CONFIDENCE COMMUNICATES CREDIBILITY!

If you want to succeed in network marketing you will need to develop a strong sense of confidence in five important areas in order to lay a solid foundation for EVERYTHING else that you do. Your future depends on it.

1. Network marketing as a business model.

You need to be confident that network marketing is an excellent way to market product to the world. Better still, if you can believe that it’s the greatest opportunity in the history of the world!

It’s a fact that Network marketing has empowered millions of people around the world to supplement their incomes and so afford a better quality of life than they would on just a salary. For many, network marketing is their sole source of income.

It’s also a fact that millions of people have failed in network marketing. Understanding why some succeed and others fail will help you to make better decisions regarding your own future in network marketing.

Network marketing is an industry that has thrived as each generation of computer technology opens new doors of opportunity; from simple forms of affiliate marketing being embraced by a growing number of businesses to the more sophisticated compensation plans found in dedicated network marketing companies. Network marketing thrives in a technology rich environment.

Network marketing is freely available to anyone willing to learn the simple skills necessary for success and offers real promise of fair reward for effort and extraordinary achievement to those who will do what it takes to succeed.

2. Your Company.

The power of network marketing lies in the relationship between the company that delivers the product or service and the independent agent or distributor who markets the product on behalf of the company.

If you decide to pursue a career in network marketing, you will have all the benefits of being in business for yourself but without the hassles of production and administration. Every independent agent is essentially a mini-franchise of the parent company, leveraging the power of the parent company to accomplish their own goals .

It stands to reason then that you should align yourself with a company that shares similar values to your own and that has a reputation that inspired confidence.

Many network marketing companies have a greater vision than the mere transactional aspect of selling products for profit. Most have a vision to make a positive difference in the world and they are usually not shy to tell everyone about it. Buying into an inspiring vision will be an important factor in your own motivation to succeed.

How well-established a company is should also be considered.

You can be sure that well-established companies that are members of the Direct Selling Association (DSA) are ‘above board’ and offer a fairly low-risk entry into network marketing; not a guarantee of success but certainly a low risk.

Start up companies on the other hand won’t have an established track record or qualify for membership of the DSA but they could offer great potential for the brave. The risks will be higher and you will need to do a lot more investigation during your due diligence, but risk and reward usually go hand in hand. Even the well-established billion dollar companies were once start-ups!

Which route you take, well-established company or risky start-up, will be a personal choice that depends on what you want to achieve and the level of risk you are willing to accept. Now you can make that choice with your eyes wide open!

3. Your Products

Don’t waste time trying to market products you don’t have confidence in; it’s no way to build a successful business and it ends up being soul destroying.

If you are going to market a product with confidence you need to have confidence in the company’s ability to back up the promises it makes to its customers.

Customer (not distributor) testimonials are obviously a major source of third party credibility because customers use the product without added incentives. Collecting customer testimonials is an important tool in building confidence in the products you plan to market.

The products don’t have to be the “best” on the market, that’s always a subjective standard, but they must be products you enthusiastically believe in. A good starting point is to buy some and see how happy you are as a customer.

More about products in a future hub on Smart Products.

4. Your Compensation Plan

The cardinal rule for a decent compensation plan is “FAIR REWARD FOR EFFORT” and that means the right people get paid for the work that gets done.

There are five actions that a compensation plan should reward;

• Sales
• Recruiting
• Training
• Leadership development
• Consistency

Fair incentives for profitable actions are the hallmarks of a successful company and it is no different in network marketing. What you are looking for here is a plan that offers you fair reward for effort at every level of the organisation.

More about compensation plans when we get to a future hub on Getting Paid what you’re Really Worth.

5. Your Training and Support Systems

You will need access to good training and support when you get started.

Much of your training will be offered by your sponsor and upline. Your sponsor may be as much of a rookie as you are so it’s important to find someone further up line with the experience and information you need, someone who can inspire you to have confidence in your future with the company.

What training does the company offer? Being able to go source for authoritative information on the products and systems, enables you to cut through the rubbish that overly enthusiastic distributors tend to teach as fact.

How well does the company use technology to support its distributors? It should be functional, easy to use and reasonably up to date.

One warning here: The latest technology can be incredibly useful in disciplined hands but equally distracting and unproductive if you are not disciplined. Don’t be seduced by gimmicks, look for functional, easy to use technology that empowers you to build a business.

Building confidence in these five areas is vitally important for your long-term success in network marketing. Make a good start and then keep growing your confidence over time.