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The Industry
What is
Network Marketing?
Network
Marketing is also known as Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) or Referral
Marketing.
Although
it
has been around since the early part of the last century, for many, it
is still unfamiliar territory and people are still confused
as to what type of business it is.
It
is a
very good way of starting a profitable, full-time or part-time business
with very little investment. It is also a good method of starting a
second or part-time business to run alongside your existing business,
career or lifestyle.
In
most
cases it involves selling a product or service which is produced and
supplied by a 'mother' company. You take on the responsibilities of
selling the products (In Kleeneze the catalogue does the
“selling” for you) and introducing other people to
the company. You get paid commission on the products / services sold by
yourself and a smaller commission on the products / services sold by
the people you have introduced to the company. In addition to this, you
often get a percentage commission based on the sales of the people who
'the people you introduced' introduce and so on down several
generations.
(This
is the case in the Kleeneze pay plan)
Comments and Advice
The
'Referral Marketing' industry is growing at a rapid rate. More and
more companies are looking at it as a viable method of cutting
advertising and distribution costs. It has enabled a huge amount of
people to start earning substantial incomes with low financial
investment and, therefore, low risk.
However,
it is not a 'lazy man's' way of making money. In order to
build a successful business, like any business, one must invest a good
deal of time and effort into it. Many people have 'fallen by the
wayside' because they have been misinformed (by over enthusiastic
recruitment tactics) about the level of work that is required to
generate a decent income.
Always
check the credibility of the 'mother' company, some companies go
beyond the bounds of fair recruitment practice and require start-up
costs that can not be justified. Furthermore, these organisations may
have little or no products / services beyond the recruitment process.
This may not appear to be a bad thing, after all you can make
substantial commissions from the initial investments paid by the (fully
informed) people you introduce, and so can they. In some countries,
however, this practice is illegal or may be frowned upon by the
authorities; think hard before you invest your time and money into a
business like this. (With Kleeneze the money going into the network is
from genuine consumers – NOT new distributor’s
investment into stock)
There
is a wide variety of good quality Referral Marketing companies
from all over the world to choose from. They offer products and
services from a wide range of industries: health, telecommunications,
household products, technology, e-commerce, adult industry etc. It
would be advisable to choose a product or service that you are
interested in because, when it comes to promoting your business,
nothing beats enthusiasm and confidence in the product or opportunity.
Benefits:
-
Little or no start up costs with the potential to build a substantial
business.
-
Often uses a proven business formula.
-
Low risk.
-
A great deal of support and advice available..
-
Flexible - can be run on a full-time or part-time basis.
-
Highly expandable - no restrictions on territory & most
'mother' companies can
supply to many countries
(great with the Internet).
-
Business can be run from your own home.
-
Builds your confidence and increases your communication skills.
"Network
Marketing is NOT the same as
pyramid selling. It is firmly established in many countries as a
respected means of achieving an income. Kleeneze is NOT a business that
is involved with pyramid selling in any way, shape or form."
In the UK,
Network Marketing is
regulated by The Direct
Selling Association (www.dsa.org.uk). The
DSA’s Code of Practice was endorsed by the Director of
Fair
Trading in 1987 and is administered by an independent Code
Administrator. The DSA
aims to ‘protect, serve and promote
the effectiveness of member companies and the independent direct
sellers marketing their products and assure the highest level of
business ethics and service to customers’.
Any
company can choose to use Network Marketing to reach its customer
base and any product or service can be sold this way. Network Marketing
started in the USA. Some of the most long established companies using
this method include Amway,
Ann
Summers, and Kleeneze. Cabouchon
is an
example of a successful Network Marketing which subsequently got taken
over by Kleeneze. As with any business, there are no guarantees of
success and rational preliminary research is essential.
Not
all DSA members use Network Marketing to expand their distributor
base. Some are purely party plan, such as Tupperware,
and others are purely person to person, such as Avon;
others use a mix of all of these to sell their products.
Network Marketing
is based on the concept of ‘networking’. We all
have a circle of people we know through the circumstances of our daily
lives and each of these people will have their own circle of
acquaintances, colleagues, family and friends. Network Marketing
involves tapping into these networks not only to sell product but also
to offer the business opportunity to potential new distributors who
then start the process of developing their own networks for selling and
recruiting.
As
the networks widen, so the individual leader benefits not only from
their own sales but also a percentage of the sales from their network.
As more people join a Kleeneze network, so residual income increases as
well.
So,
what is MLM
(multi-level marketing)? This is network marketing which allows its
distributors not only to network outwards in order to sell the product
but also to benefit from their downline's downline, either to a limited
depth or ad infinitum. However,
the two terms tend to be used fairly
indiscriminately.
As
with any
other home-based business, Kleeneze distributors need to work hard and
have courage and determination. Finding a
good sponsor is just as
important as finding an interesting product and a good
compensation
plan which offers flexibility and just reward for effort. Contrary to
expectation, a newcomer to Kleeneze has the same potential for success
as the long-term sponsor provided that the necessary research and
skills training takes place. It is not necessary to be ‘in at
the beginning’ and in some cases it may prove more difficult
and risky to join at the beginning than to join a plan which has
reached a more mature phase. Network Marketing is particularly suited
to married women with family commitments as it offers them an
opportunity to start a business on a part time basis with very little
capital. The opportunity now exists for enterprising women to use their
talents and the skills gained from motherhood to build businesses based
both on selling and on finding and supporting the efforts of others.
Network
marketing businesses expand every year and still more
product-based businesses are turning to network marketing as a means of
getting their products out to their customers and cutting out the
wholesalers and retailers. We are also finding lots of US companies
crossing the Atlantic and bringing their products and greater
razamatazz with them. Kleeneze is a low risk business but the rewards
can be substantial. A lot will depend on you, but a lot will also
depend on the business acumen, personalities and work ethic of the
people you're signing up to do business with.
As
you attend the training courses provided by the parent company, you
will probably find that the 'product' becomes a way of life –
so choose carefully!
Overview
In a
typical network marketing
or multi-level marketing arrangement, individuals associate with a
parent company as an independent contractor and are compensated based
on their sales of products or service (as well as the sales achieved by
those they bring into the business).
In
a legitimate MLM company, commissions are earned only on sales to
the end-user, who is often also a distributor. No money may be earned
from recruiting alone ("sign-up fees"). Some companies produce revenues
primarily by attracting new participants or selling them marketing
services, as opposed to selling actual products. One must analyse the
compensation plan to determine whether participants are paid from
actual sales to customers and not from new-recruit bonuses or business
support sales.
Multi-level
marketing has a recognized image problem due to the fact
that it is often difficult to distinguish legitimate MLMs from such
illegal scams as pyramid or Ponzi schemes. NM/MLM businesses do operate
legitimately in all 50 U.S. states and more than 100 other countries,
and new businesses may use terms like "affiliate marketing" or
"home-based business franchising."
History
Amway
in particular is a frequent target for critics for generating
considerable revenues from selling instructional and motivational
materials to its participants. The FTC filed a lawsuit against Amway in
1976. Amway's victory paved the way for companies to adopt a
multi-level distribution system.
The
1980s saw a major shift as companies began managing the stocking
and distribution of products as well as commission payments to their
members. This allowed members to focus solely on marketing. Today, most
MLM companies act as logistics companies that take orders, ship
products and calculate and pay commissions.
Compensation Plans
Companies
have devised
various MLM compensation plans over the decades.
Unilevel
or Stairstep Breakaway plans are the oldest and most popular.
They feature two types of distributors - managers and non-managers -
and three types of pay:
Baseshop
overrides are overrides of managers from their subordinate
non-managers, collectively called a baseshop. This is the same as any
other sales organisation.
Generational
overrides are overrides of managers from the baseshop of
managers who were previously their subordinate. Most plans compensate
at least three generations of such managers.
Executive
bonuses are commissions for managers who exceed a sales
quota. For example, 2% of the total company sales revenue may go to a
bonus pool that is shared monthly pro rata to managers who exceed
$10,000 in that month.
Matrix
Plans limit
the width of each level in a distributor's group, forcing strong
distributors to pile ("spillover") their recruits over people who did
not sponsor them.
Binary
plans limit
the width of each level to two legs. Commissions are based on "cycles,"
where a distributor is paid a fixed amount whenever both legs achieve a
certain number of sales units each. Commissions are paid incrementally
when the sales volume in each leg matches. Elevator or
Matrix schemes feature a game board or a list on which each distributor
pays in one or more product units to participate. When a certain number
of units have been paid in, the structure splits and the earlier
participant receives consideration. The Matrix scheme article discusses
the legality of this plan. You must do your own research as with any
other investment.
Ethics in MLM
Fraudulent
MLM schemes can usually be identified by high entrance fees
or requirements to purchase expensive inventories. They often collapse
quickly when the merchandise cannot be resold, leaving all but those at
the top of the pyramid with sometimes staggering financial losses.
The
general public usually misunderstands the network marketing
industry. When they hear of network marketing opportunities their
biased perceptions of the industry can cause them to avoid these
opportunities. This negative reputation has been brought about by
information about organizations within this industry that are perceived
as being unscrupulous and deceptive.
However,
the public’s perceptions of network marketing is
improving. This is largely due to changes in behaviour by the network
marketers. Today, enlightened network marketers have made the subtle
change in focus from building sales to building relationships. This new
breed of network marketer is involved in building, not only
relationships, but long-term relationships that are mutually beneficial
to both parties.
In
many cases network marketing has turned into a full-fledged
mentoring system. When you take the risk to grow your own business
channels the risk is greatly reduced when there is someone there to
guide you and offer advice, making this is a true business relationship.
Enlightened
network marketers will also acknowledge the psychological
differences in people. For example, they are aware that some people are
auditory while others are more visually oriented. Therefore their
teaching tools will reflect an individual’s needs.
If
you are researching network marketing opportunities look for those
organizations that cater not only to your financial growth, but also to
your personal development. Look for opportunities that are built on
relationships as well as other types of rewards. Integrity is a major
component of the enlightened network marketing organization.
The
truth is that opportunities do exist and the rewards can be great.
However, success often comes to those that are able to work within the
system’s framework. And, as in other walks of life, the most
successful network marketers are those that are highly motivated. Your
success will be measured, not by your own achievements, but by the
achievements of others within your organization.
Every
new industry is faced with the challenge of establishing their
collective identity and ethics. Network marketing has been no
exception. However changes within the industry are occurring and
people’s perceptions of the industry are changing.
This
is reflected in the growing number of individuals from all walks
of life who are embracing the concepts and rewards of network marketing.
How to Adjust Your
Network Marketing Lifestyle by Brent Payne
You
are thinking of dropping your old career to work in the field of
network marketing, but are you equipped to handle this lifestyle change?
A
new network marketing lifestyle is an exciting and prosperous
venture, although letting go of that old comfortable routine of going
to work might take some adjustment. There are some things you should
consider before taking that step.
How
can you stay motivated to work for yourself, without the influence
of bosses or co-workers to motivate you? You may be used to your boss
telling you what you are doing wrong and how to fix your mistakes.
There may be other employees that you are working with that you have
trouble getting along with.
- Presently
you may wake up, go to work, and have an established routine.
- Your
lifestyle revolves around your job.
- Perhaps
you wake at 6 am to
get in traffic with other people who also dislike being up so early.
- You
only get so many holidays, so many paid holidays and sick days per
year.
- You
have the advantage of getting paid regularly and receiving a pay
cheque every four weeks or so.
- For
many people involved in making the
move from a regular job to network marketing this takes some adjustment.
So
what
changes will happen in your new network marketing career?
First,
enjoy the fact that you no longer are on a time schedule that is
out of your control. You can work when you like and develop your own
work and leisure schedule. Thanks to the internet and associated
technologies, you don't always have to be in an office to do your work.
You can determine your work schedule and still be successful.
When you
have a product that is
in demand you can work as much as you
feel is needed. If you work only a couple of hours today and you
achieve your goals then you can focus on the other things that are
important to you such as your family or leisure activities.
You
can
also re-adjust how you work. You'll be able to directly see
what works and what doesn't. You are no longer one part of a large
organization where you play no part in the end result. Now you can see
the results of your work immediately.
Finally,
getting paid is no
longer something you have to worry about.
Just keep reminding yourself once you settle into a rhythm with your
network marketing opportunity, you'll be making more in less time than
you would at any job. You can control how much you make and in most
cases, you can actually formulate your efforts and the results you want
to achieve. You determine the level of your success.
Working
for
yourself does take some adjusting to and you do have to be
consistent in your efforts. However it really does get easier as you
start to work within the network. Most network marketing entrepreneurs
will agree that being in control of their own lifestyle is more
rewarding than any other career choice. As part of a community, if you
are faced with a challenge or need motivational assistance, then help
from other members of the community is always available. This means
that the potential to grow into the lifestyle of your dreams is
completely within your control.
What
is Network
Marketing? by Kevin Quigley
To
begin
with, the concept behind network marketing is simple. Sharing
- through product or business philosophy - is the basis of network
marketing.
Network
marketing is a multi-billion pound industry involving millions
of independent business people around the globe. Large companies like Gillette,
Colgate-Palmolive, Kleeneze, AT&T and others, have
all turned to network marketing because of the very real edge it gives
them in both domestic and international marketing. Network marketing is
a 'BIG'
small business, which offers everyone,
with or without business experience, the opportunity to start and run a
home-based business that works. It is the last frontier where 'the
little guy', (people like you and me) can make it big.
Network Marketing v
Traditional Marketing
The
traditional way of marketing products is to move them from a
manufacturer through a supply chain of middlemen. National Wholesalers,
regional wholesalers, Cash & Carry warehouses, retailers, - the
'middlemen' - all add their 'valueless' percentage to the price of the
product. By the time the product reaches you the end user, you're not
only
paying for the product, but a percentage of the price for each and
every middleman in the supply chain. In network marketing there are no
middlemen. Instead of paying them, a network marketing company will pay
you for whatever amount of product you cause to be 'moved'.
"As a sole
individual operating alone, the amount of product you could
'move' from your own efforts would be limited. In network marketing
however, the amount you 'cause' to be moved indirectly could be huge."
Here
then
is the essence of a network marketing compensation plan. For
not only will you be compensated for the product you personally cause
to be moved from your own direct efforts, you will also receive
indirect compensation for product that your 'organisation' 'causes' to
be moved.
To
be successful in network marketing you will need to build an
'organisation'. That is to say you will need to 'share' the benefits of
both the products and the business opportunity with others. In network
marketing this is referred to as your 'downline'.
The
'serious' money to be had
in network marketing is to be had from
what is termed as 'over-ride' commissions from the movement' of product
from the 'downline' your 'sponsor' will help you to build.(In network
marketing it is the responsibility of your introducing 'sponsor' to
help you build your 'downline'.) All you need to do initially to
build a 'downline' is to share' with
others the information about the products and the business
opportunity. Theoretically, if after 'sharing' the information
with others and you
subsequently attracted just five like-minded individuals who decided to
join you in your network marketing business - for illustration purposes
only - your 'downline' could equate to the following after five levels
of geometric growth:
Starting with "you"
You
sponsor just 5 people into your business.
- Your
level 1. 5
- They
duplicate your efforts and each sponsor 5 people.
- Your
level 2. 25
- These
25 duplicate your efforts and each sponsor 5 people.
- Your
level 3. 125
- These
125 duplicate your efforts and each sponsor 5 people.
A
little arithmetic will tell you that's theoretically a total of 3,906
people on your fifth level.
An Unlimited Income
Potential
Imagine the
power of
a
business-building plan that would pay you an
agreed 'over-ride' commission on each and every product move' by each
and every one of those 3,906 potential distributors in your downline.
Network marketing then is about a lot of people 'moving' a little
product. The more people you introduce, the greater your income
potential.
If you want
to cast aside the
potential earnings on offer as being
ridiculous or impossible - DON'T. I personally know people who are
earning £5,000 to £50,000 per month (yes per month)
from network marketing for part-time effort. Though the majority of
networkers earn hundreds rather than many thousands per month, (most
working part-time) it must be understood then that if you are to make
serious income, you must put in serious effort. No free lunches here!
So
How Do You Convince
People to Join Your Kleeneze Business?
The
simple answer is you don't. You want those who convince themselves.
If they are truly looking for a way to become successful, then they'll
come to you to go after it. The key to achieving success in network
marketing is not to be had by convincing people, but by helping those
people who want to become successful themselves.
Where
do I find people to join me in my business?
As
it has been estimated that 20% of the working population - that's
approximately 6 million people - would be interested in starting their
own business, the marketplace in the UK alone is truly enormous. With a
recent MORI poll indicating that 50% of 16 - 25 year olds were
interested in starting their own business, the marketplace is actually
growing. One of the most important
things to recognise is that the most precious
resource available to you is in the new blood - the millions of
business opportunity seekers who are not presently involved in
networking. For it is there that you will find the success stories of
tomorrow for your downline organisation.
Choose the Right Company
In
any successful business it is the quality of the product or service
that is being offered that is the single most important aspect for its
success.
"The
most lucrative
compensation
plan in the world will NOT provide you
with an on-going residual income if the product or service doesn't
provide tangible value and benefits for yourself and your customers."
Provide
a product or service that people need or want, coupled with a
business opportunity they are willing to tell their friends about and
you can build yourself a business empire in network marketing!
Top
Tips to Get to the Top in Kleeneze
- Tip #1: If you're
already involved in a network marketing programme and
you're being 'sold' primarily on the benefits of the compensation plan
with the product or service being offered as a secondary consideration,
then read the above paragraph again and MOVE to a company whose
products or services 'move'.
- Tip #2: Ask yourself
this important question: Is the network marketing
programme I'm considering joining one that I'm willing to share with my
friends and family? The comment "I don't want my friends and family to
know what I'm doing, l want to become successful first - then I'll
introduce them!!" is almost legendary in network marketing. (A comment
often made by failed networkers who had no real belief in the company
or the products they were promoting in the first place!) If you
immediately feel comfortable with the prospect of letting your
neighbours, your friends and your family know about the network
programme you're considering joining, have belief in the company and
its products, have confidence in your introducing sponsor, then you
have probably chosen the right company to work with. In Kleeneze your
confidence to speak with others about the opportunity will follow your
retail success, which is achievable within days of joining. Distribute
catalogues, collect them 2 days later and you will have orders and your
own proof that the business works – this provides the
confidence to share the opportunity with others.
- Tip #3: Don't be
impatient by expecting things to happen overnight!
Building a moderately productive downline in any network marketing
programme takes time - at least 6 months.
- Tip #4: Read tip 3
again and avoid like the plague any company which
suggests otherwise or does not require you to invest in the development
of a customer base. If your prospective sponsor in the network
marketing programme you're being invited to join doesn't stipulate that
it takes TIME to build a significantly productive downline then it's
not a business your being invited to join but a game - and one you're
bound to lose!
- Tip #5: If you want
to dine with the classes - deal in products or
services wanted by the masses!
"If you
have tried Network
Marketing before and failed, you probably
chose the wrong company, the wrong sponsor, or the wrong product."
Is Network Marketing For
You?
A message from the
then Prime
Minister the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP to
the Direct Selling Association:
"I'm delighted to offer my
support to the Direct Selling Association
and point out to you how big a part direct selling is of our domestic
market in the sale of goods and services. We've got something like 13%
of the entire home shopping market done by direct selling, almost half
a million people are involved in direct selling and 40,000 of those are
doing it full time...It also shows how, in a changing economy and
changing labour market, there are great new opportunities out there.I want to say to you
that this
is a good thing to be involved in and
that we, as a Government recognise the tremendous contribution that
people who are taking up direct selling opportunities can make to the
overall prosperity of the economy. So it is well worth doing, well
worth being involved in and I wish those of you who are engaged in it,
the very best for the future."
The above
is the text of a
video message given to members of the Direct
Selling Association on the occasion of the DSA's Annual Conference held
at Hinckley, Leicestershire on 5-6 May 1999. (www.dsa.org.uk)
To
Conclude
Network
marketing isn't for
everybody. To succeed in network marketing you will need determination,
commitment, enthusiasm and most importantly - a true desire for
success. If you believe you have those qualities you really need to
get
started now!
Wealth
Warning
'It
is illegal for a promoter or a participant in a trading scheme to
persuade anyone to make a payment by promising benefits from getting
others to join a scheme. Do not be misled by claims that high earnings
are easily achieved.'
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Debbie
& Steve
Roper
Kleeneze
Senior Executives
Kleeneze
Account no. 272787
Office
01708 22 22 74
Mobile
07868 734 695
24hr
voice mail
0800 652 0650
E
Mail
Current
income approx
£50k
p.a.




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