Top 10 Network Marketing Newbie Mistakes – Part 3

Here’s Part 3 of my Top 10 Network Marketing Newbie Mistakes.  Number 6 and number 5.  If you missed 10-7, go ahead and read those first…

https://laurampaulson.com/top-10-network-marketing-newbie-mistakes-part-1

https://laurampaulson.com/top-10-network-marketing-newbie-mistakes-part-2

6 – Having unrealistic expectations and not understanding that volume equals results

This one is huge and I believe a major reason why so many newbies quit within the first few days, weeks, month…  They have unrealistic expectations and do not understand the numbers.

A couple examples…

I had a new person distribute 20 brochures and then call me a week later to say “This just isn’t working for me.  I put out 20 brochures and I don’t have any checks coming in”  Hmmmmm!  To make matters worse, when I discussed this further with her, I found out that she didn’t like the labels (for the brochures) that came with the kit so instead of making her own (like I suggested and gave her a template for) she instead distributed the brochures around town WITHOUT CONTACT INFORMATION INCLUDED!!!!!  I don’t mean to appear insensitive BUT – Hello?????!!!!!! How can you expect people to contact you if they don’t know who you are???

Regardless, 20 brochures just “ain’t gonna do it”.

I had another person who talked to 25 people and called me back saying “Laura, I don’t think this is for me.  I talked to 25 people and no one signed up”.

Well, granted these are extremes but way too many just don’t understand the numbers.

This business is a numbers game.  Get the numbers (lots of them) and you will be successful.  Now, that’s not to say that people are just numbers.  To the contrary, we’re dealing with people’s lives here and you need to have a genuine interest in someone’s success and offering something of value to them.  But it IS about numbers in terms of Volume Equals Results.

Take McDonald’s for example.  Extremely successful franchise but just think how many people drive by the big yellow arches every day.  Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands.  You think everyone stops in and buys something to eat?  Of course not.  Most do NOT.  Do you think a franchise would close their doors (or isn’t wildly successful) just because thousands of people drive by every day without stopping?!

In addition, do you think a McDonald’s franchise would be successful if they didn’t have that sign, the lights on to show people they were open and were located in a remote location so no one knew they were even there?   Of course not.  With that said, it’s important to understand that with the exception of a brand like McDonald’s, just putting out a sign that you’re open for business isn’t going to cut it either – it takes advertising, marketing and a lot of it continuously.  Even McDonald’s has to advertise.

And not that you need to talk to that many people but I’m just saying to make a point.  Just keep your focus on the activities.  Just keep doing the activities CONSISTENTLY and over time it will happen.

5 – Spending too much time on “busy work”

So often I get the question – “how many hours a week will it take working my business to being earning X amount of money.”  Well, it’s absolutely impossible to determine that.  When you’re building a business, you’re not trading hours for dollars like with a “job”.  At first, you’ll work more with less results and over time it will take less and less work/time with more results.  It’s similar to compound interest.  At first it’s not much at all but over time…..

But that’s beside the point.  The point is and the biggest factor is what are you doing with your time?  Are you spending 20 hours a week “shuffling papers” and organizing your home office or are you spending 20 hours a week with 80% of that time prospecting and recruiting and 20% on training and other “busy” or “non-productive” work?  That’s the key.  If you’re NOT doing the 80/20, you will be spending A LOT of time and energy with nothing much to show for it except a nice, organized office.

I had one business partner who wanted to start making money right away but then spent the first month putting together his business plan (by this I mean profit and loss statements and not a marketing plan) and organizing his office instead of following what I told him by working through the Quick Start Guide I had put together for my newbies.  This Quick Start Guide weeds through all the “fluff” and gets you onto the income producing activities in a matter of a day or two coming back as time permits to do this “office set up” type non-productive busy work.  Yes, it’s important to get everything organized but there is a time and place.  Generating leads and talking to leads is the life blood of your network marketing business.  Without them, you’re not really in business.
So, my advice is to do what’s absolutely necessary in terms of the “busy work” and get into action with 80% of your time spent on lead generation and prospecting/recruiting.

Yes, some need more training than others but the best training is actually doing it.  You have to be willing to “totally suck” in the beginning.  I received a really good personal development e-book sometime back from Bryan Dodge, Personal and Professional Development Author and Speaker, that has a paragraph that I believe really drills home the point.  Here’s the excerpt….

“You must be willing to tolerate ambiguity, confusion, possibly even chaos for a while, shaping your game plan as you go. Understand there will be disorder in your life. If you get too concerned with the step-by-step plan of action to follow you will find yourself brooding over the potential problems and roadblocks that you could encounter. For now, all you need is an aiming point and action.”

Okay that’s my number 5 and 6.  I just touched on each of these so would love to hear comments adding additional insights and helpful suggestions.  Please also share with your network so we can help as many as we can.

Wishing you a Very Happy and Productive Week ahead!!