Bob's Blog - Flashes of MLM Brilliance

It’s Coming January 1st. And It’s Going To Be Really Big!

promarketer — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:12:43 +0000

The Document Many Won’t Want You to Read!

Shocking. Controversial. Visionary.

The MLM Revolution
A Manifesto
Randy Gage

Release Date: 1/01/09 at 12:01 A.M. Eastern

Join the movement for a new era in Network Marketing, as we join forces to move from the past and into a new future of challenge, growth, and empowerment. This shocking, contentious, and insightful document reveals the real truth about our profession—from the deceitful practices that no one wants to talk about, to the heartwarming vision of the change we can become.

Randy Gage takes a wrecking ball to the conventional and dated practices of the past and challenges us all to lock arms and boldly create a new way of doing business—and life—to build the best future for the network marketing profession.

Randy Gage can’t be bought, can’t be tamed, and he’s not afraid to speak out. On January 1, 2009, at one minute after midnight U.S. Eastern Standard time, this controversial document will be released and the bold new dialogue will begin.

If you were sent to this page, you are in the select group of influencers, agents of change, and critical thinkers charged with starting the movement. Register below to receive the exact download instructions one minute into the New Year. Then it will be your job to spread the message, continue the conversation, and become the change our profession so desperately demands.
Be the Revolution!

Read “The MLM Revolution” for yourself and:

* Find out how you can join a movement of like-minded professionals to work together to stop fighting over a piece of the pie, and work instead to create a bigger pie;

* Learn the shameful business practices we must all work to eliminate in our profession, to end government harassment, media attacks, and negative public perceptions;

* Uncover what you must know to make your bonus check 100, 500 or even 1,000 times larger than it was in 2008;

* Discover the single biggest mistake “MLM grinders” make that prevents them from ever manifesting real duplication;

* Learn the 5 deadly lies of MLM – and why people keep trying to convince you they are true:

* Discover what role Web 2.0 and social networking sites will play in the future of Network Marketing – and what you must do to prepare for this;

* Learn the 7 most deceitful recruiting practices in our business and how to protect you and your team from them;

* Find out how to instantly recognize Ponzi scheme
s, chain letters and illegal pyramids that try to pass themselves off as legitimate MLM opportunities, and what we can do to shut them down; and,

* Learn how we can lock arms together and make 2009 and 2010 the “golden era” of Network Marketing that will be talked about with reverence for decades to come!

Sign up now to have your download instructions emailed to you at 12:01 am on January 1st. There is no charge for the Manifesto. Randy is sharing it free to a core group of Network Marketing leaders and people of influence to start the movement.

This is NOT a recruiting offer. You should only sign up if you are already in the business. Email me back for a link to the registration site at milliondollarleaders@gmail.com

Thanks,
Bob Gallo
milliondollarleaders@gmail.com

The Problem With Sizzle Cards And How I Overcame It

promarketer — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:43:22 +0000

Many people who have followed my writings over time know that I am a big proponent of drop cards or “sizzle” cards as they have come to be known. Properly used on a consistent basis, they can produce more qualified leads than you have the time to contact.

I like this form of promotion for several reasons.

a: They allow you to generate “exclusive” leads in your local market which is imperative if you ever entertain the notion of building a local group with a monthly hotel meeting.

b: The activity of using sizzle cards “keeps you in the zone”. It turns every-day activities into prospecting activity.

c: I doubt there is a more cost effective methods of advertising out there. There are companies where you can get thousands of cards for under a hundred bucks.

d: Anyone can do this and it is extremely duplicable throughout your entire group.

e: They are a heck of a lot less expensive than throwing out dozens DVD or Brochures. Therefore they allow you to blanket a much larger area or cast a larger “net” if you will.

Normally the card has a toll-free number that goes to a 3-5 minute sizzle call which has a generic “teaser” overview of the opportunity. The toll-free number is better than “just” a web-site address since people driving in their cars or walking on the street almost always carry a cell-phone these days and can call on the spot.

But here are the problems I have encountered.

3-5 minutes is just too long for two reasons.

A: People generally have the attention span of a gnat these days and won’t stay on that long to listen to the end of the “pitch”.

B: If you are getting out the thousands of cards recommended as the minimum for any kind of real success, you will be getting a TON of calls. If even a fraction of these people spend all 3-5 minutes on the call, your long-distance expenses will begin to add up fast.

Another problem I’ve seen is that people are increasingly hesitant about giving out a phone number for you to contact them back. They need to be sure they are not going to be bombarded with tele-marketing calls from lovely Lakshmishree in Bombay.

Even though this is one of the most rejection-free methods of prospecting in existence, most people, including myself, would like to screen out the dead-beats and those who don’t even own a personal computer which we all know is paramount if you are to run a home-based business. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to speak to these people and have a system that just screens them out completely?

Well here is what I have done.

1. I pared down the sizzle message to 1:45 seconds. It took some work but I was able to give a complete (truthful) teaser presentation in that short amount of time.

2. Instead of asking for a phone number, I actually tell them that my information is so impressive that I won’t even call them unless they call me first. Here is where I send them to a squeeze page that they cannot access unless they have a computer. Why is this important? Simply because I know that if I did my job right on the presentation, the qualified ones will take the initiative and log on their computers and fill out the lead capture page (which does not have a field for a phone number.. only an email address!)

They are then given a free e-book that shows them the system before I even bring them to my opportunity. After all.. the #1 concern of all people evaluating the business is not the products… it’s “Can I do this?”.

Then after they have read the e-book with links to my primary opportunity, they can contact me though that website. And in the meantime, I have their email which I plug into an auto responder to give them the benefits of my primary business over the course of about six emails.

The bottom line is this. When the lead finally drops out the bottom of this “automated” system. They are about as qualified as you can get and someone you can really get excited about speaking with!

To check out my sizzle call for learning purposes: it’s 1-888-577-9581

To check out the squeeze page system I am using in conjunction with it at http://www.milliondollarsystem.info

Happy Prospecting!
Bob

Huh? 31.95% DON’T know what a “Squeeze Page” is?

promarketer — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:24:02 +0000

Recently, James Grandstaff revealed something that I found quite interesting…

If you’ve been around the IM (internet marketing) scene for awhile, you’ve most likely heard the term “squeeze page” before, right?

At least that’s what I thought.

Well, James surveyed approx. 500 people on his list who are interested in making money online. Many stated they were interested in affiliate marketing, product creation, MLM, etc…

One of the questions was “Do you know what a “Squeeze Page” is?”

68.05% answered yes and 31.95% answered NO.

To be honest… I was shocked that 31.95% said no.

What about you?

In light of this shocking survey data I decided to write this post today to go over the very basics of what a squeeze page is and why you should be using them in your business (if you are not already.)

And for those of you who already use them, pay attention. You will probably learn something too.

Here goes…

A squeeze page which is also known as a “lead capture page” or “name squeeze page” is a simple web page with one purpose; to get your visitor to give you their name and email address so you can follow-up with them. That’s it.

One of the best ways to get someone to opt-in to your squeeze page is by offering something of high perceived value such as a mini ecourse or a highly targeted eBook.

For example, let’s say you are promoting a multi-level marketing business opportunity. The products are great and you are a raving fan.

Most people would just start promoting the website the company supplies. I say no. This is a perfect opportunity to implement the use of a squeeze page and offer something of value first.

That way, you collect the leads, you follow-up with an introduction of yourself and begin building a long lasting business relationship.

In sales, what we are really selling is “us” first, then the product.

You always want to provide value first. Once your prospects warm up to you, then it’s time to ask the right questions to determine if your product or business opportunity can help solve their needs.

If you’d like to see a high quality, high converting squeeze page that James has put together, you can visit the link below.

It’s important to read the “thank you” page on the other side you can get an idea of how the whole process works.

http://www.MILLIONDOLLARSYSTEM.info

Bob

GENEALOGY LISTS… THE ULTIMATE PROSPECTING TOOL?

promarketer — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 16:04:55 +0000

Recently on a popular network marketing forum, one member asked about genealogy prospecting. She alluded to the popular CD series that says it works because you are seeking “qualified individuals” for your business. The same as happens in the corporate world.

While from the outset this seems to makes sense, there is MUCH more to be considered when pursuing this method of prospecting… here was my response.

—————————————————–

AHHHHH….Genealogy list prospecting! One of my favorite subjects.

I have listened to them and I have a “few” team members that follow him and use his methods almost exclusively. They “DO” sponsor people… but that being said, here a few of my first hand observations.

You will be COLD-CALLING genealogy lists of people who fall into one of three categories.

a: Those who are in network marketing and are presently happy with the opportunity they are working… These people will either be “ticked off” that you had the gall to call them and attempt to pitch another program or will be as sweet as pie in order to get YOU to join THEIRS! This = A complete waste of time.

b: Those who either did not have what it takes to make MLM work, or those who got burned in another deal. These people will allow you to experience rejection in new and sadistic ways …. MOST of the numbers you call will fall into this category.

c: The third category is also the smallest. Namely those who still have the “MLM vision” but are either dissatisfied with their current opportunity or are searching for another. Maybe one in a thousand numbers will fall into this group. You are literally sorting for that needle in the haystack of people who WILL get pretty nasty at times.

Bottom line. This is the HARDEST type of prospecting you can imagine. Plus you need to accept the following facts.

You need too…..

*Have the patience of JOB…
*Need to be on top of your game…
*Have rock solid reasons why you contacting them…
*Why you are the leader they have been searching far and wide for…
*Know the reasons your company is going to be successful for them when the company they were/are in is not…
*Need to be 10 feet tall and not just bullet-proof… but cruise missile proof! Because you will get plenty of them fired at you.

This method of prospecting will either propel you to the top of your compensation plan or chase you out of this profession so fast you head will spin. And from what I see, it does the latter far more than the former for those who do it.

Other than that, its a great way to find prospects!

Bob Gallo

Immediate Gratification and MLM

promarketer — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:38:11 +0000

Last night we had what I consider one of the best opportunity calls ever*. The main presenters were Randy Gage and Eric Worre, the two behemoths at the top of my company’s pay plan. I had two prospects on the call so naturally I wanted to listen in myself so that I could speak to them intelligently about it during my follow-up.

During the presentation, Eric Worre said something that really stuck with me. He was speaking about all the people that are making 30k per month and more with my company, some having achieved that level in at little as one year. But then he went on to say…

“What if it took you three to four years?…what if it took you ten years?” So what? Where has the last ten brought you?

This struck me as very profound. I sat there staring up at the world-map above my desk. On it there are 28 push pins in 13 countries of the world. Red push pins indicating that the group represented is in my right leg, and yellow indicating groups in my left leg. All groups together numbering well over 1400+ people.

As I sat there I pondered Eric’s words…. “what if it took you 10 years?” It’s so basic and it makes so much sense but many networkers never seem to get it.

There is a phobia that is pervasive in MLM these days… it’s the phobia of staying in a program more than one year. People with this phobia believe that unless they are in the newest “deal-o-the-day” and their downline doesn’t explode overnight the way all the ads tell them it will, that they absolutely must quit and hop to another program.

When you have built a moderate group like I have (I say moderate because 1400+ people is really not a large group). You can see who has staying power and who is confused. And I don’t want to use that word to be insulting or condescending. I really mean it. I think some people just don’t understand that not everyone is going to have a monster group over night. For some it will require consistency and work over a period of time.

I have had people quit after one month, two months, or three months because they feel that “I” didn’t put enough people in their downline.. Which is funny since they put “0″ in themselves, or at best paid for one family member or friend to take a position. I have even had some people quit before they have even started once they realized they needed to actually work.

I have come to the conclusion that many networkers these days are much more guilty of wanting immediate gratification NOW than the general person off the street who expects that they are going to have to put in some time and effort to make the business work.

Why is this?

Well, just open any business opportunity magazine and you will see why. Dozens upon dozens of ad touting downlines overnight and thousands of dollars in the first 30 days. One gifting program in particular has a full-page ad in this months O****** W**** magazine claiming 24k in the first month.

Lies…. lies…. lies….

But people, and especially educated networkers buy into them on a regular basis and it’s destroying their potential to build a rock solid legacy by sticking with a company that is making it work and will be there for the long haul.

Are they being seduced by easy money? Are they being brainwashed by the constant false promises day in and day out? Or are they just impatient with a something for nothing mentality?

I wish I can say it hasn’t happened to me or my group, but the harsh reality is that I see it every day. People who promise they are going to be the next superstar in my company, vanish almost overnight with the lamest excuses you can imagine.

If you are one of these people. And only you truly know if you are… Sit back, look up at your wall, and ask yourself how many pins you have in your map…..You “do” have a map on the wall don’t you?

Then ask yourself… If I keep jumping like a grasshopper on steroids, will I ever see that day when I can finally look down at my lapel and see a diamond? After all, where has all this gymnastic activity brought me to this point?

Bob

*if anyone wants an mp3 recording of that call. Email me and I will send it to you.

Are We Spending Too Much Time On All The Wrong Things?

promarketer — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:52:32 +0000

While recently reading what was actually an advertisement for an internet marketing service, the gentleman said one thing that hit me upside the head with a hammer.

It’s something obvious. But as with many things in life, we tend not to see the obvious and spend all our time on the wrong things trying to build our empires.

He said…

In my experience, one of the biggest reasons most Internet marketers fail is that they waste huge amounts of time constantly looking for and testing new promotional strategies – because nothing they seem to try ever works very well. At the end of the month they find themselves no better off than they were the month before …

See, here’s the problem … Most people waste a lot of time on trying to promote. I know many people who spend 6-8 hours every day just on trying to generate some traffic to their site, product or service. After a few weeks (or even days) of doing this “monkey work”, you’ll soon realize what a big waste of time it really is.

It’s much better to spend 30 minutes or less on promotions and having the entire process automated. That’s the difference between working SMART, and NOT HARD.

Instead of spending your entire day just trying to generate traffic to your site, you can spend your time on more important things – like developing new products, growing your business, golfing, or whatever else it is that you really want to do.

Isn’t that the whole point of having your own web business … so you can have more time and freedom to enjoy life and do as you wish? … I think so!

What’s the point of this?

I see well intentioned people on this board spending way too much time on “monkey work” as this gentleman put it. Linking to blogs, pitching funded proposals, prospecting for MLM’s to build MLM’s, creating link back-pop-over-SEO friendly thingamabobs…. ugggggg!

I just re-read Mike Dillards “Building ion a Budget” again and my tune is starting to change. While he advocates learning new skills to build your business, I am beginning to think that we all spending too much time on these things when we should be busy with core business building activities such as prospecting and closing new business.

Our job is VERY simple as network marketers… we do these four things…..

Prospect, Present, Follow-up, Follow-through.

If you want to do these other things because A: you enjoy them…. or B: It is your primary business then this obviously doesn’t apply to you.

But if you are in this to create residual walk-a-way income then do yourself a favor and hire someone to do this kind of stuff for you. Your job is to present your products and opportunity…. period. Everything else is busy work and does little to create a downline. Your time is far to valuable to be doing anything else.

Bob

The Company Matters

promarketer — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 21:47:21 +0000

Recently I saw a post on an MLM forum where the writer was questioning the idea of true walk-away residual income. He said that he was watching a friend’s business dwindle away after years of hard work and was wondering if this was a natural course of events of MLM organizations.

Here are my thoughts on this.

I have said “ad nauseum” on MLM boards that the company matters…. Here, let me say it again……

the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…the company matters…

I have heard people say….

“Well I like the product”… GREAT! you SHOULD like your product! But have you examined everything else about the company?

Have you looked at what the long term potential is?…will it be around in 50 years? Is it a meaningful product or is it dependent on the whims of technology or the funded proposal of the day?

I will bet that most people get involved in certain companies based purely on emotion and that can be both a good and bad thing. Just because you have a product you like and a decent comp plan does not mean the company will be around for the next 50 years or that the product has legs enough to endure the test of time in the market place.

Here are factors you need to look at when evaluating a company for the long term.

Is the product unique and how many knock-offs are there in the market place that can potentially give you competition for the “uneducated” consumer?

Is the company well funded or under capitalized?…. Remember… if the company is “debt-free” that may only be because they couldn’t get anyone to lend them money in the first place!

What is the interest in the company and it’s products beyond the network marketing world… Could this product idea stand on it’s own in traditional business?

Do you really see your product or company around for the next 50 years…. I mean… really see it?

You need to clear your mind and ask these serious questions. Because there are companies like Shaklee who have done it. There are “lifers” in that company who have realized and are still realizing the dream. And there are newer companies who have products and technologies that have caught the eye of multi-billion dollar companies…. These are the ones to watch and more importantly…to build.

Just because an opportunity is a network marketing company DOES NOT mean it has the same unlimited (or long-term) opportunity as another. Because if that were the case… ALL network marketing companies would be multi-billion dollar companies with dozens of top earners. But we all know that’s simply NOT the case at all.

Bob

The importance of events in your team culture

promarketer — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 03:32:24 +0000

The purpose of this blog is not to recruit you into my main opportunity. Though I would love to talk to you if you “were” interested LOL. Rather, it’s to give you my observations that will hopefully “gel” with yours and be beneficial to you in some way down the road in your journey towards MLM mastery.

I just got back from a team (not company) sponsored event called “Mastermind”. It was so remarkable and transforming that I wanted to share with you some insights. But first, I wanted to give you an excerpt from my team newsletter.

——————————————————————————–

What were my impressions of this event?

First, it was held at the famous Doral Hotel and Country Club which was the perfect backdrop to this incredible event. You clearly needed to check your “poverty consciousness” along with your bags at the door. This venue was for leaders only! And you could not help but feel that you were on your way to Diamond while you sat at Champions Cafe overlooking the “Blue Monster” golf course. Mingling with Diamonds and Double Diamonds like Wes Anderson, Dr. Tim Berry and Julie Mirr, Billy Looper and more than I have the space (or time) to be able to list. For me anyway, the event started even before the first seminar and I found myself energized, focused, and ready for the main event.

The first event I attended well before most of the other Mastermind attendees was the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) meeting hosted by Vice President Howard Hannemann. Since I have a large group overseas this was a critical meeting to attend and one I’m sure my overseas team reading this are eager to get the “skinny” on.

The meeting was amazing. Though only about 20-30 people were expected to show up at the meeting it turned into about 200 with standing room only. Many things were discussed, but we were all collectively blown away when we learned the volume figures coming out of Europe and Israel. Wow! America really has some catching up to do! At least now you know why people are “making money while they sleep”!

The Directors and up meeting was also a fantastic learning experience for me and the one I took the most notes on! Here we learned “The 11 immutable laws of Network Marketing Success”. Tons of the “nitty gritty” were discussed here in a truly “no holds barred” atmosphere. It’s meetings like this that give all team members a real reason to get to Director or above before the next event!

The main event took place in the grand ballroom of the Doral and I would guess that the attendance was well over 2000. There was just too much information by the three tenors(?) to cover here. And frankly I couldn’t do it justice by trying to explain it all. Bottom line is… you need to be there. These events are transforming both to your mind as well as your business. The camaraderie of team members and team leaders, the vibe you get when you see some of the top Diamonds circling up with their team to plan and strategize taking their business to new heights, inside information you cannot hear anywhere else, testimonials that would knock your socks off, and so much, much, much, much more.

The cool part is that the event didn’t end with the last seminar. Those who Qualified (Kudos Jon and Bob) were whisked away to the port of Miami for the company Cruise!

Does it get any better than this?….Events like Mastermind, Free Cruises, Car Funds, Travel Funds, Executive Bonuses, Outrageous Amounts of Cash..

People breaking Diamond at record rates… So I ask again…. does it get any better than this? … The sky is the limit in this industry…

Are you coming along?

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Whats the point of all this?

Now that was a portion of the newsletter sent out to my team. I deleted my company name here and there for the sake of keeping this blog neutral. But most of you know it already so it’s probably a moot point to be sure.

The point I am trying to convey here is the importance of events to your team culture. This is something I learned from Randy Gage and may be one of the most important things he ever taught me.

You will see that attending events is one of the things that your new team member will shy away from. The idea of booking a trip half-way across the country in order to attend a company or team convention may be intimidating at first. Not to mention the financial commitment. But in the long run, NOTHING will get your new team members over the line faster than “being there”.

In my company we have seen the fastest growth in the industry. People making it to Diamond pin ranks (with accompanying 30k per month bonus checks) in less than two years. How can this happen so fast? Well, if you ask them, they will tell you that they built their businesses off of events. There is something magical when you are “pressing flesh” with people just like you who have made it from the 9-5 grind, to drinking out of a coconut. For the first time, the light goes on for many and they realize that they can do it too. Perhaps they realize that they are the ones who should be on stage talking to the eager crowd who is hanging on thier every word. Rank has it’s perks and they can be very intoxicating in a positive and prosperous way.

Events can take a year off the learning curve of both new and seasoned distributors. They provide social validation. Team members, sometimes for the first time can see those who are successful and learn the “tricks of the trade” so to speak. Because even with first class training, you can always learn something new from those who are in the trenches.

Some will argue that funds spent on events would be better allocated to marketing. But the truth is…you can have all the leads in the world and not accomplish anything until you have both the belief as well as the skill sets of the successful network marketer. That is where events truly shine.

Events act as a glue to an organization. A chance to bond with your upline and more importantly, your downline. Creating and fostering beneficial relationships and friendships that will endure your entire career. This alone makes attending events one of the most enjoyable acts of your MLM business.

Dani Johnson recommends booking the new distributor for the next event the moment they join. Randy Gage and Eric Worre hold similar views. If these trainers believe this, then its a safe bet we should too. In fact, on a recent training call Randy Gage said that he would never ask a person to spend one dollar unless he thought it was in the best interest of their business. He means it. He says events “get people over the line”, and I can tell you from experience that this couldn’t be more true. Also from my experience I can tell you that all of my top leaders attend events. When they stop attending, their business suffers. I think this happens because they become disconnected with what the company as a whole is doing. They don’t see the successes and the momentum. They become an isolated unit and that can be very bad because as the saying goes… “no man is an island”.

Personally, I love the events and this past event I wished could go on for another week. Despite the differences in pin rank, there is a certain sense of oneness since we are all striving for the same “critical mass” in our businesses. And even though I have been to events in the past, I am sure I left this last one with a renewed energy and purpose. My skills are sharper and my motivation is stronger.

Do I think it was worth the investment in myself?…. Do I think it would be worth it for you?

The truth as I see it, is that I feel it would be more expensive NOT to go. Because to become a leader… you must do what the leaders do… and all the top leaders attend events. Make it part of your team culture and the results will amaze you.

Funded Proposals and the 7 Lies…

promarketer — Mon, 26 May 2008 04:12:31 +0000

I could go on and on about my feelings towards funded proposals. Particularly the one that proclaims that nearly every major company is lying to their downlines. But rather than detail my conclusions, I will illustrate them with a fictitious dialog between a new distributor and their upline who is “pitching” them on the current rage funded proposal…

Oh… one more thing… if you plan on using this anywhere (like some already have) please do me a favor and give me some credit for creating it… thanks… Bob

——————————————————————————————————————————————————————————-

New Team Member: So I need to join both companies?

Sponsor: yes

“Ok… so what training should I follow?”

“both…”

“both?”

“yes…both”

“Ummmmm ok…. so what company should I be introducing to new people?”

“Both”

“Both?”

“yes…both”

“Ummmmmm ok…. but I just wanted to build a nutrition business not a training business.”

“Yes… but you need the training.”

“Ok… but why do I have to sell it?”

“Because it will provide you with a secondary income stream”

“But I’m joining the nutrition company to get a secondary income stream….”

“Then it will be a third income stream…”

“Why do I need a third income stream?”

“Multiple sources of income…”

“Isn’t two income streams multiple sources?”

“Yes, but it’s not three….”

“Can’t I just follow the company training?”

“Yes… you could”

“But then why do I need this other training….?”

“Because you’re upline is lying to you….”

But “you’re” my upline…..

“Yes…. that’s true”

“Are you lying to me?”

“No….”

“They why did you say my upline is lying….?”

“Because that’s what the company told me to say….”

“Which company?”

“The training company….”

“They train you to be a liar?”

“No… they just train me to tell people I am…”

“That’s confusing….”

“Yup… sure is…..”

“Then why do you do it?”

“I was told that my upline was lying to me too.”

“Is your upline really lying to you?”

“Nope….”

“Then why do you follow this training?”

“Well, it’s really because everyone else on the web seems to think it’s the thing to do”

“It’s the thing to do to tell people that the company they have faith in and plan to build for years to come is lying to them?”

“Pretty much… yes”

“then why would they want to build that business at all with this system if the company is so sneaky and underhanded?”

“Because thats the way the system is designed”

“Designed to build sneaky underhanded MLM companies?”

“Yes….errrrr…..no”

“Is it yes or no?”

“It’s both”

“both?”

“yes both?”

“How can it be both?”

“*silence*…………………………………………………………….”

…………………………………………………………………………..

ummmmm…………………………………………………………….

“Because your upline is lying to you….”

(Rod Serling emerges with the epilogue of the current Twilight Zone episode)

Safelists…More Harm Than Good?

promarketer — Fri, 23 May 2008 02:15:18 +0000

You may be familiar with this scenario.

You are cruising the web looking for ways to promote your MLM when suddenly a page pops-up before you promising FREE exposure to countless numbers of hot prospects begging to hear about your biz-opp. This turns out to be an advertisement for a safe-list. In return for your agreement to receive emails from other members you will have near unlimited access to the same list of “responsive” marketers. Naturally, for a small fee you can upgrade to the “PRO” membership and have unlimited 24/7 access to the list for daily email blasts.

At first glance, Safelists seem to answer a whole host of problems faced by the home-business industry. Chief among which is the ability to provide a “safe” environment where the entrepreneur in question can pitch his/her business opportunity to a list composed of people who have agreed to receive the inevitable onslaught of emails. Such a scenario seems too good to be true, and in point of fact… it is.

Let’s break this down using common sense.

First of all, I would wager that 99.9% of all the people on these lists are already happy and motivated in their own opportunities. They ARE NOT prospects for your business because they already have one. So you pitch them and they pitch you and it becomes a cross-prospecting nightmare. The only exception to this would be service businesses targeted to other network marketers such as lead vendors, other list building programs, etc. But even then, there is the next problem.

Who reads your emails?

I joined one recently to see if these things actually worked. It was during the sign-up process when I found myself laughing out loud. First, you need TWO emails accounts… one as an administrative email, and another where you will receive your emails from other members…. knock, knock.. a clue! In other words. One real email account, and another “trash can” account for the emails you will never read!

Within my first day of membership… my trash email account was bombarded by no less than two hundred emails… TWO HUNDRED! Everyone telling me how they had the latest and greatest biz-opp or way to explode my existing venture. It occurred to me that no one in their right mind would EVER sit and open each one of these emails and read them to compare and investigate these “once in a life-time” offers. I wouldn’t read them and I would wage that you wouldn’t either.

So does it stand to reason that if you aren’t reading these emails, then no one else is reading yours? The answer is obvious. So this begs the question…

What is the point of all of this?

I saw two things that caught my eye.

First, The safelist is in reality a MASTER sales list for the list owner. If you ever join one for kicks like I did (WARNING: DO NOT USE YOUR PRIMARY EMAIL!) you will notice that nearly every other email is from the administrators of the list. So in essence, you have signed up under false pretense. The real aim is to constantly pitch YOU on a variety of products and services from a few select people.

Second, The list makers know that you won’t have success with the basic account. So they pitch you ad’nauseum on the PRO membership at a small fee that will DRAMATICALLY increase your success…. Bull.

In my opinion… This is the REAL reason behind these lists. The bigger the list, the more attractive it is to the average entrepreneurial sucker and all the more reason for that same sucker to get the PRO version of an already worthless method of mass marketing.

But here is where I feel these lists are doing more harm than good.

First. These lists promote opt-in spam and fill in-boxes with too much garbage which in-turn uses tremendous bandwidth, disk space and resources over the internet making the web a cluttered mess…This often times clouds out legitimate emails and business proposals and puts YOUR emails in the same apparent category as the SCAM email it arrives next to. Think about that!!!

Also, these so-called marketing methods divert our attention from marketing that CAN and DOES work. Let’s face it… We only have so many hours in the day, and so only many of them devoted to building our business. We don’t have the time to be messing around with things like safelists which in my opinion… Do more harm than good.

What are “your” thoughts? Do You Agree with my observations or do you have a real success story using Safelists? I’d like to know…

Bob Gallo