Comments on: What summer sales and MLM companies have in common and why I hate them both. http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/ Drive Liberty Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:35:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Douglas http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-29454 Douglas Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:14:34 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-29454 I appreciate your viewpoint on the summer sales and MLM industry. I have done summer sales for 5 summers and consider myself to be an above average sales rep. I don't have incredible talent, nor am super persuasive. I do work hard every day and spend the time on the doors, I don't make excuses and just do my best at every door, every day. I role play in the evenings and in the car before I go and sell, I ask for help from members of my team. Sales do not come easily to me, I aggressively seek after them. As an above average sales rep, I have earned enough to pay for school. It was great to graduate debt free. The difference between an average sales rep and an above average sales rep is simply the working the hours and improving your skills everyday. The above average rep walks quickly between doors and uses their time wisely. The average rep puts in the average effort and gets the average results. Personally, I do not recommend summer sales for the average person. The average person should stay home and take the average summer job. I appreciate your viewpoint on the summer sales and MLM industry. I have done summer sales for 5 summers and consider myself to be an above average sales rep. I don’t have incredible talent, nor am super persuasive. I do work hard every day and spend the time on the doors, I don’t make excuses and just do my best at every door, every day. I role play in the evenings and in the car before I go and sell, I ask for help from members of my team. Sales do not come easily to me, I aggressively seek after them.
As an above average sales rep, I have earned enough to pay for school. It was great to graduate debt free. The difference between an average sales rep and an above average sales rep is simply the working the hours and improving your skills everyday. The above average rep walks quickly between doors and uses their time wisely. The average rep puts in the average effort and gets the average results. Personally, I do not recommend summer sales for the average person. The average person should stay home and take the average summer job.

]]> By: My Career Plans « Benton Crane http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-27805 My Career Plans « Benton Crane Thu, 07 May 2009 15:01:10 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-27805 [...] I hate MLMs and am not interested in getting involved in one. I have to throw that out there because this last [...] [...] I hate MLMs and am not interested in getting involved in one. I have to throw that out there because this last [...]

]]> By: Graeme Pearce http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-27172 Graeme Pearce Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:27:35 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-27172 Nobody in MLM can do well with any product unless the believe in it. Now the concept of affiliate marketing I get and use. MLM is so pre internet. Nobody in MLM can do well with any product unless the believe in it.
Now the concept of affiliate marketing I get and use. MLM is so pre internet.

]]> By: P. Kelly http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-23498 P. Kelly Thu, 01 Jan 2009 23:38:45 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-23498 mlm companies do a service to consumers by not having to advertise because they use word of mouth referral marketing. mlm companies do a service to consumers by not having to advertise because they use word of mouth referral marketing.

]]> By: Seth Buchanan http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-19949 Seth Buchanan Tue, 26 Aug 2008 16:21:51 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-19949 You got it right on. Think about it for a second. APX Alarm is supposed to sell 180,000 accounts this summer, they started with 3500 sales reps. That averages out to 51 sales per person that signs up. They get paid $275 per sale at that rate. That comes out to $14025 for the summer. A far cry from the $50k. That is before taxes, they are independent contractors so they "should" pay taxes, generally 15%. So they are now down to $11925. Now you have to figure in rent for the summer because they didn't hit the sales goal. That is $400 per month for the 4 months. They are now down to $10325. Now, normally any college student would jump at making $10k in one summer. That is the average person. That doesn't take into account gas, food, living expenses. Unless they are amazingly disciplined, they are going to spend like there is no end in sight, because after all, they will make it up in sales tomorrow. They eat out everyday, and spend like the people who do make $200k per summer. I would say most "average" sales reps come home with about $4k-$5k in their bank account. Not exactly getting rich. But they need to prove they got rich so they can make tons of money next summer with the people they recruit. Debt adds up, money winds down. Think survivor bias. When people think about the people who strike it rich doing summer sales, no one seems to take into account the number of people who tried and found out it didn't work otu. Those people are the weaklings who are not strong enough to survive, right? It takes a concerted effort to make it happen, but as you say, it probably won't happen for everyone, statistics show that. You got it right on. Think about it for a second. APX Alarm is supposed to sell 180,000 accounts this summer, they started with 3500 sales reps. That averages out to 51 sales per person that signs up. They get paid $275 per sale at that rate. That comes out to $14025 for the summer. A far cry from the $50k. That is before taxes, they are independent contractors so they “should” pay taxes, generally 15%. So they are now down to $11925. Now you have to figure in rent for the summer because they didn’t hit the sales goal. That is $400 per month for the 4 months. They are now down to $10325.

Now, normally any college student would jump at making $10k in one summer. That is the average person. That doesn’t take into account gas, food, living expenses. Unless they are amazingly disciplined, they are going to spend like there is no end in sight, because after all, they will make it up in sales tomorrow. They eat out everyday, and spend like the people who do make $200k per summer. I would say most “average” sales reps come home with about $4k-$5k in their bank account. Not exactly getting rich. But they need to prove they got rich so they can make tons of money next summer with the people they recruit. Debt adds up, money winds down.

Think survivor bias. When people think about the people who strike it rich doing summer sales, no one seems to take into account the number of people who tried and found out it didn’t work otu. Those people are the weaklings who are not strong enough to survive, right? It takes a concerted effort to make it happen, but as you say, it probably won’t happen for everyone, statistics show that.

]]> By: Jeffrey Harmon http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-19920 Jeffrey Harmon Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:36:02 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-19920 I absolutely agree with you on everything. Way to wack it to them. I only have one thing to point out, you don't only have to be "above average" to make good money in MLM and summer sales, but you have to be way above average. Average guys go home in debt, above average guys break even, and only the best make a lot of money. In regular jobs, average guys make average money, above average make above average money, and the best make loads too. I absolutely agree with you on everything. Way to wack it to them. I only have one thing to point out, you don’t only have to be “above average” to make good money in MLM and summer sales, but you have to be way above average. Average guys go home in debt, above average guys break even, and only the best make a lot of money.

In regular jobs, average guys make average money, above average make above average money, and the best make loads too.

]]> By: Daniel Harmon http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/comment-page-1/#comment-19914 Daniel Harmon Mon, 25 Aug 2008 20:36:45 +0000 http://bentoncrane.net/2008/08/25/what-summer-sales-and-mlm-companies-have-in-common-and-why-i-hate-them-both/#comment-19914 Actually, Ben, I have three readers. You have more like 12 :) But who\'s counting? Actually, Ben, I have three readers. You have more like 12 :) But who\’s counting?

]]>