Does this describe YOUR Multilevel Marketing Company?

There are too many obstacles in the MLM model as I see it. First obstacle, MLM itself is a negative to most. Second, most people can't sell and are not good people people, if you know what I mean. If you cannot sell, then you cannot succeed in any business that depends on moving products or services. Third obstacle is name recognition, most people will not buy a pig in a poke no name product. Forth, most MLM products cost more than competition. Fifth, most require an autoship to get even a small 10% discount, and that is not enough incentive to purchase from any MLM. Sixth, how many earn more than they burn trying to start their own MLM business?

How many MLM's offer a product or service for less than the competition? Sadly, very few, even at supposed distributor discount prices. If you cannot easily earn more than you burn covering your own autoship in three months, most will quit, especially when they have been sold the hype of get rich quick, which sadly is why MLM industry has a bad reputation which is a difficult obstacle in itself for most. Sure, there are many great products offered in the MLM arena, but very few at a reasonable price when compared to competition. Choose a product or service which offers true verifibale value which the masses are already purchasing, and it makes success a lot easier.

I have seen it all, and MLM is not an easy business model outside of the lower cost to start which is one of the main beneftis for most. Most forget the time and cost of advertising, and unless you understand the market, you could waste thousands in bad advertising strategies. Having evaluated every known advertising media in the industry, I know all too well how much you can waste trying everything available in advertising industry. Again, there is a lot more involved in just choosing a MLM company, you have to be careful and look for true verifiable value first and foremost. If you are lucky enough to find a company which has an exclusive patented one of a kind product, and one that performs better than what is promoted, great, jump on it. But how many of those are being introduced lately, not many.

In a recession, success is even more difficult for most. Having been through several recessions as a business owner, I learned a long time ago how important it is to survive, never mind thrive in a recession, and low overhead is where it starts. I sold my traditional businesses due to the first recession which hurt my profits to point where I was making less and less each month. Experience is our teacher, and now I only work on the internet which allows me to be more diversified than in a traditional business. I can now work and build several businesses and if one fails, I have others which are succeeding. Best of all, I focus on businesses which are incentive based, pay it forward, give to recieve, care to share, people helping people oriented. It is far easier to give away something of value than it is to lead with a sales pitch. Since everyone wants to save money in a recession, value and mass appeal is my focus. Saving busines owners money on advertising, saving consumers money on what they are already purchasing for more elsewhere is the future as I see it in online marketing.

"One of their rules stated that you had to have at least 10 "real" customers a month from people OUTSIDE the company who were purchasing products you were selling."

In 1979’s Amway vs. FTC, Amway fought and won to legitimize (stop being accused of being a pyramid scheme) the Amway Corporation and all true MLM's since. Because of this case, rules were established…..Yes, you have to have a real, quality product-and Amway does.
No you don’t have to have 10 customers to make it legal. But what you can’t do is buy up a bunch of product each month yourself in order to qualify for bonuses, which many try to do….. In order to keep people from going broke you have to have a percentage of your distribution come from real customers.
I don’t even have a downline; I make my money solely from offline sales right now...I'm just now taking it online. =)
P.S... I love the environmentally safe "soap", I dont sell it I use it...lol My money comes from their skin care line.... and I loooove that too...so now...

Where's the fun in that?....

This is real good info you have shared here. To add to what you have shared, a good MLM will also have a good and well paying compensation plan.

There are some plans that fail to sustain a business after a while thus the reason to do thorough studies before deciding to join any MLM company.

I agree 100%. People would rather buy a brand they are familiar with at a competitive price, rather than an obscure MLM brand they never heard of, for a product that is way over priced.