so you can make an EDUCATED decision
Cons:
Multi-Level Marketing (MLM)
You see the ads all the time: "Make millions now, no manager" or "Work on your own, start $12,000 per week." Maybe you saw the ad in the paper, or maybe you received it by e-mail.
Yes, we're talking about Multi-Level Marketing, also known as "MLM"
MLM: Once Legitimate, Now a Scam
Once upon a time, multi-level marketing was a legitimate business which provided a way for small companies to get their unique products to consumers in small towns and rural areas which had no access to these products. At this time, the products sold themselves, and the multi-level aspect was a way of giving a small reward to those who had worked hard to build the organization. But the focus was always on the product.
Today, and especially with the growth of the internet, it is possible for consumer to get about whatever they want at competitive prices. There is simply no real need for distribution "systems" as there once was, and indeed the focus of all the programs is not on the products they sell -- which are usually either bogus or are available somewhere else to the public at the same or lesser prices. Instead, the focus now is solely on recruiting new people to either buy into the program or else to buy products that are grossly overpriced (i.e., a $1 bottle of "herbal shampoo" for $26), with the idea that those people will recruit additional people who will also buy into the program or themselves buy the grossly overpriced products.
Thus, today just about ALL of the multi-level marketing programs are scams. In today's internet economy, there is simply no need for multi-level marketing or the overpriced products that they sell -- meaning that the only thing they are selling are memberships in anticipation that future memberships will be sold in the future, which is the classic definition of a pyramid scheme, and thus securities fraud.
Because products are available over the internet to everybody at lower costs than ever before, claims that "Multi-Level Marketing will take over the World!" are completely bogus. Indeed, the fact that no MLM schemes sell significant product to anybody other than the people who bought into the programs is proof positive that MLM is a dinosaur in today's economy, and exists only by defrauding people to buy memberships in anticipation of being able to make a profit defrauding other people into the program.
Indeed, as is discussed elsewhere, many of these programs have been broken up for securities fraud and the people in them now have criminal records. So, save your Quatloos and avoid MLM schemes.
Stars! Stars!
Like many advertising campaigns, many MLM programs now attempt to associate themselves with celebrities. "Zig Ziglar goes MLM!" read one spam e-mail we received.
Note that the celebrities didn't make their money in MLM. Nor will you.
Buying Into the Program
So you are being "hired" to sell products, and you have to buy into the program? This is a sure sign that it is a scam. If the product is worth a darn, the company will make its money selling the product. No program that requires you to buy into the program is real, meaning that all our scams.
If you have to buy into the program, forget it! It is not a real program.
Sales Material
Often MLM scams have sub-scams within the main scam of buying Distributorships. One of these scams is the purchasing of advertising materials. Think about it: A company wants you to sell their product but they want you to pay for the advertising materials? Especially with the huge profit margins that the Top Guy makes with these programs, they should at least pay for your brochures and tapes. If a company requires you to pay for advertising or marketing materials, it is a sure sign that it is a scam. The very worst programs will even require you to buy the "samples" of the product that you have paid to be able to sell!
Training Seminars
A scam-within-the-scam is the "training seminars" offered (sometimes required) by the MLM programs. These "training seminars" offer little training, but are mostly rah-rah seminars to boost enthusiasm -- and to make big bucks for the promoters. We have often seen people encouraged to take out thousands of dollars in credit card debt to go to these seminars, with the promise that they will make so much selling the MLM program that they will quickly pay back the credit card debt (this is almost never true).
These training seminars can cost thousands although the company ought to be paying you to attend and learn how to sell its product. No company which requires you to pay for your own training seminar is a real program.
Only The Top People Make Money
The hard truth is that only the guy who sets up the program, i.e., the Big Cheese at the very top, makes any really good money with these programs. Everybody who is selling for the Promoter typically gets screwed.
Nonetheless, the promoters of these programs will often have pictures of themselves standing next to their mansion, yacht, executive jet, whatever, to show their success. Yes, these are real and they did make money by selling programs. Unfortunately, they made this money by cheating and defrauding the people under them to sell these programs for them -- you never see a distributor with anything other than a bunch of credit card debt.
The Drop Out Rate
The "Drop Out Rate" of MLM programs is enormous -- 98% will drop out immediately, meaning that only 2% will continue with the program over any long period of time. The Promoters will tell this 2% that they are the "successful" ones -- what this means is that they have become "successful" scamming other people (who will probably spend their money and then drop out, possibly a big personal loss to them but a profit to the Promoters).
The Promoters know the Drop Out Rate, and know that by far most people will buy in, but then never sell anything and quit, which is one of the reasons why MLM programs are criminal schemes.
The Promoters also tell those who stay in that they are the "well-motivated and lucky ones". This is 100% false. The people who never sold anything and dropped out are the lucky ones, since they will not be liable for securities fraud or any of the related criminal penalties that goes with promoting somebody else into the program. It is the people who stay in the program who are risking some prison time and a felony conviction for selling an unregistered security.
One of the biggest problems of MLM is that they are marketed to people who are down-and-out and desperate, and who can ill-afford to lose their money by purchasing memberships in these bogus programs.
You Gotta Believe!
Promoters tell prospective Distributors that to be successful "You gotta believe!" in the program. This is part of a brainwashing/programming effort to lead you to believe that you will fall into that (falsely) "successful" 2% if you believe in the program and the products that it sells. Thus, active Distributors will defend to great lengths their program and their products, to the point of slandering naysayers, spamming "negative" or competing sites with e-mail to shut them down, threats of physical harassment, etc., etc., not to mention often buying the products themselves in substantial quantity.
But the proof is in the pudding. It is an interesting phenomena of MLM that the hardcore and brainwashed Distributors who defend the products the hardest, almost always quit using those "great products" completely when they move on to the next program!
The point of this is that the 2% of "successful" Distributors have usually been brainwashed and programmed so that they really believe the junk they are saying about the junk they are selling. But that doesn't make it any less junk.
Building that Downline
The promise of MLM is that if you are "successful" (in defrauding others) that you will create this big "downline", i.e., multiple layers of sellers under you, which will quickly lead you to riches and allow you to retire forever with a never-ending stream of seven- or eight-figure revenue.
This promise is totally fraudulent, for at least the following reasons:
As discussed above, the 98% drop-out rate means that you probably will never build a significant downline.
None of these programs last very long (Amway seems to be the sole exception), meaning that as soon as the program croaks your revenue stops.
The odds of anybody in your downline making any money are incredibly small (smaller than yours!), meaning that they will probably "drop out" and be mad at you for getting them into a program where they lost your money -- the upshot being that these people will certainly not follow you to your next program (which will be necessary when your existing program finally collapses), meaning that you will have to build a completely new downline with every new program!
For all these reasons, your chances of long-term residual income with MLM is zero. Even if you are successful, the best you can hope for is a lot of hard work defrauding others to build your downline, some short-term profits until your program collapses or is shut down, and then a lot more hard work defrauding even more people into your next program, and so forth and so on until you get sick of it and drop out of MLM completely.
Buying Your Own Products
To the extent MLM programs sell any product, it is usually purchased by people who -- frustrated by their ability to build a downline and pressured by their recruiters -- will themselves buy mass quantities of the product as an attempted badge of "success". Thus, newbies on the lowest levels will max out their credit cards and buy lots of worthless product themselves in a vain attempt to move on to the next level. Usually, this works only if there is a "buy in" to the next level (more Quatloos for the promoters!) but never means success to the poor sucker buying the products, although he or she will end up with a closet full of vitamins, shampoo, phone cards or whatever -- and usually a lot of credit card debt too.
Fake It 'Til You Make It
Buying your own products is just one aspect of the MLM method of "Fake It 'Til You Make It", meaning that even if you are having zero success, you should act like you are very successful and have already made the Big Time. Many programs will tell people to start living a high lifestyle (on their own credit cards, of course), go lease a new BMW, etc., etc., so that people will believe that you are successful and they will then want to be in the program too.
The problem of course is that only a small percentage are successful in MLM, and these only for the short time until their program collapses. Their debts and BMW leases, however, are long term and require monthly payments to maintain. We have spoken with a few people who were encouraged by Promoters to lease expensive cars, and then were forced to actually live in those cars because they couldn't make the rent (and of course the cars were eventually repo'd from them too, leaving them homeless).
Additionally, the "Fake It 'Til You Make It" is just more fraud on the people you are trying to bring in. Acting like you are making the Big Bucks when you are not is blatanly dishonest -- but all part of the MLM scheme of cheating people.
Heavy-Hitters
A variation of "Fake It 'Til You Make It" is the "Heavy-Hitter" who bounces on the scene and seems very rich, and then acts as a "closer" of new recruits. Whether or not the "Heavy-Hitter" will actually have any money is subject to serious doubt: He may be one of the people living out of his leased BMW! More likely, he has been hired on a pure salary basis by the Promoters to act as a cheerleader and "closer" for prospective Distributors.
The "Heavy-Hitters" usually circulate from program to program, and are often the "Heavy-Hitter" in several MLM programs at the same time. A good way to identify these scam artists is to inquire as to what other programs they are in now, and have been in the future. If they have been in several other programs, you know that you are facing a "Heavy-Hitter", which when you get down to it is just a professional MLM scam artist (and, again, probably on a flat salary no matter what BS they tell you).
At seminars, you will frequently hear the Heavy-Hitter buildup: "Maybe Mr. Such-And-Such" will be here today!" The excitement is such that when Mr. Such-And-Such finally appears, you'd think Moses just came down from the mountain. It is all hype: The Promoters know exactly who will be at these seminars, and they plant people in the audience to make statement such as these, so that Mr. Such-And-Such finally does make his appearance, people attribute to him the credibility of the Messiah. Don't fall for this ruse.
For reference, the "Heavy-Hitter" is not unique to MLM. Casinos have for many years employed "Shills", being people who are hired by the casinos on salary and given a bunch of chips, and sent into the casino to mingle with the other gamblers and spin a few stories of the casino's big payoffs (which may or may not have occurred) -- and of course to gamble the (casino's own) chips and thus encourage others to gamble with the same enthusiasm and similar better levels.
The "Heavy-Hitters" perform the same function with MLM, often coming in to tell false stories about themselves hitting it big with the program. You can admire their gold pinkie rings, and their expensive leather shoes. But avoid these people, and just chuckle at the stories they sell. And be sure to ask them about the lease program on that BMW they are driving!
Fending Off Criticisms
You may see your program mentioned in an unfavorable light, such as on 60 Minutes or 20/20 or some other investigative news program. The Promoters will tell you something like "Their job is to bring down good companies . . .." Bull! Their job is to point out scams, and if your program has been featured on one of these program you can pretty much be sure it is one (if it is an MLM program it is a scam whether it is featured on these programs or not).
Survival Mode
After you have made big investments into the MLM program (or maybe several), are strung out on your credit cards, and the program isn't working out, then you will go into what is called "Survival Mode", where you finally give up the (false) dream of big riches with MLM and start trying to figure out how to hold off your credit card companies while getting back to a normal lifestyle.
Unfortunately, we don't have any special advice to offer. The only thing that we can say is that suicide shouldn't be an option (ex-MLM'ers unfortunately have a very high suicide rate), and that you should simultaneously seek credit counseling, and maybe adult education for re-education for a better job.
Refunds
The worst programs will promise you some sort of refund if it all doesn't work out. These are the worst programs because the refund programs are usually contingent on this-or-that, require long forms and long waits, often the refund is only 30% or so of what you spent, and usually the refunds are illusory (meaning that they company will never pay out the refund to you). The MLM programs which offer refunds do this to create the illusion that there is "no risk" to you -- and this is a 100% fraud because as discussed, you odds of actually getting your money back is infinitesimally small.
At least the companies which don't offer refunds tell you this up front so that you are not suckered into believing this nonsense.
CONS:
multi-level marketing (a.k.a. network marketing & referral marketing)
The idea behind multi-level marketing (MLM) is simple. Imagine you have a product to sell. A common MLM product is some sort of panacea, such as a vitamin or mineral supplement. You could do what most businesses do: either sell it directly to consumers or find others who will buy your product from you and sell it to other people. MLM schemes require that you recruit people not only to buy and sell your product, but who will also recruit people who will not only buy and sell your product but also recruit people....ad infinitum. Only there never is an infinitum to move towards. This may seem unusual to traditional business people. Why, you might wonder would you recruit people to compete with you? For, isn't that what you are doing when you recruit people to sell the same products you are selling? MLM magic will convince you that it is reasonable to recruit competitors because they won't really be competitors since you will get a cut of their profits. This will take your mind off the fact that no matter how big your town or market, it is finite. The well will go dry soon enough. There will always be some distributors who will make money in an MLM scheme. The majority, however, must fail due to the intrinsic nature of all pyramid schemes.
Multi-level marketing is system of marketing which puts more emphasis upon the recruiting of distributors than on the selling of products. As such, it is intrinsically flawed. MLM is very attractive, however, because it sells hope and appears to be outside the mainstream of business as usual. It promises wealth and independence to all. Unfortunately, no matter what the product, MLM is doomed to produce more failures than successes. For every MLM distributor who makes a decent living or even a decent supplemental income, there are at least ten who do little more than buy products and promotional materials, costing them much more than they will ever earn as an MLM agent. The most successful MLM scheme is Amway. It has millions of distributors worldwide with sales in the billions. At the turn of the century, the average Amway distributor earned about $700 a year in sales, but spent about $1,000 a year on Amway products. Distributors also have other expenses related to the business, e.g., telephone, gas, motivational meetings, and publicity material (Amway.com; Klebniov 1991).
The reason MLM schemes cannot succeed is because MLM marketing is, in essence, a legal pyramid scheme. The basic idea is for a sales person to recruit more sales persons. This is very advantageous to those who own the company and supply the products, especially since the sales persons in MLMs are also customers. But it is puzzling why a sales person would think it is to his or her advantage to increase the number of competing sales persons.
This is not to say there is no benefit to MLM membership. You get certain tax write-offs. You get to buy products, some of which you will be happy with. You get to go to inspirational meetings, some of which will make you feel good. You may meet new friends and you may even make a few bucks. But more than likely you will end up alienating some family and friends. You will probably end up buying more stuff than you sell. And you will learn a lot about deceiving yourself and others. You won't be allowed to tell anyone how you are really doing, for example. You will always have to think positive, even if that means lying. You will have to tell anyone who asks that you are doing great, that business is wonderful, that you've never seen anything go so fast and bring you income so quickly, even if it isn't true.
The dangers of MLM schemes have been well articulated by others. If you are thinking of joining any MLM program, I advise you to first read Dean Van Druff's What's Wrong With Multi-Level Marketing or Robert Fitzpatrick's False Profits - Seeking Financial and Spiritual Deliverance in Multi-Level Marketing and Pyramid Schemes (Herald Press, 1997).
pros:
"If I had to do it all over again, rather than build an old style type of business, I would have started building a network marketing business."
Quote by Robert T. Kiyosaki
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Many people have made fortunes in network marketing business opportunities, also called multi-level marketing / MLM. Usually only a number of people at the top made money, with most of the distributors failing to achieve any measure of success! Usually this was the result of compensation plans that did not reward the average person only those that build large downlines. Another aspect is all the free to join opportunities that advertise no selling no recruiting, this gives the impression it's more of a hobby then a true business model
Not much has changed over the years, yet this is still this is one of the most rewarding home business opportunities today. The majority of companies offer products and services that the average person uses on a daily and consistent basis. Today we have products like communication services, internet access, nutritional products, water filtration systems, financial programs you just name it.
This business does have a high failure rate though; some of this stems from the false representations made on the internet and by distributors who just don’t have the necessary skills to be successful. Some of these wildly exaggerated claims include statements like no sales required, no prospecting our web site system will do it all for you. Show me one business today that requires no sales to be successful!
working from home
spending quality time with their family
financial freedom
and clearly sets them up for failure before they even get started. Statistics have shown that most of the distributors that have stayed in this industry for 10+ years, achieved a level of income beyond their wildest dreams, yet most people will quit before the even get started.
So why do they fail? A lot has to do with the promise of something for nothing. You will find businesses advising you that their web site systems will do all the marketing, advertising, prospecting and recruiting, no sales required. Distributors also share in this failure by lack of action, commitment and realizing this is a sales business!
What does it take to become successful?
It takes commitment and determination in both building and marketing your business. Network Marketing Training is vitally important to insure your success in your business opportunity. You may have a great company that provides training, great up line support but if you're still not achieving the success you are looking for, then by all means seek out additional training, possibly even professional coaching.
One of the keys to becoming successful is to provide products and services that the average person will use. The products or services should be unique or consumable. The power and distribution of the internet has made the stocking of products obsolete, your customers are just a click away from ordering directly online.
Another key to your success is finding the right sponsor; leader or team to work with this will help insure your success in this business. A sponsor is someone who will guide and assist you with the necessary support and resources to help you grow your business.
People while prospecting often place too much importance on their company, the online presentations or their companies pay plan. What they fail to realize is that it is the people within an organization are what matter most when prospecting. A lot of companies have come and gone but when you’ve built a strong organization, have made many close personal friends and business partners will stay with you always.
Next "and probably the most important ingrediant " for your ultimate success is, network marketing training. Developing your marketing and sales skills is essential in direct selling, yet this vital component is missing in most company training programs. We cannot emphasize this enough it is essential to build a successful business.
Why does a company have distributors market their products?
With a phone call, fax or email a company can start thousands of people, marketing and selling products! Using independent distributors they reduce their advertising costs! Word of mouth advertising is still the most effective form of communication today in reaching new customers.
Visit our business opportunities page, for one of the companies we recommend.
I HONESTLY TRIED TO FIND MORE PROS- BUT YOU HAD TO PURCHASE THEIR PRODUCT IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HOT AND WHAT WAS NOT. APPARENTLY SOMEONE IS GETTING RICH OVER THE IDEA THAT YOU HAVE TO BUY THE PRODUCT IN ORDER TO GET THE RESULTS OF A TRULY SUCCESSFUL MLM. HOWEVER I DID FIND THIS IN BUSINESS JOURNEL- 4 NEW INTRODUCTORY PRODUCTS THAT ARE SUPPOSE TO BE THE NEXT FINANCIAL SUCCESS:
1- Fuel Freedom International
Fight high gas prices with MPG-CAPS, earn money and help the environment
Today, there are three important questions being asked by people around the world. How do we: 1. Decrease the result of high fuel costs; 2. Increase personal earning potentials; and 3. Help stop the growing pollution in our environment? Amazingly, all of these questions have one simple answer: “MPG-CAPS,” an astounding new product recently released by a unique new company, Fuel Freedom International!
Fuel Freedom International has just, in the past few weeks, released an incredible product called the “MPG-CAPS,” which by the way stands for “miles per gallon caplets.” They are a caplet (like a small tablet) that you put into your fuel tank, breaking your fuel down into much smaller particles on the molecular level. This allows the fuel to enter your engine’s combustion chamber in a much finer mist. Thus, your fuel, gas or diesel, burns more efficiently creating a synergy of benefits that include enhanced acceleration and power, increased miles per gallon, a cleaner and better lubricated and condition fuel system, and the near elimination of all harmful exhaust emissions.
2.XanGo hits critical mass in 2006
Last year XanGo predicted it would be one of the fastest companies in the history of network marketing to become a billion-dollar company. Looking at growth in 2005 and projections for 2006, now we’re predicting that XanGo could beat eBay™, becoming the fastest company of all time to reach one billion dollars in annual sales. “Today, they’re on the cover of the Network Marketing Business Journal – tomorrow, the cover of Forbes, Fortune, and Time magazine,” said Keith Laggos, president and publisher, Network Marketing Business Journal (NMBJ).
It cannot be denied, XanGo is the company to watch in 2006-2007. XanGo corporate would not release last year’s official sales, but based on distributor downline reports, sales are rumored to have reached over a quarter of a billion dollars in its third year of business. Founded three years ago, XanGo is on track to be the first company to reach one billion in annual sales in its fifth or sixth year. It took Microsoft 13 years to reach the same revenues. The eyes of the world are on XanGo.
3.
We create millionaires
Larry Lantieri has worked full time in the network marketing industry as a field distributor for over 12 years. He made the top position in three separate companies and was the number-one recruiter in two of them. Lantieri and his wife, Keri, have been featured on the cover of several industry publications and have had numerous articles written about their success.
He has personally recruited over 1,000 people and collectively brought in over 30,000 people into the industry. He was a record holder in one company for sponsoring 49 people in one month and 29 people over one weekend.
Lantieri built an organization exceeding $1.2 million in monthly sales in less than one year. He has been on several distributor advisory boards and has been asked to participate in corporate strategic planning with several companies.
Network marketing because it’s cause marketing
Dr. Keith B. Laggos
If you are considering any income opportunity, you should first consider a direct sales, MLM or network marketing opportunity. Why? Because all of these income opportunities provide a worthy cause at least at one level or another in addition to allowing you to make money. Earning income is a necessity. However the vast majority of people do not gain satisfaction from their work. Cause marketing helps provide satisfaction, while helping you build your business by attracting others to your cause.
I will try to use as many specific examples as possible, but it is impossible to list them all. So don’t feel slighted if your company is not mentioned.
Universal cause
Any “income opportunity” allows you to earn income; thus the name. However, all direct sales, MLM and network marketing opportunities also provide the opportunity for you to help your family, friends and others to earn income and improve their standard of living. In fact, it is not just an opportunity to help others. Helping others resolve their financial problems is a primary “cause” that drives many companies and distributors. In fact, the secret to success in network marketing is that success can only be achieved by helping others to be successful.
Some of these companies approach the cause of financial assistance, or freedom, on two levels. First like all other direct sales, MLM and network marketing opportunities they provide an opportunity to earn a substantial income. Second they help distributors and customers save money. The obvious examples would be companies that offer inexpensive telecommunication services or cost-saving coupons. A company called AdCalls does both of these at the same time. Several others offer low-cost medical benefits. Several companies now sell products that increase fuel efficiency resulting in large savings. There are also several companies that offer financial services. NADFA helps families with the number-one problem for American families – debt. By helping families get out of debt, while providing a substantial income opportunity NADFA uses a two-prong approach to achieve its cause, “A Debt Free America.” Ompus lets you earn income selling Iraq’s new dinar, which has the potential to make all of Ompus’ distributors and customers very wealthy – if not millionaires. They want to give the average person the ability to gain from currency arbitrage, which has, heretofore, been limited to the wealthy.
Product cause
Many products that are offered in this industry create a specific cause for the company and its distributors. This is especially true for companies offering nutritional products. Some of these products are so good; they can actually reduce people’s chances of getting severe diseases, such as cancer, and in some cases help cure them. Many distributors enjoy helping others overcome their health needs without drugs that often have harmful side effects. Unfortunately the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which many consider the handmaiden of the pharmaceutical companies, won’t let these companies market their full benefits.
There are numerous companies that offer juice drinks with important health benefits. These include Tahitian Noni, XanGo, American Longevity’s Vitalé, Oasis’ AgelessXtra, Eniva’s VIBE™, Symmetry’s Genesis, FreeLife International’s Himalayan Goji™ Juice, Frutaiga and Forever Green’s FrequenSea, to just name a few. All of these offer specific health benefits. People taking them are much better off than those who don’t. My daughter has a rare bladder problem. After seeing several specialists and trying various prescriptions that didn’t work and caused undesirable side effects, she found the phytoplankton in FrequenSea was the only thing that brought her relief.
Some of the most effective diets have been developed and sold via this industry. Back when First Fitness’ diet pills had ephedrine, I lost 65 pounds in 90 days with it. Enliven had the first non-transfat diet bars. I also lost weight using these.
Symmetry’s glucosamine product has greatly reduced the pain in my knees. Within seconds of taking PM International’s FitLine Activize Oxyplus, my muscle cramps and doziness vanishes. There are millions of people who have benefited from this industry’s products. It is easy to understand why companies and distributors that offer life-changing products like these believe they are on a mission. This is cause marketing.
A greater cause
There are many companies with a greater cause than helping individuals. Krystal Planet wants to replace dependence on polluting, limited energy sources with wind power and energy-efficient products. Better World Alternatives (BWA) wants to eliminate our dependence on oil with engines than run on alternative fuels, including water, and with its free electricity program. This is certainly a worthy cause.
Charity causes
Many direct sales, MLM, and network marketing companies support charities. These companies often contribute a portion of their profits to a specific charity. They often encourage their distributors to participate with donations and fundraisers such as charity walks and campaigns. Avon has been a leader in the fight against breast cancer. Many companies in this industry responded with donations for the tsunami, hurricanes and other disasters. Several companies make considerable donations to toy drives every Christmas. Some companies have their own charity programs that they support.
Charity cause as the primary mission
There have been several companies whose primary mission is a charity cause. Currently, Pinnacle for Life contributes 100 percent of its net profits to providing meals to feed starving children and those suffering from disasters. It has already contributed over two million meals. Pinnacle for Life’s primary products are nutritional products with no synthetic ingredients. However, its distributors can also purchase meals and contribute them to starving children too. What a great cause!
Bottom line
If you are looking for an opportunity to earn extra money or even to become financially free, the direct sales/network marketing industry offers the best programs, which can achieve your goals and require minimum investments or capital. Direct sales, MLM and network marketing companies offer opportunities that provide the ability to help others besides yourself alone. All of their opportunities have at least an innate level of cause marketing. Many of these programs are centered on a cause. The majority of Americans are not happy with their careers. Having a worthwhile cause can make all the difference. Network marketing doesn’t just offer cause marketing. In network marketing, putting helping others first is the secret to success. Network marketing is cause marketing at its best.
Keith Laggos has been in the direct sales industry for 35 years, half of that time as a successful distributor. He is one of only three people worldwide chosen for the Hall of Fame Award. He is president of a 21-year-old, multilevel company, which he founded. He is a board member of an industry association as well as other companies, an expert witness and an industry consultant.
His publishing company is the largest in the industry and produces Network Marketing Business Journal, formerly Money Maker’s Monthly, the first direct sales college textbook, Direct Sales – An Overview and Higher Than The Highest Mountain, an inspirational, warm and humorous fictional account of how a Christian family’s love and faith overcome all while facing everyday challenges in today’s society. It also provides a positive example of how network marketing helps families at various aspects and junctures of their lives. Most recently, he has published How to Recruit & Sell in an Over-commercialized Society, a how-to textbook on marketing. The Multi-Level Marketing International Association (MLMIA) has awarded Laggos and Network Marketing Business Journal’s predecessor Money Maker’s Monthly, several prestigious awards, including its Global Vision Award, Supplier of the Year and President’s Spirit Award, among others.
Laggos has also been published and quoted in other publications and academic journals around the world. Laggos has a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science, a master’s of business degree in management and marketing, a master’s degree in economics and a doctorate (abd) in public policy analysis and a doctorate in business economics.
For more info be sure to check out section one of the March 2006 issue of NMBJ.
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| Name: Debra | Date: Mar 15th, 2006 4:52 PM |
PROS: - DIDN'T SHOW UP GOOD SO i SEPERATED THEM
pros:
"If I had to do it all over again, rather than build an old style type of business, I would have started building a network marketing business."
Quote by Robert T. Kiyosaki
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Many
people have made fortunes in network marketing business opportunities, also called multi-level marketing / MLM. Usually only a number of people at the top made money, with most of the distributors failing to achieve any measure of success! Usually this was the result of compensation plans that did not reward the average person only those that build large downlines. Another aspect is all the free to join opportunities that advertise no selling no recruiting, this gives the impression it's more of a hobby then a true business model
Not much has changed over the years, yet this is still this is one of the most rewarding home business opportunities today. The majority of companies offer products and services that the average person uses on a daily and consistent basis. Today we have products like communication services, internet access, nutritional products, water filtration systems, financial programs you just name it.
This business does have a high failure rate though; some of this stems from the false representations made on the internet and by distributors who just don’t have the necessary skills to be successful. Some of these wildly exaggerated claims include statements like no sales required, no prospecting our web site system will do it all for you. Show me one business today that requires no sales to be successful!
working from home
spending quality time with their family
financial freedom
and clearly sets them up for failure before they even get started. Statistics have shown that most of the distributors that have stayed in this industry for 10+ years, achieved a level of income beyond their wildest dreams, yet most people will quit before the even get started.
So why do they fail? A lot has to do with the promise of something for nothing. You will find businesses advising you that their web site systems will do all the marketing, advertising, prospecting and recruiting, no sales required. Distributors also share in this failure by lack of action, commitment and realizing this is a sales business!
What does it take to become successful?
It takes commitment and determination in both building and marketing your business. Network Marketing Training is vitally important to insure your success in your business opportunity. You may have a great company that provides training, great up line support but if you're still not achieving the success you are looking for, then by all means seek out additional training, possibly even professional coaching.
One of the keys to becoming successful is to provide products and services that the average person will use. The products or services should be unique or consumable. The power and distribution of the internet has made the stocking of products obsolete, your customers are just a click away from ordering directly online.
Another key to your success is finding the right sponsor; leader or team to work with this will help insure your success in this business. A sponsor is someone who will guide and assist you with the necessary support and resources to help you grow your business.
People while prospecting often place too much importance on their company, the online presentations or their companies pay plan. What they fail to realize is that it is the people within an organization are what matter most when prospecting. A lot of companies have come and gone but when you’ve built a strong organization, have made many close personal friends and business partners will stay with you always.
Next "and probably the most important ingrediant " for your ultimate success is, network marketing training. Developing your marketing and sales skills is essential in direct selling, yet this vital component is missing in most company training programs. We cannot emphasize this enough it is essential to build a successful business.
Why does a company have distributors market their products?
With a phone call, fax or email a company can start thousands of people, marketing and selling products! Using independent distributors they reduce their advertising costs! Word of mouth advertising is still the most effective form of communication today in reaching new customers.
Visit our business opportunities page, for one of the companies we recommend.
I HONESTLY TRIED TO FIND MORE PROS- BUT YOU HAD TO PURCHASE THEIR PRODUCT IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS HOT AND WHAT WAS NOT. APPARENTLY SOMEONE IS GETTING RICH OVER THE IDEA THAT YOU HAVE TO BUY THE PRODUCT IN ORDER TO GET THE RESULTS OF A TRULY SUCCESSFUL MLM. HOWEVER I DID FIND THIS IN BUSINESS JOURNEL- 4 NEW INTRODUCTORY PRODUCTS THAT ARE SUPPOSE TO BE THE NEXT FINANCIAL SUCCESS:
1- Fuel Freedom International
Fight high gas prices with MPG-CAPS, earn money and help the environment
Today, there are three important questions being asked by people around the world. How do we: 1. Decrease the result of high fuel costs; 2. Increase personal earning potentials; and 3. Help stop the growing pollution in our environment? Amazingly, all of these questions have one simple answer: “MPG-CAPS,” an astounding new product recently released by a unique new company, Fuel Freedom International!
Fuel Freedom International has just, in the past few weeks, released an incredible product called the “MPG-CAPS,” which by the way stands for “miles per gallon caplets.” They are a caplet (like a small tablet) that you put into your fuel tank, breaking your fuel down into much smaller particles on the molecular level. This allows the fuel to enter your engine’s combustion chamber in a much finer mist. Thus, your fuel, gas or diesel, burns more efficiently creating a synergy of benefits that include enhanced acceleration and power, increased miles per gallon, a cleaner and better lubricated and condition fuel system, and the near elimination of all harmful exhaust emissions.
2.XanGo hits critical mass in 2006
Last year XanGo predicted it would be one of the fastest companies in the history of network marketing to become a billion-dollar company. Looking at growth in 2005 and projections for 2006, now we’re predicting that XanGo could beat eBay™, becoming the fastest company of all time to reach one billion dollars in annual sales. “Today, they’re on the cover of the Network Marketing Business Journal – tomorrow, the cover of Forbes, Fortune, and Time magazine,” said Keith Laggos, president and publisher, Network Marketing Business Journal (NMBJ).
It cannot be denied, XanGo is the company to watch in 2006-2007. XanGo corporate would not release last year’s official sales, but based on distributor downline reports, sales are rumored to have reached over a quarter of a billion dollars in its third year of business. Founded three years ago, XanGo is on track to be the first company to reach one billion in annual sales in its fifth or sixth year. It took Microsoft 13 years to reach the same revenues. The eyes of the world are on XanGo.
3.
We create millionaires
Larry Lantieri has worked full time in the network marketing industry as a field distributor for over 12 years. He made the top position in three separate companies and was the number-one recruiter in two of them. Lantieri and his wife, Keri, have been featured on the cover of several industry publications and have had numerous articles written about their success.
He has personally recruited over 1,000 people and collectively brought in over 30,000 people into the industry. He was a record holder in one company for sponsoring 49 people in one month and 29 people over one weekend.
Lantieri built an organization exceeding $1.2 million in monthly sales in less than one year. He has been on several distributor advisory boards and has been asked to participate in corporate strategic planning with several companies.
Network marketing because it’s cause marketing
Dr. Keith B. Laggos
If you are considering any income opportunity, you should first consider a direct sales, MLM or network marketing opportunity. Why? Because all of these income opportunities provide a worthy cause at least at one level or another in addition to allowing you to make money. Earning income is a necessity. However the vast majority of people do not gain satisfaction from their work. Cause marketing helps provide satisfaction, while helping you build your business by attracting others to your cause.
I will try to use as many specific examples as possible, but it is impossible to list them all. So don’t feel slighted if your company is not mentioned.
Universal cause
Any “income opportunity” allows you to earn income; thus the name. However, all direct sales, MLM and network marketing opportunities also provide the opportunity for you to help your family, friends and others to earn income and improve their standard of living. In fact, it is not just an opportunity to help others. Helping others resolve their financial problems is a primary “cause” that drives many companies and distributors. In fact, the secret to success in network marketing is that success can only be achieved by helping others to be successful.
Some of these companies approach the cause of financial assistance, or freedom, on two levels. First like all other direct sales, MLM and network marketing opportunities they provide an opportunity to earn a substantial income. Second they help distributors and customers save money. The obvious examples would be companies that offer inexpensive telecommunication services or cost-saving coupons. A company called AdCalls does both of these at the same time. Several others offer low-cost medical benefits. Several companies now sell products that increase fuel efficiency resulting in large savings. There are also several companies that offer financial services. NADFA helps families with the number-one problem for American families – debt. By helping families get out of debt, while providing a substantial income opportunity NADFA uses a two-prong approach to achieve its cause, “A Debt Free America.” Ompus lets you earn income selling Iraq’s new dinar, which has the potential to make all of Ompus’ distributors and customers very wealthy – if not millionaires. They want to give the average person the ability to gain from currency arbitrage, which has, heretofore, been limited to the wealthy.
Product cause
Many products that are offered in this industry create a specific cause for the company and its distributors. This is especially true for companies offering nutritional products. Some of these products are so good; they can actually reduce people’s chances of getting severe diseases, such as cancer, and in some cases help cure them. Many distributors enjoy helping others overcome their health needs without drugs that often have harmful side effects. Unfortunately the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which many consider the handmaiden of the pharmaceutical companies, won’t let these companies market their full benefits.
There are numerous companies that offer juice drinks with important health benefits. These include Tahitian Noni, XanGo, American Longevity’s Vitalé, Oasis’ AgelessXtra, Eniva’s VIBE™, Symmetry’s Genesis, FreeLife International’s Himalayan Goji™ Juice, Frutaiga and Forever Green’s FrequenSea, to just name a few. All of these offer specific health benefits. People taking them are much better off than those who don’t. My daughter has a rare bladder problem. After seeing several specialists and trying various prescriptions that didn’t work and caused undesirable side effects, she found the phytoplankton in FrequenSea was the only thing that brought her relief.
Some of the most effective diets have been developed and sold via this industry. Back when First Fitness’ diet pills had ephedrine, I lost 65 pounds in 90 days with it. Enliven had the first non-transfat diet bars. I also lost weight using these.
Symmetry’s glucosamine product has greatly reduced the pain in my knees. Within seconds of taking PM International’s FitLine Activize Oxyplus, my muscle cramps and doziness vanishes. There are millions of people who have benefited from this industry’s products. It is easy to understand why companies and distributors that offer life-changing products like these believe they are on a mission. This is cause marketing.
A greater cause
There are many companies with a greater cause than helping individuals. Krystal Planet wants to replace dependence on polluting, limited energy sources with wind power and energy-efficient products. Better World Alternatives (BWA) wants to eliminate our dependence on oil with engines than run on alternative fuels, including water, and with its free electricity program. This is certainly a worthy cause.
Charity causes
Many direct sales, MLM, and network marketing companies support charities. These companies often contribute a portion of their profits to a specific charity. They often encourage their distributors to participate with donations and fundraisers such as charity walks and campaigns. Avon has been a leader in the fight against breast cancer. Many companies in this industry responded with donations for the tsunami, hurricanes and other disasters. Several companies make considerable donations to toy drives every Christmas. Some companies have their own charity programs that they support.
Charity cause as the primary mission
There have been several companies whose primary mission is a charity cause. Currently, Pinnacle for Life contributes 100 percent of its net profits to providing meals to feed starving children and those suffering from disasters. It has already contributed over two million meals. Pinnacle for Life’s primary products are nutritional products with no synthetic ingredients. However, its distributors can also purchase meals and contribute them to starving children too. What a great cause!
Bottom line
If you are looking for an opportunity to earn extra money or even to become financially free, the direct sales/network marketing industry offers the best programs, which can achieve your goals and require minimum investments or capital. Direct sales, MLM and network marketing companies offer opportunities that provide the ability to help others besides yourself alone. All of their opportunities have at least an innate level of cause marketing. Many of these programs are centered on a cause. The majority of Americans are not happy with their careers. Having a worthwhile cause can make all the difference. Network marketing doesn’t just offer cause marketing. In network marketing, putting helping others first is the secret to success. Network marketing is cause marketing at its best.
Keith Laggos has been in the direct sales industry for 35 years, half of that time as a successful distributor. He is one of only three people worldwide chosen for the Hall of Fame Award. He is president of a 21-year-old, multilevel company, which he founded. He is a board member of an industry association as well as other companies, an expert witness and an industry consultant.
His publishing company is the largest in the industry and produces Network Marketing Business Journal, formerly Money Maker’s Monthly, the first direct sales college textbook, Direct Sales – An Overview and Higher Than The Highest Mountain, an inspirational, warm and humorous fictional account of how a Christian family’s love and faith overcome all while facing everyday challenges in today’s society. It also provides a positive example of how network marketing helps families at various aspects and junctures of their lives. Most recently, he has published How to Recruit & Sell in an Over-commercialized Society, a how-to textbook on marketing. The Multi-Level Marketing International Association (MLMIA) has awarded Laggos and Network Marketing Business Journal’s predecessor Money Maker’s Monthly, several prestigious awards, including its Global Vision Award, Supplier of the Year and President’s Spirit Award, among others.
Laggos has also been published and quoted in other publications and academic journals around the world. Laggos has a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science, a master’s of business degree in management and marketing, a master’s degree in economics and a doctorate (abd) in public policy analysis and a doctorate in business economics.
For more info be sure to check out section one of the March 2006 issue of NMBJ. ↑ |
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