A presentation slide at the 2015 Beachbody Summit event in Nashville, TN, where our CEO redefined what it means to be a Team Beachbody Coach.
Let’s take a hot second to talk, shall we?
I want to talk specifically about an opportunity that I used to pass off as a “Yeah right, never doing that” opportunity. I saw people, mostly women, working these MLM businesses and I thought it was literally the equivalent to door-to-door sales. As a kid, my Mom would have the makeup lady come to our house for appointments. We’d sit down and she’d put pastel eye shadows on my eyelids, rub small dabs of flesh-colored liquid onto her thumb knuckle with a Q-tip, and we’d spend close to two hours looking in handheld mirrors. I also remember my Mom hosting parties surrounding food and kitchen utensils, baskets, and jewelry.
These types of businesses, known popularly as MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing), are certainly nothing to be negated. For the purposes of this post, let it be known that is is precisely these MLMs who either give a bad rep, or a skeptical vibe, simply because of their nature:
* they require a lot of in-home visits/home delivery
* they require product purchase on behalf of the distributor (meaning their garage or home office is often full of candles, makeup, or handbags)
* it is well-known that distributors earn a sales commission off of what they sell
* nearly everyone has had an experience where they’ve been guilted into buying something from their friend or family member, or felt they needed to support them
For some, this is a tremendous opportunity, so don’t get me wrong. Several of these businesses have been around a long time because people love the products and the personal experience. But because of the perceptions of this type of business, other newer MLMs find themselves categorized alongside them when in reality, they have nearly nothing in common.
So first and foremost, I’m here to claim that folks need not be afraid of multi-level marketing (sometimes also known as direct marketing) opportunities. With them come a flexible, self-governed schedule, personal interactions that lead to amazing relationships, and the potential to earn an income from products people already know and love. THAT is what both old and new MLMs have in common. As we’ve alluded, however, there are several things that set some apart from others. If you’re looking to make a move toward working a direct marketing business yourself, as you should, since a Plan B is almost pertinent in today’s society, I encourage you to take the following items into consideration before taking the next step. Note: I’ve included my $0.02 regarding Beachbody’s specific business opportunity in italic print below each item.
1) Does the company behind the MLM have a mission statement with which you jive?
In other words, what IS the company mission statement and what have you researched in regard to where they’re headed? Do you know this answer, or are you simply believing what someone is telling you? Do your research. Uncover who the company truly is behind all of the advertising and marketing. What purpose do they serve? Is that the purpose YOU serve, or is something you can get behind?
Beachbody’s Mission Statement is to help people achieve their goals of living healthy, fulfilling lives. In 5 years, we have grown from 10,000 Coaches to 300,000+. We proudly call ourselves Coaches because distributor seems too boring, and “Coach” represents the verb meaning “to lead and teach.” Our mission, unlike many others, is to help others and in the process, we help ourselves.
2) How does the quality of the product(s) compare to others in the industry? Also, how much advertising dollars are put toward the product(s)? Again, don’t rely merely on the input of the distributor who has introduced you to the product. Do your own research! If you’re looking to enter the skincare world, know what questions to ask. Consider running the product by your doctor for his/her input. Same thing goes for health and wellness. Know the product… its ingredients (which should easily be found on the ingredient label), its purpose, and its popularity in the market.
Beachbody’s fitness programs are THE top fitness programs in the country, and also the most well-known. Shakeology is top quality when it comes to ingredients, as it contains no artificial flavors or preservatives, and is comprised of 70 whole food ingredients, all of which come from various places around the world via fair-trade farmers. It is Certified Low Glycemic Index (approved for diabetics), gluten-free/soy-free, and has been clinically proven to lower cholesterol.
3) What does the compensation plan look like, and how does it compare to others? Are you merely making money off of the products you sell? Is the plan focused solely on signing others up to be distributors? Or are you earning an income from growing your Team, profit-sharing from the company’s success, and/or leadership advancements?
We like to refer to this as either being customer/product-driven or distributor-driven? Spoken from experience, sharing your love for products and customers is a much easier approach than needing to sign others as distributors.
With Team Beachbody, we earn commission on customer sales (i.e., Challenge Packs) but not on what our distributors sell. We are a product-driven, customer focused business whose purpose is to combine both helping people to live a healthy lifestyle AND in some cases, pay it forward. We have what’s called a “binary compensation plan” (Google it) that rewards us for product sales, Team growth, and leadership advancement. Coaches 2-Star and above also receive quarterly bonuses by way of profit-sharing. I should also mention that we are the only direct marketing company to distribute customer leads to Coaches. In other words, customers who don’t already have a Coach, who order from a Beachbody infomercial or online, are assigned a Coach to help them with their health goals. These Coaches, then, also receive automatic customers from the company in addition to those they bring in.
4) Who is the CEO of the network, and what is their vision? Have you listened to him/her speak? Followed them on social media? What do they stand for? Would they be your friend?
Carl Daikeler is the CEO of Beachbody, and I highly encourage checking him out! Decide for yourself. I’m pretty sure we’re best friends.
5) Does the company have any sort of focus on helping their distributors to grow, personally and professionally? As in, what opportunities exist, or are enforced, to help their representatives become better people and lead better businesses? We call this a focus on personal growth. Some companies incorporate it with astounding success, while others choose to focus solely on sales and sales alone.
Team Beachbody has what we call “The 3 Vital Behaviors” of a successful Coach. They are: 1) Being proof the products work. 2) Inviting others. 3) Personal development. You will rarely ever hear the term “sales” used on our national calls because we are a people-driven business. To work with people, and to build relationships, we must work on ourselves.
6) Is the product/company you’re considering joining something surrounding a luxury (i.e, makeup or fingernail polish) or is it promoting making a difference for people in some way (i.e., health and fitness)? Either is perfectly fine so long as you are aware of what this means for you. In a lifestyle changing business, you receive two types of reward: both financial and the satisfaction of potentially changing someone’s life. In a luxury product business, you receive financial reward and simple fun. To each their own!
It goes without saying that, as a company in the health and wellness space, we are a difference-making MLM. In fact, Carl Daikeler has recently termed us a MLH business (Multi Level Helping). This makes sharing our products easy and rewarding because as we get healthy, we simply share with others what’s working for us!
7) Is there a quota to meet in order to be a distributor, or can you also simply save money on the product with a distributor account? Many times, folks aren’t aware of a quota in place. They decide to go for it and realize later that they can incur fees if they don’t meet a quota set by the company… not to mention they often have to buy product themselves to compensate.
With Team Beachbody, ANYONE can enroll in a Coach account. They do not have a sales quota to meet, and can simply enjoy a 25% discount on all products. Of course, if they get on board with OUR Body Electric Team, they may just find the entrepreneurship contagious. 😉
8) Does this particular business require you to house product and/or home-deliver, or do they handle that for you? This can make your business so much easier, if you are not the one doing the shipping and customer service. Look for a company who handles this for you, even if a fee is incurred for doing so. It’s worth it!
No product stores needed with Beachbody! The company handles all shipping/handling and customer service issues. Whew. No garage full of Shakeology for me, thank goodness.
9) Do a quick Google search on this year’s top 10 distributors in X company and follow them. Check out their social media and their websites. Are they people you jive with? Do you like their brand? Do you see yourself doing the same things they do?
I find myself blown away by the stories of our Top Coaches. Check them out! They’re all different and show the various approaches to our business.
10) Does the person with whom you’d be enrolling have good experience and great leadership skills, and are they a highly effective communicator? This is so important! Ask your potential upline if they have trainings in place, how they run their team, and how they will be able to help you specifically to succeed.
Ask, even if you think you know! If you don’t have a Coach and are interested in pursuing an opportunity like this one, reach out. We don’t bite.
The bottom line is this: Direct marketing is a brilliant way to earn an income and in some cases, make a difference. Choosing an MLM focused on Multi Level Helping is even better. My advice to you is to do your research. Have the conversations. Investigate others. And in the end, ask yourself the question, “Am I passionate about this? Am I ready to go all in?”
As someone who hesitated spending $40 on this amazing Beachbody opportunity 5 years ago, I can tell you… it’s not all stereotypical MLM, and at least with our business, there’s nothing icky about it. The income is great, yes. But the relationships I’ve built and the personal growth I’ve had are what I love most. Everyone deserves this opportunity. Start learning!
To inquire about any upcoming Sneak Peeks or Business Opportunity Webinars, email us!
