I was chatting with a fellow network marketer the other day and we agreed that sometimes when we tell others that we are network marketers, it might be easier to tell them that we have an STD.
Alas, I am a fallen woman, because I have a bad case of MLM-ifilis. Yes, I practiced unprotected marketing! I have been infected with the desire to connect with other infected individuals and spread this virus!
Maybe in a way you could say it's "catchy!"
There are so many preconceived notions out there about network marketing companies that many people cringe at the mere mention of a network marketing business, and usually blurt out the inevitable, "But that's a pyramid scheme, right!"
People assume that we have been duped into thinking that we'll get rich quick, and that not only will we be stalking them to death to buy our stuff, that anyone who joins such a cult will have their finances sucked dry and their reputations tarnished....for good.
So, let's get a few things straight.
- Network marketing is a business, not a game show or a lottery. I go to work, I connect with people, and I help people. I do not ask everyone with a pulse to join my company. In fact, I treat recruiting as an employer who is looking for staff. I interview people who I think might be suitable for this kind of position, and do not feel that just anyone is right for the job. This takes certain skills and aptitudes that just not everyone possesses.
- Just like every business on the planet, this business requires people to follow a certain process to achieve success. And, like all of the other industries out there, the field of network marketing has changed very drastically over the last 15 years, so the kinds of things that network marketers were doing 15 or 20 years ago are not the same kinds of things that many network marketers are doing nowadays. The industry is changing, and to be successful, we need to adapt with the times.
- In order to be successful in this arena, it is important to be open to trying new ventures and looking at business differently. In her book, The Renegade Marketer, Ann Sieg points out how important it is to diversify your business. In essence, it is not a good idea to have all of your "income eggs" in one basket, and rely solely on one source of income to live on. If that one solitary source of income crashes for whatever reason, you do not want to be left empty handed. It is always a good idea to generate multiple sources of income so that if one fails, or doesn't generate the amount of income you were hoping for, then you aren't completely ruined. Great ways to generate multiple sources of income include participating in affiliate programs, or investing in multiple mlm companies.
So, to answer your question, is ViSalus (or any other network marketing company) a scam?
No.
The scam lies in people's perceptions. If you go into a venture thinking that you only need to do one thing, and you will be rich in 5 days or less, then yes, maybe you're heart will be broken.
If, however, you approach this industry like it should be approached--with the attitude that if you work hard, educate yourself about marketing strategies, and have realistic expectations about what you will in achieve in a certain time frame, you will do well.
If this resonates with you, read on. I have found a remarkable mlm opportunity that fits nicely into this type of thinking. It's called Ready Built Downline. Basically it is a group of people who join mlm companies en mass, so their downlines are already created. When the group joins the second company, your upline becomes your downline, and you can reap the benefits of a solid downline. It's a genius idea!
If you are interested in learning more about this venture, please click here to contact me. I only promote ventures I believe in, and I think that this can be a very good way to generate some good income. And remember, it's about diversifying!!
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Work with me--ViSalus Sciences
Image(s): Freedigitalphotos.net (Stuart Miles)
