Network marketing is a great home-based business opportunity, but when the economy is down, selling high price, luxury type items may be difficult.

Despite the bad economy, many network marketing companies continue to grow as people turn to trusted sources for the things they need and use on a daily basis. You can take advantage of this by emphasizing the following 5 points in your sales presentations and recruitment efforts.

1. There are staple products and services that everybody needs, even in tough times. These include things like insurance, basic food, school supplies, and health related items.

If your network marketing opportunity markets a product or service that fits within this "staple need" area, you need to be sure you are talking up the benefits associated with using your product, or the recession-proof nature of your home-based business opportunity.

2. Anything that helps people save money has the potential to be a winner today. Do you market something that can reduce a family's expenses or help a person save money? Some examples include long distance phone services, legal services, and personal care products that your customer may not be able to get elsewhere.

Keep in mind that "savings" does not have to mean a dollar per dollar savings on using your product as opposed to a competitor's. If your product or service meets a customer's specific needs, and the customer perceives he or she is getting a better value with your product, than in the eyes of your customer, that is a savings.

3. Any product or service that solves a customer's problem will remain in demand, regardless of the economy. For example, a broken toilet is going to get fixed, even if the customer has to scrape money together from another area of his or her budget.

If your product or service helps people prevent or resolve problems, it will remain in demand.

4. During hard times people may not be receptive to starting a business that requires a huge capital outlay, or borrowing money to rent office or retail space and purchase inventory. Network marketing is perfect for this scenario, as most people can get started for less than $100, and the need to buy or stock inventory is generally limited to maintaining samples for sales presentations.

Emphasize the ease and low-cost of starting a network marketing home-based business in all of your prospecting.

5. Finally, recognize that many products or services carry emotional value that stabilizes demand for your product or service, even in the worst of times. For example, cosmetic companies know that women will spend money to look and feel good, and men will purchase tools and hobby supplies to either make home repairs or find an outlet for their stress.

Don't let the economy get you down. Find the benefits your product or service offers its users and emphasize them.