Forgive me if I’m not active on the forums-
Or participating in all of your Facebook groups-
Or holding training webinars for the industry-
Or updating my blog every day-
Or making sure my blogs and websites have the newest –coolest design esthetic.
I’m actually building a Network Marketing Business.
That’s right. I’m not just a wanna be guru trainer type who calls herself an expert in teaching ‘attraction marketing’ who spends her day on Twitter and Facebook chattering away… talking up a storm about what Im an expert in.
Whoa – I haven’t even produced a good quirky video in awhile to tell you how super cool I am.
Intead, I’m actually building a Network Marketing business.
And its not a ‘shovels’ business either… know what Im sayin? Shovels are smart- and I sell those too- but I’m working with a company that has products that have real value in the marketplace beyond the ‘home based business buyers’ market.
I’m (gasp) on the phone with prospects who have contacted me about my business. I’m qualifying them and helping those who I’d like to work with to make the decision to start their business with our rock-solid , yet incredibly progressive company. I’m then doing Success Training for those folks – making sure they have the Foundation of the ViSalus Academy. That training has a permanent place on my desktop. I’m thrilled to say that I help a new entrepreneur work their way through that training every day – sometimes more than one new entrepreneur a day.
I’m seeing the results of my work – watching the leaders emerge. Learning to recognize who the 30%ers, 60%ers and 100%ers are – and spending time with them accordingly. I’m watching duplication happen, and finally leverage. True residuals building. Its quite awesome.
Sure, I still have a nice income from my automated affiliate income – the links I’ve weaved into my content over the years serve me well. But I am very much aware that that is seed money – it isn’t the big picture. I don’t get paid residually on those sales… there are no leaders to develop that can produce millions. I know where to FOCUS.
My psychological input – my energy – is not on the front end sale. Its shifted. I know the residual income dream is alive and well and I am grabbing ahold of that business model with both hands.
So forgive me if my online presence has a DIY appearance. You can’t judge a book by its cover- you know what I mean?
If you want to align yourself with a ‘leader ‘who just met Mike Dillard or Ann Sieg a year or two ago and has themselves a nice shiny look – who has learned to say all the right things. In other words – is a ‘wanna be’. Then go right ahead. I cant stop you.
Or… you can have actual faith that what I tell you is true.
I’ve been at this game since 2001.
I’m no wanna be. Don’t let my DIY appearance fool ya.
I can boil my message down to one line -
Learn internet marketing and communication /phone skills and you will be unusually successful.
You have an MLMer mentality? Then I’m not your guide. Go find an ‘Attraction Marketing’ expert with a pretty website… maybe they can help you with that.
Peace 
Twitter Updates
Well said, Melanie. There are too many “gurus” out there talking the talk without backing it up.
You’re my kind of gal — you work your butt off to build your business and help others above all else. Thanks for revealing your online secrets!
Hello melanie,you may or may not remember me,my name is Richard,i have been getting your e-mails quite regularly,of course i know its a autoresponder message,and sometimes like today its the real you,the biggest reason i don not join your primary program is because its your niche,not mine,but i admire your marketing its professional,its dynamic,and you really get your message out,i began marketing about a year ago,my upline told me nothing,there only solution was for me to basically pay for there advertising,i was lost in a cycle of losing money,then i got your http://sponsoringsuccess.net link,i think i just clicked on,signed up,basically my first lesson in internet marketing came from you.
I am a member of renegade university because of you,and today i have started to put up my own content,my own websites,but those first lessons on sponsoring success,opened my eyes to what i needed to do ,so hopefully i am on the right track.
A BIG THANKS TO YOU Melanie milletics-Richard
Melanie –
Thank you for your insight. You have said the very thing I have been thinking. I’m not a guru- BY FAR. I’m just now in the business. BUT, I’m WORKING the business. I tried doing it the wrong way for about 3 years. NOW, I understand the importance of branding myself and helping people. Not just being a bunch of ‘blah,blah, blah”. I’ve entered the world of website content, blogging, (need to overcome YouTube phobia). I always look forward to your insight. I hope to someday be the type of person and leader that can add value and content to others…
Hey Melanie
Good for you girl. I’m doing the same. The more we promote actually building a real business the more success we will all have in the industry.
I enjoy your work and posts.
Wishing you major success with your new company. J
Melanie, You are the only person that I know of that leads with their company with pure integrity and style.
Well done on doing things your way and not hiding behind a wall of info products.
And I don’ think that is a bad thing, but results are what matter at the end of the day, nothing else.
Melanie,
I absolutely love this post…because at the end of the day I would imagine you sleep very well! I could not begin to say just how much you have helped me in finding my way. You have been one solid thing I have found on this journey I began a little over 4 years ago. I got involved with MLM before I even realized it and I knew absolutely nothing about it! All I can say is thank God that I found you! I know it was by no accident, I am a believer in fate and know God leads my every step. I really appreciate you and the fact you are not the “GURU” but a professional! And a professional you are every step of the way! I hope that one day I can be half of who you have become!
Blessings,
Sherry Prince
Marketing guru? I am proud of them. They have contributed a lot to online marketing.
Marketing gurus do bring something very unique to a marketing newbies life.Like a good big brother will do. Off course they are gonna get the bigger share of the cookie but you will get some, because at the end of the day, you are probably one his best audience. And what will a guru do without an audience? Gary Halbert, says a starving crowd is a buying crowd. You too can learn the ropes and get where you want to go, with the help and direction of a Marketing Guru who wants you to succeed. I once heard a super guru say something like, if you want to achieve a lot of web sales at Christmas, start your marketing in September, sounds simple but implementing that is what he is here to show you.
Every marketing guru will have his or her own “proven” approach in maximizing the return on investment of your marketing budget, but in truth, there is no clear and exact path that will be applicable to all guru training strategies.
My favorite marketing guru,
You don”t have to be some kind of marketing wizard or guru to get great marketing results though.
but one guy worth mention is Seth Godin of squidoo fame and i don’r even think he thinks of himself as a guru.
Hi Melanie,
Thank you for telling it like it is. Online marketing is a method of attracting people to you, but you still have to build the business, one by one.
All the best,
Alan
Hi Melanie-
Enjoyed your post. It refreshing to hear that I’m not the only non-guru person left
Hey Melanie. This is my first time coming across your blog. Very insightful post.
You definitely do not have to be a “guru” to be good at this business. But, posting your own content and branding yourself as a knowledgeable leader through information marketing is, in my opinion, crucial to success in today’s environment.
It’s that seed money, as you put it, that lots of network marketers miss out on by only promoting their opportunity and nothing else. Cash-flow is the life blood of any business. And in most MLM opportunities, it takes a while to build consistent and sustainable cash-flow.
So its important in the beginning to focus on the front end, at least for a while. But the real money is in the back end with the residuals from your MLM. And you have to get good at the skills it takes to build, train, and duplicate the process.
Thanks for the insight,
Greg
As the number one income earner in my company and someone who sees the opposite of this all the time, I applaud you for writing this, you go girl!