I refer of course to the network marketing companies and their recruiters.
Their primary business is to sell the dream – the “financial freedom” dream. Nothing wrong with that. American as apple pie.
The price? Buy a distributorship with an initial product package, say $1000.
Fine. Any business has start up costs.
Now the tricky part.
1. Joe sells the dream and takes the money from Lulu, Tim and 98 others.
He:
– Doesn’t tell the new reps, most of whom have never had a business before, that they’ll have to spend money, time, energy and effort to get their business off the ground. If he tells at all, it is after the initial package has been sold.
– Uses a singular big success story, and make it sound like an every-day occurrence, when it is not. And they all know it is not. Possible and easy are quite different.
– Does not tell that accosting friends and family is likely to cause strains on the relationships.
– Gives little or NO business training, (e.g. doesn’t tell up front how hard marketing is, that most people will say no, that people must plan for 3-5 years out to earn say $1,000/mo from regular customer/rep override income, and consider themselves fortunate if it comes sooner…)
– Insists that the new people “duplicate proven systems” which are often leads and web sites that the upline make more money on, usually without the new people having a clue about it.
– Discourages reps from any contact with cross-line reps, or reps from other companies, because he’s afraid to lose them or have them learn how hard it really is to have a business of one’s own.
2. 98 reps “failed.” Joe blames them for their “failure” and insists that they’re not “committed” to their own success, e.g. they’re not spending the money for the events and the training CDs being provided by the upline and company. Joe shuns the ones who don’t want to do it “his way.”
3. Lulu makes it and achieves things she never thought she could. She become a success story earning $3500/mo working from home. Tim is also happy. He makes a regular $700/mo, loves the products and loves making a difference in people’s lives.
98 people call Joe a slimebucket. To Lulu and Tim, he’s a savior.
What’s your advice to Joe? What’s your advice to the 98?
I love your approach Kim! For 12 years, we were victims of the former. Sold the dream (Aussies have them too)and had our finances sucked dry by a fraudulent system. I’m happy now because, with my new company (ACN) a) I’m actually saving money using my product (phone services) b) crosslining is actually encouraged (we can grow better by learning from everyone- I even have support from people with nothing to gain financially) c) a ‘tools’ business is forbidden. The Rules are actually enforced regardless of the Pin you wear. And Kim, I LOVE The Truth. Had lots of laughs. Love NMC, Gerry in Brisbane, Australia
Hi Kim~
Up until my present company, I have been, shall I say involved with Slimebucket Joes and Janes. Always the same result….until now. What a refreshing turn-around this has been. I feel so much better about myself and my business. It isn’t any easier to find people but it sure is easier trying ….many thanks for your help, Kim….the folks at my company love you madly..:o)
Karen
kareng@myoxyfresh.net
When I read your blog, I went to Google and put in some network marketing words and there they came – the make a lot of money, the no work, and the proven systems for sale….all were Google ads and sponsors…
It’s so easy they say…..
Just watch the video, but first give me your private info, etc. etc.
Personally, I do not enter web sites that ask me for more than a first name and an email address… and even then they are ones that I have been led to by someone I “know.” I already get enough spam ☺
I don’t see us saviors…we are marketers – even if we love what we do and know we can help people – so I prefer the word helper to savior….to me, the word save connotes that we are in charge of what happens to our downline.
We can aim people on the path, we can coach, help and support but ultimately what they do is up to them. The slimebuckets show the moon, the fantasy and make a “sort-of” promise…then leave you as they move on to the next taker….blaming you – as you so aptly note….
Then there are the “get hurt by the slimebucket?” ads. “Buy my program and you’ll make it” they say – so a secondary market exists that preys on the same people as did the slimebuckets…
Sad…..when it’s so much easier to tell the truth
Lynn
grow older better
I’m sure Joe was told by his upline to do the business that way. Unfortunately, that is what gives this industry a bad name. The “Slimebucket Joes” of this industry were never taught how to do this business. The average system in a network marketing organization is “Make a list of your friends and family and call all of them right out of the gate.” I recently heard of a conversation with “Name” in this industry where “Name” told his new recruit “Make a list of your friends and family so you can contact them and tell them about your new business.”
Slimebucket Joe, Slimebucket “Name” – THIS IS WRONG. Stop telling people these things. It just frustrates your new reps and they end up failing. Provide them with a PROVEN system for success. I plug everyone that comes into my organization into a PROVEN system for success. I’ve never had a rep in my current company quit. This is because they know the truth up front and we have a system for them to use.
To the 98 I will say IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. You were not told what to expect. You were not told HOW to work your business. Slam as many people as you can into the business and hope some of them stick is NOT a system.
To Lulu and Tim, I am happy that you were able to have success despite the fact that you weren’t ever taught how to do the business.
We need to stop the madness and start being honest with people. TODAY.
Roxanne
Be A Mentor With A Servant’s Heart!
I believe success of your organisation starts from YOU. The objective must be clear and you must know how to transform common people into Leaders and Entrepreneurs. Groom people and they will become assets for you. Neglect them and they will become liabilities.
Thank You
Tarun Trikha
President and CEO
http://www.cashyourpassion.com
Kim for the past 18 years I’ve been part of the 98 who feel like failures because I wasn’t able to “duplicate” my upline who are wonderful “natural health doctors” when teaching & sharing about the product. Their groups have grown by magic… they told one person, who told two, who told three making their groups duplicate & duplicate without effort… I gave up on the business even though I love this product which was a natural fix for my achy neck and shoulders. Now having found you and your New School Methods of telling your first date script… and do you know anybody that might want to know about a product like that? People for whom it’s a match come to me. I just got an e.mail & order from someone like that right here at NMC.(Yeh) I no long feel like I have to be a mini doctor but can tell my authentic story & find customers just like me. The idea of combining something I love so much and making it available to others who want something natural relief, and that will provide me with a 2nd stream of income… it just doesn’t get any better than that. So yes Kim… you saved me from the Corporate Cubicle & gave me my Network Marketing life back.
vicky
I had a new rep over for training yesterday. I found that at least 50% of the things I taught her were New New MLM concepts (finding those for whom it is the right thing to be doing, saying no first, the “skeptical recruiter” approach, “I market a product that . . .”, etc.)
It’s great to have a forum where we can discuss these things without having to worry about upline disapproval, etc.
— Walter (from Appleton, WI)
Walter@NMC
http://www.NuOpportunity.com
This makes me wonder if Joe’s approach was what he learned from his upline, them setting some really bad examples!
I think what we oftentimes forget is that when we meet new people or turn friends on to our company… those first few interactions is what people “think” they will need to do. If Joe lossses 98 people the odds say that he hasn’t made the right impression and that he hasn’t taught those people anything useful. In my mind, all that he has demonstrated is how to be a failure, and I also think that’s a reflection of his uplines failure. The only thing they have done right is set a perfect example of what “not” to do!
Sure some people are going to drop out, because the product or business doesn’t really suit them. But not 98 out of 100 (I am asuming his company makes a nice product or service).
It doesn’t have to be that way.
For the very reasons you state Kim (which are basically disasterous) this is “why” I have taken it upon myself to become much better educated. I look at what leaders are saying and teaching in my company and take the good stuff, and keep an eye out for things others are doing that work and incorporate it into my style and training. I’m not going to limit myself and my future by only saying and doing what someone in the company has said. If I hear/read/see a better way… you bet I’m going to incorporate it into my approach and training.
To think that any “one” company has all the “right” training and approach solutions is just naive. And I don’t care how many thousands of dollars they’ve put into marketng materials and training, why? Because no one person or company has the market on the one perfect way.
Tim and Lulu apparently have some qualities or previous training in how to do it right.
My advice to Joe… of course assuming he’s not in my company/organization, take responsibility for what you’re doing and not doing, and then go get some NMC training and make it snappy!
Evelyn
The Very Essence
TeaTreeFairies and GoldenAngels
Kim
I love your blogs. For years we were victims of being sold “the dream” and we were taught EXACTLY as you’ve outlined. We were miserable because we couldn’t accomplish as much as we wanted and eventually dropped out. However, for the last 15 years we’ve been customers of another company, and have recently been working at the business end…with some initial success and the real hope that we can build something lasting with this!
In addition to the above, Slimebucket Joe will not only sell you all the “tools” that you’re supposed to have, he WON’T tell you that THAT is where he derives most of his income!
And then to top it off, the compensation plan (!) has it built in that someone can actually BUY their way to a certain level, and Slimebucket Joe will then work with them almost exclusively to make it look like “if so-and-so can do it, so can you!” They will then use these people (a celebrity, someone like a doctor who would be respected, etc.) to build up their “credibility” and say “Look who’s in the business now! Look how good this is that even so-and-so had to get in it!”
It put us off looking at home businesses for too many years to count.
Sharon
My first network marketing experience was 20 years ago, and I too was sold “the dream” (and a big pile of books, tapes, and seminar tickets). Warm market, headhunting in shopping malls, “dream-building” outings – I’ve done them all.
Where most NM’ers get it wrong is leading with the opportunity and not the product/service itself. In my opinion, until you have developed sufficient “retail” volume to keep you steadily qualifying for the first commission level with your company, you really have no business at all trying to recruit anybody, regardless of what your upline may be telling you.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is called network marketing for a reason! The primary objective is to build a relatively small repeat retail business, and then teach those who wish to do so how to do the same thing for a profit.
It’s interesting that quite a few of the promotions for business opportunities won’t even tell you what product or service you would be marketing until you’re “in the hopper” of the recruitment process itself, and being hammered with “you’ve got 5 people ready to sign up under you” in your email inbox.
Become the expert people are looking for when they search for the product or service you offer, and then place yourself in the position of being able to deliver it to them with confidence and authority. The right people will see that professionalism and want to join your team when they see it.
Lead by example instead of preaching failed methodology!
Don Hill