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[Brother Kaleem Company: Magnetic Sponsoring Contribution Level: 3]

IF you're failing in MLM, this might be the reason...

The way most people learn to build the business is to promote, promote, promote. "Be a product of the product". "Be an ambassador for the company".

So every time you see them, their middle name is the product or the company. (I'm not kidding. I see people do this all the time. "Sally 'XYZ Company' Smith", etc.)

It's on their clothes. It's on their car. They're always smiling and handing out samples or business cards. They're all over the internet telling anybody and everybody about their company or product... whether they want to hear about it or not.

Trouble is, most people don't want to hear it. But the culture of MLM has turned us into exactly what we don't want to be, which is a hypey salesperson. Most people don't like hype, and they don't want salespeople. So you talk to 100 people and 90 say "no", because they don't want to hear it.

So here's the truth: Unless people ask you what company you're with or what the product is, they don't want to hear it. And when you tell them before they ask, they think you're a hypey salesperson. And people automatically say "no" to hypey salespeople all the time.

Wouldn't it be better if people said "Yes" to your product? To your company? To your "business opportunity"? To YOU?

It's easy. DO NOT be a cheerleader for your company or product, because nobody cares.

But there are millions of people all over the world who fail in MLM, even though they pray, meditate, set goals, help people, think positively, or smile until their cheeks hurt. Because they lack ONE THING that would instantly stop their failure and frustration. Do you know what it is?

You need influence. Influence is what makes people join your company, buy your products, and influence others to do it too. No influence = no business, no matter how great the product is. And the best business in the world is worthless without people buying its products. Just ask anyone who went out of business because of a lack of sales.

So if you're not building your business, you don't have enough influence. And if you don't have enough influence, better get some QUICK.

[Chris Brown Contribution Level: 3]

Your company is not paying you to promote their brand they are only paying you to sell their products.

It is a mistyake to brand yourself by your company because what happens if you leave your companies or if you company goes under. When that happens and join a new company you can become know as a company jumper.

If you look at the top earners they are know as leaders not as distributor for compnay XYZ.

[Mario Sanders Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 6]

You are so right, Brother Kaleem and Chris.
I always ask myself the same questions that I pose to customers. I put myself in their place. I would say no as well. I don't like sales pitches either.
So I am learning not to sell but to promote, encourage, and motivate others to go to the next step.
Influence takes a big part of it to get people to act on their emotions and get started doing something about it.

[Brother Kaleem Company: Magnetic Sponsoring Contribution Level: 3]

Mario,

Wouldn't it be better to just offer them something they already want?

[Lynda Cromar Company: Empower Network, LLC Contribution Level: 9]

People are selfish they want to talk about themselves. So this is what you do:
You ask them about their family (briefly)
You build rapport
you say things like tell me more about that!
then you can ask them about what they do
naturally they will have to ask you about you, now you have to have a statement ready:

"You know how there are so many people who have lost their retirement and can't find another job?
Well I show them a way to build a business using the internet that creates a retirement in about 5 years!"
"If you would like to know more, I would be glad to tell you, meanwhile, what are you going to do about your situation!"

Now that creates curiosity and helps them come back and ask more. If they don't its rejection free, and they are not going to avoid you like the plague. you can change that anyway you want, I got it from "Tom Big Al Shreiter, and his site Fortunenow.com

[Betsy Vayda Company: Seacret Direct Contribution Level: 3]

I couldn't agree more about the hype of Network Marketing. The whole "make a list of everyone you know" and then out and convince them to join or buy products is very destructive to the image of MLMs.

The techniques does work for a few people - those rare natural born salespeople. But for almost all of us it is not very effective. It did it for alittle while in my first MLM and I still cringe to think about it. The hype to always "expose everyone" is very persuasive and pervasive. It can cause you to lose your common sense about what it takes to create a long term successful business.

I have a very cynical view about why this "sell" technique is promoted so strongly even while they tell you not to "sell". I won't go into it here.

Now I always wait for someone to express interest in my business opportunity before I talk about it. Regarding my products: I offer skin care products and those products fit into the regular non-mlm promotion of: "hey, have you checked out this new facial mask? Its fantastic."

Kaleem, what do you mean by influence? - and with whom?

[Andrea Thornton Company: Global Domains International, Inc Contribution Level: 2]

Ahhhh Influence.

I am studying it, and so far it has worked - on some people - in some situations. I can recommend a movie to a stranger at the movie theater, and dang if they don't switch lines, right before my eyes. My eight-year-old son, however seems to be completely immune to my Jedi mind tricks, and has been since he was two.

SO why does a total stranger take my word at face value and my child hands me a (long LONG) list of objections? My thought is it's because I seem to have more in common with the stranger. If we appear similar (dress, hairstyle, speech patterns) they may believe we will also LIKE the same things.

I have never been an eight-year-old boy. Leggos are the bane of my existence, and oddly enough, I love playing with lizards, turtles, and frogs, and my son would rather eat his tennis shoe than touch one. Who does he listen to? Other eight-year-old boys who like leggos.

Does that mean we can *only* influence people like ourselves? I don't think so, but it does seem to be easier. Influencing people we have less in common with is a skill...one I need to work on.