Network Marketing – Too Late if You’re Over Fifty?

With traditional jobs becoming scarcer by the day, what options do baby boomers (those born 1946 -1964) really have?  After all, there are only so many openings for Wal-Mart greeters.

The idea of owning your own business has tremendous appeal. There are studies that indicate that up to 85 percent of the adult population has considered the notion of owning their own business. Of course, thinking about it and acting on it are two different things.

You could start a craft business or something similar, if you have the skills. Or possibly, you could start a consulting business if you have a particular expertise and there is current demand for that knowledge.  However, the average baby boomer lacks either the particular skills or expertise to simply start marketing themselves.

So, what other possibilities exist for a home-based business? Network Marketing or Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM) has been an option for about four decades. There was a time when it seemed like everyone was involved in Amway.  The company has continued to grow year after year, with reported wordwide annual sales over eight billion dollars in 2008.  And say what you will, they have helped create thousands of successful independent reps, who have known the freedom and fulfillment of owning their own business.

Hundreds of other MLM companies have entered the market over the past forty years; some good, some not so good. Some of the more profitable network marketing companies include: Mary Kay, Herbalife, Melaleauca, and Nu Skin.

Sadly, there have been hundreds of network marketing companies that were not so successful. The reasons are many, but suffice it to say that thousands of innocent people, those looking for something better, have been burned and scammed out of hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of dollars. So much so, that in many circles, the very mention of multi-level-marketing is a guaranteed conversation ender.  As a result, stricter laws have been enacted to protect against those who set up companies that are little more than Ponzi schemes to scam the unsuspecting.

When presenting and MLM “opportunity,” comments like, “I don’t have any interest in network marketing,” or “Please don’t try and sell me something I don’t need or want,” are not uncommon.  Who hasn’t heard of a network marketing horror story or two? Worse, who hasn’t been personally burned by some eager new distributor who oversold some MLM company’s products, services, or ”incredible” marketing plan–the infamous circles on the napkin?

So is there really an opportunity in network marketing, especially  if you are in your fifties or sixties?

The answer is a qualified, yes.

For certain, using traditional MLM methods (continually pestering friends, family, and neighbors), is NOT going to work in the 21st century, in large part, because so many people have been burned by such methods over the years.

What will work is “attraction marketing.” What is attraction marketing? Simply stated it is attracting people to you who are already looking for what you have.  Ann Sieg’s e-book, The Attraction Marketer’s Manifesto, which is a free download, covers the subject of attraction marketing in great detail. Click Here to download this free pdf file.

If you ever have been involved in network marketing, how many of the people you you introduced your opportunity to were alreadyy looking for what you were offering? Chances are, few, if any. But, when you joined, you saw something. That’s why you decided to try. Perhaps you were looking for a way out of a dead-end job, or needed to pay off debt, or you just wanted some measure of financial freedom. Whatever the case, you did try. And then you probably failed. Don’t feel alone, more than 70 percent of all network marketers have never made a dime!

Why haven’t they (or YOU) made any money? The main reason that independent network marketing distributors fail to make any money is because they have been trained to use methods that have been outdated for decades!

In her book, “The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing,” author Ann Sieg makes the point that, “No one is worth your time until they’ve shown an interest in what you’re offering and have asked you for more information.” That doesn’t sound like the traditional MLM “Three-Foot Rule” (introducing your “life-changing opportunity” to everyone who gets within three feet of you) does it? Having tried this method myself, I can say that what the three-foot rule will lead to is no one wanting to be within three feet of you, or even thirty feet.  They will also avoid your phone calls and pretend they’re not at home when you stop by.

Attraction marketing is the “game-changer.” Combined with the power of the Internet, the average Joe or Jane does have a genuine opportunity to make money in network marketing. As stated earlier in this article, there are many good and reputable companies that use the network marketing model to attract independent distributors. And there are hundreds of thousands of individuals looking for new opportunity. And, with the current slowdown in the economy, the number of “opportunity seekers” is growing every day.

How can you learn attraction marketing (and many other Internet techniques that will insure you are not just another network marketing casualty)? Go back to school. That’s right, use the Internet to re-train and expand your opportunities. One of the great things about the Internet is that you can go at your own pace, in the comfort of your home.

The Renegade University is built entirely around attraction marketing. It is a comprehensive training that takes you click-by-click through everything you’ll need to succeed. It provides all of the tools necessary, and even teaches how to make money from your “prospects,” those people who have not yet bought from you, but are thinking about it as they gather more information.

And here’s the kicker, Renegade University is absolutely FREE.

You can go at your own pace. You can read online, print and read away from the computer, or simply watch videos that are guaranteed to make the training fun and easy to follow. The best part, you don’t even need to be presently with an MLM company. You can decide when you want to plug a company in. In fact, it’s a good idea to wait and use what you learn to help locate the best network marketing company.

Age is not a factor in learning at The Renegade University. All of the lessons have been designed for the novice, as well as those who may already possess certain skills. Everyone is free to go at their own pace. If you learn quickly, you can be applying the methods, and actually making money, within a few weeks. If you are more methodical, you’ll be doing the same in a few months.

A side benefit to this training is that attraction marketing can be applied to all facets of your life, professional and personal alike. As you become more attractive, not necessarily in the physical sense, but rather, as someone who has something very desirable, you will become naturally more attractive.

So you are late forties, fifties, or even your sixties and you know you still have lots of things you want to do. But your financial future looks very uncertain. Why not take a few weeks to learn something new? Worse case, you are out some time. What is the alternative, do nothing? Wait for the economy to rebound? You know that’s not a plan.

Why not enroll in Renegade University today. It won’t cost you a dime and in might make you a fortune.
While more and more of the 50 and over crowd seriously consider their career options, many may feel that they have waited too long and that opportunity has passed them by.  In the age of the Internet, nothing could be further from the truth.  In particular, with the advent of social sites such as My Space, Facebook, and Twitter, (often referred to as Web 2.0), social marketing possibilities are boundless.  Not surprising, the fastest growing segment on these social sites is baby boomers.

Thanks to the Internet and the ability it provides to connect with people all over the world, opportunity abounds.  Information – the very information that many baby boomers possess because of their experiences – have never been in greater demand.

Becoming self-employed takes effort, but that is not a barrier.  A strong work ethic is a common trait of those over 50.  Generally, work is not this issue.  The biggest question is simply, “How do I become self-employed?

Again, the Internet may provide the answer.  It has never been easier to obtain information, to learn new things.  Most community colleges now offer business and finance classes online, and colleges like the Phoenix Institute even make it possible to earn a degree, all without leaving home.

There is also an abundance of free Internet training, especially pertaining to web-based businesses.  Places like Renegade University will teach everything someone needs to know to set-up and run a profitable online business.

However one decides to pursue their goals, it is clear that there have never been more affordable resources than right now.  Instead of worrying about when the economy might rebound, why not take a step of faith and seriously look at self-employment as a viable alternative to working, and profiting, someone else.  The time has never been better.

Necessity has once again proven a mighty force for good.