First, let me say that I realize Quixtar/Amway is being used as the example in this video, but keep in mind that it’s not the company that’s making outrageous claims; it’s the upline “big shots” making them. In other words, if you own an ethical company and a salesman of yours makes outrageous claims about a product or service, is it you who is unethical or the salesman?
The problem with Network Marketing is that, by its very nature, there will always be zealots who make statements that may not be completely true in order to get signups. In addition, some of them want to get hold of the newbie’s name list so they can sell those names later as leads when people drop out.
Hype is commonly used to entice people to join a Network Marketing business, and it’s the tool they use to commit a prospect to signup. The presentation of “The Plan” is where hype usually surfaces. When people make outrageous claims that a product will do something but they have nothing to support it or when they make claims of huge income to be made, then you suspect that it is hype and a lie. It may be possible to make the sort of money they claim, but legitimately successful people don’t have to brag about their income or flaunt wealth to be believable.
To be honest with you, I am also involved with Amway/Quixtar; I have been since 1977. And during that time, I’ve been around the most successful people in the business. As such, I know that people do make a huge amount of money. I also know that the average distributor does not make much money unless they step out from the crowd and do something extraordinary. Of course, that’s true with most any type of business. Correct?
Because I’ve been in the Network Marketing business for so long, and because I have seen success and failure myself, I can spot hype almost instantly. I know what is and is not true because I’ve lived that life myself and I’ve made my own mistakes. This means that I know true wealth is not something you have to talk about unless you are trying to impress someone; in that case, it is hype! Whether it’s true for that particular person or not isn’t relevant. You are not that person and you do not have the same circumstances. You cannot gage your own success on how well someone else succeeds.
The truth is that most associates in the Network Marketing business will not make much money. To imply otherwise is dishonest, it is a disservice to every new associate, and it’s hype because it’s used to influence a new recruit!
Let me tell you what I know about wealth:
*If you lay up treasures on earth that can be washed away in a storm, when it’s gone you will feel empty and worthless.
*On the other hand, with proper training and the focus being on creating a life with meaning and purpose, you will be rich in blessings.
*These blessings do not come from money, they come from all the memories and choice experiences you have had in the past and are still having now with people who impact your life in some way.
*The associations and friendships you’ve made through life’s dealings will be there to keep you warm when there is nothing else left. You may not be able to appreciate this now, but those who have lost everything through a disaster or whatever will tell you that knowing you are not alone is a great relief, and the support you receive from others is worth more than any amount of wealth on earth.
So Why do Network Marketing Businesses use hype?
To answer this question, let’s first talk about what hype is and what it is not.
Hype is not a good thing when making business decisions, especially in Network Marketing or a business venture.
Hype is not real; it is a facade, a lie, and not quite the truth.
Hype is used to cover up a sinking ship or holes in the plan.
Hype is used to trigger an emotional response.
Impulse buyers make unwise decisions when their emotions or passions are exploited by Network Marketing opportunists; these scoundrels know this technique and use it often to give them an advantage.
Hype causes “buyer’s remorse” once they have the time to think about what they did. That’s how people die on the vine before they ever get started.
Hype is manifested in people who try to manipulate others. They use a quick-silver tongue to influence people into accepting another way of thinking or to get them to do what the manipulator wants them to do.
The more useful tool in helping people in Network Marketing is to be honest and forthright with people. That does not mean being negative, it means being truthful in a positive way. It’s not hype when you tell them they can make a certain amount of money when you tell them that the average amount that associates make is what the company says it is. You tell them that they can make more money if they do the following things:
Show the plan or talk to “x” number of people every day.
You have to have “x” amount of signup each week, meaning you have to show the plan “x” amount of times to get that amount of signup.
Tell them how to effectively use the Internet and search engines to increase the odds, but personal interaction must never be replaced by Internet activity.
You have to build a relationship that people value first, before you talk to them about a business opportunity.
Listen to what people say about their dreams. Take a real interest in those dreams and in what they do.
DO N O T interject your agenda and your needs into the plan or into the conversation. This is about them and what they want, not you. You can tell them what you saw in the business and you can tell them how rewarding the business is in NON-Financial ways. Talk about helping people and the blessings that come from that and not about the places you’ve been able to go to, the things you’ve been able to buy, or your improved marriage because of the things you do together when those things are tied to MONEY.
Are you getting the picture? Do you see that the things you talk about are related to everything but the money? If you are a shallow person and can’t find something to praise that isn’t tied to money, then you have a bigger problem than I can help you with in this article.
You need to train your new associates to be ethical and build a foundation on character. Then, when they make the money, they will be able to handle it because they developed character along the way. I was trained this way, and because of that training, I understand the success principles we need to grow a business with the right foundation. I will expound more on this topic in later postings.
Please comment on what you think about the points discussed in this article and then give examples of how you know this is true or tell us about your pet peeves on this subject.
How many times have you asked yourselves this question? Have you received the level of success that you want or are you still looking for success? May I success that succes can mean many things, and different things to different people. Below is my story about asking the question, “Can I really succeed?” and then an amazing thing happened.
I knew I had to write the book, even if I never sold one copy. At the time, I believed it was important for me to go after what I had passion for or else I would not be successful in any other pursuits. I knew that I would not succeed in anything unless I stayed true to the commitments I made to myself. That is when I pulled myself together and never looked back at self-doubt again! To make that dream come to fruition and overcome the hurdles life threw at me, I took one step at a time every single day towards completing my goal. The book did get published because I would not give up on it!
Absolutely! The best reward is that people tell me how much the book has helped them. A MySpace friend Carol, said no one understands her like I do. Doyle said, it was if the book was written for him even though I didn’t know him. Anne said she was able to move on after struggling with a problem for a long time. She had tried many times, but could never resolve it. After reading the book, she said she was able to get past it and move on. I get stories like these all the time. So yes, it was worth it!
