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This report, "MLM
Survival Guide" is one of fifteen reports
contained in the series, "How To Build A Lean, Mean MLM MACHINE...
By Mail! If you have not ordered the complete set, I urge you to
do so immediately so you can take full advantage of this program.
The purpose of this guide is to provide
a step-by-step procedure
for starting, operating and optimizing a mailorder & MLM based
business . . . and to do this without making serous mistakes
along the way. There are volumes of books on this subject, so
this guide will not attempt to "rehash" the "rose
colored" views
of these authors. Instead, this guide will show you a "lean,
mean, cut-to-the-bone" quick and easy way to succeed in your
business based upon the MLM MACHINE program. Also, you will be
shown tips to use, tricks to be aware of, and traps to avoid.
Why Most People Fail In MLM
As explained in other MLM MACHINE reports,
MLM is an explosive
growth opportunity and it is here to stay. Like it or not! Let's
review some MLM facts. There appears to be thousands of MLM
companies. Some of these MLM companies are well established
multimillion dollar companies, while most of them are not.
Many people have become wealthy in MLM, but about 97% of the
would be MLM'ers never make it! Therefore, before we go blindly
into MLM, let's analyze why 97% of the would-be MLM'ers don't
survive. Then let's see if the MLM MACHINE program minimizes or
eliminates any of these problems. That makes sense, doesn't it?
Let's bread down the problem in three categories.
1. MLM'er can't EFFECTIVELY recruit new
members.
2. MLM'er can't keep his program going. It runs out of
gas and dies a natural death.
3. MLM Company has serious problems.
I believe that sums it up. Either the MLM'er
can't get his
program started, can't keep it going, or the MLM company itself
goes "belly up."
Why New MLM'er Can't Effectively Recruit New Members
1. The MLM Paradox
According to Webster, the word "paradox" means, "something
with
seemingly contradictory qualities or phases." In MLM, there
is
a paradox that causes major confusion that must be understood
and dealt with. Here is the problem. MLM companies by law
cannot aggressively "push" the MLM opportunity as the
main
reason for joining their program. They must emphasize their
products and services and explain the MLM opportunity as only
a nice extra benefit. If they don't, all kinds of local, state
and federal government officials will attack them. Therefore,
they must be extremely careful about what their literature,
advertising and promotional material states, what they say in
meetings, etc. That is why we normally don't mention the MLM
company name when we use examples in these reports. We do this
just to avoid this kind of problem.
All MLM'ers are aware of the MLM "paradox"
problem. Look,
everyone knows, including the MLM companies and all the
distributors, that the real reason that most people get involved
with MLM is for the opportunity! Yet, the MLM literature and
the MLM distributor cannot tell you this directly without crossing
over the fine line of being illegal. In other words, it is
illegal to promote a MLM company if the sole purpose is to earn
profits by signing up new distributors with no regard to the
usefulness of the product or service.
Where does this leave the new MLM distributor?
Well, no one is
officially allowed to tell him how to go out and aggressively
recruit new members! Instead, he is always taught how to "promote"
the product and then "as an after thought" explain the
opportunity!
All up standing MLM companies will follow this procedure. What's
a fella to do?
TIP: Keep your lead generating methods
separate from your MLM
promotions. In other words, it is perfectly legal to promote an
opportunity any way you want to as long as you don't tie this
directly with a MLM company. That means that you can write your
own advertisements, etc. and generate all kinds of leads. But
when it comes time to discuss a particular MLM company, then us
the official MLM literature, guidelines, etc. when presenting that
particular company, products, and opportunities. In that way, you
are making a clear distinction between "lead generating"
and
promoting a particular "MLM company opportunity."
TRICK Use the MLM MACHINE as your lead
generating vehicle.
That's the "back bone" purpose
of the MLM MACHINE program . . to
generate MLM leads! The MLM MACHINE is not speaking for any
particular MLM company. Instead, it provides a method of operating
a mailorder "core" business that pays for itself while
you
automatically generate MLM leads. When it comes time to "promote"
a particular MLM company, let your customers request literature
for the MLM company(s) that interests them. Then use the official
MLM literature.
TRAP Don't attempt to promote and advertise
a particular MLM
company's opportunity before explaining the product or service.
This is in direct conflict with the MLM company's guidelines.
Instead, find people who have a sincere interest in MLM
opportunities, and then send to him the entire official MLM
package.
2. MLM Concepts Are Way Too Complicated
Whey most people are first exposed to their
first MLM
opportunity, they are over powered by the complexity and newness
of MLM concepts and terms. They are confused with all those new
terms such as "Network, Downline, Upline, Organization, Levels,
etc." Then there is the specific MLM plan that is being presented
that is always anything but simple. There is too much to absorb
quickly.
Then there is much suspicion. Is this a
pyramid scheme? Is it
legal? They have probably never heard of the MLM company that adds
to the problem. They find it hard to believe that they can really
make the kind of money being discussed. They probably suspect the
MLM distributor. And on and on. Right? So what happens? In most
cases, nothing! They simply don't sign up.
TIP Sell the MLM MACHINE first! That way,
your potential
candidate has been educated, and most of the initial education
problems have been overcome.
TRICK Be Selective! Don't try to sell your
MLM program to
everyone. Instead, spend your time selectively by writing, or
phoning, if you like, to only those that have already bought
the MLM MACHINE program.
TRAP If you have signed up with an upline
person who is not
promoting the MLM MACHINE program, you can have a problem. Don't
do it in the first place! If your upline is also promoting the
MLM MACHINE program, he is in an excellent position to help you.
3. Potential MLM Member Can't Decide Which
MLM Company To Join
Put yourself in his shoes. If he has been
investigating MLM
companies, he is sure to be confused with all those offers and
different companies. If he can't decide, he just doesn't sign up
with any MLM company! Does He? Well, if you are using the MLM
MACHINE package, and you are promoting only to those that have it
and read it, you have a very important advantage, don't you?
TIP There are literally thousands and thousands
of MLM
distributors who will jump at the chance to tell you which
companies you should get into and promote. If you want more
"advice" there are many books written by the "experts."
Understand one thing, every book and magazine article that you
read and everyone that you talk to will almost assuredly have a
"vested interest." In other words, they are either openly
or
subtlety trying to get you to sign up in their program. They
will be quick to explain that there are "golden rules"
and
guidelines to follow. Some will tell you to stay away from
"grown floor" opportunities since they are too risky.
Others,
will explain that this is where the big money is. Some will
explain why matrix MLM programs are better than others - and
visa versa. Some will adamantly advise you to be active in only
one MLM company - "be loyal" is their motto. Others, try
to sign
you up in multiple companies. Still others have put together
"Downline Building Teams," and will invite you to join
them.
They do all the work (You simply send to them money). With all
this "good" advise, what is correct?
I have noticed one thing about all these
"good" advice sources.
They never seem to ask me what my goals are. What is it that I
want? How in the world can someone give another person advice
before he understands that the objectives are? What is it that
you really want? When? How much can you afford to spend?
How much risk are you willing to take? What MLM programs and
products do you like? Before we even think about selecting a MLM
company, let's review the real world about MLM companies and
opportunities.
Most new MLM companies never make it through
their 2nd year.
This is because they are not properly financed, don't really have
a good offering, or the federal (Fed's ) government shuts them
down! The reason that the Fed's shut down some of these
companies is that there is a lot of unscrupulous people in MLM,
mailorder and in fact, all kinds of business.
MLM is no different from other companies
that frankly have about
the same survival length. New companies in any business, MLM or
not, have a tough time getting through the first few years. The
people that promote MLM companies never seem to get around to
explaining the real facts to you. But you need to understand the
dark side as well as the "rose colored glasses view."
Sound
scary? Well, it you were to invest $5,000 to $25,000 like some
MLM companies would like you to do, yes it would be scary. The
correct word is probably "foolish." Now let's take these
facts
and see if there is really a low risk, high potential waiting for
you.
So, back to the question, "How do
You Select the Right MLM
Company?" This is like asking, "What Stock should I buy?"
Brokers,
advisement firms, and the like will be quick to make their advice.
Wouldn't they? And why not - they all earn a fat commission or
other fees. do you think any of them really cares about you?
And if they really believed in their own "advice", why
don't they
mortgage their homes and buy in themselves? The fact is, "No
one
knows!" And that is true with MLM companies and buying stocks!
A
standard solution does exit however: diversify! Spread your
investment around! Why put all your eggs into one basket?
Now all of this doesn't mean that you should
select your MLM
company(s) with your eyes closed. There are some fundamental rules
and guidelines for you to consider. But before I offer my "advice,"
I will make my intentions clear and I will make one assumption.
First of all, my intentions are to use the MLM MACHINE program to
build a large MLM organization for all the "Highly Recommended"
MLM
companies that are listed in this program. And I want you to do
the same. The MLM MACHINE program is simply a way for you to
generate leads and recruit new MLM members. Once you and your
downline are recruited, it is up to the MLM company to provide
quality products and services. That's my intention and I make no
bones about it! Before I offer advice, my assumption is that you
are going to use the MLM MACHINE program to either launch or expand
your existing MLM program. That being the case, I can now make
sensible advice.
1. Select your MLM programs from the "Highly
Recommended" listing
in the report, "30 Choice MLM Programs That Can Be Promoted
FREE For
You?" These have been selected for good reasons and all are
compatible with the MLM MACHINE promotion. There are plenty of other
good MLM programs, but they may be awkward to promote through mail
or
through this program. Also, your upline can help you better since
he
is also using the MLM MACHINE program.
2. Enroll into at least 2 or 3 MLM programs.
This just makes good
business sense. As you know, the MLM MACHINE will automatically
and
effectively promote all your programs. There is no guarantee that
any MLM program will survive, so let's not be naive about this.
Safety is in numbers! Although we have chosen these companies and
have highly recommended a few to the best of our ability, one could
go sour. But they all won't go sour . . . at least at the same time.
And in the mean time, you should be making money with the one or
two
companies that you're in.
3. Build your one core MLM company that
is at least five years old
and is the best one that you can find. Write for literature on our
#1 ranking program. Consider our #2, #3, #4 and #5 "Highly
Recommended" for diversification. Since some of these can be
promoted easier and faster, you may want to vigorously promote
these programs while you are building your slower, but stronger
#1 program.
4. Get into MLM companies that you have
total confidence in.
There is nothing quite as frustrating as trying to promote a product
or a company that you don't really believe in. Stick with the
winners with a few years of success behind them!
5. Make sure that the MLM company(s) that
you select have
inexpensive literature that you can send by mail in a cost effective
manner. This just makes good mailorder sense!
TIP Request the literature for all five
"Highly Recommended"
MLM programs that we list. That way, you can evaluate these
programs immediately without lost time. Then decide!
TRICKS Concentrate on your method of lead
generating, instead
of trying to sell everyone your MLM company. Let the MLM MACHINE
do the lead generating and "selling."
TRAP Don't be a "MLM junkie"
without a plan. Human nature is
to entice you into many different exciting "ground floor"
MLM
opportunities. These can be fine, but you will lose your shirt if
you don't have a coherent plan that makes sense. work this program
and its offering to the fullest before you take off in other
directions.
4. No Upline Support
Once a person joins a new MLM program, he is vulnerable and nees
a lot of help from something or someone. In many cases, his
upline is not actively helping him for whatever reason. This
happens a lot when the upline person is simply sponsoring as
many people as he can with no regard to what happens to them
after they get sponsored. In most standard MLM programs, it
is important that the new person gets immediate assistance
from a local person, meetings or what have you. Otherwise his
chances for survival are slim to none.
TIP Depend more on your lead generating
"system" instead
of your upline personal. Look, we are all human. If I sponsor
you, and I die tomorrow, where does that leave you? If you are
completely dependent upon my ability to help you, then you would
be in big trouble. Right? Stick with the MLM MACHINE "system!"
You can then survive with or without your upline. In that way,
any help that you get from your upline is "gravy." Fortunately,
with the MLM MACHINE system, there is also a lot of "gravy."
TRICK As explained in the report #4, buy
some leads from your
upline if you need them, and sell your surplus ones to your downline.
TRAP Be wary of "Downline Building"
companies. They want to
sponsor you, and you could wind up paying as much as $100 to $200
for each person that they arrange to be sponsored for you.
5. New MLM'er Can't Sell
This is probably the major reason most
people don't make it MLM.
By using standard MLM techniques, you have "just got to"
sell and
learn how to speak at opportunity meetings and the like.
TIP The MLM MACHINE simply removes this
problem! You can
promote 100% by mail!
TRICK Use the Mailorder offerings to earn
profits while you
are promoting MLM opportunities.
TRAP Don't attempt the conventional MLM
methods of selling by
mail. Since these methods are attempted by thousands of other
distributors in the same company, they generally are ineffective
and very costly.
6. MLM'er Cannot Generate Good Leads
Next to the selling problem, this has to be the next biggest reason
most people fail in MLM. Let me paint you a picture of what
normally happens. The new person has just signed up in an exciting
MLM program. He is taught by the manuals, meetings and so forth,
how he should "share" his product with his friends, neighbors
and
relatives. Normally, he is not comfortable with this, and if he
is
typical, he will have many sleepless, tossing and turning nights!
He just doesn't want to "impose" on his friends! He would
feel a lot
more comfortable just presenting his opportunity to strangers. But
to whom? Unless his upline sponsor can get to him immediately, this
guy is sure to be a fatality!
TIP Use the MLM MACHINE mini-flyers to
circulate locally and
mail postcards to your "inner warm circle." That way you
can generate
all the leads that you want, and you don't have to impost on anyone.
Let the MLM MACHINE do all your selling for you.
TRICK Explain this program to a couple
close friends and propose
a business venture in that you and they will do a little local
advertising. That way, you can sign up your friends and both you
and they will generate a lot of fast leads.
TRAP Don't procrastinate! You may have
a wonderful opportunity,
but if you don't take action, you will be "dead in the water."
7. There Is No True Duplicative System
If the MLM company must be promoted through
expensive methods, this
is not feasible. Also, if you must learn how to sell, or to speak
and conduct an opportunity meeting - friend, this is just not
duplicative. It just isn't! Only a few people can do this. Here
again, is a very important reason a lot of would be MLM'ers die
on
the vine.
TIP Simple. Use the MLM MACHINE program.
It is duplicative
for both promoting locally and nationally. That problem is simple
solved.
TRICK Follow up with your first level of
people. You can do this
by letter or phone. If you have signed up someone that is not active,
replace him with someone new, but keep all your first level people
active.
TRAP You feel obligated to do your downline's
work. Look, your
job is fairly simple. After you sell the MLM MACHINE package, your
downline, like you, knows what to do. The MLM MACHINE will do 98%
of the training for you and your downline. Your only other job is
to try to generate a few surplus leads that you can pass (sell)
on
to your downline. That's pretty much it. If your downline can't
follow suit, don't waste time with him! Your objective is to have
an active first level of people. But only a few!
8. MLM'er Sells By Mail Using Standard
MLM Techniques
We have written on this in other MLM MACHINE
reports, but because
this can cause many "fatalities," it must be included
here.
TIP Use the MLM MACHINE approach. You can
start and operate
a profitable mailorder business while generating MLM leads. Run
your "core" business like a mailorder business instead
of a MLM
business.
TRICK Promote your mailorder business locally
first, and then
expand it nationally if you like. That way, you keep your up front
cost down and you get fast results.
TRAP Unless the MLM company has a proven
mailorder method (and that's
very unlikely), never, never attempt to promote the MLM program
by
mail using standard MLM techniques. It's way too expensive, too
competitive, and it is not duplicative.
MLM'er Can't Keep His Program Going Strong
9. MLM'er Not "Sure" About His
MLM Company Or Service
Often a person will "sign up"
in a MLM program in a "fit of
excitement." After the dust clears, he comes down to earth
and
reality slowly sets in. He then starts having doubts about the
company, the product or service and his own ability to promote it.
If he has enrolled in a program that is not well established,
he may have some well founded fears. If the company is not at
least two years old, things can get very shaky very quickly. The
slightest amount of financial problems or bad press can crater this
company over night. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the
new MLM'er to align himself with a solid company with unquestionable
products and services!
TIP Pick an established, financially sound
MLM company that
is at least two years old with unquestionable products or services.
That way, you can feel good about the company and products that
you
are promoting. There is nothing quite like being able to "tell
the
complete truth" to your prospective customers.
TRICK Don't select a MLM just because you
are "in love" with
the product. Put your emphasis on the business, the money making
potential, and the capability of the MLM MACHINE to help you promote
it.
TRAP Don't get awe struck with a company
that is not being
promoted by the MLM MACHINE. If you join one of these, the MLM
MACHINE can help some, but not near as much. Then you will be
forced to use standard MLM techniques to promote this other company.
10. New MLM'er Doesn't Stick With It Long
Enough
TIP Starting any company takes time, and
this is true with
MLM as well. By the time you study the MLM MACHINE program, write
and receive literature: study this and sign up; get the literature;
etc. - it takes time! And then you have to generate your leads and
so on. Also, there is a lead time before you get your first check.
And then your organization has to take time to grow. And on and
on.
The point is, it will take several months before you can expect
much
of anything to start to happen. You should set in your mind that
you
are going to stick with this for at least one year! That just makes
good business sense.
TRICK Use the Mailorder promotions to earn
money during the
interim time. That way, you are earning extra profits and generating
a lot of surplus leads to help your downline.
TRAP Don't spend all your initial promotional
money on one
thing and all at once. Do a little testing. Spread it out and find
out what works best for you. If you "blow it" all in one
big shot,
and it doesn't work, then what?
MLM COMPANY IN SERIOUS TROUBLE
11. Your MLM Company Gets into Serious
Trouble
Here is something that can happen, so you
had better be prepared for
it. As I have mentioned before, there are some excellent MLM
companies, and some not so good. But any company can get into
serious trouble, and a lot of MLM companies certainly do. they can
get into financial problems, or get bad "press," management
problems,
etc. Anything can happen, and if you are one of the unlucky ones
to
be promoting this company, you could quickly become another MLM
fatality. Particularly if you are promoting only this one MLM
company.
TIP Diversify. Look, we both know that
MLM offers many
wonderful opportunities. We also know that this is a volatile
industry. That doesn't mean we should not participate. If you had
to invest several thousand dollars in one MLM company, then I would
be worried. But that is not the case here. You can partake in
several MLM companies for less than $200 a month, and still enjoy
the benefits. Can't you? Let's face it. Although the companies
that are listed "Highly Recommended" in the MLM MACHINE
are excellent,
solid companies, they may not be perfect. In fact, some may go "belly
up." But not all at once! Worst case, you will be in a MLM
company
at least a few months or years before they get into trouble. Now
tell
me you won't have made a profit even with that company!
TRICK Sponsor your first level quickly.
That way, your income
will more than cover your costs. With the MLM MACHINE, this can
be
done with just a little extra effort. Then show your first level
how to do the same. That way, you earn profits quickly and stay
ahead of the game.
TRAP Don't be a MLM "junkie"
without a plan. diversifying with
a good coherent plan is one thing, but just buying into a lot of
MLM
companies is a "no-no." But yet, did you know that there
are many
people that buy into dozens of MLM programs without promoting any
of them? The MLM MACHINE program solves that problem - doesn't it?
* * * MORE * * *
How To Build A Secure Income
TIP When you can afford it, buy into more
MLM programs and
other mailorder offering advertised in this program. Re-invest some
of your profits and round out your MLM companies to at least three.
Start promoting the MLM MACHINE again so you can recruit members
into
your new MLM programs. When you do this, you will generate surplus
leads for your original MLM programs. At this point, you can either
feed these leads to your existing downline, or start to build a
second
organization.
TRICK Consider forming a co-op advertising
group made up of
your downline. You can advertise locally or nationally. You simply
put the advertising package together, and your downline pays you
so
much for a block of this advertising. That way, they get tons of
leads, and your downline builds automatically.
TRAP Don't forget the method that you used
to succeed. After
you become successful, you will want to work closer with the
individual MLM companies that you are promoting. All these
companies have "grand" ways that they want you to use
and teach.
Beware! Stick to the system that worked for you. If you want
to become active in speaking engagements, opportunity meetings
and the like, then that's another story. But don't get caught up
in the glamour and tinsel that could mislead you after you have
become a highly sought after speaker!
Best Regards
and Good Luck!
