These are a few of my LEAST favorite things

As a would-be entrepreneur working with limited resources, I've chosen a lucrative yet unpopular career path called multilevel or "network" marketing (MLM). It operates in some ways much like a franchise, but with much smaller capital requirements. It's a 60-year old concept that has built many companies and made several millionaires. That's the good news.

The bad news is that many people misuse the opportunity. They either lie or misunderstand the business and "build their houses on sand", which can sort of give the rest of us a black eye. We get to live with the negative perceptions that others have built, and it makes an otherwise fun business more difficult.

Here are some stupid things some people keep doing that give MLM a bad name:

1. They focus on the money right up front. Telling people how much money they'll make will make them ask how much money you make... which is not much if you're just getting started. MLM is a lot like farming--- "today we work, tomorrow we harvest".
2. They advertise in the "Help Wanted" section. If I want a job, I go to the job classifieds. If I'm looking for business, I look in other sections. If it's a JOB I want, I'm looking for salary plus benefits. Chances are good that I'm NOT looking for a company I've never heard of that's "expanding in my area" and is looking for a capital commitment from me. MLMers, KNOCK IT OFF! Place your ad under "business opportunities". You WON'T get good prospects by deceiving them!
3. They call other ads looking for prospects. If I've paid good money to run an ad, DO NOT call me about doing YOUR deal! THINK about it: If I'll quit my business to do yours, I'll quit YOURS to work someone else's!
4. They make disqualified contacts. They waste time with people who will never buy anything from an MLM company, let alone work in the business! You should NEVER reveal too much to ANYONE unless they QUALIFY for the information, which is done in phases.
5. They have a "wait and see" attitude. I hate it when people join a network marketing company, then "wait" to "see how it's going to do". You do your investigating BEFORE you join! If YOU don't do anything and the venture ends up failing, DON'T BLAME MLM!

I like network marketing because the little guy can still make money! But it doesn't happen instantly or even immediately. It works like an investment in stocks or real estate, where the work and investment is up front, with the payoff hopefully to come later.

Want a way to do MLM and NOT lose money? Only join a company with products that you want to buy anyway. And if you spend any money to promote your business, you probably will create tax deductions that put even MORE money in your pocket! NEVER buy more product than you can use, sell, or give away as samples.

A lot of people each doing a little can build a business of THOUSANDS of customers a year, just with simple word of mouth! A good way to start is to BUY some products yourself and TELL others about them.