Insanity makes P90X look like Sweatin’ to the Oldies. Don’t believe me? Take a look below:

I was going to do a full blown review of this workout program, but the video speaks for itself. By the time you’ve finished watching it, you will either be ready to order your copy, or hiding behind your couch praying that Shaun T doesn’t come find you and make you do it.

If you’re still reading, click here to join the Insanity NOW.

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When I first got the news about XELR8 cutting their network marketing arm in favor of direct sales, I was so tempted to write a blog post blasting them that I almost couldn’t see straight.  Then, when I just found out that iLearningGlobal is doing the exact same thing to their distributor force, I was tempted to go after them with both barrels blazing.  but, as I’ve looked over the MLM landscape in the wake of  these catastrophic events, an even larger target has reared its ugly head.

Have you ever heard the term “ambulance chaser?”  It’s a derogatory term,usually used to describe a lawyer who spends most of his time at the scene of accidents and disasters, looking for clients.  It would kinda be like following this cart around.  Not only is this behavior in extremely poor taste, but it is actually a violation of the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

Stop and think for a second:  if you were just in a catastrophic car accident, would you want to be represented by the lawyer who just “happened” to be at the scene?  For that matter, would you even be in a position to process anything that person said to you at that time?  Understand that what has just happened is not just a matter of dollars and cents.  People’s lives have been tremendously impacted by these situations.  Many have spent countless hours building large organizations, convincing people that ILG or XELR8 is the right opportunity for them, only to have the football pulled out from under them right before they get to kick it.  All kinds of emotions are running through these people right now:  shame, anger, guilt, humiliation, the list goes on and on.

How do I know this?  I was a professional recruiter for more than 12 years, and I’ve had to lay people off on more than one occasion.  I’ve also been laid off multiple times myself, and there were definitely times when I had no idea the axe was swinging my way.  Suffice it to say that I’ve been there on this one.  Maybe there is a better way to connect with them to help them see that than a full frontal assault?

At the same time, I do understand the lure of wanting to contact a fellow network marketer who is looking for a new company, and may or may not be bringing a group with them.  You believe passionately that your business can be their saving grace, if you could just get them to take a look at it.  So rather than use this as an opportunity to beat up on people, I’m going to use this as an opportunity to hopefully help you reach out to our friends in these other companies in a caring and compassionate manner, rather than the “bull in a china shop” approach I’ve been seeing and hearing the past few months.

Here is my list of Don’ts and Do’s:

1. DON’T post a message like this to a Facebook Group or Fan Page:  ”Man, so sorry that your company gave you the axe.  But here’s a link to my company instead, come join us!”  This will result in you receiving a message like this:  ”You are a vulture-your company may be great, but you suck as a person.”
2. DO reach out to people individually, and share your sympathy with them for the situation they’re in.  let them know that if they would like to discuss a potential opportunity once they’ve had a chance to recover, you will leave them with your contact information.
3. DON’T put a link to your opportunity anywhere near this message, that move would officially make you a spammer.  If a girl that you liked got jilted at the altar, would you ask her to marry you before you left the church?  Of course not, so use that same common sense in this situation also.
4. DO start as high up an upline group as you possibly can.  Out of respect, you want to afford that upline first opportunity to maintain continuity in their group should they decide to join you.
5. DON’T bash the offending organization.  As much as it sucks, this is business.  All network marketers should understand that although we consider ourselves business owners, we are ALL independent contractors.  That means the client can change the game on us at any time, with no approval needed by us.  There are only 2 things you own-your network and your brand.  Focus on branding you and the network will follow.

Network marketing gets a bad rap over a number of different issues, it would be a terrible thing to cause more infighting and bickering over something so preventable.  It’s as simple as this:  put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a second, and think before you act.  Really consider the way you are presenting your opportunity, and whether that is the way you would want to be presented to.

I would REALLY love to hear what others have to say on this topic, so please stop by and leave your comments below.

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My career as a recruiter has served me very well in my network marketing career. In fact, the process I use to sponsor is very closely modeled after my recruiting style. But the greatest lesson I learned while being a recruiter is to always be willing to listen to another career opportunity, even if you are quite happy and satisfied where you’re at. I’m always open to listen to your business opportunity, idea or suggestion. Now, I know that some who read this are probably thinking “well, he wouldn’t take a look at my opportunity,” and you’re right. Here are the two reasons I won’t look at your opportunity:
1-You’re not the first person to pitch me on it – I get 5-10 ‘check this out messages per day, don’t be mad that you weren’t the first person to come a courtin’.
2-You’re approach sucks – if your first message/connection to me is a 5 page treatise on why your opportunity is the best thing since the wheel, and I would be stupid not to join you, you will get 0 seconds of my time. I’m an old fashioned kinda guy, your going to have to date me before I go running down the aisle with you.

So with that being said, here’s the blueprint you will need to follow in order to get me to leave my current opportunity.

Products-In my current opportunity, which is in the health & wellness industry, I have a product line I personally believe in, and am able to generate immediate profit with. most companies lose reps because they can’t get that new person a check within the first 90 days. Problem is-most new people quit just outside of 60 days.

I know, I know, there are people on the internet who say that health & wellness is tapped out for network marketing. Well, there are also people who say the world is flat, and you can’t make any money in network marketing using the internet. I personally challenge the intelligence of any person who would make any of these claims. I would point them to the 64% of the adults in the United States who are overweight or obese. I would ask them to tell that to the 25% of America’s children who fit that same description. Personally, not only have I been an athlete for much of my life, but I have battled weight all of my life. From a market standpoint we are positioned fantastically with a solution that works, and I know it works because I am using it myself.

Lead Generation-For the first time EVER in my network marketing career, I have a serious problem. Currently, I have more leads than I know what to do with! I am part of the #1 Attraction Marketing System in the world, and am steadily building up my lead count through tried and true online and offline marketing techniques. Also, I have the ability to generate endless leads, pretty much at will, through search techniques I learned during my corporate recruiting years. As if that wasn’t enough, one of the business teams I plug into within my business offers free leads on a weekly basis, and I receive free leads from two other sources I’m not even going to discuss here! Now, are you ready for the real game changer? If I sponsor 2 reps onto my team, our corporate office will automatically enroll 10-20 retail customers into my business for free, every single month. If I sponsor 8 reps, they will begin to automatically enroll new business builders into my team, about 5 per month. I don’t even have to tell my friends and family I’m in business to make the engine move, and I can certainly teach everyone on my team how to find leads for free, and what to do with them once they have them.

Company Longevity-That’s great that you believe your company is going to be the next Facebook, but your company could just as easily be #11 on this list. Notice the fact that all ten of these companies were in business less than 5 years. That’s not an accident-most small businesses fail within their first 5 years. If your company makes it, it will be the exception, not the rule.
In my corporate life, I’ve seen companies go out of business so fast, they didn’t even have time to cancel the orders for the furniture that got moved into the office they never set foot in. Not interested.

Compensation Plan-For me, a binary plan makes the most sense. I’ve witnessed firsthand the dischord and backstabbing that can happen in a stairstep breakaway plan, all in the name of “earning my upline’s time.” With a binary plan, with only two lines of sponsorship beneath a distributor, it helps to keep in focus that the #1 goal of the business is to help as many other people as possible get what they want, and that will automatically lead to you getting what you want. Plus, a binary plan takes advantage of the numbers we already know to be true in network marketing: the average rep sponsors 2-5 reps during their network marketing career. In a binary plan, sponsoring 2 reps gets you activated into the compensation structure. Particularly with my company, sponsoring 2 puts you in position to get 10-20 new retail customers per month from the company. We get paid on volume, and you can’t create lasting volume without customers.

There are many additional factors which I look at when evaluating a business opportunity, but I’ve found that most businesses are unable to meet even my most basic business needs, so I continue to build where I’m at. I hope this helps you to not take it so personally that I won’t immediately jump out of my business and into yours.

I also hope this post will help you realize that the people you are most looking to sponsor don’t really care that you have a “ground floor opportunity” with a “brand new company.” I know people who got in Amway within the last 2-3 years, and are making a strong 6 figure income, and Amway’s been around for 50 years. So the market saturation theory is as much a failure as the theory that a human being can’t run a four minute mile. Learn to understand people’s needs, then meet them at their needs, and your business will explode, I promise you.

I would love to hear your comments about this blog, so please leave them below.

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