What Do You Do If You Have a Lousy Upline?

Too bad about networking is that often you cannot choose your uppermost upline. The guy just earns money from your efforts but doesn't do anything to help you. Worse, he even does silly things that affect you and other downlines negatively. So, what do you do if you have a lousy upline like that?

Complain?

Complain is the last thing you should do. Well, there are times when complaints are justified, but not always. Often it just adds to the problem. You just prove that you are as sick and a pain in the neck as your upline is. Some downlines rebel against or bad-mouth their leaders. That's not clean network marketing.

Request Change of Upline?

Requesting to be transferred to another group is not a solution. It will disturb the whole system and even mar the image of the company. So beforehand, know the nature of the group you're joining into. And anyway, most uppermost uplines are like that--useless to you. So why bother? It would be a never-ending transfer if you look for the perfect upline. There's none.

Be the Exact Opposite

Just be the exact opposite of your lousy upline. Determine to help your downlines, and the greatest help you can give is to train them well in the business--product and marketing. And you can only do this if you are yourself well trained. An expert. Only experts can train others. So study well the product and marketing and attend training seminars. Forget about what your upline can do to you--and which brings us to next very important point.

Forget about Your Upline

Forget him or her. Just do the business. Build up your own team. Build up from 7  to 10 people under you who would also build up others to be like them. Be the leader you hoped your upline would be. So, what do you do if you have a lousy upline? Produce your kind of the upline from your trainees.

Don't Perpetuate Yourself to Active Leadership

Be the leader, but don't perpetuate yourself to that role. Imagine if all your downlines would just rely on you to the business for them, leading them and taking initiatives for them. You'd surely die. They'd kill you! Train others for leadership. Give them roles and responsibilities. When they're fully functional, then you can have some rest and free time for yourself. They should train others who would train other people for leadership. Make it a goal to have a team of leaders--and righteous leaders at that! That's what clean network marketing is all about. That's powerful righteous network marketing!

Be Product Based, Not Network Based

Sell the product, not the networking system. Sell the product, not people. Be product based, not network based, and you'd never go wrong.

A lot of networkers sell the networking system. They just show you the product and say something like, "This is the product. It's a unique toothpaste from Mars," and that's it. He proceeds with explaining the marketing system and spends much time for it.

Sell the product. Master the product, research on it, so you can present it well to prospects. I know I said somewhere on this blog that you should say outright when asked that what you are is a network marketer. Don't tell a lie. But do not sell the networking system. Begin with the product, it's unique benefits to users. Then, if they ask you if it's a networking business, then say so. Be honest.

The truth is, you are really selling a product. The networking system comes in second. The prospect should fall in love with the product first. Then he'd be further impressed by the concomitant earning system. Why is this important? Because marketing is really product movement, not people movement. The whole point about network marketing is developing a network of consumers always doing repeat purchases. Product loyalty. 

It is tempting to get out of clean network marketing and instead recruit a mass of people to be under you whom you can "use" to make money for you. That's what happens when network marketing is done without product expertise and emphasis. It becomes a scam. That's why we see unscrupulous leaders with big groups bolting away from a company and bringing with him his whole empire of unthinking downlines who do not realize they're just being used. He brings them to different networking businesses so that in the end he and some of his immediate cohorts are the only ones profiting.

Always be product based, not network based. Build a team of downlines educated about the product and committed to re-purchasing and benefiting from it. When there's product movement, everyone benefits, especially if the leaders and uplines make new entry slots (or buy again as a "new member") now and then under them that benefits their downlines. 

Later, they may decide to do another networking business while continuing to do the former. Business is investment, and you have to have more than one investment to play the thing safe. Unscrupulous networkers, on the other hand, leave the former business altogether once they have profited from it, unmindful whether their downlines have attained ROI and earned enough profits. They keep hopping from one business to another, and then brag about their wealth, to the detriment of their downlines' investments. But foolish downlines like it that way and are even proud of their uplines. 

If you want fair and righteous network marketing, be product based, not network based. Sell the product diligently, train your downlines, and the networking system will just be added unto you.

Make Recruitment Easy for You

To be successful in network marketing you have to know how to make recruitment easy for you. It will be easier if you do this tip: always be honest. In clean network marketing, honesty is the best sales policy. And you have to be honest about what business you have.

Don't Hide Behind Disguises

Many networkers hide behind disguises and don't say outright that what they are offering is a networking business. Say it right in the beginning when asked. Be honest. This is a networking business. If the prospect hates network marketing, make that as your launching pad to your presentation. Ask the prospect, "What made you hate network marketing?"

People will always appreciate your honesty and openness. They may not like network marketing, but they'd like you. And when you declare your business, "I'm a network marketer," be proud of it, and make sure the prospect sees that. It's easy to do this especially when you get fat checks regularly and own a new posh car and a house of your own. But what if you ain't got nothing yet?

Don't pretend you're rich or making big money already out of networking. Don't pretend to be something you are not. Be honest. Clean network marketing will make recruitment easy for you. God will bless you, for sure. If you haven't made a single cent from networking, just appear professional, tidy, smart, and confident to your prospects, making sure he or she sees that you have studied your product very well and that from such diligent study you believe in the product intelligently.

Start with the Product

Although honesty is of the essence, never start with presenting the networking business. Present the product first and highlight its benefits. After all, there won't be any business without the product. Don't just have the product for the sake of having a product. Be a master of the product. Remember that product expertise sets you apart from scammers. Scammers just want the money. Professionals sell product benefits. They are there as consultants to help their prospects and customers.

Then Comes the Business

After the product, proceed with the business. If the prospect has no more queries about the product, say something like, "You see, the company wants customers to earn from the product. And there's big money in this!" Always sound excited enough about the business.

If he or she asks, "So, how much have you made so far?" Be honest. If it's only a few hundreds or thousands, say so. If you haven't made anything yet, say so. Then say, "With diligence, anything can grow into millions." Say how you've seen other guys in the business make millions through initial hard work. And do emphasize that. Say something like...

"You see, with network marketing, you just need to pour diligence into it initially for 6 months to a year--or 2 years--and the effort will be rewarded in big increments and residual income." Residual income is income that grows by itself periodically.

Spread the Word Around

Make it known around your sphere of influence that you are a network marketer. That may send people away or towards you, depending on the situation. But, don't worry. If you're honest, God will soon send people to you begging to be in your team. Moreover, it's important to let people know who and what you are so they can refer sales or recruits to you in the future. 

When so many people know who you are and what you do, that will make recruitment easy for you. And make sure you keep a good reputation as a networker. 

Duplication Bible Fomula

The important thing in network marketing is duplication--to be able to duplicate yourself on your downlines. There should be a transfer of mind and heart from you to your immediate downlines (or directs), and then from them to their directs, and so on. This is the unbeatable network marketing formula.

Teach What I Teach You to Those Who are Qualified

St. Paul told his disciple Timothy [2 Tim.2.2], to duplicate himself on his disciples or downlines. And the feeding has got to come from Paul alone. Paul was taught by Jesus Christ, Paul taught Timothy, and Timothy taught qualified men who were able to teach others. Thus, network marketing (or true discipleship) is really teaching. It is founded on educating people. Real, professional, and career networkers ought to be skilled educators. 

Now, let's examine in detail the Paulinian duplication formula.

Qualified Men

Paul told Timothy to look for qualified or "trustworthy" men. Qualified men, in this sense, are not necessarily college graduates or titled or degreed people. In the bible, Peter, James, and John were chosen by Jesus but they never became college graduates or professionals. In fact, people saw that they were "unschooled" folks. Jesus himself, says John 7.15, was unschooled. 

Qualified men are those who are trustworthy. You can trust them to do the business righteously. Why the need for this? Because they will be using your name, being under your network umbrella. Whatever he or she does will affect you and your image and reputation as a networker (or a follower of Christ, in the ministry sense). 

If a person is a scammer, don't put that person in your network team anymore, even if he is a veteran and skilled networker able to bring you lots of sales--unless he has evidently repented. The number one qualification for clean network marketing or righteous network marketing is trustworthiness. Remember, God is the ultimate Rewarder--or Punisher. He is in the center of business--a business gets blessed or otherwise solely on His decisions or permissions. So better surround yourself with only the trustworthy.

Qualified men are also qualified for network marketing duplication (or discipleship). They should be willing to be under your mentorship. They should be willing to do the business with you and in your righteousness standards. Your downlines can strategize on their own, but everything has to be within righteous ways. Nothing should be illegal or unfair practice. 

In short, qualified men are of good character like you.

Able to Teach

You should be able to "teach" (present the product and business well, or present the faith, in ministry terms) so that your downlines would follow suit. You are what your downlines are. It is a must--downlines should be able to teach and not just rely on their uplines or the BOM for product and business presentation. If everybody in your team can teach like you, imagine how fast your business would be!