Why Network Marketers Are So Hated

Are they just trying to make people mad?

Years ago, when I was a struggling hypnotherapist trying to make a name for myself, I sometimes marketed my services to sales individuals and organizations. Typically, I'd scan the Nashville job classifieds, looking for ads having to do with sales.

I'd call the number, schedule an interview, and a week or so later I'd do a presentation before a group of sales men and women. I actually netted quite a few clients that way. Then one day . . .

The ad said a position was open for an experienced sales professional. I called the number, explained what I did to the very nice lady who answered the phone, and she gave me an address to meet an interviewer at 1:30 that afternoon. She didn't tell me what was really going on at that address.

After I donned my finest black suit and tie, doing my best to look as corporate as possible, I reported to the Greer building, room 302, in Downtown Nashville. It was 1:29pm.

A speaker was on a small stage speaking to about 20 people or so. I sat at the back of the room, trying to assess what was going on. This was not what I'd expected.

The speaker showed slides of water purification products and nutritional supplements. He said he made $5000.00 his first month selling this stuff. I almost felt sorry for him, as nobody in the room believed his obvious lie.

It didn't take me long to realize that I'd been duped. Because of this deception, I wasted what could have been a productive afternoon. To say I was angry would be like saying Mt. Everest is a hill.

There was nothing anybody could have said that would have convinced me to join this company or buy its products. They seemed like vampires, and I was their potential prey. They would either devour me, or turn me to one of them.

I remember this story whenever somebody rolls their eyes after finding out what I do for a living. There was a dark time in our history when network marketers were to be avoided.

Thankfully, most of us have evolved past the point of pushing our business or products on our friends and family, cold-calling opportunity leads, and tricking people into attending sales presentations disguised as something else.