If you're like me, you're probably making some of the most common mistakes in network marketing. These mistakes destroy more network marketing businesses than anything else. Fortunately, after you've identified them, correcting them is easy.



Have you ever posted in a network marketing forum? I have, and I've gotten some prospects that way. Does it mean I use forums exclusively, however? Of course not. Too many of us find something we're good at or that we enjoy doing, and use that as our only marketing medium. This is a huge mistake.

For one, not everybody who might be my prospect frequents forums. What would happen if I added an email or postcard campaign to posting in forums? I may reach three times as many prospects as forums alone. If I learn to write and submit articles and become involved in an affiliate program on top of that, you can see the possibilities.

Relying on a single marketing medium limits you from reaching your potential by keeping you in your comfort zone. Being comfortable is OK, but if it keeps you from growing or expanding your business, it might be time to branch out and try something new.

This is not to say you shouldn't focus on one medium at a time. Focusing on one until you're good at it, then continuing that method while incorporating new ones bring you the best opportunity to be successful.

If you've researched network marketing at all, then you know about all the hype out there. One particular brand of hype suggests that all you need to do is to plug in to a certain system and watch your profits soar. There's nothing else you need to do.

Sure, systems exist which make our jobs much easier, but it's up to us to do the work. These systems are merely tools, and if you expect them to do all the work for you, you'll be sorely disappointed. Think of it this way: If all you had to do was plug in to this system, why would your company need you?

Network marketing is, and always will be a people business. This means communicating with people in every way possible. Sure, email's nice. So are postcards, forums, writing articles, etc. These are, however, tools, and the goal of each of these is to get you face-to-face with an interested human being.

When I first began network marketing many years ago, my upline hinted that they would close most of my sales for me. To me, it made perfect sense. I mean, after all, didn't they have a vested interest in my success? Weren't they successful only if I became successful?

Imagine my surprise when, after procuring a certain dollar amount from my bank account, I never heard from them again. I called, talked to answering machines, desperate for answers. All those good things my upline promised vanished.

If you expect your upline to close your sales for you, you are in for an equally eye-opening experience. Becoming successful in network marketing means taking responsibility for your own success or failure. Your upline, if effective is there for support, but your success boils down to your individual efforts.

Many times, we as network marketers get excited about our company, products, or opportunity. Now, this can be a good thing and, in fact, is necessary to your success. I couldn't imagine prospecting while having a lukewarm attitude about what I was doing.

Many times, however, we tend to get overly excited, and we bombard the prospect with way too much information. We want them to know what we know, so that they can be equally excited. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. The prospect eventually tunes out, sort of like when we go to the refrigerator while the guy on TV screams at us to BUY.

The solution to this is to give the prospect only limited information at first, just enough to whet her appetite and to make her want to learn more about what it is you do. Using the consultative approach, this is easy to do, as you're mostly asking the prospect questions, listening to her answers, and trying to find a solution to her problems.

While there are more mistakes network marketers make, I've found these to be the most common. Simply being aware of them can greatly improve your business, moving you into the 3% of us who are actually making money in network marketing.