Imagine
Imagine a world where everyone tells it like it is. Rather than
as it isn't. Imagine a world where you could not get rich
overnight but you could become wealthy over time. Imagine a
world where your financial rewards were directly related to how
hard you work. Imagine a world where ethical business practices
were rewarded by loyal customers and repeat business. Imagine a
world where reality was not something that killed a deal but
made it. Imagine a world where the charlatan was seen for what
he is and not as someone who has the magic power to release us
from the tyranny of effort. Imagine.
Those of us earning a living on the Internet recognize its true
potential. We also recognize the damage caused by those who
perpetuate the fantasy of another kind of WWW. Wealth Without
Work. It just doesn't exist.
If you want to make serious money on the Internet then, with a
few exceptions, you really need to be involved in network
marketing. Many of you reading this article are already involved
in one or more network marketing programs. One of the most
important objectives (along with selling your product at the
retail level) is introducing new people to the business aspects
of the program in the hope that they will join your network (or
downline) of distributors. If they do so, you earn a commission
on their sales.
Imagine what would happen if you told it like it is rather than
your usual hyped-up promises that you know deep down where it
counts are only going to fall flat. Imagine what would happen if
you told your prospects that it was probably going to take them
a solid six months of work before they even started making money
with your program. Nine out of ten would move on, right? Maybe
nine point nine would move on. Good! Good? Yes, good! Why do you
want to waste your time and effort on the nine who are not
prepared to do what it takes to make a success of your program?
You don't become wealthy by having a lot of people in your
downline. You become wealthy by having productive people in your
downline. One productive person will always be MUCH more
valuable than ANY number of people who never do anything with
the opportunity before them.
So why not spend your time and effort weeding out the
tire-kickers? Make people have to QUALIFY for your attention.
Force them to make an investment in your opportunity BEFORE you
make an investment in them. Protect yourself from people who
would only waste your time. How? Your first line of defense is a
good gut- check. When people respond to your ad for more
information, read the literature you make available and say,
"Sign Me Up!", qualify them for admission. No, it is NOT enough
that they fog a mirror. Remember, you don't get rewarded merely
for the number of people in your downline. You get rewarded for
developing and nurturing a hard-working, PRODUCTIVE downline.
So, prequalify your prospects by asking them the three tough
questions:
1. Why does this program appeal to you in particular? The
correct response is that they love the product! The
best network marketers are products of the product. If someone
wants to join your program without having a clue about the
product, that's *your* first clue that this person is not going
to be worth your time and attention. Personally, I would not be
prepared to work with someone who was not at least as passionate
about the product as I am.
2. How much do you want to earn from this business?
Some people may only be looking to supplement their existing
income by a few hundred dollars a month. Others are looking to
quit their jobs and become wealthy. Either (and anything in
between) is a perfectly acceptable response. There is no right
or wrong answer to this question. Its utility only becomes
apparent when we get to question number 3.
3. How much time do you want to devote to this business?
Now, someone who wants to become wealthy and thinks he only has
to devote five hours a week is someone who needs a reality
check. Give it to him! On the other hand, someone prepared to
devote 20, 30 or 40 hours a week has a better grip on reality.
So does someone who only wants to spend five hours a week and
make a couple of hundred dollars a month. What you're looking
for here is some sort of parity in expectations between income
earned and time and effort invested.
By employing this formula and declining to deal with people who
don't meet your strict criteria, your downline is going to grow
much more slowly than many of your colleagues'. But this race is
not to the swift. The foundation you are laying for your
business will be so much stronger for hand- picking every single
brick that makes up your foundation.
You will be investing your limited time in productive people who
truly understand the program and what it takes to succeed. By
training these people to approach their business as you approach
yours, they too will be investing their time and attention in a
productive downline and their and your income will grow
exponentially. Far, far better to invest 100% of your time and
effort in a downline of 5 productive people than 500
unproductive people.
Let me finish with a real-life example - Bill Britt of Amway.
When asked his secret of success, he replied: "There is no
secret. I simply showed the plan to 1200 people. 900 said, 'No.'
and only 300 signed up. Out of those 300, only 85 did anything
at all. Out of those 85 only 35 were serious, and out of those
35, 11 made me a millionaire."