“Gather honey instead of bee stings.” Dale Carnegie

As President Lincoln lay dying, Stanton, the Secretary of War declared: “There lies the most perfect ruler of men that the world has ever seen.” 

Did former President Lincoln ever criticize or speak ill of others?

Many, many times…YES! While a young man living in Pigeon Creek Valley, Indiana, he wrote letters and poems, whereby he condemned and ridiculed others. He then dropped them along country roads where they were sure to be picked up and read.

Did Lincoln stop criticizing when he grew up and became an attorney in Springfield, Illinois? NO, he simply changed his venue. He published letters in the local Springfield newspaper, attacking his opponents. In the fall of 1842, he published an anonymous letter scorning a vain, appalling, Irish politician; Mr. James Shields.

Springfield’s’ residents roared with laughter when they read Lincoln’s attack of Mr. Shields. Mr. Shields, outraged, challenged Lincoln to a duel to death. Lincoln was opposed to fighting, but his honor was at stake. Therefore he took sword fighting lessons from a West Pointe graduate and prepared to fight Shield on a sandbar in the Mississippi River. He was prepared to fight to death. Mere seconds from the onslaught, Lincoln called a halt to the duel.

Thrusting sword aside, Lincoln learned an invaluable lesson in the art of dealing with one’s associates and competition. He never again made fun of or insulted another; and only rarely from this point forward did he criticize anyone for anything.

Dale Carnegie in reference to criticism reminds us: “Criticisms are like homing pigeons. They always return home.”

 

Much of the reason Network Marketing business models have a bad reputation is from negative criticisms and falsehoods spread by two sources.

First, we must confess, it’s easy to depersonalize this and refer to great people such as President Lincoln’s early propensity to criticize. Ahh, but we’ve had our day. Before entering the network marketing arena, we too have been intrigued, yet critical. We’ve declared: “The products are too expensive…the people are too pushy…too secretive…”

And, after finally entering the ranks of several network marketing companies and facing incredible rejection from family, friends, and strangers…we decided all the press about network marketing must be true???

Before we arrive at the most offensive criticism of this industry, first we must address:

Criticism #1: Many criticize network marketing companies, declaring they are either a ponzi scheme or a pyramid scheme. These schemes are most certainly out there, nonetheless, legitimate network marketing companies are simply a business distribution network developed in order to move or sell products and/or services. It relies on people telling people—word of mouth advertising as opposed to major media ad blitzes, or brick and mortar retail stores.

Criticism #2: What of the criticism that stems from envy? Envy of network marketing consultants who reap great financial rewards without having to get a formal education in their field! (Now of course, those of us in the field understand, the hands on training and education are second to none. Network Marketing Consultants are trained, perhaps not in a formal university system, yet from their upline and fellow consultants in: Selling, Recruiting, Presentation skills, Lead Systems, and more!)

We now arrive, however, at:

Criticism #3:  the most offensive criticism of network marketing companies…That which comes from network marketing consultants themselves.

Sometimes in an attempt to get someone to join one’s organization rather than that of a competitor, enthusiasm may degrade into an attack on another network marketing company.

Or consultants who have had a negative experience in a company or with a fellow consultant, publish their complaints to anyone willing to listen.

No matter the complaint, instead of joining in the parade of faultfinders and bee stingers, if you are a Network Sales Consultant here are:

 

  7 STEPS TO ATTRACTION MARKETING

1. LIP GUARD…Speak only good things about the Network Marketing industry and other legitimate Network Marketing companies. The more you speak good things and celebrate your industry, the more you will have to celebrate.

2. WORD SALUTE…Remember to be GENEROUS with fellow consultants.  “Your Candle Loses Nothing When It lights another.” 

3. HONOR OTHERS…If you have friends in other companies do all you can to practically support and encourage them. How? Refer them to people who would benefit from their service or products. Celebrate their successes.

4. CLOSED MOUTH POLICY…LISTEN AND LEARN…Get to know distributors in other companies—not to try to recruit them to yours, but for mutual encouragement and to learn from each other.

5. SHARE HONESTLY…Know your competition.  Be able to share good points of other company’s products and services, while selling your own. Example: XYZ has a phenomenal supplement. I chose my company because our supplement works better for me, plus I have a lower monthly requirement.

6. SCORN NOT ANOTHER’S PRODUCTS….Support other MLM’s. If another company offers a product or service you need; buy it! Encourage others in the industry by being a consumer of the industry.

7. Put your MOUTH ON PROBATION if necessary. Speaking ill of another speaks less of the other, and more of the one speaking. Or, as Randy, one of our friends and mentors says: “Don’t be a Hater.”

 Uplift, honor, and build each other with your words. This is one of the most genuine secrets of attraction marketing!

  “Do not be a witness against your neighbor without cause, for would you deceive with your lips?” Proverbs 24:28 (NKJV)

“From the fruit of his lips, a man’s stomach is filled. With the harvest from his lips, he is satisfied.” Proverbs 18:20

A man we respect and consider tops in his field when it comes to Networking and Attraction Marketing has written a book:  31 Days to Networking by Coach Bruce Brown

To your Network Marketing Success!

Steve & Libba

©2010 Steve Lewey & Libba Narron Lewey (All rights reserved worldwide)

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This entry was posted on Thursday, December 9th, 2010 at 5:06 pm and is filed under business, Character, Integrity, Leadership, Network Marketing, Network Marketing Business Principles, Network Marketing Success, Network Sales Organization, Positive Attitude, small business owners. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.