Donald Trump has a long list of accomplishments. While he may be best known in pop culture for The Apprentice, he built his reputation and his fortune (and lost it and built it again) in commercial real estate. He has developed some of Manhattan's most prestigious office buildings, residences and hotels, as well as casinos, hotels and golf resorts in prime locations like Atlantic City, Palm Beach and Palm Springs. He is also owner of the Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants.
Most recently, however, Trump has lent his name to a new mass-marketing scheme claiming to be revolutionary - but on more than the surface smacks deeply of being part Amway, part Shaklee. Trump's website makes it sound as if he came up with all this new approach born of his lessons learned in real estate (his words, not mine) , but if you dig a little deeper you find the truth is closer to Trump has been paid to use his name and endorse the products.
I joined the network to get a better feel of how and what this new "earn the salary of a CEO working part-time" opportunity can do for me. Are we talking nonprofit CEO? Or Disney? Who cares, I want money. But so, far my investment has only lead to more opportunities to send more money to Mr. Trump.
In fact, since joining two weeks ago I have already received more than 20 emails from the Trump Network with offers on how I should spend more money to make more money. I can attend networking events to learn how to sell more but I must pay for these events because I am a networker. I am allowed, however, to bring guests for free. How come I already had to pay for membership, kits, and monthly services that really do not have much benefit until the glorious kick-off (in November, which, if I care to attend, I can pay for that, too) but I can bring someone who has not paid a dime to learn for free what I have to pay for?
I can purchase start-up product items (which, according to at least two emails specifically state with my purchase today I acknowledge that they will cost me more than the actual customer value). I have also been privy to satisfied customer testimonials that Trump's products (which are not really his) have even healed broken ribs.
So just what is he selling? The opportunity for budding entrepreneurs to sell home test kits to detect nutritional deficiencies, and of course, supplements and health-related products to cure what ails you. There is also a line of weight loss products. Nothing new there, but I will admit to a vast consumer market for anything with crazy promises to fix what other products (and modern medicine) cannot. For that reason alone, there is bound to be some initial success.
But so far, my opinion is still developing. The only two things I will state so far if you are interested in getting rich quick from the Trump Network plan, unless you are into hardcore sales and mass marketing - don't do it. As with most business endeavors you have to work to make money. If you are lazy, you will more likely make the salary of a laid-off auto worker (nothing).
And, in this case, if you change your mind and no longer want to pay monthly fees to the privileged of selling on behalf of Trump, expect to have to send your cancellation in writing because you cannot "unjoin" online or via phone. This is a gross disservice and apologies to Trump fans, but a stale business tactic used by shady companies to bilk just one more payment out of unsatisfied customers.
I will keep you updated because regardless of my initial wariness know that everything takes time to understand and to make work for you. But I also know that many who read this column are participating in The Trump Network, too and could be light years ahead of me (or already canceled). I would love to hear from you about your own experiences and thoughts in the Entrepreneurs forum. Discuss The Trump Network - you can even include a link - just remember the forums are a place for business discussions - not for a quick way to spam-market your site with just a sales pitch and link. So please do add meaningful comments.
You’re Fired!
Because of my experience with TTN management, about which I have spoke, prospects are not being told everything they need to know to make an intelligent and informed business decision. If they’re new to this type business, they have to discover things on their own because their master distributor(s) and those at the very top of their Upline also may not tell them as they stand to have the most to gain.
There is a reason that in network marketing, those at the top of the pyramid make the most money.
And as I have pointed out in my Newsletters, the TTN Policies and Procedures manual, in my opinion, does not reflect what is often referred to as “brilliant compensation” in balancing the needs of an MLM company’s founders with those in the field, without whom there would be no company. In network marketing, YOU are the company and, as distributors, you deserve the majority of the compensation. (Factoid: Most network marketers never make enough to cover their expenses and forced minimum CV.)
AND THERE IS ONLY ONE REASON, AND ONE REASON ONLY — did I say that enough? — THERE IS ONLY ONE REASON TO BE IN NETWORK MARKETING.
Since one is committing over $2,000 a year if they’re the slightest bit serious about this as a business, there is only ONE answer.
IT IS RESIDUAL INCOME!
Right? Isn’t that it? Residual income, that’s why M-L-M’ers come into this type business, that’s the only reason. Well, guess what?
Let me introduce you to a new “insider” word used by clever MLM lawyers to “steal” your paycheck. It may your big dream to work hard for a few years and then retire with a lifetime income. Problem is many MLM companies hate it when they still have to send you a check after you have retired.
So these lawyers have come up with a “creative” solution to hide the fact that they intend to “legally” steal your paycheck. They have inserted ONE word into their Policies & Procedures that will eliminate the chance that you’ll ever retire and still get a check.
That one word is: “ongoing”.
And, unfortunately, although not standard in MLM agreements, it is in The Trump Network Policies and Procedures. Go to page -19-, Paragraph 6.2: Continuing Development Obligations. You don’t have to be a lawyer to read and/or understand this clause.
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“Any Independent Marketer who sponsors another Independent Marketer into The Trump Network must perform a bona fide supervisory function to ensure that his or her downline is properly operating his or her Trump Network business. Trump Network Independent Marketers must have ONGOING contact, communication and management supervision with the
Independent Marketers in their Downline Organizations. Examples of such contact and supervision may include, but are not limited to: newsletters, written correspondence, personal meetings, telephone contact, voice mail, electronic mail, and the accompaniment of downline Independent Marketers to Trump Network meetings, training sessions, and other functions. Upline Independent Marketers are also responsible to motivate and train new Independent Marketers in Trump Network product knowledge, effective sales techniques, the Trump Network Commission Plan, and these Policies and Procedures. As a Trump Independent Marketer progresses through the various levels of leadership, his or her responsibilities to train and motivate downline Independent Marketers will increase. Independent Marketers must monitor the Independent Marketers in their Downline Organizations to ensure that downline Independent Marketers do not make improper product or business claims, or engage in any illegal or inappropriate conduct. Upon request, every Independent Marketer should be able to provide documented evidence to TTN of his or her ONGOING fulfillment of the responsibilities of a Sponsor. Independent Marketers also have an ONGOING obligation to continue to personally promote sales through the generation of new Retail Customers, Preferred and Retail Customers and through servicing their existing Preferred, Wholesale and Retail customers.”
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Big enough to drive a truck through! Violate this clause, and you are out! That’s the dirty little secret that remains open here, among others I have pointed out.
I communicate with many Independent Trump Marketers and know lots of them are drinking the KoolAide (maybe more than the QukStiks), as well they should. They must be a believer and become a “product of the product”, even though there is a prerecorded 3-way “training” call out there on the Internet where the Upline leader tells the prospective marketer directly, “We don’t sell product”…(Unbelievable!)
That’s actually a violation of Para 6.2 above, isn’t it? Oh, well…we won’t get into all the violations going on all over the place right now…including those, in my opinion, by corporate…let’s just continue to call it a steep learning curve, or, as I have asked in the past, is this a house of cards in waiting?
I’ve said in past Newsletters that I sense a change in Management…I felt it listening to Gary Fincke’s new “live” 18 minute recruiting call, I sense it in the push to turn Marketers into auto-ship product customers, I thought Haydon Cameron’s “touting” last week was ill-conceived, and I’ve felt it from the beginning with the roadblocks they setup to getting legitimate refunds. You’re right, they hang onto every nickel and dime they can.
All this led to my separation from The Trump Network a few weeks after I joined.
I just don’t want to see people lose it all unexpectedly, perhaps after months, or years, of hard work…and then, poof, it’s all gone. What are you left with? Not incoming checks,
but an Arbitration battle in Boston, MA., not a very pleasant thought, or worthwhile risk for such an endeavor.
So, you can’t have your head in the sand about this deal, you must be aware of these clauses and take the actions necessary to protect your families and your Trump business from such risks…be like Trump, be smart, not outsmarted.
Don’t get fired!
If you don’t, or can’t comply with 6.2 above, it will happen…why else is the language there? Bye-bye Residual Income.
We don’t know the exact intricacies of the Ideal Health deal, but what we can surmise is that Trump did not buy Ideal Health, he does not own the company outright. There is some kind of partnership agreement here that allows for the rebranding from Ideal Health to The Trump Network. Perhaps this is a moot point.
We are making CEO incomes after two years in the business, but we actually worked like a CEO to get there. There will be people making six figures per month within the next several years. It is an amazing opportunity if you’re ready to actually work to make things happen for you!! There’s no free lunch, but leveraging the Trump brand can be a powerful advantage to a network marketing business. And I can testify to the fact that you can make a lot of money if you’re prepared to make some sacrifices – like anything else in life.