When you’re selling income, it’s not like selling candy or anything else which gives the other person the pleasure they’re expecting. But MLM-ers act like it is.
This post follows the question started by Tom here:
Should I say “I help people put $300-400 [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][pick any number] into their bank account each month” when most people crash and burn?
Here’s the thing. When Andrew the tax man tells you, “I help people do their tax returns,” the expectation we have is he can and will do that. (For a fee, of course.)
If H&R Block did NOT prep and submit those thousands of tax return, would they stay in business even another 90 days? What would be the business prospects of an attorney or Internet consultant who doesn’t do “the thing” they say they “help people do”?
Business would come to a screeching halt if no one did what they said they would help people do.
Yet this is how it looks in our industry, because we use the same words. Only we do not help people do what we offered.
MLMers say, “I help people put an extra $300-400 (name it) into their bank account each month,” or “What if I could show you way to earn $5,000/mo PT?”
How often does that happen compared to how often it does not happen?
If the rest of the business world were as non-performing as MLM is, our economy would come to a total stand still. What if people who offered to help you do X didn’t?
Bottom line: Even though you say you “help people put/earn $300-10,000 into their bank account” you don’t. Look at your numbers. I’ll bet that:
1. Chances are nearly 100% that you have NOT helped them do that – Lulu did NOT put an extra $300-400 (you name the number) into her account in the time you discussed.
2. You will course blame them for not ‘working the system’ or whatever, but bottom line is, you do not help 99 out of 100 people you work with, bring $300-400/mo (or more) into their bank accounts.
So why keep offering that? These words are a lie on the face of it. Aren’t they?
So what could we say about the income instead?[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
The best philosophy for me is,
“No Promises. No Problems.”
Instead, show people a legitimate business model. Show them how to make $300 or $2,000 a month with customers.
Show them a variety of ways to prospect, market and advertise. Let them decide which methods they like and prefer to do.
Most of all, make it fun and enjoyable.
Paul Eilers
http://www.PurpleGreenPops.com
Kim,
How about this?
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“You know how some folks run out of money before the month is over?
Well what I do is show motivated people how they could put a couple hundred dollars extra into their checking account each month.
The way I do this is by helping them set up a direct sales business with __________,that they can work 5-10 hours per week from their home.
Who do you know who would want to know about something like this?”
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Is this an honest, genuine, straightforward, non-hypey “business first” answer to the question, “What do you do?”
Determined,
Tom Doiron
Personally, I think it is better to say, “I show people how they can make an extra $500 every month.”
Unless someone has actually helped at least a few to do that, they shouldn’t say, “I help people . . .”
Walter Reade (from Wisconsin)
That response “I show, (or I help) people earn $XXX/mo” sounds so strange to me…especially since almost no one makes that money, including the speaker of those lines.
If you want to lead with the business, why not say so? “Right now I’m looking for people who want to help us sell a new energy multi (or drink or bar) and they make $10 on each one. You know anyone who might like to know about something like that?”
They can easily (and will) figure out how many they need to sell to make what they want. Unless your pay plan is too convoluted.
There are many options, but the more straight-forward and less weird sounding, the better. And of course the less promise-y, the better.
Kim,
Does that sound like recruitment drive for salespeople for the product? How will these attract the right type of people who are going to build the biz?
Hi Kim,
Even with a 95% failure rate in NWM, it still leaves 5% that have some level of success. So, there are some people using the response that sounds strange to you that do earn that much or more every month. Many business people I know would not get very motivated to invest their time in a venture that would yield only a couple hundred extra in a month. But if it was every month, that would be a whole different game.
I am glad you offered a suggestion for “business first ” marketing even though it is nearly contrary to New School. Perhaps that is the reason for the strange sound? Your suggestion reminded me of a very successful Canadian engineer, working part-time with a nutrition company, who told people, (in essences), that he was a manufacturer’s rep and got paid handsomely for finding them new customers. After that he let the conversation take it’s own course.
I do a lot of business networking and with different networks. I run more than one business, so I don’t answer the question, “What do you do?” the same way at every networking event. I wear different hats and carry different cards depending on the occasion. I can hear the murmurings, so for a simple explanation; let me just say that I am trying on some new shoes and trying to find the best fitting pair.
Living in one of the major US marketplaces, nearly every MLM has attempted to get a foot hold here. They sure have muddied up the playing field with their old school tactics. I often wonder if finding good team partners is as difficult in other metropolitan areas as it is in Atlanta.
In closing, I wanted to add that in business networking, you strive to be memorable, not to blend. No one is going to refer business to someone they don’t remember. A Jobs, Gates, Walton, Sugars, or Trump doesn’t need to be remembered.
When asked what you do, the direct response, “I do Network Marketing, ever tried it?” might not be so bad. I haven’t heard anyone say it.
Networking,
Tom Doiron