The MPM "One Thing" Program

Beginning December 19th, 2007 everyone who becomes a My Power Mall member will be required to buy ONE THING a month from their Mall or from a Local Merchant.

While I am absolutely convinced the MPM "One Thing" Program is perhaps the most important step I have taken in the development of My Power Mall, I also know any kind of change can cause concern and angst.  With that in mind, I want to share with you the history of this decision and the care that was taken in making it.

I had been thinking about putting some kind of purchase requirement in place for months but, quite frankly, was too busy just taking care of our explosive growth to make it happen.  However, as the months rolled by and I kept seeing the Growth Charts and Shopping Charts coming into my email I knew I needed to take action.  When I make decisions I pull in all the empirical data and facts I can, run all the numbers, talk to people, and then spend time alone searching my heart and spirit for the course of action that is best for every single person.  My primary responsibility in running My Power Mall is to create a company that will generate the success all of you joined for, as well as creating the funding needed for me to fulfill my mission of creating hundreds of millions for non-profit organziations.  

In the 6 years since I had the initial vision that became Together We Can Change The World & eventually, My Power Mall, we have made hundreds of changes - adapting our business model and systems as we learned and determined what would work.  Change is never comfortable but it is necessary in order to make any company successful.  You make decisions based on the best information you have at the time.  You make changes when new information reveals a new course will create greater success.  There are many people who are so frightened of change that they continue doing the same thing even if it doesn't work, just because they are comfortable.  I do things differently.  Though I wouldn't say my 60 Founding Members are fond of change, they have learned to embrace it because they see the results of being willing to change.  As we move forward as a company, there will be many changes we make - all with an eye to making things better for everyone. 

My first step was to speak with the T-12 and think through as many issues surrounding it as possible.  Armed with their clear thinking and information, I then wrote an email that went out on November 4, 2007 to all of the, then 1300+, members of the MPM 10+ Club.  I shared with them what I was thinking, the issues I was struggling with, and asked for their input.  I received 700+ emails in return.  I read every single one of them and took everyone's thoughts, concerns and questions into consideration as I made this decision and began to formulate how it would happen. 

Could I have made this decision on my own?  Absolutely.  That's not, however, the way I run My Power Mall.  It has been everyone's efforts in the last 9 months that have caused such explosive growth and I value all of you too much as my business partners to make that decision without as much input as possible.

Let me start by sharing with you the statistics that made me realize a change had to be made.  The easiest way to do that is to share a portion of the letter I sent to the MPM 10+ CLUB:

I know you’re all curious about our growth.  We will reach 69,000 members sometime today and will probably pass 70,000 sometime tomorrow!  More important, however, are the shopping figures.  Sales this month will be right at $350,000.  I’ll have final figures tomorrow but I won’t be far off.  We started in March with sales of $20,000 and have increased to $350,000.  Wow!  But… not WOW enough.   While those figures are impressive they are not close to what they should be if the majority of our members were shopping. 

Before I go any further I want to assure you that as a company MPM could go on like this.  The % coming back to corporate is paying all company expenses and we are continuing to develop new things.  We are not in any danger of failing as a company but I think you all know I will only be happy if everyone is obtaining the success they joined for, and if all of you as leaders are enjoying the financial freedom you are working so hard for!  With that in mind…

I’m asking for input on an idea I have that will create what I think is a small change in the MPM structure that will create a BIG change in the financial rewards of MPM.  The T-11 and I have discussed this at great length.  Now I’m sharing it with MPM Leaders, wanting as much input as possible before I actually decide to make this change.

I have thought about this long and hard.  I’ve put several things in place to increase shopping:  Shopping Contests, 1 purchase to receive a copy of 101 Ways to Promote My Power Mall,  Travel Certificates as shopping incentives.  They have all worked to a degree but have not accomplished what I hoped they would.  The average purchase if you divide $350,000 by 69,000 is $5.00.  Now, I realize that is not accurate because we have Foundation sites, children’s sites and inactive sites, but even taking that into account the figures are far less than what we are shooting for. 

Here’s another figure for you.   We had about 3000 members buy things from the Mall in October.  That was only up about 200 from September – in spite of adding about 14,000 new members.   Obviously we have many members excited about a free business who are not committing themselves to doing what it will take to create income – SHOP! 

Here’s another interesting statistic.  The average person spent $116.00 on their Mall, with the average purchase price of each item being $67.00.  The good news in the midst of lower than desired #’s is that the people who are spending are averaging a healthy amount.  There are just not enough of them doing it.

So, the obvious question is what we do about it?

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Since that letter went out 6 weeks ago we had almost $600,000 spent on the Mall in November but the number was driven by higher shopping amounts for Christmas - not by a healthy increase in the number of people shopping.  1000 more people shopped on the Mall in November but the reality is that still less than 5% of all MPM members used their Mall in November.  4183 members out of 88,000 used their Mall.  What is going on with the other 84,000?  I had to come up with a solution that would answer that question. 

Before I share more of what I discussed with the MPM 10+ CLUB, I want to answer what is probably the burning question in everyone's mind when a change is proposed; Will this impact ME?

My original thought was that all current members would be required to make 1 purchase a month in order to keep their Mall.  Close scrutiny of our contract, however, revealed I can't do that.  There is nothing in the current contract about 1 purchase a month.  So...

Every member who came in before 6:00 PM (PST) on December 17th, 2007 will not have to make

a monthly Mandatory Purchase.  Every new member after that time, WILL.

I can only hope that if you are not shopping in your Mall that you will realize the importance of taking responsibility for your business and SHOP!  It saddens me that I can't require it of current members because I know many people would take action to keep their Mall - meaning that the effort so many of you took to build your business would generate much more income for you.

What gives me great joy, however, is knowing that from this point forward the work you put into building your team will create much greater results because the people you bring in will join us with the understanding they will have to purchase at least 1 thing a month to keep their Mall!

As I said earlier, I read every one of the emails I received from the MPM 10+ CLUB.  I also kept files of FOR and AGAINST.  After I went back through all of them, I ran the numbers and statistics.  The results were:

88% solidly FOR this decision

6% who were against it - unless we had the Debit Card in place

6% adamantly against it for a variety of reasons - many of which I have addressed in the final "One Thing" Program.

I know better than to think the "One Thing" Program will make everyone happy.  There will be people who are very unhappy.   6% of 700 means there are 42 wonderful leaders in My Power Mall who may decide to leave the company because of my decision.  Though the thought of that makes me very sad, I am ultimately committed to making the decision that is best for everyone.  I know that is what I have done and I will choose to live with, and deal with, the fallout from it.  I will also rejoice as I see the 94% of the people for it finally reap the rewards you all have been working so hard for!  I hope that, in time, your success will bring back the 6% that just couldn't accept the change. 

CLICK HERE to find out exactly how it will work and what it means.