John Melanson

MLM & Affiliate Marketing vs. Megacorp

MLM, also known as network or multi-level marketing is not that unlike affiliate marketing. There are many “lifestyle” companies in business today that offer excellent products, especially in the nutrition and supplements niche. These companies need to expose as much of the public to their products as they can. By interweaving a lifestyle into the lives of their representatives these companies are able to show very quickly and clearly how their products have helped each of those people and their families to progress toward success in life, health and business.

Companies choose to save on their advertising budgets and pay representatives, agents, distributors or affiliates (they’re all essentially the same in this scenario) for spreading the word about their product.By compensating and rewarding their sales force (you & I) with added bonuses, incentives and discounts these companies gain loyalty, longevity and can ultimately guarantee their own future revenues.

This model closely resembles the affiliate sales model in which a company supplies the affiliate with the knowledge, tools and access to their product or service as well as the  reputation that was built by that product or service. By offering access to the product, the tools to promote it and a commission on the sale of that product companies that use the affiliate model gain the same benefits described above in the MLM model.

Amazon.com® was one of the very first large scale companies to utilize the affiliate model. To this day they still generate millions of dollars per year in commission for their affiliates. Their continued use and improvement on the affiliate model speaks directly to its viability as a successful business model.

Too many people think that MLM is a Ponzi or “pyramid scheme” designed so that only the person at the top of the pyramid gets the major chunk of the money. Some also believe that if you’re just starting out you have zero chance of ever becoming THAT successful in such a competitively structured environment. Neither of these facts could be farther from the truth.

Look at the structure of any mega-corporation. The individual earning the most money is the one sitting in the CEO or COO’s chair. In the 21st century there’s really no longer any lasting hope that you’ll achieve that seat by entering a company through, let’s say, the mail room. Each individual, even in a management position, is truly only in control over a very small portion of the responsibility of that company.

Being a representative or consultant for one of the many companies that use the MLM or affiliate models can be both beneficial and profitable to you as a marketer looking for multiple streams of income. Make sure that you take the time to learn all that you can about each program that you choose to get involved with. Watch any “how-to videos”, listen to podcasts and use ALL of the tools and resources that they’ve gathered for you. All of these companies seriously want you to succeed because their success depends on YOUR success.

One big part of being successful is your willingness and capacity to LEARN. Invest in yourself through education. Whether that means going back to school or signing up for the next webinar to learn about generating traffic or prospecting and list building, you need to take action and never, ever think that you’ve learned all there is to know.

Social Networking To Grow Your Business

Are you involved with Internet marketing, network marketing, or direct sales?  If so, please read on because there are gems in this post just for you.

How would you like to become a distributor or representative that you’re up-line dreams of having?

If you’ve been around multi-level marketing or network marketing for any amount of time, you have experienced the push and sense of urgency that is instilled by many trainers, coaches and mentors.

There’s a whole new train of thought growing about how to successfully grow your network marketing business.  Social networking, attraction marketing, and a law attraction are all playing a part in how people conduct business these days.

First of all, let’s talk about social networking.  It’s the same as if you just moved into a new town.  At first he spent some time getting settled in and making sure that you’re comfortable in your new home.  What your comfort level roles in your own surroundings you can begin to venture out into the neighborhood and surrounding area.

The same holds true in business.  All of us, when first starting out, need to gain experience and exposure before we can really begin to promote our business.  By getting comfortable in our own homes, in our own domains, we gain a sense of confidence that begins to grow daily.

Once we begin to venture out into the neighborhood and introduce ourselves to our neighbors and local businesses, we start to get a sense of what our surroundings, our neighborhood and our community is all about.  This is a vital step that many people miss when starting out with their new business.

By assuming that just because you have a product or a service, people will buy it, you’re closing yourself off from the chance that some of those neighbors and businesses might be able to help you with your own business.

Don’t make that mistake.  Be proactive in your approach to your new business.  Get out there and press the flesh, shake some hands, make some friends.  In the long run it’s the best thing you can do for yourself and your business.  Giving people a sense of who you are right from the beginning takes away the guesswork later on.

Look at each day as a new opportunity for growth both in yourself and in your business.  Look also for the opportunity to help other people with their businesses.  By becoming an asset to your community, you will endear yourself to those around you, and you will also find a higher degree of loyalty and willingness to help from those same people.

If you take the strategies that I’ve spoken about here and apply them to your current business, integrating them with what you’re up line is also teaching you, it won’t be long before you pass your sponsor by in sales and recruitment.

As you may have read in some of my previous posts, my belief is that in order to truly succeed need to help others to do the same.  Please let me know if there is anything that I can ever do to be of assistance to you.