Who Really Sells Network Marketing Products?
Network marketing has become a serious business and deserves an updated look from the stereotype that the only people working in this type of business are stay-at-home moms who seek a break from the babies and toddlers on their hips.
In the boom of Tupperware and Avon, yes the majority of people who sold products through network marketing companies were indeed mostly stay-at-home moms. The target distributor and customer was the stay-at-home mom. The efforts of these moms formed what many know today as the network marketing industry of home parties, catalogs, order forms and cliches of neighborhood women gathering to discuss products and gossip.
The reasons at the time for doing this line of work varied but in the majority of situations there was an underlining economic need they filled through this work that contributed to the family budget. The growth of companies like Tupperware and Avon occurred during a time in history where more and more women were entering the workforce out of financial need and often that outweighed the desire and need to have more friends as to why they did this type of work. There was a gas crisis and major recession in the 1970’s that forced the change we see today of many families needing both adults working in the household to support the family.
There is also this myth that network marketing is all about social connections. While there are some opportunities to socialize through this work, it is challenging because many people are immediately turned off and go the other way when they see you because they think you’re selling them something. This type work has also been known to ruin relationships. There is a great deal of rejection and its definitely a tough way to make friends and get out of the house. After you get rejected a few times you really question if you want to leave the house. The idea that you enter network marketing to make friends is just not the reason 99% do so.
Trust me, there are easier ways to make friends than selling products!
Network Marketing Today
Today, almost 13 million people distribute or sell products through network marketing companies. This makes network marketing the largest industry employing the most people in the world.
The majority of people who sell products through network marketing are actually a very diverse group of people that includes:
Working women AND men where network marketing is a second income
Persons with disabilities
Seniors who need to supplement their retirement income
Single parents
College students
Women AND men who have network marketing as their primary income
Yes there are still stay-at-home moms too but they are no longer the biggest portion of who is driving sales for network marketing companies. Network marketing has evolved into a serious business and most who are stay-at-home,women and men, do so now because they earn more in their business than they were in their regular 9-5 jobs. The other reason is because their family has made the economic decision because of childcare costs, elderly care or other family reasons that necessitate one person being at home and not working, or working part-time only.
Here is a break out of who I see in this industry:
Product Lovers
Most who enter the business of network marketing do it because they love the product they have experienced. They see an opportunity to enjoy a product they have found on a regular basis without negatively impacting the family budget. As they begin their business it is usually with the goal of just covering their product costs and maybe earning a few extra dollars on top of that.
The group can consist of stay at home moms but more often than not it is working individuals that were met through another person at work or in social mediums, technology based or in person. They’re product users who turn into product distributors to cover the cost of their personal use.
This group may or may not stay with the network marketing company long term. They may become more serious about it and grow it into a larger business such as a side hustle or part time job but for now they’re just happy to use the product, share it with their friends and are not tied to the goals and volume demands that comes with taking it too seriously outside of their personal circle of family and friends.
Side Hustlers
The new hot trend is to have one or more side hustles to diversify your income streams. Multiple income streams are smart, savvy and catching on as more people seek independence from depending on a single corporate job that may not be there from one day to the next.
This group is interested in supplementing and augmenting their main income and make up the majority of network marketing distributors.
This is in fact the population that has rapidly replaced the stay-at-home mom in this industry.
These individuals see this business as an easy side business to support their family, interests, needs or meet a goal while maintaining a full time job that carries the medical insurance and provides paid vacation days. It is flexible in hours and once established can provide a little extra cash or a lot of extra cash depending on the volume sold.
My own story is that of an executive in healthcare who loves oils. I became interested in selling oils as a side business to pay for my oils and earn some extra fun money to expand to my craft side of the side business. This reduced the need to take it from the family budget and created an additional income source for our family. I can control the time involved with minimum impact to my regular 9-5 job. I refer to this as my retirement job that I am starting to build now and can gradually step into full time as I near retirement from corporate work. Perhaps this too will help accelerate my retirement timeline.
There are many network marketing companies out there that will perfectly align to the needs of the side hustle. It’s worth exploring if you’re looking to setup multiple income streams.
Part Timers
These individuals are seeking part-time work that gives them flexibility to meet other needs in their lives. Lots of seniors, persons with disabilities, students and others seeking flexible part time work where they can make their own hours are attracted to network marketing.
This is different from the side hustle group because this group most likely does not have another full time job but instead goes to school full time, are disabled or otherwise cannot or do not want to work full time.
Again, it is worthwhile looking at network marketing as a means for part-time work. Do your research however and make sure you find a product and team that best fits your needs.
Primary Income Earners
This group of individuals do grow their business into one that provides the primary source for their income. Again, it is a diverse population of people that is growing as success in network marketing is become more easily attained.
The original network marketing setup rewarded their distributors with cars, trips and other incentives for their top performers. These incentives still occur in many network marketing companies but more often than not there is an increased ability to replace income with one derived from network marketing.
Access to this small group is expanding as more achieve success in network marketing and are able to grow their business into a larger operation.
Network Marketing Faces
The image we have of a stay-at-home mom as being the only one who sells with network marketing companies is an outdated stereotype. It is limited and non-inclusive of the millions of people who do this type of work.
Since I’ve been selling essential oils, I’ve actually met only 1 stay-at-home mom in the course of this business. The majority of my customers and those who have wanted to start their own business on my team are professional working people. Like me, they are wanting to apply natural alternative solutions in their lives and homes and some see the opportunity to grow it into their own business.
For many, network marketing offers that dream opportunity of entrepreneurship and having a taste of being your own boss. The rewards can be great and is truly dependent on what you want to invest into it to achieve what is right for you.
I am a network marketing representative and I’m not a stay-at-home mom.
Interested in more?
If you’d like to look at doTERRA as a side hustle, part time work or just want to explore applying a natural alternative to your lifestyle please let me know. I’m happy to answer any questions and show you what doTERRA offers.
Email me: amyk@dragonspitapothecary.com
To enroll and/or order: my.doterra.com/dragonspitapothecary
Bonus!
Also, on April 2 at 7PM EDT I will be hosting an Essential Oils 101 class. This is a free class and no purchase is necessary. Everyone who registers and attends live will be entered into a drawing for a essential oil Introduction Kit!
Register at: https:/bpt.me/3382806
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