In Matthew's Gospel  Jesus' parable of the sower is an extraordinary tale that is relevant to network marketing in so many different ways. Let us assume that the sower of Jesus parable is a network marketer.

Basically the story is a sower is out throwing seed around (no tractors back then) and the results of that action. It is a story of misery , hope and ultimately triumph.  Some fell on the path and the birds came and ate it up straight away. Some fell on rocky ground, some fell among thorn bushes, and some fell on good soil. Are not the dispositions of those who hear network marketers the same.

The Seed that falls on the path.

As you spread your micro-franchising message around some of the message fails to even hit the listeners. They don't open your emails, they don't click your links or they have a mind set against micro-franchising  believing its 'pyramid marketing' or 'illegal' or other falsehoods.

The Seed that falls on the rocky ground.

Anyone in network marketing meets these sorts as well . They are excited to join the program, sprout quickly, ask a million questions, tell you how good they are going to do but the lack staying power because they don't create deep roots (good daily habits and hard work). As some as the sun comes out - i.e. the meet a couple of hurdles (like a downline member dropping out )  give up just as quickly.

The Seed that falls amongst the thorns.

We have all meet these people as well. They get swamped by the number of programs out there, either been choked by doing to many at once or they fail because the jump from program to program to program - no wonder they never experience any success.

The Seed that falls on good ground.

Anyone in micro franchising  knows that one of these people is worth ten to hundred times more than any of the rest. They take a program and grow over time a crop of 30, 60 or hundred times. Or, why not keep going - a thousand times !

When you are in network marketing look for the good soil. Plant your seed there and you will over time harvest a bumper crop.

n Matthew Chapter 13 you can find Jesus' parable of the sower. He applies it to how people hear the message of the Kingdom and the possible results. Reading it I thought how relevant this parable was to my experience in network marketing.

Basically the story is a sower is out throwing seed around (no tractors back then) and the results of that action. Some fell on the path and the birds came and ate it up straight away. Some fell on rocky ground, some fell among thorn bushes, and some fell on good soil.

The Seed that falls on the path.

As you spread your MLM programs message around some of the message fails to even hit the listeners. They don't open your emails, they don't click your links or they have a mind set against MLM believing its 'pyramid marketing' or 'illegal' or other falsehoods.

The Seed that falls on the rocky ground.

These are those who get really enthused,  are excited to join the program, sprout quickly, ask a million questions, tell you how good they are going to do but the lack staying power because they don't create deep roots (good daily habits and hard work). As some as the sun comes out - i.e. the meet a couple of hurdles (like loosing a down line member, etc) they give up just as quickly.

The Seed that falls amongst those damned prickles.

We have all meet these people too. They get swamped by the number of programs out there, either been choked by doing to many at once or they fail because the jump from program to program to program - no wonder they never experience any success.

The Seed that falls on good ground.

Anyone in network marketing  knows that one of these people is worth ten to hundred times more than any of the rest. They take a program and grow over time a crop of 30, 60 or hundred times.

Many network marketers might instruct their downlines to look for the good soil , thinking they know the kind of person who will succeed. But there are patches of good soil everywhere. The sower did not try and work out where the good soil was did he ? No. The sower threw his seed everywhere. 

And , Jesus, as it has been said many a time by network marketing gurus was  one of the greatest network marketing gurus  of all time.  There was a greater one.

Several studies have, over the years, attempted to discover the factors that made people and businesses financially successful. Many books have been written on the subject and they’re are various opinions. One of the studies that interested me the most  examined salespeople who made over $250,000 per year in sales. The purpose was  by discovering what these people had in common, the researchers could be able to “extract” the “success traits” that all of these people had in common. Of all of the “success traits” studied, it was found that the most important one was “Speed To Implementation”.

But what is “Speed To Implementation” and how can it positively affect your home business strategy ? Speed to Implementation is defined as: The difference between the time that you hear about or learn something…and the time it takes for you to put it into action. In other words: If you get a great business idea on Monday morning, have you started developing it immediately  or are you going to allow it to hang around , stored somewhere in an isolated mental cave until six months down the track. The study (mentioned earlier) found that the most successful people actually implemented new ideas immediately. There was no sitting around, debating, and procrastinating there was only instant, massive action. 

Now, before we go any further let me go ahead and address a question that often arises.
“But what if the idea is a bad idea?”

You must understand 2 things regarding this:

First: Ideas are usually never “right” or “wrong” but instead we start implementation and then as we proceed we alter route so  the idea is “made right”.

Second: It helps if the idea comes from a business guide ( or mentor )  or some other person who has already been down the path we’re trying to go down (that way we know the idea is solid). 

The problem with most home business entrepreneurs (internet and network marketers) is that we get “paralysis or analysis” and end up taking no action at all. When it comes to analyzing your ideas before implementing them, remember this: It doesn’t have to be perfect, it never will be perfect, you just have to get it going.

Remember: “Speed to Implementation” is one of the main traits that all ultra-successful people have in common. Taking massive action is the ONLY way you are going to be able to get from where you are, to where you want to be!

I am always surprised at the extreme positions people take when talking about Network Marketing. Some people are passionate about it in the extreme, yet, in many circles, you might as well declare yourself a leper as divulge being involved in it.So, what seems to be the issue? When people talk about Network Marketing others have a mental picture of pyramiding and of exploitation ? But you can't really take issue with the tiered compensation structure—almost every large sales organization in the world has that. Salespeople get commission, and sales managers get bonuses because those beneath them perform and so it goes on.Or maybe it's the fact that you have to pay to participate in it? But that can't be it—that's a standard franchising model. And I assure you, the franchise fee of most traditional franchises tower over the initial cost of any MLM program by comparison.Now certainly, there are illegal pyramid, or "Ponzi", schemes. This is where the money is all being made off of signing up other people, with little or no real product ever being delivered. But in spite of whatever perceptions people may have, the fact is that Amway, Excel, Meleleuca, USANA and , 5Linx  ( just to name a few ) who have sold millions upon millions of dollars of products to happy customers, many of whom are NOT also reps. So, there may be a discernment problem here, but if so, the perception is out of line with the reality.But surely the bad reputation Network Marketing has, might have a kernel of truth in it.The real trouble with MLM is not MLM itself, but some of the people it attracts. Network marketing is just a business model, and it really amounts to "micro-franchising". Its upside is that it has a very low cost of entry, with the potential for exceptional revenue, and there are those who achieve that.But those same things that make it attractive make it attractive to many who are NOT really qualified or prepared to become business owners. The significant characteristics of MLM make it attractive to people who have not done well in their previous business or have no idea of running a business. Perhaps they have had no experience in sales; in meeting and greeting people and other skills necessary to be successful. Perhaps they do not have the self – discipline to work from home. have not done well in their business or profession and have little money saved up to invest Don't get me wrong—I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with any of these things as they are all skills and attitudes which can be learned but , at the same time, many fall, crestfallen off the Network Marketing perch because they are lacking in these areas. This may not represent the bulk of Network Marketers, but may represent a disproportionate number of them. As a result, many network marketers might find themselves overly concerned with recruiting; busying themselves signing up others to the detriment of selling an outstanding product; a product they believe in. They find themselves seeing the people as a product and what they’re meant to be selling as merely incidental.Again, I'm certainly not saying that this describes a majority of network marketers, but it does describe enough of them to tarnish the reputation of the rest. To jump to conclusions about someone’s motives merely based on a small minority of people in that group is , most certainly, unwarranted, but we must appreciate that most prejudices have some foundation in fact even if it has been twisted.So what's the answer?Education. Network Marketing or /MLMing is a great opportunity for people to begin their first business, their first sales role or a continuing, life long one. But, it is a business and you are a business owner. And if you've never owned a business before, if you've never done sales before, if you've never networked before, you need to learn and to learn fast. You need to educate yourself before jumping in; and to do this I would recommend a coach. A coach or mentor will help you hit the ground running.Network marketers who are serious about building a business need to treat it as such . Do you have a financial plan? Do you have  a Marketing Plan ? In short, do you have a Business Plan ? Act like a small business owner; be a small business owner and people will treat you like one.

Today mentors provide their expertise to less experienced individuals in order to help them advance their careers, enhance their education, and build their networks. Many of the world's mostsuccessful people have benefited from having a mentor including:

• business people (Freddie Laker mentored Richard Branson)
• politicians (Aristotle mentored Alexander the Great, Robert Menzies mentored Malcolm Fraser)
• actors (Mel Gibson mentored Heath Ledger)
• athletes (golfer Charlie Earp mentored Greg Norman, Eddy Merckx mentored Lance Armstrong - six times Tour de France winner).

What does a mentor do?

A mentor can act as a sounding board for ideas or plans that mayaffect your progress as a network marketer. It fosters the development of relationshipswhich benefit both the mentor and the mentee.

The mentor provides counsel, insight and guidance to the mentee. The mentor is provided with the opportunity to invest in the lives ofothers and contribute to the mentee's future goals and aspirations.

Network Marketers seek  to engage mentors who are committed, focussed and visionary,and who can provide 

• direction
• validation
• motivation 
• encouragement.

Any serious Network Marketer must either mentor his / her team or seek to be mentored. The best mentors are mentored themselves. Approaches to Network marketing constantly change and no one can be expected to hit the ground running.

 

Mentors are people wlho  provide their expertise to less experienced individuals in order to help them advance their careers, enhance their education, and , in the case of Network marketing, build their teams. Many of the world's most successful people have benefited from having a mentor including:

• business people (Freddie Laker mentored Richard Branson)
• politicians (Aristotle mentored Alexander the Great, Robert Menzies mentored Malcolm Fraser)
• actors (Mel Gibson mentored Heath Ledger)
• athletes (golfer Charlie Earp mentored Greg Norman, Eddy Merckx mentored Lance Armstrong - six times Tour de France winner).

What does a mentor do?

A mentor can act as a sounding board for ideas or plans that may affect our careers. Mentoring fosters the development of relationships which benefit both the mentor and the mentee.

The mentor provides counsel, insight and guidance to the mentee. The mentor is provided with the opportunity to invest in the lives of others and contribute to their  future goals and aspirations.

The very best mentors are committed, focussed and visionary, and can offer  their Network Marketing team members

• direction
• validation
• motivation 
• encouragement.

The mentoring relationship that leads to mutual respect and rapport will prove to be an effective and positive experience for both the mentor and mentee and, inevitably, leads to success. 

Mentoring is effective when the mentee's goals and objectives are established clearly from the beginning. Establishing clear outcomes will assist both parties in maximising the potential benefits that may develop from the mentoring relationship.

It’s amazing that as advanced as our society and technology is, our education hasn’t evolved to include the basics of life success. Whether someone becomes an entrepreneur or not, there are vital  skillsnecessary for anyone to achieve success and financial security in theirlife. One of these is the ability to manage basic finances.

In many countries, there is a distinct lack of  financial education in today’s educational system. The youth of today have limited understanding of economics, finance or how to manage their money. Yet, at age 18 most are able to get a credit card , purchase a mobile phone and take out loans. This is a  scary proposition for those who are ill-equipped and ill-prepared for the financial responsibilities that come with adulthood. It’s no wonder that young adults often find themselves in debt before they even leave the school system

Many young adults want to know how to become financially stable,self reliant and competent in matters of finance. Most students are clueless when it comes to concepts such as taxes, stocks, bonds, cost of living , interest rates, how credit cards work, etc. In other words they have little understanding of even the  fundamentals of managing personal finance. This understanding is critical to a person being able to be responsible with their finances. With almost every department store cashier pushing credit cards to “save 10% today”,what most kids don’t realize is that 10% savings today can cost far more than the regular price.

So, why is the education system so far behind? Our schools have integrated anti-drug curriculum to address drug issues so isn’t it time to integrate financial education to handle the debt problem?

Those  who are financially successful today do not work for other people. Those who reap the rewards work for themselves and do so usually through some form of networking. They are imbued , purposively or by accident, with an entrepreneurial spirit and a belief in themselves.  Are we teaching our children entrepreneurship? Are we teaching them to be creative thinkers? Are we teaching them networking skills? The days of spending thirty plus years working for a single institution  doing the same thing , day in - day out, are gone. If your school does not teach your children these lessons, then it is time to leave and find one that does !

Since I have joined BRIDGES  I have learned that in Network Marketing  it is vitally important that the  team  strategy  mirrors the authenticity of everyone in it.   

Every member of a Network  Marketing team should be authentic in their relationship with each other and their prospective customers and distributors. What we are in our day to day lives should be the same in our dealings with others in our business.  You cannot have a different online personality; you cannot play games. The idea of being an internet marketing coach is something that is popular now. But I'm more comfortable talking about my passion for service, and passion for Network Marketing.   When working with great teams linke BRIDGES AND 5Linx it makes it easier  because you know that the world wide team are genuine and sincere.
I guess the point here is be yourself... your real self, even in your marketing.

Many Business coaches use words like 'Branding’ but I believe if you are authentic, then the brand looks after itself.

The people that I have met through BRIDGES  are all dedicated to constantly making themselves better individuals. This benefits everyone at the same time. The importance of being yourself in the marketplace is vital to branding oneself and  constantly advancing personal growth, achievement and business ethics.
To not be ourselves in network marketing is to miss the whole point. It's not just about developing an income , but  about making sure everyone else in your team does too.  It is about giving in such away that everyone involved is better off for the experience.

Successful Network Marketers are aware of the importance of every Rep in the downline. They emphasise team work and team building.

They  are self starter's and they know that teamwork builds a successful marketing team.

A lot of uplines have dropped the ball not understanding that to be successful, their downlines needed to be successful as well (Network Marketing Teamwork). BRIDGES INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT GROUP is different in this regard. It is a condition of entry that individuals do not do this.

Have you heard the term, Go Where The Fire Is? Great concept for Firemen, butyou just don't turn your back on your Business Partners because they are not producing at that particular moment. The successful network marketer is awarethat everyone has potential and whilst someone may not be bearing fruit at one time does not mean they won’t on another .  If you know your recruit is serious and has been from the beginning then this will be inevitable.

 

 Additionally, Network marketers should never keep secrets but should rather constantly mentor and teach.  We should pass on what we have learned and that only happens if we are  taught proper Network Marketing Teamwork methods.

 

Everyone that has seen a Network Marketing Plan understands the use of Business People reproducing Business People. We understand that the development of time, people and  money is the only way we are going to breakout of the rat race.

 

Now let's look at it this way. If you were going to spend the hundreds of thousands of dollars that it would take to launch a business today and you hired a staff, you would want each and every person to know what time they would come to work, your expectations regarding their standard of performance and the type of work they will actually do.

If you're going to hire someone, it just makes sense that you would tell them what you expect of them. Right?  So, if you want to build a serious business , as opposed to a hobby, then you must let potential members of your team know that from the start.

Greetings, I'm Phil Ahern and welcome to my Network Marketing  Blog. As I journey through the world of Network Marketing with BRIDGES and 5Linx. I  will be documenting my insights and philosophy . In those two companies I believe I have found sound ethical groups. Anyway, I hope you read on and enjoy the journey with me.