MLM Software - Do I Really Need Sophisticated Software to Be Successful?

As an IT professional of 40 years, the one question that I am asked most often by new network marketers is "what software should I be using." If you think about the business you are in, and how you need to keep expenses down, the answers are very simple.Accounting:Yes you are taking this business very seriously, and you have to keep track of your income and expenses. Most of the time I defer this question to your Accountant or CPA who will be doing your taxes, on how they want you to track those receipts.There are a lot of "fancy" packages out there, but you need to ask yourself these questions.Are you prepared to spend your time trying to learn these systems? Is this the best use of your time? Don't you think a simple spread sheet or a journal with you daily activities and a log of your customer's transactions will be sufficient for the first year or two?Do not make the same mistake a lot of new business people make, getting caught up in some sophisticated software package, and lose sight of the main objective... getting new customers.Sales Tracking:There are tons of ads for software with fancy "bells and whistles" that will track your leads and sales, and give you all kinds of reports and graphs to tell you how you are doing every day. For MLM business people, this is like having an atomic mousetrap! Again concentrate on getting in front of those leads every day, not running a software program that tells you that you need more leads. Again a simple journal or spread sheet will do very well, maybe even up to your first million!Lead Producing:Producing leads should be your primary goal from the first day of business to the very last day, and the absolute best way is to have your own, lead capturing web page. Don't worry about your lack of "web mastery" as there are many hosting sites that have leading edge programs to help you along. You shouldn't spend a lot of time here, as will not be making big dollars building web sites. Iit may be best to get some professional help here, especially on you first one.In Conclusion:It may sound that, with an IT background, I am anti-technology. Nothing is further from the truth! Technology has its place when used with efficiency. Your software should be a tool to help you, not something that spends your time and gives you a headache, and should not take time away from your primary objective.