Hot To Learn About Affiliate Marketing

MLM Online Secrets – Your Upline Doesn’t Want You To Know!

Are you in an MLM Program right now? How long have you been involved? Are the results you are getting fine with you? If you are happy with your results, that is terrific  Continue to do what you are doing. If not, when do you expect to be earning sufficient residual income to justify continuing to be a member? Is it OK if I share with you MLM online secrets your upline doesn’t want you to know?

But first, are you open to doing MLM in a way you may not have thought possible before? Let’s review the following.

  1. Outline how MLM is done today
  2. Identify problem areas that you may be experiencing
  3. Show you how to build your MLM business online that overcomes those problems

If you want to build your MLM business without having to bug your family and friends as well as attend meetings like the one in the picture above, you need to read this article.

Outline Of Current MLM Techniques

#MLM #SellingLet’s discuss how conventional MLM, also called Network Marketing works.

Each company has its own structure but they all follow the same principle. There are many successful MLM companies in existence all over the world. The concept works. Having been involved in MLM I think this is a great idea. But with a few caveats, I shall share later.

Naturally, there are also unscrupulous companies that conduct illegal Ponzi Schemes under the guise of being a legitimate MLM company. I want to think that is not the case with your company.

Multilevel Marketing (MLM) or Network Marketing as it is also called, is a business model that has been in existence for several decades. The granddaddy of them all, Amway, is well-known. Despite the many negative connotations that have been thrown at Amway over the years, they pioneered this business model that has spawned many other companies doing the same.

Let’s say you buy products from a store. You. experience the benefits. Then share your experience with your family and friends. Some of them will buy the products and you earn a commission. Right? WRONG!

You probably do this all the time with products you purchase from many sources. And when others buy on your recommendations, you earn zero!

Network Marketing companies came into existence to right that wrong. However, a new distribution structure was necessary to make it work.

Advantage Of Leverage

#LeverageInstead of having a centralized distribution system, products are sold through a network of distributors. To become a distributor you are recruited as a team member of another distributor. A new account is set up in your name with a unique tracking number.

When you sell the products, the sales are tracked to your account number and you earn a commission.

In addition to selling the products, you are encouraged to recruit other distributors into your network. They are also provided with unique tracking numbers that are linked to yours. In that way, when your recruits make sales, you also earn a small commission. These commissions also called overrides, are earned several layers deep on a declining scale.

This is the advantage of leverage. You not only earn an income from your efforts but also from the efforts of others

In this way, no one person needs to sell a lot of products. The premise is that everyone in the network sells a small amount of product.

The total amount of your income is dependent on the size of your network, your retention rate, and the number of products sold in what is called your down line. As long as the network keeps growing, everyone benefits. Hence, there is a lot of emphasis on growing the network by adding new distributors.

This method of generating sales and earning commission is called leverage. You earn commissions not only on your efforts but also from the efforts of members of your team, also called your downline.

In addition to commissions, bonuses are also earned when the total volume of sales in your organization meets specific volume criteria over a specific period of time. There are also rewards earned through competition, that in many ways are like bonuses with the exception that special promotions are offered during the competition period.

How Does The Above Plan Work?

#plan
Once again, the premise is very simple. When you are recruited into a network as a distributor you are trained to make retail sales as well as to recruit new distributors into your team. And you, in turn, are trained to help your distributors duplicate the system, by funneling them through the training.

There are several ways to do this. Either you can do the training yourself, or you can schedule your new distributor to attend a local training session if there is one. The alternative is to join a group on video and get training through an interactive webinar.

In major urban centers opportunity meetings in the evenings and Saturdays are held where distributors are encouraged to bring along prospects as well as new distributors they have recruited. There are usually two parts to this event.

  1. Product sales presentation and Business briefing for prospects
  2. Training for dew distributors

These are great venues for signing up new retail customers as well as new distributors. Leaders in the company with a large downline demonstrating a proven business record are present and give these presentations and training.

In order for this business model to succeed there must be constant effort to recruit new retail customers and distributors for the simple reason there is a high level of attrition. Most people do not like talking to others about their business opportunities. The best that many distributors will do is to retail the product. But that alone doesn’t grow the business since the power of leverage will be absent. Specific skills put into action are necessary to grow the business. I have listed them below:

9 Skills To Build A MLM Business

#skills

  1. Find prospects by talking to people in person, by phone, or through an Email list.
  2. Invite them to review some information, usually via the Internet these days
  3. Follow up to find out what they think and set up a 3-Way phone call with your upline
  4. If there are local business briefings offer to attend as a group with as many prospects in your pipeline
  5. Use the help of experts in your company to sign up your prospects either as retail customers or distributors
  6. Attend training sessions online and in person to hone your business-building skills
  7. Develop the skills to do retail sales and recruit new distributors themselves
  8. Develop the skills to train others yourself by rising to the role of a leader
  9. Rinse and repeat

Why Is There Resistance To Do The Above

#Fear

It comes down to one thing. FEAR. The fear of:

  • Talking to others about your business
  • Annoying your family and friends
  • Rejection
  • Spending a lot of time with nothing to show for it
  • Falling behind in building your MLM business

Does all of this feel familiar? Maybe you have gone through this debilitating experience. The message you keep getting from your upline and company leaders is to never give up. Keep following the proven system you are taught. This system has worked for others, and will eventually work for you.

If it doesn’t, it is YOUR fault. You are not working hard enough.

The Secret Your Upline Doesn’t Want You To Know! 

Why Do The Few Succeed And The Many Fail?

The answer is really simple. The majority of members recruited into an MLM company may love using the products and the publicity events but are not prepared to develop all the skills that are necessary to succeed and put them into action. Since only a few are willing to do what it takes to succeed, the majority will fail. It may take some time. But it sadly happens.

A ratio that is often used is 80% will fail and 20% Will succeed. And out of that 20%. Only about a quarter will join the group of top-income earners in the company. Typically only about 5% of the members make 5 figures a month and above. AARP conducted a study on Multilevel Marketing in 2017 and released a report you can download via this link. 

Hence, it becomes a tremendous challenge to train a sufficient number of new distributors in your network who are willing to duplicate the business-building system. And many who start the process eventually quit.

This is the secret your upline doesn’t want you to know! The overriding purpose of conventions is to motivate the members to not quit and train them to recruit new members. There are other reasons too, but this is the big one.

The MLM Convention Culture

#Convention MeetingRecruiting new distributors is the main focus of all MLM companies. Major conventions are held at least once a year. And for the really big MLM companies, once a quarter at different regions where they operate.

These are very upbeat events where success stories are one of the highlights. There are a lot of inspirational speeches. Award presentations. Success story videos depicting how members who had the deck stacked against them were able to turn their lives around dramatically!

Often these videos will showcase the trappings of success these individuals were able to add to their lifestyles. Like big new homes. Cars. Exotic vacations. And how they were able to help others in their team also become successful.

It’s all good. I have attended events like this and truly enjoyed the experience. In the end, everyone feels euphoric. You truly feel you can move mountains and achieve the dream. Optimism and hope reign. We feel we can rule the world.

When we return to daily life, reality sets in. It is now time to do the work. The really good leaders will gather their local distributors together to keep that momentum going. It is critical to feed this newfound enthusiasm with constant reminders that the dream is possible. If only this was true for everyone.

The promise that this is a great way to create passive income is false for the majority. You may have noticed that the hardest-working members are the successful leaders. Sure they earn a significant income and quite rightly so. But this becomes a full-time job.

Those who really enjoy passive income are leaders who have been successful in creating a network of leaders who are also hard-working. However, they still need to motivate their team on a regular basis.

Check out this video about how traditional MLM works. It is almost like a cult:

Is There A Better Way To Succeed In MLM?

Actually, there is. But first I’d like to address the fear factors I itemized above. Can you relate to one or more of these? How would it feel if you didn’t have to deal with these fears? Would that instill more confidence in you? And keep you more interested in working on your business?

1) Fear Of Talking To Others

#TalkingIt always surprises me that the main emphasis in most MLM companies is to recruit new distributors. Shouldn’t the main Focus be to generate sales? In the MLM model increased sales are best achieved through the efforts of new distributors. So why not start by promoting the product? The chances are there must be something unique and desirable about the product. (And if there isn’t consider that a red flag that there is something not right here.)

Wouldn’t it be better to build a core group of happy customers first and then enlist a few of them as distributors? The process to grow your network will take longer. But it will be more robust and have a better chance to succeed.

2) Fear Of Talking To Family And Friends

#Family

What usually happens, after the new distributor recruits others? The first step they are told to do is make a list of their warm market. Meaning family and friends. Since there is resistance to talking to family and friends about the business, the growth process starts to slow down and eventually fizzles out. People get disheartened and quit. New distributors have to be recruited to keep the sales growing.

3) Fear Of Rejection

#Rejection
An innate human trait is to be an accepted member of the community. Especially their inner circle of family and friends. Since so many people have been approached to join one MLM or another, they shy away when approached about yet another new business opportunity. This leads to a feeling of rejection which is another innate fear.

4) Fear Of Spending A Lot Of Time With Nothing To Show

When new prospect gets into an MLM business, they have a feeling of optimism. After going through an upbeat business presentation, and attending a company event, this feeling is amplified.

However, small successes are needed to keep this momentum going. Except for the very few, the vast majority of new recruits find that they are spending a lot of time working the business with little or nothing to show for it.

5) Fear Of Falling Behind

Fear sets in that they are not going to make it. Especially when they see others succeeding which makes them wonder what are they doing wrong. They fall behind. When success starts to feel like an impossible goal, the fear of falling behind takes over.

The easiest way out of their pain is to quit.

Can You Create A Successful Business Solely With Customers?

The answer is a RESOUNDING YES

At first glance, this appears contrary to the principle of MLM. It takes having thousands of customers to earn enough to create a significant income. In MLM this feat is accomplished by building a network of distributors to achieve massive sales. How can you, just one individual talk to enough people to get those customers and sales?

I want to show you that there is a way.

The Magic Of Online Marketing

#MagicThink about this statement. MLM companies use online systems for promoting their product, and to recruit distributors. You most likely have a landing page where visitors can read all about the products and have access to an order form where they can make purchases. It goes one better.

The chances are every distributor will have their own business dashboard. Here they can direct potential customers who can buy the product and you will be paid a commission.

Plus. you can also sign up new distributors from your dashboard.

Sure, your MLM company may charge you a monthly business fee to have a ready-made business-building system like this. As long as that fee is reasonable, say less than $50 a month, this is one of the costs of running a business.

Some companies feel that if the cost to you is relatively low, then you have no skin in the game. And that makes it easy to quit. Hence, some companies charge a lot more.

However, if you have free access to an online business system, that can work in your favor as long as you do not quit.

How To Use The Company-Provided System

You may be tempted to use this system to do both. Sell the product as well as recruit new distributors into your business. And that is exactly what your MLM company had in mind. Should you follow their direction to do that?

The answer is YES!

But what if you don’t want to do the things above that cause fear? What then?

Leverage The Power Of The Internet

It’s time to leverage the power of the Internet to find potential customers and prospects for your business. I don’t think your company has this kind of training. They are going by the adage that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

In order to use the Internet, a whole new set of skills is required. When taught correctly, you can learn these skills and put them into action to find customers and prospects. And show your prospects how they can duplicate such a system from the comfort of their home.

Your company probably has emphasized the importance of creating a list of prospects. And then use Email marketing campaigns to communicate with your prospects.

That is all well and good. How do you get these prospects? Some promote the idea of purchasing lists of prospects. Can I be blunt? This is a fool’s errand and will take most members down a rabbit hole. The reason is that lists of high-quality warm prospects will cost you big time. Since most newcomers to MLM do not have the funds, they end up purchasing low-quality lists.

No matter what kind of list you use, there are State and Federal regulations you will have to follow to avoid breaking spam laws.

Alternate List Building Strategies

Here are a few alternate ways to create your list of prospects:

  1. Organically
  2. Social Media
  3. Pay Per Click & Paid Ads

When you first use Internet Marketing, your main focus will be on 1 and 2. Once your business starts to generate adequate income, you can use the 3rd approach to scale up your business.

Does this make sense?

Better yet, once you learn how to perfect this strategy, it will work for you 24/7. Even when you sleep. And it will require only a couple of hours a day to manage your online business.

The Training You Will Need

I’m not going to keep you waiting any longer. There is an online platform that will train you how to become really good at building your business using the Internet.

It should not surprise you that there is a cost involved. It is subscription-based to make it extremely affordable. 

But, I do not want you to trust me yet. You do not know me enough. If you wish you can read my Bio in this About Me link. Hence, I am going to give you access to this platform as a starter member completely free. It is called Wealthy Affiliate!  there is no time limit to stay on as a free member so you can make sure this is for you before you upgrade to a paying member.

There is no credit card necessary to sign up as a starter member. Hence, there is zero risk to you. Click the picture below to be redirected to a page that will provide you with more information as well as a form you can sign up for online.

How Does Wealthy Affiliate Help

Wealthy Affiliate provides comprehensive training on affiliate marketing, including how to sell effectively. This includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies, content creation, and other aspects of online marketing. Most of what you are taught is also applicable to building your network marketing business.

You will learn how to find out the hot buttons of your customers. Wealthy Affiliate has a vibrant online community where members are always willing to help you with your online marketing questions and concerns.

Click this link to find out what Wealthy Affiliate is about through this insider review article I wrote.

Click The Picture Below To Move Ahead In Your Business! 

#Website

I’d Like To Hear From You

Can you tell me what you think about conducting your MLM business online? Wherever you have an Internet connection you can work on your business. Now that you have been exposed to the MLM online secrets your upline doesn’t want you to know do you feel better prepared to build your MLM business online?

Now, if you still want to attend meetings, that is perfectly OK. There is nothing wrong with using the in-person approach that you augment with an online approach.

May I make one suggestion? If you get excited to share this information with others, hold back until you are further along in your online marketing training. Fair enough?

If you are a struggling Network Marketer, could this be the sign you were looking for?

#Traffic

Edwin

14 thoughts on “MLM Online Secrets – Your Upline Doesn’t Want You To Know!”

  1. Many thanks to you for sharing such a beautiful article with us. I got some new information about MLM that I did not know before. 

    I have done business through MLM before and found that it is a great income source. You need to be very skilled at doing this and you need to know a lot about networking in this business. I see that when people in my control who are working as a network, and they sell a product I get a commission from it. 

    I have worked at a number of MLM companies and I am currently working at Wealthy Affiliate and I think we can easily make an income through MLM. You write about this very nicely in your article and I hope that after reading your article many will not have any problem with it. And I also hope that after reading your article, many people will be interested in doing MLM business and will share their experiences with you soon.

    1. Hi Shanta, 

      It was a pleasure to read about your experience in MLM as well as your agreement that affiliate marketing can be used to make MLM easier. 

      I hope that others will read this and use affiliate marketing in their MLM businesses. And members here may also consider here joining MLM companies. 

      Thanks for your comments.

      Edwin

  2. About 3 years ago, I almost joined an MLM business. How did it happen? After finishing my OND, I was to do my 1 year IT so I was looking for a job only to receive a job offer from somebody on the street in a pamphlet they shared. Researching there, I discovered it was an MLM seminar.

    I loved the idea. After the seminar I paid a portion of the money necessary to get started. When I got home, I got discouraged considering the method with which they’re recruiting new members. They do it in disguise. It didn’t feel healthy for me. Moreover, I see these MLM guys walking around to market their products without anything to show for it. I decided to withdraw.

    I have decided I will do this in the future some few weeks ago because I have learnt so much on how to succeed using online marketing (via websites), warm marketing, social media and other means. I want to get started with Affiliate Marketing first, develop the required skills and start MLM along side.

    1. WOW I love your story. I am so happy that you agree with what I suggested. Learning all about affiliate marketing first is a great way to start using it in MLM.

      I wish you much success with this approach.

      Cheers.

      Edwin

  3. MLM is the business model that had ever been developed in this 20th century. Getting into MLM requires an investment because it is a business opportunity. 

    The more time and energy put into it determines your results, Our upline is there to help us but we have to do the prospecting ourselves to friends and families to join our opportunity for financial freedom, as said that demands a lot work.

    1. Hi Daniel,

      You are so right that in MLM the member has to do all the work. Of course the upline helps. But only after the members finds prospects. That is when they can get their upline to talk to them to helo sign them up.

      The affiliate method is to automate this process without getting the upline involved. 

      Thanks for your great understranding.

      Edwin

  4. Hi Edwin,

    An excellent article about MLM, and it’s helpful and insightful for anyone who likes to try MLM to make extra bucks if they are lucky.

    As far as I am concerned, the ration of any MLMs’ successful members should be lower than 5%, and it is probably 2%. That’s why most people failed to make money by the MLM compensation plan & business model. Not to mention the five fears that people might face when they are doing MLM.

    I am glad you talk about affiliate marketing, and I think it’s the best solution for everyone. I do hope you could mention more about the correct mindset toward affiliate marketing. Is it possible people face the same fear as they do MLM? Like #4 & #5 fear…

    Love to see your feedback on this, thanks for this article again. 🙂

    Matt

    1. Hi Matt,

      Thanks for writing these very helpful comments. You are correct about fears 4 & 5. They also apply to Affiliate Marketing. And it requires the right mindset too. I answered these points in the following paragraph:

      “It may take a little time for your website to become an authority in your niche and ultimately your business. However, this process works. Of course, the level of your success will be totally dependent on how well you do your research and fill your website with content based on your research that is of value to your potential customers”

      I didn’t labor fears 4 & 5 because in Wealthy Affiliate successful members make it very clear to newbies that it took them a few years to achieve the level of success they now have. It is the community support system that helps to ingrain the mindset of discipline and patience. As well as temper expectations. My main objective was to encourage an MM person to at least check out the WA system for free. Once inside that would be the best time to go over how to address fears 4 & 5.

      In MLM it is totally the opposite. The companies want the members to start recruiting in a big way to experience income as soon as possible. The problem with that is, the income could be short lived when their recruits do not duplicate what they did. This problem doesn’t exist in Affiliate Marketing since we are all responsible for 100% of our results.

      If someone gets into affiliate marketing without the support of WA, that would be a different situation. Prior mindset before jumping in would be more relevant in that situation.

      Does this answer your question Matt?

      All the best to you.

      Edwin

  5. Howdy Edwin! Wow Thanks’s for the exposure on how to go about MLM. I have seen countless blogs & articles on MLM, none comes close to your detailed article, a lot of them just say a little thing about it just because they want to promote a certain business or platform!. I am ready to get to work and improve my Networking/ marketing skills.

    1. So glad you found my article helpful. My approach is to first lead with the product and build a solid customer base. The Affiliate Marketing model is great for doing this. And then conduct a campaign to find out which customers would like to pursue the business angle. 

      For this to work, the products must first provide value for money. Like Mary Kay and Avon for example. 

      Thanks for your comments.

      Edwin

  6. There have been negative connotations attached to MLM over the years, not sure why, after all people are just out to earn a living. I guess it’s because there are people who just want sales and try to skip steps so to speak. And so they give salespeople a bad name.

    Your suggestion to bring it online is really good. Especially now when people are afraid to go out of their homes. Also, this way one could reach a big portion of the world’s 8 billion population.

    1. I feel you got the point I was making. Sadly in most MLM companies, the vast majority of the sales is generated by the distributors. Sure, there are some sales made to pure customers but these are a small fraction. One of the reasons is that the cost to purchase the products can be higher compared to quality products from regular stores. 

      There are MLM companies who do indeed sell competitive products and do very well. Such as Avon and Mary Kay. Also LegalShield who I am also a member of. 

      My philosophy is to first create customers, that the Affiliate Marketing model can deliver. And then approach these customers if they want to look into the business aspect. But to get only customers, the products must deliver value for money. 

      Thanks for commentingb.

      Cheers.

      Edwin

  7. Thanks for sharing the food for thoughts about MLM business. I have to say that I always get the mixed messages. I have tried and failed a few times with the MLM (NPUSA, AMWAY, Buzzolute and so on). I have to say that I come to realize that at the end of the day, my personality is just not meant for the MLM structures and there is nothing wrong with that. I see a lot of friends are so successful with it but I am just not one of the statistics. I wish I am though.

    1. Thanks for your comment. You are not alone in your feelings for MLM. 90% of people who start MLM businesses drop out. I highlighted the reasons why most people give up. Did you agree? Did you have those concerns too? 

      Affiliate Marketing strategies can be used to overcome those concerns and approach MLM from a different angle. 

      It is not for everyone, regardless. 

      All the best to you.

      Edwin

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