Online Business Myth 5 "We hold your hand and guide you every step of the way…"

This particular myth is twofold in its deception.

Online Business Myth 5

Try and remember for a moment what it is that you are doing here. Business. And in business, as much as people in the same industry might network with each other and discuss what is going on in their particular market, do you really think that people who are in direct competition, in the same market place, are going to share all their secrets?

It would not be the savviest business strategy in the world, would it? Now, you may put this proposition to a seasoned MLM or Network Marketer, and they will insist that this business model is different. Because “If you make money, your sponsor makes money. It is in your sponsor’s interest to help you do well”. Read more

And that is indeed the truth. 100% accurate, in fact. But stop and think for a moment. The top earners in any MLM or Network Marketing company have usually got very large teams of people under them. How else do you think they became top earners? And the way they generate their incomes (in the first instance) is from sales at the ‘front end’ of their business. This requires a substantial investment of time to plan and execute a marketing strategy that will yield that level of sales.

They have got their own businesses to run. Their own challenges and obstacles to overcome. How much time do you think is left over to spend “holding hands” with newcomers? How many serious business people (in any industry), take the time to spoon feed their competition? And to be blunt, a serious entrepreneur is not going to commit their time to someone who shows zero initiative or willingness to drive their own business hard. The fact is that ‘needy’ consultants will get the least amount of time from their sponsor.

There is a law called “Pareto’s Law” or the 80:20 rule that states that “80% of the results will come from 20% of the people”. In this industry, the 20% of people who are generating 80% of sales will get the highest level of attention from their sponsor. Makes perfect sense doesn’t it?

Because “it is in a sponsor’s interest to have their consultants do well”. And a smart sponsor will soon see that if a consultant expects to have their hand held, they are highly unlikely to do well. They will not waste their valuable time on someone who is on the fast road to nowhere.

The fact is that if you are going into a business with the expectation that someone will ‘hold your hand’, you should probably reconsider this as an option for you.

No-one else can make financial success happen for you. As I discussed in Myth 4, your success in business will be 100% up to you. If your sponsor lives in a different time zone, is not able to speak to you when you have a problem, or to be blunt, lied through his teeth in order to make a sale and sign you up, you need to learn where to go looking and find your own solutions.

In business, becoming resourceful, solution-focused and ready to fail fast and forward are prerequisites to success. These are skills that can be learned, and over time and with practice, mastered.

There is no business environment on the planet where someone will ‘hold your hand every step of the way’. The most successful business people are resilient, self-reliant and fiercely independent. Without exception.
It’s a jungle out there.

So, if it sounds too good to be true…it is.