Think you’ll make the big bucks by hitching your wagon to a Internet or Network Marketing Star? A recent post on Anthony Blake’s Entrepreneurial Forum caught my eye this morning, because it is similar to comments I hear from clients every single week.

The gist of the writer’s comments was that he had joined several networking companies touted by “well known marketers”, only to find the success to which they alluded didn’t occur. 

Now, I couldn’t tell from his post whether these marketers were MLM marketers or Internet marketers. What IS clear is that he felt they would bring something to the table that would allow him to rapidly achieve success as opposed to a lesser known marketer.

Bad assumption.

Today, I’m going to discuss the proliferation of Internet marketers joining the ranks of network marketing.  There’s nothing wrong with that, of course.  I just want you to understand that doesn’t necessarily mean that your road to riches is off their coattails.

Just a few short years go, Internet marketers tended to scoff at network marketers.  They would even made disparaging comments about network marketing (although, interestingly enough, some of them had “silent” positions in companies). But, their advertising would often say “this isn’t some network marketing scheme”, etc.

However, you may have noticed over the past eight months or so, that many Internet-related products that once were available as a one-time purchase, are now being marketed as a membership sites or monthly purchases.  These marketers realized that, although they were earning leveraged income through their affiliates, they were NOT earning residual income.

In Wealth Concepts, I talk about the need to create both residual and leverage income if you want to create walk away wealth. 

So, now you have Internet marketers who are looking for passive, residual opportunities.  And many have taken a second look at MLM’s or network marketing.

While that is great for them and what I feel is a very smart move, don’t assume that joining one of these guru’s is best for you.  Here are some things you need to consider:

• First of all, don’t take everything you read at face value.  I personally know marketers who give the impression that they’re living on easy street, who are quietly working jobs just like you.  Remember, unless you can go to their house and verify their bank account, you are trusting what they are telling you.

• Secondly, you have to determine if they are serious about their networking business or are simply utilizing a blast to their list of subscribers to make some money.  How many businesses do they run?  If they are going to personally work with you, does it add up?  Can they possibly do all this AND give you the attention you deserve?

• What else do they bring to the table aside from their name?  As you build your business, not everyone you come in contact with will have heard of them.  Are they providing you with web sites?  A system? Training calls? Business calls?  Aside from saying, “I’m working with Mr./Mrs. Guru”, what is the benefit to you?

• Can you expect to duplicate their results?  Quite honestly, most of these people probably don’t have a clue how to build a business in the trenches.  They don't have to.  They have huge opt-in lists and a percentage of those people will sign up.  If you don’t have your own huge opt-in list, can you hope to duplicate their success?

•  What is their retention rate?  If you are trying to create wealth, ie. residual and leveraged income, you can’t do it if you have a revolving door at the front of your business.  So, it really doesn’t matter how many people they recruit, because you won’t be earning residuals on those people a year down the road if they quit.  I happen to know of a marketer who is always ranked at the top for recruiting.  However, her upline and I have spoken before and he said she has the worst retention of anyone in his organization.

I recently partnered with a “name marketer” who has been in my business for a number of years using the tools.  This person wanted to make this service available to potential consumers as well as those looking for a stable business.  However, she was honest enough to admit that she didn’t really have the time to support these people properly, as she ran a number of businesses.

We struck up a deal. She did the promotion to her list, but I would support these people as part of my team.  This created a win-win-win scenario.  I would build my team through exposure to her list, she would build an additional residual income stream and, most importantly, the people who joined would get quality training and help.

This is not to say don’t join with a “name marketer”.  But you have to weigh the pros and cons yourself and make your own informed decision.