| Whether you like or dislike the changes the MLM | | | | AND a relationship building tool. In other words, |
| industry has gone through over the last decade, | | | | you can do both. |
| one thing's for sure. Technology is changing our | | | | You can use techniques such as pay-per-click, |
| business. With the invention and innovation of the | | | | article marketing, and web 2.0 sites such as |
| internet, new possibilities are open to network | | | | Squidoo, to promote yourself and your business |
| marketers that have never been open before. | | | | to millions of people while at the same time using |
| Yet, the success rate doesn't seem to be going | | | | social sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and |
| up. I attribute this largely to the fact that not all | | | | LinkedIn to socialize and cultivate relationship |
| home based business owners understand the | | | | marketing. You get the best of both worlds. |
| power they have at their fingertips and how to | | | | How the Internet Helps You Build Your Brand |
| use it. That's the reason I wrote this article is to | | | | Before the internet, there were relatively few and |
| clarify and emphasize the importance of using the | | | | expensive methods available to help someone |
| internet in your business to ensure you stay | | | | "brand" themselves. Writing and publishing a book, |
| successful. | | | | doing a radio show, writing articles for magazines, |
| "Why Technology?" | | | | etc are all things that come to mind. It was (and |
| Many experts such as Jonathan Budd, Ann Seig, | | | | still is) fairly difficult to accomplish any of those |
| and Mike Klinger agree that technology is changing | | | | due to the high cost involved in them. Your |
| our industry. In fact, if you were to look back on | | | | average network marketer doesn't have the time |
| many of the great business revolutions in history, | | | | or money to write articles to a magazine that |
| technology was one of the key markers in those | | | | may never get published. Nor can he spend $500 |
| industries. Technology (particularly, the internet) | | | | a week doing a radio show, hoping someone will |
| has leveled the playing field for network | | | | listen. Using methods like this are and were a sure |
| marketers who previously didn't have the means | | | | fire recipe for negative cash flow. Let's be honest, |
| or know how to promote their business using | | | | network marketers don't get paid insanely high |
| traditional media. | | | | commissions in most comp plans. |
| How to Use the Internet to Harness the Power | | | | Yet, branding yourself is one of the most |
| of Network Marketing | | | | powerful things you can do for your business. |
| Some experts disagree that the internet is vital | | | | Enter the internet. The internet lets you do many |
| to your network marketing success. They argue | | | | of the things you previously couldn't with little to |
| that the strength of network marketing is the | | | | no cost at all. For example, anyone can write |
| ability to cultivate "one-on-one" relationships with | | | | articles and submit them to dozens of article |
| people which sets you apart from all the other | | | | websites. Anyone can have their own radio show |
| direct marketing noise out there. I agree to a | | | | for very little expense (called "podcasting") and |
| certain extent and think it IS important that we | | | | anyone can write and publish an ebook for little |
| play off the strengths of network marketing and | | | | out of pocket as well. |
| not try to turn it into any other type of business. | | | | Using the internet as part of your overall MLM |
| Yet, with social media sites and the increases | | | | network marketing strategy is not only a good |
| interactivity of the web, it's hard to argue against | | | | idea these days, but a necessity to keep pace |
| the internet being used as a direct marketing tool | | | | with your competitors. |