Thursday, May 17, 2012

8 Categories of MLM distributors! Which one are you?

December 5, 2010 by Rob  
Filed under Training

I came across this list created by Ramin Mesgarlou and I found it to have extreme value.

I am actually going to ask each and every member of of my team to read this list and tell me what number they are and why.

There is so much value in truly seeing yourself exactly how you are.

I am very dedicated to my business and yet the first time I read this list I was second guessing my number. I consider myself between a 7 and an 8 because I put in well over 25 hours a week into my network marketing business and I am very focused but why did I find myself with 1 or 2 qualities under number 5?

YIKES…….

I encourage you to read this post in it’s entirety and evaluate your exact qualities and dedication to your business. Be honest with yourself……

The fist step to recovery is to admit there is a problem.

Here they are!

  1. The Lotto Group

    These are the members that come to business presentations and get seduced by the hype, buy an enrollment package and then disappear. Some times these people get in based on the promises of their sponsors, “sign up, and I will build it for you”.

    These investors didn’t buy a business and pursue the MLM profession; they bought a home business lottery to see if their numbers would come up.

    If this is you, you are NOT in the MLM profession and you will not succeed so enjoy your products.
  2. Weekend Wonder Group

    This group is an interesting one. These people usually come to their first meeting in designer suits, looking and speaking confidently. They see this profession as “easy” and they don’t feel any need to educate themselves or attend any training.

    They come in fast, bringing in a whole bunch of people, sometimes even generating a few large cheques right away.

    A few weeks to a few months later when they don’t see the duplication they quit or simply move to another company and leave behind many casualties.

    This group comes into the industry with the attitude that they are going to make a million even if it takes them all weekend. If this is you, you are NOT in the MLM profession and you will not succeed so enjoy your products.
  3. Slave Driver Group

    This group is rare but they do exist. These individuals are the investors who come in and expect the upline to build an entire business for them.

    This group is not satisfied with just help and support they receive and expect the upline to keep creating welfare cheques for them.

    These people are not shy to ask their uplines to place “one or two hot shots” in their legs. If this is you, you are NOT in the MLM profession and you will not succeed so enjoy your products.
  4. Social Group

    The social group generally are nice, friendly people and they comprise a large percentage of the MLM workforce. Their primary reason for being involved in MLM is not money.

    They love making friends first; making money is secondary. They are also extremely helpful in event planning and coordination and they often volunteer their time to sit at the registration table and other tasks.

    They are at every meeting and training but never bring any prospects with them.

    If this is you, you are an important part of any team and are highly liked and respected however you will not reach financial significance, so enjoy your new found friends & your products.
  5. Some Time Group

    This group is the largest segment of the MLM work force. They call themselves PART TIME but they are NOT. There is a distinct difference between PART TIMER and SOME TIMER.

    SOME TIMERS allow their business venture to take a back seat to all their other competing commitments.

    They simply conduct their business when they can and as long as they can depend all of their other life commitments. They don’t have a plan of Action or precise business plan, nor are they building their business on a consistent basis.

    They simply do it when convenient or when the opportunity presents itself. “You cannot socialize your MLM business” Ramin Mesgarlou

    If your Promise is for your home business to free you up from your JOB, financial stress or traditional business, then you must treat it with the utmost respect.

    Doing a mini presentation in the elevator or having a chat in the hall way is not showing respect for your business.

    You wouldn’t do that with your JOB nor should you do that with your home business which is your absolute best financial freedom option.
  6. Part Time Group

    This group does all the right things and have a real opportunity to reach some if not all of their financial promises. Some of the part time group will go on to become “part time serious” or even “full time”. This group is not in a rush and are committed to most of the MLM success principles. There are two key weaknesses that part time group possesses that separates them from the top two most successful groups:

    1. They have not committed to become a trainer for their team and only rely on the company systems and the upline to provide all their team support.
    2. They have not built “LIKE & TRUST” with their key leaders mainly because they have not utilized their home to provide support or to spend much quality one on one time with their leaders.

      If this is you, you are on the right track; stretch yourself a bit more by hosting weekly events in your home. Also make a habit of treating your leaders for a quick latte and other “LIKE & TRUST” building activities and you will reach your financial promises. “Objective is to shift as many SOMETIMERS to PART TIMERS as possible” Ramin Mesgarlou
  7. Part Time Serious Group

    This is the select group that you always hear about, that “went from 0 – $10,000/month in 12 months “PART TIME”. These stories are true and every company has them, but let’s put the facts on the table. This special group maybe termed “part time” but they really have two full time commitments.

    1. First is their full time JOB or business that takes 40 + hours a week
    2. Second is their MLM business that also takes 25+ hours a week.

      This special group is totally motivated to build their MLM business and replace their full time JOB or traditional business as soon as possible. They live, breathe, sleep their MLM Business and they are what we call E & E (excited and exhausted) until they reach their financial promises. It takes a great deal of commitment and drive to be able to keep on track for 12 to 18 months that it will take to achieve your financial and success promises. I am here to tell you that it’s not easy, but it is worth it and the vast majority of the part time serious group will end up full time within two years.

      They work the business consistently and not in spurts, they use all the existing company tools, and if the company does not have sufficient support and training tools they will create them to support their team. Just like pro athletes on practice days, the serious part time group are never too busy or too tired, they show up as they are suppose to and get down to business day after day.

      (The only exception to this is when leaders from other MLM companies switch and bring with them other qualified MLMers who fall into part time, part time serious or full time categories. In this case, the leader can succeed rapidly without investing the commitment and the efforts that it would normally be necessary. Lets not let these exceptions confuse you of what it takes for an average person to achieve similar results)
  8. Full Time Group

    The FULL TIME group shares many similarities with the part time serious group. Most full time distributors started as part time or part time serious on their way to full time. However, there is one serious danger that full time distributors face which sometimes can lead to financial turmoil for many. The industry’s common teaching is to “work your MLM business on a part time basis until you replace your full time income (JOB, traditional business), then quit your full time income and build your MLM business full time”.

    That sounds great and it is the objective of millions of MLMers. The danger here is that until the Forensic Networker program no one was providing these ambitious MLMers with a FULL TIME MLM business plan. The distributors are told to continue to work their part time business plan by simply doing more of the same. I have seen over and over again distributors who started part time and quickly replace their full time income with their company’s part time business plan and quit their jobs. When that happens the new found freedom will sidetrack their focus as they start to enjoy the fun things in their lives.

    Some even fall into the “Some time distributor” category. When they finally decide to get back to work they become very confused because they don’t know what to do.

    The reason for the confusion is that working your MLM from home full time is a totally different business than doing it part time. Part time members can get away with doing little since they have a full time income with their full JOB. Regardless of their income, the part timer feels good about any effort they put towards their business since it is over and above their full time job commitments. Their distributors also see them as “committed” within the platform of the part time distributor. The distributor’s work habits are created during this phase, but once the platform changes to full time, the lingering part time habits create confusion and frustration.

    The routine plan no longer is a fit for them and a new comprehensive full time plan is required to sustain and increase the momentum of the

Ok so now the cat is out of the bag, you should have a good idea of what number you are and why.

Don’t be shy let’s continue the discussion, tell us exactly how you scored and why…..

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Comments

28 Responses to “8 Categories of MLM distributors! Which one are you?”
  1. Hey Robert,

    I’m not in MLM anymore.. but I see exactly what you’re talking about. The slave driver groups are funny people. It’s important to know that even though people are willing to help – building the business is all on the individual

    thanks for sharing this
    talk soon
    Hector Cuevas recently posted..How to Boost Your Blogs Growth by Working with Virtual Assistants!

  2. Hello Robert,

    Interesting post you have here. It’s a wonderful blog for people in MLM because they can actually evaluate and assess themselves and see how they are doing. I think most MLM distributors belong to the Lotto Group.

    Take care,

    Ana
    Ana/Traffic generation Cafe recently posted..Why Plugins Can’t Help You to Rank Better and What You Can Do About It

    • Rob says:

      Thanks Anna, I agree I think most start off in the Loto group, I don’t think this is their fault. I feel they were sold inaccurate information. To many people in our industry make it sound too simple. I hear sales pitches like this all the time.

      “All you have to do is find two people”

      If it were that simple everyone on the planet would be in MLM and we would all be millionaires.

  3. Hi Rob,

    I think Ana is right, and it’s funny in a sad sort of way. I have family members that have joined various companies off and on for years. Most of them are in the Lotto group.

    It’s good to read through and be aware of the different people we’ll come across in business. Also nice to see the things to beware of.

    Thanks for passing this along.

    Susanna
    Susanna Hess recently posted..Using Facebook for Business – How to Get in Front of More People

    • Rob says:

      One thing I learned over the years to avoid signing up people who are in the loto group. I educate them before I sign them up. If they are looking for free ride I simply tell them this is not for you. People need to have realistic expectations on the ratio of work to reward.

  4. Jym says:

    Hey Rob,

    Very interesting post. I can certainly see these characters in people I’ve known, and some in myself at different stages!

    To be completely honest i originally started MLM in the ‘lottery’ group, but thankfully grew into a part timer. I’ve recently been transiting to part time serious. As I align my life more with this business, My aim is to move to full time – it’s interesting to note the challenge that come with that change…

    Thanks for sharing this list and all the best,

    Jym
    Jym recently posted..How To Generate Internet Marketing Leads For Any MLM Home Business

    • Rob says:

      Glad to here you are miking things happen Jym…. I too started as a Loto guy, I quickly learned if it was going to happen I had to make it happen.

      Rob

  5. Hi Rob,

    thanks for sharing your insights. I agree that a full-time entrepreneur needs a plan too. However, I don’t like the expression “full-time entrepreneur” because to me it just sounds like another J.O.B. I prefer being an entrepreneur with full-time income. Am I over-sensitive ?

    Take care

    Oliver
    Oliver Tausend recently posted..Your Blog Comments On Twitter With Twitterfeed

    • Rob says:

      I too feel as you do Oliver, those aren’t my words those are the words of Ramin Mesgarlou. If I had it my way I would be a full time commission check cashier….

      Actually, I don’t mind the title full time entrepreneur, especially in MLM. Simply because I know I am helping 100′s of other people pursue and obtain their dreams. Plus I know I can come and go as I please. :)

      Rob

  6. Hi Rob,

    Interesting categories you are sharing here. Those who are in MLM will relate to this.

    I agree with Ana and Susanna, most MLMers are in the Lotto group unfortunately.

    All the best,
    Mavis Nong
    Mavis Nong-Attraction Marketing Online recently posted..Blog Traffic- How To Attract Even More Traffic With This Cool Plugin…

    • Rob says:

      LOL You are correct a lot of people are in the Loto group. Most people are in the Loto group in life and in general. All we can do is hope to motivate them to step out of their comfort zone and create results.

  7. Wayne Wu says:

    Very interesting breakdown Robert. I never thought of network marketing in this light before, but this is great.

    Obviously we are going to people in every group. And only a few people will be in categories 7 and 8. Even so, with just a small handful of those people, including yourself being one of them, you can build an incredible business. The 80/20 rule applies here.

    Smart network marketing companies know that most people will fall into cats 4 and 5, and structure their plans to provide the best spread between them and the 7′s and 8′s.
    Wayne Wu recently posted..Do You Have a Sense of Self Worth

    • Rob says:

      I agree Wayne most people will be in Cat 4 -5. It’s our job as leaders to move them along and up to 6 then 7 then 8. The key to doing this is to get them results fast and keep them there. Results are the best motivation.

      Rob

  8. Hi Rob,

    I have probably fallen into various categories over time but thankfully I have lasted the journey to operate mostly in the #7 and 8 categories now.

    I have to agree with some of the other readers that many succumb to the illusion of the lottery mindset though.

    Thanks for sharing an interesting and thought provoking post.

    ~Marcus
    Marcus Baker recently posted..When is too Much Value too Much

    • Rob says:

      I too have been all over this list Marcus. I think that’s what makes it so helpful. You can clearly see what your doing and make adjustments to find the desired results you are looking to obtain.

      PS… I enjoyed your post on When is too much value too much…

      Rob

  9. Liz says:

    Hey Rob, I’m not involved in MLM but the qualities mentioned describe many internet business folks in general, particularly #1. How many online business owners do we know that get seduced by the hype and jump in just to give it a try only to fizzle out?

  10. Great list, Robert! Thanks to make us aware of Ramin Mesgarlou’s work here. As well good to know the difficulties when shifting from part-time to enterpreneur with full time income… Excellent!
    Alexander Paul recently posted..Building a Sales Funnel – Do I really need a funded Proposal

  11. Robin says:

    Rob,
    Loved your list! I’d have to agree, I’ve known many members of the Lotto Group. I’ve also met and worked with some great Full-Timers as well.

    Your list pretty well represents everybody I can think of… We’ve all probably known someone in each of those groups…

    This would be a great list to share with new business partners… ask them which group they see themselves fitting into… ;-)

    To your continued success,
    Robin
    Robin recently posted..Top 10 LinkedIn Marketing Tips

  12. Hey Rob

    I think I have met just about everyone of those types :)

    I would put myself in Group 6 with the intention of moving up in 2011.

    Thanks for the read, it made me think.

    Peter
    Peter Fuller MBA recently posted..Is Network Marketing an Illegal Pyramid or an Equal Opportunity Business

    • Rob says:

      Me too, I have been most of them over the years… LOL 2011 is going to be an amazing year to be in our industry. I wish you the best of luck and let me know if I can help in any way.

      Rob

  13. Hi Rob,
    I was laughing as I was reading this post because I used to be a in the ‘some timer group’.
    I think a lot of people fall into the lotto group. I’ve signed up countless people who are so hyped up and then suddenly dissappear into thin air.
    Ruth @ Marketing Tips, Network Marketing Success Strategies recently posted..What Every Internet Marketer Needs To Know When Starting Out In The Internet Marketing World

  14. Beth Allen says:

    Very good assessment of types of distributors here. I find #4 interesting. I don’t think those people actually want friends more than money….well, perhaps they do, but I think they’re likely just not very business savvy. Of course, to build a team, you need people to know, like and trust you. I think some people, particularly in the attraction marketing community, have confused the issue and consider making friends prospecting. If you don’t open the door, people cannot come in! :)

    I am blessed to be a full timer for the past 4 years, having moved from 5 to 6 to 7 over the 10 years prior. Thanks for sharing this, Rob, great post to pass along to my team.
    Beth Allen recently posted..Completing the Year Consciously

  15. Tosin says:

    Hey Rob,

    I’m wondering how I’m just seeing this post. It really hit home.

    The truth is that most people are like the Lotto group.

    They heard someone speak at a seminar who just quit their job and made $22,000 in their first 30 days in the business. Or they were attracted to the opportunity by another network based marketer who told them that MLM is easy, part-time work that would make them thousands a month in no time etc. If you are a smart network marketer or business owner, then you know what a load of crap all of that get rich quick stuff is.

    This article really resonates, Rob! Thanks!
    Tosin

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