Network Marketing

No matter how many successful network marketing professionals I speak with, they all offer the same basic advice:

Get Started.

Wait, what? That’s too easy. What about expensive software? What about prospecting? And what about “the magic secret” for building MLM leads?

While those are important, none of them matter if you don’t get started. What good is a good leads list if you haven’t actually started your business yet? And what purpose will elaborate MLM-specific software serve if there isn’t a company to which to apply it? Better yet, how are you going to build any kind of income stream if there isn’t an actual stream?

Ask yourself: Are you ready to get started?

I mean, REALLY get started? Perhaps you haven’t made the decision to start your own network marketing business yet. Or maybe you have started, but haven’t put in as much effort as you like. I’m here to tell you that there is no bigger success strategy than making the conscious decision to move forward (and then keep moving).

A dear friend of mine recently decided to start his own network marketing business. When he first announced his intentions to me, I couldn’t have been more excited for him. He asked me if I would help out, and I gladly accepted. “Catch up with me in a few months,” I told him. “I’ll show you around the block.”

A few months later he did exactly that. He invited me to lunch to, and I quote, “Go over the game plan.” I was anxious to see what program he signed up with, what kind of product he was offering and even more importantly, how big his business was.

Turns out, he hadn’t even started.

That’s not to say he’s lazy. He most certainly isn’t. He’s actually a very logical and methodical person, and had gone to great pains drawing up volumes of schematics, scenarios, marketing plans, products… you name it, it was all there in a gigantic three-ringed binder.

Then he asked me the all-to-common question: “What should I do?”

My reply (as I’m sure you’ve guessed): “Just get started!”

I’m not discrediting any of his “homework.” Proper research is one of the most important elements of any business, including a network marketing one. But it doesn’t do a lick of good if you don’t press the “go” button.

When I told him my advice, he stopped in his tracks. (Actually, he stopped mid-bite, I was honestly worried he was choking). “Yeah but isn’t there a…?” he asked.

“It won’t matter unless you’ve already started,” I replied.

“But how do I…?”

“I’ll show you when you’ve got something to work with,” I answered.

I couldn’t believe it. Despite all of his analysis it never dawned on him that unless he actually got started, none of it would ever matter.

I suppose that just the difference in personalities. I’m a “take the bull by the horns, jump in feet first, shoot first-ask questions later” kind of a guy. I’d rather learn by doing.

But I know I’m in the minority, and that he’s far from alone. His story is eerily similar to nearly all of the people I’ve consulted in the network marketing industry. You might even be one of those types yourself. Maybe you’ve got a dinning room table full of charts and graphs, but no actual business to call your own. Or maybe you’ve taken the plunge and signed up for a network marketing opportunity (congratulations, by the way!), but haven’t done much with it.

My advice (all together now): “Just Start Already!”

I’ve helped plenty of people, companies and even non-profits market their goods or services during my time – but none of it would have done a lick of good if they hadn’t moved forward.

Getting started is actually the one “thing” that separates successful people from those sitting on the sidelines. It’s the one trait that distinguishes between the achievers and the wishers.

I know I’m beating a dead horse here, but it’s important. You’ll never succeed if you don’t take the first step. So go ahead, jump in. We’ll worry about the rest later.

Funny enough, getting started is actually the HARDEST step in building a mega-successful network marketing business.

Oh, I should also mention that my friend took my advice and started his own network marketing business. In four months he’s already making enough money to cover his mortgage, and if our projections are correct, he’ll be matching his “real job” salary within a few more months.