If the phrase ‘Network Marketing’ comes up in a conversation, the response reaction will be immediate. Even people who don’t know anything about it have an opinion - usually a very strong one. I could take it one step farther and say that the people who have a positive response to Network Marketing are themselves IN some form of networking and the rest are very negative. There seems to be no middle of the road.

What is the First Word You Think Of?

What is the first word to pop into your mind when you think of Network Marketing? Come on, if you are truthful - even IF you are in a great network marketing group - one of the very first words will still be SALES. (Money might come in a close second, but that’s another subject.) The mindset of sales is ingrained deeply. Networking has always been about sales in one form or another.

Over the years, the image of sales has grown even more negative. “Oh, you’re in sales” - like you have a disease - or worse - the unspoken but implied look of pity that says they are sorry for you. More than once, the phrase, "network marketing scam" has reached my ears. Network Marketing did not always have such a negative image, but years of pushy sales tactics have taken a toll and, if you haven’t personally had an experience with it, someone you know has.

Mike Klingler has some interesting thoughts on the subject. in a video, he tells of his experience with an e-book by Ann Sieg called “The Renegade Network Marketer” and how it impacted his business. Ann Sieg captured the interest of more than one person in that e-book. Thousands have identified with the reality check she presents on network marketing.

Everyone Networks

The interesting part of it all is this. Everyone networks everyday. Networking is how we communicate, how we hear about great ideas and how we buy. We just like to do it on our own time and in our own way. So, it’s really not networking that has a bad rap at all. It’s the way we network.

Ready for a New Approach

That’s why, when a refreshing change of pace came my way, I was all ears. Social Marketing is a new approach to networking. It is a way to attract prospects to your business and Generate Leads without going out and finding them yourself. With the introduction of Web 2.0, the internet has become a place where you can build a social network - where people will see what you are offering and come to you - ready to hear what you have to offer.

You can learn more about Social Marketing (also called Attraction Marketing) at Renegade University, where you will find very professional training set up in click-by-click tutorials designed for even the very beginner. And who knows, by implementing this new technology, you just might discover that you have a new opinion to go with it.

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