MLM Expert Advice

Tim Sales (author of Professional Inviter) sent me an interesting article the other day that managed to push a hot button of mine.  In fact it pushed hard enough that I finally got started with my blog (and follow through on my promise to provide advice freely to those who want to be successful in MLMs) by writing this article.

When we were young (and perhaps some of you still are) anything new and shiny or bright would catch our eye and we would forget everything we were doing to go chase after it.  Our parents or teachers would try to keep us focused on the material at hand but we would invariably go after that bright object.  Some of you may classify it as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and if that is the case perhaps we all do have some form of it but I prefer to label it as SNOE (Shiny New Object Effect).

Unfortunately we grew up (or rather some of us did) and today we are trying to build our business successfully or trying to get through another day at work or just trying to get through another day period.  During your day you happen to read an article or an email that highlights a completely new way of doing business (the Shiny New Object).  Later that day you realize your group is just not getting enough prospects to listen to what you have to offer and you have no idea what you are going to do about it.  While you are in that state of dread, wondering what to do, you remember the joy shiny new objects brought you when you were a child.  Suddenly, out of the blue, you remember that article you read about the latest Shiny New Object system and you tell everyone in your organization to start using it.

Now I’m not going to tell you innovation is bad or there is something wrong with trying something new.  Lets face it, nothing would advance if we didn’t try new things.  But a balance must be struck.  Whether or not what you were currently doing to build your business is working you don’t just jump into a new method without testing the waters.  After all, who knows whether the Shiny New Object system is going to perform well for you or your organization?

Its ingrained in our very make up that we are lured towards that which is new rather than refining that which we have done before.  After all following the SNOE is sexier,whether its a new social networking site or the latest lead source, than it is to take the time to analyze what works best (for you) and building on that success with careful adjustments and refinements.

Maybe you’re thinking “but my lead sources are working great for me (or my group)” so I want to go explore something new and let that run on autopilot.  But before you ignore what I have to say and close the browser window, I would ask you to answer the following questions for yourself truthfully:

• Do you know where every one you brought in to your group in the last year came from?
• Do you know what percentage they represent of all leads from those sources?
• Do you have any ideas for how to increase those percentages this year?
• Do you know if the percentages you have are accurate?

And the millionaire-maker question that must be asked is:

If I am going to help my organization grow rapidly by identifying quality prospects, where should I invest resources (time and/or money) to generate a better return on investment.  In other words should I look at whats working best and figure out how to improve it by 10% or do I start investing in dozens and dozens of seemingly innovative new approaches to try and get the additional increase that way?

I am sure that most people reading this are going to answer by saying, “I am going to do both.”  But as I always point out to people you already spend all of your time so where are you going to find more.  Similarly if its money, not all of us have deep pockets.  And truth be told, I think all of us would agree that we are better off doing a few things very well than a bunch of things not well at all.

Every one has heard the definition of insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  I believe that doing things too different or blindly following the SNOE has the same effect.

Just because you are running your MLM from home doesn’t make it any less of a business.  In fact if anything it makes it more personal.  You wouldn’t invest your family fortune in the latest new fad and you certainly shouldn’t latch on to the latest SNOE without proper due diligence.

Again I am not against innovation, just suggesting that we each adopt a “look before you leap” attitude. Every change isn’t bad.  Refine what you are doing today and do a little homework on the latest Shiny New Object before adding it into the mix.

Concentrate on the basic fundamentals (I’ll cover those in another article) and build your business smartly adding innovation and not replacing everything that you do every time someone hands you another shiny new object.