I have carried on a torrid, if not stormy relationship with the Network Marketing Business Model for the past 20-30 years. When I first saw ‘the circles’ being drawn on a white board over 30 years ago I was ‘smitten’. To think that I could make Income by helping others succeed and learning to Leverage my teams efforts was ‘Mind Blowing’ to me at the time!!…To say the least.
So I ‘dove in’ that day 30 years ago and over the years I have had (like many folks) my ups and downs in this arena. I have usually made enough income to pay a car payment and sometimes the mortgage; However that walk-away income ,,,you know the kind, where the ‘Top Dog’ tells you ‘In 2-3 Years you will be making enough residual income to ‘walk away’ and do what ever you want because CHECKS will be flowing into your mail box monthly,,,as you’re sittin’ on the beach in some faraway tropical Paradise sippin’ a tall cool Lemonade….well, sadly that NEVER happened for me, it seems like that ‘promise’ or dream would always fall apart and evaporate right when it was within my grasp!
I Believe after all these years in the business I have found out 7 solid reasons Why I never BECAME the Success I dreamed of ……….
1.) I was Taught Network Marketing is a SALES BUSINESS
Well, to be honest this is the furthest thing from the Truth. The reality is Network Marketing or MLM is FIRST a Relationship Business! Your real product is NOT a commodity or service you sell, but rather PEOPLE. We must study, Listen to and learn about PEOPLE and help them reach their Dreams! When we do this as we ‘Build’ people our business will begin to be built.
“The Heavy Hitters will tell you MLM is a sales business when the real truth is MLM is a Teaching and Mentoring Business.”(Michael Dlouhy…Success In Ten Steps)
2.) I was Taught Network Marketing Is a NUMBERS GAME
Wow, I was told this again and again over the years. Just get your opportunity; your message out to the masses.It is all about how many presentations you can make daily, weekly , monthly. It is all in the MATH so to speak , the more warm bodies you can ‘pitch your deal to’ the more will join you. Kind of like throwing mud at a wall,,,you know the more you throw the more it will stick.
From many experiences over the years I have found the real truth again gets back to this business being a ‘People Business’. People are not NUMBERS, they are unique and special they have brothers, sisters, spouses, children who LOVE them! Treat them as the special unique individuals that they are, build relationships with them and some will follow you. A Recruiter must always be Recruiting —that is what the ‘NUMBERS Game’ is all about, He never has a relationship with his downline and many LEAVE, whereas if you build relationships folks will stay with you much longer and some for life.
3.) I was Taught That ‘NO’ is a good thing!
You have probably heard this one before… Pitch your deal to as many folks as you can and get as many ‘NO’s as you can. The logic here is the More No’s you get The closer you get to a YES. I even heard a recent story from a couple that has been in Network Marketing for years where when with their first company they were actually AWARDED a TRIP because they received more NOs (2,500!) than anyone else!!
The No’s were always hard for me, I NEVER really did get use to all the REJECTION. In fact I do not believe we were designed to receive so much negativity(but that is a story for another day). You need to find a way to again build a Relationship with People who will get to KNOW you, LIKE you, and eventually TRUST you;from that kind of Relationship you will find many that say YES!
“The Fact Is NO has taken more folks out of this industry than any other word in the English Language.”( Michael Dlouhy…Success In Ten Steps)
For today I will conclude this article and come back in a few days with steps 4-7.
The Main thought I would leave you with is Become good at Relationships, find out peoples Dreams, Desires, even their challenges,become a good LISTENER and friend. If you do this you are well on your way to finding success in Network Marketing.
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Great presentation Matt…
I especially like to “NO” part.
It so foolish for all of the “gurus” to promote the need to listen to “NO”
If you present the right story, to the right person, at the the right time THERE are Few if any NOES.
The only problem I have seen, over the past 50+ years, is it TAKES detailed time and energy to LEARN HOW TO present to the right people at the right time…
And there are few around who TRULY Desire to succeed or spend the TIME and ENERGY
Chuck Bartok recently posted..Timing Your Social Media Posts is Everything
Great rules to follow Matt. I am so glad you wrote this. So many people come into the market every day and follow their leaders so to speak. Marketing has changed and this is an ideal model for people to follow. After all, you have had the experience.
When I first started I was “groomed” the same way until life on the internet and meeting people like you and others showed me the correct way of marketing. It is that old 80/20 rule. Give 80% to people (and you my friend give 300%) and 20% offers.
You have it down pat.
Thanks and Blessings to you,
Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted..Eliminate Email Overload In 10 Mins Or Less Per Day
Thanks for a great article Matthew, I can well relate to all you are saying, been there done that myself, so I too have had the same experience. I guess we grow wiser with experience also.
Look forward to the next part of your article.
Keep up the great work.
Val
Val Astill recently posted..The Baby Boomer Generation – Growing Up In The Fabulous Fifties
Matt thanks for sharing your experience. I think if most of us were honest, we all have had this experience or are experiencing it right now.
I too have read the book you mentioned “Success in 10 Steps”. I began at the age of 16 in direct sales. I was the one of the top leaders in my company from my very first campaign and for 12 years with them. I was successful in another direct sales company, but promises were broken by them. Even though I was one of the top in my company, I never made enough to vacation on a beach somewhere…because the commission was poor and other reasons.
I entered the world of network marketing again 4 years ago and failed miserably. But until I read that book I could never figure out why. Now I know and boy have things changed for me.
NO is never a good thing. Never.
Great post Matt
Darlene
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