Don't join a mlm because you will fail like most, is this really true?

Mflaclair: The main reason for the failure is that the industry is still using methods from the 50's to the 80's. The same marketing methods are being used such as: Make list of your friends and relatives, hand out DVD's, talk to anyone within an arms length. These techniques simply haven't worked in years.
These techniques haven't worked FOR YOU ... Guys like Jordan Adler, Todd Falcone, et al., sure seem to find them working just fine.

It burns me up that just because someone else has tried and given up, doesn't mean that certain methods do or do not work. This is a people business... people sharing products with other people. Plain and simple...

Most people are not trained from both an internet and communicative perspective to be able to establish a relationship and create financial transactions with people they find on the internet. MLM is about lots of people buying a little bit of product month after month... If you focus on primarily using the internet, you'll do one of two things in my opinion.

1. You'll likely never break deep into the levels of your company's pay plan because you just can't recreate your own ability to do internet marketing quickly enough or well enough with the people who found you.

2. If you attempt to train each and every one to be YOU (the internet marketer) then you'll run yourself ragged and aren't going to be able to leverage your time and enjoy the freedom that residual income provides.

All in all, my take on this is: find what is working for top earners and do that. Top earners aren't always the ones you can find by doing a google search either. Some of the wealthiest network marketers are people you've never even heard of.

Though, I enjoy this forum, it contains so many people that don't quite understand the difference between multi-level or network marketing and online or affiliate marketing. There's a huge-difference... Oftentimes on this forum, we have affiliate marketers giving new people MLM advice and vice-versa. They are totally different animals.

it really does depend on the system you become part of, if you dont enjoy it you will not go anywhere,

If you dont beleave in it you will not go anywhere

Its all in The secret

I'd say do your due diligence, find a REAL product that you can sellat a realistic price, put the effort in and you WILL succeed.
I started my first ever MLM experience in April 2009 and I'm really happy with how it's going - lots of the "extras" in life are now paid for from my residual income instead of my salary. I can only see it getting better next year!

Some says to me that mlm is a pyramid scam. I say well apparently you are not aware that Network marketing has been around for over 50 years and has proven itself beyond a shadow of doubt. This is well displayed in this video sharing commentary on how this industry is the place for creating your own income success story: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FANoGDj9GXk

While certainly all opportunities in mlm are not the same, the industry as a whole provides the best opportunity overall for average and ordinary people to establish a more financially abundant life.

I'm fairly new to network marketing / MLM, but I'd love to give my perspective as an internet marketer.

Marketing on the internet, whether via SEO practices, or social media / networking, is a game of numbers an patience. When I first got started, I would spend hours back linking, and fairly quickly I would see my websites climb up the rankings. I expected to see the sales start pouring in once I achieved top 5 in Google.

However, that was not the case, and I didn't know if it was my sales copy, my landing page design, or whatever. So, I setup some analytics, and some tests, and began figuring out where people were clicking, and where people were leaving my site. I'd make a few tweaks, and thought SURELY the sales would come in.

Nope, I still didn't convert well.

What I finally figured out was that to gain the trust of a customer, you need to establish yourself as an expert, with deep understanding of your business. A few web pages for some keywords at the top of google can not achieve this.

What I'm finding with network marketing / MLM is that traditional sales methods work for a small number of people. The best way to achieve success in this business is to find something you know really well, and market that. Get people to trust you, build a relationship without having expectations, and eventually you'll have people asking you questions. Once you've achieved that, you'll know how to work your business into the conversations.

Happy Holidays,

I joined a MLM a couple of years ago and I could have quit like alot of the people do. I stayed with the program and now I can say that it is paying off. I think that any mlm takes time. I would say that with a mlm a person has to see the need for it. Some people have failed because the company failed to update the program and the products. Then people do not have a use for product and it fails quickly. As long as the mlm is something that you like and is something that you don't mind marketing then why not. Me, I like to keep my investment as low as possible, some may come out better doing the opposite. The main reason why I joined a mlm is because I have a family member that joined one and is doing great. If I had not seen a person join one for my self and make money with it I may have not have joined one my self. I think with joining a mlm you have to ask your self some questions. One would be how is you and the product connected. I have seen people that would get into a electronics mlm business but don't know nothing about electronics. Now, how is that going to work when you have to make a presentation and people are there for you to follow through and you choke. Who's fault is that, it would be yours because you failed to evaluate the mlm before joining. I am to a point now where I can make money with any program. Why, cause I love helping people and I stick with the program until it brings results. Right now I'm into learning to master one program instead of spreading my self out. I guess now I'm trying to learn how to be more focused in my efforts.

If you are associated with a reputable MLM "Network Marketing" company and if your upline shows you how to duplicate there success. You will succeed!

talfighel: No, people don't fail in MLM. That comment is NOT true at all.

These people QUIT.

These are 2 different things.

Those who never quit and take consistent action do eventually succeed.

Tal
Totally agree! Sometimes MLM does take TIME to build your downlines in order to EARN.

Some people can't even wait for a month and quit. It's not the MLM fails. More likely, it's the people who quit are fail.

Interesting,

This subject has been around as long as MLM industry has, and like many have pointed out already, the main reason most fail is because they quit, and as we all know, in any business, if you quit, you will never see success.

With so many different methods to promote your business these days, some will still stick to the basics of old, home parties, hotel meetings, chase your friends and family, etc., so what works best is up to those who work it best. A sales strategy is only as good as the salesperson, and yes, MLM is all about selling, so again, this is why most people fail, they do not like rejection, and in MLM, you will get plenty of rejection. lol

This is why one must choose a business which offers true value, quality, good customer support, and naturally a product which sells itself helps too. Given most people do not enjoy selling, never mind cold calling, if you do not have a good personality or have a huge group of friends and family, forget it, MLM will be a hundred times more difficult. I have seen this pattern of failure grow and grow and it is why so many people fail, the rejection factor has grown along with the industry.

MLM works, but only for those who work it, and those are far and few between even given more people are unemployed or under employed, and are looking to supplement their incomes, the competition factor has become another obstacle which newbies will face in the MLM industry. We have all heard the staggering figures of 97% failure rates, and this is enough to scare off 97% who were introduced to MLM, so here in lies the problem, it has become extremely difficult for most to succeed, hence the problem for most is to get past these negatives and simply get started, live and learn, you will never get anywhere if you don't first get started.

We have all heard the success stories in the industry, and although they are inspirational, motivating to hear of these successful MLMers, you will learn it is not easy as it is made to sound by most promoters. This is why Amway had used the meetings strategy for years, to bring people into a room with successful MLMers to motivate them to success, but as I found out, most were fake it until you make it types, not really as successful as they were made out to be in most cases. I use to go out to the parking lot after these events to see who was driving what, and to me, this was a true gauge to success, you are what you drive, and wow, these supposed leaders were driving junkers, and parked way at the end of lots, and that said it all to me. lol

For those looking at MLM, hopefully this will help you decide if you have what it takes or not. It is not easy, but you can earn a nice extra income if you work it, and not quit. Given the severe recession, look for the products or services which truly save people money, preferably on what they are already purchasing anyhow, it is far more easy to promote transfer buying than it is to try and sell someone the same old same old overpriced vitamins, juices, wrinkle creams and diet deals. Value rules in an economic collapse, so save a customer money, and they will stick, if not, they will quit. Look for the free deals, those offering free samples, free to become a distributor and stair step system where no autoship is required, but offered for those who are seeing success. Your odds of success will go up 100% if you have no risk of losing hundreds, if not thousands to get started. The high dollar deals are not ideal for the newbie, so start with free offers is my best advice.

If you do your research, you will see this is a growing trend, free samples have been used for years by major companies, yet very rare in the MLM industry, and for a good reason, most start ups are under capitalized. Everyone can offer free samples, and if the quality is there, the convenience, saving consumers time and money, never mind the hassle of traditional shopping, then you will see success. Only a well capitalized company will offer truly free samples, so look for companies which use this method of launching, it is very effective, and catching on as more learn what I have over the years, Pay It Forward, Give To Receive, these are the real keys to success. I also use rebates which negate the cost on higher priced programs, and this too works great. Mentoring is what most will preach, but putting money from your pocket back into the pockets of your recruits is far more effective, especially when you teach them to do the same. Well, that is the lesson for the day, hope it helps more become successful in their MLM ventures than all the BS used by most in the MLM industry.

Success to all,

I agree with everything FREEBUSINESS said... EXCEPT:

FREEBUSINESSES: see who was driving what, and to me, this was a true gauge to success, you are what you drive, and wow


I think you will find most of those fancy cars are not paid for,
and in fact are mostly owned for show - fake it till you make it.

I'll go on public record I drive a 90 Toyota 4Runner, period.
It has the #1 after market warranty least claims ever.
Never let me down in the boonies or the city.
You can have your fancy smancy show cars.
A car is transportation and nothing more.
I go places a Ferrari can't.

The richest man in this town wore 10 cent shoes from goodwill.
Lucille Ball used to hang out with the wino under the bridge.

"Judge not lest ye be judged."

Good posts by many. LOL-I'm seeing you at most of the same forums, just like me. It is a shame we couldn't have all joined the same opportunity at the same time and just all worked towards having the same number in our downline and rotated a new prospect to the 'next guy in line'. Imagine what a powerhouse we would have had then!


John Brady

Just2EZ: I think you will find most of those fancy cars are not paid for,
and in fact are mostly owned for show - fake it till you make it.
Agreed,

I use to own a lease company, so I know full well how most do not own cars, but these examples are not the norm, just as you have stated, you happen to like a 90 Toyota 4Runner, nothing wrong with that, I was just using a general rule of thumb on how to qualify the people who are hyping an opportunity often are faking it, and few are making it was my point. There is an exception to every rule, but I learned not to take a persons word when it comes to MLM and if they are successful or not.

Success to all,

If you treat MLM like a business and not like a hobby or social gathering club, you can succeed. The keyword is business. Study successful business models and go to work. Even conventional business has a strong failure rate. MLM is low risk and you can leverage your time rather than your money. In the long term you can succeed and make a very good income.

To Your Success,

Marc LaClair

People believe that MLM is the epitome of business failure for individuals. Is such really true?

I do not believe this is true, because MLM has been around for years...I am sure everyone can think of a couple right off the top of your head, and they are still around today.

My opinion is that it takes a certain type of individual to be able to withstand the ups and downs of MLM or network marketing. So many people get involved and when they get told "no", they feel like a failure and quit.

When a person finds the right oppportunity that fits them as an individual, they can be successful. I believe having a strong, acheivable compansation plan, and a strong support system are key components of success in ANY business.

KarenSmith67: People believe that MLM is the epitome of business failure for individuals. Is such really true?

I do not believe this is true, because MLM has been around for years...I am sure everyone can think of a couple right off the top of your head, and they are still around today.

My opinion is that it takes a certain type of individual to be able to withstand the ups and downs of MLM or network marketing. So many people get involved and when they get told "no", they feel like a failure and quit.

When a person finds the right oppportunity that fits them as an individual, they can be successful. I believe having a strong, acheivable compansation plan, and a strong support system are key components of success in ANY business.
Exactly,

FIrst, most people who get into MLM are ill prepared or trained and this is why most end up quitting with a bad taste in their mouths and this is why industry and most newbies get shot down before they ever begin.

MLM involves selling, without moving products or services you will never make a dime. If a person is not a sales trained person, he or she will find it difficult to enter MLM industry, just as they would a commission only sales job. All too often people are lured into an MLM based on get rich quick, it is easy, anyone can do it, but this is rarely true.

You have to be dialed in to make it in MLM, knowing most will say no, not yes, and rejection is the first thing you have to face, especially in MLM. If you can train yourself not to take it personal, then you have a chance if you stick to it. Sales is not easy, nor is MLM, so saying it like it is works much better than the hype we are all familiar with in this industry.

Success to all,

Wow!! Great topic started by FreeCashMan.

I am here to thank FreeCashman for sharing to us some powerful videos about MLM and giving his input about MLM. Thank you FreeCashMan.

I agree 100% in those videos. To add to this information I highly suggest people to make sure they look at the product first, before they join that MLM business.

Meaning that you need to make sure it is a product you can use and believe in first. Then look at the compensation plan that goes with it.

If you like the product and compensation plan; then join that MLM business and go out there to make it happen. Then follow what those videos are telling you.

If you just like the compensation, then I highly suggest you do not join it. In other words, do not just have dollar signs in your head.

This is my input on this topic. Thanks again FreeCashMan for the video links and your information about MLM. Great topic!