A couple of weeks ago I wrote about my experience with signing up for an MLM and I shared one piece of advice if you are looking to get into the business yourself.
Having been with the company for several months, I’m not sure I’m cut out for this business. I keep thinking if I just try harder, if I just talk to more people. I watch other people join up and start signing people up left and right. I must be doing something wrong.
Here’s one thing that all MLM’s promise (at least every one I looked at listed this as a reason to join up): They tout their company as a way you can GET OUT OF DEBT! 
When I joined up with this company, I have to admit I was impressed that one of their top reasons for becoming a distributor was to give people the chance to get out of debt.
Oh, cool, I thought! That’s admirable for a company to have that right out there – and it’s right in line with my ways of thinking.
However, recently taking a look around I discovered this is actually quite typical for MLM companies. Every single one that I looked into talks about working their program as a way to get out of debt. I found essential oil companies, makeup companies, vitamin companies… every one of them promises you have the chance to get out of debt.
I do believe that some people will be successful enough to get out of debt. Some sources state that 10% of the salespersons in these organizations will be super successful. Everyone else will muddle along trying and trying and feeling like they are a train wreck.
It seem obvious that one’s core personality is going to have a lot to do with being truly successful in these businesses. A few things I’ve learned that I will need to do (which goes completely against my core personality):
- Talk to people about these products 15-20 hours a week
- Talk to everyone I know about these products: friends, family and acquaintances
- Talk to total strangers regularly
- Ask my friends, family and coworkers a minimum of 7 times and as many as 24 times to try the product
- Be available for parties and talk about the products to a group of strangers
Basically it feels to me – in order to be successful – I must alienate every single person I know, have ever known, and will ever have the chance to meet. Now this is probably an exaggeration but that’s how it feels to me. I understand that you have to work hard to get the product you are selling in front of people, no matter what you are trying to sell. Most people do have to stretch from their comfort zone, and I get that.
But there are varying degrees of comfort. Let’s use a scale of 1 to 10 with the worst being 10. Let’s say 10 is extremely uncomfortable – think shoving toothpicks under your fingernails. That’s pretty dramatic but it illustrates my point, I hope. Let’s say 1 is just a little twinge – for example, snapping your wrist with a rubber band. I’d say I’m at least an 8.
Probably everyone has to stretch out of their comfort zone, but to be sure, some people will find that easier to do than others. I’m not one of those people. As I thought more about this, all the while becoming more and more stressed out, I realized that the idea of going to prison is more appealing. And being incarcerated is the last thing I want!
I think it’s also vitally important that you are thick skinned and do not take rejection personally. If you are thick skinned, or can manage to become thick skinned, you will probably be quite successful in MLM.
My upline has been extremely successful in MLM and at the end of March earned her second bonus: $15,000. I have known her for years so it’s not like she’s just some random person who recruited me. I also know it isn’t sheer luck that she has been so successful. I know she has had to talk to a LOT of people, I know she’s worked very hard to be this successful. She has only been in this business since June 2013. I’m very happy for her, and tickled to know someone who has such a great ability to sell. And a little envious, I do admit.
Do you know anyone who has gotten out of debt through working in a Multi-Level Marketing company?
There is no way in H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks that I would be EVER be involved in an MLM EVER AGAIN!! Oh man….my husband was involved with this in 2001 and I was unwillingly dragged along-side with him on this little adventure. Our upline was oh-so successful. “Gosh,” I thought to myself, “What is it that she has and we don’t?” Well, after awhile, I figured it out. Even if your upline is a personal bestie of yours, believe me, she does NOT have your best interest at heart. She sees you through dollar signs instead of eyeballs. Trust me on that one. Our upline made money on the backs of very hard-working downline. You are one “leg” of that downline. If you leave, you will be replaced with another “leg.” And so on and so forth. That is how an MLM works.
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The more you know about MLMs and the like the better choices you can make. I think its very suspicious that so many organizations are talking about getting yourself out of debt. I’m not sure there are any quick fixes for that problem. Thanks for sharing this!
The Wallet Doctor recently posted..How to reduce your food costs
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I feel the same way. I really want to know what motivates those successful people in this line of business. Some of the products can be totally useless as well that it is harder to push it. I’d rather wash dishes to make a living than be in MLM
TC recently posted..Pay Off Old Auto Loan and Bring Insurance Premium Down
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MLM’s are tricky. The financial appeal can sometimes blur out the imperfections. I have no problem with MLM itself, more so with the products/services that people try to justify to make work. When people are aligned with what they are pushing, then it comes off genuine. When it is not, well that is where MLM’s start to get a negative connotation.
Carlos recently posted..The Parallels of Exercise and Saving
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