I have been in the Network Marketing Industry as a top-earning Distributor, and also have been a high-level Executive at the Corporate Level. I’ve experienced the industry from both sides, operations and distributor marketing.
As a Corporate Executive, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to thousands of Distributor comments, suggestions, and complaints. In most cases, Distributors are merely venting frustrations for the fact they are not making the type of money they expected when they joined the opportunity. They were “led” to believe (by their sponsor) they would make great money – and have to do very little to “earn” it. In fact, the distributor who was recruited them emphatically promised that they would receive “spill”, or (as I like to call it) “trickle-down” sales volume.
In my opinion, the biggest problem in Network Marketing is the hype that lousy marketers use to get people to join with them. Network Marketing virgins are gullible to the tactics, because they really want the “hope” of a true residual income. The problem is – the hope quickly fades once the reality is revealed.
In the MLM industry, unfortunately there are very few massively successful Distributors. Perhaps the majority will claim success if they are making enough in commissions, to purchase their required product – or perhaps even make a car payment. The percentages, however, point to the fact that most Distributors in an opportunity just don’t earn money. One must assume then that Trickle-down commissions are a myth.
The point I’m hoping to get across is, DO NOT JOIN AN OPPORTUNITY if you are expecting Trickle-down sales volume or sponsoring. Do not expect your sponsor to build for you, or even show you how to build. If you believe your sponsor is going to hold the light that will guide you out of your financial darkness, you’re going to be disappointed.
Go into your opportunity as you would any business – utilizing YOUR efforts, YOUR creativity, and YOUR drive to build your fortune. If you treat your opportunity as a business instead of expecting a “hand-out” from your up-line, you will have a much greater opportunity for success. Be determined that you will succeed based on your own efforts.
If you are looking for a great opportunity, take a look at URI International.
Popular Questions
Why should network marketers not believe the “trickle-down” hype about traffic?
Traffic rarely reaches your business simply because someone above you is successful or has a large audience. You need a direct plan for attracting attention, such as publishing useful content, building an email list, and promoting your offer consistently. Track which sources produce clicks and conversations instead of waiting for referrals to appear automatically.
What is a better approach than relying on the “trickle-down” hype in network marketing?
Create your own dependable traffic system rather than expecting leads to flow down from another marketer. Choose one or two channels, define the audience you want to reach, and share content that answers their questions before presenting an opportunity. Review your results weekly and improve the sources that generate qualified responses.
How can you recognize the “trickle-down” hype when evaluating a traffic opportunity?
Be cautious when a promotion promises effortless leads, guaranteed exposure, or success based mainly on another person's position. Ask where the visitors come from, whether the traffic is targeted, and what actions you must take to receive results. A credible opportunity should explain the process, costs, limitations, and measurable expectations clearly.
Can paid advertising replace the “trickle-down” hype for generating network marketing traffic?
Paid advertising can create a more predictable flow of visitors, but it does not remove the need for a relevant message and a clear follow-up process. Start with a small budget, send traffic to a focused landing page, and measure clicks, opt-ins, and conversions separately. Stop campaigns that attract low-quality visitors and scale only the ads that produce useful results.