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Powerful Uplines Are Trying to Censor Renegades!
Friday, April 4, 2008 at 08:10AM Ann Sieg's The Renegade Network Marketer and "The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing" continue to stir up controversy. The word is out that a group of top level Uplines are trying to get the Direct Selling Association to have MLM companies ban associates promoting The Renegade on their sites.
The DSA is the code of ethics guardian for the multilevel marketing industry. Their mission is to protect consumers and sales associates from devious practices. A company must comply with the code in order to maintain its membership. The code addresses things like misleading information to get associates to sign up, inventory loading, i.e. encouraging an associate to purchase more inventory than they could sell in a reasonable time frame, and making false claims to consumers about products.
What seems to have really gotten to these people is the free e-book,"7 Great Lies of Network Marketing". It has really struck a chord with people in the industry. They feel that this use of "negative marketing" breaks the DSA's code.
I have written before that just because someone is still using "Old School" mlm marketing practices doesn't mean they are intentionally misleading new recruits. My experience has been that these are people who believe in the system and their products. They are passing along to their downline what has worked for them, or what they believe will work for their new associates. I think they are sincere when they say that if someone else is not getting results, it's because they aren't trying hard enough.But the fact remains that only 5% actually succeed using the old methods.
Along comes "The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing." I can see how that title could be offensive to people in the industry. But it is only a title, albeit a powerful one. It actually could be a little lesson in itself on marketing techniques. Ann Sieg is targeting a specific group with this e-book; those who are frustrated that their mlm businesses are not turning out to be all they had hoped. These people are out on the internet looking for answers. A good marketer knows that to catch the interest of this target market, you have to address their perception of the problem - and the perception of many of these people is that they have been duped. When they see a title like "The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing" they are attracted to it and want to read it if for nothing else than out of curiosity. If the title was bland, like the 7 Great Misconceptions, or the 7 Great Exaggerations, it wouldn't have gotten anywhere near the response.
Title aside, what's really significant is the reaction when people read the book. Just yesterday I spoke with a client who said it was as if Ann Sieg had gotten into his head and written about the exact problems he was having with his business. That was my reaction to the book, as well. I was a little bit bothered by the title, but when I read the actual material, it was right on the money (no pun intended!).
So, we have the two sides of the controversy. Uplines who believe in their methods and feel threatened by what they see as an attack on their business practices on one side. Business owners who are frustrated by the old ways and looking to the future of network marketing using the new model of Attraction Marketing on the other side.
The issue is whether or not this gives the MLM powerhouses the right to tell us what we can and cannot promote. One of the big selling points of joining a multilevel company is that you will become an independent business owner. They can't have it both ways. I understand the policy most companies have that their associates cannot discuss or name products on their personal sites. This is because the companies cannot monitor thousands of sites for what might be incorrect product claims that would make the company liable. That is a completely different issue. This is an attempt to step in and control how we choose to conduct our businesses and which marketing philosophies we choose to endorse.
In a very interesting article on this topic, Mike Klingler shares his discussion with one of the people heading up the movement against "the 7 great lies of network marketing" book. He also goes into the use of how negative marketing has been used in a number of different industries. Look for this article under "The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing Sieg" at his blog. A lot to think about.
There are strong emotions on both sides. I welcome your thoughts on this issue. I know this is a hot button topic, so please keep comments civil!
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Reader Comments (10)
Instant gratification vs relationship building with more qualified prospects. Instant gratification begins when we are infants getting our needs met.It is part of human nature- patience is not. Hence, the "old schoolers" stick to their "guns" and resist change. So it goes.
Mike,
Thank you for your comments. We are a generation of instant gratification seekers! I go around and around with my son about that all the time! But patience definitely has its rewards!
Barbara
Barbara. thanks for your thoughtful analysis of this controversy. I, too, was initially bothered by the title "7 Lies..." And, I also found that Ann Sieg seemed to be talking directly to me with solutions to my issues and challenges. Still, I won't be sending my upline a copy any time soon. You and I share a point of view: they are genuinely trying to teach us how to do what they did--and what some others they respect did to build a business with our company. I feel that it is my responsibility to help those who choose to work with me another different marketing philosophy and know-how.
Hi Barbara,
Most people know where I stand on this issue, but I like your 'opinion poll' style here and I thought I would give my opinion...
Yes, I think it's fantastic Ann's materials are causing such a stir!
The message rings true for many, many networkers who have been frustrated for years because no one has exposed the truth about how to EFFECTIVELY market and attract people to their businesses without using the 'interruption marketing' method that (in my opinion) is based upon hope, chance, and desperation.
==> If what you have to offer someone is really that great - then why are networkers taught they have to go FIND people to tell them how great it is?
People should be able to attract prospects to their opportunity IF they are being taught how to use proper business methods of marketing that are based upon logic and business sense.
If the truth is being told in Ann's books - then you must ask yourself, why are certain people all bent out of shape about it?!
As a consultant, trainer, and leader myself - I WANT my organization to know these things, and I'm not scared one bit about arming them with Ann's powerful message.
In fact, I've seen people who use these methods who are now thanking me for exposing it to them and can't believe that the people they were following before didn't ever take the time to learn how to market and teach them how to effective attract people to them.
Ann is not coming down on any company or person - it's the concept that people are not being properly educated that she is exposing.
We all know how easy it is in network marketing for reps to get sucked in to that life where everything revolves around their one company - and anyone from the outside who says anything different - is a threat.
But, you MUST have an open mind and think about what makes more business sense. Don't just take the words of your sponsor or upline as truth - do your own due diligence.
So, the easiest way to put this to rest is:
What makes more business sense when building a business (Ann's methods or old-school stuff) - and what do our PROSPECTS really want when looking into a business?
"People want to buy, but they don't want to be sold."
Marketing is a message Ann is getting out there, and it's exactly why she is now more successful than many, many networkers who teach people to 'beg' for business.
The choice now belongs to the independent reps - they can either choose to follow methods that make you appear desperate and needy - or they can learn how to MARKET and attract their target market to them.
If Ann's message is helping people (which it is) - it just makes you wonder why certain people feel so threatened - people who are supposedly strong independent leaders?
It could be because they are nervous because they realize that they never did learn to attract people to them using effective marketing, and are now embarrassed that someone outside their company is teaching their people how it's done?!
I'm not going to state anything, but it just makes you wonder, right?
I mean, I myself used to be one of those old-school methods upline. Now, I'm embarrassed I didn't challenge those things earlier on in my career. I did always wonder why I felt like a desperate salesman by doing those things.
You see, if you know how to market - you don't have to be scared of your people quitting or following someone else because you know how to attract people 24/7.
People are tired of being led around like lost sheep - they are ready to be armed with information that can really help them become a strong force in this industry.
If you as an upline can't or won't provide that for them - they will look elsewhere for it.
As you can tell - marketing is a big passion of mine - and I don't knock anyone. I am here to protect the network marketer and get the message out to people that helped me to excel in my business and this industry, and I applaud Ann Sieg for having the guts to stand up for something so powerful.
Anytime you stand up for something right - you are bound to stir up controversy. I do think it's funny though that people spend so much time talking negatively about Ann that they loose time marketing their own businesses - and indirectly give Ann more free publicity AND their prospects :)
Whether it's Ann Sieg, Mike Dillard, or anyone else - I applaud them for getting smart and using their talents to reach tons of people who need these types of messages.
Make it a good one,
Scott Rogers
Network Marketing Consultant, Trainer, Marketer
http://www.TheNetworkMarketingConsultant.com
http://www.BestHomeBusinessSystem.com
http://www.NewMarketingStyle.com
http://www.myspace.com/nmconsultant
Hi Scott,
Your passion does shine through -- that's what I like about you. The most positive thing that is coming out of all this, for me, is the fact that the people with integrity are ready to stand up and be counted. The people that know how are willing to show how!
It's a great time to be in this industry!
Barbara
Kate, you are right on the same page with me. I am still working my first MLM in addition to my second. The first is old school, but I love the people I've met and I adore my two immediate uplines. They are good people. But one laughingly refers to herself as a "dinosaur" when it comes to anything computer related. She's happy with her 90,000+ a year, so who's to criticize? Even if I could make millions, I wouldn't be comfortable using the old techniques. So, I travel a different road. As long as we're both happy and our prospects are happy, where's the problem?
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for tackling this topic.
Honestly, I was surprised that anyone found Ann Sieg's 7 Lies Report or the ebook to be offensive, though I guess I should have realized...
I read it over and over again, getting more excited each time.
Finally, it seemed, there was a way for me to really make network marketing work. And in a professional, respectable fashion? Well, that made it ALL feel better.
I look forward to reading your blog in the future. You have some valuable tips here for anyone working from home.
Best regards,
Cathy Yeatts
http://www.networkmarketingreview.net
Cathy,
Thank you so much for your comment. I had the same reaction to the 7 Lies. I was put off by the title - but not so much that I didn't click on it! Then when I started reading, I felt Ann had crawled into my mind and was putting everything I had been thinking and feeling into words. What she has given us is a way to do business with integrity. The way I see it, everybody wins!
I had HUGE resistance from my upline regarding my theories of marketing. I came from corporate america and couldn't believe the entire industry had as their business model "make a list and talk to them" kind of thing.
Ann Sieg's book is PRICELESS in my opinion, not just for the content, but for its viral application as well.
Yeah, Kurt,
In network marketing, we refer to attraction marketing as the "new method" but corporate has been on to it for years!
However, the big businesses are having to scramble to learn how to use the internet effectively, and in this area, the internet network marketers are leading the way. I've had more than one corporate big wig (well, middle sized wig) pick my brain. Hee hee!