Your first year in network marketing can take quite a toll: more money going out than coming in, the 500-pound telephone, cold calling, being rejected by friends and family, a seemingly vertical learning curve, and more. And yet, at the end of that first year, you will have built the skills and mind set that can ultimately lead you to success.
How then to survive that first year?Financial Planning

Do not expect a positive cash flow from your business for at least the first six months. That means you need a budget for your business that will let you meet all of your other financial responsibilities for at least that long. Planning for a year is even more conservative.

You can substantially reduce your “burn rate” and even shorten your time to positive cash flow by incorporating a funded proposal into your selling system. Joining a company with large front end commissions ($500 or more) will also help.

However you chose to structure your business, it is critical not to overspend if you are going to survive your first year in network marketing.

Become a Learning Machine

Consider the first year to be all about on-the-job training. Hopefully, it will be an earn while you learn proposition. But even if your income is minimal there are skills you’ll need to learn. And don’t forget to spend some time on personal development.

Have a Dream

You probably already have a dream about what having your own business will let you do that you can’t do now. As your business expands, so must your dream.

Most people start with a dream that largely involves only them and their family. As your business grows, your dream will also have to grow to include the dreams of everyone in your organization.

Mind Set

Beyond your dream, it is important to have a positive mind set. In part, that’s where the personal development stuff comes in. But it also means you have to have reasonable expectations about your business and what it takes to be a success.

Maybe second only to running out of money, the thing that knocks most people out of the business during their first year is the massive rejection that can come from traditional marketing techniques. Trying to build a business by cold calling strangers is tough and you have to be just as tough to make it.

Most people can’t pull that off and still keep a positive mindset. As a result, many turn to prospecting on the Internet and attraction marketing. That can be a good choice, but it also means another set of skills that have to be learned.

In sum, if you are able to put together a realistic financial plan, invest in yourself through education and personal development, stay focused on your dream, and maintain a positive mind set, there is no reason that you can’t survive, maybe even flourish, during your first year in network marketing. After that, it just keeps getting better …

For more information on how to not only survive but flourish during your first year in network marketing, enroll in my free, cutting edge “7-Day Internet Marketing Bootcamp.” Just fill out the simple form at the top of the right hand column on this page and I’ll send you your first day’s information right away.

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Filed under: Network Marketing

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