Ann Sieg's free e-book, The 7 Great Lies Of Network Marketing was the first book I read that gave me hope for my network marketing business. I was in the business for 3 years before I found it. I have tried just about everything you can imagine to become successful. When I read the book, I first thought it was a bit harsh, but, true. Harsh because I have told the same lies, unknowingly. The truth does indeed hurt sometimes. These 7 lies, (most, like me, did not know they were lies) are being handed down from one network marketing distributor to the next. It has become a case of the blind leading the blind.

Here are the seven lies. Have you heard these and more?

Lie #1 - Everyone is your prospect!

Lie #2 - This really isn't sales. We just share products with people

Lie #3 - Anyone can do this!

Lie #4 - We'll build your business for you.

Lie #5 - We have the best product ever!

Lie #6 - You just don't have enough belief!

Lie #7 - The proven system.

Lets take a look at each one individually.

Lie #1 Everyone is your prospect.

Of the 7 lies, this one is the most damaging to this industry and to ourselves. It destroys our reputation as a professional. When we are practicing such things as "the three foot rule" or "when in doubt, blurt it out", this just ends up making us look like a "street hustler" desperately trying to "sell" our business opportunity to whom ever comes within arms length. As a small traditional business owner, I have NEVER done such things. I have never walked up to a stranger and asked if they were happy with their present hairdresser or did they keep their options open, NEVER! So, why do we as network marketers think that these type of tactics will work for our business? We just end up making a pest of ourselves or we look like the "creep" out peddling imitation Rolex watches. No one takes us seriously when we go about prospecting in this way.

Please listen and understand this. Not everyone is your prospect! Some people like working for someone else. Some people do not want to start a business of any kind. Some people have no desire to change. Some people are unwilling to take risks. Whatever it is, that's OK. Please stop wasting your time chasing them and trying to convince them that they need what you have.

No one is worth your precious time until they have shown some interest in what you are offering and they have come to you asking for more information. It does not matter if they "seem" like the "perfect" prospect. You are wasting your time if you have to chase them. Besides, if you think about it, which I never did until recently, they will have to go out prospecting in the same way you just did prospecting them. How many people do you think are willing and/or able to do that? I can tell you, not many. As a matter of fact, 97% won't.

Lie #2 This really isn't sales, we just share products with people.

Saying it that way makes network marketing seem like fun. No selling, great. No one wants to be a "salesperson". So, if all we have to do is share our amazing products with everyone we know, no problem. Anyone can tell friends and family about this amazing line of stuff. People will be flocking to buy it, right? What an amazing surprise when we start to get stot down.

This is another case of the blind leading the blind. With no sales skills taught, network marketers are in for quite a shock when they discover that this is indeed sales and you have to be good at it to make it work. If you are in a network marketing or MLM business, you are in sales.

Lie #3 Anyone can do this.

This is actually a half truth. Anyone with the correct training in sales and marketing can learn to do this. But, not everyone is willing and/or able to learn what is needed to succeed. Take for instance someone who has been in sales for many years. They come into network marketing with the skills that a car mechanic may not. So, right up front they have an edge over the person with less sales skills. This person will probably have faster success than the person who has worked with their hands all their life. It's just a matter of background skill. But, if the car mechanic is willing to take trainings and learn what it takes to succeed, he/she too can be successful in this industry.

It will take more training than you can get from your company. You need to learn marketing skills. Most companies teach you about their product, which is great. They teach you how to "show the plan". What they don't teach and you need to learn is how to market yourself. Network marketing opportunities are a dime a dozen. You have to learn to stand out from the bizz opp crowd. This takes training that most network marketing business do not offer. They just tell you to hand out brochures and talk to more people about your opportunity. You end up sounding just like all the others. Learn the skill of marketing yourself and become a stand out network marketer who has more to offer than "just another bizz opp".

Lie #4 We'll build your business for you.

We've all seen the ads on the Internet claiming to grow an entire business for you. All you have to do is send in your $19.95 or whatever the amount happens to be and they claim to do everything for you. You can build a large income, all with no work. I have not personally tried any of these systems. I'm just too skepticle. Besides as a traditional business owner, I know that in order to have a successful business, you have to put in time and effort. It does not happen by itself. My oppinion is that any system that claims to do all the work for you is nothing more than a scam.

Network marketing is a business that requires hard work and time. It does not happen overnight, but with time and effort it can be your retirement fund. If you see an ad that says no work, no selling, nothing required on your part, please save your money and don't even try it. It is a waste and a scam.

Lie # 5 We have the best product ever.

You may indeed have a wonderful product. But, like the business, great products are everywhere. It really does not matter how great they are. What is important is how you market those products. If you don't have a good marketing system in place, your great product will end up sitting on the shelf. So, as you can see, it really doesn't matter how great your product is. It really doesn't matter how wonderful your compensation plan is, if your marketing plan stinks. It's all about positioning yourself as a great marketer. That is how network marketers become successful.

Lie # 6 You just don't have enough belief.

This lie is very harmful to people. We are told that if our belief is strong enough, we'll do anything to become successful. We are told that if we are not successful, it's because we don't have enough belief. Our "why" is not big enough.

So, what do we do? We listen to motivational material. We go to meetings and get "re-charged" We shell out hundreds of dollars to go to the big out of state convention. We put together a "dream board", you know, where everything you have ever dreamed of owning is on. You cut out pictures of the things you have always wanted and they go on your dream board. You write out a goal and you read it twice a day to keep yourself in the game.

Is that working? Are you at a point of steady income from this business? If not, maybe, just maybe you need something more than a big enough "why" and a written out goal. Maybe what you need is a marketing plan.

Lie # 7 The proven system.

"All you have to do is follow "the proven system" and everything will fall into place. You just can't help but be successful if you follow the system".

According to annual reports, only about 3% of network marketers succeed in this industry. So, what proven system exactly are we following? Is it the one 97% of network marketers are using? If this is the proven system, the only thing it is proving is that it does not work. Understand that when I say "the proven system" I'm refering to the way network marketers are building their businesses, not network marketing in general. Network marketing itself is a great way to build wealth.

I would like to show you another way to grow a large, successful network marketing business. You could start by going to The Renegade University and signing up for a free tour of how to get started with attraction marketing. You could also read the entire free book written by Ann Sieg. The 7 Great Lies Of Network Marketing and read everything she has to say about each of these lies.

You can also contact me here.