There is the old saying "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." This is the same for marketing. You can present your product/service to the masses and if they are not 'thirsty' they won't buy.

Most beginners do not understand the idea of matching product to market. It's just 'advertise eveywhere you can' mentality and ends with frustration, no sales and possibly looked on as a SPAMmer.

Why did the horse above not drink? It wasn't thirsty. So your efforts were in vain. Now take a thirsty horse to the water and you have a consumer.

So why doesn't mass posting, email SPAM and all not work? They are not targeted to the person's interests and considered a waste of resources and waste of the market's time.

So how do you find your products' consumers? This is where networking gets involved. Find a network of people that are looking for what you have.

If I try to market my ebook "BadAssDrumming" to you and unless you are interested in drumming chances are you will move on and not want my ebook. But if I find a group of drummers/percussionists that are looking for ways to better their skills then I have a much better chance of people wanting my ebook. I now have a targeted audience and I now need to find what will make them buy. What is their need and desire.

Many marketers have come on the internet to make money and yet that is all their goal is ... to make money. So they in turn will try and recruit EVERYONE they know into what they think is their money maker. Not everyone is into or fitted to be in the same business as you so asking all of your friends to join you will be a waste of their time and yours. Some of your recruits will not be as enthused as you or they just don't have a clue to the product/service. They have no interest and therefore will not be productive in promoting.

Let's say you sell Mangos for Mangos2Go and you see a great pay plan. And you need recruits under you to make residuals. So go tell all of your friends to join, right? Wrong. Maybe some don't like Mangos. Maybe some don't like to be in a downline. Some may not share the idea of selling a perishable product online. Whatever the reason they are not a good candidate. You want people that will consume those Mangos and be thrilled to share with other Mango consumers and show them that they can earn from their love of a product.

And not all consumers want to join on a business. Some just want to be a consumer. Period. You need to identify those so not to SPAM themwith business offers. Just market them for Mango sales and leave the option to join the team.

Soon I will be launching a new site and I will offer an affiliate program but will my program be right for all? No. And unless you have some knowledge of the field you would not be effective in talking about it or making money from it.

In summary, we see so many join this program and that program and alot of them not make any money from it. Their recruiter ends up with a lot of dead accounts below them. Reason is they are focused on the wrong thing ... the money.

Be sure that you like what you are selling and be involved to learn all you can about it. When you are informed you have the tools to help others and guide them to their need once you have found those that need your offering.

 Feel free to ask any questions on this subject.

Kenneth R Sword Jr

Hi Ken,

Great article on networking.  You have hit the proverbial nail on the head as usual

It is not just the way you sell it, but what you sell.

There are so many people who get in the world of "network marketing" and think that they have to sell a network.  The reality is that you need to build yourself a network of relationships and later a downlne of recruits to sell the product.

We are told that the secret is in the list - well that may or may not be true - but a small targetted list may well be more effective than a massive list of x thousand friends, none of which you know and few of which you have any common  interest.

So this all returns to my own philisophy  that network marketing is just one of many ways to sell a product or service and internet  marketing  (though networking or any other means) is another variation on the same theme.

There is no magic formula - it is still necessary to take a long hard look at the product or service that you will have to sell.  And if it suits and looks viable - then you can go for it and if it doesnt ring any bells with you - then you may well have difficulty in persuading others.

And, of course, if there is no real product or service to sell - then it will fall into the category of the 90% of all programmes doomed to failure.

I am curious to see what you have in the pipeline!

Saludos
Jenny

Hi Kenneth

Thanks for a very interesting post.  Im presently trying to master key word marketing any tips on that?

       

Best Wishes

Fionnuala

Lurgan NIreland

I think this a great article that will put light into why alot of people aren't suceeding at network marketing. The basics weren't taught to them in the begining. To become marketers some sort of training should take place as a prerequisite.

Sincerly,

Theresa Mckenzie  

http:www.prepaidlegal.com/hub/mckenzie12