The 6.5 Habits Of Highly Bad Network Marketer!
The 6.5 Habits Of Highly Bad Network Marketer!
Networking, multi-level-marketing, network marketing are all terms that didn’t exist (academically) until almost 40 years ago. they are words uttered in and around the business world every day, yet is unclear to most as to how it actually works. Still, it’s a fundamental tool to the success of any business.
By definition, the term networking is the development and maintenance of mutually valuable relationships. It’s not schmoozing; it’s not just handing out business cards, selling, marketing or small talk. Those activities are part of networking, but unfortunately, many people’s misunderstanding of the term causes them network ineffectively.
The following are The 6.5 Habits of Highly Bad Network Networkers, and they can stand in your way of developing valuable relationships. So, next time you attend your local events at a BNI meeting, Meetup, Chamber or Association meeting, or even online, keep these ideas in mind so you can offer the most value to your fellow networkers.
Habit #1: Swim with the sharks without being eaten alive!
One of my favorite networking books is called “swim with the sharks without being eaten alive”, by Harvey McKay. An awesome read from cover to cover. The key to McKay’s work is making friends, establishing contacts and developing relationships – before you need them. Getting what you want by helping others get what they want first. Having a true givers gain mentality!
Enter the Highly Bad Network Marketer, who only network because:
a) They need new customers
b) They have a new product or service to sell
c) Their boss forced them to do so
d) They are focused on making money at any cost
Networking is the development and maintenance of mutually valuable relationships…over time. You need to swim where the sharks are, but focus on building relationships!
Habit #2: Attitude
Much like the development of any skill, networking begins with attitude. Unfortunately, bad network marketers have the wrong attitude. If you’ve ever attended a networking function before, perhaps you’ve encountered businesspeople who act in the following ways:
- The hard sell – they believe networking is about one thing and one thing only: selling products and services to everyone in the room.
- Business only – they’re not there to make friends. They’re not there to have fun. And they’re certainly not interested in developing mutually valuable relationships.
- It’s all about me – they don’t take the time to help and share with others, but rather focus on their own needs. In other words, they can’t spell ‘N-E-T-W-O-R-K-I-N-G’ without ‘I.’
Attitude is fundamental to effective networking. In fact, it’s the most important habit to understand.
Habit #3: 52 Cards Pickup
This is a dangerous one, and it happens all the time. Have you ever seen people distribute 173 of their business cards during the first 5 minutes of the event? They move as quickly as possible from one person to the next. They don’t make eye contact, they don’t ask to exchange cards – they just deal them out.
‘Here’s my card, call me if you need a designer! See ya later.’
‘But…I…never even got your name!’.
This is guaranteed to make people feel puny and insignificant. Notice these bad network marketers don’t spend time actually meeting and establishing rapport with new people; but rather concentrate on giving out as many cards as possible. It’s quantity over quality, right?
Wrong.
This is one of the most common networking pet peeves. Worst are also the type of cards they have…thats another blog post by itself.
Habit #4: Unprofessional Information
It’s remarkable how often some business cards will contain unprofessional information. Have you ever received someone’s card with one of those ambiguous, offensive and questionable email addresses with AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo? Not only are those email servers frustrating and ineffective for business communication, but just imagine how it looks when someone has to send business emails to:
I have nothing against AOL, Hotmail or Yahoo. But if possible, always send and receive emails using the address of your organization’s website, i.e.,richard@richardabourque.com. If you must use free servers like MSN, SBC and the like, choose a simple username that doesn’t question your professionalism, i.e.,JohnDoe@yahoo.com.
Habit #5: Sit with the Wrong Company
I’ll never forget my first BNI Breakfast meeting. I sat down at one of the tables, the first thing I did was look at everyone’s nametags. BNI members all have their name tags, and visitors have the traditional name tag peeler. BNI Members have great name tags, because it is their business card that is in the holder, great to the point that the card is great of course!!!
Here’s what I saw: IBM, IBM, HP, MARY KAY, MELALEUCA, Bank of Montreal, Scotia Bank and Paul, Richard and Lucie (Company name changed to protect the victims.)
Funny enough the 3 that stood out where visitors, because their name tags was THEIR NAME !
Bad network marketers not only attend meetings with their friends and/or coworkers, but they talk and sit with them the entire time! they rarely mingle, and their name tags are almost there to allow them to not be noticed ! This is not a good technique to maximize your visibility.
This habit creates an unfriendly attitude. And think how uncomfortable this makes the one or two people sitting at the table who don’t work for that company! It’s unfair to them because they’re unable to meet a diverse group of people with whom to develop mutually valuable relationships! Remember: If you’re sitting with YOUR company – you’re sitting with the WRONG company.
This first BNI experience was not all bad, because BNI as a great event process that allows everyone to standup and speak….but up to that point it was not great!
Habit #6: Small Talk is for Suckers
Bad network marketers forget about the small talk. It’s a waste of their time. They don’t ask or answer about ‘New and exciting things happening at work’ or ‘How was your weekend,’ they simply jump right into (what they believe to be) the most important part of the discussion: selling 17 of their products before the salad arrives.
Has this ever happened to you? For example, has someone ever introduced themselves, breezed right through the conversation and flat out asked you for a referral?
Refer you? I don’t even know you!
Reciprocating self-disclosure is the most effective way to build rapport and ultimately develop trust. The people you want to do business with are those with whom you have built that rapport and trust. So, small talk is not for suckers. In the book ” The Fine Art of Small Talk” the author says: ‘Small talk is the biggest talk we do.’
Habit #6.5: Limitations
Finally, Bad network marketers believe there is only one specific time and place for networking. It’s called ‘A Room with A Sign Posted Outside That Says So.’ In other words, they only network when someone forces them to. They don’t believe networking opportunities in places like elevators, busses, supermarkets or parks.
That’s it? A measly half hour for networking? Doesn’t give you much time, does it?
The truth about networking is that it can happen anytime, anywhere. There is a time and a place for networking – it’s called ANY time, and ANY place.
And nowadays the same goes for online marketers, they have completely forgotten that marketing occurs outside of their pc or iPads!
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Recent Comments
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Richard, what a great instructional blog. As you clearly point out there are sellers and sellers, the pushy ones most of the time just get rejection, while the real sellers first get your attention, provide value and create a relationship, then the rest comes much more easy, on both parts. Many thanks.
Well, that was interesting, like a sample of dark humor! ;-) Did you like MachII: with your hair on fire? I found it exciting, but, then, I love to sell, and because I love people I find it to be fun. For MLM's I think they work best if you use hypnotic selling in an honest way. People spend so much time in trances, that it is easy to present them with something that caters to their needs. Otherwise, why bother? Well, I guess this is what makes horse racin'
Network marketing was the first exposure to business I've ever been in, but I failed so badly in it. I was far from ready for it. It's all in the social and communications sector as you put it above. My faults were in knowing how to communicate with people at all. Thanks to Wealthy Affiliate, I've far improved on that and it doesn't frighten me so much anymore to get out there. I've never had any success with business until I came here and I still have a long way to go.
That's a good job done on your site.
Network marketing is actually hailed by people like Richard Kiyosaki and Donald Trump because it provides a means for people to learn how to network with others and other aspects of marketing and not worry about getting fired.
MLM is not very popular at WA, but I think it acceptable to work in those that offer real products and not the Ponzi scheme ones. The better ones provide all the information and instruction needed to make a business like this work. Most people don't get very far in them because they don't do what is recommended most of the time.
MLM (the best ones) are just like franchises, but without the high costs.
I was in Amway twice. I did a little better the second time around but still was very immature to it at the time.
Great comments Daniel, and yes, I must say in my 32 years in and around MLM companies, there are some good legitimate companies, but there is definitely an onslaught of bad ones/ponzis, which makes it more difficult to triage what is good and what is bad...
I have also had my share of success and failure with them, in the end, nothing different then a traditional business....you need to work it and work it hard !
and the ratios of success vs failure are telling, and should not be taken lightly.... even when looking at MLM as a learning street !
:-)
Outside of the PC? You mean there is another world out there? I used to go to BNI meetings- they were in the wee hours of the morning and I hated them! Usually I was working too hard on staying awake to absorb anything!
BNI awesome of the best networking events I have attended, meetups are also great... but not all businesses fit that model.... I attended noon and evening sessions as well, depends on the regions...
Personally I have seldom seen these face to face events grow any MLM type business, you get clients, but business leaders that will build along side you...seldom
But if you have a traditional business, like a consulting biz, gift baskets, a niche that supports and helps other business do better...then those networking events are GOLD!
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Richard, you are spot on in this blog. I've been to those MLM meetings & wondered exactly why I was there after just a few minutes into it. Stranger in a strange land feeling. The part about the email name struck home with me. I'll be setting up a new account with a more personal address. Thanks for the training here.
Glad it helped Jude