During the July 2009 Home Team conference call with Simplexity Health distributors, Bill Hyman—successful network marketer, co-author of the recent anthology Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul, and keynote speaker at the 2009 August Celebration in Klamath Falls, Oregon—offered insights into how you can make a success of your own network marketing business.

The Recipe for Success in Network Marketing
by Bill Hyman

First of all, the network marketing industry has completely changed my life for the better. When I first heard about this industry, I was an $8.00 an hour auto mechanic. The plan then was someday to own my own auto repair shop. Then one of my customers asked me if I was happy and making all the money I wanted to make. Of course, the answer was no. So he invited me to a meeting on Sunday afternoon. That meeting totally changed my life I remember thinking, this is it. From there it has been an amazing journey - obviously with ups and downs, most of which were because the companies didn’t last. But after learning the ropes and figuring out how to do it, we now live a wonderful lifestyle and have helped a lot of people do the same.

Most people have at least heard of network marketing. But very few people know the industry from the inside like those of us do who have been around it for awhile and know what an amazing industry it is. Those of us in the industry know that this business is not just about the money; it’s about affecting lives for the better. Chicken Soup for the Network Marketer’s Soul illustrates the human side of the industry, how it helps people develop in so many ways - far beyond the money and the lifestyle. When you read these fantastic stories, you will laugh and cry and get goose bumps. You’ll learn why it’s true that we have the ability to “turn wallflowers into rose gardens!”

When I went to that very first home meeting in July of 1979, my friends made fun of me because they mistakenly associated this business with pyramid schemes. I would beat around the bush or avoid the subject altogether. Now I say with enthusiasm, “It’s the only way I know that average people can make money!”

Nothing to apologize for anymore. Today network marketing ranks among Fortune 500 companies! They’re listed by NASDAQ and other stock exchanges. This is really no longer a cottage industry, it’s a well-known viable career path. Nowadays, one in ten homes worldwide has a network marketer in it. That works out to be 50 or 60 million...or maybe even more. People now understand that this is really a way to have the lifestyle they want along with financial freedom. More importantly, it’s a way to help others do the same. It’s considered mainstream, and those of you at Simplexity Health are lucky to be associated with a company that’s been around a long time. You’re part of an industry that has now come of age, and its future is very bright.

There are critical elements in the success of any business, and network marketing is no different. It’s like a recipe that you have to have all the different ingredients for. I had to learn how to build a business because I wasn’t a business person in the beginning. I didn’t have lots of contacts or credibility at first. Then, of course, I had to learn how to teach it. This recipe for success really starts with belief—in the industry in general, in the company you’re associated with, and in the products you represent.

The next thing is to understand the building blocks of the business. You have to understand that it’s not about people saying “no” to you or to the company. It’s really more about people not believing in themselves. So often people think, “Oh, I have to talk to so many people and I might get rejected.” But it’s not about them rejecting you; it’s about refusal of service. It’s like a waitress who goes from table to table asking customers if they would like coffee. One after another replies, “No, thank you.” Does she then run into the kitchen and cry, “Nobody likes me!” Of course not, because that’s not rejection; it’s simply refusal of service. The network marketing business is not going to be for everybody. You can’t take their refusal of service personally. When you really believe in what you’ve got and when you talk to enough people, you’re going to find some interest. Remember, it’s not about them rejecting you or even the opportunity; it just may not be the right time in their life.

So understanding human nature is also a factor. If you begin to understand how and why people react the way they do, you’ll begin to understand why people say yes and why they say no, why some people join and do nothing and why others join and do something. As you begin to understand the human dynamic, you can actually make success a science. When you do the right things often enough, success naturally follows.

Once you understand human nature and the numbers, and once you’ve got those crucial beliefs down into your core and achieve that white-hot burning desire to succeed, then you can begin to teach other people who, in turn, will teach others, and so on. That’s called duplication.

In short, the whole network marketing business is about learning, teaching, and duplication. It’s a numbers game until you get it down pat, and then it’s a training game. The reason people can build large organizations and continue to enjoy the fruits of their labors is that they’ve duplicated the process themselves. Your income generation will eventually no longer depend on your direct participation; those you trained will be generating income for themselves and for you! This is the key ingredient in the recipe for your achieving success in network marketing.