Does hearing “MLM” make you a little cringy? It's okay if you say yes because I felt the same way for a long time and… if I'm being totally honest, I still do sometimes depending on the situation. With that being said, I've come to the conclusion that we've got to stop assuming that every MLM company is the same and that every affiliate is the same. I really do believe that the business of an MLM has changed a lot over the years and most people just can't see past the myths and stereotypes to really see how solid a company actually is or how authentic some affiliates really are.
After personally being a part of an MLM for 4 years (Seint Beauty), I know it can be such an amazing opportunity for people who want a self-driven work from home, flexible business. I have had and continue to grow my own success so I know it works 😉 because I've been in this for a while and have had lots of time to figure out what actually “works” I thought I would share a few of my do’s and dont’s of working in an MLM. I don’t think it has to be said but I’ll say it anyway. This is MY opinion and MY experience. I’m not trying to call anyone out or say that I know everything because I don’t. With that being said, I hope some of these help you navigate the world of direct sales in a positive and successful way!
DO
Join a company that you personally love and use the products. A company that you are familiar with and trust! Look up their comp plan and other important aspects.
DON’T
Join a company on a whim or to make “some quick cash” and don’t associate with a company that you don’t fully trust/love the products.
DO
Find a leader you trust, like, and relate to; regardless of how long they've been in it or how large their team is. Get to know them a bit and see what resources they have for team members and how they plan on supporting you. Utilize your team and leader!
DON'T
Enroll with the largest/most popular affiliate or the first affiliate you find without doing your research. Unless you do believe they have the best resources and what you need, it's not always the best route to be with a huge team (for obvious reasons) Also don't place your success in their hands. YOU need to do the work. You can't blame a lack of results on your team.
DO
Be excited about this new opportunity! Talk about it, tell your family and friends! Do it for you and be confident in your choice and your abilities!
DON’T
Let others’ opinions make you feel embarrassed or weird about this opportunity. Don’t be overly annoying and push family and friends to support you/buy from you. Don’t only try to “sell” to your family and friends.
DO
Naturally attract people to join your team and let them come to you. (Every single woman on my team came to me and was honestly a stranger) Share your honest experiences and feelings for the company and show what you have to offer! Take care of your team members and be their friend, don't pressure them to sell or do things they don't want to do.
DON’T
I repeat, DON'T see everyone as a prospect. Don't cold message strangers or old friends to join. Don't pressure your clients to join. Don't use people to get ahead. Don't treat your team members like an asset and pressure them about sales/recruiting.
DO
Expand your circle by using social media and putting the effort into long term strategies like email marketing, blog, YouTube.
DON’T
Give up after all your friends and family have bought or said no. Don’t only use one platform to build your business especially if it is Facebook or Instagram. You don't own your content on there and you're at the mercy of an algorithm and your account could potentially be stolen or shut down without warning and you'd be left with nothing!
DO
Implement self-improvement into your life and business. Believe in yourself and be authentic to who you are and what you believe! Work at your own pace and your own style.
DON’T
Compare yourself to other affiliates or people on Instagram. Don't be fake or use dishonest tactics to sell. People can see right through that and it won't get you very far. Don't expect to find success as fast or in the same way as another affiliate.
DO
Collaborate and be friends with other affiliates! (A few of my closest friends were made through this journey!) Cheer each other on and offer helpful feedback.
DON’T
Participate in gossip and jealousy. You can find it in any business and any social situation but you can also easily say no to it. Don't feel like you have to follow some affiliates if they do make you feel insecure- boundaries are important! (This doesn't mean that there's not times for honesty, frustrations and constructive criticism but that's not what gossip and pettiness is)
DO
Create your own work and be creative and original! Learn new skills and get INSPIRED by other people.
DON’T
Steal work and specific ideas from other people. Seriously it's not cool. Always ask the creator before using an image or resource and even then, don't change it and definitely give them credit!
DO
Things that make you happy and participate in the parts of the business that you enjoy! Love taking selfies? Share em! Love writing? Blog it up!
DON’T
Do things you don't enjoy. Hate doing parties and in-person events? Don't do them. Hate doing Facebook lives? Don't do them! There's so many ways to run a business and you get to choose the ways that make sense to you and bring you joy and fulfillment!
DO
Treat this like a real business and give it consistency and time. Make realistic goals, stick to deadlines, make content plans, respond to people in a timely manner, keep your promises, set apart work times.
DON’T
Lose yourself and your life to your business. You don't need to be on your phone all day and you don't need to respond to people on the weekends/vacations ect. Don't kill yourself working endless hours. It will just cause burnout and likely cause a not so great version of yourself to show through. Take care of yourself and be present with your family! Consistency and professionalism is super important BUT your health, happiness, and family is ALWAYS more important.
And that's the best one to end on, in my opinion! I do believe that you can find success in MLM's but you do have to treat it like a real business and remember there are REAL people involved. You don't need to be a slave to your business. Trust me, I tried that route and it didn’t bring me more success; just more stress/unhappiness and more strain on important relationships.
Be kind, patient, genuine, and passionate and not only will you see more success, it will be longer lasting success and you'll honestly enjoy the journey way more too! I mean if you're not happy and becoming a better version of yourself and adding value to people’s lives then… what's the point? Is it really worth it? To me, the answer is no. I love what I do, how I do it, and who I do it with! If you’d like to know more about the business of Seint Beauty and my experience being an independent artist, email me! (simplemeetsbold>at<gmail) I would love to chat pressure free and with 100% honesty!
