The Ugly Side of Network Marketing No One Wants to Talk About

I can remember the first network marketing "opportunity meeting" I attended many years ago. Specifically, I remember the presenter saying a few things that I immediately identified with. First he told us that almost everyone he knew gave him an extremely hard time for joining a MLM.

Next, he forewarned us by saying each of us would likely experience the same thing if we told our family and friends about the business we were considering. He even correctly guessed that most of us had already experienced some form of this if we happened to mention to anyone where we were going that evening.

Despite these warnings, I decided to join. I immediately opened my starter kit, but when I did, I found something that was a bit ironic given the warning we had just heard. It was a sheet labeled "warm list." I remember thinking, surely they're not expecting me to go out and solicit the same group of family and friends they just got finished telling me would reject me and call me crazy, were they?

The answer was yes they were, and if you recently joined an MLM then chances are you were asked to do this too. I don't know about you, but if you're anything like me, the only thing you dislike more than selling is the thought of trying to sell something to your friends and family, especially a business opportunity.

Think about it. This is where the stigma of multi-level marketing stems from, as no one in their right mind likes the idea of constantly trying to sell every warm body within three feet of them on their business opportunity.

Just think, you never hear anyone actually refute the basic construct of network marketing, do you? How could they? It's based on the most powerful form of advertising--word of mouth. Also, it's one of the only ways you can employ the power of leverage, which means you're paid not just for the work you do, but for the work of hundreds, possibly even thousands of others. What's more, this income lasts a lifetime.

Despite the unparalleled income opportunity, the very mention of the word MLM sends the average working person running for the hills. Again, this is mainly because most peoples' only reference of MLM is some guy they once met or heard about who constantly went around hassling everyone about joining his MLM business.

If all this isn't bad enough, warm market recruiting could also be one of the main reasons most quit so early after joining an MLM. After all, it's not easy to stay focused and committed when the first thing you're taught to do is something that leads to the worse possible form of rejection and discouragement a person will ever experience, that is, rejection from the people whose thoughts and opinions we actually value and respect most.

Let's face it, building a business from the ground up is tough enough without adding to it by having those we care about tell us that what we're doing is a waste of time and will never work.

Now I know for some of you this kind of rejection and discouragement is actually motivating, as it gives you the opportunity to one day prove them wrong. So if you're that kind of person, then by all means pitch every single person you know. Another exception to this is if your family and friends happen to be your business partner(s). Again, if that describes you, then more power to you.

As for the rest of us, our efforts are far better spent targeting like-minded individuals we already know are actively seeking a legitimate and lucrative work-at-home opportunity. And guess what? Thousands of these people are logging onto the internet each day, so this is much easier than it sounds.

One final thought. Once you start making money (something that's practically guaranteed if you stick with it), then your friends and family will inevitably begin to approach you about what you're doing. And isn't that what we all want anyway--people to approach us?