Enough!
The first of 3 rants. The next 2 will be a lot louder and shorter. In reverse order, let’s start with #3.
Success Coach and respected networker, Kathy Zimmer told me to go for it.
What, you ask?
A rant, a good old fashion bully pulpit release. I need it, she knew it. Great coach that gal.
I used to get mad at the tool peddlers, fleecing the inexperienced, fearful and hopeful MLMers that didn’t know what to do.
Really mad. Why?
People making money on MLMers instead of ‘in’ MLM, with promises of ‘automated systems‘ and ‘secrets‘
And I mean lots and lots of money for junk, personal coaching at – get this – $400 bucks an hour.
One of them actually has the gall to wrap themselves in Jesus Christ to play with your emotions.
Good friend Tom ‘Big Al’ Schreiter helped me with that, then challenged me.
He told me and The Fabulous Davene, my lovely bride, that we can’t stop people from hurting themselves, especially the ones that lack common sense. That was the help part.
He then, in his very adroit way, suggested we’d had a lot of success and could, perhaps offer an alternative.
We did, posting lots of free networking skills and leadership tips that work.
So what’s my problem?
Common Sense
Mark Twain said, “Common sense isn’t so common.”
He’s right.
Need proof?
Next few times you’re in a restaurant’s public restroom check for the sign that says, “Employees must wash hands before returning to work.”
Ever notice it before?
It’s above the sink, below the mirror. Anyone who sees it is ALREADY washing their hands.
It needs to be on the door going out AND in the line of vision (for men and women), while they are reliving themselves. It ain’t in 99 cases out of 100.
Common sense? With food handlers? 25 years in that biz taught me a lot, including the signs current location is totally devoid of common sense.
Us networkers are a passionate but often irrational group.
And sometimes, occasionally, in our haste, we let go of our common sense.
This sets up today’s rant.
All these morons on-line telling you 95% don’t make it in MLM and do their ‘high ticket’ item instead, boasting a higher success rate, (implied, of course), are liars.
I’ve been approached lot’s of times and that is cool, but I am not OK with the yarn they are spinning.
Let me break it down for you. Not to burying these folks; they are just repeating what they are told, but to help all of us, think common sense first.
Most businesses fail. It’s part of succeeding. What I find tremendously interesting is that in over 200 emails I got over the last 2 years pitching me on MLM not working, 95% fail, what your upline won’t tell you, 7 dirty little secrets about MLM, etc., not one …I repeat, NOT one would offer me any proof. Yellow Flag.
And what about Mary Jones, who is making $400 a month over the cost of her product, loves the product and is home with her kids? Is she ‘failing’ to make great money? Seems no one wants to talk about that either.
These vipers peddle $2000, $7000, $12,000 entry fees, claiming the solution to MLM failure.
That is OK, except our investigation shows all the materials offered for that money can be had for free or a minute fraction of the cost.
How do they do it? They leverage impatience, fear, inexperience and they lie. Lie about the 95% failing in MLM while refusing not only to substantiate that but also refusing to show the success rate of those who they enroll. Now we move from yellow flag to red flag. If your way is better, show me. Nope. Why not? Bullshit follows, meaning obviously their success rate of enrollees is much lower than 5%
Look, I’m not opposed to ‘big-ticket’ items. I sold multi-million dollar deals when I was in direct sales. And I can tell you this: you’ve got to be great, have great skills to do that, sell big-ticket items honestly.
So here are some real numbers.
Most businesses, according to the United States Department of Commerce, fail. How many? 67% within 3 years.
The SBA points out over 90% fail and while franchising boasts a higher success rate, it’s not anywhere as good as the industry, (franchisors), want you to believe it is.
MLM? The beauty of MLM is no one has to ever lose a dime.
The home-based business tax advantage automatically puts people in positive cash flow, from Day One.
Success or failure as a highly profitable business is not really the point of sound business decisions. It is the risk-to-reward-ratio.
Nowhere is it better than MLM which puts big-time business success is a completely different light.
No risk!!
No money pressure, no advertising cost, no inventory, no state or city fees, lawyers…none of that crap to meet month after month.
It is great because it is a stress-free financially, risk-free with a huge upside and all the pressure is where it should be, on you, on me.
Control and zero risks? Are you kidding me?
Help your people understand what they really have a hold of here folks and fine tune their common sense a little when people tell them MLM does not work.
A lot of Think and Grow Rich (free copy, no sales page, do it! Just click on the book…we love giving stuff away), dedication to a couple of simple networking and leadership skills and some consistent work, along with common sense is really a small price to pay to alter the financial destiny of yourself and your tribe.
So my beef?
Most businesses fail, so did I, more than once. But we learn, grow, and finally figure out the stuff in Think and Grow Rich is true, not the negative selling going on. It’s common sense.
Who do you want to choose to believe? Hill, Stone, Edison, Wrigley, Ford, and 10s of 1000s of others, or some faceless, not willing to provide proof guy or gal claiming” 95% fail while selling about $300 bucks of reference material for $7000 bucks?
believe
mark januszewski
world’s laziest networker
I’m glad you listened to Kathy Zimmer, I can’t wait for the next two posts.
I love this!!!
People making money on MLMers instead of ‘in’ MLM. And Mark, as you well know, many have never cashed a check with a comma in it from any MLM company to qualify as an expert.
Good stuff and I am pleased to hear you. Just don’t fixate on it.
Wishing You Plenty To Live,
Tom Doiron
Atlanta
Mark
You are right on the money. I’ve been suckered into a few of these ‘schemes’. I’ve parted with quite a few bucks as well.
The biggest scam is the ‘get free leads’ deal. How to attract $400 leads per day……….yadda yadda yadda.
So I joined this guru for a mentoring program at the low low price of $3000.
His message was very persuasive. Old school was dead. He had the way. Let’s ‘attract’ mlmers by showing them how to get free leads and they will join you in your mlm.
Baloney!!
His YouTube marketing techniques of attacking other mlm companies or trainers got me shut down by Youtube. After opening several other accounts, the same thing happened so eventually I realised it wasn’t Youtube being the bully, but this guys training was flawed.
We were taught some pay per click stuff. Yep it worked for the new start up I was in at the time but soon faded away. On one teaching in which he opened up his Google account to show us how he was getting up to 400 leads per day I discovered his daily spend was up to……………
$3000/day and up to $20,000/mth!!!!!!!
Now I’m not sure how many first timers you’ve signed up in your mlm business, but I haven’t come across to many with an advertising budget of $20k/mth. Hmmmmm
Needless to say I eventually woke up to myself (after I suckered a few affiliates to buy the same doomed program off me; thereby recouping my $3k) and quit using this flawed system.
I have however have found a ‘system’ that last month helped my team grow by 7 people and get me a cheque.
That sysytem belongs to you my friend and I look forward to continuing learning from the Worlds Laziest Networker.
Thanks Mark J
Greg Reed
I love the information on tax advantages, as Mark says, who doesn’t want to pay less taxes. “Dedication to a couple of simple networking and leadership skills and some consistent work” sounds like something most don’t want to hear, however, it is exactly what it takes to succeed in Networking. If we change our habits, we change our lives. Creating a few positive habits daily will change our business. Unfortunately too many people buy into the “something for nothing” and are dis-appointed:) Thanks Mark.
[…] Yesterday’s post was rant #3……and theme was ‘common sense’……not what some people thought, an attack on BIG TICKET peddlers. Our Mom's Should Be Trainers, Remember Them Saying "Practice Makes Perfect?' […]
🙂
Thank you ray
Thanks Tom
Not fixating on things we can’t control is something we all learn in time……one of the few nice things about getting older 🙂
Best to you too Tom
No, thank your Marlena
You hit the nail on the head, dead center.
It’s about doing the righ things consistently enough so they become habit.
Habits, our habits, are, in fact, who we are…..thanks for reminding all of us of this simple truth
believe
mark j
This hits it out of the ball park, 95% of the people fail
in MLM? Really??
How about Real Estate?
Insurance?
Restaurants?
Marriage?
Armed Forces Boot Camp?
The list can go on.
We get paid based on the actual hours we put in our
business.
Just let the naysayers keep on yapping and hang in there
Baby.
MLM and/or Networking is still the best way to actually
be paid what we are really worth and then some.
Semper Fi,
Leonard The Lion
Hi there Mark,
With testimonials from guys like Greg Reed and his comment, new MLMers would all do themselves a favour to stop by and read this post. When you get so many people on Twitter claiming to earn so much money, you know the type 6 figure, 7 figure earners, perhaps it is time they pay some taxes.
[…] Laziest Networker, said a lot without saying a lot. Believe me, when Mark Januszewski gets on the bully pulpit he can say a lot…… And a lot…… And a […]