Duplicating your business in network marketing involves having a proven system with upline support, training, and mentoring. Such a plan should include up-to-date system methods.

However, times have changed, and methods have evolved. The methods that worked a few years ago do not work today, yet many companies and teams still use and teach outdated system methods.

Are home parties working in your area? Is your town "all partied out"? Approximately 92 percent of the population does not like to sell or be sold to. Is there a way to promote your product without coming across as being "salesperson-like"?

Most network marketing companies will ask a new distributor to focus first on his or her "warm market." A warm market consists of people whom the distributor knows, such as relatives, friends, and coworkers. A network marketing company or upline will often instruct the distributor to pull out a sheet of paper and list the names of 100 friends and family members. WOW! I have never done that, and I do not know anyone who has been successful using this method. This method does not work! Yet, companies and team leaders still teach it.

What does work?

A step-by-step action plan is needed. This plan should be easy to follow and should be a plan that you can teach to anyone. Remember, most of the people you bring in are going to be part-time, average people, so the key is to develop an overall system that everyone can follow.

Network marketing is about people. Have a system that will teach your downline about building relationships. The quicker a person can build relationships, the easier it will be for him or her to build a team. Toward this end, becoming a color profiler is a must.

It is important to understand how to build "the list" from your cold market. Your cold market are people you do not know and have not yet met. There are a number of ways to build your list. The Internet is a great tool, but although some folks buy leads, I personally would not recommend this unless you know the source of the leads as most of these leads are sold over and over again. Ever wonder why the leads you bought acted put off or why your prospects were short with you? It is a good idea to create your own leads. This way, your leads tend to be of higher quality.

In my opinion, it's best to start on a low budget and test your market before spending a lot of money. Your upline should provide training on designing marketing headlines that capture your prospects' attention and create curiosity. As my mentor, "Big Al," says, "Your first sentence or headline is everything. If you don't capture your prospects' interest immediately, you are wasting your time." Let your imagination flow!

Do you have a mentor? Everyone in network marketing should, someone who has "been there, and done that" and can teach and guide you along the way.

About the author:

Monica specializes in helping people succeed in their Network Marketing business. http://networkmarketingsuccessblog.com