Failure in Direct Sales: Fact, Or Myth

I read an article recently that really stuck with me. You see many authors and many leaders in network marketing print statistics that 80% of network marketers fail. Until I really began thinking about these figures, I believed this was true. I was willing to accept that 80% of my business would fail.

So what happened to change my mind? I realized that 80% of network marketers never try. This has nothing to do with failing. You can not fail at something you have not tried. As I began to think about this, I thought about my mom who was in the nursing profession, prior to her retirement. At least once per week she would tell me that someone she hired quit after less than a week. My mom never used the word fail when referring to the above occurrence. She simply stated the fact "they quit".

So why is it in network marketing, we hurt ourselves by saying 80% of those that join fail? The reality is that 80% might quit before they ever really start, before they ever even try.

Have you ever been to a McDonalds? Each time you visit you find different employees. Yet I've never heard the word fail associated with McDonalds.

To fail, means to be unsuccessful. Now if success requires time, patience and perseverance, wouldn't lack of success require those same components? Once you have put forth time, patience and perseverance, then you may declare failure if you feel you have not succeeded.

I very clearly remember one of my team members calling me to tell me this was not working. As I asked her what she had done and what the results were, I learned she had spoken to 4 people. Of the 4, two said yes. Personally I thought this was tremendous. She however felt this to be a failure and quit. I do not believe she failed at all. I will be the first to admit she quit.

As you begin to look at your organization and begin to realize that failure can not happen for the vast majority, you will begin working with them differently. I have begun to tell folks there is no harm in trying. I ask them if they would like to try. We don't talk success and we don't talk failure. We just talk about trying. I have begun to recognize each member who tries something.

So what happens if you try something and it doesn't work? Does this mean failure? Absolutely not. It means that for today this one thing did not work and you try something else. Along the way of trying if you decide to quit, that is fine, but understand you did not fail, you quit.

On many days I start washing the dishes, quit, and then finish later. I did not fail at washing dishes, I simply quit for now until the timing was right later. By helping your organization try, and allowing them to quit, you have left the door open for them to pick it back up later with neither of you feeling as if a failure has occurred. Like with me and dishes, the 2nd time just may be the charm.

Perhaps it's time we rewrite the statistics in network marketing to adequately relate what is really happening.

Audrey Okaneko has been in direct sales since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or you can Become a Tupperware Consultant

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