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Do You Seek Wishbones Or Backbones To Be In Your Network Marketing Business?

Guest post by: Andy Acciaioli

Article Overview: We are so eager to build our network marketing businesses that oftentimes we bring people to our team that should never have been brought in (the “wishbones”…I wish success will happen). Instead we should be bringing in “the backbone” people, the make success happen people into our business.

Do You Seek Wishbones Or Backbones To Be In Your Network Marketing Business?

Those of us who have been in network marketing for any length of time have experienced the vast majority of wishful thinkers (the wishbones). And yet there are those people who join our groups who are motivated and have the conviction of getting it done no matter what (the backbones).

The “wishbones” wish for success to appear out of some far off land and grace their network marketing business with a gazillion new reps. Their “backbone” counterparts are too busy building their businesses one team member at a time.

It would be nice if we could only sponsor the “backbones”. But the reality is most times it is impossible to determine between the two. We are so anxious to build our businesses that we practically accept anyone into our business who can breathe.

“Wishbones” are not only a waste of our time and energy but will either discourage or relieve us when they eventually leave. (More often than not, they will seek greener pastures with the next, great, spectacular mlm that will become number one in its niche within forty-eight hours. Good luck.)

I willingly admit that I hold out hope for anyone joining my group. There are times when I want them to succeed more than they want themselves to succeed. I am sure you have heard all the popular network marketing expressions such as you cannot push rope up a hill or you cannot drag anyone over the finish line. As trite as these expressions were when I first heard them, they still apply today.

You might say it is different now with the internet. You are right, it is different. The internet has expanded the base of “wishbones” exponentially with no boundaries. It truly is the W W W (World Wide Wishbones). Everyone who has a computer – or access to one – is confident that they will make a killing on it and get all 1.7 billion users to buy from them or join their mlm.

The “backbones” realize that the internet is a tool to reach others. Their style of working online mimics their style of how they prospect offline: build a relationship with a potential prospect first before attempting to introduce their business to the prospect. Maybe the prospect never gets to the stage of the “backbone” sharing their business with them. Perhaps the “backbone” feels as though this person is a net-wisher as opposed to a net-worker.

After having been involved with network marketing over the past 18 years, I can assure you that most potential prospects will either qualify or disqualify themselves in very subtle ways. Not following through on small tasks such as visiting your website (“I didn’t get a chance to go on the site”) or not calling you when they say they will (“I got so tied up and then completely forgot to call”). Not showing up at a business presentation when they assured you they would be there. Any one of these should raise the red flag that you might be dealing with a “wishbone”. (On the other hand, if your prospect follows through on all the small tasks, that is the person that you should want to work with.)

You are the “backbone” of your group. Get other “backbones” involved and you will see just how unstoppable your will become. Get “wishbones” involved and they will snap early on after experiencing the least amount of rejection (the dreaded “no”) when offering their business opportunity to others.

Andy Acciaioli

Online/Offline Marketing Coach

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Article Tags: backbone, network marketing business



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