Multi-Level Marketing!

... Doesn’t it say, “Please do not post any insults or personal attacks (they will be deleted).”

I understand the author is an esteemed direct marketer. But early on, Gordon established guidelines for SOWpub that if your mission in life is to attack other people or ideas or other forms of marketing - and he especially mentioned MLM, because many direct marketers love to attack it - then do it someplace else.

Yet this message was posted … and the thread remains … in direct opposition to the spirit and etiquette of SOWpub.

Some moderator should recognize that and nuke this thread.

This post and the linked article are full of half-truths, poor research, & disinformation.

Example: “YES! There are MLM companies that do (or at least 'pretend' to) attempt to sell their products - but - their "dealers" don't. The "good intentions" of the company are shot to hell by the "dealers" who only see the downline commissions. The "dealers" couldn't care less whether or not they sell any products ... as long as they recruit and enroll more dealers. - After all, that's the name of the MLM game. - And, when there are no more dealers to be found for their current offering, they move on to the next "hot-air sandwich" ... even if it has a seemingly real product to sell.”

This is a lie and an insult and an insight into the author’s poor research. My group - and others - have sold many millions of dollars of products to individuals who never had the slightest idea they were buying an MLM product, and who were NEVER recruited to be part of a business.

Example: “over 90% of the people who get involved in Multi-Level Marketing programs fail miserably."

I wonder how many people who buy someone’s course on making money in mail-order ever have a successful, profitable mail-order business? 100%? 50%? 10%? Maybe 1%, if they’re lucky? I think we all know the answer.

SBA studies some years ago concluded that 90% of all businesses fail in the first year, and of the ones that survive, 90% fail within 5 years. Yet the author makes a big deal over 90% of MLMers failing, like it’s something unusual.

THAT is disinformation.

If this post is still here in a few hours, I’ll have to go over it line by line, pointing out the author’s poor research and explaining to him what he doesn’t know. I’d prefer not to waste my time, since it won’t change his fixed ideas.

Richard Dennis