Network marketing: treating your business like a business

Network marketing for smart people basically means treating your business like a real business. I've posted an article by that title in the article section of this web site.

It's unfortunate, but most people don't treat their business like a business. After all, most people have never been in a business and don't know what it means to do so. That's why we sometimes tell new people to "treat it like a job". They understand what that means–show up every day, get your work done, get help if you need it, and so on.

Failure to treat one's business like a business leads to high attrition rates, rampant discouragement and blame, and the media saying things like, "network marketing is a scam" or "nobody makes money in network marketing". No, network marketing is not a scam (although there are scams in network marketing), and most people don't make money because they don't treat their business like a business.

Take a look at some headlines I recently saw in a business opportunity magazine:

"$15,000 a month. Just mail the 2 letters I give you!!!"

"TOO DAMN EASY!"

"We do 90% of the work. You collect the cash."

"Ground floor opportunity. Get in now, spots are filling fast!"

"We take all prospect calls. We answer all questions. We make all follow-up calls. We close all the sales. We ship all the products. We send you the paychecks."

Do these sound like "real" businesses to you? Do you truly believe that you can make money in a business where you don't have to do any work or you just mail out a couple of letters?

I don't think you do. You wouldn't be reading this blog if you did. But many people do believe it. That, or they get so caught up in their desire for easy riches they act like drunken soldiers on shore leave–they just can't help themselves.

Every day, people start businesses representing companies that make these kinds of assertions. But not just network marketing businesses. Variations of these kinds of promises abound throughout the world of business opportunities. Google "business opportunities" or "home based business" or "internet business" and you'll see so much garbage, it's a wonder anyone ever finds a legitimate business, and no surprise that network marketing is so maligned.

Treating it like a business starts with doing one's homework and using some common sense. It would be nice, however, if common sense were a little more common.