Doug Firebaugh – Top Trainer Interview
Doug Firebaugh is an author, MLM Network Marketing Social Media expert, speaker, trainer and entrepreneur with over 25 years in the home business industry. He communicates with impact and is well known as a catalyst for breakthrough in business, mindset, leadership and success.
He has a wide variety of training resources including social media, mobile media and traditional home business building specifically equipping people for prospecting, recruiting, and personal & organizational development. Doug is the founder and president of the Home Business Radio Network.
He has had interviews with industry legends as Art Jonak, Randy Gage, Les Brown, Richard Brooke, Carrie Wilkerson, Deb Bixler, Chris Widener, Margie Aliprandi, Orrin Woodward, Bob Middleton, Jim Gillhouse, Dr. Tony Alessandra, John Haremza, Jimmy Smith, Sven Goebel, Sandy Botkin and many many more!
Doug Firebaugh entered the Home Business Network Marketing arena in 1985, and was full time for 14 years helping to build and co-lead a home business organization that spanned 8 countries and produced hundreds of millions in sales. Then he formed PassionFire International in 1999 going full time as a speaker and consultant, doing business in over a 30 countries today
Ted Nuyten had the honor to interview the interviewer.
Doug, who pitched you for your first time in 1985 and why did you accepted the invite?
I was asked by a friend to take a look at a tape that was about success and a new business model. I took a look at it, and it actually made some sense as I understood the concept of teams as I was athletic in high school and university.
It made a lot of sense also with the regards of Leadership. I saw this as an actual Leadership incubator, and a way to help people move their life forward. And I saw the marketing model as amazing, as you could actually get paid on other people's efforts and time. This was a game changer to me and potentially for a lot of others.
Why did you team up with your sponsor?
My original sponsor was not a very good leader in my opinion. But the number 2 earner of our company came into Virginia and we met. We actually connected personally on many issues, and became very dear friends and actually worked together a lot.
My sponsor was terminated from the company after a while for his actions, and then Jeff and I worked more and more together nationally and internationally.
MLM Fall Focus From Doug Firebaugh
What triggered you in the network marketing business model?
It was the model for Leadership and a way to accelerate people's income. Part time effort producing a full time income was a God send to me, and it made so much sense. And the fact that this business model was focused on great products, great leadership, and great income and success, spoke to me in a huge way.
Anyone can potentially create success and wealth with this business model if they allow the model to work. But often people make what I call the Fatal Mistake. Quitting too soon. Most people are much closer then they think to Success. remember this: You always could be ONE conversation away- from massive Success. I nearly quit 4 times the first 2 years. What would that have cost me? OUCH!
I dont even want to think about it. The lifestlye I have led the last 20 years has been beyond my dreams and I am so thankful. The time i have spent with my family used to be only a dream but now has been a realtiy for years.
Home Business Radio Network Show Hosts
Did you had a long learning curve as a distributor?
Yes. I did. We did not have much training back then, and it took a while to figure it out. I made so many mistakes i dont even like to thinlk about it. But something happened that was a game change: My mentor who has done now close to 11 BILLION in this profession, took me under his wing and taught me some very powerful secrets to home business success- but more of the traditional way.
When the internet hit and then online marketing and then social media, and now mobile marketing, we have embraced these changes from the very start – and have mastered them. Distributors today should not have that much of a learning curve with all the great content from their companies and leaders, as well as content available online- and now on mobile devices – via the Home Business Radio Network.
Who have been your mentors or inspirators?
My number one mentor would have to be Zig Ziglar as far as actually studying and learning leadership, success and sales and marketing. He and his son are very good friends. Also Jim Rohn had a profound impact on me and my leadership. And I have thousands of books and CDs and many of the authors have been great third party mentors and inspiration.
Jeff Roberti, my 70 million dollar earner friend, has been a great mentor and inspiration, as well as Dr. Joel Wallach, who he and his son Steve are amazing people and amazing friends. Les brown has been a major inspiration as well- he is amazing as Debbie Fields and Rita Davenport are as well and of course God, who is at the top of the list.
Why did you decide to go into the MLM trainer profession?
It was 1998, and our MLM company had been having some issues, and I guess I was 'called to it. It took a year to launch PassionFire, and when we finally launched, it did- not much. I struggled for almost a year trying to get it going.
But in 1999, Cutting Edge Media, a premier MLM leads company, asked me to do a tape on telephone prospecting. it exploded my training career. I also had connected with Chris Gross, founder of NetworkingTimes Journal at a meeting, and we became and remain today close friends.
He offered for me to write an article for the turn of the century year 2000 and what I see it would take to succeed in network marketing. And after several large companies hiring me to speak, it took off and since then has produced millions of dollars worldwide.
What is the biggest challenge for newbies in network marketing and how can they overcome this?
The biggest challenge I believe today is too much information to look at. There are so many ways and so many strategies to work this great profession, and sometimes it can paralyze the new distributor – by keeping their eyes off the foundational basics of this business.
The approach may change to this profession, the technology may change, the products might change, the comp plans may change, the messaging may change, and the focus may change. But the foundational basics will NEVER change in this profession, no matter if it is traditional marketing, funnel marketing, social media marketing, mobile marketing, or any other kind of marketing- and we teach all that.
But the basics will always remain the foundation and the new distributor MUST keep their eyes on the that FIRST.
Do you have a few killer tips for a Newbies and professionals in MLM ?
1. Talk to anyone who will listen. Ask for their help. It's not who you know- but who THEY KNOW. Every conversation is a potential DOORWAY to s superstar. Always ask to open that door. You will find the superstars you are looking for, when you LEAST expect it.
2. DECIDE you will recruit a lot of people. Decision has a power to it. People can FEEL your decision in your words, body language, sound of your voice, and in your eyes. You send out different Recruiting Signals when you recruit with the power of Decision. Decision is a MAGNET that PULLS people in and compels them to listen more closely as you have an authority that people without it do not.
3. You must become D.E.A.F. DEAF stands for Don't Even Acknowledge (their) Fears. Most nay sayers are living FEAR BASED lives. They live life on DEFENSE- not offense. and most want you to join them. And here is brutal reality: Who you are LISTENING TO – is TRAINING YOU. Did you GET THAT? You are trained everyday unknowingly by someone or something who is pouring either POWER or poison into your spirit and conversations. Listen ON PURPOSE. Listen to the good, the powerful and the mighty. It will serve you well and morph you into an amazing successful leader.
4. Go T.I.N.Y. That stands for Their Interests NOT Yours. It is ALL about what the prospect is LOOKING FOR. Here is a million dollar secret; HELP THEM FIND IT. And you do that with your Leadership, company, products and Comp plan. If there was ONE THING you would like to increase in your life and lifestyle, what would that one thing be? Just curious. Then LISTEN. They are telling you what they are looking for.
5. Fail 95% of the time. WHAT???? Yes, you read that right. Let me explain. If you and only 4 other people on your team do this:
5 people talk to 2 prospects a day= 10 EXPOSURES a day.
10 exposures a day x 30 days in a month= 300 exposures a month.
300 exposures monthly x 12 months in a year= 3600 EXPOSURES a year.
That would yield for the year with an 80% FAILURE customer rate:
720 new customers (2 out of 10 prospects purchasing-20%- 20% of 3600= 720.)
If there is a 95% recruiting failure rate – (95 out of 100 say NO!!)
180 new distributors (5 out of 100 prospects enrolling in your company- 5%- 5% of 3600= 180.)
PLUS only 2 referrals in a year from each customer:
1440 referrals (2 referrals from the 720 new customers on average. You will average selling 3 out of 10 referrals.)
What would happen to your business if THIS HAPPENED? KABOOOOOM!
You would become 10 Feet tall, and Chewing Bullets for Gum! 720 NEW CUSTOMERS! 180 NEW DISTRIBUTORS! 1440 REFERRALS! And that is with a 95% Recruiting FAILURE RATE!