Does duplication “work”?
Some people say nothing else works…
“It doesn’t matter what works. It only matters what duplicates.”
That’s what my friend Faouzi Daghistani overheard.
Duplication. Funny word.
I’ve never liked it. Never used it in 24 years. I think given the
high drop out rate, we should be thinking different and doing different.
I mean, if what the people are duplicating is so great, easy and simple,
why don’t more peeps make it?
Think?
Here’s my take on “duplication.” It’s meaningful in one area:
The PAY PLAN structure
“Get three who get three who get three…”
(“Get two who get two…” You name it for any other type
pay plan structure.)
That’s because for any MLM pay plan – binary or break away or
whatever – one needs to put new reps and customers into a certain
structure in order to max out the particular pay plan.
I bet that’s how folks used “duplication” in the old days – to refer to
the pay plan structure.
No problem with that.
However. That doesn’t tell anyone where and HOW to get the
customers and reps to put into the pay plan structure.
Knowing you need “three who get three” doesn’t tell you how to
do it or where to find the people or what to say or write. And that’s
where insisting on duplication becomes meaningless and
counterproductive.
Some people say, “Only do what duplicates.” Or
“Don’t do X because it doesn’t duplicate.”
Really?
Most reps I know who got to the top of their companies
did it in a different way.
Cold market, warm market, newspaper ads, cards, Facebook,
leads (calling, cards, and email), door to door, and all different
personal styles.
Some said A, others said B. Some had home parties, others did
one-on-ones or big meetings or webinars.
Nobody did exactly the same things in the same styles to get
to the top. Don’t believe it? Ask your top banana.
The how is almost never “duplicated.” I won the #1 spot in
a company wide Team Building contest. Over five months.
(My first five months). #2 was one of my peeps.
No one will do that again just like I did it. Because they’re not me.
But no upline person – or at corporate – complained about that.
Someone was at the top before, and someone will be at the top
another time. And they will each have done it THEIR way.
The “how” is not duplicatable because people are not
duplicates of each other. Insisting on ‘my way or the highway’
becomes oppressive. Many quit over such bossy uplines.
They came to get away from a boss, remember?
(At least the old boss paid them to boss them.)
Insisting on real people doing only what’s duplicable
can get really silly…
Mimi is a really smooth talker. And she recruits a lot of folks.
But being a smooth talker is not duplicatable, is it?
Does the upline say, “No more smooth talking Mimi, because
that’s not duplicatable.”
Tim is charismatic and has an unbelievable smile. And people
love being around him. He signs many of them up. Shall we
tell Tim not to use his charisma or smile, because, um,
it’s not “duplicable”?
Some successful people had an online audience built up
from a previous blogging or online marketing business. They
contacted their following and signed up a bunch of peeps.
Do we tell them to stop doing that, because it’s not, uh, duplicable?
Others came into a new company with a bunch of reps from a
previous company. Not duplicatable. Shall we tell that person
not to do that again? Even if they want to come into YOUR
business with their 1,500 people?
My take on the how:
Find out what others have done whose accomplishments and
style you admire. Try that stuff, test things. Experiment. I do
it ALL the time.
It’s not as if we know how to market all that well, judging by the
large numbers of folks who make little or no money in the
business (or any other marketing business).
Encouraging a little creativity could go a long way to bringing
out the best in our new and existing reps. Think?
Kim,
I think “Duplication”, in most instances, is talked about for folks that haven’t figured out what does work for them… yet. People are just not familiar enough, in any one specific way… or haven’t “Practiced” a specific way long enough yet, to know what will work for them long term.
Like you, I don’t believe there’s “Only” one way, but until folks FIND a way that works for them consistently, they must first accept and try someone else’s way… to even know if that way will work for them… for their specific product, service or opportunity.
I would like to say that there are definitely things they should NOT do, such as posting their personal affiliate links all over the place in social networks or spamming their friends in-boxes with their hype and salesy messages.
Frankly, taking that route will prove to be what doesn’t or can’t work successfully for anyone at any time. Sure, some may get lucky and get a sale or sign-up doing that, but they’re so few and far between… and set’s themselves up as a spammer in the eyes of their prospect – not to mention, can get them booted off of “Friend’s” lists and their Social Networks… it’s not worth it to even try.
Just be social… be yourself and be an adviser, not a sales person or spammer. Also, give yourself time to practice and become consistent… become great at something by truly being in love with what you do… what you sell and care “More” about people than you do about fast money and you’ll do just fine.
Once you’ve found what you “Can” be truly passionate about… stick with it and NEVER give up, because THAT will take you all the way to the top in ANY business. If you can’t get passionate about it, find a product, service or opportunity you CAN truly Love – that others will love too for the same reasons you do.
Great common sense perspective Joe. I like this subject. I have found what works for me, but cannot expect others to do what I do the way I do it because it’s about our own personality which may or may not resonate with the prospect.We have to go with what’s recommended, but try other strategies until we ‘settle’ on our own personal niche. Cheers, Lynley
Joe,
If I were going to reply to Kim’s comments I could not have said it any better than you have. Your approach, and Kim’s, is the best way to maintain your own integrity and that of the products you are selling. Don’t do it for the money – do it because you are passionate about what you do.
I believe this is the no.1 reason why people”fail” in MLM. They are not passionate about the products and how it can make a difference in people’s lives. It can be all about the duplication in an effort to get to the biggest bucks in the shortest amount of time. Bad decision!
Cheers
How true..
If the whole thing can be duplicate easily, why do you think the company need us hanging around sharing their profit…