Tune In On Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Do you want to learn how you can stand out in Network Marketing? Are you hoping to grow your business to more than just a side hustle? Oh girl, this is the right place for you!

In this post and episode of the Branded Cowgirl Podcast, I am teaching you how to identify your ideal client, build a personal brand as well as going through all of  the marketing strategies that are just not working with Multi Level Marketing Company’s.

It’s time we get rid of the negative stigma that comes with Network marketing and start building up life changing brands together. What do you say?

If you are ready to quit your day job and start doing something for yourself, become a stay at home mom, or help provide for your family financially, then grab a notebook and a pen and tune in!

The stigma behind network marketing

The truth is, network marketing has created a bit of a negative stigma for itself. However, Network Marketing is not a new trend, it has actually been around for a really long time and is only continuing to grow more and more each day.

I do want to preface this with the fact that I have never personally worked for a network marketing company, and it’s not my intention to come off like I know all the ins and outs. However, I have a lot of friends and acquaintances that are in network marketing and I have spent a lot of time observing these companies to try to understand them more. 

My personal opinion on networking marketing is that it’s not for me, but I have absolutely no issues with anyone being a part of a network marketing company to support themselves or their family. I think there are so many benefits that come from these company’s when done right.

There is no authenticity

The issue I do have, and what I think a lot of people have, is that these companies do not appear to do the greatest job at explaining authentic marketing to their consultants.

That’s in no way bashing the consultants themselves, this is just merely from my own personal experience with these companies and why I wanted to create this episode on how to stand out in Network marketing. 

If you feel like you are crushing it, and you are happy with how you do things in your MLM then by all means babe, ignore this episode and keep doing you. This is for the people who are struggling to see success in their network marketing businesses and are not advancing in the ways they want to. 

All of the tips I am going to give are related to any kind of business. Not just MLM’s. Which is why I know they work. 

Facts around Network Marketing

Here are some facts about Network Marketing:

• 6.2 million people in the US sold products and recruited new distributors in 2018.
• Over 10 million new pitches are made to US women annually.
• The industry has grown by 1.7% globally. 
• The industry made around $35.4 billion in 2018 in the US.
• In 2018, US direct sellers sold to 36.6 million people.
• The majority distributors and discount buyers in the US are ages between 35 and 44.

Is network marketing a pyramid scheme?

Let’s define what a pyramid scheme is:

According to google, a pyramid scheme is a form of investment (illegal in the US and elsewhere) in which each paying participant recruits two further participants, with returns being given to early participants using money contributed by later ones.

An actual illegal pyramid scheme provides no products or services and pays according to the number of recruits.

The Balance SMB.com Says: 

“Legal network marketing programs offer quality products or services that are sold to consumers. Recruiting new members allows for increased income based on the volume of sales, with team sales volume, not the number of recruits, being the important factor in calculating income. Legitimate network marketing companies must adhere to laws, including publishing average income statistics, not having inventory requirements, and offering refund options”.

With such a fast pace, rapidly growing industry, it’s no wonder why so many people are jumping on board. But why is not everyone becoming a multi millionaire at this? It’s totally possible, so what’s stopping them? What’s stopping you?

Common Mistakes Made By Network Marketers

Network marketing is a lot like affiliate marketing which is something I am a part of. If you have ever heard me talk about things like Honeybook, Flodesk, Goli Gummies, to name a few… those are all brands that I am an affiliate for. 

They are products that I love using and I genuinely use every day and I want to refer them to you so they can change your life the same way they changed mine. And when you use my code, sometimes you get a discount and / or I get paid a small commission. It’s really a win win. 

Networking marketing works the same way.

Not Loving The Product

First things first, if you are trying to sell something, you better love it! When you have something to offer someone and you are completely obsessed with it and think it is life changing, you will carry a certain level of confidence and confidence is powerful when it comes to selling.

I think a lot of Network marketers get stuck in the first stage where they are not confident in their product or they don’t believe in it as much as they should. If you are using something that really truly did change your own life, and it has created a success story for you, then use that as your leverage to sell that product, there is nothing to be ashamed about.

When you think of selling, stop thinking of it like it’s some sleazy, gross thing that has to be done very cautiously. Selling is only bad when you are selling something that you don’t believe in and you are being fake about it just to make some money.

All selling really is just storytelling, building relationships, and providing a solution to someone’s problems. 

Hype Over Authenticity

The second mistake I see being made is many MLM people can be quick to jump in and get super enthusiastic about selling a product just because they want to make money off of it.

It can be easy to dive right in and be completely over the top about it, but unfortunately with this method comes a not so good success rate, partially due to the fact that many people get excited about the potential income without really looking into the business itself or whether they think they might be a good fit for that particular product. 

Not Targeting The Right Audience

Please remember if you take nothing else from this post, just know this: not everyone is your customer.

It’s fine to let your friends and family know that you are now a part of this company, BUT do not just jump right into trying to sell them something unless you believe they actually need it.

You need to identify your ideal client. And this is going to be different for everyone, even those of you who are a part of the same MLM company. 

For instance, let’s say I am part of a network marketing company that sells skin products. Even though I may know deep down these products could benefit every person on the planet, I am not going to talk to every single person on the planet. I am going to niche down.

Determining your ideal client

Typically your ideal client is going to be someone similar to yourself, but not always, but for the sake of this example let’s say it is.

Think about your hobbies, and your overall lifestyle. What do you like to do, what do you enjoy, what struggles have you had with your skin?

With all of that in mind, let’s start to build a profile for our ideal client. 

I would probably target women in their mid to late twenties, who are new wives, or new moms, who also live on a ranch, or some kind of western lifestyle and are used to working hard out in the elements or taking care of those babies and struggle with keeping up a solid skin routine. 

That’s just my example. Think about your own, and write it down. 

Once you have this information down, below it, write down what kinds of interests this client of yours may have. Where do they like to shop? Where do they like to eat out? What is the typical structure of their day? Who do you know that fits this criteria you just created? 

These are things that are going to help you build the language in any posts you make and how you will very strategically be able to talk directly to your ideal customer.

Why is finding your ideal client important? 

When you are able to use the language and create content that feels relatable to your audience/ideal client, they are more likely to buy from you.

If you keep everything super general, there is a disconnect and a lack of connection. People like to feel seen and heard so that they can look at something you post and say “omg that’s totally me”. When you can do that, you have hit the sweet spot of marketing.

Not Making A Personal Brand

Another thing a lot of people struggle with in network marketing is not putting themselves up front and center. It’s a natural tendency when we have a product to sell, to just want to put that actual product all over the place… but when you do this, you are taking out you.

YOU is the difference between your business and Sally sue who sells the same exact thing you do.

In episode number 4 of the Branded Cowgirl Podcast I actually do a deep dive into how to create a personal brand, so I highly recommend checking that out, but I will drop a few key points right now. 

Stand out in network marketing by saying “No” to Cold Messaging

We talked about your ideal client and who they are and what they struggle with so how are we actually able to speak to them and show them what we have to offer?? Well… first of all, DO NOT COLD MESSAGE PEOPLE. 

I would argue that cold messaging is the #1 reason why people are so turned off by network marketing. It feels slimy, you know absolutely nothing about me, we are not friends, why would I want to join your team? I know, I am giving some tough love now.

Did you know that the average consumer needs to see someone about 7 times before they decide to take action on it or purchase something? When you just randomly cold message someone asking them to buy something you are doing a major disservice to yourself and your product you have to offer.

Instead of randomly reaching out to people with the same copy and pasted message, try this;

Standing Out In Network Marketing By Becoming More Personable

Choose 5-6 categories of your life, only one of which is about what you sell/your business

The others can be something like, being a mom, being a wife, your faith, that you love cooking, that you ride horses, that you love to draw, you drink a lot of Starbucks, etc.

Then, practice rotating around these topics and creating content, captions, photos, all related to these things. 

“But Sarah, I sell skin care products, why would anyone care that I am a mom or that I love Taco bell?”

Going back to what I said earlier, people are more likely to buy from people that feel familiar and when things seem relatable. If you are trying to sell something to moms, and you get on your stories everyday and talk about being a mom, guess what? That person is going to start to connect with you and build a relationship with you.

An Example:

Let’s say you sell skin care stuff and our friend Sally Sue also sells skin care stuff. 

Now let’s say you are on your stories daily, just talking about what it’s like being a stay at home mom, and the funny things your kids do and then you go on to talk about the products you are selling and how you use them each day and how they fit into your mom lifestyle.

If Sally sue is 18 years old, and fresh outta high school selling the same thing but talking about how she goes to parties every night and hangs out with her friends constantly, I can almost promise you that that customer (who also happens to be a stay at home mom) is more likely to buy from you than Sally sue just because she can relate to who you are more as a person.

When you do this with 5 different aspects of your life, you are leaving room for growth and are able to expand your audience and your reach.

Serving More, Selling Less

Now that we have a foundation for our brand, and who we are speaking to, how do we actually get those people to buy from us? The quick answer is… you stop selling and start serving. 

Talk about what these products actually do for you. The benefits to using them, and how it can help your ideal customer. Remember to think about the problems your ideal client is dealing with and how your product can solve them.

When you provide consistent value every day to your client, you are allowing them to subconsciously start to remember you and your business.

Key word being consistent here. You actually need to talk about your product and what you do regularly to make people stick with you through the process. 

People do not care as much about the product as they care about you and how they work for you and your life and how that can serve someone else.

Make your business feel like you

One of my last tips for how to make yourself stand out in network marketing is to design all of your own templates. On several occasions I have received messages from multiple people that were worded exactly the same and clearly just copied and pasted.

Templates are okay to work off of, and they are efficient, but make sure they are written by you and actually sound like how you talk. Another thing you should make your own templates of is any graphics you use. 

A lot of consultants will use the same graphic images given to them from their company and slap it up on their stories or feed and call it a day. But when I see 20 other people posting the exact same thing, you lose my business because it’s no longer original. 

Build this brand around yourself using certain colors, fonts, textures, styles, so that anytime you post something I can look at it and say “oh that’s so….(insert name)”

The easiest way you can create amazing graphics and templates is through Canva. They have the best options to choose from and are fully customizable.

Stand out in network marketing with your communication

Standing out in networking marketing goes beyond just hooking people, it’s also how you speak to people once they show interest in either joining your team or buying a product. 

Some really easy ways you may not have thought about is to either voice message or video message someone who is DM-ing you. 

Sure, you can get your point across by typing our words and responses but what about stepping outside the box and using your voice, showing your face and really driving the conversation in a super personal way.

When someone takes the time to record their response to me, it makes me feel so much more special and it also feels much more authentic vs. When they just type a response.

Also, remember this, stop making it about you. 

Mindset Shifts: 

Take that finger that you are pointing at yourself, and get out of that selfish mindset and start focusing on how this product you have is going to change someone’s life.

It would be super inconsiderate of you to hide it from someone if you know you have the answer to their problems. 

If you want to be successful at network marketing and you want to make this a career and make 6 figures or make a million dollars, it’s totally possible but the ball is in your court. You are only going to get out what you put in.

If you are looking at the people above you who are driving around in a BMW and you think that will just magically happen for you some day, newsflash.. This is a full time job. This is something you have to work at every single day and give it your absolute all. 

Scaling is totally possible in these companies, but with that comes a lot of hard work.

Treat this like a business, not a hobby.

For my friends that are listening and thinking, “yeah that’s great and all but I work another Job, how am I supposed to make this grow if I don’t have a lot of extra time”? Episode 11 of this podcast is all about creating a more productive and structured day and will definitely help you in this area. 

If consistency is your struggle, check out episode 13 to learn all about how to stay consistent on instagram and other platforms!

---

PHEW! That was a lot of freaking information I just threw at you and I hope you have a bunch of solid takeaways from this message. The best part is you can start implementing them into your networking marketing business today.

Much of business is trial and error and if you have already found a method that works for you, awesome! Keep doing that! But if you have been riding the struggle bus and want to get off, then I know these strategies of brand building and niching down are going to help you tremendously to stand out in network marketing.

Make sure to head over to the Branded Cowgirl Podcast Facebook group and join. Introduce yourself there and ask me any questions you may have about MLM companies or business strategies. I am happy to help guide you in any way I can!

Also if you enjoyed this episode please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. They mean so much to me and help this show continue to grow and reach more people like you!

Now go out and kick some business bootie!