Network Marketing--Part 3

How can friendships survive Network Marketing? Hiromi is my model for this one. Like many men, he simply takes nothing personally when he hears a “no” from a friend. Even when we have seen friends and relatives die who we believe could perhaps have survived, or at least had an improved quality of life at the end, if they had said “yes” instead of “no,” he doesn’t lose any sleep over it. I do. I agonize over whether more persistence on our part would have made a difference for them. I grieve when others experience loss of life or health. I sometimes get flat-out angry when a person is too closed-minded to even listen one time, a little bit. It looks as inexcusable and arrogant to me as it would if one of my students refused to read a textbook (that actually may have far less relevance to their lives than learning about health or safety or finances). Kick me if you ever find me guilty of that kind of arrogance–or at least bring it to my attention. Closed-mindedness regarding learning about evil is the only kind of closed-mindedness I can find in my heart to defend. Forgive? Yes. Defend? No.

I hate in-your-face contacts with others, and it’s very hard for me to try to sell anything, but I’m not rich enough to give away the products I believe might help others. I wish I were. Ranting aside, what I have purposed to do is to serve others in whatever way I have opportunity. My friends and family are not primarily “prospects.” They are primarily friends and family, and if they are also customers or business partners, that’s OK too. My duty is to offer information and opportunity. My duty is not to try to make others well, and I must respect their choices, even if I’m pretty sure they’re making the wrong ones. On the other hand, because I do believe other people would agree with me if they knew what I know, I have a strong motivation to tell others what I’ve learned. It’s daunting though to know where to start if I’m sure my input is not welcome, and my courage sometimes fails me.

Even though Network Marketing is legal, isn’t it at least faintly unethical? It is only as ethical as the people who are in it. Being devious or selfish ruins things for everyone. Having a servant heart is essential. I personally don’t like being tricked into listening to a sales presentation, so I would not want to trick other people into such a thing. I want to know exactly how a compensation plan works–not be told simply that it’s a good way to make a lot of money. I want good value for my money, so I will try to help others get good value for theirs. I would never feel comfortable selling a product I knew almost nothing about.

Franchises are similar in some ways to Network Markets, although franchises are far more often limited to a certain territory. They are alike in that the product, business philosophy and methods of doing business are usually pre-determined. The way things work in the insurance industry are similar to Network Marketing also. Acquiring a new client usually means an up front payment to the recruiter. Monthly income from that person’s payments provide additional ongoing money to the recruiter. Have you heard vitriolic criticism of these two systems recently? Not I.

I guess for me the bottom line is this: Network Marketing is not perfect. In this way it is exactly like every other business model I have encountered. It can be done ethically or unethically, depending on the motives and methods of the people involved. If I need a product sold by a Network Marketer, I will not choke on the method of sale. I will not hold the absence of a bricks and mortar store front against anyone. I will make a decision regarding purchase based on value and need. I will not prejudge a Marketer or begrudge him or her the income they earn through that business model. I will personally promote only products that I believe to be efficacious or useful. And I will do my best to not take a “no” personally. So help me, God.