I recently wrote on another blog about how if you want to change your life then the best thing you can do is change your story. In this post I want to apply this specifically to network marketing.
People join network marketing companies every day with hopes ranging from making a little extra money at one end to completely replacing their income at the other. But most people never even make it out of the starting box.
Why?
I believe that the biggest reason is that they continuously tell themselves that they can’t succeed.
Can success in network marketing be as simple as changing your story?
What Do I Mean By “Change Your Story” ?
Your story is what you constantly say about yourself, both to yourself and to other people.
First, what are you telling yourself? What is that talk track that is constantly running through your head? Is that voice telling you that this won’t work or that you’re wasting your time?
“This can’t work.” “I don’t know what I’m doing.” “Everyone thinks network marketing is a scam.” “I don’t like selling.”
I really like the last one, “I don’t like selling.” My wife used to say that when we got started in network marketing. Now she works as a manager at a retreat that caters to yoga groups. She talks to the group leaders when they check out at the end of their retreat and, if they enjoyed their stay (which they almost always do), she invites them to come back for their next retreat. Sometimes that simple invitation leads the group leader to meeting with the groups sales person and a contract before they even leave the property.
My wife is still selling, and at a much higher price tag than the products I sell through our network marketing business. The difference is the story she telling herself. She isn’t selling, she’s inviting people to bring their groups back to the resort. Of course outside the context of the encounter she knows she is doing sales, but it doesn’t feel like selling because that isn’t her story.
It’s all in the story. If you want different results, change your story.
Now, if only she got the commission for the sale too. That would be nice.
The Story You Tell To Others
The second part of your story is the story you share with other people. What do you say about yourself when to talk to your friends or co-workers? Are you building yourself up, or keeping yourself small because you don’t want to seem conceited?
The story you tell about yourself is what you become. It doesn’t matter if it is the one you tell yourself or the one you tell others because either way you are always there listening.
You have the ability to change your story. Change it to something supportive. Even if you don’t believe in all this personal development stuff it still feels better to tell a positive story and build yourself up, so why not do it?
How Does That Apply to Network Marketing?
The benefits to changing your story apply to all parts of your life, but this website is about network marketing, so let’s apply it specifically to that.
It is normal to have doubts anytime you start something new, especially something that can impact your life as much as running your own business.
And it’s especially easy to have doubts about network marketing because of all the negative stories that already exist about the industry as a whole.
“It’s a scam.” “Isn’t that a pyramid scheme?”
But just like anything else, the story you tell creates the energy that you bring into your activities. So you want to make it as positive as possible.
It’s even more important in network marketing.
Because now, the “others” that you share your story with are the customers who buy your products and the prospects you want to join your team.
In this business you are constantly interacting with other people. A negative story saps your confidence away. And without confidence nobody is going to buy your product or join your team. Change your story.
What Story Do You Want to Tell?
You have to build yourself up before you can build anyone else up. So, what story do you want to tell about network marketing?
What story are you going to tell yourself about your ability to succeed in your network marketing business?
Basically, you want to create a new, positive talk track to replace the default negative one that you probably already have.
Go ahead and get out a piece of paper and a pen and actually script it. What does network marketing mean to you? Can you succeed in this business? What does success look like for you?
Be sure to write your story as if it has already happened. You don’t want to be successful sometime in the future. The future never happens. It’s always somewhere ahead of you, in the future.
You want to be successful right now!
Once you know the story that you want to tell, start telling it.
Sure, at first it feels like a lie. Try not to think of it that way. Think of it more like painting a picture, or scripting a movie of how you want your network marketing business to be. Every time you review your new story you are rehearsing your role as a successful network marketer.
I try to do this twice a day. First, as close to when I get up in the morning as possible. It sets the tone for the day. Then I do it again right before I crawl into bed for the night.
They say that your last thoughts before you fall asleep are what your subconscious mind works on all night long. So you might as well give your subconscious something good to work on.
The One Command
As I said in the original post, the book The One Command is a great place to start.
The process that the author describes will help you break out of your old talk track and program in your new, scripted one.
It can help you cement your new story into your subconscious mind and really feel it. The more strongly you feel your new role the better.
Your Turn
Are you ready to change your story? Mine includes what I want to make every month and how many people I have on my team. I must say, it’s one of the best stories I’ve ever told myself.
Write out your new story, and if you feel like sharing, please do in a comment below. I also appreciate you clicking on the buttons below to share this with your followers on social media
Thanks for reading.
Disclosure: The book link above is an affiliate link. If you buy the book through the link then I may earn a commission. Whether I do or not, it won’t affect the price you pay.
