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What makes top network marketers different from everyone else? This seems like a simple enough question - and yet anyone who has failed at network marketing knows that it isn’t. Anyone who has failed can probably name a person who is raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars each yet with network marketing; additionally, he can probably tell you exactly what that person says he is doing, but for whatever reason, she cannot duplicate his success.

While these top network marketers seem to be doing obvious things and making money with it, everyone else can’t seem to duplicate their success. So what is the difference between everyone else and them?

The major difference between most successful and unsuccessful network marketers is that successful network marketers have gained significant leverage over a long period of time. This leverage then gave them access to a number of other things, including expert help, credibility, and virtually unlimited resources. This often creates a problem that they do not see when they are attempting to train their network: as a credible person in the field with significant resources, they can do a number of things that new network marketers simply cannot.

So rather than looking at what top network marketers are doing differently than everyone else, it might be better to look at what top network marketers did to become “top network marketers.”

In this case, the answer is almost always simple and the same: to become “top network marketers,” they started out by developing a system that actually worked for them; and then they figured out how other people could duplicate that system relatively well. They then put in the effort to recruit a number of new network marketers; and then had those marketers bring in friends.

In many cases, top network marketers actually start off by selling products, rather than creating systems for building a network. You may want to consider doing this, too, with whatever product you are selling.

Unfortunately, to some extent, network marketing is a numbers game. In order to increase your commissions, you constantly have to set benchmarks for network growth. But as a network marketer, you know that most of those you attempt to recruit wont do it; and most of those who do it wont succeed. This means that you have to find dozens of people, present the opportunity to them, and then train those who join to succeed.

The best way to get started is to literally write 100 names down. These will be your first 100 attempts to gain members of your network. Now, you can draw these names from a number of different places: if you want, you could write down names of friends and family members; you could write down names of people you talk to on a regular basis; or you could purchase leads from a company and specific certain parameters that you want.

Whatever you do, start by writing down 100 names. It seems symbolic and unnecessary, but you have to set benchmarks in order to ensure that you keep a high standard for your level of growth; otherwise, you might think you are working hard, but in reality, you are doing considerably less than is possible.

As I mentioned, there are a number of different places you can find these names; however, there are also different types of leads you can find. For instance, if you purchase them from a lead-generation company, you can differentiate between leads you can contact over the phone and leads you can contact through email or mail. Depending on what your opportunity happens to be, these differences could be quite significant.

So start by writing down 100 names. If there is some specific “better way” to do this, then do that also. But what is more important is that you actually get 100 names down on a piece of paper.

One critical component of any successful network marketing downline expansion campaign is the rehearsal of your presentation. Now, this does not mean that you should impersonally contact all of your leads and talk to them as if they are objects. Rather, it means that you should have a duplicable, yet compelling set of reasons for why they should adopt your program.

Now, this is important: many people will immediately resist any type of offer - especially the offer to join a marketing network, which is often perceived to be a scam. This is why you have to have answers to points of resistance ready in advance. Unless you’re quick on your feet, chances are you will be unable to respond to many issues that leads raise about your program or about your offer. Instead, figure out what these are in advance and record more of them as you go along.

Now, in addition to this, you will want a general format to follow. You can start by introducing yourself and the product; you can then move on to a problem-solution model, whereby you pull a problem out of them-something they have experienced recently– and then propose a solution using your product, whether you’re presenting the product itself or the networking opportunity.

Practicing these two parts-the presentation itself and the answers to potential problems and questions-are hands-down the most important parts of network marketing. If you flounder around on the phone or if you make your presentation in a completely unprofessional way, your target audience is almost guaranteed to reject you as being an amateur.

Remember: you’re not only selling the product; you’re also selling your image. If your target audience suspects that you have had no success with the program yourself-and it is evident in your lack of confidence-how can you then expect them to pick up the program, too? The answer is that you can’t.

So practice your phone call routine, your answers to questions, and your presentation until you have them all memorized.

In an industry where many people are fighting nail-and-tooth to earn more money in any way possible, leadership by example is indeed a rare find. Network marketers are far more likely to tell downlines something that will make them stick around than something that will ensure their success. This is especially true when they have heard of some new technique that theoretically could work, even though they haven’t yet tested it for themselves.

This leaves you with a wide open opportunity to gain a competitive advantage: by simply embracing leadership by example, you can immediately do something almost none of your competitors-either within the company or selling for another company-will ever even think of doing.

One of the best ways to lead by example in network marketing is to setup various initiatives. For instance, one month, you could pick some specific type of advertisement and then thoroughly train every person in your downline on the advantages of using it; and the best way in which they can use it. You can then run a campaign yourself, record your results and methods, and send it to your entire downline.

Working closely with your downline will not only help them to improve how they do certain things, but it will also embolden them to stick around and to promote you to their friends, who might be on the fence, trying to decide whether or not your opportunity is legitimate.

So make this your new goal: always lead by example. Show your downline what to do and what not to do-and most importantly, make sure you have already done it yourself and know that it works. If you lead by example, everyone else has a chance to benefit and to help you in return; if you lead with theoretical ideas, you might help someone, but it will most likely be accidental.

In the past, network marketing was something done completely offline. If network marketers advertised at all, they would do it with flyers or with classified ads in newspapers. Unlike marketers today, they had no opportunity to reach massive amounts of people at a very low price.

Today, you can reach network leads through dozens of different outlets-many of them Internet-based. Additionally, there are companies that now specialize in extracting highly-targeted leads for this exact purpose.

One quick way in which you can recruit network leads is to setup a “squeeze page,” which captures names and email addresses - and then send traffic to it. Once leads sign up through the squeeze page to join your mailing list, you can then send them a training course, which teaches them the various ways in which they can make money with a network marketing program. You can then make subtle attempts to get them to join your own network in several of the emails.

Another way in which you can recruit network leads to fill your downline is to send out mailings through e-zine advertisements. This is one of the fastest ways in which you can immediately reach tens of thousands of people with very little effort.

Additionally, you can use forums to recruit members for your downline. You can make useful posts on Internet marketing forums frequently; and then use a signature file that gives a brief overview of your network marketing opportunity.

Another way in which you can build a downline is to use free advertisements. If you have a low budget, you could accumulate credits on a traffic exchange or banner exchange program; and then use that to get your advertisement placed on various exchange sites. This is a relatively effective and easy way to increase the amount of people who join your mailing list through your squeeze page.

One important part of network marketing is what’s called “downline retention.” You can view this similarly to how you would view traffic generation: you can take two approaches-you can either recycle traffic, so that it comes back; or you can constantly pump fresh traffic into the site. Ideally, however, you want both mechanisms to be working, as that will not only generate more traffic, but it will also keep more traffic on your site. This is true with network marketing.

At this point, however, you have a rough idea of how to gain that new traffic; and further, how to convert that traffic into members of your network. The next step is to retain those new members by training them and reducing dropouts-which go hand-in-hand.

You should start by developing some type of course, which starts by covering the absolute basics of network marketing-and the moves to the more complex, harder-to-understand parts. Additionally, if your goal is to retain network members, you shouldn’t attempt excessive upselling in your course. Rather, only suggest what you believe is absolutely necessary; and only what you believe will affect the best possible results for someone who is either an average or below average network marketer.

Now, in addition to producing a course, you may also want to create a manual of some sort. You can send this to each member of your network immediately upon joining. This can be a more comprehensive field guide that directs them through any potential problem they run into as a new network marketer.

Last, you will want to make yourself accessible to everyone whoever needs help. You might offer your email address to all of your new network members in a personal email you send to everyone; or you might even allow them to contact you by phone. These are all considerations you want to make, as the more accessible you are, the more trusted you will be; and the more likely people are to take your advice and stick around.

In addition to all of the conventional ways to expand your network marketing business, you will also want to pull out all of the stops and use less-conventional, smaller, and harder-to-apply methods for finding new members for your network. For instance, if you started off by selling your product as an Internet-based network marketer, you probably haven’t done any offline presentations at all. Nor have you probably put much thought into offline promotional methods.

This creates an interesting issue: while it is much easier and often less expensive to advertise online, if you’re advertising an Internet-based network online, the online market will probably be heavily saturated; whereas the offline market may have never been exposed to it at all.

One way in which you can advertise to the offline market is to create a cleanly designed flyer and post it in various public places where it is permissible. Remember to use the problem-solution model. Start off by targeting people who have a problem (i.e. people who need extra money) and then explain who, using several bullet points, they can solve that problem by joining your network.

Another way in which you can advertise offline is to design and purchase a box of business cards for your network marketing opportunity. Having your name on a business card for what appears to be a legitimate opportunity is one of the best ways you can look professional and trustworthy, which is unbelievably important in this specific market. You can then distribute these business cards to people you meet at seminars; and you can also even leave them at businesses, provided that they allow you to do so.

Last, you can also make an attempt to become a speaker at an offline seminar event. This will help you to gain credibility and also to begin creating interest in your specific methods of networking and promotion.

Thieves are a problem out in the brick and mortar world is for business owners and thieves are a concern for cyber space business owners. Out in the brick and mortar world, thieves will take money and merchandise and it isn’t any different online. The real world merchants use locks and alarms to deter thieves. Internet business owners need to use anti-theft software to protect their commissions. Here are some things you can do to protect yourself and your commissions:

1. Use Meta Refresh: A meta refresh is a simple bit of HTML code which automatically redirects your visitor to another page (your affiliate URL). It provides a neat way of presenting affiliate links in newsletters. It probably helps reduce commission bypassing and commission hijacking. A big advantage of using meta refreshes is that if merchants change their affiliate links, you can change links on dozens of pages quickly and easily by altering only one file. One problem is that some search engines don’t like meta refreshes because they’re frequently used for unsavory purposes. So if you use this technique, use it with caution.

2. Use a URL redirection service. You can use free services or buy a unique domain name for each affiliate program you join. URL redirection makes affiliate links less obvious, so this will reduce some commission thefts.

3. Use a web-based ad tracking service. The ad tracking link initially hides the affiliate link, reducing thefts.

4. Use an ad tracking script. Good ad tracking scripts hide the affiliate link as well as being useful for tracking. It has the advantage that it doesn’t promote someone else’s domain.

5. Use JavaScript redirect. Because this initially hides the affiliate link, it should reduce commission thefts.

Always be aware that thievery is a problem for online businesses and take the necessary steps to protect your commissions.