Perhaps in most people's minds, when they think of pyramid schemes, they will associate the words violence, detention and life. However, there is a more terrible pyramid scheme that has been lurking around us. Her name is "I do".
(1) story
One weekend in early August, I was invited to a weekend party with my friend Xiaoya. After two years, I heard that she now runs a teahouse with friends. Usually in her circle of friends, I often see elegant photos of her doing tea ceremony. Out of love for tea culture and expectation of reunion of old friends, I naturally went with pleasure. For this reason, I specially chose a set of bright leisure style, on weekends ~ ~
On the way over, I asked, "Do your colleagues often get together on weekends?"
"Colleague ... sounds strange. We don't have colleagues there, they are all friends. "
Aha ... Xiaoya corrected my casual "slip of the tongue" several times along the way, plus her expression when she mentioned how good the tea was, and the frequency of "tea" in the chat all the way, I had a hunch that the relaxed weekend mood seemed to be hidden in the sunset outside the window.
(2) Chu Jian Tea House
It was past five o'clock in the afternoon when I arrived at the teahouse, which was not quite what I expected. Open on the first floor of a residential area, there is no signboard at the door. There are no other tea-related elements in the teahouse except a tea ceremony table with six people sitting around. Four or five men and women in their 50 s and three or four men and women in their 30 s are busy picking vegetables to prepare dinner, and some are surrounded by a square dance-style karaoke machine. During this period, a middle-aged woman came and everyone was very enthusiastic about her. I think this should be the sales champion of this month.
(3) I felt "MLM" at close range for the first time in my life.
Dinner, a table of home cooking, because I can't sit down, I can only eat it in batches. There was no conversation during the dinner. It seems that Xiaoya and some people don't know each other. It can be seen that they, like me, are also coming to the "party" for the first time. After a few simple bites, I was almost ready to go. After all, this atmosphere is really uncomfortable, and it is difficult for me to blend in, but I seem to think too much. . . You want to leave when you are full, but they have just begun.
"Come, sit together and listen and have some tea."
Is it okay? - -! Who let you eat other people's food?
The host told a personal experience, a magical tea cured a god man with its magical effect, with tears, witnesses from others and effective relatives. Wow! ! Myth. It suddenly occurred to me that if Liang Guang was lucky enough to listen, the lyrics of fairy tales might not be what we are hearing now.
"Excuse me, what kind of tea is this?" —— Hualaijian Anhua Black Tea
There are two simple things to know about products:
1. sales model
2. Customers
Namely: how to sell my products? Who is buying my product? From the picture below, it is clear who are the consumers of typical pyramid schemes? They call them friends, friends of friends.
This kind of black tea is priced in several grades, ranging from 4980 to 20000.
Take 4980 as an example, you can probably buy 14 Jin of black tea, and you have a sales qualification, which can be understood as a member. According to the standard of normal people drinking tea, 14 kg is enough to drink 10 years. What about the score of 20 thousand? Yes, enough to drink tea for a lifetime.
If you count by two, the price of every two teas is 35.6 yuan.
Let's compare other kinds of tea on a treasure. In terms of sales volume, Zhengshan race, Tieguanyin, oolong tea and so on. This price belongs to the most elementary mass type.
Suppose you accidentally bought a 20,000 stall, and he gave you a set of promotional clothes. If you want to digest these teas by yourself, I'm afraid it's not enough to drink them. You still have to eat.
(4) Reflection after exhortation.
After a long time of thinking and understanding, I decided to have a talk with Xiaoya sometime. As a friend, my purpose is to dissuade her and make her aware of her situation. I made some preparations before communication, because Xiaoya used to be a sales champion every month and worked as an administrative assistant. Work and life have brought her a lot of experience, and I think the expected communication scene should not be too difficult.
Then I made a mistake. . . .
Xiaoya's reaction is like a mother who is full of maternal love defending her children. She can't tolerate anyone saying that her children are not good. She has no patience to listen to what you say, and soon she will say that this thing can be put anywhere.
I still remember our last conversation:
"If you really want to do it, do it as a sideline and don't spend too much time on it."
"No, this is the most important career in my life!"
I felt very helpless in Das Kapital at that time, and then fell into deep thinking.
We don't need a pot
Searching on Zhihu, you can see a lot of discussions about whether Anhua black tea is a pyramid scheme. Is it a pyramid scheme? Is this important? People's subconscious mind is used to blaming the mistakes on pyramid schemes and those who create this business model, finding a "cheated" hat for pyramid schemes and putting on the coat of victims to make people sympathize. However, are we going to solve the problem as long as we know where the responsibility lies? Not exactly. Will those distant family ties and friendships come back to you because of sympathy?
Hualaianhua black tea is a typical Buddhist routine, which follows fate. You go, I won't see you off, you come, I'll meet you in the rain. There is no coercion, detention or violence here, everything is voluntary.
The most terrible thing about pyramid schemes is not coercion and inducement, but "I do!"
Hualai just put up a shelf, put on a set of models, choose a suitable product, and match it with rich stories. In addition, all communication and diffusion come from voluntary initiative.
Today, we can make a Wallace disappear. When such people face Dong Lai, Xi Lai, Cat Lai and Dog Lai tomorrow, who can guarantee that they will not make the same mistake?
Tracing back to the source, where is the fundamental problem? How to solve him?
Xiaoya is just one of the few cases. Sometimes I hope she is tough, because she can't develop me, at least it proves that she is still sober and just pursues profits. however ...
(6) the weakness of human nature
Everyone's life has hundreds of states, different scenes, different moods and different atmospheres, and subtle changes will take place. For example: confusion period, high morale period, depression period, blind fantasy period, happy period, crazy period and so on. Every state corresponds to some weaknesses, and overconfidence often makes these weaknesses be used unconsciously.
(7) Break the inertia of associative thinking and try to be independent of a single factor.
Habits and inertial thinking are sometimes terrible things, and the mindset cultivated by time often leads to blind spots in our thinking.
For example:
The more knowledgeable people are, the less likely they are to be deceived.
Most people caught in pyramid schemes are lazy and want to get something for nothing.
I still remember the MLM fraud 1040 project that once caused a sensation in the whole country.
According to the survey data, more than 60% of MLM staff have bachelor degree or above.
The data proves that high education, rich knowledge and the probability of being cheated have nothing to do with this.
Hard-working people are as easy to be cheated.
Our opponents are far more attentive than you think.
You have to believe that people who can lead you into the game will definitely work harder than you in all aspects.
We might as well take Hualaianhua black tea as an example to make an analysis.
Suppose you are the owner of Hualaijian Anhua black tea, why do you choose tea as a commodity instead of cosmetics, health care products and physical therapy instruments?
Product properties
Health, tea, a commodity, is harmless at least in the worst case. After this key factor is determined, it lays a natural foundation for the next work.
Trading scenario
Teahouse, rented space, a coffee table, simple layout, a business scene is set up. What's important is that this can be achieved with very little money without a lot of upfront investment.
story
From the process of tea production, officials can describe many beautiful and touching legends. long time ago ...
psychological suggestion
Coptis saves lives, ginseng kills people without fault. The efficacy of tea can react to physical fitness in a short time, just like some people get angry when they drink black tea. This normal reaction can easily make people "crazy" and "blindly follow", and finally hypnotize themselves and fall into it.
Communication scenario
You can basically tell from the circle of friends that the tea seller is a "high-end crowd" with free time, financial freedom and spiritual freedom.
Yes, it's true. You don't have to work often to sell this kind of tea. Guests also have tea chat, and no guests also have tea chat. They deliberately let themselves relax and make money in their circle of friends every day, otherwise how can they attract you?
Successful study
Success is the most commonly used measure for MLM organizations. It's far more convenient to build a great god to worship you than to try your best to win you over.
If a friend of a good teahouse can't stand being nagged every day, he can't help but buy some tea. Then in their stories, you are the halo above your head, because they are a model of successful entrepreneurship, and a standard successful person was born in the story.
In details, our opponents show "intention", "carefulness" and "carefulness" everywhere.
We must protect ourselves before we can protect the people around us.
In today's society, pyramid schemes are varied and pervasive. From finance to e-commerce, from tradition to the Internet, to be independent, we need considerable thinking and keep a rational state at all times.
Stop saying "I do!" Go to MLM