

Congratulations on finding your way to my network marketing lens. The fact that you are here tells me something about you... you are not satisfied with the status quo and you are going to do something about that. I hope what you find here will help. I think it will.

I've structured this lens for anyone with interest in the field of Internet or network marketing... whether you're new to the business or a seasoned veteran.

If you're just beginning or new to the network marketing industry, you will find valuable information here that will get you started on the right path. If you're in the network marketing business but it's just not working for you, you'll find solutions that will catapult your business to where you thought is should be by now. If you are a seasoned veteran of network marketing with a huge downline but you recognize the industry is changing and you are being pulled out of your comfort zone into the uncharted waters of the Internet, you will find information that will bring clarity, direction and a means to transition your business for the 21st century.

A lot has been said about "old school" vs. "new school" network marketing.

Old school strategies usually include things like "make a list of family and friends," "expand your list to everyone you know including your hairdresser, accountant, real estate agent, etc., "talk to everyone who comes within three feet." They also include home parties, hotel meetings, three-way calls with your upline. They use geometric progression growth analogies like "you get three, who get three, who get three, etc.," and voila... you have thousands in your downline.

New school strategies bring the Internet to the forefront as the primary marketing tool. Relationships are built using social networks (Facebook, Twitter, My Space, You Tube). Lead generation and list building are done via blogs, ezines, videos, etc.

I ran across a video by Jerry McGeehan that I thought was very insightful on this subject. Now I don't know Jerry but I want to share what he had to say about old school vs. new school techniques. In fact, Jerry introduces a new term... same school. He is essentially saying that the only thing that's changed between the old and new schools is the technology. He has a point. The objectives are the same... we need prospects, with whom we build relationships and trust, which lead to sales and growth in our organization. How we get there is the only thing that's changed. But it's an important change and only those who embrace it will thrive. You can watch Jerry's video here.

Two leaders have emerged who are leading the charge to effectively using the Internet for MLM and network marketing.

Ann Sieg burst onto the scene a couple of years ago and rocked the old school world with her shocking ebook, The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing.Starting with the premise that "Almost everything you've ever been taught about building a network marketing business is pure BS," she proceeds to dismantle old school cliches one-by-one in a fashion that anyone who has been in the business can relate to.

But Ann is not a "hit and run" critic. She offers a better way. She created The Renegade Network Marketer, an ebook which in reality is a "how to" book, but more than that... it included a process and a system that anyone could use to launch or transition their business using 21st century technology.

Enter Mike Klingler. Mike picks up the Renegade Network Marketer and, to facilitate it's implementation by his team, develops step-by-step, click-by-click training using the Renegade Network Marketer as the text book and Renegade University is born.

Renegade University is especially good for the person who finds implementing the Renegade Network Marketer a bit overwhelming. Mike Klingler is a master trainer and he takes great care in making sure that the beginner is not lost while ensuring that the more experienced student is not bored.




Now Ann has released her blockbuster ebook, The Attraction Marketer's Manifesto and has teamed up with Mike Klingler to provide the training with the introduction of Renegade Pro. Watch the Ann Sieg and Mike Klingler interview.

MLM (multi-level marketing) and network marketing companies have gotten a bad rap over the years. Unfortunately, the sins of a few have tainted the many. Pyramid schemes are illegal but the legal issue for most MLM and network marketing companies was settled in 1979 when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ruled that Amway was not an illegal pyramid.

While most MLM and network marketing companies today take great care to protect their reputations and their legitimacy by operating within legal and regulatory boundaries, one's due diligence in this area is advised. One key indicator of legitimacy is the presence of a product or service and that the compensation to distributors is based solely on sales of the product or service. Any indication that distributors are compensated for recruiting other distributors should raise a "red flag." There are other factors that can raise "red flags" but it is not my purpose to cover this subject to that depth here. The FTC offers seven tips you should consider before joining a multi-level marketing company.

In recent years the legitimacy, and indeed the prominence, of MLM and network marketing has been elevated by the endorsement or implied endorsement of well known and highly respected entrepreneurs Warren Buffet, Donald Trump, and Robert Kiyosaki. Warren Buffet, upon purchasing his first network marketing company is quoted as saying he was, "extremely excited," and that it was a "wonderful business." Donald Trump said, "Network marketing has proven itself to be a viable and rewarding source of income." Robert Kiyosaki said, "If I had to do it all over again... I would have started building a network marketing business."

If you want to know more about the structure and viability of the network marketing business model, I invite you to watch the movie, Brilliant Compensation, as my guest.