Captain Obvious Posted October 13, 2010 Posted October 13, 2010 I just got started but I was wondering if anybody else here was involved in any Multi Level Marketing or Network Marketing companies. And just as a side note if you want to make a rant about MLM post it here I love to talk about it with you. And when I say talk about it I mean have a conversation not a fight.
Super User fourbizz Posted October 13, 2010 Super User Posted October 13, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID SCHEME. Nothing but douchebags and snake oil salesmen.
Super User BASSclary Posted October 13, 2010 Super User Posted October 13, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID SCHEME. Nothing but douchebags and snake oil salesmen. I've always heard of Pyramid scheme's but what are they? I know someone will tell me to google it, but I'd rather learn from here.
Nice_Bass Posted October 13, 2010 Posted October 13, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID SCHEME. Nothing but douchebags and snake oil salesmen. Not sure about the DB's, but i can see the snake oil as valid claim. Anyhow- maybe you could teach him about all your glorious wonders of blogging- that would teach him.
Super User Root beer Posted October 13, 2010 Super User Posted October 13, 2010 Why do you get a commission for recruiting someone else to help you sell a product? Why not just sell the product directly to someone who intends to use it? I never really understood it. I find it annoying. Even if you are distributor why would you buy the product with your own money? The business model makes no sense and only benefits the originator...I've seen plenty of advertisement for this crap. I saw one recently here on campus where you work from home on your own time and your pay will vary, but I could never figure out what I got to sell........ :
Captain Obvious Posted October 13, 2010 Author Posted October 13, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID SCHEME. Funny because I find that is the one way to run a business WITH OUT forming a pyramid scheme. More on that if you want but lets look at a few things first. Just to clarify a pyramid scheme is a business set up so that all the money funnels up to the people at the top. The people at the bottom are payed the minimum to keep them working with the promise of more money at a later date which they never received. And as for the Snake oil part. If you can name one industry which does not have its fair share rip off products then you need to look around. Lets use the Banjo minnows as an example. Real fishermen know they are not the magic bullets they are promised to be. The Banjo minnows are really just soft plastic jerk baits, so just because they are ripoffs does that mean all soft plastic baits are ripoffs? And please let us remember that MLM is not a product. It is a system of distributing and marketing products. This system can be used by any company even if their products are snake oil. So your blaming the system that the products are bad? Then why don't we blame TV marketing for Banjo minnows being over price crap and not that it is the way they are made which makes them crap. fourbizz and nice_bass Could you please tell me where your coming from. Have you guys bought products from a MLM company or actually be involved in one? Â Â
Captain Obvious Posted October 13, 2010 Author Posted October 13, 2010 Why do you get a commission for recruiting someone else to help you sell a product? Why not just sell the product directly to someone who intends to use it? I never really understood it. I find it annoying. Even if you are distributor why would you buy the product with your own money? The business model makes no sense and only benefits the originator...I've seen plenty of advertisement for this crap. I saw one recently here on campus where you work from home on your own time and your pay will vary, but I could never figure out what I got to sell........ There are a lot of great questions in there thanks for asking. I could fill five threads answering them but I'll try to answer them as short as I can So your first question 1) Why do you get a commission for recruiting someone else to help you sell a product? - Because if your sponsoring a person your responsible for training that   person and teaching him your business. Are you going to do that well if it not getting paid - Because you have help the company grow, what is the point of getting other people to join you if it doesn't pay to do so 2)Why not just sell the product directly to someone who intends to use it? Because it is risky bring a product to the market that way just because its a good product at a good price doesn't mean its going to sell. You have to spend a good chunk of cash before a single product is sold Lets say that that black berry comes out with a new phone. What do they do? They pay millions in advertising and product development before a single phone is sold. So here is a new product that they have invested millions in and they are taking a gamble that enough phones will be sold to cover those costs. Now just imagine what happens if not enough phones sell? That's right they loose money and people loose their jobs. MLM has a lot less risk to it. What happens when a MLM company comes out with a new product? Its distributors buy it and start marketing it and selling it. So now the company has made money before its new product has reach the market. 3) Even if you are distributor why would you buy the product with your own money? This is a common misconception, a distributor pays for the right to sell and use the product. You don't just buy the product and start selling it you buy the opportunity to sell the product and sponsor people. 4) but I could never figure out what I got to sell? Your selling three things, - Your selling your expertise, your showing people how you can teach them how to make money in MLM. - You are selling them opportunity to become a distributor with a company - You also will sell the products, but this is not where you make real money, but this is where most people try to make money which is why a lot of people fail in MLM I'll post something later to show how the business model is not only far but is also the best. Thanks keep the questions coming  Â
Nice_Bass Posted October 13, 2010 Posted October 13, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID SCHEME. Funny because I find that is the one way to run a business WITH OUT forming a pyramid scheme. More on that if you want but lets look at a few things first. Just to clarify a pyramid scheme is a business set up so that all the money funnels up to the people at the top. The people at the bottom are payed the minimum to keep them working with the promise of more money at a later date which they never received. And as for the Snake oil part. If you can name one industry which does not have its fair share rip off products then you need to look around. Lets use the Banjo minnows as an example. Real fishermen know they are not the magic bullets they are promised to be. The Banjo minnows are really just soft plastic jerk baits, so just because they are ripoffs does that mean all soft plastic baits are ripoffs? And please let us remember that MLM is not a product. It is a system of distributing and marketing products. This system can be used by any company even if their products are snake oil. So your blaming the system that the products are bad? Then why don't we blame TV marketing for Banjo minnows being over price crap and not that it is the way they are made which makes them crap. fourbizz and nice_bass Could you please tell me where your coming from. Have you guys bought products from a MLM company or actually be involved in one? Sorry, my mistake. Should have noted that I was being the proverbial tongue in cheek. If I did not hate the similes maybe I would have put some kind of face on there. Really, I was more stating that what you may be doing is okay and not DB'ry. If you are out there working , there can be nothing wrong with it, and I actually like your cross comparisons. Heck, I am sales as well, albeit a different brand.
Captain Obvious Posted October 13, 2010 Author Posted October 13, 2010 Really, I was more stating that what you may be doing is okay and not DB'ry Don't worry no offense taken I'm glad you posted
Super User Root beer Posted October 13, 2010 Super User Posted October 13, 2010 Eh, I'll just stick to the financial side of the business. I don't have personality or the people skill to do that.
Captain Obvious Posted October 14, 2010 Author Posted October 14, 2010 Hey I'm a Finance major too what year are you
Super User Root beer Posted October 14, 2010 Super User Posted October 14, 2010 Third year. I'm actually accounting major (least that what it says on my transcript) with minor in finance.
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted October 14, 2010 Super User Posted October 14, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID'S 1. Have been around for YEARS, longer than we have. 2. The only people to get rich are the ones who started it or at the top. 3. Probably the biggest and longest running is Amway. I've know at least a dozen people who ventured into Amway and guess what? NONE ever made it.
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted October 14, 2010 Super User Posted October 14, 2010 MLM=PYRAMID SCHEME. Funny because I find that is the one way to run a business WITH OUT forming a pyramid scheme. More on that if you want but lets look at a few things first. Just to clarify a pyramid scheme is a business set up so that all the money funnels up to the people at the top. The people at the bottom are payed the minimum to keep them working with the promise of more money at a later date which they never received. And as for the Snake oil part. If you can name one industry which does not have its fair share rip off products then you need to look around. Lets use the Banjo minnows as an example. Real fishermen know they are not the magic bullets they are promised to be. The Banjo minnows are really just soft plastic jerk baits, so just because they are ripoffs does that mean all soft plastic baits are ripoffs? And please let us remember that MLM is not a product. It is a system of distributing and marketing products. This system can be used by any company even if their products are snake oil. So your blaming the system that the products are bad? Then why don't we blame TV marketing for Banjo minnows being over price crap and not that it is the way they are made which makes them crap. fourbizz and nice_bass Could you please tell me where your coming from. Have you guys bought products from a MLM company or actually be involved in one? What is a "REAL FISHERMAN?" What company doesn't promise their product is good. Sure, they may not use the word "promise" but they attach their product to the names of pro's, giving the purchaser the impression that their product is the best. Why are the minnows a ripoff? They catch fish don't they?
Captain Obvious Posted October 14, 2010 Author Posted October 14, 2010 I've know at least a dozen people who ventured into Amway and guess what? NONE ever made it. Yep and I have known dozens of people who tried to start a business and guess what, those who made were not the ones that didn't quite. People fail at a lot of things, how many kids in college hope to be a professional athlete and never make it. More than those who do make it. If MLM was easy then it wouldn't be a job it be a hobby. I know that a MLM gets pitch as an easy make money fast deal. Let me set the record strait, Its not and it was never suppose to be. Its like starting your own business you got to work hard to make money. MLM IS HARD WORK, AND IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU DIFFERENT THEY ARE INEXPERIENCE AND DON'T KNOW WHAT THERE TALKING ABOUT. Bass Blvd I'm sorry your friends failed and I'm sure they did just because they were not prepared for what they where getting into. They might not have also gotten the training they needed. MLM is not a guarantee but neither is anything else. Funny I think I heard a that 90% of people are not happy with their jobs. Also that the avg. time a person stays with company is like 3-5 years. Yet that is what we consider normal. So your guaranteed 3-5 years in a job you don't like. I'm not saying that there aren't people that love their jobs or who stay a long time with a company. There is lots to be said for a regular job. MLM is for people who want to make their own rules and not play the Corporate America games. What is a "REAL FISHERMAN?" What company doesn't promise their product is good. Sure, they may not use the word "promise" but they attach their product to the names of pro's, giving the purchaser the impression that their product is the best. Why are the minnows a ripoff? They catch fish don't they I'm sorry I was using the banjo minnows as an example because I thought everybody here would understand what I meant. If you want a real opinion on banjo minnows post a thread about it and see what happens. What I was trying to show was that there a bad products every where that get a lot of attention even if they are crap. Some people think that MLM companies only sell bad products which is not true.
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted October 14, 2010 Super User Posted October 14, 2010 I was just debating with you over the minnow, I know what it is (or isn't). Try this out. Get into your MLM business for a dedicated 2 years and then comeback and tell us how you're doing.You might(or might not), find some followers.
bweave09 Posted October 14, 2010 Posted October 14, 2010 I am so tired of these people trying to recruit me. I am not insinuating that you are trying to recruit me, but if I get another call from these guys I'm gonna scream. That is all
Captain Obvious Posted October 14, 2010 Author Posted October 14, 2010 If I was looking for followers why would I want to hear peoples opinion. I did not start this thread to try and find people.I started this thread to talk about it not to talk about what I do. And I never sell my success as proof for what I'm doing. If people only join because they think they can make money because I am making money then their joining for the wrong reason and I don't want to sponsor them. I tell every person who I interview that I can't guarantee their success, what I can do is promise them the best training and support me and the people above me can provide. All this thread was started for was to see if anyone else on BassResource.com was MLMer like myself and if anyone had an opinion about to please voice it here. And I like to point out that Amway doesn't represent every MLM company out there. I know it ticked a lot of people off but just because a company might be bad doesn't make the MLM system bad. Hope that helps Â
RobbyZ5001 Posted October 14, 2010 Posted October 14, 2010 Well it's no more mystery of what business you own. Good luck in your endeavors.
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted October 14, 2010 Super User Posted October 14, 2010 i'm not ticked off at all. I wish you luck and like I said, stick with your product and come back in 2 years to let us know how you did. Success stories sell.
Captain Obvious Posted October 14, 2010 Author Posted October 14, 2010 Thanks guys it appears I'm the only MLM guy on here but hey you know what I'm glad you guys ask some questions. Success stories sell. True and they are also false advertising. If you wondering why MLM has been called a pyramid scheme it is because of people being sold on success stories. MLM presents the opportunity to make a lot of money if done right, it should not guarantee you will. Like every other business you have a chance to succeed or fail. It just so happens that the chance of success in MLM is much greater than anywhere else. stick with your product and come back in 2 years My company has been in business for 12 years is debt free and made people millions already. That is not a success story that's just what you can make if you do it the right way, even then there are no guarantees.  Not saying that to brag or trying to advertise it. I'm just saying that I don't join a company unless it is sound Financial wise and offers a truly great product.
Super User Dan: Posted October 15, 2010 Super User Posted October 15, 2010 What do you sell? How long have you been selling it?
Captain Obvious Posted October 15, 2010 Author Posted October 15, 2010 What do you sell I'm currently selling two products. One is a suite of video tools that allow you to branned and market your company using web video. The other is a coupon program, I'm not going into detail how it works but lets just say that you can save more on everything than if you just use coupons that you find in the newspaper or find on the web. I like to point out that both these products are hosted on the web so it does not require me to carry inventory. I also would like to mention that I use both these products everyday. How long have you been selling it? I have been in MLM for the grand total of six months! And just so people aren't confused. When I said my company has been in business for 12 years I was talking about one I am a distributor for not one I own personally
gobig Posted October 16, 2010 Posted October 16, 2010 Network marketing is a great way to make money. It is basically sales. In stead of the standard distrabution companies and main stream marketing it is placed in the hands of the individual. Most companies do not require you to stock product any more. I have been in sales most of my working life and maybe 10 percent of people that get into it are worth a dam. It is not for everyone. It is hard work that has a systematic process. You can have the personality of a pet rock but if are willing to talk to people, have a decent product and follow the sales process you can do well even if its Amway. Like any other job some pay better than others. The greatest obstacles are the fear of talking to people and lack of self motivation. You have to be able to deal with rejection and ridicule. People are going to tell you how its not going to work and some will be flat out rude.You can not let it get to you. Stay focused on the big picture. You have to work it like a job. No one is going to be standing over you telling you to get back to work. Setting goals and having a busyness plan are critical. You need to have an idea how many people you have to contact to get someone to sign up. From there you can structure your plan.
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