It’s a jewel to be able to witness someone rise from obscurity to the ranks of the elite in their industry. Even when that field has the bad rap that multilevel marketing (MLM) has. Bishop Jerolin Jackson, of Greensboro, N.C., has been operating his home-based business for three years now and in that time has managed to grow an organization of well over 100 representatives and dozens of personal customers. Now, with him only weeks away from reaching one of the top positions in the company I have decided to debunk the MLM scam myth and share what I believe to be the single most important trait for success in the industry.
Why the bad rap?
Yes, despite what you may have heard multilevel marketing can be a legitimate way of bringing income into your home. Since there are actual scams out there I highly recommend that you do your due diligence before starting to work for one. One quick way to validate a company that a friend or relative has introduced you to is by checking with the Better Business Bureau. Just type the name of the company in question and the site will pull up the bureau’s report. However, the more common reason I have found for people’s skepticism toward the industry is bad word of mouth from either 1) an individual who has had a bad experience in the industry, usually stemming from misguided expectations from the company or person within the company, or 2) an individual without any actual knowledge about the company or industry who have been warned by others about “things like that.”
Walk in the park or scaling a mountain?
Multilevel marketing is not a get-rich-quick industry; no legitimate industry is. In fact from my interviewing several successful MLM leaders, I have found that it takes about seven years to reach the highest available position in a company. Seven years can seem like a lot of time, but many spend that and more in jobs that do not have the same earning potential as good MLM company. Also, with MLM’s unique compensation system, you have the ability to earn more each year that you dedicate to your organization. This is how many have been able to leave their full-time jobs after a time when their earnings have met or exceeded their salary.
How to be successful
By studying Jackson and other success stories in the industry, I have determined what I believe to be the single most important trait to have for success in MLM, and that is consistency. All the successful marketers I have met have translated their years in the industry into disciplined routines practiced consistently for extended periods of time.
As I said before, success in multilevel marketing takes time. If you are considering a company, try not to get distracted by the flashy numbers and fancy cars during the presentation. Instead, focus on the company’s compensation plan and how much you can realistically earn during those early years.
Multilevel marketing is not easy but it does offer freedom, financial stability, and some awesome reward packages if you stay with it. It’s not for everybody, but if you’re looking for a way to make additional income or if you are wanting to build something for the future, then MLM can be a viable, legitimate option worth consideration.