My Stance on MLM/Network Marketing

As you read the posts on this Blog you might come to the conclusion that I am anti-MLM/Network Marketing. However, I would consider myself more along the lines of anti-status-quo-mlm.

I believe in some basic concepts behind Network Marketing:

1. The opportunity to own and operate your own business with very little start up costs.

2. The opportunity to help others start their own business.

3. The opportunity to build a business in your spare time outside of your regular job or traditional business.

Sadly, I don't see many MLM companies on the market today that believe in the same basic concepts. Companies and systems within companies may pay the concepts lip service, but for the most part the individual associate is left to the vultures.

Here are some of the major problems associated with MLM/Network Marketing today:

1. Expensive Products

2. Expensive Training, (books, tapes, meetings), with questionable results at best.

3. Questionable Leadership, (leaders based on attaining a level - when the level could be attained without any leadership skills)

4. Confusing compensation plans

One of my goals is to make a positive change in the MLM/Network Marketing industry. I believe people are tired of being mislead and they are tired of empty promises of riches through MLM.

Comments

[QBlog]

What happened to the other post with the Questions and Answers?

[MLMBlog]

After reading through the post I decided it would be better if I prefaced it with a couple of other posts...I will bring back tha comparison post soon.

Did I break a blog rule? = )

[QBlog]

Well, yes and no. It's your blog and you can do whatever you want. If you want to change posts without notification then that's your prerogative. However, you must remember a few things about blog posts.

Often other bloggers base entire posts on what some other blogger has posted. If I were to construct a post and link to the inspirational post on your blog and then find that it had substantively changed without any notification, then my post would be diminished because of the absense of additional context. So, it is generally best NOT to substantively change posts but instead include an update under the original. Or, if you must substantively change a post, then make it obvious that it has been done and if you can, explain why it was changed.

The other reason is just credibility. If you read an article somewhere and it was substantively changed the next time you read it you'd probably have waning confidence in the credibility of the article's author. Same is true with blogs, only not so pronounced.

The key word in all this is substantively. Correcting facts or grammar is usually no big deal. Changing the post to say something completely different is a big deal, to many.

Just always keep in mind that blogs are not posted in a vacuum. They are part of a larger community and there is always the chance that your post will be the foundation for someone else's post.

That's all I got. Answer your questions?

[JBNET]

Ok..I posed this question on MLMsurvivors and it didn't get posted or hasn't been reviewed yet. I would post it on Qblog also but he is set up more for just quixtar related info. Qblog if you see this and want to move it to your site...go for it. I would like to see answers or opinions for this question:
Are there any legal organizations such as the BBB, FTC or IRS that states with out any doughbt that all MLM companies are a Pyramid???

I see in all the negative MLM statments out there the word pyramid used very often or scheme. I know there is a legal definition of pyramids and there are (unfortunitley) many companies that are but are all of them labeled as illegal pyramids? Sorry - bit of a toung twister there.
Happy Holidays!

Oh almost forgot...MLMblog could you dig up more info on other companies. I know Quixtar is the easiest to get info on because they are just so out there but I would like to see some comments on many of the others? Negative or positive.

[mlmblog]

I am in the process of putting together information on a particular company and team within it. The team targets MOM's.

[Bill Beason]

This post is in response to QBlog's question about pyramids. Normally I wouldn't respond, but in this case I feel compelled to make a statement.

Almost every company that has more than 2 people working in it are structured in a pyramid. For example: every school has a teacher for each classroom who reports to the principle of their school. Those principles are responsible to their boss, the superintedent of the district. If you examine your current job, I am sure you will probably find that their are less and less positions availible to be filled as the responsibilities increase. I think the problem in the term "pyramid scheme" is the word scheme, which implies something illegal or immoral, like suckering people out of money or offering no REAL product. The days of these types of things are almost past(yes, because of an open door policy, there are still a lot of people who take advantage of other person's desires to be free of a boss). The internet and the fact that network marketing relies on word-of-mouth marketing of products as opposed to television, newspaper and radio commercials is why the majority of the "schemes" are out of business today. There are companies that DO offer great products and great compensation if you actually do the WORK part of "work from home'. Most companies will tell you it takes a self motivated person to achieve extraordinary success from a company JUST LIKE in any other industry. The open door policy allows any one to have another chance at making their way in the world today with out a traditional boss.
Use a seach engine to find out any dirt on a company you are researching. There are plenty of sites DEDICATED to exposing SCHEMES. When you try all the others, try my company WATKINS, we have been around since 1868 and you will not find ONE DIRTY web page about us. The fact is network marketing is the wave of the future, as people realize that the company they work for is not there to give people jobs, but to make money. Company loyalty in the traditional world has totally changed in the last 3 years. It is time for a change, don't let old fears about being scamed prevent you from researching the truth for yourself. I hope I didn't come across as anything other than trying to be helpful and educate the readers of this post about the new age of network marketing. PEACE!

Bill Beason
Watkins Independent Associate 337170