Residual Income Activities in a Network Marketing Business or MLM

This is one of the most important subjects in building and running a successful network marketing business.

IPA - "Income Producing Activity"

What is an IPA and what differentiates it from any other activities?

The fact is that many people in network marketing businesses haven't really grasped this concept in it's most effective sense. They (unknowlingly) mistake unproductive work as income producing activity.

I'll be the first to say, that I fell into this trap myself years ago.

Let me explain:

For simplification purposes, let's say there are just 2 categories of activities (work) in building a network marketing or MLM business. They are Busy Work Activities and IPA's (Income Producing Activities).

What are some examples of busy work?

- Attending a conference call.
- Going to a company or upline meeting.
- Attending a convention or a company event.
- Reading over company brochures or websites.
- Talking to 3 strangers a day because your upline said to.
- Studying the compensation plan or product specs.
- Talking on Instant Messenger day and night.
- Listening to training cd's or reading a book about MLM.
- Thinking about your 'why' and if it's big enough.
- Checking email (unless it's from someone who wants to purchase what you are offering).
- Anything that is not DIRECTLY related to putting money in your pocket.

Now, are the things above important? Sure they are, but they should be considered secondary activities because they take your time and focus off of the most important thing: GETTING RESULTS.

Let me ask you something here:

If you know how to get consistent results in your business, then why would you spend so much time on activities that may possibly take time away from you obtaining your primary objective?

One of the reasons (in my opinion) that people get so in to all the conference calls, meetings, annual conventions and such is because it sort of feels like you are working your business in some wierd way, and learning some things while you are around others in the same boat, and there's always some 'exciting' news you need to hear. You are going through 'training'. You are told to 'Stay Plugged In'.