Before you scoff, set aside your preconceived notions. Go on, get it out of your system.
Party Plan, MLM, Pyramid Scheme, SCAM!
You done?
Okay now let’s talk.
- Network Marketing a.k.a. Direct Selling is not a scam, it’s commerce. Certain businesses in the past gave this industry a bad name, and certain people today still do. But why throw the baby out with the bathwater? If “A” has a product that “B” wants, “B” will buy it. Why does it matter if “A” is for Avon or Apple? Are Apple’s corporate executives more deserving of that annual bonus than pound-paving direct sellers? By definition, network marketing is a marketing strategy in which sales representatives of a company recruit other salespeople and earn commissions on their own sales and the sales made by their team. Not such a foreign concept is it?
- A good product by any other name is still a good product. If you like the product, buy it. You don’t have to be a multi-level marketer to purchase products from a multi-level marketer. It’s not like it’s going to rub off on you. But if you could have a dime for every cup of Starbucks you drink, why wouldn’t you?
- You’ll never get the kind of personal service and attention from a mainstream brand than you do from your independent distributor. Why do you feel more comfortable buying products from gigantic, faceless corporations that outsource goods, manufacturing and even customer service from god knows where, than from someone you know?
- There’s nothing wrong with sharing good things. If you find a product you really love, why wouldn’t you want to share it with your friends?
- There’s nothing wrong with earning a living from something you love. If you share something you love, what on earth is wrong with making a profit from it?
- Authenticity is the new advertising. Social media is making brands more accountable than ever. People still buy people. They buy referrals, recommendations, reviews and ratings. If I want a product and have the choice of buying it from my friend or a stranger, I’ll buy it from my friend. Who wouldn’t?
- You will never find a more passionate (if not a little wacko) brand advocate than an independent distributor. I kind of love them for it. It would be amazing if mainstream brands could marry their business models. I love Dunkin Donuts, but if I earned a dime for every cup of coffee I bought from Starbucks, and a nickel for everyone who bought a cup of coffee from Starbucks after I referred them, I’m fairly certain I’d be a Starbucks customer for life. Imagine the possibilities.
It just doesn’t make any sense to keep vilifying network marketing. No, the profession isn’t for me, but then again, neither is podiatry. Someone asking me to try their product doesn’t annoy me any more than a pop-up ad or a zillion promotional emails. At least if I tell them no, I only have to do it once.
Contributed by Katrina Turner, Creative Copywriter
Note to Self 
Network marketing is just a sales model, to find the good ones is like find a needle in a hay barn. I can think of 1 company that’s god the model figured out, there are two many flaws in companies like Ambit, excel, Avon, Acn, and especially companies like Primerica. We all know who got rich in those companies. You take all the risk as an entrepreneur would but reep no ownership rewards, just compensation alone. Maybe the network marketing undistinguished has the rep it does for a reason but your too close to it to be objective. Statistics don’t lie, most people never make anything of their mlm business, I believe they are setup for people to fail so that they can keep their fee. The rule here for me is you never pay money to simply sell someone’s product for the unless you are getting ownership or shares in the company. Not try to hate but there are many successful people that tried mlml’s with no success.
1. “Network marketing is just a sales model.” That’s exactly the point.
2. “there are two many flaws in companies…” There are flaws in many companies…Volkswagon, Bank of America, Comcast, Enron, Walmart, SeaWorld
3. “Maybe the network marketing undistinguished has the rep it does for a reason but your too close to it to be objective.” I’m sorry I don’t understand what this sentence means and it’s “you’re” not “your.”
4. Most people never make anything out of any entrepreneurial efforts but most people don’t become famous rock stars either. There are a lot more factors to it. To own your own business no matter what it is takes a lot of work. A lot of people simply don’t have the discipline for it or the stamina for the rejection.
5. “The rule here is you never pay money to simply sell someone’s product unless you are getting ownership or shares.” First, you pay money to share other people’s products every time you eat, drink, wear or drive a recognizable brand. Second, businesses have start-up costs. Anyone who tells you otherwise has a bridge to sell you. If anything, MLM makes it easier. They handle storage, distribution, billing, collections. If you believe in a product and you use it, you’re purchasing it anyway. The rest are just tools to help if you want to do the business. I’m not saying every MLM has the most cost-effective start-up models, or even the most honest, but there will always be startup costs no matter what you do.
I’m not trying to hate back, but your comment is the exact mentality this article was geared toward. I mean what kind of argument is “there are many successful people that tried MLMs with no success.” There are many people who’ve tried many things with no success. Oprah Winfrey was fired from her first television job as an anchor in Baltimore.
Bottom line. If you believe in a product (clothes, jewelry, supplements, coaching) and you’ve vetted the company, there is absolutely nothing wrong with earning a living through multi-level marketing. Yes it’s tough. Sales is tough. I don’t like sales, and I’m not a network marketer.
I’ve never been a network marketer. There’s not an ulterior motive for this post. I’m just tired of the sheep mentality that all MLMS are a scam because a few bad apples spoiled the bunch. It’s a legitimate business model. If you don’t like it. Don’t do it.
Amen, Katrina! Great job!!!
OMGosh, Katrina, you couldn’t have responded any better! I am in a MLM for a VERY reputable company. The products are amazing and there are many successful people from all walks of life and all ages. I say if someone doesn’t earn what they want with this company, they just aren’t willing to do the hard work it takes. It’s the person, NOT the company, at least with the company I’m associated. I LOL about the “you’re not your”….that bugs me too!
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