subject: Network Marketing - Sales Are What Makes A Mighty Mlm [print this page] Network marketing sales is a popular form of getting products and services into the hands of consumers, all while allowing people to own their own business and be the master of their personal financial destiny. Some people have given network marketing (also known as direct sales or multilevel marketing) a bad name because they promise that the business is a way to get rich quick without really trying.
If you've ever been surfing the internet and seen ads that say things like, "I made $500,000 working from home, and you can too!" or "Make six figures your first year," then you've seen ads for network marketing. The people behind these ads, however, are not the best examples of how the business works. While it is true that there are people in MLM who have made that kind of money, most people don't even come close to those figures in their first year, or even their first ten year. Network marketing, like any business, requires hard work and perseverance. People making these claims are doing themselves, the industry, and the people they recruit, a terrible disservice.
There are also people who tell you that network marketing is not sales. This is an outright lie. Everything about network marketing is sales. When you start off in the industry, you build your business through the sale of products or services. This is where you learn the art of selling. How to pitch, how to ask for the sale, reducing your closing time and increasing your closing ratio. It doesn't matter if you market your products online, in person, or through telepathy, you are selling something.
Once you are comfortable selling your product, you can begin to focus on building your downline. You do this by selling the opportunity. You are encouraging and persuading people to take the action of joining your company. Whether or not you make a direct commission off of that call to action, you are still engaged in the sales process.
So why didn't the ad or the recruiter say you'd be selling? And why, in some cases, when you say you are apprehensive about sales, do they tell you you won't be selling? Unfortunately, "sales" usually has a negative connotation. People don't like to be sold. Think about it. What turns you off in a store? Pushy salespeople, right? Why do you cringe when the phone rings at dinnertime? Because odds are there's a salesperson on the other end of the phone. Some recruiters shy away from using the word sales and think people will be more likely to join their company if they say there is no selling involved.
But if you are afraid of sales, that's normal. Every salesperson had to start somewhere. Some people are naturals, sure. But most people clam up at the idea of talking to strangers, let alone asking them to hand over cash. The easiest way to overcome this is to recognize that 1) you are providing something they need. Be it your product, which has a direct use or your opportunity, which provides them a way to make money, you are offering something that benefits that person. 2) If they say no, they aren't rejecting you as a person. They are simply telling you that they don't need your product or your opportunity at this time.
A good training program can teach anyone how to overcome their sales apprehension. But it is important to know that no matter how you approach network marketing, the business is sales, and it means putting yourself out there and facing rejection. But it also means the potential for high reward, and usually, the only obstacle to being a success in sales is yourself.
