How to Navigate the Network Marketing Maze

To the newcomer, the world of Network Marketing can be a perplexing maze of new ideas, products, services, schemes, and let's face it, scams. The failure rate for network marketers and other home based businesses is staggering - reportedly about 95% - but as the industry grows and matures, that trend will change.

I've learned a few lessons the hard way...and many of you know what those are...but I believe I can offer some good advice for the beginners. None of the information presented is particularly original - any lesson I've learned painfully has been documented by someone before me - the trick is to apply the experience of others to your endeavors to avoid making the obvious mistakes that will impact your attitude (and your wallet).

1. Get a mentor! Or several...many of the things I'm writing about have been taught to me by people who have achieved success in Network Marketing...capitalize on their experience!

2. Have multiple income streams...or as Grandma used to say, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket".

3. If you intend to concentrate on selling a particular product line, use some of the products before you invest time and money in the business. Unless you're a professional (or natural) salesperson that could sell ice cubes to Eskimos, you're going to have a hard time selling products about which you are not passionate. Even then, keep in mind that direct sales is a tough way to go for most of us - if you're easily discouraged by rejection, you should think about following a different path.

4. Be a little skeptical about the opportunities you look at - but don't be so negative that you reject anything and everything just because it doesn't fit into your preconceived notions about what will work.

5. Attitude is key - believe in yourself and your capacity for success. There are a ton of personal development books, programs, websites, etc. available - tap into a variety of resources to keep a positive mindset going

6. Ignore all the "dreamkillers" that you run into - the easiest way to fail is to allow someone to convince you that you can't succeed. Even if they believe they have your best interests at heart, or have tried and failed themselves doesn't mean that you can't do it!

7. Understand that you are going to have to develop new skills and talents to be successful at Network Marketing - and there is a ton of free information on the web that you can use to do so.

8. Be realistic about the time commitment necessary to building any business. You don't have any "spare" time - you're going to have to make time by giving up something you enjoy - like watching the tube for a couple hours each night before you go to bed.

9. When you do start to make money, don't start spending it like there's no tomorrow - invest it back into the business, pay off bills, start a savings account - and remember that Uncle Sam is going to want a piece of it on April 15th.