Looking to add more strategies to your current business model? You might want to consider network marketing – a sales approach that involves recruiting independent sales representatives to sell or promote your products through their personal networks.

Find out more about the structure of network marketing, its benefits, and essential tips to help grow your network marketing strategy today with Adobe Express.

What is network marketing and how does it work?

Network marketing, also known as multi-level marketing, is a decentralised marketing strategy that involves two parties: a business that manufactures a product and independent sales professionals that sell the product.

Instead of your business hiring a full-time sales staff, you collaborate with independent sales personnel to sell your products on your behalf. They purchase your product in bulk, and in turn, sell it through their individual sales networks for a profit. Some famous examples of UK businesses that use a network marketing model include Avon and Ann Summers.

Is network marketing right for my business?

Network marketing can have its fair share of groundwork and responsibilities, especially if you’re just starting your business. Let’s look at some potential benefits and things to consider before adding networking marketing to your business model.

Benefits of network marketing.

• More flexible way of hiring and working. Since independent sales representatives are not on your payroll, they have the freedom and flexibility to adjust their schedules – meaning they can put in as many hours as they’d like and work around their other commitments.
• Enlist the help of people that love your products. Network marketing can help your business reach independent sales professionals that really enjoy using your product or service. This can make them strong advocates for the benefits that your product offers, naturally influencing others to purchase them.
• Build connections. As independent sales personnel use their networks to sell your product (by hosting parties for example), your business is exposed to a wider audience. This enables you to connect with meaningful figures in your industry, as well as expand your target market.

Things to consider.

• Be patient. As a business owner, you’ll have to accept that independent sales personnel will work on their own schedule. This might mean an increase or decrease in the purchase of your products depending on their frequency. It may also take time for your sales personnel to gain traction with selling your product.
• Provide support where required. The way your business handles its independent sales personnel can dictate how successful your network marketing efforts will be. Providing extra support to your sellers can translate to more profit for your business.
• Treat your sellers with respect. It’s important to treat your independent sellers with respect. Just because they’re not on your payroll, doesn’t mean you have the right to treat them as expendable employees.

5 networking marketing tips to get started.

Now that you’ve understood what network marketing is, let’s look at how you can seamlessly integrate it to your business model.

1. Build and nurture your connections.

The key to network marketing is building and nurturing business relationships with your independent sales personnel. This involves consistently providing ongoing support to ensure their success. Support can range anywhere from sharing your knowledge, experiences, guidance and sales skills. The stronger and more successful your team of network marketers is, the more your business will prosper.

2. Draw up your compensation plan.

With affiliate network marketing, it’s important that you develop a business compensation plan that aligns with your business. Do some background research first to discover what kind of compensation works best for your network marketing efforts before diving in. This may include analysing commission structures, bonuses and any additional incentives you’re planning to add.

3. Be consistent with your efforts.

Network marketing requires dedication, consistency and persistence. Set clear objectives for your business and develop an action plan towards meeting these objectives. Even when you face setbacks and challenges, stay focused on your goals and keep pushing. Being persistent can lead to long-term success.

4. Make the most of your social media connections.

One of the most powerful tools for network marketing is social media. There are different social media platforms for promoting your business and the products you offer. For instance, regularly posting videos describing the products you sell can help consumers learn more about your product. They may even message you directly on the social media platform for more information.

5. Train your team.

As you start to recruit more distributors to your network marketing business, it’s important that you provide support to newcomers. Help them sharpen their sales skills by providing ongoing training on how to build and maintain their networks to ensure ongoing success. You could even set them up with a mentor so they can learn from others with more experience.

6. Listen to your clients and customers.

Collecting feedback from your networks by listening to your customers can help you better understand what type of product they need. This can help you refine your approach, increasing your chances of expanding your customer base, building more loyalty and boosting your sales.

Free network marketing business template ideas.

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Good to know.

How do you begin networking?

You can start networking today by simply firing up your social media to share your products and connect with like-minded individuals. You can also expand your connections by attending network gatherings, conferences and events in your industry of interest.

How successful is network marketing?

It depends on your sales and marketing strategy, and the type of business you have. In the UK, networking marketing continues to offer businesses the opportunity to grow their customer base through making authentic connections. This enables the right consumers to find their products and services, generating more income and profits.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.