The Truth About MLM

The truth about Network marketing or Multi-Level Marking (MLM) companies, and the lies that are told.  There are seven lies that are told to people to get them into the industry and unfortunately, the industry suffers because so many people have been sucked in thinking they will not have to work very hard at it.

Human nature leads people to believe these outrageous claims like: make $20,000 in your first week and you don’t have to do anything.

Let’s get down to business; you do need skills to sell no matter what anyone may tell you.  Be honest and inform the people that you wish to work with the truth about the business.  Let’s look at the lies.

Lie No 1.  Get rich quick!

Make a boatload of money with no effort.  No experience necessary: Let the automated system do it all for you!

This type of statement appeals to our human nature but we have no sense of reality when we hear or see this kind of claim.  It is a fact that 97% of all individuals that enter into a MLM with no experience will fail within the first few months.

When you have a lack of knowledge and are desperate for a change in your situation, you may fall victim to these types of predators.

Don’t misunderstand me, you can make good money; a lot of money even a boatload of money with a good MLM; but it comes down to you!  Don’t make a decision that is based on an emotional response, most of these types of MLM’s will not break it down for you and will not tell you the whole truth.

Lie No 2.  Network marketing is magically different.

It’s not like anything else you have ever seen; it is different than any other business.  This is a fallacy.  Just like every other business out there, you must sell a product and have a product that people are looking for.

Saying you need no skills is like saying you can fly a plane without training…  Hello!
Network marketing is the same as every other business out there, you need customers that will buy your product and you need skills to sell your product without being pushy or irritating to others and you need communication skills.

Lie No 3.  You do not have to work hard.

Individuals that are in desperate situations find this very appealing.  They believe that some magical upline will build their organization for them.  That volume will be put under them with no effort on their part at all.  They hear these words “we will share the income”.  This creates that emotional response I spoke of before. 

Most people are looking for automation or a simple way to do something without any personal effort; generally, your results will be very poor.  Forget what your upline has told you.  Most of them are just telling you what they have been told and will end up quitting before any money is made.  You have to educate yourself; your upline can kill your business.

Let’s be honest, you will end up putting more effort into your own business than some people put into a full time job.  This is a people building industry, automation does not build relationships.  You need time with these individuals and you need to build a loyal relationship with them in order to succeed.  You need to learn the skills necessary so you can help in their education to build the same skills. 

Lie No 4.  Professional skills are not needed.

Huge misconception! 
Professional skills come with educating yourself in this field and then it takes working out the kinks with time and repetition.  You need effective communication skills in order to talk with leads about your business and your product.  Every person wants to connect with a person not a machine.

Lie No 5.  No investment required.

Every business requires some investment.  If you have to pay to become a distributor, that is an investment.  If you have to pay for the books, that is an investment.  If you have to pay for the answers to the questions that they asked you, that is an investment.

There is always a required amount of money to be spent on any business, even a network marketing or multi-level marketing business.  The biggest investment should be for your own education; but beware of the claims that are made by some of the individuals out there in these types of industries; just reading or following their educational materials or plans is not going to make you rich.  This is more hype, these individuals that sell education are making money off of you.

Try to find educators that are willing to give you answers for free; also look for the ones that are realistic in their claims, education will not make your rich; only your hard work and time will do that.  You need to be forthcoming to anyone you talk with about your business – the economy revolves around sales.  Your reputation as a business owner is at stake.  Be the best at what you do but also be known as a professional that is honest.  This type of reputation will bring more people to you.

Lie No 6.  Do not miss out get in on the ground floor.

I’m going to miss out if I do not get in now; the ship will sail without me.  Bogus!  More hype.  Did you hear that Joe Blow is with the company?  So what!  Is Joe Blow going to build your business?  If the company is good and has a great executive team that has experience in running a business, if the product is good and has some science to back it up, then you can take the time required to learn the skills that are necessary to sell the product and the company should still be there when you’re ready!

Never just jump without knowing what you’re jumping into.  So no matter how great a company may be or how great a product may be, without some skills and knowledge you will most likely fail.

Lie No 7.  You can walk away from your business with a residual income for the rest of your life.

This is self-sabotaging.
You will be working with lots of people and they will need your commitment to them, you will need to have problem solving skills as well as communication skills.  This industry takes self-sacrifice, you will not build it in a year, and those that do are rare, it may take as much as five years to build a nice income and you have to be willing to continue your efforts for as long as you are in the business.

Yes!  Network marketing or multi-level marketing can offer you longer vacations and extra days off with the family, it can give you a lot more freedom to do the things you want in life, but you will have to maintain it and continue to support and train everyone in your business on a regular schedule.  If you walk away, it will go away.

Have you ever heard this?  Joe Blow has come out of retirement and started up with this company because he missed being a part of something great.  No!  Joe Blows business went away and he realized he had to start again, and yes, Joe Blow will make it happen faster than others will because he has already done it once.  It is easier the second time around.  You need the desire and must be willing to struggle to succeed.  This is the first step!

So in conclusion; get educated in business, learn good communication skills and learn how to solve problems.  Make sure to educate yourself on the business you are interested in, the executive team and their mission statement as well as the growth potential of the business.  Educate yourself on the product that is offered.  Then think of ways you could sell this product.

Do not do it the way your upline does it.  A business is a very big decision; do not make this decision in haste.  Slow down and think, and if you are willing to make the commitment and willing to sacrifice your time, then by all means do what feels right to you, but get educated first!