Myths about Network Marketing

There's an old joke that's pretty popular with seasoned veterans of our industry. It goes, "If you want something to grow, put fertilizer on it or tell a network marketer."

We all know what that means, right? Suddenly, within a week of signing up, everybody's a leader, or the product has made them grow six inches and led to their winning a major Triathalon with no training. The joke works (and stings!) because so much of American business culture -- both in network marketing and outside of it -- is based on exaggeration and unfounded claims. (Enron, anyone?)

This isn't something unique to our industry; change the joke to, "If you want something to grow, put fertilizer on it or tell a stock broker," and it still packs its punch. Of course it's not true across the board -- there are more honest stock brokers than there are crooked ones, just as there are more honest networkers -- but it "sticks" because of our misconceptions of what business people do.

Gano independent affiliate Robert Hollis, a network marketing legend who has earned over $26 million in the industry, was the first person to tell us that joke -- but we've heard it many times since. When Robert told us about it, he followed immediately by saying, "We know that's how it is. But why not just tell the truth?"

It's a discussion that's been raging in network marketing circles for decades. Networker and author John Milton Fogg jumped into the fray with a powerful little article, "Four Lies of MLM." Here's what Fogg has to say about the "myths of network marketing":

The lies that limit the future of network marketing began as so many untruths do. They were told initially to bolster up our insecurity -- in this case, our industry's perceived lack of self-esteem. The lies were harmless "little white" (i.e. "okay") ones, meant to make us seem bigger and better than we really thought we were.

He goes on to talk about the 4 biggie myths we hear told again and again: stuff about The Wall Street Journal making wild claims about future prosperity for networkers, or that our methods are taught at Harvard and Standford. With just a teensy bit of research, all these things go away -- but in the heat of the moment, when you're enthusiastically sharing the news about Café 2.0, who has time for research?

If you've made $250 for a commissions period, why say you've made $300? That little inflation won't improve your case, and if the person you're sharing with finds out about that phantom $50, you can kiss your reputation goodbye! As Robert puts it again and again, "Always ask, 'How do you know that?'" -- even of yourself!

There are real facts -- not myths -- about our industry and products that are compelling enough that you don't need the myths. OK, so this isn't "the industry that has created the most millionaires in America" -- that'd be real estate, incidentally -- but it is an industry that has touched countless lives, enriched so many with its promise of time and financial freedom. Show people what it's done for you and for people you know -- don't repeat the old myths, don't go spouting off that fertilizer!