Today, I want to educate you about how to have fun in your MLM Business. While the real purpose of every business is to make a profit, I do believe it’s also a good idea to try and have fun at the same time!
Truthfully, if you’re not enjoying what you do, you’re doing it wrong, and you probably won’t stick around in this business very long.
Network marketing is unique in that it is a volunteer Army. That means that you can’t boss other people around, people don’t have to listen to you, and people don’t have to stay on your team!
Most people already have a boss and already have enough stress in their lives. The last thing they need is another boss or a bunch of extra stress from a side business. Make sense?
That’s where you, the creative and resourceful sponsor can make a big difference. Your goal is not only to help your people, but to create a strong team culture where people can win, be successful and have fun at the same time.
How to Have Fun in Your MLM Business
In the paragraphs below, I want to share a few ideas that you can implement immediately to have more fun in your MLM Business. These are ideas you can use yourself and with your team. Enjoy.
# 1: Celebrate Your Success
It’s vital that you celebrate your success in the business, even for the smallest of achievements. Set daily, weekly and monthly goals for yourself. As you hit your goals, celebrate your success with your spouse, your coach and sponsor.
Don’t set huge, unrealistic goals you know you will never hit. Instead, focus on baby steps. These smaller goals can add up to big achievements over a sustained period of time.
When you celebrate your success, it does not need to cost you much money. Even a high five will work. For bigger goals, perhaps you could go out to eat, buy yourself a treat, take a weekend getaway, etc. Just make sure your “reward” matches the goal.
After you celebrate your success make sure you set some new goals!
When you celebrate, endorphins are released inside your body and you feel incredible. When you accomplish something and don’t take the time to celebrate, you are robbing yourself of an important feeling that reinforces your success. So much of what we do in our business is driven (or limited) by our psychology. Celebrating your wins not only feels great physically, but it reinforces the behavior you want to show up when you face a new challenge or opportunity.
~ INC.com
# 2: Meetup with Your Team Members
We are social creatures. This business is not meant to be built in isolation. Your goal is to have events such as a BBQ or potluck dinner with your team. You can all get together for fellowship, to share ideas, to celebrate, and to get to know each other better. Spend a day and go bowling, visit an amusement park, play mini-golf, watch a movie, go out to eat, or do something else fun and exciting. Everyone wants to belong to a group of people who have similar interests and values. And remember this, teams that play together stay together!
# 3: Laugh at Yourself
Take your business seriously, but don’t take yourself too seriously. Learn how to laugh at yourself. Get together on the phone each week with a few of your team members and talk about the dumb stuff you did. Laugh with each other. Tell a few funny jokes and lighten the load. Laughter is a great way to boost morale. Have a special award for the person who did the dumbest thing that week.
A 2009 study conducted by cardiologists at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore revealed that laughing, along with an “active sense of humor,” can protect against a heart attack and prevent heart disease. According to the study, people with heart disease were 40 percent less likely to laugh in a variety of situations compared to people of the same age without heart disease — a little more evidence that lightening up can lengthen your life span.
# 4: Have Contests
I love a little friendly competition. Having a contest is a great way to encourage your team, and at the same time, have fun. A good contest will stretch people out of their comfort zone and challenge them to do more than they normally would. Make sure you have decent prizes and make the competition so there can be more than one winner (design it for the part-timers). By all means, have a grand prize winner, but make sure you have “realistic” goals for your contest, so everyone can participate. Keep in mind that 99% of your team is part-time.
Again, speaking from experience, the most motivating and productive sales contests (by a wide margin) are those where everyone on the team can qualify and win.
Here, we’re talking about a qualification target system.
Not only does this keep everyone engaged in the contest longer, it actually produces more sales overall.
Your top producers often end up coaching the other reps on your team, helping to bring your 80% producers to 90%, and your 90% producers to 100%, all while continuing to exceed sales qualification standards themselves.
Impressive, right? But it doesn’t end there. After several sales contests run like this, I’ve seen whole teams begin to sell more on average, even when they’re not running a sales contest.
# 5: Recognize Your Team
People love to be recognized. Look for the little things people are doing and find creative ways to recognize them. You don’t have to spend much money. Get creative. Think outside of the box. You can buy inexpensive awards, medals and certificates online. People will really enjoy receiving these things.
Public recognition is one of the best things you can do. Most people crave recognition more than anything else. Here are a few things you can recognize your team for:
- When they get their first “no show”
- When someone tells them it’s a pyramid
- When they find their first customer
- When they sponsor their first person
- Whey they give their first presentation
- When they earn their first commission
- When they attend an event
- When they rank advance
Remember, babies cry for it and grown adults will die for it: RECOGNITION. People want to feel important. Do your best to recognize EVERYONE, even for the smallest of things. Doing so will help with retention, grow your check, and make people feel good. It’s the ultimate win-win!
Leaders who make a point of showing recognition and offering sincere appreciation to their team stand to gain a significant return on their small investment: a team that is renewed in their commitment to their leader and organisation, and dedicated to doing all they can to help their company thrive and succeed.
~ Leaderonomics.com
# 6: Give Gifts
Give small, personalized gifts when people on your team accomplish something in their business, such as a rank advancement or sponsoring their first person. Send handwritten notes. Have a holiday party with your team and do a Secret Santa. Send neat t-shirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, pens, and other personalized items you can buy online. It’s even better if these items have your company’s logo on it, along with the distributor’s name. Everyone loves to receive a gift, especially if it’s personalized.
Gifts do not need to be expensive. Get creative, think outside the box, and you will come up with something that works.
# 7: Spend Time Together
Spend some one-on-one time with each of your team members, especially the serious ones. Get to know them as people. Find out what moves them and makes them tick. Watch a movie together, go out to dinner, visit the beach, go shopping, or just do something fun that is quality time. Visit a local museum or even exercise together. This will allow you to strengthen your friendship with the person.
You will quickly discover you have some really neat people on your team. Many of these folks will become your closest friends.
# 8: Dream Build with Your Team
Take your team dream building. Drive around town and look at expensive properties. Test drive a fancy sports car. Visit a high end retail shop and window shop. We did some of these things during my time in Amway many years ago and it was really powerful. There are few things more powerful than someone with a crystal clear dream. Most people think WAY to small. Your goal is to teach people to think BIG.
Final Thoughts
The bottom line is that you need to find ways to have fun in your MLM Business. People love to have fun. Spend some time to build good relationships with your team. Fellowship together. Laugh together. This is one of the keys to building strong relationships, building a long-term team, and a long-term income.
What are your thoughts? What do you do to have fun in your MLM Business? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you.
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
This is a very helpful post! I especially like #4 Have contests. That is one thing that I haven’t yet tried or have not yet been a part of. And I think most of these, especially the phone related ones can still be used even if some of your team members don’t live close to you.
Contests are a wonderful way to motivate your team and increase production.
You put some great tips here for having fun. I totally agree that having fun makes the whole business run much smoother. I believe that an occasional get together such as a camping trip, floating, swimming, whatever, will help everyone enjoy the business they are in.
As someone once said: all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
Life is just too short not to have some fun. Make the time and find ways to have a good time. The business will run fine without you for a few hours.
Yes, get togethers are a great way to have more fun in the business.