10 Best Ways To Say No to That MLM Boss Babe in Your DMs
AUTHOR: Maya Capasso
What can you do when a friend on Facebook reaches out to you with a scheme to sell some products from the Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) company they recently joined?
One user on a popular internet forum had the same question. A Facebook friend DMed her during her birthday month with an offer for a “free gift” for a unique facial treatment. The user wanted to know how to reject the offer.
1. Ignore the Message
Ignoring the message is the simplest way to bypass these peppy and misleading DMs. Just don’t reply. Usually, the sender will refrain from pursuing the matter further.
2. “No.”
Many users suggested firmly stating “No” with a period at the end. ” ‘No.’ is a complete sentence,” one user said.
However, you may have to repeat it a few times to convey your message to a pushy salesperson.
3. “No, Thank You.”
If you care about maintaining your relationship with the person who DM’d you, you could throw in a quick “Thank you for the offer” or “thanks for thinking of me,” one commenter suggested.
4. “I’m Not Interested.”
Another polite way to reject the offer is to claim that you’re not interested in the product they’re giving you a sample of.
If it’s skincare related, you can tell them you only use products recommended by your dermatologist. If they’re selling you fashion, say the brand isn’t your style.
5. Be Direct
MLMs inherently turn many people off because of their manipulative sales tactics and harmful business structures.
One user suggested that being very direct can help. Say something like, “no, thank you, I have a rule about not supporting any MLM.”
6. “I Would Prefer a Less Extravagant Gift.”
This is a clever response to send to anyone offering you a sample in the form of a “gift.”
One user recommended turning the idea on its head with something like, “Thank you so much for thinking of me on my birthday! However, I can’t accept such an extravagant gift. If you’d like to help me celebrate, I’d love a box of chocolates or a $5 gift card to my favorite coffee shop.”
7. “I’m Decluttering the House.”
Another great excuse suggested in the comments was to claim that you’re not accepting free products to help you declutter the house.
You could say, “I’m making an effort to not bring extra things into my house and am really enjoying the lack of clutter.”
8. “I’ll Take the Cash Equivalent.”
Some users thought of this snarky way to reject the offer. Tell the person you will take the cash equivalent of the gift instead of the gift itself.
9. Guilt Trip Them
MLMs often rely on manipulation to find new clients and salespeople, so opening up and asking the person in your DMs if this is going on can be a great deterrent.
One user suggested asking if the message they sent you was honest and pointing out exactly how you believe they’re being manipulative.
10. “You Did Not Have My Consent to Give Out My Private Information.”
This particular example of an MLM salesperson reaching out included them giving away their friend’s personal information without first getting consent to do so.
One person suggested telling them, “Please don’t give my information out anymore. That is a breach of privacy.”
This thread inspired this post.
This originally appeared on AmmarRangwala.com.
Ammar has started several online businesses and is a blogger who loves providing quality content to help others. He is involved with affiliate marketing, domain names, NFTs, and cryptocurrencies. Check out my blog if you want to learn more about these areas and business in general.
