Top 10 Strategies for Becoming a Professional Network Marketer

Network marketing is becoming more popular as people try to supplement their income, or replace income from lost jobs.  It's one business where almost anyone can be successful.  But many people I know are still only doing it either part time in addition to their regular job, or they regard it as only temporary, until they find a new job.  What does it take to cross that line from part-time networker to professional network marketer?

1.  Know your business.  You should be completely familiar with your company and its products, its compensation plan, what support is offered to new reps, and how to get new reps started in the business.  If you don't understand it, you won't be able to explain it to potential customers or prospects.  If you are new and still learning, make sure you know who to contact that can answer these questions for you.

2.  Stay the course.  I can't tell you how many fellow network marketers I know who are always chasing the next big thing.  They don't stick with anything long enough to be successful at it.  Do your research and pick the company that is best for you.  There are many good ones.  Once you have found the company that meets your needs, stay with it.  Focus on this one business until you reach your goals.

3.  Learn to communicate effectively.  Network marketing is a people business.  If you can't communicate, you will never be successful.  You can generate or purchase all the leads in the world, but if you can't convert them to customers or business partners, it won't make a bit of difference.  And to do that, you will have to talk to them.  I don't know too many network marketers who have joined a company based solely on a web page, DVD, or recorded call.  And while I have gotten a few customers my website, most of them wanted to talk to someone before they made a purchase. 

4.  Know what you are marketing.  When I started in the business, I was failing miserably.  Then I discovered Mike Dillard and I learned one thing from him that has made all the difference.  It's not about your company, or your comp plan, or your products.  Sure, these things are all important.  But the number one thing your prospects are buying is you!  Become a person of value and learn to market that and you go join almost any company and your people will follow you. 

5.  Take action!  No one is going to build your business for you.  You will have to do something.  I had a team member who continually complained because he wasn't making any money.  He finally quit and then devoted quite a bit of time to convincing everyone that the business was a scam.  And yet whenever we asked him how many people he had talked to, or how many presentations he had given, or how many ads had he placed, the answer was always the same - zero!  If he had spent half the energy building his business that he spent trying to convince everyone it was a fraud, he'd be well on his way to financial independence by now.

6.  Finish what you start.  A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Carrie Wilkerson (aka The Barefoot Executive).  And she made a statement that has stuck with me ever since.  Taking action is great but it's not enough.  You have to take massive action to COMPLETION! 

7.  Target the right people.  Please - do not hound your friends and family to join your business.  They probably aren't interested.  If they are, they will let you know.  Who do you want to look for?  People who are already in the business but aren't having much success with the company they are in.  People who are already successful network marketers.  People who are actively looking for information on network marketing opportunities.  These people already understand the business well enough to know that it is a good fit for them. 

8.  Learn to harness the power of the internet.  The easiest way to find your target market is by learning to use the internet effectively.  There are some great people who can teach you what you need to know - Bob Jenkins (aka Bob the Teacher), Ken McArthur, and Mike Dillard are three of my personal favorites. 

9.  Teach what you have learned.  It's not enough for you to use these strategies.  You have to lead your team in the same direction.  Teach your front line reps what to do and then train them to teach their reps the same thing.  Soon you will have an entire organization that is continually being trained to use the same strategies that are working for you.

10.  Make a plan.  Every business needs a plan, even a network marketing business.  Set your goals and then use these strategies to build a plan to reach them.  Decide today to become a professional network marketer and then do it!