Did You Pick The Right MLM?- DO NOT Let Your Upline Know You’re Reading This Because…

I hear it all the time, “My company is the…”, greatest, best, best comp plan, integrity-  insert any positive adjective you want. I’ve been in this industry over 30 years, I may not have seen them all, but I’ve seen most…

…And one of the biggest mistakes professionals make when choosing an opportunity is that they pay attention to the wrong things…especially in MLM.

WARNING; This is NOT a short read but, if you really, really want to make sure you're gonna make money in this business...take the time to read this entirely- I guarantee you it won't take as long as the 20 years it took me to get this same information.

 And just to be crystal clear, this article may not be for you so let’s make sure we don’t waste each others’ time…this is NOT for you if;

• You already have a 6 figure MLM income- you probably stopped listening a long time ago. It’s ok, you’ve earned the right to believe you’re right and, as one of my Mentors, Val Smyth has said, “What You Argue For, You Get To Keep.”
• You’re so convinced you’ve got the right program, even though your bank account can’t verify that decision, you only want to read this to prove me wrong. Please see your genealogy report before contacting me…and ya, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.
• If you’re not making money with your program and you’ve been in it for more than 30 days there’s only 2 reasons why- either you’re lazy, in which case, I can’t help you…or, you drank the KoolAid? when they told you this business takes a while to make money…(because if you picked the right MLM and…you’re NOT lazy, you should be adding reps, already. Period)

Look, I’m not trying to be a jerk, but I’m old enough now to say what I feel, from the heart, without the worry of other people’s opinions…

…and I’m saying this for people just like me…who didn’t get this message in time…

…I lost thousands in this business, FOR YEARS…and NO ONE, no one should have to go through the struggles I went through to get here.

(And this is for ya fact checkers- I’ve got almost 19,000 people in my organizations in more than 40 countries. I add over 40 reps a week into my MLM programs…and yeah, I can prove it- with an actual genealogy report)

So How Do You Pick The Right MLM? Or For Most Of You Reading;

Why Do You Think You’re MLM Is The Best?

The first person that contacts me and talks about their comp plan, product, service, their companies great revenue…their upline or the companies integrity….you can go pound salt. And take that crap with ya cause you’re gonna need every bit of salt in your shaker!

Oh wait…I forgot the scientists, doctors, mathematicians, magicians and ‘relationship builders’…I’ll start with the scientists…or…you know what, even the smarty pants who thinks science has all the answers…

Just tell me which scientist or science verifier you are…the one that quotes the scientists that taught me Columbus discovered America and the ones that told me there were 9 planets, there is no water on Mars…or the ones that say…nevermind, I’ll just go and wash my mouth out with my own bar of soap- thanks for your help.

I’m here for people like me (not the rude ones- that’s just my salty, Arizona, sun soaked tongue talking…I’m a real nice guy once ya get past that).

I’m here for the person reading this who QUIT- stupid, network marketing- it’s lame, I’m never, ever going to do that again…wait, what….it’s got what? Ok, I’ll take just a peek, dammit!

I’m in again!

I’m here for those of you like me who’ve been too stupid to quit, because you’re just smart enough to know that the MLM business is THE GREATEST opportunity for average people just like me…more so than any other frickin’ business on the planet.

Ask LinkedIn?, Facebook? or any other social media what their business model is built on….um, yeah…word of mouth- that’s MLM. Now maybe their comp plan isn’t the same, but the marketing…is ALL MLM.

I’m here for people like me who just want the honest truth no matter what…

…because I AM, always will be an entrepreneur…but the kind that always has to build my businesses from the straps of my boots. Donald, if  you’re reading- I respect ya, but my bank account isn’t as fat as yours…I ain’t got a couple Mil to throw down for your high rise you keep trying to find investors for here in Scottsdale (Btw, the city will NEVER approve it).

I grow businesses or make my money from scratch…but that DOES NOT mean so broke that I can’t afford to invest in myself.

Right now, please read carefully- if you’re broke, MLM is NOT for you…actually, owning ANY business is not for you. Get a J.O.B., now. You absolutely must have, SOME money to invest in yourself…more than just your start up cost. Period. (I worked 2 jobs, from 3a-5p every day to make enough money to have SOME money to continually invest.)

And btw, you tool merchants, you people who pitch crap like traffic packages, data capture pages…the ones where you get to sell it to the next idiot…but you have NO PROOF that your tool is working for the person that buys it other than their opportunity to resell it- yep, you can take your crap…and here’s some salt to go with it, you can take that junk and your eyes and go read something from someone else- you have the integrity of a hyena. I’m wasting your time anyway.

K, so assuming I’m left with the only other pair of eyes that see like mine, eyes that really, really want to know how to pick the right MLM, this…

THIS IS FOR YOU.

Look, I rant because I’m passionate about helping people…and no, I’m not a saint and I’ve got a colorful history, I’m just a knucklehead with a cause, but I’m absolutely ashamed our industry has such a high failure rate (apart from lazy people) and I’m SICK OF IT!

We can fix it.

How Do You Pick The Right MLM?

So, right off the bat, let’s talk about revenue….no wait, before we take a look at revenue, let me simply point out…

The MOST Important Factor Between Success And Failure Is…

Marketing

...and please, please read this carefully. Marketing is THE MOST important piece of the puzzle and without trying to hurt your feelings, if you’re still reading, if you’ve been in your program for 30 days and WITHOUT using ANY warm market, if you haven’t added several people…

…I’m going to say it- You probably made the wrong choice. And it’s ok not to believe me, I mean who the heck am I to tell ya that, right?

Only you can determine my reasons because no matter what I tell you, they are only opinions…until you agree, and then and only then does it become a reason, truth, because only your opinion matters- my opinion is irrelevant. So do your research, find out more about me and whether or not I know what I’m talking about- don’t worry, this article will still be here waiting for ya if you conclude to agree with me.

The reason I said what I did, that you should already have reps in your downline, without ANY warm market sign ups…even if you’ve only been in for 30 days, is because if you found the right upline, even if your company, product and comp plan stinks…your upline should have a plan that brings you prospects…then they should teach you how to get results. Why? Because that’s how every other business plan using the franchisor/Independent Contractor works. Look at insurance or real estate.

You might want to read that again- your upline should be bringing you prospects.

Bet they don’t. 99% of uplines have absolutely no idea how to do that. To them, you’re supposed to bring them prospects. Not true.

(Don’t get me wrong, your warm market, and getting them to a presentation is still a great technique, but in todays world- it’s just not enough)

If you bought a McDonalds? franchise, would you have to rope your family into your car and bring them to your store?

Or does McDonalds? take care of that, making sure everyone within 10 miles knows they have a location….your stores location?

And here’s where the gnashing of teeth begins, I can hear companies and leaders grinding their teeth…

“MLM is not the same as these comparisons…MLM reps are responsible to ‘make their list’, to ‘drive the market’.”

Oh ya? Hey leaders and companies…did you know the success rate for MLM reps is actually falling, dramatically, for over 30 years now?

Seriously. The amount of people getting involved rises and falls periodically and that’s always been based on many factors…but, the traditional methods and expectations of the average MLM rep have actually produced even less successful results over the last 30 years. Why?

Geez, could it be that we as an industry need to rethink our ‘traditional’ techniques? No they’ll say…our companies and leaders are making more money than ever before.

Touché.

Um, stop for just a minute and think about this business, MLM, and how it relates to any other business of a similar model. Heck, let’s use the LinkedIn? model since we’re here.

Do you have to go find your own connections by going down to the street corner with a cardboard sign that says, “Will Work For LinkedIn? Connections”? Don’t laugh, think about it. Do you have to bug the crap out of your family and friends to ‘connect’ with you? Do you even want them too? Isn’t that what Facebook? is for?

LinkedIn is for business. It’s what they promote, right? Do you have any idea how much money they spend on advertising to drive people into this social media platform? Do you know why they do that?

For you. Why? Because they want to prove to you and I that they have created a platform of business people, for business people. Why? Because they want to provide a platform of ‘prospects’ to help you grow your business. Why?

So they can make it so sick sweet to be here…that you’ll pay to be a member. So you and other businesses will buy advertising here, duh. Btw, if you’ve been on here for more than 3 months and you’re not a paid member, shame on you. Either you haven’t used this platform correctly since you joined or….man, I hope you’re not just a ‘freeloader’.

I’m extremely grateful for this platform…and I pay for it, gladly. And I do it because being here makes me money. And it should do the same thing for you, if not, ask for help.

But the point is- LinkedIn? brings me my prospects! Ya, it’s still my job to find my very particular audience in here, it’s my job to ‘prospect’, to sift and sort. But, this is social media, and it’s an MLM. And MY upline…is LinkedIn?. And they, they provide my prospects. And THEY….they are fantastic frickin’ marketers!

Not such a great comp plan…I mean, your membership pays me nothing…but I didn’t have to pay for the advertising either.

Anyway, back to picking the right MLM…besides LinkedIn?.

All I’m saying is that if we, as entrepreneurs, want different results, results going in the positive direction rather than the negative direction- don’t we have to DO something different to EXPECT something different?

Now let’s Go Back to Revenue

Bet you get excited talking about how much money your company is generating…my favorite is when someone says, “Our company is the first company to hit the Billion dollar mark in (X) years.”

Ya? Good for you…how many reps did that volume put in your downline? How much money did that make you? Stop it.

Do you know, as a marketer, that’s not good news? Why?

Because you’re growth rate is actually too large, your company name is getting too well known…that’s a BAD thing silly. I can’t believe how many people buy that crap. Show me one single rep, ONE, that made more money starting from scratch, because their company exploded. Stupid.

But companies and leaders love to spout this crap. Why? Because it does make them more money…BECAUSE THEY didn’t start from scratch. Companies and leaders that spout off about this stupid, irrelevant crap are almost always the companies that use ‘poaching’ (like that silly cosmetics company) to ‘steal’ leaders from other companies, then pay them to ‘swing’ their downline.

Look, poaching and swinging are not bad techniques, they’re great, powerful, awesome techniques…but not for people at the bottom. They’re frickin’ horrible for people at the bottom…because those companies and leaders are always the ones who do the least to help with marketing for their downline…they might pitch and present their asses off- but that’s not the most important part of marketing. Period.

Let’s talk comp plans.

Show me one leader at the top of any company comp plan that whines they aren’t making enough money. Crickets, that’s what ya hear….every single top money maker in every single company is making a crap load of money.

Stop it. Quit touting your stupid comp plan- no one cares…except for greedy, silly little people who mostly never make a nickel…but boy, they sure have a killer comp plan. Dumb asses.

That’s enough about comp plans.

What other factors do most people…

Oh, right…let’s talk about the best product…

Again, show me a leader at the top of any MLM comp who has such crappy products they’re not making any money. Crickets.

They are some products better than others-

Exclusivity, protection, something completely unique…but the absolute, most important part- IT SHOULD HAVE A U.S.P.

Unique Selling Proposition…If

If you don’t want to have to work twice as hard to make less money.

Can you make money marketing just vitamins, minerals and special fruit, vegetable juice or extracts? Sure, but you’re walking up a very steep hill. Why? Because One-A-Day? and Flinstones? will kick your ass…and don’t tell me how much better your vitamins and shakes are, your market doesn’t care…want proof? One-A-Day? and Flintstones are already and still…kicking your ass! Duh.

And don’t get me started on choosing to sell something that’s readily available in the consumer marketplace for 60-70% MORE than you can get it for at any other source! And don’t even go back to the above argument about how your ‘metal’ or any other product is ‘different’…your opinion is saw dust!

The opinion of your consumer is the only opinion that counts…except your leaders and companies LOVE that you think ‘it’s different’- that’s what keeps you on autoship! Duh.

But the average consumer….they keep looking at you like you’re speaking a foreign language when you try to ‘pitch’ them on how different it is the minute they found out it ‘sounds’, ‘looks’, ‘is’, ‘tastes’ exactly like…

Now, if you want to work uphill, overcome the opinion someone has because they’ve already heard of your company, already buy a similar product for less money….go ahead. Actually, much respect to you…not for your intelligence but certainly for your tenacity.

Having a U.S.P. gives you a distinct advantage in the marketplace instead of a distinct disadvantage in the marketplace.

So Let’s Move To Company Integrity

Integrity has nothing to do with whether or not you’ll make money. Some of us chose to make our company selection because of our integrity and because we feel the company we pick has that same level of integrity but…

…integrity is NOT a conditional requirement for profit- Ask Bernie Madoff.

Conclusion

So maybe I haven’t specifically helped you ‘pick’ the right company, partly because I’m not attempting to cross-recruit you. But, this should give you some serious food to chew on and…

When someone gives me their trust and confidence, and allows me the opportunity- I call that person ‘A Partner’ because that’s truly how I see our relationship. My job, in my opinion, is to provide for you an entire marketing system, from top to bottom…that I can PROVE works, my job is to help you create prospects, bring YOU prospects and…help you to work your warm market, local market, any market my expertise can be applied to that will help us both grow a business…together. I believe, and take very seriously, that my job is to help you learn how to do that to, to teach you every single thing I’ve learned in more than 30 years…cause let’s be honest, I don’t have another 30 years to spend gaining this knowledge again. Do you?

In fact, I’m so confident that I can help any partner, I Actually Insure 100% Of ALL Monetary Risk- For 100% Of My Partners. Did your upline or company do that?

Anyway, if you’d like to debate the subject more or challenge my points, I welcome the discussion. Message, email or call me, I’d love to help you before…before we bump into each other a year from now and you tell me why you didn’t make any money with the company you’re in right now….

…because 95% of you reading this right now, that’s exactly what’s going to happen- never bet against the house odds unless you’ve got the money to lose…

…cause I’ve been doing this more than 30 years and maybe I haven’t heard ALL of those reasons and stories why people fail, but I’ve heard most of them. Those are excuses, not reasons.

Do you know the difference between a reason and an excuse? Before you read this, your failure wouldn’t have been your fault. Now that you have read this, if you fail…you know why.

I hope you take a step back….and truly take a min to go, “Huh…ok, let’s chat.” If and when, I’m here.

I may not tell ya what ya want to hear, but I’ll always tell ya the truth.

P.S. Look I know, sometimes I can be a bit abrupt maybe. But, I'm as frustrated as you are if you're not making money in this business, especially if you've been in this business for more than 30 days. I'm frustrated because I'm here- I do very well, but I'm also frustrated because you're there- you're not making money. If this article agitated you a little bit- good. I hope it makes you uncomfortable enough to do something about it.

P.P.S. If you believe you are that person who works hard and you want to make sure you don't miss, I would discuss a partnership with you, but as someone very close once said, "I hope you're for real...cause I guarantee I am."