This is a classic. I have had someone tell me more than once, that they do not go for these "money-making schemes" because some friend or relative tried it once and got taken to the cleaners. Interestingly, it seems like it is always a male, and the person getting scammed was always the guy's sister.
One of my best friends has given me this retort. And I presently have a very talented member of the team, whose two brothers are giving her some real grief about allowing herself to "get scammed."
Your sexist impulses notwithstanding, let me give it to you straight, brothers. Your sisters' failures (past or prospective) have more to do with you than herself. Your sister is a smart person, willing to take risks, like the Apostle Paul eager to "believe all things," open to new ideas, able to go outside the box, with enough self-esteem to work hard for something that will most likely benefit you and others in the end.
If your sister fails, it is not because her partner company (ies) has sold her a bill of goods. Chances are she has researched it well, found the company to be reputable, the program legal, the compensation plan reliable and generous, and she has surrounded herself with people that have something you do not have: the ability actually to help her succeed.
If your sister fails, I want you to pat yourself on the back, for you more than anybody is the cause of her failure. It is hard enough to go against the grain in life. Anybody with lofty goals will always find people nearby that are ready to take them down a few notches. It is particularly hurtful when those doom-and-gloom prophets are family, or worst yet, siblings that we have always trusted.
You will prove yourself right. You will pursue her relentlessly, mock her, belittle her, tell her she has been brainwashed, until she finally gives up. You have given her enough trouble just managing your reactions to her courageous decision, that, yes, of course, she will fail - and you will have the satisfaction of making a sound prediction.
And everything will go back to the status quo ante, with one exception: she will be less likely to take a similar chance in the future. She will settle into the 40-40-40 plan that you have accepted for yourself (work 40 hours a week, for 40 years, to make 40% of what you couldn't live on in the first place). She will never take a chance like this again, which raises the question: who brainwashed whom? But, you are back in control, so who cares?
Your sister failed, or will fail, thanks to you, brother.
Or how about this . . .
Try helping her, encouraging her, working with her, giving her ideas, helping her improve her skills, buying her product, partnering in her business, praying for her, supporting her.
I have brothers, and am a brother. I am a father. Let it never be said of me, that my sister or brother, or kids, failed in anything, because I failed to encourage them!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
What's The Deal with Family?
I can count about 60 adult relatives on one side, 40 on the other, that, were they all to get together, and coordinate their efforts, in one single good Network Marketing program, could guarantee the following:
* Two of them would earn at least $800 a month in residual income, from now on.
* Four would earn at least $400 a month in residual income, from now on.
* Twelve of them would earn at least $2,000 in bonuses, in the first month alone.
* Over half would pay off their initial investment in the first month alone.
* With few exceptions, all would be powering the system, by continuing to purchase products and services that they already are using.
* Two would qualify for bonuses that are nearly double all of the above, within two months.
* All of the above are baseline figures. These are minimums that would only grow over time.
* With coordination, and good timing, maybe five to ten would also qualify for other bonuses randing from $500 to $6,000, within the first quarter.
I am talking about using products that you are already using. All we would be doing is joining together in a common venture, coordinating our efforts,in a legal, exciting, growing business.
But this group of family would be only the hub of a network many, many times larger.
I propose that we do, indeed, coordinate our efforts. Let's start something, using our talents and skills, to take care of family and friends first. Let's manage it smartly, so that our attrition rate is low and our member satisfaction is high.
Let's run it like we would an investment club. Do only what brings in the most money for the most family members.
In the New Economy, residual income is the name of the game. Manufacturing and customer service jobs are never coming back. Real Estate may never be what it once was.
It is the age of pursuing your talents and life dreams. And the way to pay for it, is residual income. You are worth far more than you have ever been paid. This is the way to get what you are worth.
And, the natural place to begin . . . is family.
* Two of them would earn at least $800 a month in residual income, from now on.
* Four would earn at least $400 a month in residual income, from now on.
* Twelve of them would earn at least $2,000 in bonuses, in the first month alone.
* Over half would pay off their initial investment in the first month alone.
* With few exceptions, all would be powering the system, by continuing to purchase products and services that they already are using.
* Two would qualify for bonuses that are nearly double all of the above, within two months.
* All of the above are baseline figures. These are minimums that would only grow over time.
* With coordination, and good timing, maybe five to ten would also qualify for other bonuses randing from $500 to $6,000, within the first quarter.
I am talking about using products that you are already using. All we would be doing is joining together in a common venture, coordinating our efforts,in a legal, exciting, growing business.
But this group of family would be only the hub of a network many, many times larger.
I propose that we do, indeed, coordinate our efforts. Let's start something, using our talents and skills, to take care of family and friends first. Let's manage it smartly, so that our attrition rate is low and our member satisfaction is high.
Let's run it like we would an investment club. Do only what brings in the most money for the most family members.
In the New Economy, residual income is the name of the game. Manufacturing and customer service jobs are never coming back. Real Estate may never be what it once was.
It is the age of pursuing your talents and life dreams. And the way to pay for it, is residual income. You are worth far more than you have ever been paid. This is the way to get what you are worth.
And, the natural place to begin . . . is family.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Election Reflection
I took a whalloping this week, in the primary election for Treasurer of Scio Township. My friend Donna Palmer, the incumbent, beat me handily, almost two-to-one. The Dexter precincts, the people that know me most, delivered the largest margins to Donna.
I did not particularly want to win this race. I have other irons in the fire. I long to move either to Shamrock, Texas, or Rochester, New York, within the next year or two. I would have had to resign from the position before my term was up, anyway.
I have tired of partisan politics. I hate the games, the positioning, the personal attacks, the spin. I have served on high-performance teams in the business world, that run circles around politicians when it comes to solving problems.
I was changed by my recent experience at Camp Refuge in Oklahoma. I came away wanting to serve God in music, keeping myself open to a teaching position, working with children. I could not see myself holding down an elected position, full-time hours at part time pay, for four years. I cannot afford it. And I did not campaign for it.
I basically prayed that I would not win.
But I do want to release some pressure I have felt, to address the biggest issue of all in this election. I avoided discussing it, out of respect for my friend Donna. But I do wish to introduce it now, as the issue in the 2012 Scio race, or any race with which I am involved, from now on. And it is this . . .
Mrs. Palmer said, in an interview that I participated in with her, that "I enjoy my job," in reference to her position as Treasurer. I wanted to jump on that statement, but was too timid to do so.
No politician should ever refer to their elected position as "my job". It is not a job to be claimed by anyone. It is no one's by right. There are thousands of people in Scio Township, and any one of them can serve as Treasurer, or Supervisor, Clerk, or Trustee. The jobs themselves, belong to the people. And if anything, we would be better off if more average people served in these positions, than the self-appointed politicians we are stuck with now.
An elected office is a mission, a charge, a calling. But it is not a "job". You are there to serve the people, not to do a good job. It is more important that the elected official give their time to their constituents, and not their hours to their work. It is important that the day-to-day tasks of elected officials never devolve down into "busy work". The calling is way more lofty than that!
A good rule of thumb is: two terms and out. Those seeking elected office should run the first time, with specific goals. They may take one term to learn the ropes. If they have served honorably for one term, they will have earned the right to a second term. But that is enough. Our society is blessed with multitudes of talented people that can do the job. We do not need these elected officials for life. It is an insult to the smart people in our communities, to suggest that only one of them can represent the total for more than two terms.
I wish the new Board of Scio great success in the next four years. Of the seven board members, one will be serving at least a second consecutive term, and should step down at the conclusion of this term. Let's keep new ideas flowing in, let others have a chance to serve, and please, Mrs. Palmer, no later than the year 2012, leave as you have served, with honor and respect for the people of our Scio community.
Thank you for your dedication and hard work. It is past time for change.
I did not particularly want to win this race. I have other irons in the fire. I long to move either to Shamrock, Texas, or Rochester, New York, within the next year or two. I would have had to resign from the position before my term was up, anyway.
I have tired of partisan politics. I hate the games, the positioning, the personal attacks, the spin. I have served on high-performance teams in the business world, that run circles around politicians when it comes to solving problems.
I was changed by my recent experience at Camp Refuge in Oklahoma. I came away wanting to serve God in music, keeping myself open to a teaching position, working with children. I could not see myself holding down an elected position, full-time hours at part time pay, for four years. I cannot afford it. And I did not campaign for it.
I basically prayed that I would not win.
But I do want to release some pressure I have felt, to address the biggest issue of all in this election. I avoided discussing it, out of respect for my friend Donna. But I do wish to introduce it now, as the issue in the 2012 Scio race, or any race with which I am involved, from now on. And it is this . . .
Mrs. Palmer said, in an interview that I participated in with her, that "I enjoy my job," in reference to her position as Treasurer. I wanted to jump on that statement, but was too timid to do so.
No politician should ever refer to their elected position as "my job". It is not a job to be claimed by anyone. It is no one's by right. There are thousands of people in Scio Township, and any one of them can serve as Treasurer, or Supervisor, Clerk, or Trustee. The jobs themselves, belong to the people. And if anything, we would be better off if more average people served in these positions, than the self-appointed politicians we are stuck with now.
An elected office is a mission, a charge, a calling. But it is not a "job". You are there to serve the people, not to do a good job. It is more important that the elected official give their time to their constituents, and not their hours to their work. It is important that the day-to-day tasks of elected officials never devolve down into "busy work". The calling is way more lofty than that!
A good rule of thumb is: two terms and out. Those seeking elected office should run the first time, with specific goals. They may take one term to learn the ropes. If they have served honorably for one term, they will have earned the right to a second term. But that is enough. Our society is blessed with multitudes of talented people that can do the job. We do not need these elected officials for life. It is an insult to the smart people in our communities, to suggest that only one of them can represent the total for more than two terms.
I wish the new Board of Scio great success in the next four years. Of the seven board members, one will be serving at least a second consecutive term, and should step down at the conclusion of this term. Let's keep new ideas flowing in, let others have a chance to serve, and please, Mrs. Palmer, no later than the year 2012, leave as you have served, with honor and respect for the people of our Scio community.
Thank you for your dedication and hard work. It is past time for change.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Money
On the Huron Valley Fellowship blog today, I wrote about Jesus' instructions about money, in Matthew Chapter 25.
Basically, our Lord teaches us that we must go out and expand the money, and other resources, that He has given us. So the question is, does membership in a Multi-Level Marketing program count as good stewardship of our God-given financial means?
Is the Kingdom of God multi-level?
Jesus did start out with a core group of 12 followers. And among those twelve, there was an inner circle of three (Peter, John, James). The Twelve were directed to go out and build the kingdom. Jesus gave them a model of working with people one at a time, serving them, looking for needs to fill. He healed others. He gave those needing some attention, all of His.
I am struck, that the MLM that I am in now, does in fact use a 3-12 model. That is, you first build an inner core of 3 people, and then expand to 12. The program encourages the duplication of the 3-12 system, which kicks in the bonuses, which get greater, the larger your overall team is.
If you build an MLM, not worrying about such things as "it will topple of its own weight some day," but just move it forward, doing 3 and then 12, over and over again, then it should just continue to grow. It says in the Old Testament, I believe in Ezekiel, that there are multitudes in the world, that cannot make decisions. A multitude is a group that grows faster than we can keep up with it. The pool of people that cannot decide, will always be great enough for us to get our 3 and 12.
But interestingly, my present program also uses a ten-point system, in terms of how much product to buy to qualify for bonuses. There are Ten Commandments in the Bible.
So I find some interesting parallels between my present system, and how Christ is building His Kingdom. The 3 and 12 is a good way to build a team of people. And in another post, perhaps I will find some additional applications of the concept.
MLMs do not guarantee income. But no business or investment program ever does. A good MLM will show you the steps to take, to make your money grow. Businesses and investments do not do that. There is more risk in conventional business, than there is in an MLM. I know that if I do X, Y, and Z, in a good MLM, that I will make money, and I know how much money I will make. This may be true in other jobs, but in those cases I am subject to being laid off if I do not perform to my manager's expectations. I am still working for someone else. The MLM affords me the opportunity to do all the work, totally for God.
So, I find that an MLM is a smart thing to mix into all of our money-management decisions.
But the 3 and 12 intrigues me. I will need to cogitate on that some more!
Basically, our Lord teaches us that we must go out and expand the money, and other resources, that He has given us. So the question is, does membership in a Multi-Level Marketing program count as good stewardship of our God-given financial means?
Is the Kingdom of God multi-level?
Jesus did start out with a core group of 12 followers. And among those twelve, there was an inner circle of three (Peter, John, James). The Twelve were directed to go out and build the kingdom. Jesus gave them a model of working with people one at a time, serving them, looking for needs to fill. He healed others. He gave those needing some attention, all of His.
I am struck, that the MLM that I am in now, does in fact use a 3-12 model. That is, you first build an inner core of 3 people, and then expand to 12. The program encourages the duplication of the 3-12 system, which kicks in the bonuses, which get greater, the larger your overall team is.
If you build an MLM, not worrying about such things as "it will topple of its own weight some day," but just move it forward, doing 3 and then 12, over and over again, then it should just continue to grow. It says in the Old Testament, I believe in Ezekiel, that there are multitudes in the world, that cannot make decisions. A multitude is a group that grows faster than we can keep up with it. The pool of people that cannot decide, will always be great enough for us to get our 3 and 12.
But interestingly, my present program also uses a ten-point system, in terms of how much product to buy to qualify for bonuses. There are Ten Commandments in the Bible.
So I find some interesting parallels between my present system, and how Christ is building His Kingdom. The 3 and 12 is a good way to build a team of people. And in another post, perhaps I will find some additional applications of the concept.
MLMs do not guarantee income. But no business or investment program ever does. A good MLM will show you the steps to take, to make your money grow. Businesses and investments do not do that. There is more risk in conventional business, than there is in an MLM. I know that if I do X, Y, and Z, in a good MLM, that I will make money, and I know how much money I will make. This may be true in other jobs, but in those cases I am subject to being laid off if I do not perform to my manager's expectations. I am still working for someone else. The MLM affords me the opportunity to do all the work, totally for God.
So, I find that an MLM is a smart thing to mix into all of our money-management decisions.
But the 3 and 12 intrigues me. I will need to cogitate on that some more!
Monday, August 4, 2008
My Beam: Divorce
Last night, I listened to a training conference call for one of my businesses, in which the speaker urged us to get around successful people if we want to be successful. If you want to be rich, don't hang around broke people.
The speaker made the statement: "If you want good marriage advice, don't go to a divorced person."
Ouch.
Not only was the comment hurtful to me, I also happen to disagree with it most fervently. A divorced person is the best person to go to for advice! Happily married people cannot relate to people with severe marital problems! Alcoholics Anonymous is successful precisely because it involves alcoholics meeting with and sharing with other alcoholics!
And from the pure business perspective, I happen to think there is excellent knowledge to be gained from talking to people that have not chosen your product or service! This is Marketing! The customer comes first! (But that's another topic).
My divorce crushed me for a time. For 32 years I had held myself up as a success, for not entering into an unwise marriage. I thought that this had prepared me to be successful in marriage. I appreciated it more, once I was in it. I had a life goal of being successful in marriage. I could make even a bad marriage successful.
Yes, I was full of pride. And that pride would be my undoing.
I am divorced. Divorce is a very public kind of failure. Our generation makes excuses ("We were married. Nothing is wrong. We just grew further apart, so the marriage ended, like all relationships do eventually. But we're still friends.")
But divorce is failure. Let's not sugar-coat it. The divorced person has failed his kids, his parents, his siblings, his ex-spouse, himself, and his God.
Failure.
So now today, people around me can always say "Who are you to give advice? You're divorced." Yes, I know they don't actually say that. But they are thinking it. I know they are thinking it, because I think thoughts like that about others. I have heard conversations in which people make judgmental comments like that about those that are not present.
So, it will always be a limitation on my effectiveness. But I also know that God can make the weak strong. He can turn defeat into victory.
Let me say one last thing about this idea about gossip and judgmentalism: when you really think about it, most gossip is correct. Those things that people say about you, where you respond "I don't care what people think," well, most often those other people are right.
If people treat me with less respect because I am divorced, they are right to do so. I know that some people do not want their kids around me, or in my home, for that reason. And they are right to do so. I don't blame them.
And the same goes for every one of us, for you, when people comment on decisions you have made. What people are saying about you, and me, is probably correct. We probably should listen to them.
So we have a couple of problems: one, that we don't listen to the good advice from others; and two, that those others haven't fixed themselves before handing out advice.
Next - Another one of my beams.
The speaker made the statement: "If you want good marriage advice, don't go to a divorced person."
Ouch.
Not only was the comment hurtful to me, I also happen to disagree with it most fervently. A divorced person is the best person to go to for advice! Happily married people cannot relate to people with severe marital problems! Alcoholics Anonymous is successful precisely because it involves alcoholics meeting with and sharing with other alcoholics!
And from the pure business perspective, I happen to think there is excellent knowledge to be gained from talking to people that have not chosen your product or service! This is Marketing! The customer comes first! (But that's another topic).
My divorce crushed me for a time. For 32 years I had held myself up as a success, for not entering into an unwise marriage. I thought that this had prepared me to be successful in marriage. I appreciated it more, once I was in it. I had a life goal of being successful in marriage. I could make even a bad marriage successful.
Yes, I was full of pride. And that pride would be my undoing.
I am divorced. Divorce is a very public kind of failure. Our generation makes excuses ("We were married. Nothing is wrong. We just grew further apart, so the marriage ended, like all relationships do eventually. But we're still friends.")
But divorce is failure. Let's not sugar-coat it. The divorced person has failed his kids, his parents, his siblings, his ex-spouse, himself, and his God.
Failure.
So now today, people around me can always say "Who are you to give advice? You're divorced." Yes, I know they don't actually say that. But they are thinking it. I know they are thinking it, because I think thoughts like that about others. I have heard conversations in which people make judgmental comments like that about those that are not present.
So, it will always be a limitation on my effectiveness. But I also know that God can make the weak strong. He can turn defeat into victory.
Let me say one last thing about this idea about gossip and judgmentalism: when you really think about it, most gossip is correct. Those things that people say about you, where you respond "I don't care what people think," well, most often those other people are right.
If people treat me with less respect because I am divorced, they are right to do so. I know that some people do not want their kids around me, or in my home, for that reason. And they are right to do so. I don't blame them.
And the same goes for every one of us, for you, when people comment on decisions you have made. What people are saying about you, and me, is probably correct. We probably should listen to them.
So we have a couple of problems: one, that we don't listen to the good advice from others; and two, that those others haven't fixed themselves before handing out advice.
Next - Another one of my beams.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
The Beam in My Eye, Part One
Recently, God has clarified a question that I have had for some time.
I have been told that I was "leader" material since my earliest elementary school memories. Yet, in my whole life I have tended to wind up the butt of people's frustrations. When they want to express their ugliest side, they do so to me. I can share specific examples, but I would want to protect the anonymity and privacy of others involved.
In the past few months, I have had a very dear relative yell at me to "shut up", quite inappropriately, in front of family. I am sure that I will remember that incident forever, and it will always hurt.
Other family members have put me down in front of my kids. And others yet have no problem exposing their worst feelings to me. People seem to feel quite comfortable hurling invectives at me, when they would never dream of doing so to others in the family.
Am I a doormat? Am I dumb, rude, unkind, ugly, arrogant, impatient? What is it? I seem to be a magnet for extreme emotional outbursts of people that I believe love me. If my impression is correct, what is God showing me? Why me, and what does it mean?
I believe that people are extremely disappointed in me. I am the leader that won't lead. The most-likely-to-succeed that has mostly failed. The problem solver that won't step up to the plate. There is a sense of frustration that I will not get out there into the arena, where everybody thought I belonged years ago.
In a Christian setting, I recently became the subject of some rather malicious gossip and backbiting. It hurt me and made me want to leave this group of Christian brothers and sisters. There is just too much petty behavior, and not enough holding others accountable in the Church. There are too many divorces, too much teen-aged sexuality, too much treading lightly around people with short fuses.
This all is typical for the world, but we are the Body of Christ! We are to attain to a higher level of excellence! Our marriages should be model! Our humility genuine! Our self-awareness proactive and transformational! Our service should be meek and cheerful!
We pussy-foot around people that can say whatever they want, do whatever they want, act however they want, even if it hurts others - rather than rock the boat. We excuse hateful behaviors because we are "under grace," overworked ("if I don't do this thankless job, no one else will"), or "Oh that's just Uncle Bill and he'll never change, heh heh!"
I answer to no one but God.
I enjoy fellowship with a few very excellent ministries. I am part of expanding God's Kingdom, and am thrilled that God has placed me in partnership with talented people that are on fire for the Lord.
But, our achilles heel is that we still put up with childish behaviors from adults. We excuse words and actions that hurt others, because we do not have the backbone to defend those that were hurt.
I know what it feels like now. I know why I have been such an easy target all these years. I believe God is asking me to call out behaviors in the Church, that hurt our witness and make a mockery of His holiness.
We are the Body of Christ. We must act like it.
But before I proceed, let the reader know that I have a huge beam in my own eye. I may spend a few posts talking about it (actually, there are several). And I have some stumbling blocks, or thorns in the flesh, too, if you will. I need to take care of my own beam and thorns, before I go off and start calling out those that are tripping up the forward movement of God's kingdom.
Pray for God's wisdom, as we move forward.
I have been told that I was "leader" material since my earliest elementary school memories. Yet, in my whole life I have tended to wind up the butt of people's frustrations. When they want to express their ugliest side, they do so to me. I can share specific examples, but I would want to protect the anonymity and privacy of others involved.
In the past few months, I have had a very dear relative yell at me to "shut up", quite inappropriately, in front of family. I am sure that I will remember that incident forever, and it will always hurt.
Other family members have put me down in front of my kids. And others yet have no problem exposing their worst feelings to me. People seem to feel quite comfortable hurling invectives at me, when they would never dream of doing so to others in the family.
Am I a doormat? Am I dumb, rude, unkind, ugly, arrogant, impatient? What is it? I seem to be a magnet for extreme emotional outbursts of people that I believe love me. If my impression is correct, what is God showing me? Why me, and what does it mean?
I believe that people are extremely disappointed in me. I am the leader that won't lead. The most-likely-to-succeed that has mostly failed. The problem solver that won't step up to the plate. There is a sense of frustration that I will not get out there into the arena, where everybody thought I belonged years ago.
In a Christian setting, I recently became the subject of some rather malicious gossip and backbiting. It hurt me and made me want to leave this group of Christian brothers and sisters. There is just too much petty behavior, and not enough holding others accountable in the Church. There are too many divorces, too much teen-aged sexuality, too much treading lightly around people with short fuses.
This all is typical for the world, but we are the Body of Christ! We are to attain to a higher level of excellence! Our marriages should be model! Our humility genuine! Our self-awareness proactive and transformational! Our service should be meek and cheerful!
We pussy-foot around people that can say whatever they want, do whatever they want, act however they want, even if it hurts others - rather than rock the boat. We excuse hateful behaviors because we are "under grace," overworked ("if I don't do this thankless job, no one else will"), or "Oh that's just Uncle Bill and he'll never change, heh heh!"
I answer to no one but God.
I enjoy fellowship with a few very excellent ministries. I am part of expanding God's Kingdom, and am thrilled that God has placed me in partnership with talented people that are on fire for the Lord.
But, our achilles heel is that we still put up with childish behaviors from adults. We excuse words and actions that hurt others, because we do not have the backbone to defend those that were hurt.
I know what it feels like now. I know why I have been such an easy target all these years. I believe God is asking me to call out behaviors in the Church, that hurt our witness and make a mockery of His holiness.
We are the Body of Christ. We must act like it.
But before I proceed, let the reader know that I have a huge beam in my own eye. I may spend a few posts talking about it (actually, there are several). And I have some stumbling blocks, or thorns in the flesh, too, if you will. I need to take care of my own beam and thorns, before I go off and start calling out those that are tripping up the forward movement of God's kingdom.
Pray for God's wisdom, as we move forward.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
A Discussion with a Sales Expert
I met with a good friend of mine yesterday, who is a very successful and prominent sales trainer in the Ann Arbor area. On some future date, I would like to share more information with you, about this person - but for now let me keep his identity hidden, and only provide a summary of his advice to me:
* Most professional sales people are not different than the average person in our MLM. That is, they would be no more effective at MLM than the average person doing it the conventional way. This is because of an important factor in the field of adult education: most people do not change as a result of training. It is probably close to the 80-20 concept. Only 20 percent of people in a training program will actually "get it." And of those 20 percent, only 20% will actually change as a result of the training. The good news is that, if we can get good, world class training to ten of our people, one of them will become a star, benefitting everybody.
* Especially with Multi-Level Marketing, use something called the "Reverse Negative" approach. That is, assume that everyone we approach is not going to be interested. Tell them up front, that we do not want to sell them anything, or recruit them into anything we simply want some advice. When people tell us "I hope you do well, but I'm not interested" take them at their word. Now let's give them a chance to follow-through on their statement that they hope we succeed. Ask them for some help. People love giving advice!
My dad made an interesting observation last weekend. He said that most of our friends and family actually hope we fail. They do not want us making a dime in our venture! Now, if we say this we must add that this does not make them bad people, per se. It is just human nature. They do not like us approaching them with our "plan," and if we fail then they will not have to deal with us, and experience tells them that most people fail!
So put it out of your mind that you have much at stake in getting friends and family in. Your growth will come from people you do not even know.
* "Feel it, say it". Don't beat around the bush. Be up front with people and don't play games. Go ahead and say "I want you on my team," especially if that person has some special skill or talent that will benefit your team!
There is such a thing as good selling skills. We do not necessarily get it from our "in-house" training. Let's network to real pros that can help us, and go about building a team of people with skills that will benefit all of us!
* Most professional sales people are not different than the average person in our MLM. That is, they would be no more effective at MLM than the average person doing it the conventional way. This is because of an important factor in the field of adult education: most people do not change as a result of training. It is probably close to the 80-20 concept. Only 20 percent of people in a training program will actually "get it." And of those 20 percent, only 20% will actually change as a result of the training. The good news is that, if we can get good, world class training to ten of our people, one of them will become a star, benefitting everybody.
* Especially with Multi-Level Marketing, use something called the "Reverse Negative" approach. That is, assume that everyone we approach is not going to be interested. Tell them up front, that we do not want to sell them anything, or recruit them into anything we simply want some advice. When people tell us "I hope you do well, but I'm not interested" take them at their word. Now let's give them a chance to follow-through on their statement that they hope we succeed. Ask them for some help. People love giving advice!
My dad made an interesting observation last weekend. He said that most of our friends and family actually hope we fail. They do not want us making a dime in our venture! Now, if we say this we must add that this does not make them bad people, per se. It is just human nature. They do not like us approaching them with our "plan," and if we fail then they will not have to deal with us, and experience tells them that most people fail!
So put it out of your mind that you have much at stake in getting friends and family in. Your growth will come from people you do not even know.
* "Feel it, say it". Don't beat around the bush. Be up front with people and don't play games. Go ahead and say "I want you on my team," especially if that person has some special skill or talent that will benefit your team!
There is such a thing as good selling skills. We do not necessarily get it from our "in-house" training. Let's network to real pros that can help us, and go about building a team of people with skills that will benefit all of us!
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