Posts Tagged ‘Robert Kiyosaki’

What is MLM and Network Marketing – An Overview of a Powerful Home Business Model

February 7th, 2010

Have you heard of MLM or network marketing? MLM, or network marketing, can be a powerful home based business vehicle, but it is not generally well understood. It is fraught with misconception and an often tainted reputation on the part of the general public.

If you have heard of MLM or network marketing before, do you think of it in positive terms or do you have a negative perception of the industry? When you hear someone such as Donald Trump, or Robert Kiyosaki, or Jim Rohn suggest network marketing is a terrific home based business vehicle for the average person, what reaction do you have? Which side of the fence are you on and more importantly, why?

If you already participate in network marketing, do you sometimes feel embarrassed to admit it? What is it about your beliefs around network marketing that lead you to have these feelings?

In this article, you’re going to get the straight goods about MLM and network marketing as an industry, how it evolved, and where some of the misconceptions came from. That will allow you to put the feelings or perceptions you have about the network marketing industry into some context, from which you can assess whether or not your feelings and perceptions are valid » Read more: What is MLM and Network Marketing – An Overview of a Powerful Home Business Model

Is Network Marketing the Ideal Business Model ?

September 12th, 2009

It is often said that network marketing is the perfect business. It seems logical that many people in the business say this, since a statement like that could draw new people into the business. “This really is the perfect business!” could be just what your prospect needs to get the courage to make the decision and join your network marketing company. But is that all it is? Just a great statement to be used in an attempt to close people, or is there actually any truth to it? Of course not everybody shares this positive image of the industry. Many people think quite the opposite of network marketing. Busloads of people would laugh when someone would refer to it as ‘the perfect business’ because they don’t even consider it a business in the first place. They might still have the picture of a bunch of housewives gathering around the kitchen table to sell each other plastic cups and lingerie as a hobby. Obviously not everybody evaluates a business by the same criteria but with global revenues exceeding 100 billion dollars it just doesn’t fit the description of a hobby anymore. It’s serious business.

Fortunately a lot has been written on the subject over the years, by people outside and inside network marketing. Robert Kiyosaki is a good example of a successful entrepreneur and best selling author, who has not made his fortune in network marketing. He isn’t even in the business. But he is a strong advocate of the industry because of its power and potential. He also explains why, in his opinion, this industry offers the best chance of success for an individual that wants to start a business these days. He claims that network marketing companies have a system in place, much like a franchising formula, that have proven to produce results if you stick to the system.

So if we have established that network marketing is indeed a business, the question still remains: “How perfect is it?” To answer this question let’s look at this from the perspective of someone that wants to go out and start a business.

If you were to start a traditional type business the first thing you need would probably be money. In many cases a lot of it, so you would need to talk to a bank. Of course this bank is not just going to throw money at you until you convince them that your business has a good chance of success and that you are a good candidate. You may even have paid a professional to put together a solid business plan. So before you make your first dime, you are spending valuable time and money to even be considered to get the money you need from the bank.

Now let’s say you qualify and you get the money from the bank. Then you go out and start your business. You rent the space for your store or office and in doing so you have to put down a deposit for the first month or two and you probably have to sign a contract for a minimum duration of your lease. This will account for at least a couple of thousand dollars. Then you have to get the furniture and equipment to make your business actually look like one. Depending on your type of business that can range from hundreds to many thousands of dollars that you must spend just to get your business up and running.

Of course it doesn’t end there. You’ll have to take care and pay for: insurance, advertising, accounting, legal fees, taxes and a bunch of other things that you may not have anticipated, but will prove to be necessary nonetheless. In most of these cases it will take someone else’s knowledge and that someone wants to get paid for their service.

Now you may realize that with all of these things to take care of you’re required to work your business full time. And this is not full time like 40-60 hours on a job. Most entrepreneurs work 60-80 hours or more per week. Still, you can’t be in the store all day and do it all by yourself. So you decide to hire someone to help out. Here comes the nightmare of all companies: employees. They’ll work hard when you’re there and slouch when you’re not. When they show up late or call in sick, you have to open the store. And they’ll never work as hard as you do, because it’s not their business, it’s only their job. Nevertheless you must pay them before you can even pay yourself.

And then we haven’t even discussed all the outside factors like: competition, government regulations, technology, city circulation plans, customers that refuse to pay and too many more to mention. A change in any single one of them could put you out of business in no time. The sad truth is that over 90% of all new businesses go out of business within the first five years of their existence. Yet how much money do you put on the line to have a chance in a business like this?

Now let’s compare this with the business of network marketing and see what the differences are. If you start your own network marketing business the initial investment is very low; probably less than $500. You don’t need an office or a store to rent because you work out of your home. There is no need for extra insurance, legal fees or expensive marketing advice, because all of these things are taken care of by any good network marketing company. Most companies also offer valuable training at minimal cost that will vastly increase your chances of success.

You can start your business part time and you can work when and where you choose. Perhaps the most important advantage of the network marketing business model it the leverage is offers. You can leverage yourself by sponsoring others into your business and helping them build a business for themselves. Yet these people on your team are not your employees, they each have their own business. Therefore they’ll be more motivated to work because they are not working for you, they are working for themselves. This way you can build a network of thousands of independent distributors scattered all across the globe through different levels in your organization that you can benefit from. It’s like having thousands of stores all over the world without having to pay rent on any of them. Does this make network marketing perfect? No, of course not. Nothing is perfect but anyone who seriously evaluates network marketing can’t help but come to the conclusion that it offers some remarkable advantages over traditional business.




By: anonymous

Understanding Network Marketing: Why it Works and Why it Won’t

August 19th, 2009

To say that the network marketing industry has been a success would be an understatement indeed. Today, this business involves millions of people, with many programs and companies expanding in different countries around the world.

It has become such a top dollar earner that many of the authors, coaches and gurus we know today advocate it. But can people such as Robert Kiyosaki and Robert Allen be wrong? Here are reasons why network marketing works and why it won’t:

What is network marketing?

Network marketing is another term for multi-level marketing (MLM). It is a business model that involves the distribution of products and/or services from the main company through its network of distributors or retailers.

This network then promotes these products and services through direct selling to its end users, the consumers.

Distributors are considered independent of the parent company and thus are not salaried employees or personnel. In network marketing, they are allowed to build their own little business unit by recruiting other members who will serve as their ‘downlines’. These members, in turn, also recruit other members or downlines.

Why it works

When implemented correctly, network marketing can mean an excellent business and source of income for many. It also offers huge potential for unlimited income, provided set standards are in place and that all members of the downline perform.

The concept regarding income generation through network marketing is actually simple: all members (uplines and downlines alike) earn a commission out of the sale of the program’s products or services. They could also earn commissions through the earnings generated by their downlines.

In many business models, a commission may also be paid to the upline for recruiting a downline. This makes it a strong incentive for many distributors to increase the number of downlines they have.

Compensation plans used in network marketing vary, depending on the company. It could be one of the following: unilevel, binary, stair-step, breakaway and matrix.

The road towards successful network marketing

Network marketing is about building strong, reliable referrals and soft selling. What differentiates it from similar forms of business models is that it actually has a good product or service to sell over a long period.

Network marketers rely on the consumer appeal of this product in order for it to generate income. Some of the most successful products have been those that catered to specialized needs or offered an alternative to what is already readily available in the market.

Most of these products are also produced or manufactured by the network marketing parent company itself. Without a product that has a mass appeal or at least a ready niche, no network marketing business will survive.

The trouble with network marketing

Network marketing per se is an excellent business model. The problem is that there are many individuals who take a few aspects of the business, twist it and use it for their own dubious plans. By simply changing a few things in the practice of network marketing, it turns into pyramiding, a structure that is not only illegal, it is also doomed at the start.

The key here is for both newbies and experienced marketers to ensure that network marketing is not stained by wrong practices. It is a business that has been proven to work and has in fact helped millions of people around the world improve their lives and that of others. It really is up to insiders in the industry to preserve the business and make it work.




By: Larry Rivera