As I write this, the economy seems to be sliding downwards.  Today, the China stock market took a huge plunge.  Here in North America, oil prices are dropping, but prices at the pump remain high.  Corporations have been laying off.

We’re still smarting from the economic downturn of 2008 – it doesn’t feel like it was that long ago.  Millions have not recovered from their losses.

If you’re employed, it’s very possible that your job might be at risk.  Are you ready to look for a new job in this economy?  I don’t know about you, but most people around me are starting to get nervous.

If you’ve ever toyed with the idea of starting a business, now might be the time.  If you think I’m crazy, let me tell you that I can’t take credit for the idea.  I’m just sharing what other people have said, and what I’m doing myself.

According to Forbes:  10 Reasons The Best Time To Start A New Business Is During An Economic Downturn

And one of the best ways to start a business on the side that won’t intrude as much on your personal or professional life is to combine a few proven models to generate cash flow from more than one source.

Online marketing, combined with network marketing, offers the chance of multiple income streams that you can tailor to your own skills and preferences.  There’s no one single way to do this – – there are tons of people out there doing this, and are limited only by their imaginations.

Why do I recommend a combination of the two?

Network marketing has been proclaimed as the business model of the 21st century.  If you’ve already dismissed this because you already know all about network marketing and why you shouldn’t get into it, then you don’t know about network marketing today.  It’s changed a lot since the days of secret meetings and pressuring your family and friends to join.

In fact, network marketing is the ideal business to be in during an economic downturn.  When people feel vulnerable, they’re more likely to prefer buying products from a trusted friend rather than an impersonal big box store that might be closing its doors within a year.  Also, people are looking for their own supplemental income opportunities and are more willing to go into business with you.

With the advent of the internet, we now have the entire world as our prospective customer base.  You can reach a scope and depth of audiences that business people couldn’t even fathom 25 years ago.  And no matter how bad the economy gets, someone somewhere in the world wants what you have to offer.

You might ask why they should buy from you instead of another network marketer online offering the same product.  I would be glad you asked that!  This is where the power of online marketing comes in.  When you establish yourself as a credible and trustworthy internet marketer, it doesn’t really matter what product you represent.  People will want to do business with YOU.   In fact, you don’t even have to be a network marketer – – you can market products or content you create yourself, or market other people’s products or content for commission, or create a popular site and sell advertising space.

The network marketing piece is just another layer of income opportunity.  By combining the two, you actually have 3 layers of income opportunity:

1. Locally, you can earn an income selling the products offered by the network marketing company
2. Both locally and internationally, you can earn an income building a team around your network marketing opportunity
3. You can create and sell other products and content as well.

There are other ways you can earn as well, but that’s a simple overview.

If you’d like to chat about this, I’d love to connect with you.  You can reach out to me here: Join My Team!  We can have a no-pressure, no obligation chat about how I’m building my Plan B to see if it’s right for you too!

And even if you decide not to connect with me, maybe this article is stirring some exciting ideas around in your head and will inspire you to action.