Have you purchased startup materials for a network marketing opportunity in the last few weeks, but not yet made the move to get started? I find that this is all too common - I see it happen to new distributors all too often.

The problem is that people get really excited about starting a business but then delay that start for various reasons. Sometime it’s a fear of failure. Other times, it is a result of procrastination, of waiting for “the right time” to make a move.

Something to consider - you cannot wait for life and circumstances to be just right for you to start and build your business. Many new network marketers have failed because of waiting for the “right time” to get started. I have seen people in my own business purchase a startup kit, then delay starting their business, waiting for a perfect time to start.

I sometime think that people believe the presence of that kit or startup package is going to work miracles – as soon as the time is right. It’s that feeling of having something exciting, something that is going to change your life, when the “time is right”. Unfortunately, life is always going to be busy and you will never find a perfect “right time” to get started. You simply have to make the time for your business, and just do it!

Starting your network marketing business today might seem difficult - maybe you don’t have your business cards, organizer, or other things you feel you must have. That’s okay - just do something. Make a contact. Call someone. Email a friend about your business. Whatever it takes, get started. Let your momentum build from there!

If you’re looking for a home business opportunity, think about what you really want to do. How do you feel comfortable making money?

Network marketing, MLM, and direct sales are considered by some to be pretty much the same thing. However, there are some differences worth considering.

First, network marketing and MLM are essentially the same. Sometime you’ll see a precise definition of each that notes some differences, but in common usage today they are interchangeable. In this type of opportunity, you are paid not only on your own efforts, but on the efforts of people you sponsor as well. Your earnings can extend down through several levels of distributors in your group.

In direct sales, you are paid mostly for selling products at retail. There are many home party plans that are basically direct sales opportunities. You can recruit other direct sellers under you in these opportunities, but the money payouts are usually less. Many times the incentive to recruit others is to win prizes and incentives in the form of products or services, as opposed to building an ongoing income stream.

Bear in mind that there are various combinations of these plans. There are home party plan type opportunities that have true network marketing compensation plans. The key to making sense of all this is deciding what you want to do.

If you enjoy selling products that appeal to you, but dislike the idea of recruiting and sponsoring, stick with direct sales. You won’t have opportunity to develop a long-term residual income this way, but you’ll typically make a higher percentage on retail product sales than in a network marketing or MLM plan. The main drawback is that when you stop selling or having parties, your income stops.

If you want to build a residual income that allows you to take some time off and still have income coming in, then network marketing or MLM is your best bet. What you earn is based on your efforts plus your group’s effort, so your income doesn’t depend just on what you personally do.

In all cases, go over exactly what it takes to build your chosen business before you sign up. Be sure you will feel comfortable doing the things necessary for success. If you don’t like inviting people to in-home gatherings, avoid party plan opportunities. If talking to people about your business isn’t your cup of tea, network marketing and MLM might not be right for you.

There are good choices out there - do your research and most of all enjoy your chosen business!

Many things have changed in the last 20 years, and the way we build and grow our network marketing and MLM business is no exception. Technology has brought us so much closer to an ever-expanding sea of prospects for our business. It has never been so easy to reach so many prospects so quickly.

Home based business startups are on the rise. Working from home is no longer the exclusive domain of a select few. Opportunity abounds today for anyone willing to take a chance and make a commitment.

One thing that has changed dramatically in network marketing and MLM is the ability of anyone to be introduced to multiple opportunities in a very short period of time. This has presented challenges for all of us who work hard to build strong and successful businesses.

For example, 20 years ago the MLM and network marketing world consisted mostly of local groups which were typically built around in-home meetings and presentations. Some of the larger MLM organizations often rented hotel space to conduct presentations and training for distributors and prospects in their area.

In that day, a person signing up for a network marketing opportunity had a reasonable chance of staying focused, and feeling a part of something. The local meetings and get-togethers, while sometime inconvenient, did serve a purpose. They helped to build a cohesiveness and loyalty in that group. The odds of being quickly tempted into some other deal in those days was less.

Fast forward to 2009. With technology that delivers recruiting pitches and enticements online 24 hours a day, it’s harder for new network marketing and MLM distributors to keep focused during the early stages of building their business.

Unless there is a strong relationship between the new distributor and their sponsor, it can be very easy to get distracted and move to something else. If there is not enough profit made early on to provide encouragement and momentum, it can serve as justification for moving to something else before anything much has a chance to happen.

When else in history has it been possible for a home business seeker to sign up and then be bombarded with a dozen other opportunities and pitches within 24 hours?

What does this mean to us as sponsors? It means we have to be very diligent and make a strong effort to develop a relationship with our new associates early on. We need to help them start making money as quickly as possible.

This can be a bit more challenging when the new associate lives hundreds of miles away. Challenging, but still doable.

In 2009, let’s all remember one of the major keys to success in network marketing and MLM - developing relationships and friendships. This has always been important, but these days it is really crucial. Our new associates have lots of choices and it’s very easy for them to get information on demand.

Let’s take care of our new people and help them get started right.

Great work! At this point, you’ve done two things.

You’ve firmly established your “whys” for building your network marketing business, and you’ve set some realistic goals for 2009.

So, what comes next? First, make sure your goals are written down. Writing down your goals and desires gives them more meaning and helps solidify them in your mind. You can then review them often, and modify them if needed. You might find yourself making progress and achieving things faster than you thought you would!

Next….and I know I repeat this a lot….get with your sponsor and seek out the people in your upline organization who are successful in your business. Find the stars and superstars, and contact them. If you’re lucky, your direct sponsor might be a star with the company already. If not, remember it takes time for anyone to reach that point, and work with your sponsor to get in touch with your upline leaders.

Review your plans with them, and heed their advice. If they are achieving the level of success and income that you desire, they can help you cut months (even years) off your learning curve.

Don’t slack on this. Your network marketing upline organization should have an established roadmap (plan for success) in place. You want to talk about it with your leaders and seek their help in using it to achieve your personal goals. You won’t regret it - just do it.

Previous parts of this series:

Preparing and Planning for Success in Network Marketing and MLM - 2009

What Do You Really Want From Your Network Marketing Business in 2009?

Creating Effective Goals For Your Network Marketing Business in 2009

Once you’ve figured out the “why” - the real reasons you want to build a network marketing business - it’s time to create some clear and well-defined goals.

Using some of the questions from my last post in this series, let’s take a look at some goals that are based on the “why”.

• how much money do you want to make? - I want to make a monthly net income of $5000.

• why do you want this money? - My desire is quit my job.

• are you looking to quit your job or just supplement your income? - I want to quit my job and make my network marketing income my full-time support.

• if you’re wanting to quit your job and work from home, why? - I want to stay home with my children while they’re young, and enjoy freedom I wouldn’t have with a job.

• are you willing to commit the necessary time and resources to make this happen? - I will invest 20 hours per week of quality time for my business, and budget $200 per month for advertising and promotion.

See how these goals are specific and focused? This is much better than thinking “I want to make as much as I can so maybe I can someday quit my job and stay home with my kids“. Big difference.

Think carefully about the goals you choose. Be certain that they really mean a LOT to you. You’ll need them to keep you on track when things get tough (they will at some point - true of all home businesses).

For each goal you’ve chosen based on your reasons for starting a network marketing business, visualize the benefits. Can you feel the excitement and anticipation? If not, keep working on them until you do. You really need to feel and experience, in your mind, the good things that building your business will bring.

As always, I urge you to discuss your goals and dreams with your upline leaders. You need their support and guidance, especially if you’re new to network marketing and MLM.

Once you’ve established some solid goals, it’s time for the next step. Stay tuned.

Previous parts of this series:

Preparing and Planning for Success in Network Marketing and MLM - 2009

What Do You Really Want From Your Network Marketing Business in 2009?

Before you get too deep into goal setting, you need to have a good understanding of what you really want from your network marketing and MLM business.

Why? Because knowing what you want gives you defined results that you can visualize and aim for. If your reasons for doing your business are vague, it’s like shooting an arrow at a target in the fog.

Having a clear vision of your purpose also helps you develop the enthusiasm and drive you’ll need to succeed. Network marketing is a simple business, to be sure, but building up a substantial residual income takes plenty of work. You’ll want the best possible reasons and motivation to do it.

A lot of people get into network marketing with the idea of “making some money” and perhaps becoming financially independent. While this is an EXCELLENT reason to start a home business, the objective is just too vague.

• how much money do you want to make?

• why do you want this money?

• are you looking to quit your job or just supplement your income?

• if you’re wanting to quit your job and work from home, why?

• what specific things would you do if you had this money?

• how much would it take to pay off your bills and become financially free?

• are you willing to commit the necessary time and resources to make this happen?

It would be very helpful if you consult with your upline leaders (or the leaders in your future upline if you haven’t signed up yet) and discuss why you really want to build a network marketing business. The leaders are the ones making money, and they know what it takes.

I can’t stress this enough - get with your upline leaders. If your sponsor is also new to the business, definitely develop a relationship and work together. Just don’t neglect going upline to get help from the established leaders as well.

The bottom line is this - before you can set realistic goals that will inspire you to action, you have to know what you want and what it will take to get there. The picture needs to be clear and defined.

It’s almost here - another new year, which brings hope and promise for even greater success with your MLM and network marketing business.

I know it’s said a lot, and perhaps overworked a bit at times, but planning for success is what enables you to reach the goals you’ve set for yourself and your business.

While you can make money and sometime do okay “flying by the seat of your pants”, those who achieve the most have a plan and execute it daily.

There are some fundamental steps to creating goals and targets that are realistic and achievable, while at the same time being challenging enough to pull you forward.

Between now and January 1, I’m going to reveal some steps that will help you set your goals correctly and give you a foundation for real success in your network marketing business.

Shortly, we’ll talk about what you REALLY want from your business. I mean, really want.

Stay tuned. As I add to this series, the links will appear below.

What Do You Really Want From Your Network Marketing Business in 2009?

I was reading an interesting article over at MSN today. It seems that home based businesses are a growing trend -  a trend that is expected to show a steady increase over the next few years.

With an uncertain economy and the lack of real job security these days, more and more people are choosing to “take charge” and build their own income independent of a traditional job. The window of opportunity is wide open for anyone who desires the opportunity to be self employed and make money with their own home business.

Network marketing and MLM opportunities offer an attractive option to anyone interested in making money from home. With many traditional home based businesses, a good bit of startup money is required. This is in addition to the time investment that is required by all business enterprises.

With network marketing or MLM, you will have the time investment but you can start a very successful business for far less money than, say, a home based franchise opportunity. This is one of the great advantages of network marketing - low startup cost, along with huge income potential.

Here is the article from MSN that discusses the trend toward working from home:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/Extra/beating-a-bad-economy-from-home.aspx?GT1=33002

For a look at how network marketing and MLM fit in, take a look at this presentation. This movie is a classic and explains the concept very well.

Brilliant Compensation Featuring Tim Sales

Building a successful home based network marketing or MLM business is hard work. Sometime the going gets tough. There will be times when you get discouraged and may feel like giving up. I know - I’ve been there more than once.

I found this inspiring little video that I’d like to share with you. As we all prepare for Christmas and other holiday celebrations, it helps to slow down and unwind a little.

Enjoy!

Network marketing will always be a business about people. Some cynical recruiters might say it’s just a numbers game.You throw enough mud against the wall knowing that some will stick. A few network marketers view the business that way, and simply ignore prospects who don’t join right away, or who ask a lot of questions. I’m sure glad I’m not in a group with anyone who thinks that way.

Strictly working percentages and not considering the human factor isn’t the way to build a long-lasting and profitable network marketing business. People are not numbers – they’re humans who have dreams and desires just like you do.

Your job is to help them achieve the level of success they desire with their business. Some will desire just a part-time commitment and income to match. Others will aim for a full-time business to get them out of a job or career path that they dislike.

To help your downline associates achieve their goals, you must have a desire to be a mentor, and a willingness to patiently work with them. Sometime your downline associates just don’t grow and build up their business as fast as you think they should. Sometime they’ll start out right, then quit doing the things required to be successful.

Life events and changes sometime get in the way, even for our hardest working downline team members. Just treat each of them as an individual, and work with them to build their business at whatever pace is comfortable for them. Don’t give up if you feel someone moves too slowly. Work with them and encourage them to be the best they can be.

This is an underlying secret, one of the keys to ultimate long-term success in network marketing.