MLM and Honesty

I'm going to ask you two very direct questions that I want you to think seriously about. Are you letting your prospects know the truth about what it's going to take? Are you providing a real picture of the steps needed to build a successful business?

The business of MLM is an awesome career choice, and like any career choice,it has its learning curve and challenges.

And, MLM has has its eyes blackened over the past few decades, thanks largely to over zealous and unscrupulous reps who are less than honest about what the
business of MLM is really all about.

How many times have you heard -

"It's easy, anyone can do it."

"All you have to do is talk to your family and friends."

"Everyone will want your product and your business."

"You can make a lot of money, fast."

Now, I ask you, do you believe any of this to be true? Have you experienced
any of this yourself? Do you believe any of these statements?

I sure don't, and I am guessing you don't either.

So, with that in mind, let's talk about some honesty in MLM and what can say
and do to increase not only your sponsoring ratio, but also your retention rate.

First, make sure your prospect has a realistic idea of what it is going to
take to build a successful business. And, depending on what your business is, it will be slightly different.

In my own company, there are three ways that a new person can make money - Retail the product, do fundraisers with the product, and build a team.

When I am in conversation with someone interested in the business, one of the first things I ask is - "Are you aware of the three ways we have to make money with this opportunity? What methods are you interested in using to build your business?" This is very important for a couple of reasons -

1. I know what their expectations of me will be in terms of training and guiding them along the right path. And, I can then plan for the training process and assist them in laying out a business plan for success.

2. The process in making sure they know what will be expected of them is more
defined.

3. It's easier to determine how serious they are about the business and the
process.

The biggest mistake that most networkers make, which leads to ultimate
failure in the business, is that they try to make it seem too easy and don't
share enough details about what it is really going to take. Why do you suppose
that is?

I think it is because they are afraid that they won't sign most people up if
the truth is out there. And, I also believe that this could not be further from
the truth.

There is often too much focus on quantity of sign ups vs. quality of sign ups. Big difference between the two, wouldn't you say? Please know that the infamous days of "Throwing them up against the wall and seeing what sticks" are over. Thankfully.

The down side of signing up people who are not really right for your business
is that is eats up your time, your energy, and can lead to your own disillusionment with the business if people don't stick. Your time would be better spent finding quality people who understand what it is going to take to build a successful business and are up for the challenge.

Prospect number one, who expects it to be easy, fast and without a lot of effort will often quit your business after a month when things don't happen as he/she thought they would. Without a clear understanding of what it will take to be successful, he/she has no concept of the effort that will be required.

Prospect number two, on the other hand, understands the task at hand, what it
will take and the time frame involved. With a clear understanding, he/she will
not have an unrealistic view of how fast success will come and the effort required. And, he/she will likely survive more than the first month because the expectations are realistic.

Would you rather have 10 people who fit the profile of prospect number one? Or one who fits the profile of prospect number two?

Besides the obvious advantage to you, and your business, imagine the positive
aspect this will have on the network marketing industry as a whole? Fewer people will go away with a bad taste in their mouth about the "hype, false information, etc., of a network marketing business."

Imagine how much better it will be to have people saying they tried it and it
just wasn't for them, but it was a positive experience. Much better than what is
out there so often now - "Those things don't work, and the people involved are scammers."

So, what can you do to increase your success and raise the level of integrity
associated with our industry?

First, get clear yourself on what it takes to be successful. This means understanding the process, budget required and action steps. Like any business, a clear cut business plan is essential.

Two, don't be afraid to share the facts of the business with your prospects.
Most people will not want your product or your business. And, that is okay. You don't need most people. You just need a few who are committed and serious. And, they will then find a few, and so on.

Three, truly form a partnership with your new team partners. A partnership means getting clear and understanding their goals, their desires for building the business and assisting in laying out a reasonable plan of action steps to follow.

Four, make yourself available and accessible to your new team partners. Don't
be afraid of the challenges and requirements of building a team. Challenge yourself to grow with your team and continually add to your knowledge and tool box for assisting your team. You don't need to know all of the answers, but you should be willing to assist your new partner in finding the answers.

Finally, make a commitment to always represent our industry, your company and your self with integrity and ethics. Rehearse and fine tune your presentation and make sure it is honest, factual, and offers your potential partner a realistic view of the reality and the beauty of our industry.

Always take the higher road and watch your business soar to new levels.

Now, when you think of honesty in MLM, I hope you'll remember the importance of ethics and integrity.

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer