Many People Do Fail In Network Marketing (written February, 1994)

Unfortunately there are a great number of people who will fail in MLM this year. The national average of success in every industry is very low. There is always a high percentage of failure, but in MLM it is very, very high! But why is that?

Part of the answer is because “Joe Networker” signs up into a program thinking his life will forever be changed. He’s going to be rich, famous, a top motivational speaker and a person that people aspire to be like. He goes home with his new “kit”, sets it down on the kitchen table and then realizes, “oh, my favorite team is playing ball today.” So instead of going through his new information, setting goals and planning, he watches football. Later on that day he sits down with his “kit”, but gets a phone call to go drink beer with his buddies. “Oh, I can do this later” he says to himself. And off to the beer races he goes. His sponsor calls the next day, eager to assist him and work as a team to help him get his venture going, but Joe Networker says, “Susan, it’s been a little crazy. Can we talk tomorrow?” Susan (sponsor) says ok and moves on to work with someone else on her team that is proactive and has the burning desire to succeed. Joe Networker finally goes through his “kit” and decides to make a couple of phone calls. He makes a couple of calls (specifically two), and decides his office is a little dirty. So Joe “Wannabe-a” Networker becomes what Merry Maids would consider a fantastic employee!

His office is now clean! He can now focus and work towards the millions he is obviously (you can tell from his actions) striving to obtain. Joe continues his habits for months. He says to himself, “why is my business not going anywhere? I have been in this program for months.” He calls his sponsor (who by the way, has tried on many occasions to work with Joe Networker, train him and provide information that will help him grow both as a person and professionally). He says to his sponsor Susan, “this business doesn’t work. I have only two people in my business and none of them are doing anything. I think I’m going to quit.” Susan says, “You know, Joe Networker, that might be a good idea. That’s probably the best decision for you. Good luck.” Joe Networker quits the business and tells his many buddies MLM doesn’t work!

Does MLM work? Of course it does – but not if you don’t do anything or if you do very little. Now where is the failure in all of this? For Joe Networker and so many of you, it’s right in the mirror!

Some of us, all of us at one time or another have to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, “Am I doing all I need to be doing to achieve success in this business? Do I have the work ethic necessary to survive? Am I developing the skills I need to grow? Am I talking to enough people every day? Am I advertising enough? What did I produce today?” etc., etc., etc. Do you do this? Are you giving it your all?

Don’t be like Joe Networker. He is a failure. Are you a failure waiting to happen? There is a reason that less than 4% of our Nation is self-employed. That is called the elite few. You can decide this very minute to be part of the elite few or continue to be like Joe Networker. I know what my choice has been and will continue to be. What’s yours?

The author of this article is Larry Costello, President of All-American Print & Mail, 2200 Wilson Blvd #102-57, Arlington, VA 22201.