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Duplication Infatuation - Part I

by Michael Oliver

Michael Oliver

A group of Distributors I know were asked by their upline, "What are the most difficult challenges you face when speaking with prospects?" (Yes I know I don't use the word prospects, but that's what they asked!!)

Most of the answers were focused on the perceived 'objections' that kept coming up, and specifically... "Is this Network Marketing", "Is this a Pyramid", quot;This is a scam..."

So once the survey results were in, the training was changed. New Distributors are now taught to "handle" these "objections" right up front, by saying things like, "Now, Network Marketing isn't what you think it is..." followed by an explanation of what the Distributor thinks it is!

They are also instructed to say very little if possible, and instead get a person to a meeting where another Distributor will tell them what Network Marketing is really all about!!

"As a man thinketh, so shall it be."

What was interesting to me was that there was a fundamental flaw in this process from beginning to end.

Being an objective outside observer, it was easy to see WHY new Distributors got these "objections". It was because they were told they would!

It was in the material they read; the first conversations they had with other Distributors, the initial training they were given...! It was packaged, framed and embedded in their subconscious and belief system. And then guess what? It all came true!

Why? Because those who taught them had these beliefs, and subliminally taught the new Distributors the same thing!

Beware Of The Duplication Trap

I've said it many times and here it is again. Just because something is duplicatable, doesn't mean that it works. Make sure that what you're duplicating does, and if it doesn't feel right – you're probably right.

Ironically the new training that the Distributors now get cements the belief that people will automatically bring up "objections", and that they better beat them to the punch to cover it.

This raises 3 points....

  1. Why would you want to raise a problem before a problem has been raised?
  2. By the similar token, why would you want to create a problem?
  3. Why would you want to duplicate something that is designed tofail for most people most of the time?

Stuck Thinking

And so the illusion goes on. An illusion of "Stuck Thinking" based on conventional wisdoms, paradigms and beliefs in selling techniques that serve so few people and damages so many.

After the John Milton Fogg interview last February I got an email from a listener, which went something like this…

"The only part of his talk which created a question for me a bit was his opinion on duplicatable systems. I have always understood that if your downlines are not all working their systems the same, duplication will not happen. Maybe this is one of the areas where you have different views to John?!"

My reply is, actually… I totally agree with John.

I've seen many downlines flounder and go into the toilet because the upline insisted on everyone rigidly adhering to one particular system and one way of doing things.

It still amazes me this belief is still solidly in place, because people are unique individual beings. Forcing all Distributor's into the same box, and trying to create a robotic Henry Ford type of production line is a potential recipe for disaster. In fact it IS a disaster – observe the high attrition rate as a result of this.

I've discovered that one of the biggest causes of conflict in this world is the need for people to rigidly adhere to their beliefs. "Believing is important, but to believe our beliefs is insanity."

One thriving organization I know of was almost decimated within 6 months after rigidly following a "guaranteed duplicatable system that works". Unfortunately it didn't.

Another organization… one that follows the Natural Selling Process… take a different approach… They allow those Distributors who prefer the more conventional way of selling to have the freedom to get their training from another group!

What a breath of fresh air! The upside potential for all of them is huge. (I'll write more about that sometime.)

So here are 4 provoking thoughts…

1.Who says there can only be one duplicatable process operating at one time?

2. What if what you're duplicating only works for a small number of Distributors?
Let's say for example, you're stuck in the syndrome of - "let's create a list of 100 contacts and call them now" - that puts the fear of the devil into your new Distributor?

Is he or she wrong for resisting doing it? Are you going to insist they do it anyway and risk losing them and their friends? Or are you going to find another method of lead generation that is closer to their present comfort zone?

3. What if the communications system you're duplicating has inherent flaws or mistakes in it, and you exponentially compound the flaws?
David Hawkins in his book Power Vs Force writes, "Society constantly expends its efforts to correct effects instead of causes, which is one reason why the development of human consciousness proceeds so slowly."

What can his words mean to you? Well, here is an example. What if your training includes objection handling techniques, and what if objections are simply the result (effect) of the way you communicated (cause)? You would then be training to correct the wrong problem!

The correct solution would be to change the way you communicate, so that objections, and the fear of them coming up, is no longer an issue. See how simple it can be?

4. What if your Upline doesn't do what they tell you to do, never did, and actually did something else?
This happens more than you might imagine!

So What To Do?

Learn to reprogram the software in your sub-conscious mind and allow yourself to use the natural brilliance you already have but haven't accessed for a long time.

You might also like to review the "4 Principles Of Natural Selling"...

  1. The purpose of a business is to help other people solve their problems.
  2. Listen to what is being meant, not just what is being said.
  3. Ask the right questions at the right time.
  4. Feed back what you think you heard they want.

I know I'm quoting Einstein a lot lately, and here it is again, "The world we have made as a result of the level of thinking we have done, thus far, creates problems we cannot solve at the same level of thinking at which we created them."

Prepared to change your level of thinking? Prepared to challenge your beliefs and move out of where you don't want to be, and get on the path toward where you do?

Click below for a number of choices to help you make that break from conventional thinking

...and take a look at the new series of "Mastery of Dialogue" teleclasses (just click here for details).


Best Selling Author on "How to Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends!" - Selling from the Soul. Ancient Wisdoms. Modern Practice.

Home Copyright, 2005, Michael Oliver, Natural Selling® Inc.
Reprinted with permission from Michael Oliver, Natural Selling® Sales Training http://www.naturalselling.com "