SSW363 Is Networking a Bad Business Model? Is MLM a Pyramid?

What are the facts that you should know if you’ve launched or are thinking of launching a business in the Network Marketing Profession.

 

I was recently in a Facebook group filled with women looking for a way to work from home; to be there with their children; to stave off some health concerns.

 

And, over and over again, many of these women would say - I DON’T WANT TO DO AN MLM OR NETWORK MARKETING STYLE OF BUSINESS MODEL.

 

Why? I wondered. I get it. I also thought. And, then had to ask -

 

 

Is network marketing a bad business model? Is there something inherently wrong in the structure and operation of MLM?

 

Or, is it something someone is doing that creates that thought?

 

If you’ve already launched a network marketing business, you may be having some doubts or some second thoughts. You may be hearing opinions of other people or reading some different things on the Internet that have you thinking is:

 

Is network marketing a Bad Business Model? Is MLM a Pyramid?

 

What would make something, including MLM really and truly a pyramid scheme; what things do I need to be aware of before I start in a business in the Network Marketing Profession.

 

I’m Jackie Ulmer, with over 26 years in the network marketing profession, and I understand these questions. I struggled with skepticism about network marketing and MLM in the very beginning; about the business model in general.

 

Not because I was educated about network marketing, but because I had heard some “things” that other people said that led me down that path of thinking that there was something wrong with the system of network marketing.

 

In fact, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Network marketing in and of itself is a beautiful business model and it can provide amazing things for you; provide an amazing income opportunity; that desired time freedom along with that financial freedom. There are tremendous growth and leadership opportunities.

 

The type of opportunities that many people don’t have access to in corporate America or the traditional working environment.

 

The challenge becomes that some of those in network marketing who lead us down the path of thinking it’s easier than it is. We hear “oh it’s so easy; we’re all going to get rich and “get” people into the business; we’re going to “convince” a few people to do this.

 

We hear a lot of things like that and those are the things inherently that ARE bad about some of the people who work in Network Marketing and MLM.

 

Nobody wants to be “gotten” into any kind of deal. Nobody wants to be convinced to do something.

 

I coach my clients on paying attention to what they say; what they hear people say; and using solid success language to create interest that doesn’t feel scammy or spammy.

We cover this in depth in the Street Smart Wealth Academy; you can go to StreetSmartWealthAcademy.com to learn more.

 

We cover this in depth. We identify your ideal client; what it is that they’re absolutely looking for; what’s the greatest challenge or obstacle that they have and what is the solution that you offer.

 

We develop that in a way that we can position ourselves with good, interesting success language that creates an interest for those people who might be looking for what it is that you offer.

 

Remember in network marketing, we have two different offerings -We have our product or service; our program or offer that we sell;  and then, of course, we have the business opportunity itself.

Try not to mix these two things too much, in the beginning. Stay with the customer side, and talk about the product if that’s the path that you’re starting down. You’ll always have the opportunity to share the business side of it when the timing is right and presents itself.

 

Another thing I want to caution you about is language around  overcoming objections. Nobody wants to think that their objections are being “overcome.”

 

Instead, you want to be a good listener; listen to people objectively; listen to what that objection really is, and recognize it as an opportunity to serve and sell. So don’t run from objections. Don’t let objections be upsetting to you and don’t let it make you

fearful.

 

The biggest thing for you to do is work hard to develop the business skills you need so that you can meet more people; build rapport with them and find out more about them. Listen intently and speak intuitively so that you can share with them what it is that you do and what the solution is that you provide to the challenge or the obstacle that they have.

Know how to position yourself out there with social media. It is such a great tool to do this because people are posting all the time about their problems or challenges; getting laid off from a job; taking a pay cut; being on unemployment - different things with the pandemic.

 

Listen and then develop that success language to position yourself and your offer to be something that really, truly creates that win-win.

 

When you operate your business that way, you very quickly see that nothing is inherently wrong or bad about Network Marketing or MLM.

 

In fact, it does become much easier; much more streamlined; much more elegant to build a business when you operate in this way.

Again, I am Jackie Ulmer; you can find me over at StreetSmartWealth.com  to learn more about my coaching and how I can assist you in growing the dream business you desire. We are in a crazy, amazing time to build a successful business. I say crazy because in this Corona Virus COVID19 Pandemic, there is some bad stuff. And, there is also amazing opportunity when done right.

 

Join me on Facebook in our private group - http://StreetSmartWealthSchool.com

 

And, grab my social selling guide - http://StreetSmartWealth.me