I was searching the search engines for some good keywords to write some articles on and decided to type, my primary company's name in. What I found disturbed me for two reasons. 1 reason is it wasn't much about me or my team on there...yet. The 2 reason was what I did find is very damaging to our industry!
It was a compliant that was cc'd to the main head quarters and blasted in an on line forum. Now, it was a few years old but the sad and current truth still today....
The whole thing is here, without editing. It's very detailed but pay attention to the end as it shows the dangers of bad prospecting...
Dear Guy,Let me begin by apologizing for becoming argumentative with you on the phone today. It is a tendency of mine to become argumentative when someone is argumentative with me, and I'm sorry I let that overcome me.
Let me also point out that this email is being CCd to ACN.
Let us go back in time a bit to the first time I learned of your existance. I was working the front desk at St. Louis Workout at the time. There was a large argument taking place between Mike, who was working in the manager's office, and yourself. In fact, it was such a disturbing event that you were banned from the Union location for a month due to that incident. That argument happened because Rob told you he was uninterested in what you had offered him.
In time you approached me and aked me if I was interested in an opportunity. I think you mentioned the word 'success' several dozen times, often several times in the same sentance. I tried to say no, but you would not stop. I relented and agreed to look into the company.
I did a bit of research into the company on my own time and again said that I was not interested. And here is where, looking back, I notice a dangerous trend. You asked, 'Why?' I replied that I could not find much information about the company on the internet. It appeared that they were telecommunications resellers and I was not interested. To which you called me, and I quote, 'stupid' for turning down such a great opportunity just because I couldn't find enough information about them on my own. You didn't speak to me for a month.
After a month or so, you again approached me, pushed ACN relentlessly, and I agreed to look into the company a little more. Again I researched the company, this time more thoroughly. I told you that I needed information about revenue streams and how the company is setup before I could make a decision, and you pushed a DVD at me heralding that Donald Trump had endorsed ACN and I should watch the DVD before making a decision. (While also telling me that if I didn't join I would have to pay you back for the DVD.)
After some more time we setup a meeting at Chevy's to go over more information about the company. When we met for the ACN overview we spent maybe 30 or 40 minutes going over some of the paperwork you brought. About half of it was taken up with you showing me 'Special Advertising' sections or quotes from magazines that were several years old, as well as other marketing material. Then finally you pulled out some general overview paperwork about how the company actually works and revenue breakdowns, which I had been asking you for for months.
Earlier this week you called me to tell me about an ACN meeting that was happening here in town today (Saturday) at 10:00 AM. When I told you that I had been working long hours at work and would probably be too tired to attend, you started saying that this was more important than sleep. To be completely honest, that I when I decided not to go.
Today (Saturday), you called back. I told you I wasn't interested. Here it comes again... you asked, 'Why?' I told you that I don't need to give you an explanation, it was my decision. You, of course, took the defensive and started berating me for making the decision I did, stating that I you deserved an explanation. I took the bait and argued back. Relenting, I finally gave in and mentioned that, for one, I don't want to be a salesman. At which point you started going off on 'Well then you misunderstand! It's not selling!' To which I replied, 'It's 'network marketing!' By it's very definition it's selling.' I love your response, which was, 'We don't sell, we ask people to do us favors. Did you read the script?'
A rose by any other name is still a rose. By the same token, bullshit by any other name is still bullshit. The whole premise of the company is selling services and/or selling the company itself by trying to recruit other ACN representatives. Telling me you're not in sales is like telling me your shit doesn't stink.
(Let me also say, as an aside, that that is not the only reason. That is one reason. One of many. Another is I am applying to become a in the United States . Use your imagination to figure out why I might not want to start up with ACN if I'm going to be joining the military.)
After that began the personal attacks. You asked me how much I make. I absolutely refused to tell you. Then you pulled some number out of the air and made the laughingly wrong assumption that I make in the ballpark of $XX,000 per year. Let me tell you something... I haven't worked at a job where I've made less than double that since 2002. And I graduated in 2001.
Which brings me to another point. When we had our meeting at Chevy's, you were on your break from your job. Not only that, during our meeting you were called by your gym and asked to hurry up and get back to the front desk. To pull a number out of the air (say... the amount I get when I pick up a shift at St. Louis Workout...) You make somewhere in the ballpark of $XX,000 (Author's note: not a big number)before commissions. I also know that you were moved from the Chase gym to the Crestwood gym because you were not performing as well as expected, which tells me your commissions can't be all that much either. Not exactly an ACN success story. You also tried to wow me by telling me how much money one could make in ACN in a short time, and when I asked you how much you made personally you said 'about half that.' That statement lead me to believe you don't even come close to that amount, and made me even more skeptical. So, to tie these last two points together, don't project your personal career failures to me.
Continuing the personal attacks on the phone call, you asked me how many friends I have. Again, I laughed at the question. When I wouldn't answer you asked what I was doing tonight. Why I bothered to answer, I don't know, but I replied I am going out with friends, at which point you accused me of lying and made more statements implying that I have no friends because I am such a horrible person. At which point I laughed again. I said it on the phone and I'll say it again now. If you don't believe me, come to The Pepper Lounge tonight and you will be able to see me and probably a dozen of my friends hanging out, having a good time, and celebrating the birthday of the wife of a very good friend of mine. (She happens to be a very good friend of mine too, by the way.)
Which brings me to my next point about friends. The only reason I live in St. Louis at all is because of this particular very good friend of mine. He not only informed me of a position that his company was hiring for and lobbied to get me the position, he also let me live with him and his family for 3 weeks while I was apartment hunting. As a matter of fact, the only reason you and I ever even met was because another good friend of mine, Mitch Buckner, was short staffed and needed some help filling in some time slots at his gym. I offered to help him out since I was between contracts at the time, and I just so happened to be there when you had the argument with Rob that got you banned from the gym.
You ended the phone call by accusing me of things such as being egocentric and bigheaded (redundant, I know). You accused me of being a bad person and lying and said you don't have room for me in your life. I admit, I countered with the same things. However, I truly don't need you in my life; I am self sufficient without you. You needed me to become one of your ACN representatives, and that is not going to happen. Furthermore, I don't profess on all my online community websites to be a good upstanding Christian like you do. You sir, proved beyond a doubt, that you are neither good nor upstanding. People like you are why I don't consider myself a Christian anymore. And I feel badly for your 'friends.'
To be honest, you always sounded more desperate than successful. You push money making potential above all else. (Which I find amusing, since you seem to earn almost none.) What I've read from ACN's literature is they promote self-sufficiency with the added bonus excess wealth if you want it. Your actions since the first time I ever saw you have been an intimidating style of bullying and/or pushing rather than selling. If you can't learn to calmly let someone say 'no,' your ranks will be filled only with those who allow you to beat them into submission.
I never should have given in to your incessant begging for me to look into this opportunity. Alas, sometimes being kind has its price. I'm sure most of the people who make up ACN are not like you, but because of you I will never use nor recommend their company or products. It is only because of my own personal research into ACN that I will not actively denounce their products and services.
In closing, I am informing you to not contact me again, with one condition. The only correspondence I will read from you will be a full apology with this letter in its entirety included in the body of the letter CCd to your immediate supervisor at ACN.
Sincerely,
vafarmboy
PS
You might try to counter the story about your argument with Mike at the gym by showing that he is now a member of the ACN community. Let me preemptively remind you that you were not the reason he joined ACN. He went to the national meeting in Detroit with you, and it was that meeting which inspired him to join, not you. The only reason he went is because you would not leave him alone about it.
Author's note: The names have been changed to protect the innocent.
Edit: title
This message has been edited. Last edited by: stickmewithneedles, document.write(''+ myTimeZone('Sat, 15 Jul 2006 19:07:29 GMT-0700', 'July 15, 2006 22:07')+'');July 15, 2006 22:07
THIS IS NOT TO COMPANY BASH!!
What was interesting is that with almost every Network Marketer in all type's of different companies I've spoken to, this is an all too common occurence in our industry. That why I have so much respect for Magnetic Sponsoring and all the other attraction marketing leaders and up and coming leaders.
We have to all continue to do our part to improve ourselves, our companies and our entire industry. We may never totally illiminate situations like above but we sure can make it the exception and not the rule. Even though this instance maybe a bit extreme, to some degree there are WAY too many occuring everyday.
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Malika Duke has been an Network Marketer and business developer for 10 years and has dedicated her career to improving the industry throgh professionalizing prospecting through practicing and teaching InterNetwork Marketing skills and attraction marketing. If you would like to learn how to master the internet, the written word and the phone to improve you business connect with her through the resourses below:
www.getpaidtoprospectonline.com
www.recessionproofincome.com
friend me on myspace: www.myspace.com/monaleeisfun
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