900 dumbfounded AmeriPlan IBOs had just been
terminated by their network marketing company…
So what’s going on?
A few days we received a call from a top leader/IBO from Ameriplan that the company had just terminated around 900 people without cause in one day.
And these are people that are making good money with the Ameriplan opportunity, several of them TOP earners in the company.
If this is not a WAKE-UP call for field leaders that they should
NEVER, EVER feel married to their company… EVER.
Is the AmeriPlan termination really “without cause?”
Words on the street has it that AmeriPlan is in financial trouble
and to conserve resources they terminated some of the biggest
leaders that have any connection to other network marketing
companies (i.e. even if you just buy one company’s popular cosmetics and
order the fabulous super juice from another).
The non-compete clause in the P&P (Policies & Procedures) of pretty
much every network marketing company put together written 100% in
favor of the company.
You may be thinking… “how could they? Without ME and my team, you
wouldn’t have a business!”
But regardless how you and I feel about this, it is what it is.
If you remember Dale Carnegie’s book How To Win Friends And
Influence People, it’s really about what WE do and how WE conduct
ourselves to influence the desired outcome…
A recent industry survey reflected that the average network
marketer is “involved” (has an rep/distributor/IBO or customer
number, even if they’re INACTIVE) in 3 different companies at the
same time.
The so-called “non-compete” clause has been ruled unenforceable by
judges after judges in many states.
But when a company worth $10’s , $100’s of millions or even $1
billion’s decide to terminate or come after you, what do you do?
Please understand that this is with extreme positive intention that I’m
sharing all this with you…
That you should be PREPARED rather than be a Sheeple (people with a
sheep’s mentality) that follows the herd right off the cliff.
Some of the IBOs felt they were married to AmeriPlan…
I know I felt that way about my previous and only MLM company at one time.
And I must admit that it was definitely a mistake.
The business opportunity sold me hope and vision… but also the
idea that “the opportunity” was the entire industry…
that not only were they “the one for me” but “the ONLY one.”
And when a similar situation like the one in AmeriPlan arose, I
became extremely disillusioned.
I was naive and would never EVER do that again.
Please understand that I’m not advocating that you build downlines
in multiple companies… not at the same time, anyways.
What I am sincerely hoping is that you understand that this is a
business…
That you truly operate your business like a business, not as a
hobby…
If the company is not the mother ship, then what is?
Good question… and the answer is YOU and the relationships you’ve
built.
And this extends beyond just your personal downline and upline.
Your commitment to truly build a business and helping others do the
same is where it’s at.
Those that you sponsor trusted in you, and yes, their decision to
join you is largely dependent on whether they like and trust you.
Don’t take that trust lightly.
The very reason I’m still in this industry, with all the
experiences and skills that I’ve gained over the years, I could be
in any industry and succeed (and I am)…
BUT, I chose to stay involved in this industry even after my less
than negative experience with my previous company…
After hearing stories after stories of companies acting on behalves
of their best interest, not the distributors’…
Why?
It’s because of people like you and families like yours that enter
the industry with a dream.
I care about you more than you know, {!firstname_fix}.
Unleash the powerful, unstoppable business owner in you.
There are TWO essential type of skills we need to become successful
in this industry –
Networking skills – people skills, verbiage, posture, etc.
and
Marketing skills – persuasion skills such as understanding
personality types, recruiting and copywriting.
There have been many training courses and I’ve gone through to
build up these two main skill sets.
While no one course, trainer or coach is the end-all, be-all answer
to all your challenges… but I’ll leave you with my top
recommendation for both recruiting and marketing –
Recruiting – Tom Challan’s Group Coaching / Recruiting Boot Camp
Marketing – David Garfinkel’s Copywriter’s Guild
These skills will serve you well in your business endeavorers as
it’s been proven for just about every 6, 7 and 8 figure earners of
the last 50 years in this inudstry.
Lastly, if you are one of the AmeriPlan IBOs affected, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment area below or privately by filling out this form.
Thank You Jerry for this, it really hits home…. it is very easy to get caught up in all the wonders of your company but forget that they are a business and anything can happen. Which is why the personal realtionships you build with your business partners surpass far beyond the company itself.
Good Stuff! keep it up 🙂 !
Hi Jerry,
Wow! You nailed it again!
Yes, the online (and offline) relationships we build are the glue that keeps our MLM team together as we weather the challenges.
I remember how you so emphatically expressed this point to me when we met in Portland OR back in June.
So true.
AmeriPlan just proved it.
Herein lies the secret to survival: People join people. They join people that care. Not an MLM opportunity. Or a product. Or a compensation plan.
Robert
Wow that is nuts with Ameriplan.
One of the biggest reasons to build a list for sure.
I feel sorry for those top earners who got terminated. But like you said, a very valuable lesson to be learned on this. Stuff like this happens and knowing that before hand and how to handle it, will only make you even more of a top earning professional in the industry.
Thanks for sharing bro 🙂
@Greg – I hope the company and the distributors BOTH survive through this.
That being said, this is a big wake-up call for those feeling too attached to their companies to not be too comfortable and complacent with where they are in their business, regardless how much money they’re making!
Ultimately the company won’t “take care of us”… WE take care of ourselves! WE are the consumers that dictate where we spend our money. WE are the business owners that dictate where we invest our dollars!
You got it, Robert! Are you with AmeriPlan?
Hi Jerry,
No I am not with Ameriplan, I have been in the past with Agel and Monavie in my former life before coming online. 😉
I began online network marketing about the same time I discovered a new company that does pass the “5 pillar” test for longevity and success. (my 3rd and current MLM)
I found that there is such a technique to use to know ahead of time if your MLM will wind up like Ameriplan or like Ty Tribble’s Eiro.
In light of the little known fact that 80% of all MLM companies do NOT pass this test and will fail in 2 – 5 years, it pays to do a little homework.
Your friend,
~Robert
100% agreed with that. Hurrah! 🙂
The letters sent to the ~900 IBOs actually said: you are being terminated “WITHOUT CAUSE”! Can you believe it? I can’t imagine that will hold up in court. Has anyone ever heard of this happening in any other company at this magnitude?
Hey Ed – Can we get a hold of one of those letters?
Biggest wake up call of my life by being terminated by Ameriplan. I say, get a REAL job and forget all of this MLM.
Thank you for this article. It really clarifies what is happening within Ameriplan and other MLM’s.