The Importance of Branding in Network Marketing
Many beginning in network marketing struggle with building a viable brand.
Some simply don’t have any concept of how or why to do it.
Others are attempting – but building their brand around the wrong thing.
Is branding a waste of time, money, and effort?
I’m a little different.
I come from a background of direct response marketing training.
Direct response marketers find people who have a burning need, offer a unique solution, and provide that solution to the ones who say “Yes.”
It’s a mindset that says nobody cares who you are or what your company name is so long as you can meet their needs.
If you miss, or try to skip the relationship piece in network marketing, your business will limp along for years like a three-legged dog, or pass off the scene with only a whimper to mark its end.Brand advertising is only for the giant corporations with more money than brains, who throw advertising dollars at “feel good” commercials during the football games.
But it’s hard to argue with the continued success of a titan like Coke.
Or Apple.
Or even Budweiser.
All of these companies spend millions of dollars to create advertising that is meant to emotionally connect with people and give them a positive feeling about the company’s products.
Hmm.
That meant I needed to rethink my position.
Have you ever heard of HARPO Productions?
If you have, you may have an idea of where I am headed with this idea.
If not, that’s ok, I’ll come back to it.
The larger percentage of people reading this will probably not know what it is, and that’s part of my point.
Rethinking Branding in the MLM/Network Marketing World
What do we provide in the Network Marketing industry, primarily?
Leadership.
Training.
Advice and Support.
Consulting.
Who are the highest paid people in the world who offer those type of services?
Well, celebrities are paid pretty well in our culture.
There are many people who are literally famous for being famous.
And they make a lot of money because of it.
What about someone like Dr. Oz?
Or Dr. Phil?
Suze Orman?
Oprah?
What role do all of these people play, and how does that relate to your network marketing business?
All of these people are celebrity advisors.
They are famous.
They have a large platform, and people know who they are and what they stand for.
And they are extremely well compensated for their advice.
So, have you ever heard of HARPO Productions?
This is the entity which holds Oprah’s businesses.
And I’m guessing you have heard of Oprah.
That’s the power of branding.
Millions of people everywhere know who Oprah is.
And apparently they trust her advice.
Any product or service she mentions on her show instantly gets a huge spike in transactions.
That is the power of branding at work.
Oprah is a recognized celebrity authority (on apparently every subject), because she has built a brand around her name and personality.
Not many people have a clue what HARPO Productions is, but my bet is there are an equally few number of people who don't know who Oprah is.
Building Your Network Marketing Brand
This goes back to one of the first marketing lessons I learned from Frank Kern.
People like to do business with someone they know, like, and trust.
Faceless corporate entities are cold and uninviting.
We live in a culture that screams for transparency and a genuine openness.
We like to buy things from our friends.
Even if that friend is named, “Oprah.”
Millions of people feel that they have a relationship with Oprah.
They know, like, and trust her.
And it is well-deserved.
She works hard to provide value through her interactions with her audience, and by providing great
information on topics her viewers find relevant.
Network marketing, by definition, is all about relationships.
The better the relationships you build, the more your business will thrive.
If you miss, or try to skip the relationship piece in network marketing, your business will limp along for years like a three-legged dog, or pass off the scene with only a whimper to mark its end.
Build a strong brand around your name and personality.
Develop strong relationships with hundreds, thousands, millions, who know, like, and trust you.
You do this by providing great value in sharing your experiences, and what you have learned.
Passing down the lessons from mistakes you have made, or what you have been taught by a mentor or industry leader.
And be real.
Let people see that you are human, that you face struggles, and sometimes things don't go perfectly in business or in life.
You should also definitely share your celebrations and your moments of excitement and accomplishment.
But don't try to paint a picture that everything is rosy all the time.
People have a sense that it doesn't quite line up with reality.
So, be real – share good times and not so good times with your audience.
And provide value by entertaining your followers and giving good information on topics they find to be relevant.
Very soon you will find that you have built a brand around your name and your personality.
And that you even have fans.
(That's cool, right?)
Model Oprah, and other celebrity authorities, and you will build a brand in your network marketing business that will stand the test of time, leaving a legacy of goodwill, and drawing a crowd of followers who want to be part of what you are doing.
If you want to see the system I use to build my own brand, and that teaches this very principle in very practical steps, you can just click on this link and learn how to create your own MLM/Network Marketing brand.
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