MLM Strategy: The Other Reason Not To Recruit Friends & Family
Written by Daniela Riess on Aug 5, 2008 8:14 am
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Almost everybody in MLM knows the feeling of being avoided and/or rejected by friends & family. When you recruit friends and family, three things can happen … and two of them are bad:
1. They are successful in your business and your relationship strengthens.
2. They reject your idea and don’t want to join your business, and they’re annoyed at you for what they might see as trying to take advantage of them. This leads to tension at future family gatherings.
3. They do join you, and they fail. Result? See #2 above.
And then there’s another problem that often comes up. When you share your dream with people you care about, they often are sizing you up based on past experience. They’ve known you a long time. Maybe they’re jealous. Maybe your past success annoys them. Maybe your past failure helps them feel superior to you. Maybe they really don’t want to see you be successful.
Total strangers, on the other hand, have no bias. It’s a new relationship, and they often become your biggest fans. Unlike friends & family, their impression isn’t formed by what they know about you (or think they know).
None of us is perfect. We all have weaknesses. The idea is to succeed despite your limitations … and along the way, work at eliminating those weaknesses. To succeed, you will need others to follow your lead. It may well be easier for people who don’t know you to believe in you than it is for people who do know you.
And for sure, you don’t want to put yourself in a situation where you’re trying to lead people who’ve already decided they don’t believe in you.
Just one more reason why - for most people - it’s best to avoid recruiting friends and family until you already have built a successful business. THEN, if their perceptions of you are positive, invite them into your business.
Michael Dlouhy
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Views: 315 | 
Comments: 3 
About the Author: Daniela Riess
Member Since: 12/13/2007
Company: Mentoring for Free
Industry: Marketing and Advertising
Primary Web Site: http://www.FreeSuccessKey.biz
Great Info
This is Great5 Information and soooo True. Juanita Waterman
Hello Daniela! Thanks for
Hello Daniela! Thanks for starting a very interesting blog! I think it goes both ways. I have sponsored a few friends and family into the business and I think the best approach with friends and family is the same I would take with anyone. That is first of all identify if there is a desire or need for a home based business. Now one may not know if a family member has been considering a business--some people may not want to tell their family they need more money or are not happy. A great way to get your information into the hands of family and friends is to send out an announcement...a "grand opening" if you are brand new or an update letter if you've had a business for a while. You can simply state that you are excited to share with them what you are doing by saying, " if you want to know more click on this link". And you certainly don't want to skip friends and family because they are sometimes the greatest sources of referrals!! I believe it's all in the approach of how one presents your opportunity. Then once someone you know gets started...it's very important to COMMUNICATE with them what your expectations are and what their responsibility is to their own success. I have done this in the past and it doesn't make anyone uncomfortable so no need to worry about the response at the next family gathering! Thanks for letting me contribute---such a great topic!
Ask for referrals, not business
I think Pamela touched upon the best approach for friends and family. Don't ask them to join your business. Rather, ask them if they know anyone who they think would be interested in your business/product. Then you're not putting them on the spot to join with you, and if they don't know anyone, they aren't actually turning you down. This way, there are no hurt feelings or strained relationships.
If they DO know some people who would be interested, they might see the opportunity for themselves and ask to learn more about it. The important point is, they will be approaching you to learn more, not the other way around.
Lane