Well, POPPYCOCK I say!

That’s not what 97 Percent is about – what follows is a basic blupeprint that will allow many of the 97% to experience real success. It is partly dependent on re-defining what we mean by "success" and a lot to do with the way we go about building the business. For ease of reference, I’ll stick with the same broad headings that were used on the problems page:

Products and Prices
When you are presented with a business opportunity, the very first thing you should do is to look at the products offered, and the costs involved. Once you are clear on that, answer this question:

Basically this question will tell you if the products or services have any value for you. This is important for a couple of reasons. Firstly, if the business has no value to you other than for the purpose of building a business then it will hold very little value for anyone else. Secondly, if this is a product you will buy anyway, then it no longer requires any effort or "mindset" to stay in the business!

Network marketing is all about building a network of consumers; find a great product you like and it will become a lot easier to talk about the product, and to introduce people to the network marketing concept.

Unrealistic Expectations
Look, I may have got you wrong. You might actually be one of the 3% who will go on to achieve great fortune. But even if you are, though statistically you are unlikely to be, you should pay attention to this section because it will help you build an even bigger and more productive business.

The majority of people are looking for ways to make a little extra cash that will make life easier in some way; paying off the mortgage, helping to pay bills, getting out of debt, or even just a bit of cash to splash out on fun stuff. Some of them even LIKE their jobs (imagine that!)

If you find this description applies to you then this is where you adjust your thinking about what is meant by "success". Instead of trying to build a team of 3-percenters, consider the value and strength to be found by forming organisations based on more humble needs and goals.

Find a great product, be a consumer of that product, and make a few bucks through other people buying it for similar reasons. There is NOTHING wrong with wanting to earn a few extra dollars, pounds, euros or roubles. It’s been the mainstay of home-based business since the days of mail order catalogue clubs, and quite likely before that.

Too Much To Learn
You can probably sense already what I am about to say; there is nothing (much) to learn. Life is busy and complicated enough as it is, without adding tasks such as "learn how to create a web page". If you really want to learn that stuff, that’s great and you should go ahead and do it anyway. If, like most people, you really couldn’t give a stuff about HTML, PHP, FTP and other nerdy terms then why should you need to bring it into your world?

If you have a good product (or preferably a product range) then you will learn all you need to know about it through being a consumer, experiencing the benefits of the product, and knowing its features and limitations. You will probably also get a chance to learn about the company compensation plan, but no matter what some people say network marketing plans really are much of a muchness. They all boil down to “earn a percentage of the sales that are made through your leg of the network”.

Truth is, if you like the product then the payment plan is almost immaterial (do you worry about the payment plans associated with the products you buy from the supermarket? Thought not).

Inappropriate Upline Sponsors
Well, this one is probably the easiest of the lot – in a product-centric, consumer network, view of the network marketing world, we avoid the need for individuals to be driven, coached or given the line "no pain no gain".

Not only do we avoid upline sponsors that are not on the same wavelength as us, but we avoid the need for many of those team calls and meetings. You know the ones I mean, not the informational ones, but the "motivational" ones. In a network of consumers, we are motivated by the fact that a product suits our personal needs and wants.

Let me reiterate, taking this perspective, most of the bad stuff people associate with network marketing simply falls away.

Feeling Happier Now?
97 percent of you will recognise most of what I have talked about on this page, and the problems page. I believe that most of you should also now be feeling a huge sense of relief as you realise 2 things; you have been going nowhere through no fault of your own and many of the things you have been thinking are actually unspoken thoughts shared by the rest of us!

So where do you go from here? As stated towards the top of this page, find a business where you will happily buy the product. Do not try any other approach, unless you are a 3-percenter.

You can also subscribe to the 97 Percent mailing list (see top-right of page) and keep an eye out for fresh content on the blog for occasional news, updates and tips.

I sincerely wish you all the very best in your endeavours.