This topic contains 5 replies, has 4 voices, and was last updated by 
David Hayward 1 year, 3 months ago.
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A friend I see irregularly (for which it turns out there’s a good reason, but that’s a story for another time) is trying to convince me to join a business/franchise/marketing scheme. (I’ll post about who it is in a later post.) They have a program that anyone can do which should theoretically get you earning on average $3k/mo on sales commission. Fine enough, I guess.
And the first task in the program seems to be to come up with 101 tasks or goals that you want to do. Fairly firm things that you could put a timeline to, as well, and things specific enough that they’re yours.
A hundred and one? I struggle to come up with thirty, never mind a hundred and one! I’ve never been that sort of goal-oriented person. I can spin it out a bit by splitting goals into progressive versions, so “have a novel published” can turn into “have a novel written” followed by “have a novel published”. Still haven’t gotten to 101, though. A lot are borderline between “I’d like to do/have” with “It would be nice to do/have”. And I was originally told it can be done in 36 hours. It’s been five days.
On top of this, I get the impression a certain enthusiasm is required for the product. I don’t have that.
The company constantly has people give talks about how they’ve come up the ranks and where they started. I’m seeing some driven people, but driven by what? Other than enthusiasm for the product.
One of the deeper beliefs I’ve been taught is about the love of money, and there is a certain level of acquisitiveness encouraged in new starters. Getting over that is difficult. And I’m feeling like I’m being manipulated, with talk about how many people won’t have enough money to live on in retirement. Except people who own businesses. So here’s one where it’s easy to make money!
I guess I just wanted a place to vent where my friend can’t see this. I feel like I’m getting pushed and I’m not sure how close I am to telling my friend to back off. (I’m pretty sure he’ll understand, though.) But I can’t evangelise for a business model or product I don’t believe in.
Wade.
AnonymousWade – The reason you feel like you are being manipulated is because you ARE being manipulated. My best advice is to make it clear that you are NOT interested in this so-called “business opportunity.” And if your friend won’t take no for an answer then it’s obvious his wallet is more important than your friendship.
I have tried to do various Multi-Level Marketing businesses (Shaklee vitamins/supplements, Amway, Primerica.) Every one of them required an initial investment of at least $100, and none of them ever made me any money. (To be fair, that was mainly because I hate selling things and also because of some health issues.) You mentioned lacking enthusiasm for your friend’s product. If you don’t genuinely LOVE the product you are going to be selling, and/or if you don’t like selling things, do yourself a favor and don’t get involved! Even when I believed in the product (which I did with Primerica Financial Services), I am just not a salesman and I never will be.
You mentioned “the love of money” issue which is a good question to raise. Especially when the very first thing ALL MLM’s do is have recruits focus on the material things they don’t have. I am all for having dreams and goals, but “dreams and goals” in the MLM world is nothing more than a gimmick to make people discontented with what they have and where they’re at in life just to get them to sell the MLM’s product in hopes of being able to afford “more stuff.” That’s red flag #1.
The second thing all MLM’s do which I HATE is they have you make a list of “prospective customers/recruits” – which is of course your family and friends. In order to be really successful you HAVE to recruit other people into the business, which puts you in the position of having to pressure and exploit your friends and family into not only purchasing something they probably don’t want to buy in the first place, but also bugging them to join the business. Is making a few extra bucks (IF you actually ever do??) really worth the “price of doing business”? That’s red flag #2.
The third thing about MLM’s I HATE is that they become exactly like a religion – consuming your time, your energy, and practically every waking thought. You are expected to show up at every single meeting, buy informational books/CD’s/DVD’s, go to conferences to hear the really successful people tell you how to become successful like they are, adopt and use MLM lingo, have faith that even though you aren’t seeing those dollars rolling in right now, you will IF you just keep doing all the right things. MLM’s lure people in with all kinds of great promises but they rarely deliver on those promises. There is always one more thing you need to do to be successful. Doesn’t that sound just like church??? How ironic! (We all know how well church worked out for us!) That’s red flag #3.
Forgive me Wade for my response turning into a rant about MLM’s. Obviously they are still a sore subject with me. Probably because it took me getting involved with several of them before I finally figured out I was just setting myself up to fail. (I’m not saying that’s the case for everyone else.) I hear your frustration and you are asking some really good questions. Just listen to your own intuition and do what your heart tells you is in your best interest.
Rants welcome.
I have to say I embarked on this mostly because the numbers about financial independence seemed to make sense, and the skills they purported to teach about managing your goals I thought would be relevant in other areas of life. The 101 tasks step is based on the “SMART goals” method.
My friend rang me up and last night after I posted that (like I said, he has no idea I posted it) and we had a useful discussion. I called him out on a few “whys” about the process, and we got a little philosophical. One thing that made me want to re-consider this list is what sort of person do I think I should be to achieve these goals. Or something like that.
Lack of enthusiasm for the product is going to be a problem. I think that’s going to be what takes me off the program, and I’m fine with that. The company is Nu Skin. They make a large range of products for a variety of anti-aging purposes and have done for decades. My “initial investment” is enough product to use it myself – dietary supplements, basically. I haven’t been taking them long enough to notice a difference, which is basically a time thing.
I’ll let you know how things turn out.
Wade.
Does your friend know about this?…. and how this will impact the company?
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56618429-78/mckell-skin-court-charges.html.csp
I’d say not. And if, as the spokesman said, he hasn’t been active with the company since the 1980’s, I rather doubt there would be much effect.
Wade.
I hate doing stuff I don’t like doing. That’s why I’m self-employed. I would hate to be in that position Wade.
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