To be sure, there are trends in our industry that are unmistakable. Compensation plans come and go. Promotional fads come and go. Product fads come and go. In fact, as volatile as our industry is --- practically every aspect of our business is in constant evolution and transition.

That’s what I LOVE about this business . . . the excitement and unpredictability of it, the very thing, I suppose, that scares a lot of people.

As a constant student of network marketing, I have watched with interest as people have criticized it all and analyzed the weaknesses of companies out there. Some of the major complaints I have heard are:

“The compensation plan is too hard . . . it’s for big hitters.”

“The compensation plan is too soft . . . nobody can make any money.”

“The tools didn’t work.”

“My sponsor wouldn’t help me.”

“I paid my money and then I never heard from anyone again.” “I just can’t make it work like they said it would.”

“The claims about money are too ridiculous. I don’t believe it.”

Here are some of the headlines I encountered in a single issue of Network Marketing Monthly Journal:

“I earned over $250,000 in my 1st month!”

“$500 every day! I earned $10,750 my 1st month!”

“All you do is await your check.”

“First Ever!!! Everybody gets paid.”

“$100,000 in 7 weeks!”

“We do 95% of the work.”

“You keep 100% of the check!”

“No meetings! No rejections! No phone calls! No selling!”

What I found fascinating as I compared the list of objections to some of the promises was the discrepancy between the “promises” or the boasting and the real life results of many ad responders.

The trend in the industry now is toward creative business approaches and real honesty by the leaders in our industry about the work it takes to make a six-figure income in MLM. I was very moved when the owner of my company told us point blank at a training school that it was time for us to become totally honest about what it really takes to be “successful.” He said that it is much more important that we keep people IN our business than that we SIGN them up, because most people in our industry are gone for all intents and purposes from any given company in less than 90 days.

To compensate for the obviously tentative commitment that many people make, my husband Taylor Hegan, and I developed a pilot internship program designed to coach, experience and train our distributors. You might find it useful for your company, so the highlights are listed below.

High Performance Pilot Internship Program - the required commitments for entry:

Be a “AllStar” or “SuperStar” (an entry level starting point for a business builder to choose; simply plug in your position titles);

Make $100 autoship commitment in the Lifestyle Program (our company’s check qualifier for all 3 pay plans);

Commit to 20 minutes or more of fitness program of choice per day;

Commit to 20 minutes or more personal development work (books, tapes, seminars, etc.) per day --- ( I recommend the Forum by Landmark Education);

Have daily business activities (mutually agreed upon) and daily accountability;

Agree to be fully coachable;

Develop and refine your own personal mission;

Agree to take on at least 3 interns and duplicate this entire process, accessing coaching from your mentor if you get slack;

Learn all the aspects --- over a mutually agreed upon period of time --- that are an integral part of the First Fitness business, including but not limited to how to:

Develop your product story;

Develop your opportunity story;

Learn meeting room and booth set-up;

Master 3 way calling;

Start with 12 names or more on your names list and keep building;

Learn to assemble the mail package;

Collect and place a growing (aim for 1 more per day) group of customers;

Master the art of follow-up;

Learn to take camera to all events;

Make a record accordion file;

Learn to handle all the parts of the business opportunity meeting: Company and management; Testimonial; Key product Overview; Compensation plan;and Call to action

Learn how to invite and handle guests;

Get proficient at product training;

Learn how to do booths;

Understand the value of journaling;

Get comfortable with ad follow-up and response;

Dream big and learn to share your dreams;

Be willing to put yourself into the internship course at agreed upon times and places.

I hope you see how easy it would be for you to succeed, given this hands-on mentoring. If you are truly interested in making a full time income in MLM, it is your duty to implement some variation of this so that your downline can have a real track to run on. It will make all the difference for you. Remember Taylor’s famous motto: “We build the people, the people build the business.”