Let’s get one thing straight. Building a successful Network Marketing Part Time Business is HARD WORK. Not only do you have to deal with learning new skills and acquiring a new mindset, but you have to do it in far less time than full time marketers. But it CAN be done and we have proof.
We’ve done it … and so can you!
Now, I won’t be talking about “knowing your why” and “wanting it bad enough.” This is really basic to why you are starting a business in the first place. I’m going to assume that you already Know Your Why and that you are determined to succeed and change your life.
There will be challenges that are somewhat unique to Part Time Networkers… Challenges of mindset, challenges of work ethic and challenges of time management.
Not meeting one or more of these challenges could be the difference between quitting your job to work your Network Marketing business full time… and giving up and staying in your 9-5 job forever.
The 9 Killers of a Network Marketing Part Time Business
Killer #1: Choosing the Wrong Sponsor
While your choice of a sponsor will not necessarily make or break your business, your life will be much easier if you carefully select your sponsor. After all, this will be the person showing you the ropes when you first get started. As a Part Time Network Marketer, having a sponsor who will guide you through the inevitable potholes in the road to success will be invaluable to your progress.
For more details on choosing the right sponsor for you, check out What Makes a Great Network Marketing Sponsor.
Killer #2: Trying to Market to Everyone with a Pulse
I still see it being taught in many Old School MLM opportunities: Make a list of everyone you know, cold calling, and the infamous “3-foot rule” (anyone within a 3 foot radius is considered a “prospect”). But most now agree that these strategies are unfocussed and yield poor results. As as Part Time Networkers, you cannot afford the time to sort through the masses of uninterested people just to find one who might join you. It’s not an efficient use of your limited time.
We know because we did it. It was probably the biggest mistake we ever made in our business.
We teach our team to be selective in their prospecting. As the saying goes, it’s far better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in the ocean. Understand who your target market is (your “niche) and learn how to attract them to you. Become the hunted, not the hunter.
Killer #3: Not Understanding the Process (Losing Patience)
Being successful in ANYTHING is a PROCESS. Success isn’t just something that comes to you while you’re sleeping. Success only comes with hard work, proper planning and the right opportunity.
As a Part Time Networker, you have so much to do with your limited time that you can easily lose sight of the big picture. It’s easy to get frustrated, confused and impatient when you don’t see success fast enough. I will warn you right now – it will be hard to be patient. There will be times when you think about quitting. Don’t quit!
Success in Network Marketing is no different than in any other business. The more valuable you are to the marketplace, the more money you will make. When you first get started, you won’t know much and you’ll be paid accordingly (nothing). But as you become educated, learn new skills, and gain experience your value will increase and so will your checks.
You must be patient enough to allow the process to play out.
Be sure to read How to Become a Network Marketing Leader that Others will Follow. It is the formula for success.
Killer #4: Comparing Yourself to Full Time Marketers
It will be very tempting to compare your progress to other marketers in your company. Many MLM companies have an online leader board and it’s almost impossible not to check it out. If you attend your company’s Live Event (which you should), you’ll see the “Rising Stars” and winners of contests marching up to the stage to receive their prizes.
If you’re not one of them, don’t worry — you will be. It may just take you a little longer than the flashy guy working his business full time.
When you compare yourself to others who are successful, it’s easy to get discouraged and feel that there’s no chance for you. WRONG!
Remember what we talked about above… Success is a Process.
Killer #5: Lack of Focus and Discipline
Lack of focus and lack of discipline will kill any business, but especially when you are trying to build your Network Marketing Business part time. As a Part Time Networker, you MUST leverage your limited time… this means being focussed on the tasks at hand and being extremely disciplined. I always recommend my new team members to consult with their family and then set up a work schedule for their business. It works for them and it can work for you.
Carve out times during your week (preferably some time each day) that you can dedicate to your business. Be very rigid about this time. You must treat it as if you were working for someone else.
- Don’t be late.
- Don’t call in sick when you’re not sick.
- Don’t spend your valuable time aimlessly checking out your friends on Facebook (unless it’s for business) or surfing the Net.
Plan the best use of your time, set a rigid schedule and don’t let anything get in your way.
Killer #6: Not Leveraging Technology
If you’re working your Network Marketing business part time, you MUST be on the Internet. No doubt about it.
The Internet is the most powerful leveraging tool EVER. Just think about it, you can reach prospects from all over the world with a simple click of your mouse. You can hang out where they hang out online. You can allow them to get to know you on Facebook. You can connect on Skype and talk to anyone in the world for free.
There is no better leveraging tool around than the World Wide Web, and as a Part Time Networker you must take advantage of this technology.
You may want to consider an online marketing system to fully leverage your time and resources. Before selecting one, be sure it includes extensive training and can help you market ANY product.
There’s a lot to learn about Online Marketing, but you can do it! We did, and when we started a couple of years ago all we knew how to do was check our email and surf the Net. When you get the right training and learn new skills, you can truly change the direction of your life.
Killer #7: Not Leveraging Your Money
It takes money to build any business, and your Network Marketing business is no exception. But let’s face it, for most of us money is tight. So it’s of the utmost importance that you learn to leverage this limited resource.
What do I mean by this? I mean spending your money smartly in a way that will bring back the most return on your investment.
How should you spend your money? I can only tell you what I did.
When you first start your business, you’ll undoubtedly be given opportunity to “buy into” the compensation plan of your Company. By this, I mean the more you pay into your Company upfront, the higher commissions you will receive when you make a sale. This is good, right?
Well, yes and no.
Certainly it’s great to be positioned well in your compensation plan. It just makes sense, and if you have the money you should definitely do so.
Just don’t do it at the expense of training and education.
If your company has a great training program, this will help save you some money. But keep in mind that it’s highly likely that you’ll need to step outside your Company training to learn new skills. So keep some money in reserve for this likelihood.
Also consider that you’ll need some money for marketing. If you market offline, you’ll need money for things like Company brochures and setting up home parties.
If you’re an online marketer you’ll also need money — for advertising and other marketing costs.
One time I was asked, “If I had just $1000 to put into my new business, how would I spend it?”
Here was my answer —> Training and Education — learning new skills and becoming more valuable to others.
Seeing a trend here?
Killer #8: Trying to Do It All By Yourself
No man is an island, and as the owner of your Network Marketing Part Time business you certainly cannot afford to do it all yourself. You’re going to need help.
Help with your business can come in many forms:
- You can find a Running Buddy or Accountability Partner to help keep you accountable in your business.
- You can form a Mastermind Group to help you keep your business going in the right direction.
- You can find forums or Facebook groups to get advice and become more visible to others.
- You can outsource tasks that are redundant and not worth your time, even as a beginning Networker.
- You can find a Mentor who has traveled in your shoes and knows the straight line to success.
Don’t try to do this all alone. You’ll feel isolated and frustrated and will likely quit before you start seeing the fruits of your labor.
Killer #9: Not Working Smart
You’ve probably heard the saying, “Work Smarter, Not Harder” — this should be the mantra of the Part Time Networker.
So what do I mean by “work smart”?
It’s simple… it means identifying those tasks that mean the most to your Network Marketing success.
It means finding those things that will directly bring in money, and getting them done first.
I call them Income Producing Activities – things like building relationships, placing advertisements, and building an email marketing list. These are all ways that will ultimately put money in your pocket.
Spending hours chatting on Facebook or going through emails will not.
Working smart means leveraging your time… and as a Part Time Networker this is non-negotiable.
~~~~~~~~~~~
So there you have it – The 9 Killers of a Network Marketing Business and how to avoid them.
By taking the advice in this article and implementing what you’ve learned, there’s no reason you can’t grow your business, become a leader that others want to follow, and ultimately achieve your big dream of quitting your full time job.
You CAN become the next Network Marketing Success Story!
Just never give up!
Are you a Part Time Networker?
What challenges are you facing and how do you deal with them?
LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW and JOIN IN THE DISCUSSION,
61 replies to "The 9 Killers of a Network Marketing Part Time Business"
Sorry Bob i know I’ve been commenting a lot lately on your blog but I’m so glad I stumbled upon this site. Really good posts! I have a sister currently working with Amway and I know she would get a lot out of what you have to say and I think it would help her tremendously.
Always great to have you here, Onye
Thanks for sharing this awesome article post Bob. I like the part where you emphasize how to manage our time when doing internet marketing and don’t waste so much time in Facebook if it hasn’t anything to do with business.
Great list! When people approach part-time businesses or part-time marketing, they tend to go off of what they already “know,” which is usually based off of the media. Expecting to handle everything by yourself, and expecting to sell to everyone you know are two ways to burn out really quickly.
i think your number #3 Not Understanding the Process (Losing Patience) is the biggest mistake that common happen for us as a beginner. many person want to have a shortcut and quick result. for sure, We need time to success
love the point about FB and emails NOT being income producing activities ( see ya on FB!)
Great post guys, lack of patience is a big problem in our industry. As I get older I realize how much of a virtue patience really is. Absolutely vital if you plan on having success with your home business!
Thanks Bob for this great article, I was just reminded how i was killed by the # 2 killer when i was in my old school networking business. I would like to share this article to my upcoming blog so that others will also be aware how they killed by the killers 🙂
Glad you like the article, Allstair…. #2 is a killer indeed – trying to market to everyone. We’ve all been victim to this one at some point. Would be happy to have you share this with your blog readers. Appreciate the support.
Very practicle and valuable information. I loved the article
Hey Bob and Rosemary,
Lack of focus is a big one. There are so many distractions online and if you get the least bit discourage with what you’re doing it’s easy to lose focus and chase the next ‘big thing’ to come along.
Having a daily task list with realistic time goals works really well. Just make sure your daily list is doable with a realistic time goals, otherwise your to do list becomes more of a wish list 🙂
Liz
I like killer 8, it is so true. Everyone needs help from SOMEONE.
Hey Michael,
Yeah, it’s no fun trying to do everything by yourself. When I started collaborating with other bloggers my business really took off.
Have you been using collaboration in your business model?
Hi Bob, I appreciate you sharing these 9 killers of Network marketing business. Some of these killers can sneak up on partimers and before they know it, They just want to give up or quit.
Thanks for sharing.
Stephane
Hi Bob, I couldn’t agree more with these 9 killers of network marketing businesses. Some of them sneak up on people and take over their will to keep going and before they realize it they want to give up and QUIT!
Thanks for sharing these with the online community.
Stephane
I read all these Bob & evaluated my business and my daily agenda & I know that the crucial time for a part timer is to spend more time on the core building activities such as building a list & building strong relationships and connecting with potential business/clients and also PERSONAL GROWTH. Always adjusting to do these much needed skill development.
Thanks for this Outline..Bob
Hey Bob, great illustrations of what to avoid and why and personal examples of what you did. I like your methodical approach, makes it very easy to follow and organize in one’s head as opposed to a post without such a structure – easier to take something (or many things) away from it and shows the importance of each. Great post!
Thanks, Hans. I appreciate the feedback!
Your post’s quite unique. Thanks for the share. You have elaborated it well. With those list, I know for sure what am I going to avoid when it comes to marketing my online blogs.
[…] The 9 Killers of a Network Marketing Part Time Business […]
Hi B & R
Well you have hit the nail right on the head with this post and I how have a huge lump on my head! ouch! The majority of the 9 killers ring very true for me. For the past year I have been trying so hard to climb out the big dark hole and reach enlightenment but the sides have been too slippery and I kept sliding back down into the muddy puddle, washing myself off and having another go. So, now I’m building myself a ladder, taking one step at a time, shooting each of the 9 killers on my way up, until I finally reach the top triumphantly.
Thank you for your insights.
Hi Nicola,
I love it — build that ladder! Here’s the thing about this post — we’ve ALL made these mistakes, sometimes over and over again. But the important thing is that we learn and NEVER give up trying to move forward. It can be a slippery slope in the beginning, but once you get your traction, LOOK OUT!
It will be fun watching your grow! Keep us posted!
I must admit, Bob, I have personally committed a couple of those “Killers” up there on that list. But seeing them all laid out here is really helpful, I am going to try my best to memorize them (or at least bookmark the page to refer back to) so I don’t do any of them ever again!
Hi Natasha,
Don’t worry — we’ve ALL committed some of these deadly “sins”, usually more than once. It’s all part of the success process.
So glad you found this information useful, Natasha!
Wow, what a great post! You definitely identified key problems, definitely some I’ve encountered myself. Trying to do so much in little time, not wanting to say “no” to anyone. Thinking you can do it all. My favorite advice is “work smarter, not harder”. This is so true but the challenge is to prioritize matters. But we can do it! 🙂 Thanks for such a helpful post!
-Kendall
Hi Kendall.
You’re welcome! Yes, “work smarter not harder” is one of my favorite quotes as well. As part time marketers, we need to leverage everything we bring to the table — from our limited time to money to skills. Leverage everything…. it is the fastest way to realize the success you covet.
Thanks for your insights, Kendall… and thank for stopping by!
As someone who is newbie to a business, you can easily fall for #2 and #3. Losing patience and then, in pursuit of that success, you will keep targeting the wrong seas. This will ultimately lead to loss of resources; time, efforts and money and also lead to that impatience and frustration. Thanks for sharing this and putting in your efforts in writing this sensible piece.
Thanks, Pearl… appreciate the kind feedback and support.
I agree with you — losing patience and unrealistic expectations are huge components to small business failures. We are so conditioned to instant gratification in our society today. And the hype in the marketplace doesn’t help — they always make it sound so easy! But we know that building a solid business model takes time, patience and a lot of elbow grease.
Great to have you here! See you again soon!
Hey Bob,
How I agree with you about these pointers. Most networkers I know started part time and moved on from there.
You have definitely given the major obstacles.
I particularly would love to talk about ‘lack of focus and discipline’.
One major problem I see alot of networkers make, especially newbie is that of discipline. I know it’s difficult to balance everything, you will attest to this. I mean you got a job, a family and then a business. how could one ever balance everything without losing focus.
That’s why having a schedule like you wrote about sometimes back is so so important. A successful network marketing business can not be built without having and sticking to a DMO.
Thanks for a wonderful post, Bob!
~Tosin
Agree 100% Tosin… what most newbies and part time networkers don’t understand is that its not the amount of time you spend on your business that counts, it’s what you do with the time you have.
If more people could focus on what NEEDS to be done to start making money, there would be less discouragement and it would be easier to continue to grow your business.
Thanks for your insights, Tosin…. always great to see you here, my friend!
This looks like my list of problems when I first started out. I’m quick to make decisions before really planning it out, so that’s something that I’ve been trying to work on. I really like your blog and what you have to provide and definitely learning along the way.
Hey Diane,
We’re glad that you find value in what we have here. Hope to see you around her often, and we’re so glad that you’re commenting and leaving your insights. It’s what blogging is all about — sharing of ideas.
See you again soon, Diane!
I think my flaw is that I try and do everything on my own. Maybe it’s the perfectionist in me, but I definitely try and have control over the duties and I get an overload from time to time. I think it’s the fact that I want to succeed and do things right, that sometimes it backfires. Thanks for the tips and making me realize what I need to change. Thanks 🙂
Hi Dr. Bob,
This is quite interesting because what I usually find about network marketing are ways on how to succeed. I think its also best if we know the things that could make us fail in the business and you just nailed them all. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Calli,
Welcome to our blog!
Sometimes its good to look at the reasons why things don’t work in order to learn and try again. What’s that famous saying? The only way you can truly fail is if you don’t try.
Thanks for your feedback. I look forward to seeing more of you around here in the future!
Hi Bob,
Nice post.I feel that not losing both focus and patience are a must for achieving success in any field,it maybe full time or part time.
Moreover one should always compare himself with his past performance,that would give a good insight on the progress.
Hi Shivam, welcome!
You mention focus and patience… these are 2 of the most important factors in any successful business, whether it be part time or full time. Although I will say that, for part time marketers, focus must be maintained at peak levels at every turn, and they may need more patience than their full time counterparts, because success usually comes a bit slower for part timers.
Thanks for your comment, Shivam! Great to see you here!
Hi Bob & Rosemary,
A lot of great points and advice throughout this article. I think the standout for me, at least at this point in my life, is that it does require some patience, and not just with others, but myself as well.
I just might read this one over a few times!
Thank you,
Kathy
Hi Kathy, welcome to our blog!
You are 100% right — patience, and also persistence are absolute requirements when building a Network Marketing business. Those people who seemingly have meteoric rises to the top after just a couple of months with a new company? Guess what? I’ll bet they paid their dues elsewhere!
Thanks for the comment. I hope to see you around here often!
Hi Bob,
It is a very nice and interesting tutorial.Thanks for sharing the 9 killers of a Network Marketing.I like point # 5 most because lack of discipline always make hurdle in any bussiness.
Welcome to our blog and thanks for your comment!
Hi guys, great post and an insightful informative read. The lack of focus and discipline is something very familiar. Keep up the great work.
Thanks for the encouragment Fabrizio… we appreciate your thoughtful comment.
Thanks for stopping by… see you again soon.
I agree with choosing the wrong sponsor. Choose wisely to whom who will serve as your guide because if his/her guidance is not good then your business is at stake. Never to comparing yourself to no no in life. Be unique as much as possible and be creative. 🙂
Hi Kirsty,
Some people have tried to tell me that your choice of a sponsor doesn’t much matter. Wow, I disagree with that! Having a great sponsor who knows the ropes and can cut down your learning curve is invaluable. I’m not saying you cannot succeed with a lousy sponsor — you can — it just will take you longer. And you’ll need to do far more work to get there.
Thanks for your comment, Kirsty,
See you again soon!
Hi Bob and Rosemary-
I think #1 is huge for me and I am sure that is why I had no success in my first MLM company. That and I was stubborn and wanted to do it all myself! Well I have learned the error of my ways and I am on to bigger and better things. Very inspiring post to me and I am sure to lots of other MLMers out there. Thanks for the great post.
Cori Hughes
Hi Cori, thanks for the comment!
Choosing the wrong sponsor can really slow you down, although it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. There’s always people higher up in the chain (your upline) who should be willing to help. If not, you can always do what I did… go outside your company and find some really strong mentors to show you the way.
On to bigger and better things… I like that! What kind of things? Now I’m curious!
Great to have you stop by!
Hi Bob and Rosemary,
First time visiting your blog and what a wealth of valuable info you have! I love this post and you nailed it perfectly. It’s funny to look back and think, wow, I made those mistakes. Unfortunately, these methods are still being taught and the one that annoys me the most is “approach everyone”. Ugh, not everyone is your target market! Enough said.
Thanks for the great tips!
Janette Stoll
Hi Janette, welcome to our virtual home!
I think we’ve ALL made these mistakes, because like you said many of them are still being taught to new MLMers. I remember when my upline suggested I stalk people at our local mall… I knew there had to be a better way!
Appreciate the kind words… great to see you here!
Bob
Hey Bob and Rosemary!
Great information Bob. Definitely leveraging your time is so critical and you hit on some really great pointers that will help people stay on track. Actually having limited time can be a real positive though too. When you have “all time in the world” to build your business, it’s easy to get sidetracked on those unproductive time wasters. So, it’s not the amount of time but what you do with that time that makes ALL the difference.
So design your plan and work your plan – even 15-20 minutes a day when you’re focusing on the right activities you’ll be ahead of many who don’t.
Good stuff!
Hi Laura, welcome!
I totally agree, its not the amount of time you work on your business, but what you do with that time. Well said!
Appreciate the comment!
The 9 Killers of a Network Marketing Part Time Business… and How You Can Avoid Them…
Let’s get one thing straight. Building a successful Network Marketing Part Time Business is HARD WORK. Not only do you have to deal with learning new skills and acquiring a new mindset, but you have to do it in far less time than full time marketers. …
Hey Dr Clarke,
Wow, what a comprehensive post with solid advice. It can be challenging trying to build a network marketing business part-time. Anyone falling into this category will find this massively helpful.
#5 stands out for me. Many home business owners lack focus, commitment and discipline. They find themselves all over the place, not focusing on one thing at a time and not fully committed to their business.
Thanks for sharing your insights.
All the best,
Mavis
Bob,
I think #3 is a biggy. Not understanding that success does not happen overnight can cause many to throw in the towel before they even get started. Your list should support anyone who is willing to learn and grow with their businesses. Lack of focus or discipline can be a downfall for anyone!
Good reminder,
Val 🙂
So true, Val. The ones who understand the process and stick it out to realize their success are the lucky ones. Many others quit just when big things are about to happen.
Thanks for stopping by, as always.
Hi Bob,
Thanks for sharing this awesome post! What more can I say? You’ve already said it all 🙂 But what I really liked the most is the fact that you have to spend some time really on “Training and Education” — learning new skills and becoming more valuable to others. This is the real secret to long term success if you want to make it in this industry. Its a process so take it bit by bit. Because some people just don’t get it. Thanks again and thank you as well for your leadership Bob!
All the best,
~Sonny
Hi Sonny,
Great to see you here. I agree — learning new skills is a key to making yourself more valuable and attracting others to you. It just makes Networking so much more fun, right?
Thanks for sharing… by the way, I love your blog. Awesome information. I’ll stop by again soon.
This is a great article! I can SOOOO relate to all of your points, since I AM a part-time network marketer. For me, #3 and #4 really resonate with what I’m going through. It’s easy to forget that it IS a process, especially when it is so tempting to compare myself with the full-timers. As a relatively new network marketer, too, I thought that your points were spot on for anyone starting out! Thanks for a great post!
Hi Jennifer… .welcome!
Its true, I spent months comparing myself to full time marketers and just about driving myself (and Rosemary) crazy. But I’ve learned to pace myself, be patient yet always taking action, and I know that it will happen – for me, for you and for anyone else who follows this path.
Stop by often!
Hey there, Bob & Rosemary!
Wow, you’ve put a lot of time and thought into this post!
Thanks so much! I’ll definitely be sending people over
here to check it…
It was great to reconfirm my own choices with the
ventures I’m in, too.
Blessings,
Kary
Hi my friend,
Great to see you here. Appreciate the kind words. As you know, I’m a huge believer in educating yourself and learning new skills. I firmly believe that people come into your life just when you need them, and that’s what it’s been like for me when I came across you and the rest of the Empowered Tribe. Its just an awesome place to be… and learn. Can’t wait for the new training to continue rolling out!
All the best,
Bob