Network Marketing, or MLM, has been described as the world's greatest home-based business. The fact that its probably true doesn't make it any easier for the first time MLM'er (or newbie) to understand how it works and most important how to really succeed. Although success and profits cannot be guaranteed in any business venture, there are certain tips and hints which are pretty much universal in MLM just like any other type of business.

For example, in franchising the key to success is convenience and "sameness". That is, no matter where you go in the United States, or the entire planet for that matter, the French Fries at McDonald's will taste the same. That's what you pay for and expect. Well, the same can be said of MLM. If you are new to the industry, you can improve your chances of success by merely following these seven "truths" on a consistent and persistent basis. Of course, once you become a "pro", then more advanced "truths" reveal themselves, but that's for another time and article. So, for you "newbies", here are the seven guidelines to succeed in the early stages of your MLM career.

1 - Don't join more than MLM company. Don't attempt to "cover your bases" by starting several MLM businesses simultaneously. Choose one company or opportunity and then promote it solely and exclusively. Spreading your efforts only leads to failure across the board because in the early stages when you have little cash flow you simply won't have enough time and funds to build your organization effectively. I've seen several MLM offers that have you join as many as 6-20 different programs. That's crazy! You should be able to make more than enough money in the long run with just one MLM company if you focus on its success. Choose the best company, with the best products and services, with the most lucrative marketing plan, as well as the one that you personally feel proud about promoting -- and stick with it!

2 - Research. Get as much free information on the MLM industry in general you can from the internet and print sources, but don't buy anything -- not yet at least. You don't need to. You just want to learn from others and work. Lots of stuff is free, get it all, but don't waste money on the other stuff until you have a positive cash flow. Remember, stay focused and don't get side-tracked by all the competing offers that show-up in your mailbox everyday. In short, read everything but don't believe it all, but definitely learn from it all.

3 - Don't spend a lot of money in advertising at the start. Perhaps the biggest mistake you can make is going out and buying a full page ad in some MLM magazine or tabloid. Now, if you think the publishers of those magazines would disagree with me, don't bet on it. I venture to say that they would probably agree its better to start small, build your organization and customer base, then reinvest your profits into more advertising. Anyway, as a practical matter what would you do with the 1,000+ leads that responded to your first big ad? Since you're new to the business, you'll probably not know how to deal with them all and you won't be able to follow-up and close the sign-ups the way an experienced marketer would. In other words, you wasted a lot of money with an ad that produced tons of leads that you could not convert into distributors.

4 - Don't pretend to be a marketing expert. You're NOT! Just follow the plan that was created by your company or team upline. They are the true marketing experts. Hopefully, you'll be given all the tools you need to achieve success in a turn-key system that you merely have to plug into -- and most important it should also be free. Basically, just play follow the leader until you get the hang of things, but of course don't do anything ridiculous like send out 10,000 postcards if that is what your sponsor tells you. By taking small, consistent steps and staying focused, your network will grow every month -- as well as your income!

5 - Watch out for scams and things that seem too good to be true. As the old adage says, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is and not worth the time and money. MLM is a legitimate business and anything that promises you money for no work is neither MLM or legitimate -- in fact its a pyramid scheme and very illegal. I probably researched hundreds of companies and several were blatantly illegal, others were just questionable. Stay away industry that deserve the honest reputation they've cultivated over the years. Don't be a victim and only align yourself with a genuine opportunity.

6 - Treat this as a business. This is common advice but extremely true. MLM is NOT a hobby, unless of course you don't want to make any money at it Plus, in order to get all the great IRS tax benefits derived from having a home-based business then you must treat it like a business and keep copies of everything you do. That's why I chose to set up a separate company to better justify my deductions to the IRS. As long as you are committed to your MLM business, and willing to work 10-15 hours per week, you can make profits fast, possibly even within 30 days with the right marketing plan.

7 - Lucky number seven is perhaps the most important. Give a total commitment for at least 6 months, preferably a solid year. That includes your heart, mind, and soul. You must be willing to spend a few bucks at the start, then reinvest your profits and stick with it for a period of time. Don't just try it for a couple of months, lose money, and then declare that you failed. Remember, you did NOT fail, you just quit too soon!

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