Call It What You Will

I want to talk about the maligned reputation of Network Marketing.  There are companies that utilize this model and have the naming rights to a professional sports franchise stadium (Amway Center), sponsor a major league soccer team (HerbalLife), and credibly post on major job boards as "legitimate" careers (Avon, MaryKay Cosmetics).

The problem, frankly, is not the business model itself, but the failure rate of the people trying to make it work.  These are two separate issues.

Network Marketing, Multi-Level Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Word of Mouth Marketing... notice that they all end in the word marketing.  So what is marketing, anyway?  The simple explanation is that it is the practice of getting your message in front of someone to evaluate.  Marketing is engaging people in a conversation.

But do we need to use the word "marketing" at all?  After all, marketing presupposes a lot.  It infers there are skills, tools, strategies, budgets, value propositions that are all in place in order to make these conversations happen.

This presents a problem for Network "MARKETING".  Why?  Because most people do not come to the table equipped with the marketing skills to initiate these conversations.  Ergo, they fail.

So, if we do not call it Marketing, then what do we call it?  I think the best term is "Community Building".  Communities are groups of people who share common interests, values and goals.  This ethos of "shared" is what binds everyone to a common theme, and it can not be just about money.

Although, for a successful business to survive (and thrive), there has to be a common commitment to EVERYONE'S financial stability and security, however again, this presupposes that the skills and strategies of all community members are on equal footing.  Everyone knows that this just isn't the case.

So this begs the question of what IS the most important factor in building a community of people vested in greater financial prosperity?  My answer is this:  it is the transfer of skills and knowledge. It is a matter of ensuring that the "community" has the structures in place to ensure that 1) a student of marketing content becomes proficient and competent in engaging others with their "message", and; 2) is then able to become an effective role model and teacher, essentially a leader in the community who can be relied upon for the transference of skills and knowledge.  The goal is for everyone to become knowledgeable and competent, i.e. professional.  If this happens, people make money.  If not, something less optimal happens and the "industry" suffers from the negative reputation.

Call it what you will.  This is noble and socially redeeming work - helping people elevate themselves financially through education, accountability and a sense of belonging.   If done well, and correctly - people get rich in direct correlation to their COMPETENCE.  And, companies get rich and get the naming rights to major sports complexes - all credible and real.