The Neighborhood Store of the 21st Century
Are you like me? I came into network marketing with misgivings about it. My impression of network marketing companies had left a bad taste in my mouth. “Multi-level marketing,” I thought glumly. Even “MLM” didn’t seem much better.
So I’ve been thinking a lot about that, and I’ve reached three important realizations:
First, I will never again rely on just one income source. The recession of the last year has convinced me of that. Diversified sources of income are the best hedge against economic disaster. And I can do network marketing while I do other things.
On to the next point. Thirty or forty years ago, when people shopped, they went to a store. The store was likely to be locally owned. They knew the store owner; they knew the person who worked at the counter. Even if it was a chain, like Penneys, their neighbor lady worked there, or their friend’s husband worked there. Those store employees knew about customer service, and they knew what they were selling.
Over the last few decades, stores have changed from locally owned shops to chains. And retail employees are increasingly the minimum-wage, non-career people. A lot of them don’t stay, and a lot of them don’t care much about what they’re doing.
Today, more and more people don’t even go to stores. We go to the internet to shop. And we certainly don’t know anyone there! We have no relationship or connection with the people we’re buying from. We no longer know the business owners or the person working at the counter. We no longer build a sense of trust and personal service.
Network marketing is the answer!
People who buy from the network marketing business that Virgil and I run have the advantage of getting to know us—and we get to know them. We build our business by talking to and knowing people. Once people buy from us, they are very likely to continue buying from us. The next time they call, they won’t get someone overseas or a new employee who knows nothing about them. They’ll get Virgil or me! And we’ll know their name, their dogs’ and cats’ names, and probably a lot more.
So I think that effective network marketing is replacing something we’ve all lost: It’s making the connection again between the shop owner and the customer. It makes business friendly again.
That brings me to the second important realization: Well-done, honest, and ethical network marketing is the neighborhood store of the 21st century!
Here’s a further advantage: Those traditional store owners and store managers from decades ago were fortunate enough to have a lot of motivated, long-term employees to work in their stores. And those employees could make a living wage. Today, store owners and managers are lucky to get their minimum-wage staff to just show up from day to day. Most of those staff people don’t stay, and most of them never advance.
As network marketing business owners, Virgil and I don’t have employees, but we have the opportunity to create a network of long-term, motivated independent reps who can build huge success for themselves. Maybe even greater success than we’ll have.
So this was my third important realization: Our network marketing business will provide a viable career path for people who would be miserable working for minimum wage!
So everyone wins: Virgil and I, our motivated reps, all our customers, the network marketing company, and all the animals we help!
Of course, not all network marketing opportunities are good. Many MLM companies vanish after a short run; others have a shaky reputation; others don’t pay fair compensation. But those things are true of any type of business. Network marketing requires the same diligence up front to find the right opportunity that any new venture would require.
Virgil and I are very pleased to have found an enduring network marketing company with a line of products that we are passionate about. We are impressed every day by the openness and helpfulness of the company. Unlike many MLM organizations, this one isn’t cutthroat. We work with a large, well-established team of people who help educate and encourage each other. And we have a wealth of training and motivational events to benefit from.
If you’re interested in pets and their health, if you think you might have the entrepreneurial bug, and if you want an opportunity that you can be proud of, this could be for you. It is definitely for us.
To find out about the products we’re so pleased to represent, please visit this site: Trilogy/HealthyPetNet. And to learn about this exciting business opportunity, please visit here: HealthyPetNet Opportunity.
PawPrintsLife Blog
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
