Network marketing offers opportunities to millions of people, and is one of the easiest ways to get started owning your own business. However, there are also plenty of challenges unique to this type of business. One of the key issues is that of the upline, and while your upline can certainly contribute in a great way to your success, they can also hold you back if you’re not careful. As such, it’s worth taking a closer look at how you need to approach this aspect of your business.
The Big Question To Consider About Your Upline
So what do you need to know here, exactly? First, let’s look at your upline and what kind of role they play in your business. In network marketing, your upline is more than just the person who brought you into the opportunity you’re representing – they’re also your business partner to some degree.
However, you need to ask yourself one key question here, and that is: What kind of business leadership skills does my upline have?
That’s important because in the world of network marketing, many people are brought into the field by a friend or family member. For example, your cousin may have talked you into the opportunity you’re involved in. That’s great, but how much does your cousin know about business? What about marketing?
That’s the key question you need to consider here – the skill level of your upline. Odds are that they were brought on and taught the same old, same old methods of marketing that they’re teaching you. But who taught them? This can become a vicious circle that essentially breaks down to the blind leading the blind, and it’s something that you could become trapped in.
Are They Holding You Back?
There’s nothing wrong with being shown the ropes by your upline, but the issue comes when they are actually holding you back from real success. A common problem is when you’re given a new opportunity for lead generation or to present your business in a new light. The immediate response for many network marketers is “Sounds good, but I need to run it by my upline first.”
While that’s honorable for sure, you need to think about a few things here, including:
- What kind of business leadership skills does my upline really have?
- Do they have a history of marketing success?
- Are they top earners?
That final point is key here. Is your upline one of the top earners in your network marketing family? Are they bringing in big sums, or are they making almost the same amount as you – or less? The thing we’re getting at here is simple – sometimes you need to be willing to break free of your upline and take advantage of opportunities that you feel are right for you.
At the end of the day, you need to remember that this is your business, not your upline’s. They can do their own thing, and you can certainly take steps that you want to if you feel like it. In short, don’t let your upline hold you back. It’s something that happens far too frequently already, and that you shouldn’t let happen to you.