One of the first network marketing meetings I attended the top producer in the company came out and made this bold statement.
“In the beginning, Network Marketing is like pushing spaghetti around your plate with your nose”.
How right is he? Talk about talking straight.
This statement has stuck with me to this day and here’s why.
Network Marketing For Beginners
The top producer in my first network marketing is the top producer because he tells it like it is. While every other distributor in the company was selling the dream and the rewards, he was letting us know that this business is hard and frustrating, but if you stick at it you will reap the rewards.
This simple shift in selling technique attracts people to him like bees to honey, flies round sh*t, hungry kids around cake, scammers to opportunities (…………………..insert you own). You get the picture.
As a newbie network marketer you just want to know how to do what is needed to get the job done. You are already sold on the possibilities and the benefits that come along with the industry, but then comes the void of what is actually involved in making it work.
I believe this void, the space between the sale of the dream and actual work is where the vast majority of newbies disappear through the net.
If more leaders were telling it like it is instead of only selling the dream the industry would be in a better place.
Of course the benefits have to be sold, I understand that but what serious newbie entrepreneurs want to know is what work is involved and how much of it.
When I have new person looking at my business, I explain to them that to survive and become successful will involve a lot of commitment, time and effort.
If they are not prepared to push spaghetti around their plate with their nose for a while, then right now may not be the best time for them to get involved.
The learning curve is steep, we all know this. Until it starts to level off a bit we don’t see and rewards. To a network marketing beginner this steep climb, with no view of the top or the slope leveling out can see them turning round and rolling back down the hill faster then Josh Garcia can post a comment (ha, only joking Josh).
Experienced Network Marketers
It is our responsibility to provide everyone new to the industry with the whole picture. If we lose some people along the way that is fine, we were going to lose them anyway.
When I was younger I wanted to be an air traffic controller (I loved the airport). I went as far as getting a work experience placement in an airport. I was shown the control tower and had the opportunity to speak to the head of air traffic control.
He explained to me that training for the position was hard and took over 6+ years and the job itself came with huge responsibility as you would have hundreds to thousands of peoples lives in your hands at any one time.
He wasn’t saying this to deter me from my path, he was just letting me know the reality of the position. Needless to say I found that I liked the airport because it usually meant I was going somewhere nice and hot on vacation. It wasn’t somewhere I wanted to work.
LISTEN. I know you do great with the newbies in your business, you show them the ropes and get them off to a great solid, well informed start. Unfortunately not everyone in a leadership position in network marketing is like you, so I would appreciate your helping in getting this message out there.
Firstly add your comments to the comment arena. Let me know how you get your network marketing beginners off to a great start.
Secondly share this with all your online buddies. Retweet, Digg, Facebook Share it wherever you want to submit this do it.
Quite simply put, lets let everyone know we are doing things the right way and they need to as well.
Thank you.
I Pushed Spaghetti and I am proud of it.
Dwayne
>>P.S Are you a Newbie Network Marketer or Newbie Leader? Want to know more about the network marketing industry? Join the rapidly grow network marketing circle I have going on over here and get all the network marketing know how you require.
{ 23 comments… read them below or add one }
I always start out by telling people I will determine if they are right for this opportunity (establish leadership) then I ask what their expectations are regarding work ethic etc. If they have already run a business I usually get the right answers. If not they will usually be clueless and really underestimate the level of work involved but mostly the absence of persistence and consistency. I ran my previous business for 20 years but when you start something completely new and different you have to take yourself back to your beginings and remember what it took to grow that business from nothing. Those times are easy to forget with success so it takes a real hard look at your past to remember the pain and struggle. Then you have to be ready to experience it again or failure lies on your horizon.
Hey Dwayne,
This is the bit I love – “I explain to them that to survive and become successful will involve a lot of commitment, time and effort.”
This is the bit some people choose to skip over in a rush to get the sign up and meet this months recruitment goal. If you prime your prospects well they won't be shocked and frustrated when they see the challenges.
Thanks for this post my friend.
Wayne Vassell, signing out…
Great post Dwayne.
Standing up and leading the people to what's next, is so misunderstood and forgotten. Rushing or hurrying them into it is not the way to go, for the leader's team or the new distributors.
Both are doomed from the get go.
Jerome Ratliff
You just exposed the problem that most people face in this business. It is all roses and kisses when you get started, but then the reality begins to set in that their is actually a ton of work that goes into being successful and making the kind of money they talk about on that their video!
Nice,
Eric McMillan
Using the experiences of the past can really help people for the better. Your first hand knowledge can be used to guide and nurture them so that they can grow and learn from the experience and knowledge you pass on, as long as they are ready for the hill climb.
I understand the need to rush a sign up through especially with team bonuses and what not, but really your business will be a lot stronger when built correctly with the right people at the right time for all involved.
Exactly Jerome.
Its only right to let people know up-front what they are letting themselves in for.
Its a simple problem with a simple solution, but a lot of people do look far enough ahead to see the effects of their choices today.
Twitter: Josh_Garcia
April 8, 2010 at 20:29
Hey Dwayne,
This business is no different than owning a regular business. There is work, struggles, and laughter that goes along with it. If someone just paint the dream and don't mentioned that there is work involved. They are weakening the individual.
I know I don't want to be building a business with weak people.
BTW…I'm fast but not that fast!
Chat with you later…
Josh
Hey Dwayne,
I agree totally. More leaders in this industry need to tell it like it is. The end result is a more qualified team and less whining and complaining when people find out that they actually have to work to make money online.
I had a guy call me complaining one time that he didn't know that he was going to have to learn a bunch of stuff when he signed up. I told him how to get his refund. That is not the type of person I want to spend my time on. It is better to just let them go.
Hey Dwayne,
First, “rolling back down the hill faster then Josh Garcia can post a comment”
had me laughing haha
This is so true, and you're right, most don't share this important piece of information BEFORE the sign up. If we really care about people, we need to care enough to let them know. If they can't get past that, why do we want to waste both of our time??? It's not smart business.
Great job telling it like it is!
Susanna
Great title, Dwayne — pulled me right in!
Hey, it sounds like that guy was one of the few willing to “tell it like it is.”
Someone in my company actually raised the question about having a “business builder-centric” business the other day…
And he made a good point about people “scrambling at the end of the month” to get their volume in because there is high rate of attrition in an “opportunity-focused” marketing plan.
His argument was that it is a sound business principle to get as many customers as you can so you won't have to worry about each month's volume.
I'm curious what your thoughts are on this?
It certainly doesn't seem as “leveraged,” but if you can find an efficient way to get lots of happy customers, it seems like a great thing to do.
It got me thinking, and I think I found an answer — so I'm pretty stoked about that!
Hey Dwayne,
In my first MLM company, a very old school company that everybody knows about, I heard a leader on stage say “If I was to give you a million bucks every year for the rest of your life, would you be prepared to shovel cow sh*t with your bare hands for 2 years? If you're willing to do that, then you can build this business…”
It's very easy to say “Yes” to something like that isn't it? But when it actually comes to “shoveling the sh*t”, all of a sudden, it doesn't seem so worth it if you're not strong willed.
Great post,
Wayne
Hey Josh
Are you purposely slowing down? i think this another strategy of yours.
Thanks for passing through buddy
A more qualified team is what we are all after but some of us settle for a whole lot less.
Time is precious, wasting it should be a crime
A good volume of prospects both customers and business partners is always a good idea. If this volume can be spread out over a month even better making the end of the month no different from the beginning of the month. Constant work will be where the real results will shine through. Working to whats right for your business instead of meeting company bonus timescales.
Whats your answer?
Shovel Cow Sh*t – great one.
If the promise is strong / big / lucrative enough people will pay the price I did a blog post on this check it out – http://dwaynehuggins.com/the-price-and-the-prom…
Your posts always get me thinking, Dwayne.
I actually ended up writing a post on this topic that has my answer:
http://drivetheline.com/how-important-are-custo…
Please stop on by and let me know what you think!
But Dwayne! all you have to do is sponsor 2 then they sponsor 2 and BAM!!! your living on a yacht in the Greek islands…. right?….
But seriously folks,
You are completely right here Dwayne, you have to be willing to put in the work BEFORE you see any result.
Just look at the guys who started Google, Youtube, Facebook, etc. How long did they work before they saw any money? would you say it was worth it?
Great post,
Matt
No work in, no rewards out. Simple universal law.
This is a pet subject of mine Dwayne. I get so angry with business owners who sell the dream and forget to mention there's a road to get there. Why do they do it? Unfortunately too many do so just to get another sign up and auto ship processed. With the exception of some short term income for the business owner there are no winners so what's the point?
Cheers
Marcus
~Marcus Baker~
Attraction Marketing Specialist
You have every right to be angry. It also frustrates me. Its obvious this tactic does not work but it is being taught over and over again. Crazy
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