Im curious to know your personal opinion on network marketing / MLM?

I've been in the industry for over 20 years and have seen massive success, so I'm jus not sure why some people have such a negative attitude towards it.

Your thoughts and opinions would be great.

Thanks 

You don't want opinions, you're soliciting new contacts. 

Actually, I am serious on opinions. I have tons of contacts don't need any of those. The only way a person gets better at their craft is to learn what people think, want and need.

It's called self education. One of the problems we have in our society is every thinks there is some ulterior motive. When in reality most of us are just good people trying to meet other good people and learn more.

If we took more time to get to know each other vs judging one another society would be so much kinder. JMO

FYI: I NEVER solicit business from strangers. I only talk to people who want to be talked to. This is probably why I have been able to last so long in this industry. 

Im curious to know your personal opinion on network marketing

Hate it. Someone's always coming at you with the latest, greatest supplement, weight loss plan, energy drink or whatever. It's annoying and awkward when a friend who gets suckered into the program tries to sell you on it. I'll do my own research on my own time and buy what I want where I want. 

I've always viewed MLM as stepping on those below you to make your way to the top. The when you get to the top you continue the assault. Those at the bottom work hard, mostly at avoiding getting stepped on. 

Hate it.

Me too! 

Hate it and here's why. It's equal to used car sales people-there's no finesse or expertise in it. MLM people are all about keeping their pipeline filled NOT knowing what their customers really need. We've known several people over the years some got into Advocare, some into Shakeology, some into Mary K and others into Pampered Chef. Once they got into it - our friendship changed. It was no longer about knowing and supporting each other- it was ALWAYS about THEIR product and either trying to get me to host an inane party to get even more contacts OR trying to get me into their products. Eventually we would stop seeing these people. Now if I come across someone I just shut it down- I don't have the time. 

MLM People are always, always in Selling Mode 24/7, at parties, school functions, work, church, etc.. Annoying. They always have business cards to litter places with. But. It is their income after all. It's just a lousy way to treat your friends is all. 

Thank you all for your feedback it truly does help those of us who take our business seriously and want to understand how you the friends and family members feel. 

Multi-purpose marketing has been around for a while now. It's basically a Ponzi scheme. 

It's basically a Ponzi scheme.

Like Social Security 

I'm jus not sure why some people have such a negative attitude towards it. Your thoughts and opinions would be great. Thanks

MLM is an honest living, just another way to sell product. I wouldn't disparage an MLMer nor a Used car sale person.

I can break this down into three parts:

1. The Products: Most are actually pretty good. I think we have purchased Scentsy, some jewelry, Airbonne, Mary Kay and maybe some clothes. The only product I couldn't stand was AdvoCare. They need to put a warning of how much caffeine is in a packet. What's worse, is I have seen parents give their kids advocare before their sporting events.

2. The Distribution Channel: The worst. The only way to make any many is by recruiting downstream so they will buy a butt load of product. I don't see how a person at the bottom can make it by only selling product.

3. The Experience: For us consumers it can be an uncomfortable situation when your friend is a distributor of product. I don't know which is worse the one that tries to sell you all the time or the one that you never hear from until they have a "party". But, no different than your friend who is a realtor, mortgage broker, financial planner, or insurance agent.

I do think that MLM takes advantage of people with unrealistic expectations. If I was getting into the business I would ask the recruiter to see everyone's sales #'s and commissions, especially those that just started. I would also ask to speak with not only those currently selling but those that quit. You need to do you due diligence before wasting time and money on something that isn't a good fit for your personality. 

More fail at MLM sales than succeed. 

To be good at the MLM game, you have to convince a whole lot of people that they can sell the stuff and make a lot of money.

What ends up happening is your network is distributors who have garages full of product they can't get rid of. And they only bought that amount so they could qualify for the Double Platinum club BS that the company made them feel so good about.

I would feel dirty. But money is money so I guess I see why they keep encouraging people to join their networks. Y'all ain't making the world a better place. Just taking advantage of mentally soft people until they give up. 

This statement on your KU Profile makes it clear who and what you are...

I am currently the master distributor for a skin care line in the Houston TX  

Zapper09:

Did you ever think that I put it on my profile because I have nothing to hide. I'm not the guy who says it's not mlm its direct sales. Yes I am in mlm, Yes I am a master distributor. Its on my business cards, my website, my fb page.

Only a person trying to hide something would not openly express what they do. Again, not sure why so many pessimistic people always think there is some ulterior motive.

Below is the legal definition of a few terms being thrown around by those who are clearly biased, uneducated on the matter or just plan ignorant. Please do research and know what your talking about, that way you don't look stupid.

Ponzi Scheme (/?p?n.zi/; also a Ponzi game)[1] is a fraudulent investment operation where the operator, an individual or organization, pays returns to its investors from new capital paid to the operators by new investors, rather than from profit earned through legitimate investments or business activities.

Pyramid Scheme: a form of investment (illegal in the US and elsewhere) in which each paying participant recruits two further participants, with returns being given to early participants using money contributed by later ones.

MLM is a marketing strategy in which the sales force is compensated not only for sales of product or services they personally generate, but also for the sales of product or service by others they recruit, creating a downline of distributors and a hierarchy of multiple levels of compensation. 

so I'm jus not sure why some people have such a negative attitude towards it.

Because its like trying to have dinner with a life insurance salesman. 

Emperor: More fail at sports, college, any job ever... Hell more people fail at life than succeed.... So I see your point but its kinda invalid.

Karras: I agree 100%.. people really should do more due diligence and know that it takes work, there is no get rich program. 

Emperor: I believe that people who experience that are because the people are not trained properly. I run my business like a real business. When I'm out with friends or family we don't talk business, my product or anything else. Like I said much earlier... I never talk to anyone that doesn't want to talk to me first. Based on all the comments though I cans why people feel negative. Thanks again for your feedback. 

Please do research and know what your talking about, that way you don't look stupid. [i]

I did not accuse you of anything... Why the defensiveness - seems a bit odd and out of place...

And, I am not stupid, as you have implied.

Before you post om KU, please familiarize yourself with the rules and standards of posting.

Thanks for understanding... 

Anyone hosting one of those bawdy sex toy MLM parties where the housewives get drunk on box wine and have "demos" anytime soon? 

Never spend money on sex toys when a hand mixer will do just fine. 

Anyone hosting one of those bawdy sex toy MLM parties where the housewives get drunk on box wine and have "demos" anytime soon?

Waiting for my invite along with Storyteller.