Your Field of Dreams

by Jack Hayford

In the popular movie "Field of Dreams" (based on the fine novel "Shoeless Joe" by W.P. Kinsella), the main character, Ray Kinsella, receives a message from beyond the earthly realm: "If you build it, he will come." He has no idea what this means and the rest of the movie is about his search to find the meaning.

Despite the fact that everyone, including his wife, thinks he's lost his mind, Kinsella proceeds to turn his midwest farmland into a baseball field. He builds it, at great personal cost, risk, loss of income, self-doubt, and humiliation. He builds it, and some of the greatest players in the history of baseball, including Shoeless Joe Jackson, do come. Not only do they come in this fictitious account, I'm told that the actual field used to make the movie now attracts thousands of tourists each year and the business these visitors bring to the area is a boon to the local economy. In both fact and fiction, out of one man's "dream," a new reality is created for others.

How many MLM executives and independent distributors suffer through the same trials as Ray Kinsella in following their dream? Well, probably all. Network marketing is still, after over fifty years as a way of doing business, much maligned and grossly misunderstood. My friends and family (especially my children), for the most part, don't understand what I do. They hear me talking on the phone but it's as if I'm speaking a foreign language. Let's face it, the road to success in MLM (and the freedom that success can bring) can be a very lonely trail.

Every MLM executive I work with, when it's time to start recruiting, ultimately asks me the same question: "How can I find leaders to build this company for me?" The answer is the same as the message received by Ray Kinsella: "Build it and they will come."

No MLM "leader" worth his or her salt is going to make it happen for the company. If they join, they will do so to make it happen for them. And before they will risk their time, expertise, and personal and financial resources, they are going to want to be sure that the company is ready - that the field has been built.

Many MLM companies are started for lack of the necessary capital to take their products to market via traditional retail outlets. That requires millions of dollars in TV, radio, and print advertising. That's O.K., up to a point. But the fact is, they're still going to have to find a way to build their business, even if the so-called "leaders" don't come right away. I promise you, if you do build it, they will come. How many "big hitters" from Amway, from Herbalife, from NSA, from NuSkin, from Melaleuca, etc. have gone on to build huge organizations all over again with an exciting new company? Lots. These people are entrepreneurs. They are warriors. They love the challenge. The building process is one of one of the biggest thrills in life for them.

But make no mistake, they will not build it for you. You, as an MLM executive or an independent distributor, have got to build the foundation. You've got to clear the trees and pave the road. You've got to recruit, create sales, and start making money before you can attract those who already know how to recruit, create sales, and make money. Otherwise, they don't need you and there are so many other ways they can spend their time.

So, how do you build it, with limited resources, up to a point where you can attract leaders?

1. Patiently and persistently. You start with the "little people." Those with modest goals and a true affinity with the products you sell. Sell the products first. If you can't sell them (and this goes for company and distributor alike) how in the world can you expect to find others who can? You run small ads (whatever you can afford) consistently. You buy mail lists and send out post-cards consistently. You talk to people, talk to people, talk to people, consistently.
2. Develop caring relationships. People will work with you harder and longer if they like you. And they will like you if you genuinely care about their success and happiness. If you're looking for people to make money for you, forget it. Only masochists will be drawn to you. Help others and you'll automatically help yourself. Get to know your downline, their lives, their loves, their fears. Bond with them.
3. Be strong yet flexible. Nobody has all the right answers. MLM companies that don't listen to and act upon the best advice from the field force ultimately fail. Accept suggestions and even criticisms with an open mind. Once you have a firm conviction, be unshakable in your resolve. Don't buckle under.

The recent explosion in growth of home-based businesses attests to the fact that, given a choice between working 40-80 hours a week (even for a six figure annual income) and earning as much or even more working from home 20-40 hours a week, most people would prefer to work from home. Most people want to work smarter, not harder. Most people want more time with their families. More and more people are finding that chasing their tail in the material world is ultimately not very fulfilling, no matter how much money they make.

What is your dream? Want to work from home and earn as much or more than you do now? Want more time and freedom? Want to make new friendships, travel, and experience personal growth? Network marketing could be the answer for you. But first you have to step into the field.

Jack Hayford is a professional network marketer with experience in both independent field leadership and corporate MLM management. He can be reached at 800-925-7244 or by e-mail at jack@hip-co.com