Multi Level Marketing - The Pros and Cons

Don’t Jump Into MLM Until You Read This!

Your phone rings. You quickly pick it up. Oh no...

It’s Uncle Bob. Again. Oh why oh why didn’t you think to look at your caller ID!

Now you’ll have to endure yet another pitch about his fabulous-once-in-a-lifetime-business-opportunity that you’d better join now or miss out on riches and wealth!

You patiently sit and listen to him excitedly share the latest and greatest multi level marketing opportunity, all the while you're trying to make up some excuse to get him off the phone.

Oh no - now he’s inviting you to his home for a "business opportunity meeting". Right. You tell him that regrettably you’ll be unable to attend that night because you’ll be washing your dog.

It’s the weekend. You’re looking forward to hanging with your friends, and watching the game on Jim’s big screen TV.

You’ve worked hard all week, and just want to relax with the guys. You arrive, and as you walk into the living room, you freeze.

Who invited HIM? It’s Uncle Bob. And he’s busy passing out…drinks? No! He’s actually passing out samples of his amazing energy drink product.

He’s eagerly sharing all the amazing benefits of this one-of-a-kind beverage. You look around for an escape. Too late, you are spotted and here comes Uncle Bob with your sample…

If you’ve lived on this planet for any length of time, you have probably had similar experiences as this.

There is no denying that this has been a very annoying reality of Multi Level Marketing. Unfortunately it sometimes still is.

No one’s told Uncle Bob he doesn’t have to do his business like this!

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Sides of Multi Level Marketing

1.The Warm Market Nightmare: When you join a Multi Level Marketing company, there is a good possibility that you will be asked to make a huge list of everyone you know...

...your family, friends, anyone you’ve ever said “hi” to. You will then be trained to call each one and tell them about your new and exciting business opportunity.

Sometimes you are told to invite them to a meeting, or a one on one meeting with your very successful upline mentor.

Whatever the process, you may expect a range of responses from your warm market.

Some may be as excited as you. Good - it does happen. However, neutral to negative responses are more the norm. Your warm market prospects may humor you, avoid you, or react in a rude, sometimes even angry way.

There is still some stigma attached to those in the Multi Level Marketing Business.

True, things are changing.

MLM has become a legitimate business, but for some people who vividly remember the “Old Days” of Multi Level Marketing, these stereotypes may be hard to shake.

You might have to endure being the subject of their jokes and snide comments. So you better really love and be committed to your choice of career.

2. Everyone’s Got a Story about someone they knew who knew someone who was in an MLM and lost all his money and ended up broke, homeless and living in a box under a freeway overpass.

You’ll get to hear all kinds of stories, none good of course.

Or maybe the person sharing the story with you was personally involved in a multi level marketing company and was a hopeless failure at it, and now concludes that all MLM’s are scams. Be ready. You will hear it.

3. The Sinking Ship. What happens if you join an MLM company, and do get your friends and family involved, only to see that amazing company go out of business?

Yes this has happened, leaving distributors and their downlines dangling with commission checks that are worthless and dreams broken.

How would your family and friends react to seeing their hard work, efforts, and investment dissolve overnight?

4. Hard Work and Grit. The financial pay-off with having a successful Multi Level Marketing business is astronomical.

But, it takes a lot of hard work, determination, persistence, and a thick skin. It takes effort, energy and a lot of serious motivation.

To make the really big bucks, you’ll really have to learn how to sell, recruit, train, and motivate your team.

You’ll have to learn how to teach them to duplicate what you are doing so they’ll be successful. You will be a coach, teacher, salesperson, mentor.

5. No Free Lunch. All legitimate Multi Level Marketing companies will require some sort of financial investment.

This is a business, after all. Your investment will probably buy you marketing materials, samples, and a personal company website.

You may be required to receive minimum monthly personal shipments of the product you will be selling.

They’ll expect you to believe in the product you’re selling enough that you will want to consume it yourself.

And rightfully so.

People will be able to tell the difference between the person who truly believes in what they're doing, and the person who's just in it for the money.

It's the true belief in the product, caring about others, and consistent action that lead to the money.

You will reap the reward for the good you sow into other people's lives.

So Then Why Would Anyone Ever Choose This Career?

Here’s the GOOD...

Multi level marketing has become a low-cost, high tech industry that allows you to build a real business - that has the potential for a very high income and allows you to enjoy the freedom of making your own schedule. All from the comfort of your home.

1. Lifestyle. Many people choose this career for the flexibility if offers.

They want to have the freedom to attend their children’s events, pursue recreational activities, take vacations when they want, and set their own hours.

The structure of Multi Level Marketing companies allows you to be a business owner without all the headaches associated with running a traditional business, freeing up precious time.

The hours are flexible, and you have the choice to work full or part-time.

2. Low Start up Costs. Your initial investment won’t be anything near what it would cost to start a traditional business - even a home business.

Network Marketing is turning peoples dreams of owning a business into reality, because of low start up costs.

Very little is actually needed to get started.

A space in your home, a computer, phone, fax and your good to go. Multi Level Marketing companies offer an awesome opportunity for anyone to realize their dream of becoming an entrepreneur.

3. A Business that Runs Itself - Almost. These days, most Network Marketing companies handle all the shipping of products straight to your customers.

They handle the billing, taxes, and paperwork associated with this. Most of the time this is handled online.

Gone are the days of stocking cases of product in your garage.

Most companies drop ship orders as you or your customer place them either on line or by phone.

Systems for running your business are already in place, so you don’t have to spend time re-inventing the wheel. All marketing and advertising materials are already created for you if you want them.

There are systems and processes in place for handling prospects and customers.

4. Different kinds of income (and lots of it)...

You’ll get to experience the beauty of both leveraged and residual income, which in most traditional business is not an option.

This is earning income on the efforts of others, and over and over again for the same activity.

Many people see this as an opportunity to take control of their financial future as they realize the power of this type of income.

And the potential to create a high income is huge. It really is amazing the potential to make a lot of money in this field.

5. This is truly an Equal Opportunity Employer. No matter what your skill level, educational background, experience, or location, it’s a level playing ground in the world of Network Marketing.

-King and Robinson sum it up this way in their book The New Professionals...

“Many professionals find that the barriers of more traditional careers do not exist in network marketing.

There is no glass ceiling, no color barrier for racial and ethnic minorities...

...no limited access for the physically disabled, no age discrimination confronting the elderly...

Many find in Network Marketing a refreshing restoration of mediocrity to the business world. Each individual rises or falls based on his or her efforts…”

6. You’ll get the Opportunity for Personal Growth. As you move up the ranks in your company, you will develop skills you might never have realized you had.

This can be rewarding and exhilarating. You will learn how to develop, train, and coach a group of individuals to succeed.

You will be stretched , and challenged like maybe you have never been before in your life. You will be molded into a leader.

7. The Perfect Online Business. Network Marketing is ideally suited to online business. It’s possible to generate leads, recruit into your business, train and manage a downline all through the internet.

Selling your product and business opportunity online though, takes some skill, so be sure to consider this when you’re selecting a multi level marketing company.

Make sure you find a sponsor that knows how to do this online or you might find yourself in the warm market nightmare listed above. Check out our article How to Choose the Right Company for Your Home Business to give you some ideas to consider when looking into a company and picking an upline sponsor.

8. You get to help others. It’s not just about making the Big Bucks. Really, the only way you will be truly successful in the Multi Level Marketing industry is by helping others.

As you build your team, you will teach them to do the same thing. You will help, support, motivate, encourage, and teach your team to reach their goals and realize their dreams.

My dear friend Mary (not actual name) had owned a business in the financial industry. When the economy took a nose dive, Mary’s company suffered greatly.

She lost clients, business slowed and eventually came to a halt.

She laid off her employees and shut the doors. She had no income for nearly a year, and lived off savings. When this ran out, she was forced to stop paying her bills, even her mortgage.

She was on the verge of loosing her house, when her sister introduced her to a new Multi Level Marketing company. Her sister was enjoying success in this company, and Mary was willing to take a look at the opportunity.

Today, she is one of the top executives in her company. She was able to save her home and now enjoys a life she once only dreamed of.

She has time to spend with her children, and money to enjoy life with.

Network marketing can be the answer to many people’s financial problems. It is extremely satisfying to witness someone being rescued from the brink of financial disaster through their efforts in Network Marketing.

It’s gratifying just seeing someone enjoying their life more, spending more time with their kids, relaxed, fulfilled and happy.

You might select a company that offers a product or service that improves peoples lives as well. When you begin to experience these testimonies, life really does become rewarding, and all that hard work is well worth it.

So, you might or might not be seriously considering this field. Before you decide, go ahead and read our article: Wanted - MLM Business Professionals?

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