If network marketing was a job, most of us networkers would be fired. Happily, network marketing companies are very patient, and don’t fire their people for poor performance.
But imagine turning up to the first day of a new career, and the job description was…
1. Get a dream and set some goals
2. Work on your attitude
3. Get motivated
4. Build a strong belief in yourself and business
5. Be positive
What would the picture look like? I’m thinking the economy would be quite dismal. There would be a lot of positive, motivated people, but with no money.
It just won’t work. It doesn’t make any sense.
In my first job at McDonald’s, they taught me how and when to push the buttons, how to shake the fries when the beeper goes off, how to wrap the burgers. This is what I was paid for.
In my first and only professional career as an engineer, on my first day, they put me on a week long training course to learn how to use the simulation software that I’d be operating. This is what I was paid for.
I was taught the necessary SKILLS to do the job.
Yet, the only skills most network marketers are taught are how to set goals, how to be positive, how to get motivated, which would great if companies paid us for doing that, but they don’t.
Make no mistake: dreams and goals, a good attitude, a strong belief are all very important traits to have. I’d much rather work with people who have these traits than without.
Reaching high levels in network marketing, just like any other business or sport, is 90% mental. But mindset alone, won’t produce results.
Let me give you an example…
The famed tennis player, Roger Federer, has the whole mindset thing pretty much worked out – or at least he used to. He never gets too emotional on the court. He’s always cool, calm and collected.
You can develop your mindset to the same level as Federer. But unless you’re skilled at tennis, Federer will thrash you all the time – no matter how big your belief.
For most people, KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS are the 10% that’s missing in their network marketing career.
My business turned around when I began to learn the two most important skills in this industry: COMMUNICATION and INFLUENCE.
Every leader in network marketing, whether they’ve built their businesses offline or online, has mastered the art of communication and influence.
There are many, many ways to do this. You can do it in person face-to-face, by speaking to a group of people, through audios and videos, through writing and blogging, which has suited a shy guy like me greatly. Whichever way you choose to do it, the principles are the same.
It all comes down to understanding people.
Network marketing is a people business. People skills are what’s so desperately missing in this industry.
Learn what motivates them to take action, and apply them to your business. Also learn what turns people off, so that you know what not to do.
In this business, manipulating prospects to join you will never work in the long term, because people will only join and remain with those who they know, like and trust.
The people skills you get, the more prosperous you will be.
Here’s a great place to start…
To your MLM success,
Wayne Wu
P.S. I would love your input! If you have an opinion that would contribute to this discussion, please leave me a comment below.
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{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Wayne,
I think we have to agree to disgaree on parts of this.
The Economy IS in a shambles, maybe if big corporations adopted your five points the turn around could actually happen.
Just think, Big Business telling everyone to play nice and work together, instead of back biting.
John McEnroe was one of the best tennis players of his time. And was very well know for bieng a hot head.
Both Federer and McEnroe had the winning mindset, they just manifested differently.
Mindset, skills, and action is the best recipe for success.
Mike
Michael Cole´s last [type] ..Supersize Your Income
Hey Michael,
Welcome to my blog. It’s great to see you here, and thanks for leaving me a comment.
It would be a boring world if we agreed on everything wouldn’t it?
I think you’re right in that if more people in the workforce did those 5 things, perhaps the economy will be in better shape. My main point is, those 5 elements also need to be mixed with the skills that companies employ people for.
MLM is the opposite! It’s a great industry for teaching people how to develop themselves and become better people, but ironically, it doesn’t do such a good job at teaching people skills.
This is what I wanted to bring across.
Thanks again and have a great day,
Wayne
I agree that mindset alone will not guarantee results. However not having a proper mindset will guarantee results
When you work for a company you are part of a system and you need to learn your place in that system. All you need is the willingness to learn a few limited skills. Who has the entrepreneur mindset in that situation? The owner of the business.
In network marketing you are the business and you are selling yourself so starting with mindset is important.
Peter Fuller MBA´s last [type] ..Brand yourself online with your own “Nerve” Center
Hey Peter,
Very true. That explains why I felt like just small cog in a complex machine when I was working in the corporate world. Now, I’m the driver and that requires a completely different mindset.
Communication and influence are integral part of this business because we are talking about always dealing with people.
That’s exactly what we do…there’s no going around that.
Have a great day Wayne,
Jerome Ratliff
Jerome Ratliff´s last [type] ..What I Learned at the Grocery Store That Can be Applied to Your Home Business
Hey Jerome,
Communication and influence are the most important skills to learn in this industry.
Wonderful post here Wayne. I my many years in MLM – 3 different NM company’s – I know that you are right. And today helping other people to understand this industry, which have giving me a solid backgrounds knowledge of this industry, I can say, that not many company’s tell there distributors “how to push the button”.
Soren Egstrup´s last [type] ..30K Monthly Residual…GONE- -
Hey Soren,
Thanks for the nice comment. Understanding how this industry works is one of the keys to understanding which skills you need to learn in order to have success in MLM.
Hello Wayne, I’m back again.
I have been thinking about this a lot too, lately. I remember that on every job I ever had, I had to get trained, even if I was familiar with the job.
If it was in or at another building or location, I had to be re-trained for that location. Different rules, different locations.
You are right, NWM, like any career, has a skill set and most of us in NWM are missing the key skills, dealing with people.
I heard a successful million dollar earner in MLM say, our product is not a particular product or service. Our product is “people,” and many of us don’t have the necessary skill set of how to work with and develop people into leaders.
Great post,
Willie
Hey Willie,
Welcome back, my friend. Thanks for the very insightful comment.
That million dollar earner is absolutely right. He’s successful because he understands what this industry is about and has learned the necessary people skills to attract and retain the right people.
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