Simple business plan — getting paid for something you already do

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a simple business plan that paid you for something you do anyway?

Good news. There is.

Most people do network marketing every day. They just don’t get paid for it. Network marketing is nothing more than recommending and promoting products that you like.

Nearly everyone already does that with their favorite restaurants, a good movie, a great place to shop and other things. When you hear a good joke and pass it on, you’re effectively recommending and promoting that joke.

So, with network marketing, you simply find a company that has a product or products that everyone wants and you recommend and promote them. But here’s the key — you have to do it with no agenda.

That’s difficult, and it’s also where most network marketers go wrong. Most MLM companies train their reps to immediately make a list of their friends and family.

It’s the worst thing to do.

The new distributor and their upline proceed to call the people on the list with the sponsor usually doing most of the talking.

The prospect feels pressured in two ways. First, he wants to help out his friend. Second, the upline will often use some kind of closing technique to get the person to buy. Even if he buys something, it likely leaves bad feelings.

Before long the new distributor is an official member of the NFL — No Friends Left.

At first glance, the strategy appears to make sense. People tend to join people they know, like and trust so why not approach those who already know, like and trust you.

The problem is more than 90 percent of people don’t like to be sold. When they feel like a friend is putting the sales squeeze on them, it turns them off even more.

The solution: don’t go to your friends and family first. As a matter of fact, don’t go to them at all. Don’t tell them about your business unless they ask.

And once you’re successful, they will ask.

So, who do you go to? You go to people you meet. Live your life. Be knowable, likeable and trustworthy.

Along the way, you’ll meet the right people. The moment will present itself for you to promote and recommend your business and its products. If you follow that simple business plan with no agenda — not like a salesman — you’ll start getting paid for something you do everyday.

Steve DeVane