I had a great time in Austin, Texas over the weekend at a Univera regional training session. I have a nice group of leaders in Texas and I know they are going to make huge strides this year.
After the training on Saturday night, I met up with some former Amway/Quixtar Emeralds (and great crossline friends in Univera), Doug and Randy Milbauer at the Hyatt. Doug and Randy are great leaders and have been very helpful with my team in Dallas.
I went to the bar to buy Doug and I a tree-bark beer, (or something like that…we called it tree-bark but it was some other micro-brew from Austin) and struck up a conversation with the lady next to me. There was some type of real estate convention in town and she was obviously with one of the companies, based on her name tag.
I asked her if she was one of the big real estate gurus in town and she laughed. Then she asked me what I did for a living…
I replied, "I’m in Network Marketing" and she said, "what is that?".
At that point I am pretty sure my jaw dropped to the ground. I mean, really, what person in their late 40’s (maybe 50’s) does not know what Network Marketing is?
Then I thought I would be tricky and ask the bartender if she knew what Network Marketing is…
"Ummmm, you sell computer networking stuff?"
I was pretty much in shock. These two people had no idea what Network Marketing is. I couldn’t help but think about the anti-mlmer that claims that Network Marketing is saturated. I think that that I am going to stick with "I’m in Network Marketing" answer when someone asks me what I do for now, although I am considering saying "I build pyramids".
I did end up having a converstation about Univera products and exchanging cards with the real estate lady. I can not tell you how much easier it is to talk about great products instead of dancing around the name of your company while trying to create a biz opp pitch.