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[Dave Kotecki Company: One-24 Contribution Level: 5]

This is without question the most interesting thread I've read here.

I believe Al is right. I also believe that attraction marketing has become what lots of other things do. A fad.

First and foremost, we are salespeople. That's what we do, like it or not. If you don't want to sell or train others to sell, you should probably do something else. The people who do understand that mlm is a sales business will crush you. They are your competition and they know that the way to succeed (make money) is to move product. Period. The only reason you even want people to join you is to help you move product. Not so you can have a bunch of new friends.

People do not join you or your company because they know, like and trust you. That's ridiculous. If that were true everyone in your circle of family and friends would not only be your customers, they would be your staunchest supporters and they would be distributors in your company.

People join your team in your company for one reason. They believe that your product and marketing system can help them make money. They don't join to help people. They don't join to be "an alpha marketer". They don't join to develop relationships with people. They join to make money.

Try to get over the fact that you joined for the same reasons. You wanted money. You thought it would be easier than starting a different type of business. You thought it was your best chance to provide for your family and get them some nice things. You wanted security for them. You joined because you thought it would help you make the money you need to have the lifestyle you desire. You joined because having a job sucks.

Wanna be a better recruiter? Start telling people how you can help them get rich. Then show them what to do to get rich. If you don't know how to sell, you'd better learn. Because if you don't sell your prospects on the idea that you can help them get rich using your opportunity, they'll join the guy that does. You want someone to like you? Show them how to make money fast. They'll be your biggest fan.

Everyone is out there talking about all the "feel good" stuff. Personal development. Persistence. You can do it. Blah, blah, blah. Your prospects don't want to hear any of that crap. They want to know exactly the steps to take that will make them money the quickest. And they want to have the money without doing any of those steps. The closer you can get them to that fantasy, the happier they'll be.

Sell that dream. Help them believe they can do it. Set up your business to make it so easy that any one who takes the steps you lay out will succeed. When they make money, they'll tell everyone they know. Then you'll have a small and growing group of people that joined you and made money. Then you'll be able to claim that you can "coach" someone. Then you may become a leader.

As a final note, I think the main idea of Magnetic Sponsoring is missed a lot. The main premise of the book is to become valuable to your customers. How? Study everything you can get your hands on. Find out what works. Develop a system that makes it easy for people to succeed. Show people how to use it. Help them show other people to use it. Then continue to improve the system.

I have gone on far too long in this post. Probably should have been an article. Thanks to everyone who posted on this thread. It's really given me a lot to think about.

[Chris Tryon Contribution Level: 4]

I agree with you completely. I think part of the reason my husband and I were unsuccessful in MLM for many years is that we didn't have a company or product with a compensation plan that we believed in 100%. I am not a fan of attraction marketing either. I have no desire to put my money in an "experts" pocket. I want to be associated with a company that has a product, a compensation plan and a team that puts the success of their distributors ahead of the cash that the put into their own pockets. I am very happy that my husband and I have found that company.

[Tim Erway Contribution Level: 2]

Guys, I think there's a misconception about what attraction marketing really means, because I honestly can't fathom that anyone who has read Magnetic Sponsoring would disagree with the concepts taught in the course.

Attraction marketing is, at it's core, about two things, both of which are absolutely essential for success in this industry.

1. Leadership development
2. Good marketing

That's it.

If you disagree with attraction marketing, you're essentially saying that developing yourself into a leader is not a worthwhile goal, and good marketing isn't necessary in "network marketing."

Well guys, with all due respect, that is absolutely ludicrous.

If you've read Magnetic Sponsoring, you would see how insane the assertion is that "attraction marketing doesn't work."

Before you knock attraction marketing or Magnetic Sponsoring, consider this...

Network marketing is an industry with a 99% failure rate.

People fail in network marketing because they either aren't willing or able to do the necessary work to develop their leadership skills and/or they don't know how/where to find qualified prospects for their business.

Let's talk about both of these skills...

Leadership
Leadership is the absolute most important factor that will determine the success in any venture.

Someone has to have the vision and determination to take a business idea from concept to successful enterprise.

Someone has to learn how to find talented people and get them aligned with their vision.

Ladies and gents, that is leadership. And it's the difference between success and failure in network marketing, or any business for that matter.

Leaders are not leaders because of products, compensation plans, marketing systems, etc. They are leaders because they are MASTERS at understanding and leading people.

If dip-shit Joe who lives in a double-wide trailer jumps out of his beat up pick-up truck with his wife beater t-shirt on smelling like whiskey and cigarettes, approached you to try and recruit you into the best opportunity with the best compensation plan in the world, I guarantee you're not going to join him.

That is unless of course, Joe is your best friend and drinking buddy, who's trailer is parked right next to yours.

What I'm getting at is that you will attract what you are.

Attraction marketing is first, and foremost, about developing and positioning yourself as a leader so you can attract other leaders.

Do you disagree with that?

If so, go ahead and hop in your beat up pick-up truck, drive on over to your local bar and go "share the plan" with Joe. By 6PM he should be liquored up enough to sign the distributor agreement form, I'm sure of it.

Oh, and don't forget about your Aunt Sally, who just changed her depression medication last week. She seems to be doing much better and is probably ripe for a life-changing opportunity.

Marketing
Good marketing is necessary unless you enjoy the belly to belly aspect of building a business one person at a time. If you do, you're a rare individual and as long as you enjoy it, you may never need to learn marketing.

For most of us however, the idea of prospecting everyone who comes within 3 feet is not only absolutely terrifying, but it's probably most inefficient and LEAST effective way to build an organization quickly.

Seriously, it's like throwing freaking mud against the wall to see what sticks.

I pity the fool who approaches me to try and recruit me into his MLM. That guy is an ASS! Yep, I said it. He's a complete ass because he doesn't even freaking know me and he's trying to get me into his "deal" so he can make a commission from me.

(BTW... I've BEEN that ass, that's why I can call him that)

Listen, attraction marketing is not about wasting your time, money and energy on bringing in massive amounts of losers who won't stick around anyway.

It's about having the luxury of being selective in who you do business with. This is done with good marketing.

Good marketing is all about implementing marketing systems and qualification processes that sort out tire-kickers and losers so you talk to only the most qualified prospects.

It's about shifting your mindset from "I NEED THEM" to "THEY NEED ME."

That, ladies and gents, is attraction marketing in a nutshell.

For those of you who've read Magnetic Sponsoring, you already "get it", so I'm preaching to the choir.

If you haven't read Magnetic Sponsoring yet, then before you knock the idea of attraction marketing, you better damn well know what you're talking about so we can have an intelligent conversation.

This may seem harsh, but it pisses me off when people "think" they understand something enough to talk about it with authority, when in reality they don't know what the hell they're talking about.

For those who've read, understood and for whatever reason, still disagree with attraction marketing (if there is such a person), then I will certainly respect and listen to your opinion without dishing out a verbal ass-kicking because at least you've done your due diligence and read the freaking book.

Enough said

Tim Erway

[Ed Mikkelson Contribution Level: 2]

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!! That was awesome TIM!!!!!

Man I love this forum!

To your success

[Adam Taha Company: Amway Contribution Level: 7]

Awesome!!!

Read, apply and live what Tim just written.

He just ripped the living daylight of the assumptions of what atrraction marketing is and bangs it to the level it needs to be at and respected.

Exactly the way it is. Awesome!!!!

You just heard from one of the masters. I'm leading everyone to this. Heck, I wish we can have this on article section of ABN cause this was one heck of a reply.

Read it, apply it, live it and you'll kick ass!

Adam

[Allen Gregory Contribution Level: 2]

I'm so glad we have leaders like Tim in the industry. However, Dave makes a great point and I do understand what he's saying. I don't know if we're giving him a fair chance considering how scathing Tim's reply was. But he's right. If we help people get rich they WILL be our raving fans. And that's what we all want to do for ourselves. But it's interesting how all this is setup.

Think about this:

In network marketing we are obligated to sell and train others to do the same. And when we do it successfully using smart marketing and internet strategies EVERYBODY wins. People need us. And the people who are losing their jobs and don't ever want to work for someone else again deserve the absolute best from each and every one of us.

I already know that when I help people I get paid. But it's not just money. It's the feeling of actually connecting with someone through a computer screen and being able to feel them smile in a chat or email. THAT'S what this is about. It's about people helping people.

I learned a bunch of this stuff and I'm still learning. It never stops. I love it. And the more I learn, the more people I connect with, the more they can learn, the more money they can make, and then as a byproduct of that I make money.

Now, THAT'S network marketing.

[Tim Erway Contribution Level: 2]

Thanks guys.

For the record, that wasn't directed at Dave. I read the first several posts in this thread and just hit the reply button. Didn't even see Dave's post until after I posted mine.

[Jim Yaghi Contribution Level: 3]

lol Mike is the creator of MLMleadsPro?
haha i should totally get it then

and i disagree with everything else you said mr al king

jim

[Ed Mikkelson Contribution Level: 2]

Ya I got a chuckle out of that one to JIM

To your success

[Danielle Long Contribution Level: 2]

Part of this is a semantics issue: I don't think we actually disagree with "attraction marketing," but rather have issues with the way it is being done by the masses of people trying to establish themselves as online marketing coaches of some sort. I have tried to verbalize this in a few different ways here over the past few months and really appreciated Al's post and the responses. (Somehow he didn't incite nearly as much hostility as I seem to!!!)

Here's the thing I have been trying to figure out. There are some of us who actually do HAVE an opportunity that is awesome, unique and where the timing is right, and we are looking to attract experienced internet and network marketers onto our team (like the caliber of people who are responding to this post). They (you) are not going to jump onto my list just because of some coaching, mentoring or system that I'm offering...you guys already have your own systems. That works well for attracting new people, but how do you get people who are experienced and will hit the ground running to take a look at your OPPORTUNITY and see if it is something they want to add to their repetoire?

I am relatively new to network marketing and internet marketing, but have read and learned more in the last few months than in four years in college (or at least it seems that way). I am building a powerful and duplicatable marketing and training team and system, but really need a few strong people to HELP ME NOW. I can't do it on my own. I am a leader and I have many talents, but I have two small kids at home with me and I don't really want to do this all by myself. I am attracting lots of newbies who are looking to me for leadership, but I need a few leaders to help me! How can I go about attracting leaders to my team (i.e. what would attract YOU to click on my link/call me/etc)? I feel like you need to see the opportunity in question to determine if it's something that aligns with YOU and then you would join MY TEAM because of me and because the positioning would benefit YOU...