MLM/Network Marketing : Scam or True Opportunity?
By Joseph Demasi
You have heard it all before. That MLM thing is nothing but a scam, a pyramid scheme where the only way to make money is to get in fast and early and get out before the whole thing collapses. On the other hand, there are true legitamate opportunities that fall under the so called MLM banner. There are many factors to consider in determning the true value of an opportunity
Let us delve into some of the history of the free market system as relating to MLM or Network Marketing. Several manufacturers of products in the early 50's tried to sell their wares the traditional way, by going to stores and trying to get on the shelves and found that this was a tough task because the stores would rather spotlight their own brand products over something new and relatively unknown. If a company does not have a big ad budget and they want to keep tight control of the product and not sell the rights out for pennies on the dollar, it is almost impossible for them to make any kind of headway into the public domain.
There needed to be a better and cheaper way to get these products out there without spending millions on a Madison Avenue ad campaign. It goes without saying that I am referring to producs that were of the highest integrity and worth every bit as much as the so called national brands at that time. We are not talking about inferior products. Anyone that has used one of these products can attest to that.
MLM is born:
In 1954, a young man came up with a marketing system that would bypass the great advertising machine and take the product to the streets in the hands of entrepreneurs from all walks of life that believed in the product and the chance to make some money by recommending the products to friends and family. They were rewarded by the company through volume bonuses, so instead of the company paying big money for advertising - the money would go back into the pockets of the individual distributors. Basically payng the people that recommended the product for their word of mouth advertising. So in many cases, these products that were just as good as the national brands, would actually cost less to use because the company would save so much on advertising.
It is tue that there have been some MLM companies that have been considered a pyramid scheme andhave been shut down quickly by the FTC. MLM has gotten a bad rap because of Uncle Joe trying to sell Grandma Betty on the great business venture where you only have to get 4 friends to do the business and retire in a year. This get rich quick mentalty of some distributors that only care about recruiting new people as not helped the industry. When you have an army of distributors out there, the company can only do so much. Every reputable company has a code of ethics and expects their distributors to follow suit, but sometimes it is hard to enforce.
Anytime there is money to be made and big money involved there are the scam artists that will try to take advantage and give the industry a bad name. With the recent shutdown of PAS ( prosperity automated systems) we know the Government is always on the lookout for pyramid type schemes that only benefit the first people in. Don't rely on the government to always help out, even with PAS, it is estimated that over 5000 people lost the $4k investment they made and probably will never see it again. With PAS, the writing was on the wall. If someone tells you that you will make thousands of dollars a month with no work on your part at all- that should raise a red flag. No company of integrity is going to sell you that pie in the sky BS.
With the right company and compensation plan MLM/Network Marketing can be a true opportunity. Do not expect to become rich overnight. Like anything of value it will take work and some sacrifice, but with the right sponsor and system in place to teach you and give you step by step guidance, it can be a vey rewarding journey. It has been a way to business ownership for millions of people worldwide who otherwise would not have had the opportunity because of the usual high start up costs of traditional businesses.
For a great system that can take you step by step to succeeding online GO HERE. If you want to know about what you need to be looking for in a primary Network Marketing opportunity
GO HERE.
To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi
Monday, November 27, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
What to Think About Guaranteed Sign-Ups
by Joseph Demasi
There are 2 schools of thought out there. The first is - "Great- Now I don't have to do any work!, I'll just buy my downline!" My home business is rockin now! The other is - "This is a people business and you cannot cultivate a relationshp with a purchased downline."
The answer seems to lie somewhere in the middle. While it is true that guaranteed sign-ups for your network marketing opporunity are a hit and miss proposition, when they hit it is usually a home run, but more often then not they go the way of guaranteed traffic. Which is nowhere. Unless...
You must be willing to treat them as prospects or leads. Technically they are just that, they have not purchased anything, they haven't even given you a credit card. There is no commitment on their part. For all you know they were paid to join, with either credits or cash. You just don't know.
Psychologically it is wonderful to say that you just started in the business and already you have 100 "sign-ups". But that could turn sour if they do nothing. That is where you will have to put the rubber to the road and build that relationship with them so that you can bridge the gap between sign up and active dowline.
When you buy sign ups, since you have not generated it yourself you do not know the motivation level. That means extra work contacting them to determine motivation. Of course you can say the same for a self generated sign up, but at least you know where they came from, or you SHOULD KNOW. Hopefully you are using a good tracking system fo your ads.
In my opinion, leave the guaranteed sign ups alone and learn how to generate them yourself, it may take longer, but this business is a marathon not a sprint. You really want quality targeted traffic to your sight so the sign ups will be worthwhile. I would rather have a motivated downline of 100 rather than a wishy washy downline of 1000.
For more info regarding generating your own traffic and sign ups - this is by far the best system on the internet. The training, support and guides are top notch. Best of all there is no cost and they will help build your business the right way. CLICK HERE
To Great Success
Joseph Demasi
by Joseph Demasi
There are 2 schools of thought out there. The first is - "Great- Now I don't have to do any work!, I'll just buy my downline!" My home business is rockin now! The other is - "This is a people business and you cannot cultivate a relationshp with a purchased downline."
The answer seems to lie somewhere in the middle. While it is true that guaranteed sign-ups for your network marketing opporunity are a hit and miss proposition, when they hit it is usually a home run, but more often then not they go the way of guaranteed traffic. Which is nowhere. Unless...
You must be willing to treat them as prospects or leads. Technically they are just that, they have not purchased anything, they haven't even given you a credit card. There is no commitment on their part. For all you know they were paid to join, with either credits or cash. You just don't know.
Psychologically it is wonderful to say that you just started in the business and already you have 100 "sign-ups". But that could turn sour if they do nothing. That is where you will have to put the rubber to the road and build that relationship with them so that you can bridge the gap between sign up and active dowline.
When you buy sign ups, since you have not generated it yourself you do not know the motivation level. That means extra work contacting them to determine motivation. Of course you can say the same for a self generated sign up, but at least you know where they came from, or you SHOULD KNOW. Hopefully you are using a good tracking system fo your ads.
In my opinion, leave the guaranteed sign ups alone and learn how to generate them yourself, it may take longer, but this business is a marathon not a sprint. You really want quality targeted traffic to your sight so the sign ups will be worthwhile. I would rather have a motivated downline of 100 rather than a wishy washy downline of 1000.
For more info regarding generating your own traffic and sign ups - this is by far the best system on the internet. The training, support and guides are top notch. Best of all there is no cost and they will help build your business the right way. CLICK HERE
To Great Success
Joseph Demasi
Monday, November 13, 2006
Your MLM/Network Marketing Business - Opportunity or Problem?
This a fundemental questionthat you must answer if you are to be successful in your home business. Unless you can plug your downline into a duplicatable, simple system that will solve their # 1 issue , MONEY, you will find that you will need to constantly replace those members that are frustrated and inactive. Most people, me included, came to this industry because they needed money. If you cannot offer them a system that will be able to give them a quick income, you have given them a problem not an opportunity.
The reason people are not successful in this business is that they join, spend mney on product and some advertising, run out of money and can't stay in the business because itis cost prohibitive. If you were able to earn an income while you built your business, even if no one joined your primary business, how likely would you be to stay in the business and continue to build it. That is what the best systems can do. It is called a Funded Proposal and the best one can also build a residual income
There are many funded proposals out there and most of them offer an e -book or some kind of product to sell and earn money. You have seen them all over the net. The best one I have found is HERE , go and check it out. This is your goal, to make money even if no one joins your primary business. This will keep you in the game and primed to be very successful. If you do not have some kind of system to plug into - besides just showing your company's web site - the chances for success will be greatly reduced.
To check out a great system GO HERE
To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi
This a fundemental questionthat you must answer if you are to be successful in your home business. Unless you can plug your downline into a duplicatable, simple system that will solve their # 1 issue , MONEY, you will find that you will need to constantly replace those members that are frustrated and inactive. Most people, me included, came to this industry because they needed money. If you cannot offer them a system that will be able to give them a quick income, you have given them a problem not an opportunity.
The reason people are not successful in this business is that they join, spend mney on product and some advertising, run out of money and can't stay in the business because itis cost prohibitive. If you were able to earn an income while you built your business, even if no one joined your primary business, how likely would you be to stay in the business and continue to build it. That is what the best systems can do. It is called a Funded Proposal and the best one can also build a residual income
There are many funded proposals out there and most of them offer an e -book or some kind of product to sell and earn money. You have seen them all over the net. The best one I have found is HERE , go and check it out. This is your goal, to make money even if no one joins your primary business. This will keep you in the game and primed to be very successful. If you do not have some kind of system to plug into - besides just showing your company's web site - the chances for success will be greatly reduced.
To check out a great system GO HERE
To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi
Monday, November 06, 2006
Duplication Is The Real Key To Success In Network Marketing & MLM
PART I
You have heard it before, thousands of times It is the key to the MLM riches vault. It is what will take your home based business from barely breaking even to income beyond your wildest dreams. All the sucessful people know it and they say it. But are they really teaching you what you need to know?
I have been in the industry long enough to have heard it all. "Just go get three people that want to change their life" - "Make a list of 100, 200, 300 people - Don't prejudge, I will help you contact them!" "Every no gets us closer to a yes" etc. etc. etc!
You get the gist of this. They are employing the old school mentality to MLM and Network marketing. Let me say this loud and clear - I DON"T WANT TO SELL MY FAMILY ON THIS OPPORTUNITY!
That's how you feel, right? That is how 99.9% of the people in the industry feel. The problem is, once you go through your 'warm market' and get 1 maybe 2 that will talk to you - the opportunity that you were so excited about, suddenly loses its magic. That is what happens to 97% of the people in the Home based business , network marketing, MLM industry. You get 3 out of 100 that are superstars and can work the phones and sell ice to an eskimo. The major problem is THAT CANNOT BE DUPLICATED!
In order to understand duplication you must be aware that most people are like you. They want the path of least resistance. They want to be shielded from direct rejection. Most people do not want to try and sell Uncle Joe and Aunt Mae on the new opportunity that will make their retirement look like the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It may be the best thing since sliced bread, but people will be resistant to doing what is uncomfortable. That is the way it is. That doesn't mean everything has to be easy, not at all. In fact, owning your own business is hard work and it will take hard work to succeed. That is the dirty little secret that no-one is talking about!
If you are to succeed in this business youhave to create a duplicatable system that a teenager can run with ease. Impossible you say! Ever hear of Mac Donalds? How hard is it to say "Want fries with that?" Why are franchises so successful, because they are duplicatable - everything is the same. In fact, representatives of MacDonald's Corp. sends people out to evaluate the various restaurants to make sure they all look the same and have the "corporate approved"
menu and signs. It is a no brainer - the system is the key, and the system is duplication - all across the world - China, US, France, Italy - it doesn't matter. You always know when you are in a MacDonalds.
Remember, duplicate success and you will be succesful. You set the tone for your group - they will expect to do what you do. If you recruited them by making cold calls, then they will expect to do the same. If they received a non threatening e-mail that directed them to a web site, then that is what they'll expect to do. If you keep it simple, it will be something for the masses!
Next - Are you promoting an opportunity or a problem?
PART I
You have heard it before, thousands of times It is the key to the MLM riches vault. It is what will take your home based business from barely breaking even to income beyond your wildest dreams. All the sucessful people know it and they say it. But are they really teaching you what you need to know?
I have been in the industry long enough to have heard it all. "Just go get three people that want to change their life" - "Make a list of 100, 200, 300 people - Don't prejudge, I will help you contact them!" "Every no gets us closer to a yes" etc. etc. etc!
You get the gist of this. They are employing the old school mentality to MLM and Network marketing. Let me say this loud and clear - I DON"T WANT TO SELL MY FAMILY ON THIS OPPORTUNITY!
That's how you feel, right? That is how 99.9% of the people in the industry feel. The problem is, once you go through your 'warm market' and get 1 maybe 2 that will talk to you - the opportunity that you were so excited about, suddenly loses its magic. That is what happens to 97% of the people in the Home based business , network marketing, MLM industry. You get 3 out of 100 that are superstars and can work the phones and sell ice to an eskimo. The major problem is THAT CANNOT BE DUPLICATED!
In order to understand duplication you must be aware that most people are like you. They want the path of least resistance. They want to be shielded from direct rejection. Most people do not want to try and sell Uncle Joe and Aunt Mae on the new opportunity that will make their retirement look like the lifestyles of the rich and famous. It may be the best thing since sliced bread, but people will be resistant to doing what is uncomfortable. That is the way it is. That doesn't mean everything has to be easy, not at all. In fact, owning your own business is hard work and it will take hard work to succeed. That is the dirty little secret that no-one is talking about!
If you are to succeed in this business youhave to create a duplicatable system that a teenager can run with ease. Impossible you say! Ever hear of Mac Donalds? How hard is it to say "Want fries with that?" Why are franchises so successful, because they are duplicatable - everything is the same. In fact, representatives of MacDonald's Corp. sends people out to evaluate the various restaurants to make sure they all look the same and have the "corporate approved"
menu and signs. It is a no brainer - the system is the key, and the system is duplication - all across the world - China, US, France, Italy - it doesn't matter. You always know when you are in a MacDonalds.
Remember, duplicate success and you will be succesful. You set the tone for your group - they will expect to do what you do. If you recruited them by making cold calls, then they will expect to do the same. If they received a non threatening e-mail that directed them to a web site, then that is what they'll expect to do. If you keep it simple, it will be something for the masses!
Next - Are you promoting an opportunity or a problem?
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Avoiding Home Business Scams
by Joseph Demasi
How many times have you heard about a great home business opportunity? Probably more than you care to remember. But to go along with this how many of these home business opportunities ended up being a scam? Again, probably quite a few. Hopefully, you were never the victim of any of these scams. But unfortunately there are others who probably fell for these “opportunities.” The fact of the matter is that these scammers would not be wasting their time if they were not making any money. And as long as people continue to get mixed up in this business, these scammers are going to stick around to trick more and more people.
The best way to avoid a home business scam is to thoroughly research each opportunity before you move forward with it. This means doing much more than simply reading a bit about it online. You may get lucky and end up with a good home business opportunity, but chances are that you will not. Not only will you want to read what is available on the site itself, but you will also want to search for other information as well. Check with third party review sites and on message boards and forums. You may find out soon enough that a certain company has been reported as being nothing more than a scam.
You may also want to check with the Better Business Bureau if you are thinking about getting involved with a home business opportunity that you are not sure of. They will be able to tell you if they have any complaints on file. If they do, you will want to avoid the opportunity at all costs. But if it appears that a company is doing business the right way, you can continue your research.
Before you decide to do anything, attempt to get in touch with the company that you are interested in. Can you get them on the phone? Do they respond to your emails? If you cannot even talk to a company before you start, there is not chance that they will be around when you need them. This is one test that you can run early on in order to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company. If you do happen to get an employee on the phone ask them questions in order to get some feedback on the company. Anything that will give you better insight into the home business opportunity is a good question.
Overall, home business scams are all over the place. Do your part in putting them out on the street by not falling prey. The best way to do this is through extensive research and questioning. If you do not feel comfortable about something – trust your instincts and pass. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check out the resources on this blog and do some checking yourself.
To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi
by Joseph Demasi
How many times have you heard about a great home business opportunity? Probably more than you care to remember. But to go along with this how many of these home business opportunities ended up being a scam? Again, probably quite a few. Hopefully, you were never the victim of any of these scams. But unfortunately there are others who probably fell for these “opportunities.” The fact of the matter is that these scammers would not be wasting their time if they were not making any money. And as long as people continue to get mixed up in this business, these scammers are going to stick around to trick more and more people.
The best way to avoid a home business scam is to thoroughly research each opportunity before you move forward with it. This means doing much more than simply reading a bit about it online. You may get lucky and end up with a good home business opportunity, but chances are that you will not. Not only will you want to read what is available on the site itself, but you will also want to search for other information as well. Check with third party review sites and on message boards and forums. You may find out soon enough that a certain company has been reported as being nothing more than a scam.
You may also want to check with the Better Business Bureau if you are thinking about getting involved with a home business opportunity that you are not sure of. They will be able to tell you if they have any complaints on file. If they do, you will want to avoid the opportunity at all costs. But if it appears that a company is doing business the right way, you can continue your research.
Before you decide to do anything, attempt to get in touch with the company that you are interested in. Can you get them on the phone? Do they respond to your emails? If you cannot even talk to a company before you start, there is not chance that they will be around when you need them. This is one test that you can run early on in order to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company. If you do happen to get an employee on the phone ask them questions in order to get some feedback on the company. Anything that will give you better insight into the home business opportunity is a good question.
Overall, home business scams are all over the place. Do your part in putting them out on the street by not falling prey. The best way to do this is through extensive research and questioning. If you do not feel comfortable about something – trust your instincts and pass. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check out the resources on this blog and do some checking yourself.
To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi
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