I'm going to let you in on a secret that took me years to learn: The size of your network marketing income is directly proportional to the amount of trust you've built with your team.
Not your recruiting skills. Not your social media following. Not even your product knowledge. Trust.
Teams built on trust have lower attrition, higher volume, and leaders who recruit themselves. Teams built on hype and pressure crumble the moment things get hard.
Here are the seven principles that top earners use to build unshakeable trust with their organizations.
Principle 1: Lead by Example (Always)
Your team is watching everything you do. They notice when your actions don't match your words. And they will duplicate your behavior—good or bad.
What "Leading by Example" Really Means:
- Use the products: If you don't believe in what you sell, why should they?
- Stay active: Keep recruiting, keep selling, keep growing
- Follow the system: Do exactly what you teach others to do
- Show up: Be on the calls, at the events, in the conversations
- Handle adversity: How you respond to challenges sets the tone
The Rule: Never ask your team to do something you're not willing to do yourself.
Principle 2: Be Radically Transparent
The MLM industry has a reputation problem, and much of it comes from leaders who oversell the opportunity. You can be different.
Transparency in Practice:
- Honest income expectations: Share typical results, not just top earner stories
- Real timelines: Building a business takes time—say so
- Open about challenges: Every business has them; hiding them destroys trust
- No fake urgency: Manipulation tactics work once; trust works forever
What to Share:
- Your real journey, including the hard parts
- Company news—both good and challenging
- Realistic income potential for different activity levels
- What it actually takes to succeed
Principle 3: Put Their Success Before Your Commissions
Here's a radical idea: focus on helping your team succeed, and the commissions will follow. Most sponsors have this backward.
Success-First Leadership:
- Invest in training: Provide real value, not just rah-rah motivation
- Give credit: Their wins are their wins, not yours
- Share resources: Templates, scripts, contacts—help them win
- Sacrifice short-term: Sometimes helping them means less for you
Truth: When your team knows you genuinely want them to succeed, they'll run through walls for you.
Principle 4: Be Consistently Available
Trust requires accessibility. If your team can't reach you when they need guidance, they'll find someone else—or quit entirely.
Availability Best Practices:
- Set clear boundaries: "I'm available 9am-7pm for calls"
- Respond promptly: Within 24 hours for non-urgent matters
- Multiple channels: Some prefer text, others email, others calls
- Office hours: Regular times when anyone can get live help
- Emergency protocol: How to reach you for urgent issues
Boundaries Matter Too:
Being available doesn't mean being available 24/7. Burnout helps no one. Set boundaries and communicate them clearly.
Principle 5: Keep Every Promise (Or Don't Make It)
Broken promises are trust killers. One "I'll call you Tuesday" that doesn't happen can undo months of relationship building.
Promise Protocol:
- Under-promise: Only commit to what you can definitely deliver
- Track commitments: Write down every promise you make
- Communicate changes: If something comes up, let them know immediately
- Make it right: If you fail, acknowledge it and compensate
Examples:
- Said you'd send a resource? Send it within an hour.
- Promised to join their call? Be there early.
- Committed to recognition? Make it memorable.
Principle 6: Recognize Often and Authentically
People stay where they feel valued. Recognition is one of the most powerful trust builders in your arsenal.
Recognition That Builds Trust:
- Be specific: "Great job" is forgettable; specific praise is memorable
- Be timely: Recognize achievements as they happen
- Be public: Team calls, social media, group chats
- Be inclusive: Celebrate effort, not just results
- Be personal: A handwritten note goes further than a generic post
What to Recognize:
- First sale, first recruit, first rank
- Consistency streaks and activity milestones
- Helping teammates and being a good team member
- Overcoming challenges and showing resilience
- Personal growth and skill development
Principle 7: Create Psychological Safety
People need to feel safe enough to ask questions, make mistakes, and be honest about their struggles. Without psychological safety, they'll pretend everything's fine until they quit.
Creating a Safe Environment:
- Welcome questions: No question is stupid; encourage curiosity
- Normalize struggle: Share your own challenges openly
- Handle mistakes gracefully: Focus on learning, not blame
- Protect confidentiality: What they share with you stays with you
- Eliminate judgment: Different pace is okay; different path is okay
Red Flags Your Team Doesn't Feel Safe:
- They stop asking questions
- They don't share struggles or concerns
- They disappear without explanation
- They seem hesitant on calls
Trust Takes Time—But It's Worth It
Building trust isn't a one-time event. It's thousands of small moments, consistent actions, and kept promises over time.
But here's what happens when you get it right:
- Lower attrition: People don't leave leaders they trust
- Higher activity: Trusted leaders inspire action
- Better recruiting: Your team becomes your biggest promoters
- Easier leadership: Trust eliminates most management problems
- Lasting success: Trust-based organizations survive challenges
Your Trust-Building Challenge
Pick one principle from this list and focus on it intensely for the next 30 days. Just one. Master it before moving to the next.
Trust compounds. Start building today.
BizBase helps you stay connected with your team through built-in communication tools, recognition features, and real-time transparency into their progress. Learn more about what's included.