Thanks for taking the time to read this article. I promise I won’t waste your time.
I’m am not a Network Marketing success story. I’m not living on Easy Street, cashing fat residual checks.
At least not yet.
Like millions of others, I’m actively involved in network marketing, or MLM. I have complete confidence that it will allow me to retire comfortably in the next 1 to 3 years.
It’s not my dream to live like J.R. in Dallas. Multi-million dollar mansions and Rolls-Royces don’t interest me. I have better things to do with my life. My business will allow me to money and time to enjoy my friends and hobbies, contribute to worthwhile causes, and send my kids to college.
One of the things that turns lots of people off about network marketing is that so many sponsors make it sound like a GRQ, a Get Rich Quick opportunity. The truth of the matter is that NOT EVERYONE ASPIRES TO BEING RICH. Why don’t more people understand that? (Don’t get me wrong. I LIKE material goods. I LIKE “toys”. But being rich in and of itself isn’t the most important thing to me.).
I think money motivation is one of the primary reasons people get into MLM, but there are other reasons that need to be respected, too. It would be wise to give those things some thought if you’re trying to recruit someone or if you’re being recruited. Consider that
…the vast majority of MLM participants make less than $500 per month. If they hear about making $10,000 to $50,000 per month, they simply can’t see it as a realistic possibility.
…most folks immediately dismiss salesmen and hucksters who promise the world. They’re don’t LIKE people who are willing to climb and claw their way to the top, regardless of the cost.
…even though America was built by small businesses, they need time to think of themselves as business owners. 78% of all MLMers have always been employees and the responsibilities of owning a business can seem intimidating.
I recently attended an opportunity meeting that made me cringe. It was truly a nightmare of lies. The presenter was a lying idiot who was hell-bent on convincing the prospects they could easily make $60,000 per month in his company. (this dude has never made over $600 per MONTH in MLM!) He did everything his sponsor told hm to do–draw circles, smile real big, use all the right words–and some of these poor folks ready to sign up. The rest of them were wondering where the bathroom was and who was going to win America’s Got Talent.
The outcome was predictable. I’ve seen it time and time again: 90% of the audience would go home, eat dinner, and talk about how they’d wasted their evening listening to a Scam Artist. 10% of them would sign up on the spot and of that 10%, 90% would never make a penny in that business. This is why MLM has a questionable reputation.
I only go to opportunity meetings to remind myself how fake most people’s claims are. I can’t handle the lies and B.S.. I’ve almost never heard anyone say,
“the truth is that you won’t make much money for six months, maybe longer. Any money you make you’ll put back into your business. This really is a BUSINESS, after all. You’re going to go through a period of learning new skills for a while and my job is to help you through the tough parts. If you do the things that are proven to work you can build a full-time residual income in months or less. Once you do that, you won’t have to worry about losing your job, ever again.”
If you were interested in my business-building system, I’d tell you the truth. I think you’d respect me for it.
Like any other business, success in MLM isn’t easy. If it was, everyone would do it.
A drawback of MLM businesses is that they cost very little to join. Once you’ve heard the extravagant claims of so-called top earners, you might be tempted to gamble a few bucks to “see if it works out. My advice is…DON’T. Send the money to Haiti or give it to your church instead. Find out what you’re getting into BEFORE you sign on the dotted line. You’ll be doing yourself–and your sponsor–a favor.
MLM is one of the few ways “average” people can become financially independent, but it’s not without it’s risks. You could invest months or years of your time, only to find out that your company has filed for bankruptcy. Choose wisely. Do your research. If you’re new to sales or recruiting, make sure the company has some system in place to help you master the required skills. You shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel!
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