Being involved in network marketing (also known as MLM) can be
personally and financially rewarding. Being successful and having
a lucrative income doesn't just happen, it takes time and effort.
There is no guarantee of success. However, certain things can
greatly improve your chances of being successful.

By the way, if someone says they can guarantee your success, be
leery of such offers. There might be a proven formula that you
can follow, but your success still depends on your own efforts
and your ability to follow the proven methods.

This article uses the letters of the word sausage to represent
the fundamental things that are needed to have lasting success in
network marketing. It's an effective way to remember the basics.

S - System
A - Attitude
U - Understanding
S - Solutions
A - Action
G - Guidance
E - Enthusiasm

System - By system, I mean a way to advertise and promote your
opportunity. There are 3 main parts to a good system:
  1. Ads and promotions to get traffic coming to your site.
  2. An interesting site that makes people want to know more.
  3. Autoresponder messages to follow up with your prospects.
Many opportunities have their own marketing system. Also, someone
in the upline can tell you what works best for that opportunity.

Attitude - It is important to have a positive attitude. A big
part of that is believing in yourself and your product or
service. Your positive outlook and your success-oriented mind-set
can help give you the energy and the drive you need to accomplish
whatever goal you wish to attain.

Understanding - You need to understand that success and the
desired income does not happen overnight. You should know from
the start what is required in terms of time, effort, and money,
to reach your desired level of success. Find someone who has
reached a level of success you want to reach for yourself and ask
about the methods they used and how long it took to get there.
Keep in mind that even with a proven formula, different people
may get different results.

Solutions - Forget about trying to sell anything, offer solutions
instead! Most MLM businesses will have two types of solutions;
one type from the product or service and one type from the
opportunity itself. For example, if you provide long distance
phone service, it could be a solution to high phone bills. The
opportunity may be a solution for people who want to work from
home and spend more time with their children.

Action - You may have the World's best marketing system or an
experienced mentor to guide your every step, but you still need
to make it happen by taking action! You should have a weekly and
a monthly plan that you're able to follow. The plan should
include reviewing/updating ads, answering questions from your
prospects, participating in conference calls, and doing whatever
it takes to run your business.

Guidance - The successful people in an organization should offer
guidance and support to help others become successful. People
just getting started or people who want to take their business to
a higher level should seek out those who have already been down
that road. Helping others and passing along tips helps increase
the retention rate and makes the experience more profitable and
enjoyable for more people.

Enthusiasm - You should be enthusiastic because it will be
reflected in your phone calls and written messages. People
respond more favorably to what you say about your product or
opportunity when you are positive. It is good to be upbeat, but
don't overdo it. You can most likely think of someone you've met
who is so bubbly that they seem to be hyperactive and/or
hysterical.  That's not the best impression to make.

There are many good opportunities available. It's important to
check out the one that interests you the most and ask yourself if
you are ready to do what it takes to make things happen. The
basic approach outlined in this article, along with patience and
persistence, is what you need to increase your chances of being
successful in network marketing.