Your Distributor Doesnt Suck Your System Does

The dirty secret in the home-based industry, is that the network marketing systems have been broken for a long, long time. The MLM or network marketing industry has a 90%+ failure rate, and it often blames the distributor. The system of advertising and prospecting that built the industry; home parties, prospect lists and cold lead calling, are not as effective in the 21st century as they were when the industry began in the mid-1950's. The problem is NOT the average distributor. The problem is that the MLM system has not changed or kept up with the changes in society. What worked in 1964, or 1985 doesn't work today.

The problem is NOT that the distributor doesn't affirm enough, believe enough, or try enough. The problem is that very few people want to do presentations like home parties, or call their kid's soccer coach from the 3rd grade,or talk to Uncle Bob about the "opportunity of a life time", or spend $5,000 buying leads and learning how to cope with rejection. The average distributor does not want to become what most MLM trainers and uplines still teach. Yes, those techniques still work some of the time, and work very well for some of the people. They fail for most distributors most of the time.

And the irony is that network marketing is a business model designed for the average person. The system sucks, not the distributor. The average person uses the internet now.

When they want to learn something new, they don't call Aunt Jane and ask her if there are any home parties that she may know about. They do a Google or Yahoo search and look up websites. They use Instant Messaging, or My Space. The precious little time that people have for socializing and being with family, they don't want to spend at a product presentation or a hotel meeting. I don't either.

So instead of trying harder, or teaching your distributor that they need the thick skin of the rhino, change the system you teach to prospect and build! There are several generic internet systems that teach people how to market their MLM business online- without cold calling or wasting big money on leads. The principles of the power of relationship that is network marketing's strength don't change. The when and where those relationships are built does change. The best of those systems use a funded proposal idea where you and your distributors create several streams of income while you build prospect lists.

This allows your distributors to create cashflow that is then used to reinvest into advertising their primary business. If you're a smart network marketer, harness the power of the internet. You'll be able to create a 90% success rate, instead of a 90% failure rate. Imagine what a 90% success rate would do for the MLM's reputation.

Karen Hurd is a former Public Relations executive. She entered network marketing in 1988. She is a writer, wellness educator and film maven. She lives in Virginia, with her husband & 5 children. Karen's blog:MLM Maniac For online marketing ideas: