Have you been to one of those amazing business briefings outlining the best network marketing company ever, telling you about your opportunity of a lifetime, and promoting one of the most awesome products in history? The answer for me is yes. Just over a year ago, I attended such a meeting. The atmosphere was electrifying. Everyone was dressed in their finest business attire. The meeting was held in a very prestigious hotel conference room and the speaker....was absolutely incredible. I was sold - hook, line, and sinker. And sank is exactly what I did. I was intrigued by the possibility of making thousands, as in 5 figures, a month, having the car and home of my dreams and achieving what we all are looking for, financial freedom. But at what cost would this goal be achieved. Once I got started with company "ABC" I dived in head first. I learned the business and started doing those very same business briefings myself. My upline kept insisting that I exhaust my "warm market". In network marketing, this is the term used to describe the people closest to you...your family, friends, co-workers, friends of coworkers and so on. The gurus know that your chances of recruiting are greater with those you have a sphere of influence over. Still, as I continued to educate myself about the MLM business, I began to doubt if what I was doing was actually on the up and up. I didn't want to be known in my community as the "one" who started a pyramid scheme. These are two words, "pyramid scheme" I was confronted with on a regular basis. I almost had my rebuttal memorized. "Oh, no this isn't a pyramid. We have great products and services to offer. A pyramid scheme has nothing to offer." And true enough, some of the products were pretty good. Things you certainly could purchase anywhere else and probably for a lot less but good products just the same. The turn around for me occurred after I became a member of the NFL (no friends left). I did just what my upline told me to do. I exhausted my warm market. No sooner would I sign them up than they would drop off and not "work the business".A few remained active but just didn't seem as serious about the business as I was. I just didn't see how I would ever reach the level of success that was promoted so fervently that first night I attended a business briefing. My upline had no answers for me. "Just keep doing what you're doing". That's the line I was given mostly or urging me to write out my goals and how I planned to achieve them. I felt lost. The promise of being coached, trained, and taught was never fulfilled. There was no strong emphasis on the products and services only on recruiting.This company sponsored an "opportunity call" every single night (except Christmas). You were urged to pack the conference call with prospects for your business. The calls would last anywhere from forty-five minutes to an hour. One of the top income earners would present the business over the phone. I did what I was told. I kept a phone book in my car, in my bedroom, and at my office. I called people I hadn't spoken to in years and urged them to listen to "the opportunity of a lifetime". Some would and some wouldn't. At any rate, I never got not one sign up from these opportunity calls. Once I walked out of the fog and realized that this company was so close to being a pyramid the home office should have been in Egypt instead of here in the States!They put so much emphasis on recruiting and none on promoting their "awesome products". After losing thousands of dollars trying to make thousands and exhausting my "warm market" to the point where when acquaintances saw me, they went in the other direction, I called it quits. Although, I learned a great deal about the industry and know the things to look for if I ever decide to give another network marketing company a go. Let me just say that all network marketing companies aren't bad. Two very successful ones come to mind right away - Avon and Mary Kay. Now neither of these promise riches and 5 figures a month. However, they are excellent businesses for supplementing your income. And I've never been asked to attend a business briefing by my Avon or Mary Kay distributors! |
