| In his book, "Super Prospecting: Special Offers and | | | | into network marketing. However, it appears his |
| Quick-start Systems", Tom "Big Al" Schreiter tells the | | | | understanding of network marketing is limited to a |
| story of an old lumberjack who observed a young | | | | desire to find a program that will in some way do the |
| lumberjack laboring to chop down a tree. After | | | | work for him...make income for him. Unfortunately, |
| watching the youngster work himself to nearly | | | | network marketing is a business...albeit a special kind of |
| exhaustion without accomplishing much, the old man | | | | business...and it works best when worked certain |
| said, "Looks to me like it'd be easier if you sharpened | | | | ways. Many successful network marketers have |
| the axe."To which the younger man replied before | | | | written many excellent books and articles on the |
| returning to his attack on the tree, "I don't have time to | | | | subject, and there are marketing and internet |
| sharpen the axe, I have to get this tree cut | | | | marketing training programs available for those who |
| down."Now, it seems obvious to most of us that a | | | | wish to learn. Some colleges are even offering |
| sharp axe would probably make the work go faster | | | | courses and classes on network marketing and |
| and easier. The young lumberjack would be able to cut | | | | internet marketing.People going into network marketing |
| down more trees with less work just by taking a few | | | | should be doing more than simply listening to the |
| minutes to sharpen his axe. Prepare his tools. Learn his | | | | person who recruits them and scanning the company |
| trade, you might say!You know, it's funny. Most of us | | | | literature. If they were hired to do any job they had |
| have no problem seeing the point of that story, but | | | | never done before, no matter how menial, they would |
| everyday, people sign up for network marketing | | | | recognize the need to familiarize themselves with the |
| programs and then start hacking away with very blunt | | | | business and how it is conducted. Especially if they |
| axes! Most of these folks have no idea of what | | | | intended to rise in the business and succeed.A few |
| network marketing is, how to go about it, or how to | | | | books the beginning network marketer might want to |
| measure success.I recently received an email from a | | | | read are: |
| gentleman interested in getting into network marketing. | | | | |
| He asked some very insightful questions, but one | | | | Super Prospecting: Special Offers & Quick-Start |
| demonstrated his misunderstanding of most genuine | | | | Systems by Tom "Big Al" Schreiter |
| network marketing programs.He asked, if I remember | | | | Your First Year In Network Marketing by Mark and |
| correctly, how long it would take to make a significant | | | | Rene Yarnell |
| income from a certain network marketing program, | | | | The Wave 4 Way To Building Your Downline by |
| and seemed to indicate that he would expect a | | | | Richard Poe (and several others) |
| sucessful program to generate an income of about | | | | The Greatest Networker In The World by John Milton |
| $48,000 or more within a relatively short period of time. | | | | Fogg |
| Otherwise, he would consider it a scam.Well, honestly, I | | | | Off-The-Wall Marketing Ideas by Nancy Michaels and |
| guess my two friends who I often hold up as | | | | Debbi J. Karpowicz |
| examples somehow missed that point. It took each of | | | | |
| them about three years in perfectly legitimate | | | | These tend to be a little old but can probably be |
| programs to begin making money anything like what | | | | found thru Amazon.com, and they are excellent |
| my correspondent expected. At that point, by the way, | | | | education for the beginning network marketer.The |
| their incomes began to grow exponentially until they | | | | person who fails to educate himself or herself about |
| were taking home over $100,000.00 a month. We'll say | | | | network marketing in general and their chosen |
| nothing about countless Avon ladies who are network | | | | business in particular, has chosen to fail. Like the young |
| marketers and whose income from network | | | | lumberjack, they will flail at the tree until their strength |
| marketing is less than $20,000.00 a year, who consider | | | | or motivation fails them, and then they will wander into |
| themselves successfully affiliated with an honest | | | | the forest...perhaps complaining loudly about trees, |
| company.Or, I guess I should be concerned about my | | | | axes, lumberjacks...anything but themselves. They will |
| affiliation with a nationally recognized company (you've | | | | not know why they failed, how they could have |
| probably seen their commercials on prime time). The | | | | succeeded, or how to measure success.Their axes |
| first year, I only made a few hundred dollars. The | | | | will be dull, indeed.The author is retired from the Army |
| second year a few thousand. I'm in my fifth year with | | | | after 21 years of service, has worked as an |
| them, and I am now making the magical number...a six | | | | accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, |
| figure income from that program alone. I presently | | | | and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for |
| have over 200 fully satisfied customers and tons of | | | | several years, and has written and published poetry, |
| repeat business. Not what I would call a scam!I don't | | | | essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 |
| mean to insult the gentleman who sent me the | | | | years. He has been an active internet marketer since |
| question. His questions were valid, and I understand his | | | | 2000, and now makes his living online. |
| concerns and applaud his attempt to gain some insight | | | | |