I'm actually into MLM, but I would not class myself as the regular "mlm tryhard" you usually see or hear from, so I am going to have to chime in here.
Personally, I joined an mlm around 6 or so months ago, and I will explain (briefly) why in a second.
Since joining, I realised there would be a bit more involved than I had first imagined, and I realised I would have to do a bit more leg-work than I imagined to make it work with
My Plan i had set out. Basically I have not started as well as I would have liked yet because I dont like the companies website or marketing material in general, based on my own personal experience it is not conducive to sales. but I can make my own website and marketing materials
(which I have been doing)
Very briefly, I joined MLM coming from a sales and self employed background. I have sold lots of things, door to door, online, via websites or auction sites, on the phone, etc etc.
I have started my own businesses, making stuff and selling, offering services and selling those, etc etc.
As of yet, I have not found the thing that I want to stick at, maybe I have ADD/ADHD/Whatever, but thats by the by, not what this conversation is lol
All I am saying is, I have tried a lot of stuff, and in my eyes, it always comes down to sales.
A sales based business is scalable. most other businesses, are extremely hard to scale. A service based business, very hard to scale, especially if you cant find people as good at offering the service as you are.
I thought LONG and HARD before joining an MLM (only one, and I am not jumping ship till I have seen my plan to the end).
I had great issues with PAYING someone for the privilege of promoting their products. After all, I did sales, and affiliate sales, and none of them would ask me for money to promote their products.
however none of those would offer the "Downline" and scalability and leverage.
I decided, that after years of taking "up front money", and even helping lots of people with getting their "up front money" I wanted to try and build something that can pay out over the long term.
Short term, sell some products, but long term, all the help I have given people over the years, if I help people make even just a little bit of money selling my MLM products, I hope it will build into a long term income.
Anyway long and short is, unlike a lot of people in MLM I sought out an MLM company because I had decided it was time to try the MLM route.
I have my own plan, not the plan that the MLM company is pitching.
I do have a lot of problems with MLM in general, especially the MLM Try Hards who have been brainwashed etc, it is really hard talking to some of them lol
I am with Wikaniko BTW, because they have a massive range of products (from a sales mans point of view thats good) plus they are flexible with promotion methods (whereas some companies are strict)
caledonia1972 said:
Even if you like the idea of selling stuff, why not research independent wholesalers of candles/cosmetics/jewellery etc and sell in that way? You're dealing direct with the wholesaler and not lining the pockets of several other people up the chain.
You also have to buy a large amount up front, and deal with all the admin/clerical side of the business. as Jon pointed out, all that is done for you with an MLM and some good ones have no minimum order or signup fees.