Team/Quixtar/Monavie = I LOST $12,000 !!!

boosey12: My dad and I decided to start doing these MLM businesses,


I've done MLM too but I've found my greatest successes in promoting big-ticket products (anything that costs $1,000 or more but also pays out commissions of $1,000 or more) on the back-end of a funnel system.

A funnel system builds a solid relationship with your potential customer by explaining to your customer the benefits of your product and also the "HOW" is your customer going to get targeted customers to their business (web site) so they too can achieve their financial goals (if the product also has a compensation plan attached to it).

On the front end of the funnel system you have to have a front-end product that costs around $50 usually that basically will cover most, if not all of your marketing or advertising costs.

tswprez: I used to work for GNC ... still have friends that do work for the company and they all say the same thing... Accai (spelling??) is a great seller ... The Monavie people created this whole market but you don't own the market so now just like NONI and GOJI and all the other juices people that you educated are going to the local Walmart or GNC or whole foods and picking it up for less money.

You cannot plan to stay in a juice based MLM long-term... it doesn't work history proves it time and time again.

LOL, its so nice to see someone with retail experience.

I have a retail supplement business. I attend the products convention every year.

It NEVER fails...what ever drink is available in an MLM is ALWAYS available to retailers. When they tell you its "exclusive" there is an invisible asterisk "exclusive to the MLM industry!"

And oh my...how much business the retail industry has done because of advertising (word of mouth or other). Consumers don't want to pay the high prices (that if they stopped to think about it, they would realize the inflated price covers the sellers & uplines commissions). Sea Silver is a great example. With their conventional advertising, store sales were HUGE!

Yes...its the same formula. Different label. There's one manufacturer that sells all of the them. The drinks are lined up on a long table so you can sample. It's ironic. They'll even private label for your store! (Think Trader Joe's - nearly everything is private label.)

Then there is the longevity factor. Consumers tend to change products every 90 days until they find something they love, or something they are satisfied with. That's a lot of "churn" in an MLM company. They are dropping out the back as fast as you add them.

Sound familiar?

Then there is "the really sick" that might benefit from your product. How are you going to get them away from the doctor and his approval? How are you going to show them the interactions with whatever perscription they are already on? And how many "really sick" people are you capable of dealing with? They might rally a bit, and still perish (trying to be gentle here). How great of a testimony is it if they rallied, then died?

Correct...you can't stay in nutrition MLMs for long...and hense, more churn!

Now, that said, I have heard of a different nutritional product. The trade show is in March...I wonder if will be available for retail yet! I've never tracked it before. It may be this fall (I don't attend that one) or next year, depending on the demand that is created.

And no, because of the cost to the store they can't make the needed markup to sell the MLM product retail.

Too funny.

Damn that sucks! I used to take monavie and liked it but def pricey. Never got into the mlm side of it. I personally take Univera now and know several people that sell it. Great product and they do well with it. It is growing steadily from what i can tell and the research and development of it is very solid. That might be one to check into. But i also agree with the others, affiliate marketing is what i would focus on.

Cooperative Marketing that Trivita offers is all that I will do now. I ran into the same issues as you did and many others. Distributor's always dropping out and having to replace them. I was going to stop being involved with any kind of MLM type business when I found a hybrid with Trivita, which utilizes a cooperative marketing model. Trivita has the longest running TV infommercial for it's patented sublingual b12 and also does some other print and media advertising where they obtain the customers. We have people that were in Univera, Monavie, Shaklee, Amway, Herbalife, Melaluca and ITV Ventures that are thrilled to be able to purchase the lifetime buying rights to customer's with 18 follow ups by mail with catalogs and journals a year done by the company, plus a weekly health related email, so no contact is necesary with the customer unless you wish to. This way you have the Cooperative Marketing aspect for customer's, and the more MLM like payouts if you also wish to share the business opportunity where you earn additional bonus' and commissions. Some people just buy alot of customer's and earn on their lifetime purchases. These customer's can also refer other customer's, so you end up with some free customers that you get the same 21% commissions on.

The other great part is Trivita has over 50 products, so you are not competing for the market share of one or two products. All are pharmaceutical grade, bio-available, some are patented, some have had extensive clinical studies done and all have a 100% 60 day money back guarantee. There is a new product launching in March, the Sonoran Bloom that is projected to be a billion dollar product and will have an infommercial as well.

Sorry to hear that. I started with Monavie after convincing my wife into it. But everyone I talked to thought it was to expensive and have tried several products like it. But I got and and good think I did. I bounced right back into it just recently and can tell you to go with a good mlm you need to pick a product you believe in and is not already out there. I was fortunate enough to get in on my new mlm that just launched on Jan 9th. And there is no other product like it. Best of luck and don't give up you can make good money in MLM...

Is it not hard to get people in on your product? I mean vitamins are a hard sell since there are so many out there already. Wouldn't it be easier to work with a product that is a one of a kind product? With my product you can actually feel the results within 3-5 min after taking.

Hi, well this thread was a tough read in a way. I am a newbie I joined WAHM in January this year and have had a ton of help and advice and have being getting tremendous mileage from all of threads on WAHF. After doing a ton of research in many different businesses. I took the plunge into a pre-launch (product launch is March 15th) referral marketing company. I believe if you pick a product that is in a niche that interests you, and you know a little bit about the subject, you already have a head start, but not only that it must be as close to a transfer of spending as possible for instance you spend $25 in the store on a chemical toxic products for your home and you can spend $25 on a green products instead and not only that it works.. then I believe you have a very good chance to make a good profit.

I also think you have to have the attitude that you won't be rich overnight, and you have to network, after all it is network marketing, I've been doing that old school 'face to face', while learning this internet stuff...its a struggle but I'm getting there slowly learning bit by bit, and as this old computer caveman here gets more proficient at this stuff I will still practice working offline as well.
you must commit to learning new things and passing on that knowledge to others and helping those you enroll to be successful keeping up with the times so to speak.

thats my bit here for now, I believe I have made a good choice (have 40 plus in my team so far)

good luck to all in your chosen fields

many regards Anthony

I beg the differ on many opinions so far about Mona-Vie! I am a distributor of the product and seem to be doing very well! After only a couple of weeks with the company, things are looking very good! The part that many of you are missing is that the key is not selling the product, but rather constructing your downline with family and friends. Yes, the internet market is flooded with people "selling" the product and it is those people that made a quick couple of dollars at first and can't seem to sell it anymore. I truly believe you took the wrong approach.

I am a newbie father who does construction half the year and plays professional minor league baseball the other half of the year. After being on the Mona-Vie product for a month, I fell in love with the effects! To note, I have been drinking 1 energy drink a day for the last 3 years and since I have been on Mona-Vie, energy drinks are not a factor anymore! Not to mention all the bad things they do to your body, I now take Mona-Vie in place and feel soo much better! Being a 26 year old professional athlete, taking care of my body is number one...or else I wouldn't have a job, right? My body simply craves water everyday now and energy drinks and sodas are out the window!

I am not here to promote whatsover, just to give light to those interested in the product itself. If I were wealthy already, I would continue to buy this product as a distributor for the wholesale cost and share it with my family simply for the health benefits!

I remember the real NONI and I ran out once. While waiting for a case and had to buy some of the GNC version. It was 1/2 sugar water and it was pretty bad. So really it was pretty close quantity and price-wise. Liquid nutrition is good but there will always be brands coming out to distract your customers - isn't it the business owner w/marketing that establishes brand loyalty???

Years ago w/Amway, I did get to see May Lou Retton and would you believe General Norman Schwarzkopf??? Do you think he had the place fired up?? But anyways, there is a 100% pure (not watered down) extract from the Yucca plant that cleanses the digestive system in a graceful manner. Great for the food you're not absorbing!! You know what I mean?
Doug

MLM is dying online. Too many companies, too little profit-per-
customer. Look at building a business with more potential
to recoup your advertising costs immediately.

MLM - still very viable in the offline world of belly-to-belly -
like Tupperware, Mary Kay, et. al.

Online - lead generation is not just a matter of getting leads,
it is a matter of presenting a superior, dominating offer. Most
of your "leads" will be checking out many opportunities and
will be confused. If you cannot find a way to position you
and your offer as superior to other options you will probably
lose money instead of making it.

It is nice to be with a company that spends 90 million a year on infomercial advertising and the gives the customers to qualified reps for free. So that takes care of the getting customers part. And once you advance in rank they also run an infomercial on the business opportunity and they will be giving those for free also. It also is really nice when you do speak with somebody and they have already heard of your product. Having popular branded products is great. Instead of just pills and potions it's nice to be able to help someone take a proactive approach to their health and fitness. Actually get out there and do an exercise program. Also nice to have a huge community of like minded individuals all eager to help.

sorry to read about your economic loss

the problem is not just herbalife or amway but the mlm industry in general

everybody who start this business don't know anything about sales or marketing the secret of this business is not the product , or the compensation plan , but the ability to move the product

your business is not selling vitamins , shakes or juices your business is marketing , because marketing move and sale your product

let me tell you something,

a guy is trying to make a wooden chair , so he bot some wood ,nails and a hammer , he fail to build the chair so he thought

maybe if I try a different hammer , so he get an other hammer with the same results he got a 3 th hammer so he never finish the chair
you may ask why I say this ?

Manny people don't have the necessary skills or knowledge to mange a marketing business

so they keep changing business opportunities with out success on any of them

you must learn how to write a sales letter ,an add just look a the big companies like coca cola and mc donnals they are not on the streets house by house trying to sale you their products annoying you with sales pitch

they create a sales strategy

they focus on a target market , to whom they are going to direct their advertising

what age and sex and also they don't sale you a soft drink they sale you refreshing sensation and the sensation of been sexy

you see the difference ?

another thing , people join and follow people who are leaders , so in order to recruit people in to your business you have to be an alfa person

what is an alfa person ?

an alfa person is somebody who transmit confidence some one who know how to do stuff some body successful so people ask them to be accepted in their circle or group

an alfa person NEVER ask anybody to join them

so... if you are a person who don't like sales you are in the wrong business

let me tell you something I learn

THE BEST WAY TO GET RICH IT'S TO SOLVE OTHER PEOPLES PROBLEMS

they want to lose weight ? you have the solution , so market your solution to that specific target market and let them come to you

some times been persistent is not enough , some people say that there is a saturation on the market

let me ask you something , how many coca cola cans you see on the stores every day ?

and they sell millions EVERY DAY and they still spend millions of dollars on advertising that means the product demand is big , there are a huge market for it

With Amway/Quixtar it is definitely a solid company that will be around for years to come, however the comp plan is outdated.

You can definitely do well in the health and wellness industry if you have a strong product and a solid company.

The product should be innovative and the company should have strong management. They should be aware of the claims that can or can not be made about health or dietary supplements. If the CEO is a health professional and is a nutritional expert, that is a big plus. If he or she is or has been in network marketing that is even better because he/she will understand the intricacies of this undertaking and provide a valuable and fair comp plan to the distributors of the company.

For you, it should be product that you believe in too. Don't simply join a company for promises of financial wealth if you don't believe in the product(s) provided. If you believe in what you are sharing the financial aspect will come along.

Find a field that matches your personality and your experiences. Since I am in the pharmacy profession, it is natural for me to share a product in the health and wellness industry as it fits my interests and experience.

2x2prosperity (Don't simply join a company for promises of financial wealth) that is the problem , this is a business and you must do it like so.
it does not matter if it is the best product of the world, if it has the best compensation plan or if my product is better than yours
if you know marketing research and sales you can sell stones

if you do not know how to do this even if is the best product of the world you are not going to be able to sell it

coca cola is not the best product of the world and the anual sales are millions of dolars a year

I have to ask because that juice thing was just presented to be at work what is that all about. I told the guy no thanks I will stick to prepaid legal

Gcmaupin: I have to ask because that juice thing was just presented to be at work what is that all about. I told the guy no thanks I will stick to prepaid legal
It's a matter of opinion...

Even though I myself have no desire to get involved in mlm again, doesn't mean it isn't working for others.


tlaloc06: coca cola is not the best product of the world
Comes pretty dang close.


2x2Prosperity: With Amway/Quixtar it is definitely a solid company that will be around for years to come, however the comp plan is outdated.
Quixtar is sweeping the area that I live in... meetings going on every week and I have been invited to several and did go to one as I love watching presentations... I have to admit they have a great presentation with whatever group my friends are involved in.... MUCH better than Amway was 20 years ago when I got into that and also way better than the original Quixtar with the Orrin Woodard deal....

Or at least that is my opinion.

How is spotting two different vans with stickers representing two different companies considered "saturation"? Sounds like anything but saturation to me.

Tim Flowers
Greensboro NC

One of the big problems with mlm is that anyone can join, and many of the people that join, shouldn't. It's not the industry: it's the fact that most people have no real business experience and thus have unrealistic expectations, don't know what to look for, and are clueless about how to grow their business. It's almost inevitable that large numbers of new recruits drop out and then try to blame their lack of success on their company or the industry.

Here are some things to look for when choosing a network marketing company, assuming you are qualified to run your own business:

1. Low cost sign up. (under $50). Your opportunity needs to be affordable. Your first superstar recruit might be a college student with no money but a lot of energy and drive!
2. Low monthly autoship. People won't pay $100 per month for a super juice for very long. The first time their car breaks down and needs repairs, the autoship will be the first thing to go.
3. Good variety of products with new products introduced regularly. With my company there are a number of products I can lead with. If a market is saturated with juice, I can lead with a heart product. If you've only got one thing to sell, what are your options?
4. You shouldn't be "nickel and dimed" for all sorts of add ons. Your back office should be free. Replicated websites shouldn't cost more than $19 per month. Brochures and dvd's should be cheap enough that people can actually afford to buy them and distribute them in large quantities.
5. Shipping costs should be reasonable. I've seen companies trying to charge $14 or more to send out a single item! When shipping costs go much over $8, people abandon their shopping carts and you lose the sale.
6. The comp plan? It's not as important as some people say. If points 1 through 5 (above) are right, and you give it real effort, you'll make sales and the money will come. But the most "powerful" pay plan in the world is useless if you can't sell anything! The only thing I would advise on pay plans is to look for the ones that don't require you to personally sponsor more than 4 people to qualify for a check. Statistically speaking most people never recruit more than 2 or 3, so if they've got to find 8 before they get paid, they won't stay.

One more thing: I won't join a company that charges me a fee to pay me. It's my money. I earned it. I won't pay them $3 (or whatever) to receive a check. A good company won't do that to you.

Find a good company that really cares about it's distributors and you'll find long term success.

Tim Flowers

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences.

We have been very happy with TriVita for its products including the B12 and Sonoran Bloom Nopalea -- and its opportunities.

Wow, sad story. I hope you have found something that is working for you.

Dawn