If I were you, I wouldn’t feel like I were picking the pockets of my downline, if they were spending their money on useful high quality products that only replaced items they might have purchased elsewhere such as with my business. My company might be different as they manufacture skin care, wellness and cosmetic products people are already buying. With my company no one needs to purchase inventory or buy in to reach certain levels. But, of course, each company is different.

In my opinion, I think you were right in your original beliefs about Network Marketing, but it could be possible that you just weren’t with the right companies or promoting the right products for your own personality or set of beliefs. While the stats are undeniable, I cannot help but to wonder how they compare to other sales jobs where one is let go after not hitting quotas for a couple of months. In this industry, you never get fired for not making money, you simply quit. And many do before they ever see success but that doesn’t mean they never would. Additionally, if more people stuck with it, maybe we would see those statistics change. Best of luck to you!

Every network marketing company has success stories, both big and small, it’s a large part of how they grow their distributor base. Individual success stories are interesting and occasionally inspirational. That said, corporate income disclosure statements can be very informative, they reveal what’s transpired for the majority of distributors. Accurate statements help to sort out fact and fiction, they reduce the promotion of false hope. Example: “Only 1% qualified for commissions” rather than “If you knew for sure that it was possible to earn $100,000 per month and retire in 2-3 years would you want to learn more?”

If you’re considering joining a network marketing company, my recommendation is to ask to see that company’s income disclosure statement before you join. Unsurprisingly, both distributors and companies are often reluctant to make their statement available.

BTW, it’s Dr. Frank, not Dr. Charles.

Rgds
Dare

I have only been in networking for 4 months. Its my first experience and like you, I was doing it to help people.

You mentioned that “of the one percent that qualified for commissions, only ten percent earned more than $100 a week”. In the network marketing business that I am involved in, we have better success stories than what you have reported. I have seen my upline who is twice as hard working, reaching $2,000 per month in the first 4 month of joining the business. I will put my average earnings for the 4 months to about $300. I am giving real figures here.

But let me also mention that my low monthly earnings is due to my downlines who came in and thought they will make money quickly without ever doing anything. I spend a lot of time reading, marketing online, speaking to prospects, looking for marketing leads, attending online webinars, interacting at social network sites like facebook, getting every knowledge that I can to help me understand the entire industry, my primary business and how to close a sale. Needless to say, this is not a part time job. I am enrolled in an MBA program with the University of Liverpool and sometimes I struggle to meet the deadlines to submit assignments because I am immersed in my network marketing business.

To make good income, I am not just training myself, I also lead and mentor teams and trying very hard to let my downlines understand that they need to be able to fill my roles, also helping their downlines. Attrition rate is very high in this industry. In my first month, I attracted the highest number of downlines but I also lost most of these immediately following that first month. Now, I don’t enrol anyone without ensuring the person also enrols their first downlines within the first month so that they can earn income. Experience has shown that if they don’t earn money in the first month, they are likely to walk away. I am in for long term and the prospect of making $40,000, $80,000 and even $100,000 per month in the next 10-12 months is very realistic if only I can find people like me who are passionate and willing to work for the business.

Let me close by saying that this statements above are based on the particular business that I am into now and I have no plans to get into another network marketing business anytime soon. If after enrolling, a business says I should spend $60 every month (for autoship) and then work hard to earn $500 every month, I don’t think its a bad deal. But interestingly, what you earn is only limited by how far you are willing to work. For example, if I enrol say 10 downlines (in September, I enrolled 18), I will get paid $75×18 ($1,350). If I enrol, 2 people, I will still earn enough to cover my autoship. I consider myself not working hard enough if after I put all the efforts above, I am unable to enrol 5 people at least in a month. This thing works for me and its working for a lot of people if only they understand this business requires full and long term commitment. You can do your independent assessment of my business at http://www.skinnybodygroup.com

Thanks
Dare Ojo-Bello