Starting Over in MLM: What I Would Do Differently This Time Around

Today’s post is about starting over in MLM. During a team event this past weekend in Orlando, Florida, I did a training on what I would do differently this time around if I was starting over in MLM, knowing what I know now. Due to the popularity of the class, I figured I would share some of my notes on this website to help my readers achieve success in their network marketing business. What you will see below are 20 things I would do differently if I was starting over in MLM today, knowing what I know right now.

Starting Over in MLM: What I Would Do Differently

These tips are listed in no particular order.

# 1: Join the Right Company at the Right Time

Lesson Learned: I would join the right MLM Company at the right time, before it was a household name and hit momentum and critical mass, but AFTER it had been in business a few years and gone through the initial growing pains.

Insights:

• You want to be a in a company BEFORE the whole world knows about it.
• Established, older network marketing companies are solid, but harder to grow because most people have heard of it before and have preconceived notions about the company.
• Ground floor opportunities are very risky.
• You want a company that is at least a few years old, and has worked out most of its kinks, but hasn’t hit its massive growth yet.
• The big money is always made by the people who get in EARLY and do the work.

# 2: I Would Avoid Shiny Objects at All Costs

Lesson Learned: I would not be tempted by promises of fast or easy money or something for nothing. I would put on my blinders and focus ONLY on the company I am building.

Insights:

• Shiny objects are everywhere.
• The average person gets pitched (or exposed) at least 10-50 times per day on new DEALS.
• Do not get the “junkie” mentality like a crack addict, always looking for your next fix.
• The lust phase never lasts in relationships, life or business.
• Successful people stick with one thing until successful.
• No business is fast, free or easy. All businesses take time, money and hard work to succeed.

# 3: I Would Treat My Business Like a Million Dollar Business

Lesson Learned: I would take my business much more seriously, much sooner. I would act as if I had ONE-MILLION DOLLARS invested in my business and I had one year to earn it back.

Insights:

• Most people do not treat their network marketing business seriously, because they do not have much money invested.
• It’s easy to put your business on the back burner and let life get in the way when you only have $50 to $500 invested.
• Do not think of your business as a hobby or little part-time thing; think of it as a Fortune 100 company.
• Non-committed people attract non-committed people and serious people attract serious people.
• Even if you are part-time, have a full-time attitude.
• Act as if you just bought a multi-million dollar McDonald’s franchise.

# 4: I Would Master My Skills as Quickly as Possible

Lesson Learned: I would master the basic skills of prospecting, inviting, presenting, closing, retailing, recruiting, training and leadership quickly. I would be a student of my profession and learn everything I could about it, as quickly as possible.

Insights:

• Skills pay the bills.
• All professions require a certain skill-set to be successful, MLM is no different.
• The best way to learn the skills is by doing; get in the trenches and stay there.
• You can study something until the cows come home, but until you go out and do it, you won’t learn much.
• Your first year in the business is training time; give yourself time to learn and master the basic skills.
• The beauty of our industry is you can earn while you learn.

# 5: I Would Recruit 2-4 New Reps Every Month

Lesson Learned: I would never let a month go by where I did not personally recruit at least 2-4 new reps.

Insights:

• Most top earners who have recruited hundreds of people in their career have simply recruited 2-4 new people every month over a sustained period of time.
• New blood is the lifeblood of your business.
• As a leader, you must set the pace and keep recruiting; never stop your personal recruiting, ever.
• New recruits will solve ALL of your business problems.
• If your business is stagnant, go out and build five new legs quickly.

# 6: I Would Recruit Up

Lesson Learned: I would look for better quality prospects. Instead of looking for broke, down and out folks, I would focus on recruiting leaders and doers: people with credibility, contacts and a large sphere of influence.

Insights:

• People who are successful in their career typically do well in our industry.
• Success is a mindset.
• You want a team of people sharper than you.
• Who would you pick if you were looking for a CEO for a $100 million company your family owned (go prospect that person)?
• Quality people typically lead to more quality people.
• A few quality people can earn you six figures in this industry.

# 7: I Would Go Deep, Not Wide

Lesson Learned: I would focus much more attention on building depth than building width. I would spend more time helping people in my team recruit than just me personally recruiting.

Insights:

• Width is for show, depth is for dough.
• Work at the deepest level in your organization with the newest, most excited distributor.
• The deeper you go, the more stable your check and business is.
• Light a fire in the basement and watch the heat rise.
• The only way to permanently motivate people is to give them something to lose by building depth.
• Most top earners in our industry make 90% or more of their income from the efforts of just 1-3 people.

# 8 I: Would Think Much Bigger, Much Sooner

Lesson Learned: I would think bigger much sooner. Instead of thinking small and worrying about today’s money problems, I would think much bigger and take the long-term view with my business.

Insights:

• Spend time with successful reps who think big and avoid the people who are negative and complaining.
• Don’t let today’s problems prevent you from long-term success in life and business.
• Make sure that every decision you make about the business is based off what’s best for the long-term health of your business.
• You’ll overestimate what you can do in 1-2 years and underestimate what you can do in five years.
• Get rid of the Instant Gratification mentality that most people have.
• Get rid of your self-limiting beliefs.
• Read the book “The Magic of Thinking Big”

# 9: I Would Set Written Business Goals

Lesson Learned: I would have written goals for my business and life.

Insights:

• Write down your why and what you want from your business and read it daily.
• Create a dream board or vision board.
• Write down your 1 year goals for your business.
• Set monthly goals for your business.
• Set weekly goals for your business.
• Set 1-3 daily goals to keep you on track.
• Keep track of your progress each month so you can see how much you have grown.
• Without written goals you are planning to fail.

# 10: I Would Set a Work Schedule for My Business

Lesson Learned: I would create a work schedule for my business, just like I have with my job.

Insights:

• We are all creatures of habit; our habits determine our success, or lack of it.
• At your job, you have a work schedule and if you don’t work you don’t get paid.
• You need to set business hours and you need to know exactly what you are going to do each day to grow your business.
• Plan out your business work schedule every Sunday night, determine what days you will work your business, at what times and what you will do during your work hours.

# 11: I Would Approach 10-20 Prospects Every Day

Lesson Learned: I would approach 10-20 people per day about my products and business, at least five days per week.

Insights:

• We get paid to talk to people; if your mouth is closed your business is closed.
• You need to have a few ways to get leads so you always have people to contact.
• Talk to some people make some money, talk to a lot of people and make a lot of money.
• The top earners simply approach more people and get more Nos.
• Yes is the destination, NO is how you get there. Go for No!

# 12: I Would Find & Follow a Successful Mentor

Lesson Learned: I would choose a mentor, humble myself, and do what they teach.

Insights:

• Don’t reinvent the wheel; find someone who has achieve the level of success you want and do what they did.
• All successful people have mentors.
• Pick a mentor in your UPLINE because they have a vested interest in helping you succeed.
• You must be a good apprentice before you can become proficient at what you do, and then become a leader.
• You must learn to follow before you can lead.
• A good mentor can help you become successful much quicker than trying to figure out everything on your own.

# 13: I Would be Committed to My Personal Development

Lesson Learned: I would work harder on myself than I did on my business.

Insights:

• Personal development is everything.
• This industry is a personal development course with a compensation plan attached to it.
• Your business will only grow as much as you do.
• Set aside time and money for daily personal development.
• Enroll in automobile university, read books, listen to CDs and videos, talk with your mentor, etc.
• Become an avid reader, even if you don’t enjoy it.

# 14: I Would be Persistent and Consistent

Lesson Learned: I would do SOMETHING to grow my business each and every single day, no matter what, no excuses. I would never start and stop, start and stop.

Insights:

• Stopping and starting is the kiss of death in your business.
• The people who succeed in this industry are the people who show up day in and day out over a sustained period of time.
• Success is about doing a certain few things over and over and over.
• Everything you say, think and do is either moving you closer to your goals or further from them. Choose wisely!
• How much money would you make if you owned a restaurant, but it was only open 1-2 hours per week?

# 15: I Would Not be a Lone Wolf

Lesson Learned: I would not be a lone wolf and try to do everything by myself.

Insights:

• I would stay plugged in with my ACTIVE upline at all times and learn from them, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel.
• Network marketing is a team sport, do not be an island.
• Surround yourself with other movers and shakers and be a sponge; learn everything you can from them.
• You are a reflection of the FIVE people you spend most of your time with.
• I would talk with my serious team members and upline every single day.

# 16: I Would Focus on ONE Opportunity Exclusively

Lesson Learned: I would focus on ONE opportunity exclusively, instead of trying to create multiple streams of income.

Insights:

• Do not promote multiple deals at once.
• Do not keep switching companies.
• Don’t get lured away by the multiple streams of income myth.
• Pick one thing and stick with it until you succeed.
• Could you imagine an Olympian training for 2-3 sports at the same time?
• Could you imagine being married to 2-3 people at the same time?
• Focus is essential to succeed at anything in life.

# 17: I Would Attend All Events

Lesson Learned: I would attend all events, no matter what.

Insights:

• Either you need the event or the event needs you.
• Events are where people make the decision to build a big business.
• Learn new skills, meet new people, have fun and build your belief in the business.
• We are an event driven business.
• Even if you don’t think YOU need the event, most of your team members do.
• Attend all company events and a few generic ones too.
• For every person you have at an event your team will multiply by 5x during the next 12-months

# 18: I Would Have a Mastermind Team

Lesson Learned: I would develop an inner circle (mastermind) of 3-5 serious people who are as committed and serious as I am.

Insights:

• Two to five people working toward a common goal is much more powerful than just one person working by themselves.
• Mastermind with your upline, you and a few serious people on your team.
• Encourage each other, hold each other accountable and be supportive.
• Iron sharpens iron.

# 19: I Would Study Marketing & Lead Generation

Lesson Learned: I would study marketing and become a master at generating leads, both online and offline.

Insights:

• The person who can get the most leads wins.
• Marketing principles apply to MLM, just like every other business.
• It’s much easier to sponsor someone when they call you first.
• There are thousands of ways to do marketing and lead generation; pick what works best for you.
• Read marketing books, attend marketing events, etc.
• Study DIRECT RESPONSE MARKETING (Dan Kennedy).

# 20: I Would Build a List

Lesson Learned: Your most valuable asset is your list.

Insights:

• Keep track of EVERY person you ever talk to about your products or business, even if they tell you no.
• Keep track of every person who ever joins your team.
• Maintain a database of names, keep it updated and stay in touch with people.
• If you talk to five people a day for a year, that is 1,825 names in your database in just one year.
• Do that for 5-years and you have almost 10,000 names.
• Stay in touch with EVERY person in your database at least once every 90-days.
• Many people who tell you NO today will eventually tell you YES if you stay in touch and are a professional (no hype or pressure).

Final Thoughts

There you have it folks. These are 20 things I would do differently if I was starting over in MLM, knowing what I know now. What is your favorite lesson? What you would do differently if you were starting over in MLM? Leave a comment below to let me know what you think. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,






Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com

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