I have a placard on my desk always, which says"Be curious first. Critical next." That is to constantly remind me of my ’personal mission’ - to know and to understand everything around me. My introduction to MouthShut is by chance while I was browsing thru the internet to know about Network marketing and MLM. A friend of mine introduced me to the concept of Gold Quest. And I got CURIOUS! It is a different thing that I had my own apprehensions about the business modalities (network marketing). I have ’heard’ about it before. Many times. In various forms. But this time, I decided not rely on hearsay, but to know and understand it.
I have been researching on the subject for some time, on the net, in the books, thru people who are into it, and I have come to a realization that it is indeed a beautiful business concept. I repeat-CONCEPT. And I am here to express my opinion about it. Not Gold Quest and its products, but the process behind it. Call it MLM, network marketing, Referral mktg, Relationship maktg, face-to-face mktg , affilite marktg etc. they all mean the same.
Three imortant ideas behind the business:
1. It is an alternative channel for distributing(moving) the products/services to end-users(consumers)
2. It sustains on a very powerful ’vehicle’ called Word-of-mouth advertising
3. One needs to have a positive attitude towards the idea (like any new business)
I wish to stress on the 3rd point a bit:
"Every path has its puddle". so goes a proverb.
If one chooses NM as a path(the promised financial freedom, the promised passive income), one must equally be prepared to face the ’puddle’ and that`s where people tend to fail. They want the money but do not want the hardships associated with it. Coaching, Counselling, Training, Mentoring and Committment is very much required as in any other entrepreneural activity to be better prepared for any challenge. Remember, "if you don`t work the system, the system won`t work for you".
About Word-of-mouth advertising- I can vouch for it because, I am a direct beneficiary of the concept. I am an architect and I get my leads thru referrals made by ’satisfied clients’. The profession doesnot allow us to publicize openly. So what do we do? Work harder to prove our worth. And let that ’work’ and ’worth’ do the publicity for us. A happy client always comes back (with another one!).Thats the power of word of mouth!
About NM as a distribution channel:
In a world proliferating full of me-too-products and me-too-services, I think, every enterprise, within reason, has a right to adopt its own business strategy and choose its own business modalities to promote its products /services as long as it is legitimate.
Call it discount scheme; franchising; clearance sale; Agency ; Press releases; celebrity shows/inaugurations/endorsements; Lucky dips; promotional offers; referral commissions; Supply chains system; etc. ; They all ’help’ in ’moving’ the products/services to the end-user. Period.
I finally decided to work with GQ. I am now doing business with Gold Quest for the past three weeks(and I want to sound as neutral and unbiased as possible about it), not just because of the promised financial freedom. Not just for the sake of the passive income that would flow in. Not definitely for my friend’ sake! But for my own sake. Because I believe in the broader concept behind the business. Because I trust the credentials of the company , the people and its products. And more importantly, I am always CURIOUS first and therefore, I want to give it a try.
I have given my committment to ’work the system’ . And I don`t want to rush. That’s me!
Finally a word of wisdom:
The skeptic does not mean him who doubts, but him who investigates or researches, as opposed to him who asserts and thinks that he has found.
P.S. I enjoyed reading the comments, opinions and the ’piece-of-minds’ expressed by various members and look forward for a healthy, wise discussions in the future(on any product)