Hype Is Bad For Business

  Written by Judith Sherman on Sep 3, 2009 12:16 am

Read More: Personal Development

• 2
   VOTES

  Up
• Tweet

 Watch This Video: An Example of Hype.  

First, let me say that I realize Quixtar/Amway is being used as the example in this video, but keep in mind that it’s not the company that’s making outrageous claims; it’s upline "big shots" making them. In other words, if you own an ethical company and a salesman of yours makes outrageous claims about a product or service, is it you who is unethical or the salesman?

The problem with Network Marketing is that, by its very nature, there will always be zealots who make statements that may not be completely true in order to get signups. In addition, some of them want to get hold of the newbie’s name list so they can sell those names later as leads when people drop out.
 
Hype is commonly used to entice people to join a Network Marketing business, and it's the tool they use to commit a signup. The presentation of "The Plan" is where hype usually surfaces. When people make outrageous claims that a product will do something but they have nothing to support it or when they make claims of huge income to be made, then you know it is likely hype and a lie. It may be possible to make the sort of money they claim, but legitimately successful people don't have to brag about their income or flaunt wealth to be believable.  
 
To be honest with you, I am also involved with Amway/Quixtar; I have been since 1977.  And in that time, I've been around the most successful in the business and so I know that people do make a huge amount of money. I also know that the average distributor does not make much money unless they step out from the crowd and do something extraordinary. Of course, that's true with any type of business. Correct?
 
Because I've been in the business for so long, and because I have seen success and failure myself, I can spot hype in an instant. I know what is and is not true because I've lived that life myself and I’ve made my own mistakes. As such, I know that true wealth is not something you have to talk about unless you are trying to impress someone; in that case, it's hype! Whether it's true for that particular person or not should not be relevant. You are not them, and you do not have the same circumstances. You cannot gage your own success on how someone else does.
 
The truth is that most associates in the business will not make that much money. To imply otherwise is dishonest, it is a disservice to every new associate, and it's truly hype because it's used to influence a new recruit! 
Let me tell you what I know about wealth:
- If you lay up treasures on earth that can be washed away in a storm,  you will feel empty and worthless when it's gone.  
- On the other hand, with proper training and the focus being on creating a life with meaning and purpose, you will be rich in blessings.
- These blessings do not come from money, they come from all the memories and choice experiences that you have had in the past and are still having now with people who impact your life in some way.
- The associations and friendships you've made through life's dealings will be there to keep you warm when there is nothing else left. You may not be able to appreciate this now, but those who have lost everything through a disaster or whatever will tell you that knowing you are not alone is a great relief, and the support you receive from others is worth more than any amount of wealth on earth.
 
So why do Network Marketing businesses use hype? To answer this question, let's first talk about what hype is and is not. 

• Hype is not a good thing when making any business decision, especially in Network Marketing or a business venture.
• Hype is not real; it is a facade, a lie or not quite the truth.
• Hype is used to cover up a sinking ship or holes in the plan.
• Hype is used to trigger an emotional response.
• Impulse buyers make unwise decisions when their emotions or passions are exploited by Network Marketing opportunists; these scoundrels know this technique and use it often to give them an advantage.
• Hype causes “buyer’s remorse” once they have the time to think about what they did. That's how people die on the vine before they ever get started.
• Hype is manifested in people who try to manipulate others. They use a quick-silver tongue to influence people into accepting another way of thinking or to get them to do what the manipulator wants them to do. 

The more useful tool in helping people in Network Marketing is to be honest and forthright with them. That does not mean being negative, it means being truthful in a positive way. It's not hype when you tell them they can make a certain amount of money when you tell them that the average amount that distributors make is what the company says it is. You tell them that they can make more money if they do the following things:
1.     . . . Show the plan or talk to “x” number of people every day.
2.      . . .You have to have “x” amount of signup each week, meaning you have to show the plan “x” amount of times to get that amount of signup.
3.     . . . Tell them how to effectively use the Internet and search engines to increase your odds, but personal interaction must never be replaced by Internet activity.
4.      . . .You have to build a relationship that people value before you talk to them about your business.
5.     . . . Listen to what people say about their dreams. Take a real interest in those dreams and in what they do.
6.    , , ,  DO  N O T interject your agenda and your needs into the plan or into the conversation. This is about them and what they want, not you. You can tell them what you saw in the business and you can tell them how rewarding the business is in NON-Financial terms. Talk about helping people and the blessings that come from that and not the places you’ve been able to go, the things you’ve been able to buy, or your improved marriage because of the things you do together when those things are tied to MONEY.
7.      . . .Are you getting the picture? Do you see that the things you talk about are related to everything but money. If you are shallow enough to not find anything that isn’t tied to money, then you have a problem bigger than I can help you with in this article.
 
You need to train distributors to be ethical and build a foundation on character. Then, when you make the money, you will be able to handle it because you developed character along the way. I was trained this way, and because of that training, I understand the success principles that you need to grow a business with the right foundation. I will expound more on this subject in later postings.
 
Please comment on what you think about the points discussed here and then give examples of how you know this is true or tell us about your pet peeves on this subject. We need your input in order to grow as a group.
 

Login or register to post comments  |   Views: 175  |   Comments: 4