A lifestyle of the rich and famous is a common image projected by many network marketing leaders. It is extolled in video presentations. It is acted out at “major events” held in exotic resorts. It is seductive…a heady experience. We attend in droves, in hopes of an epiphany on the road to riches. We listen to the dream, with hopes the dream now includes us.
These sessions do inspire and encourage…but, if what follows is financial and relationship stress arising out of unreasonable business expectations and overextended expenditures, the inspiration backfires. A promise of vast, easily-acquired wealth, is seductive and destructive; both for the new person, and for the leaders who are under pressure to uphold the persona.
This should be the shortest post I have ever written…of course you have to sell…end of story!
Sadly, I have heard this “pitch” all too often. “Join our company. It is great. You don’t have to sell anything. Because we know how much people hate selling, we have set it up so you won’t have to sell a thing.”
First of all…anyone making this statement is rather foolish if they haven’t figured out that what they are doing is trying to SELL you on the idea that you can make money by just sitting around…and uh… watching the grass grow… I guess.
If you did sign up, it is unfortunate they did not realize what great sales people they are!
Ah, greed. How quickly it can seep into our brains and cloud our, otherwise, clear thinking. I have spoken to people about legitimate network marketing companies, only to have them reply,“I just don’t do that type of thing”.
Then, astoundingly, later, I have had some of them call me to propose a blatantly illegal pyramid structure they would like me to participate in. In response to my confusion as to why they would turn down a legal business opportunity, to be taken in by this obvious scam, they reply, “But all kinds of doctors, lawyers, accountants are doing it!’
This most be the oldest “Pick Up” line in the network marketing book. It is the subject today of our 7th post in a 10 part series on network marketing No-No’s. This list of behaviours that I wish network marketers would immediately stop using, grew out of a post I wrote titled, People Don’t Dislike Network Marketing, They Dislike Network Marketers.”
THE COMP PLAN IS SO GOOD – I CAN’T LEAVE IT WITH YOU!
Today I want to talk about network marketing pay plans, what works, what does not, what is legal, what is not; and how you can save yourself a lot of grief by telling the difference.
This is the 6th post in a series of articles on behaviours in network marketing I think need to stop immediately for the industry to attain the level of professionalism it deserves. This series of articles began with a post titled “People Don’t Dislike Network Marketing, They Dislike Network Marketers.”
In an annual perception survey, international polling firm, Globescan, released results for 2009, finding the US reversing a previous downward trend in how the world perceives its ability to exert a positive impact, from a low of 28% in 2005, to a new high of 40% in February, 2009. The improvement is believed to be linked to the election of Barak Obama.
With the question, “Please tell me if you think each of the following are having a mainly positive or mainly negative influence in the world,” Globescan, in partnership with PIPA, the Program on International Policy Attitudes and the University of Maryland, have compiled results of “perception of influence” of approximately 16 states (varies somewhat annually) as ranked by 13,000 (at times as high as 33,000) people in 26 countries since 2004.
IS IT TIME FOR PERCEPTION CHECKS IN YOUR BUSINESS?…
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investment – for real!
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enlightened orgs: inspiration
ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS WILL BE FOUND AT THE LOCAL LEVEL
Michael Kalmanovich, owner of a unique, organic food supermarket in Edmonton, Alberta, does not lack for inspired, innovative ideas to fulfill his passion to sell locally grown organic food, socially conscious products, and a free dose of education in the process. He took his first step of faith in 1991 by opening a store with $20,000 invested, $167.00 in his bank account and a huge abundance of dreams.
Earth’s General Store was opened in a small location on the fringe of the university in the capital city of the province. It is also smack dab in the heart of a ranching and oil-based economy. It was in this province that KD Lang, a home-town celebrity, riled local extremist ranchers who defaced community signs outside her home town of Consort, Alberta, after her public service announcement in which she spoke out in favor of vegetarianism.
If opening an organic food store in a business culture like that sounds like it takes guts and a leap of faith, that pales by comparison when you hear Michael’s latest dream!
Am I the only person who wants to run when a network marketer starts their presentation by telling me, “this product, service, or whatever has been developed, endorsed by, and is recommended by…(drum roll)… a DOCTOR in our business?”
IT MAY BE TRUE, BUT IT IS SO CLICHE!
It doesn’t matter whether it is true or not, the point is, this “endorsement” has been so overused it no longer has impact, at least not with “thinking people“…and surely, it is thinking, honest people, you want to have participate in promoting and building a business in your company.
Our Thursday blogs are dedicated to a discussion of the network marketing industry, what it is, and what it may offer as a model for the future economy. We welcome comments and debate!
Network marketing is a six decade old industry which, in terms of the life of an industry, makes it not much more mature than a teenager – and like most teenagers – it is incredibly misunderstood. It is a model we want to pay a great deal of attention to because we think it has a great deal to offer for emerging marketing methods.
Entries
Ending the culture of financial PRETENSE
Have I got a deal for you!
Beware of the Greed
Are you sure the doctor recommended this?
