Internet Marketing vs. Network Marketing vs. E-Commerce

Internet Marketing vs. Network Marketing vs. E-Commerce

During my attempt to begin this club in the Flint-Genesee Area, I have met more resistance than what made sense.  After talking with some people from the area, I think that I might have some idea why this is happening.

People DO NOT KNOW what Internet Marketing is.

Internet Marketing is NOT Network Marketing.  It is also NOT E-Commerce.  It is possible to blend together any of those, but each of these means something different.

Marketing (General):  finding a way to send out your message to people--usually calling for some action

• Sales:  Buy Now, Pay Now, Give Now, etc.
• Leads:  Leave your name here, Call Now, Send an e-mail for more info, etc.
• Opinion Swaying:  Read this and believe what I believe!
• Congratulatory:  Way to go!  Make sure to thank him!  She's great, isn't she?

Internet Marketing:  Using the Internet to send out the message.  This could be

• an E-Blast (e-mail sent to a mailing list)
• Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
• Articles/Press Releases
• Classified Ads
• Blogs--Your Own and Commenting on Others
• Forums
• Pay Per Click (PPC)

The people who give this a bad name are Spammers.  These are people who leave unrelated messages for the sole purpose of leaving a backlink or advertising their website.

Network Marketing:  Using your immediate network or developing new "relationships" for the purpose of marketing.

The word "relationships" is in quotes, because this CAN be done tastefully; however, many people have selfish motivations behind this.  It is the face-to-face version of Spamming.

"Hi!  Nice to meet you.  Do you want to do what I want you to do?  (sell, join our group, etc.)"

It is THESE people that give things like Amway and other similar programs a bad name.

Network marketing by itself is not bad.  It just has many people acting in a way that gives it a poor name.

Commerce (General):  trading...buying/selling

E-Commerce:  Commerce (buying/selling) done using an electronic medium (the Internet)

There are many Network Marketing companies that do e-commerce.  They have a website that serves as its virtual mall.

Many people mistake THIS for being Internet Marketing.  However, e-commerce alone simply is a website that someone builds, and the only people who visit that website are ones who were told to visit it by a NETWORK marketer.

An Internet Marketer might build a website store, but this person's marketing efforts are on the Internet--not person-to-person, like a Network Marketer.  Visitors "find" it on their own, and they might never know who owns the website.  They "fall from the sky" and buy.  This, too, is e-commerce, but it's not Network Marketing.

Truth be told, there is a place for each marketing approach.  Just make sure that you understand that having a website store does NOT mean you're an Internet Marketer.

Return to the Genesee Internet Club Home Page