How to Start a Networking Business

 A networking, network marketing or MLM (multi-level marketing) business entails recruiting business-minded people into an organization. A newly recruited business associate then purchases product from the networking company and builds his downline, or network of sponsors. You can earn monthly commissions off people in your downline when they start buying your product. Network marketing is a legitimate business opportunity, according to Entrepreneur.com. A company can legally sell through through multi-level sales with a legitimate product.

Step 1

Decide what type of products you want to sell in network marketing, such as vitamins, cell phones or home cleaning supplies. Select a product line with which you are familiar or enjoy working.

Step 2

Look through home business opportunity magazines like Small Business Opportunities or Entrepreneur for network marketing companies. Call some of the distributors, as these are individuals like you who previously joined the business. Ask to speak with the distributor's sponsors or upline, who have been around longer and have a better knowledge of the company. Ask for information about the company and business model, including the pay plan. Get on a conference call and get your questions answered by company officers.

Step 3
Sign up for the network marketing opportunity with the best pay plan. Join a company, for example, that offers 20 percent to 30 percent on level one instead of 10 percent, so you can start profiting more quickly. Have your products automatically shipped to you each month, which is often a requirement in network marketing.

Step 4
Add a separate business phone line for your network marketing business. Record a short greeting, asking people to leave their names and phone numbers if you are unavailable when they call.

Step 5
Order a website through your network marketing company; most of them will provide you with a website similar to the main company website.

Step 6
Order postcards from your network marketing company or create your own. Have the company include your website address on the postcard.

Step 7
Search for a mailing list supplier via an online search engine. Find a mailing list distributor that sells MLM or Business Opportunity Buyers names and addresses, which are people who are interested in starting a home business. Order 500 or 1,000 mailing list names for an initial test mailing.

Step 8
Affix the mailing labels to your postcards and mail them to people on the list you obtained in step 7. Call people back when they respond to the card. Bring your sponsor onto a three-way call to help you recruit people into the business. Mail postcards out every week. Increase your mailings as your profits increase.

Things Needed
Wholesale supplier
MLM or opportunity buyers mailing list
Website
Postcards
Separate business line
Three-way calling
Tip

The best way to become a successful network marketer is to help others build their downline. Like your sponsor, be available for people you recruited into the business. People like to hear success stories. Share your experiences with other prospects. Helping others will build the depth of your business; this is how the number of people under you grows exponentially. Most MLM companies pay "infinity" bonuses, entitling you to commissions on all downline purchases.
Warnings

Do not quit your job to start a network marketing business. Build your network marketing with your current income until you are earning enough to support yourself.
Be sure to check out how long your organization has been around. You chance of success greatly increases if your organization has been around 30 or 40 years -- like some MLM companies.
References (4)


About the Author
Rick Suttle has been writing professionally since 2009, covering health and business for various online and print publications. He has worked in corporate marketing research and as a copywriter. Suttle holds a Bachelor of Science in marketing from Miami University and a Master of Business Administration from California Coast University. He is author of the novels "Hell Year" and "Suicide Peak."