Marketing

Network Marketing: What Is It? Is It The Right Option For You?

Soumava Goswami

Marketing

Published on: Sep 18, 2023 Last Updated on: Dec 14, 2023

Network Marketing is a type of business model that constitutes a group of people forming a network to earn from sales commissions, as well as through new joinings to the network. This system creates a flexible approach to the business, where a new member (as a salesperson) also becomes a business owner. The system has been in existence for many decades and has evolved multiple times since.

In this article, you will learn the essential details about network marketing (also known as multi-level marketing). You will also learn how network marketing works, as well as the types of network marketing options with the help of which businesses operate. Finally, we will also look at some of the major advantages and disadvantages of network marketing for businesses. Hence, to learn more, read on through to the end of the article.

What Is Network Marketing?

According to Investopedia,

“Network marketing is a business model that depends on person-to-person sales by independent representatives, often working from home. A network marketing business may require you to build a network of business partners or salespeople to assist with lead generation and closing sales. There are many reputable network marketing operations, but some have been denounced as pyramid schemes.”

The network marketing businesses that run through pyramid schemes focus more on the recruitment of salespeople. This is because new salespeople are required to pay upfront for expensive starter kits. For these payments, the people up the order in the pyramid get commissions.

Most companies that you will come across run through pyramid schemes. Hence, if you are looking to join a network marketing company, make sure that it is not a scam. Most companies with pyramid schemes have been banned due to running scams. Therefore, research is essential before you are looking to join a network marketing business.

Some of the most famous network marketing companies are Amway, Avon Products, Tupperware, Herbalife Nutrition, etc.

How Does Network Marketing Work? – Types Of Network Marketing

Every network marketing business focuses on sales as the most important factor. In such a business, a core sales team specializing in sales starts selling products and brings in new salespeople.

Here, each of the salespersons in the core team brings in new salespersons, thus creating a new tier. Each of the salespersons in the new tier creates another tier in the same way. This is how the team takes the shape of a pyramid as the tiers increase. With more tiers, the team gets more salespeople, who add to more sales of the business.

The salespeople earn commission based on the number of items they sell. however, there is an interesting catch in this business model. With each sale, the people up the order get commissions based on their rank. However, this feature is different in many companies.

Types Of Network Marketing

The following are the major types of network marketing options:

1. Single-Tier

Here, the salespersons in the team earn based on direct commission. Getting another tier of people is not compulsory. Here, affiliate marketing strategies come into play.

2. Two-Tier

In this case, apart from earning direct sales commissions, salespersons also earn through commissions for new recruits.

3. Multi-Tier Marketing

It consists of more than two tiers of people. Both direct sales commissions and indirect recruitment commissions are available in this case.

Network Marketing – Scam Or Legit?

Many network marketing businesses had their rise during the COVID-19 lockdowns. As people were locked in their homes, they were looking to make more money. Since the internet was a huge relief for many, and social media users grew, many people started online counterpart to advertise their products and brands.

This led to many such businesses getting bigger. However, there were many scams as well.

According to Wall Street Mojo,

“By recognizing the potential for such gig works, many businesses exploited the people looking for jobs by making them pay upfront for training materials. Their objective is to earn money from people in the name of a business. Thus, the pyramid schemes focus not on customers but on workers who become the bait.”

What Are The Advantages Of Network Marketing?

Here are some of the major advantages of network marketing that you will benefit from:

It helps to bring together people who are sales enthusiasts.
For many people, it offers a secondary source of income by acting as an affiliate.
They only pay those who contribute to sales, which is a gain for the business.
The company does not need to think about recruitment or providing additional benefits to employees.
In most cases, the business supplies quality products.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Network Marketing?

According to Entrepreneur.com,

“Things can get sticky when a network marketing network compensates participants primarily for recruiting others rather than for selling the company’s products or services. A network marketing system in which most of the revenue comes from recruitment may be considered an illegal pyramid scheme.”

The following are a few disadvantages of network marketing, which you must be aware of:

It is difficult to predict the production targets for the business.
Manufacturers have a limited role in facilitating the distribution of the products.
Too much focus on creating a pyramid of salespersons and earning through commission leads the business to trouble.
New distributors have to spend a lot at the start.
Many businesses are found to be scams.

Wrapping Up

Hope this article was helpful for you to get a better idea of what network marketing is and how it works. You might have already understood that it is mostly suits those people who have high energy and top-end sales skills. If you are confident about building a profitable business with a modest investment, network marketing can be a good option for you.

You can choose a single-tier, two-tier, or multi-tier approach based on what you are comfortable with. However, research well before you join a network marketing company. Do you think this can really help in achieving financial independence? Share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section below.

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Soumava Goswami

Inspired by The Social Network, Soumava loves to find ways to make small businesses successful – he spends most of his time analyzing case studies of successful small businesses. With 5+ years of experience in flourishing with a small MarTech company, he knows countless tricks that work in favor of small businesses. His keen interest in finance is what fuels his passion for giving the best advice for small business operations. He loves to invest his time familiarizing himself with the latest business trends and brainstorming ways to apply them. From handling customer feedback to making the right business decisions, you’ll find all the answers with him!

Marketing Campaigns: How To Do It? – Steps To Follow

Good marketing campaigns stick to customers for a very long time, such that whenever they find something similar, they associate that with the brand. Basically, marketing campaigns make the company memorable to customers. Here, the company gives a focused effort while promoting its product and services and thereby guides its consumers towards a desired action. A great marketing campaign also provides the brand with a unique identity, emotion, and personality. Hence, it is absolutely essential for businesses to perform great campaigns. In this article, you will learn about what marketing campaigns are and how they work for businesses and make them memorable. Apart from that, we will also deliberate on the major types of marketing campaigns that businesses do to attract customers. Finally, we will give you tips on performing marketing campaigns for your brand. Hence, to find out more, read on through to the end of the article. What Are Marketing Campaigns? According to Investopedia, “Marketing campaigns promote products through different types of media, such as television, radio, print, and online platforms. Campaigns are not solely reliant on advertising and can include demonstrations, video conferencing, and other interactive techniques. Businesses operating in highly competitive markets and franchisees may initiate frequent marketing campaigns.” To perform marketing campaigns, businesses devote a significant amount of resources to doing so. However, with the rise in the level of internet usage, the cost of performing marketing campaigns lessened, as compared to marketing through traditional media options. You can actually design a marketing campaign to organize and strategize for the promotion of your company’s specific goals. You can do that by raising awareness of a new product or reminding customers of the company’s services. You can also create marketing campaigns to get feedback from your customers regarding your products and services. In today’s times, marketing campaigns involve the usage of a variety of tools and techniques to promote the brand and its products to the target customers. Some of the tools that companies use include various forms of media, email, social media platforms, print advertising, radio, television ads, pay-per-click, and more. Read More: Market Cannibalization – Definition, How Does It Work, Example, And More How Do Marketing Campaigns Work? According to Hubspot.com, “Successful marketing campaigns continue to focus on social media marketing and brand-building. Companies have focused on online communities to drive more engagement. Regardless of the type of campaign, the most popular marketing asset is video. This is followed by images, blog articles, infographics, podcasts, and other audio content.” You can basically design your brand’s marketing campaign with different goals in mind. You can do that by building a brand image, introducing a new product, reducing the impact of negative news, or even increasing the sales of products that are already in the market. Furthermore, once you define the goals of the marketing campaign, you can get a better idea of how much marketing is required by the brand to make positive outcomes. You can also find out what forms of media are the most effective for you if you want to reach a specific section of a population as your target market. Types Of Marketing Campaigns The following are some of the major types of marketing campaigns: Product Marketing Campaign Email Marketing Campaign Brand Development Campaign Content Marketing Campaign Public Relations/Awareness Campaign User-Generated Content Campaign Direct Mail Campaign Paid Marketing/Advertising Campaign Social Media Campaign Affiliate Marketing Campaign Acquisition Marketing Campaign You will have a variety of choices if you want to perform a marketing campaign. However, it is up to you what you want to choose for your brand. It depends upon what the brand needs at the moment. Hence, you will need to get a full idea of your target customers as well as the performance of your products and services in the market. How To Perform Marketing Campaigns? - Steps To Follow Performing a marketing campaign is great and essential for brands. However, it can produce negative results if done the wrong way. It is serious stuff. Adobe Business adds here - “Creating a marketing campaign is no easy task. If you think a quick internet search will tell you everything you need to know, think again. There is no one true set of specific instructions for how to create a marketing campaign because there are so many steps involved, and you’ll need to make many campaigns based on your specific business goals and target audience.” Here are some of the major steps to follow if you want to perform a marketing campaign: Step 1: Determine Your Goals Like every project, you will need to be exact while defining your marketing goals, that is, what you want to achieve. Step 2: Budget The Campaign This goes hand-in-hand with the first step. The more aggressive your campaign is, the higher the budget shall be. Step 3: Find Out Your Target Audience If you know specifically which audience to target, you will get exceptional results with your marketing campaign if your message is right. Here, you will need to go for market research. Step 4: Create The Message If you do all things right and your message sucks, then there is no way your marketing campaign will be successful. Step 5: Campaign Execution Once you have followed the above steps, you are ready to execute the campaign. You will need to do this after proper planning and coordination. Step 6: Analysis This is the final step, where you will need to analyze the results of the campaign. You must determine whether the campaign was able to meet the goals or not. Read More: Market Orientation – What Is It, And How Does It Work? Wrapping Up Hope this article was helpful for you in getting a better idea of what marketing campaigns are and how they work for businesses. If you are looking to perform a marketing campaign for your business, consider following the steps mentioned in the section above, and you will come out great. However, make sure that you look through examples of famous ones. You can also use marketing campaigns to rehabilitate your brand’s image if you have lost sales due to a negative image in the media. Do you have any more recommendations on how to perform marketing campaigns? Share your ideas with us in the comments section below. Read Also: What Are The Different Types Of Entrepreneurship? – Take A Look What Is Social Entrepreneurship? – Steps To Become A Successful Social Entrepreneur

Market Cannibalization – Definition, How Does It Work, Example, And More

Market cannibalization is one of the worst things that a business can face with its products and services. It mostly happens when a company comes in with a new product for the market, and because of this, the demand for its original product starts to decline. This leads to the business experiencing losses not only in sales but also in revenue and market share. Hence, due to this fear, many companies hesitate to develop new products. In this article, you will also learn about market cannibalization, how it works for businesses, and the ways in which it affects a business’s market as well as its product line. We will take a look at the phenomenon with the help of a simple example. Finally, we will provide you with tried-and-tested steps to prevent market cannibalization in business. Hence, to learn more, read on through to the end of the article. What Is Market Cannibalization? According to Investopedia, “Market cannibalization is a loss in sales caused by a company's introduction of a new product that displaces one of its own older products. The cannibalization of existing products leads to no increase in the company's market share despite sales growth for the new product.” It works in most cases where the earlier product, as well as the new product of the business, share a common base of customers. It can also happen when a fast food outlet or chain store loses its customers after a store of the same brand starts operating nearby. It also happens when the new product is almost the same as the product that is already existing. Both these products have the same target audience. However, the introduction of the new product in the market puts the existing products of the business out of the market. This, in turn, affects the business a lot, as the business faces stagnant growth in the market despite an increase in sales of the new product it launched. Despite enticing new customers with the new products, the phenomenon results in attracting the already existing customers towards the new product as well. As an outcome, the sales and growth of the company get a major hit. Read More: Market Orientation – What Is It, And How Does It Work? How Does Market Cannibalization Work? According to Indeed.com, “Even with a detailed marketing plan, cannibalization may occur depending on how the general customer base reacts to the new product. Whether or not the products are competitive, customers may prefer the new one. A common reason why this happens is that two products may be too similar.” Let’s say a technology company sells smartphones. And they introduce a new one which is similar to the old one. The customers that were attracted to the old one now start liking the new one and purchase it. Hence, the new product was sold at the cost of the sales of the old one. Therefore, although the new product got major sales, the sales of the old product were affected. Hence, there is no increase in sales of the company. In fact, considering a new product was launched, the sales actually got affected. In various marketing campaigns, companies unintentionally, however, discourage their existing customers from using previous products. The tone of the marketing here suggests that the product has become obsolete as compared to the new one. Example Of Market Cannibalization Corporate Finance Institute gives a simple explanation of market cannibalization - “There are certain situations where market cannibalization cannot be avoided. For example, we now see tons of department stores that operate as online businesses as well. The store owners already understand the risk that its online sales can jeopardize those of its brick-and-mortar stores.” Let’s take an example of a well-known company - Apple Inc. When Apple releases a new iPhone with new features, it never shies away from explaining why the product is better than before. Furthermore, the company also ensures that the new iPhone reaches all Apple stores throughout the world. Hence, many people are attracted to the new one since they know that the latest one is better than the previous one, despite it being more expensive. As a result, the sales of the older iPhones start dropping. However, Apple makes up for this loss amazingly. It increases the price of the new one and also captures the current customers of its competitors. This helps in increasing Apple’s customer base. How To Prevent Market Cannibalization? - Steps To Follow The following are some of the major steps that you will need to take if you want to prevent market cannibalization in your company: 1. Determine Your Market Goals Before launching a product, have a clear idea of what are your goals with that. What do you want to achieve - customer loyalty? eliminate competition? filling a market-gap? - Find out through research. 2. Analyze Your Market Never ever launch a product without properly understanding your customers’ behavior and market dynamics. Always research the performance of your existing products and how much do customers like them. 3. Test Your Customers Before Extending The Product Find out your potential customers, and test the product beforehand. Ask for genuine feedback from the customers. You can do so by surveys, interviews, experiments, etc. Validate your assumptions based on results. 4. Monitor The Product’s Performance Monitor the performance of the product after its initial launch. You can use various metrics like - customer satisfaction, market share, profit, sales, etc., to evaluate the product’s extension. 5. Focus On Innovation Constant innovation and differentiation are required for your products if you want to avoid cannibalization. Keeping up with the needs and demands of customers might help. Read More: Matrix Organizational Structure – What Are Its Pros And Cons? Summing Up Hope this article was helpful for you in understanding the phenomenon of market cannibalization and how it affects businesses. In many cases, companies use it as a deliberate strategy to blow out competition, while sometimes, it results in the failure of the company itself to reach its target market. To stop market cannibalization from happening, consider following the aforementioned steps in the previous section. What is your opinion on market cannibalization, and do you have any recommendations to stop the same? Share your insights on the matter with us in the comments section below. Read Also: Matrix Organizational Structure – What Are Its Pros And Cons? Business Continuity Plan – What Is It, And How Does It Work? What Is Continuity In Business, And Why Is It Important?

The Benefits Of Hiring An SEO Company In Los Angeles

In today's digitally driven world, having a strong online presence is crucial for the success of any business. As such, search engine optimization (SEO) has become a crucial aspect of digital marketing. Effective SEO increases your website's visibility on search engines, leads to higher web traffic, and ultimately boosts sales. Keep reading to understand why you might consider hiring an SEO company in Los Angeles. The Critical Role of SEO Companies in Modern Business SEO companies carry a profound role in today's business world. They implant tools and strategies to improve the client's website's rank among search results. This places the business at the forefront, attracting more visitors to your site and improving brand visibility. The competitiveness of online businesses has accelerated the necessity of SEO. Now, it's no longer an option but a must-have for businesses to thrive. The expertise of an SEO company helps you navigate through this competition and maintain your online relevancy. SEO companies are also capable of analyzing the performance of your site to identify weak areas and fixing them to ensure optimal performance. This can range from loading speeds and site design to structuring content quality. How SEO Helps Develop Your Business The role of SEO in business is ever-evolving, and its efficacy in elevating your SEO readability is beyond doubt. You must have the right strategy to can elevate your website in the competitive online market. There are around 200 factors that you need to keep in mind while looking to elevate your SEO ranking. However, we develop an understanding of the way SEO can help strengthen the website by increasing its rank. Organic Traffic The first benefit you reap with SEO's help is organic traffic. If you continuously engage on sharpening your content, work on the keywords, website aesthetics, ease usability, and other factors, the traffic will increase, and the bounce rate will decrease. This will automatically improve and generate the organi traffic. Generating Leads And Cost Effectiveness As a form of inbound marketing, SEO is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve your ranking. When you apply your strategy, the SEO allows you to get in front of new visitors looking for your products or services. According to a survey, around 93% of all online activities and experiences are initiated with the search engine. Moreover, a massive 70 per cent of the click-through rates are generated from organic searches. Hence, you can easily understand the influence of SEO in attaining results organically. Increasing Brand Awareness There are millions of brands that are active in the social media. The how would you ensure that you will be able to increase your brand awareness? If you continuously work on your SEO, then your website will reach the top position in the search engine. Then, it will organically increase the visibility and, after that, rankings. You Get Ahead Of your competitors Another benefit that you can get from search engine optimisation is deceiving the hardcore competition. You have to work continuously on the most significant factors like content, design, and others. They help you get the best results. Optimise Your Website For Mobile Users Do you have your own website? But you are not getting the click-throughs and visibility. Have you been working on mobile friendliness? According to one 2021 observation, around 61% of the searches are conducted via mobile devices. It can help. Hence, you have to optimise it for mobile friendliness. Understanding the Los Angeles Digital Marketing Landscape Los Angeles, known for its diverse business landscape, is a hub for digital marketing. The region's demographic allows for different businesses to thrive, adding to its dynamic digital marketing segment. With digital media consumption at an all-time high in LA, SEO plays a significant part in reaching this audience. Consumers are constantly searching the web for products or services, and the only way to be noticed is via effective SEO. Moreover, LA's multicultural market requires a targeted SEO strategy, one that an SEO company based in this city can expertly deliver. They understand the target audience's preferences, behavior, and online patterns better. This explains why local businesses may choose to work with homegrown SEO experts. Noteworthy, digital marketing in Los Angeles is also shaped by the city's reputation as a tech and innovation leader. Therefore, local businesses must leverage top SEO techniques to stand out competitively. Advantages of Partnering With a Local SEO Company Partnering with a local SEO company comes with several benefits. One, they are more familiar with the local market and can create a customized marketing strategy fit for your audience. This leads to more personalized content and more relatable marketing materials. Next, in-person meetings can be held conveniently, providing a platform for detailed discussions and brainstorming sessions. Such meetings often result in the development of a more efficient SEO strategy, facilitating effectiveness. Furthermore, local SEO companies can conduct real-time case studies and apply findings directly to your strategy. This increases the chances of success in your SEO efforts. Local SEO companies are also more invested in your success. They not only care about their reputation but also about contributing to the local economy. Boost Your Online Visibility Through LA SEO Experts Enhancing your online visibility is no simple task. It takes a lot of time, expertise, and effort. The good news is that SEO companies in LA are just the right experts to turn to for this service. They can help your business become more visible online by helping you rank higher in search engine results. They do so by using sophisticated techniques such as keyword optimization, building quality backlinks, content marketing, and many others. Having worked with various businesses in different industries, they can help boost your online visibility regardless of your company size or industry. They have a wide range of experience and a diverse skill set, proving useful in handling different situations. Remember, higher visibility translates into more web traffic and customer conversions. This ultimately leads to increased sales and revenue for your business. Conclusion The benefits of working with an SEO company in LA are evident. Not only do you gain from their expertise, but your business also gets a definite boost in visibility, culminating in recognizable success. Read Also: The Best Reputation Management Companies – How To Choose One? Stay Stress-Free: Why Airbnb Property Management Services Are A Game Changer Apptivo CRM Review: The Most Versatile All-In-One CRM Tool

Market Orientation – What Is It, And How Does It Work?

Most companies look to convince their target customers of the value of their products and services so as to sell the product. However, many companies use the Market Orientation technique. It is a process through which a business identifies the needs of its target customers and uses that data to create products and develop services. Learning this marketing approach can help you decide whether it suits your business or not. In this article, you will learn about the market orientation approach, how it works for businesses, and how businesses use this technique to market their products and services. In addition to that, we will discuss the major stages of the market orientation approach. Finally, we will share with you some of the major advantages and disadvantages of market orientation. Hence, to find out more, read on through to the end of the article. What Is Market Orientation? According to Investopedia, “Market orientation is an approach to business that prioritizes identifying the needs and desires of consumers and creating products and services that satisfy them. Companies that have a market orientation consider the opinions and needs of their target market as a critical component of their research and development (R&D) for new products.” In this concept, the company’s focus is on identifying the needs and preferences of its customers. With those needs and preferences, the company designs and develops its products and services with the primary objective of earning profits. In this marketing and product development strategy, the job of the business is to interact more with its customers and observe their needs and requirements. To become profitable, the business turns its focus to the preferences of the customers. The business makes use of its variety of resources to fulfill the needs of its target customers. The businesses that use this method are also aware of their competition in the marketplace. They make use of different techniques to identify different threats. The enterprises that follow the market orientation strategy invest a lot in innovation and product development so that they keep up with the changing demands of their customers. Read More: What Is A Venture Capitalist, And What Are Their Functions? How Does Market Orientation Work? Market orientation is a strategy for marketing that businesses use to focus on their customer base, and create and sell products on the needs of the customers. According to the Wall Street Mojo, “The strategy involves analyzing and researching the customers’ requirements, concerns, and suggestions concerning the particular product or service the enterprise deals with. This way, the enterprise will be aware of the trends in customer preferences. It will enable the company to modify or design its product or services according to customer preferences.” A company that follows this strategy first does market research to find out its customer preferences. They make use of data analysis techniques to predict the desires of their customers. However, businesses that are already established and have good sales of their products use this strategy to improve their products or expand their product line. Apart from that, using this strategy helps businesses to address issues associated with customer retention. Today, most companies follow the market orientation approach, as it helps them understand the needs and demands of their target customers better. What Are The Stages Of Market Orientation? The following are the stages of the market orientation strategy: 1. Initiation In this stage, the business identifies all the potential threats for its business which might affect it. Apart from that, the business also researches what steps to take to handle the threats. 2. Reconstitution Here, the researchers present the plans for the initiation stage to the employees of the business. With the managers point out to the employees about what steps to follow. Here, the organization also needs to ensure that all employees are ready for the change to happen. 3. Institutionalization Here, the organization puts the plan into action. Here, they train employees and provide them with instructions on what steps to follow. This helps the employees to follow a pattern so that the business is able to cater to the needs and demands of the customers. Here, the plank is basically executed. 4. Maintenance In this stage, the business continues the process and meets the customer requirements and demands, as per the initial plan. Here, the business tries to ensure that the plan is effective and everyone follows it to meet the business’s goal. What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Market Orientation? According to Indeed.com, “A market-oriented approach to business can help a company earn the trust and loyalty of its customers by showing them they're a priority and that the business exists to serve them. It contrasts with conventional marketing, which attempts to convince customers of a product's value while not necessarily prioritizing consumer preferences during product development.” The following are the major advantages and disadvantages of market orientation: Advantages Of Market Orientation Here are the advantages of market orientation: It helps to increase the overall revenue. The business sees an increase in the market. The customers are well-connected to the company. Helps in innovation and product development. It helps the business to enhance its market reputation, as the customers are happy with the products and services of the company. Disadvantages Of Market Orientation Here are the disadvantages of market orientation: Continuous change is required, as the needs of customers change with time. The company invests a lot in investment. Research gets difficult as it is difficult to predict the preferences of the market. Read More: Private Equity Vs. Venture Capital: Key Differences Final Thought Hope this article was helpful for you to get a better idea of the market orientation approach. You can see that it is really helpful for different companies to identify the needs and demands of their target customers. This helps them in developing new products and eventually sell them. Many top businesses use these principles to expand their products and services. Even some of the major impractical demands from consumers help businesses make decisions in the long term. Hence, market orientation helps businesses to plan for the long term. What do you think of the market orientation approach’s importance for business? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below. Read Also: Why Business Continuity Planning Is Essential For Your Company? Project Management: What Is It? – Major Types, Examples, And More What Is Risk Management? – Find Out How To Manage Risks in Business

Network Marketing: What Is It? Is It The Right Option For You?

What Is Network Marketing?

How Does Network Marketing Work? – Types Of Network Marketing