Poker and Network Marketing – What’s the similarities?

Network Marketing is like a poker game in the fact that you combine two fundamentals.
See, with most there is a controversy over how things should or should not be done in both worlds: Both at the Poker Table and at the MLM Table.
For example (in poker):
One person firmly believes that the game all comes down to mathematical science. They don’t show the least bit of effort in “reading” their opponents or even taking into consideration factors that are outside the scope of “numbers” … These people are scientific, analytical thinkers. There’s a problem with this.
Another person firmly believes that the game all comes down to playing the “people” and not the “cards” thus stating in their strategy that poker is not just a game about science and numbers, that it may be a science but its also a science at “reading” people; about knowing people and taking into consideration factors that are outside the scope of “numbers” … These people have a huge benefit but there’s still a problem with this.
SEE, the truth is being a long time poker player that has shown down over three thousand opponents in multi-table tournaments, I don’t only believe but I know that the fact is: ITS A COMBINATION OF BOTH NUMBERS AND PEOPLE!
How does this relate to Network Marketing?
Well, you have the MentoringForFree aka Success in 10 Steps folk that say network marketing has NOTHING to do with SALES and its all about people rather than numbers. “You should not call a person a number”, they say. Ok, there’s some truth in the matter here but they are a “little off” and “missing something” just like the poker player that leaves out the math behind the play.
First of all, I’ve read Success in 10 Steps and I think its a great book, but there are some flaws in the strategy taught.
1. Network Marketing has A LOT TO DO WITH SALES and telling one that it doesn’t is simply lying to yourself and the person you’re telling it to.
2. Network Marketing, just like any other sales-related business field has A LOT TO DO WITH NUMBERS and telling one that it doesn’t is terribly missing a piece of the puzzle. As PEOPLE MAY NOT BE A NUMBER, the referral “IS” …
So, what can we conclude?
Well poker and network marketing, two of my favorite things have some stuff in common but better yet, neither one of these type of people are “right” … The truth is you need a combination of both people skills and sales skills which involve numbers …
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God Bless Your Success,
Curt CBiz Bizelli
Manifest Your Dreams Publicity
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Curt reading this article brings to mind a big factor in any business and that is how to really know when your sitting on a winning hand and when you got to bluff your way into a better position with a pair of two’s. As gone is the days when one didn’t need to be creative. Could you please write another poker and marketing article telling how to discover when where holding the winning hand?
Thanks Monty.
Monty, great insight. Thanks for the added value to my post. I’ll take into consideration your suggestion and see what I could possibly come up with. Thanks!
Great post Curt,
At the end of the day the person who is going to have the biggest business is going to be the one who is driving the most traffic. There is a certain point where every offer will convert. Once you find that number, say 1 out of 100 for conversation sake, you know exactly how much traffic you need to drive to make X amount of money.
It really becomes quite the science…
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That’s so right, Matthew, Thanks for your added value!
awesome analogy curt. i am not a poker player but i totally “get it” ! i love the numbers in MLM and i drill it into my team–keep your numbers TIGHT like a FROG’s BUTT! only when we treat our biz like a multi-million $$ biz will it respond as such!
Amen Sista!
Hey Curt, I don’t know much about poker, so no comments from me about that. But I do know that I love when people give their own opinion about something. Like you are doing here. I love how you make it very clear that you agree with some parts but not with others.
Thanks for being you and communicating your opinion with us!
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Thanks Karin, Its always good to hear your input.
Hey Curt,
Great post, not many people would think to draw a comparison between poker and network marketing, lol:)
And you are right of course about Network Marketing being about sales!! Otherwise why is it called Direct Selling?? However you dress it up, it is still sales!
Sue
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I’ll have to check out your blog post, Money Not in the List … got me intrigued here
LOL back atcha!
Hey Curtis! What a great comparison. That is so true that you need people and sales skills to be successful in network marketing. Thanks for a great post!
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Thanks Angela … its is definitely true. God Bless!
Curtis – I love this analogy! Both things do have a lot in common – but you are right in pointing out that you still have to have a combination of all those skills to find success!
Analogies are always good to give people a clear picture. I don’t play poker so can’t say I totally get it, but can’t say I get the sales bit of Network Marketing either. I am not salsey so it does not come natural to me. If I cannot approach someone in an authentic way then I won’t even approach them. As soon as someone senses sales from me they back away and I lose them so I don’t try it. I have to come from an angle that is natural for me. If they are interested then of course at some point they are going to have to listen to some sales, but usually from my company webinars and not from me. I really like the mentoring aspect of success in 10 steps but to me it was a funnel to one company and in the end it was not authentic. Thanks for sharing this post with us.
Yes Nicole, That’s the beauty of the game. You get to approach people! Not Cards! You have to know when to holdem and know when to foldem. You can win with ANY hand – Its not the business and numbers aren’t as important. Its the people and the connections you make, however doesn’t totally dismiss mathematics. Its a proven principle that if you approach 200 people, you’re likely to have more sales, etc. then if you were to approach 50 people. (considering you’re using the same “approach” exactly to the “T”) …
thanks for sharing your input and God Bless!