Why Network Marketing is not for me.

My very first post talked about (among other things) of my intention to get into network marketing.

Here’s an update on that. Tough work, folks. Not for the faint-hearted. I’ve also invested quite a bit of moolah to acquire some knowledge on how best to operate this business.Network Marketing or MLM is fast becoming one of the more popular alternatives for extra income for many 9-to-5ers. Some have also been very successful at it.

For anyone considering this business, consider the following:

1. What is it you’re going to sell? Is the product/service in demand? Would the product/service be a tough sell? 
2. What kind of marketing communications would be required for this business? 

I’ve made the mistake of picking an MLM business that I personally felt, was a tough sell. It was a health product that was, no doubt, excellent. I’ve used it and I admit that it’s good.

But what I didn’t realise was that :

• It wasn’t a necessity
• It didn’t have the ‘cool’ or X factor
• It was very expensive 

Anyone who’s ever been in an MLM business will tell you that one of the reasons why anyone gets into that kind of business (aside from a product you can believe in, the flexible hours etc.), is the commission structure.

I still consider myself quite the simpleton when it comes to marketing. But I’ve always felt that if a product, even a great product, had barriers that would stop people from considering purchase, it won’t exist for very long.

This product has been around for a quite a while, originating from the US. It had excellent scientific and technological credentials and endorsed by many a medical associations. Truly a product with many health benefits.

But IT WAS NOT:

• A ‘wonder’ health supplement – it lacked the ‘X’factor. The problem was that with this product, you can’t really claim that it cures cancer or diabetes or heart disease etc. Legal issues, of course. It reduced the ‘star’ quality of the product.
• A product that would make its user look ‘cool’ – For example, a person would look cool drinking a Perrier mineral water than a Spritzer. Or wear a Nike than a Bata.
• A necessity – Would I still be healthy without it? Sure. If I eat and exercise properly. Even if I didn’t, it still wouldn’t guarantee that I’d be healthy by taking it.
• A cheap product – this product is expensive.

All the above ensured that the product would never become a must-have (to my mind). And therefore, a tough sell for me.

Maybe marketing communications can help move the product. But here’s the thing. Any honest-to-goodness network marketer knows that you don’t only sell the product. You also sell the business opportunity aka “the commission structure”. Now, while the latter is excellent, the commitment of the network marketer is that he/she must continuously purchase a minimum amount of products every month in order to ‘stay in the business’. One only receives commission if either products or business opportunity are sold.

This was the problem that I had. I had to sell expensive, non-necessity products or a business opportunity that required monthly purchase of expensive, non-necessity products on the part of the buyer.

I admit it. I sucked at selling this. As I said earlier, this product has been around. Hundreds of thousands had success selling them and have made viable income from doing so.

How? They managed to find the people who believed in the product and are willing to pay for it.

But first, the seller must be a believer.

And that’s precisely why I failed. Because I didn’t believe in the product. I couldn't make myself believe in the product. It was a tough sell.

The lesson learned here is that if you’re going to embark on a business of your own, whatever that may be, it’s got to be something you can believe in. Otherwise, it’ll be a tough sell and you’ll look like a fraud doing it.

Now, I am not damning anyone who is or wants to be, part of the MLM scene. It’s good business. Even Donald Trump is into it.

It’s just that it’s not for me. At least, not with that product.