Forums

[Jen Roering Contribution Level: 1]

Maybe this is really dumb but I sort of struggle with some of the aspects of MLM and find some of the things people do to be slimey. I love the MLM structure, and think it's the best way to make money, I just sometimes have trouble doing some of the things to promote my business because I just find the world of auto-responders and free ebooks to be a little creepy. Am I alone in this? I picked our primary company because it didn't feel like an MLM and absolutely love it. I want to bring it to the world and grow it online I just don't want to feel like another huckster pawning off things to others. I do understand the value of offering free advice and becoming an expert in MLM building- is there a "normal" way to do this online?

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Thanks in advance,

Jen 'The Imperfect Marketer'

[Joyce Penner Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 7]

Jen - you have started a business. If it was a brick and mortar business I'm assuming you would not just open the door and sit there. You would have a game plan in place to tell people you have a business i.e. maybe it's flyers, newspaper advertising, radio, billboards, signage or a combination of all of them. Each requires a different thought pattern but the ultimate message would be: "Here I am - here's how you benefit from coming to see me...."

Your MLM is no different. What is your game plan to tell people about your business? Article marketing is different from social networking but ultimately your message is the same: "Here I am - here's how you benefit from working with me ...."

The attraction marketing philosophy is promoting yourself and how you can help them instead of hitting people over the head with the "I have the best company - join me" message. I wouldn't recommend you go that route although I know some who have been successful using it.

Free ebooks, autoresponders are all a part of getting your message out to a large group of people that you are worthy of knowing and following and maybe joining !

You're in a business Jen - now is the time to choose whether you want to run it as a hobby or be a legitimate entrepreneur.

To your success,
Joyce Penner

[Tristan Richards Company: Organo Gold, Inc. Contribution Level: 3]

There is nothing Slimey about offering free valuable information Jen. Once you understand the concepts and principles of attraction markeing you will realize that when you become a valuable resource to your target market you will attract prospects and customers to you instead of chasing them away promoting your business upfront.

This is the most effective way to build your business and you will soon realize why.


Tristan Richards

[Lilach Bullock Contribution Level: 4]

Hi Jen

It's funny as I don't actually see giving free Ebooks away as slimey. I see it as giving value in return for someone giving them your email address.

What is "slimey" is what you then do with the auto-resonders, whether you spam people or email them, give them value and at the same time sell/promote your business.

At the end of the day, your are in business and need to use marketing, in particular without having a good autoresponder you will really struggle to succeed and ultimately make money with your opportunity.

I don't find what I'm doing slimey, what I don't like is the people abusing this industry with spam and unethical approaches, but that is another subject altogether!

You need to stay positive about what you're doing. If you don't enjoy givng people an Ebook or sending them emails via your auto-responder I personally question if you'e in the right industry. Is it a hobbie or do you see this as a business and a way to make a good income?

Don't forget it's your business, you have 100% control of what you do. What emails you send etc. I personally changed my emails and use the attraction marketing approach which many others on BN are also using and works very well.

Lilach

[Dee Light Contribution Level: 2]

Jen,
Welcome to BN---I am new myself and am loving this site SOOOOO much!

What a great topic.
I acknowlege you for your honesty.
I have been in mlm, nm for about 35 yrs (the last 10 I refused to do it anymore for the reasons that are bothering you). If it hadn't been for a few people out there promoting promises----that ONLY I can make come true or not----I wouldn't be here in this exciting time of my business life. Even tho I "quit" the biz it still was always in my heart. I have had HUGE resistance to learning all the new internet technology for years. I didn't see where the internet was going. Now at almost 60 yrs old I realise I better start peddling FAST! This is the way of our world now.

SO what can we do to live with integrity and heart felt satisfaction as we lay our head down on the pillow ay night? I recently read and article by Jason Better http://www.JasonBetter.com (Awesome site) that touched my heart, about bringing something of VALUE to peoples lives instead of regurgitated junk. We really can do this biz with heart. I love to help people and there are SO many tools now to do just that.
I find that it takes more thought & planning---more focus--- to do our marketing the way we do it today. I am daily challenged to stay with my "center".

Who are you?
What do you want to do in this world?
What are your talents & contributions?
Now go tell it to others---and they will see & they will come.

Total success to you,
Dee

[Liz McGowen Contribution Level: 2]

I'm so with you. As a side-note, I learned yesterday when trying to register a new Squidoo page that even using any keywords relating to network marketing, mlm, or home based business is a "Squid don't". That made me sad.

I agree with what a couple of others said. It's the same as with any business venture -- you need to be deeply comfortable with who you are and know what unique things you bring to the table. Then go put 'em on the table.

One of my friends pointed out to me a while ago that whatever it is that we have to offer isn't about us. It's about the other people who need us to put what we have to offer out there. If we have experience to share, it's vital to the process that we summon the courage to get it out into the world because it might be just the thing that someone else needs to help them.

Hope that helps. I look forward to seeing what you come up with, because I'm sure it will be valuable!

[Dave Tomlinson Contribution Level: 2]

This is an interesting question Jen and I can relate to why you raised it...

I agree with the general view of those who have replied. If you believe that what you are promoting is ethical and potentially profitable to others then your should use all options to get your message out there. If that includes autoresponders and free e-books then so be it. There is nothing underhand about offering valuable information to people if it's done in a way that places no obligation on them. In other words, sometimes it's the way that something is done rather than the action that creates a negative reaction in the recipient.

I view the process as building a foundation for your business. You may not see any immediate results but it helps to create an online presence and eventually people will recognise you as a trusted source of information. That's when people are attracted to you and what you are doing. Unfortunately many start in MLM with the illusion that money will start flowing instantly and quit when it doesn't.

I agree that a basket of apples can be ruined by one or two rotten ones. The tactics of a few can create prejudice in many against those who work in MLM. For me, the key is marketing in an appropriate way and to be knowledgable about what you are doing. Have quality answers ready for any objection that may occur. Answering these in an open honest way goes a long way towards success in this industry.

Best wishes for the year ahead.

[Jeff Mitchell Contribution Level: 4]

I just sometimes have trouble doing some of the things to promote my business because I just find the world of auto-responders and free ebooks to be a little creepy. Am I alone in this? I picked our primary company because it didn't feel like an MLM and absolutely love it. I want to bring it to the world and grow it online I just don't want to feel like another huckster pawning off things to others. I do understand the value of offering free advice and becoming an expert in MLM building- is there a "normal" way to do this online?

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Thanks in advance,

Jen 'The Imperfect Marketer'

The normal way is building a list Whether it is a digital list online or a 10 foot stack of business cards.
Just because it does not "Feel" like an MLM it is an MLM. And you have to understand that if you are going to build a business you have 2 ways of doing it. Online or Offline. BOTH of which will require you do generate prospects. (if not, you have no business)

The part about feeling like a huckster and pawning off things to others? This is a selling business...Sales business however you would like to word it. You have to be marketing...HAVE TO BE. You have to be moving products and recruiting new distributors. All the other affiliate marketing and selling this and selling that is only a system designed to generate instant cash to advertise your business.

The reason that you are on this forum at this moment, asking this question is because you toook someone up on an offer for more than likely a free 7 day video bootcamp. Was there anything creepy about that.


Here is your alternative. Drive mass amounts of traffic to your corporate website with your phone number and picture on it. Grab you little black book and everyone that calls you, you can tell them about your business. If that list actually grows, you will manually have to follow with people at regular intervals.

Sounds like a ton of work to me. ill just you technology.

Hope that helped a bit.

Jeff Mitchell

[Greg Yelas Contribution Level: 2]

Hi Jen,

Thanks for your post as i'm sure LOTS of people in the industry feel this way. Realise that however it is not the structure or anything about MLM that causes this.

A good analogy is this: Within the same school system it can produce a president, CEO of fortune 500 company, drug dealer, rapist etc..

its not the vehicle it's what people do with it. Same thing for promoting ebooks to build a list. If there is true value and educational information that makes people's lives better than whats wrong with promoting that with exchange of building a list.

e.g. I build my list by showing people how to step by step generate MLM leads online. It cost me 1000s of hours and $1000s of dollars to master the skill and i give it away free. In exchange i can promote things i found valuable from time to time to my list in return for money.

Hope this helps...

[Bruce Cagle Company: Unicity International, Inc. Contribution Level: 2]

MLM is a great business concept. But as in all things, Slimey business practices can make even the good look bad. What to do? Take the high road, because you cannot rid the industry or life for that matter of people who are only in it for the buck and care very little how they get it.

If you are uncomfortable with curtain practices, don't do them. Anyway, there are hundreds of ways to be online and help people. In most ways, it will be your integrity that people are attracted to. So do what you feel is right. It works for me.