WHY MLM is NOT FOR YOU?
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Firstly! NOT EVERYONE CAN DO MLM...
people with the following SHOULD NEVER do MLM:
lazy
want quick buck
dont like to talk alot
looking for a degree with a secure job
like to be selfish
people who should do MLM:
want to be succuessful
want to be different
want to be financially free
want to learn
want to share with friends
help friends
I know you do not trust me.. as I am a NETWORKER myself... but I guess the problem now is that too many young networkers are in MLM and put up a VERY BAD image on MLM... firstly they cannot really afford it and felt cheated as they did not earn their investment back.. it normal....
Why?
I been to 4 MLM companies... different MLM company only works for different types of people
if you like to sell products... 4 life, Amway is the answer they got good products...
if you like to be successful and talk to people... NTI is the answer..
BUT if you prefer a secure job... then DONT DO MLM PLEASE! cos it will only make the image of MLM worst...
that is why... this lawence.. must one of the poor victim... which I find it strange he so commited to keep posting here.. =P wonder what he working as.. =P
Anyway... I am no one now.... MLM althought I lost some money.. from it.. I was responsible to say... I know why I lost money.. as I didnt put in the effect...
If.. you want to start a business.... dont you want your employee to work? of course you do right? so what differents it makes in MLM? you are the boss.. and the employee... you dont work.. how to earn?
So... summary is.... if you prefer working for a job.. then do so.. but dont... say it is a cheat just because.. you LOST money.... I also was in your shoes before I know... But... if you think again.. what really make u lost that money?
was it the friend u introduce? or issit... did you really understood the plan and implement... what they teach? so it is up to you to decide what I say is truth... why I am posting this is.... I cant help it.. that you all post so many posts about MLM the bads and goods..
In any business there are sure Goods and Bads..... but because it a business about earning from others and a helping business it affected many people who are NOT business man...
THAT IS WHY the 90/10 rules stills stays truth.. as... why 10 percent of the world are rich and 90 percent are either middle class or poor... simply... they dont want to change and want to stick to their secure job... =) -
so is there MLM for other products ?like software
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Not just that. Theres a whole world of mlm business out there. Do you know that even legal business is mlm'ed in the United States? Not just software my fren... The trouble with Singapore is that its too slow in acceptance of new business channels.
DO you know that mlm is most successful in Japan and Korea? This is because their culture allows them for very effective communication and trust between neighbours and families. Within a year, 25 year olds who started Amway in Japan, are at diamond lvl, driving posh cars etc etc. -
if you wan to be successful and talk to people.. NTI is the answer?????
oh gosh!!! please dont insult the industry with the name NTI !!
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Lol being successful doesnt have to be because of the company name. You have control whether you want this business to go or stop. Your conviction, dedication, passion... is wat mattersOriginally posted by Alex Wong:if you wan to be successful and talk to people.. NTI is the answer?????
oh gosh!!! please dont insult the industry with the name NTI !! -
yeah try talking with James Pang...he sure make an ah beng out of you
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Sorry i didnt quite catch the meaningOriginally posted by 2094_BD:yeah try talking with James Pang...he sure make an ah beng out of you -
have u met james pang before...if u do u know how ah beng he is...well of course u can go meet him up but if u neber meet him before...dont start...advise...
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lol i dunno who he is...Originally posted by 2094_BD:have u met james pang before...if u do u know how ah beng he is...well of course u can go meet him up but if u neber meet him before...dont start...advise... -
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Originally posted by laurence82:
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lol...this chap's business knowledge is only limited to Robert Kiyosaki's rubbish strategies(okay, he did raised a few good pts at the start of the RDPD book but that's about it), and MLM books.
Anybody who is dedicated and talented to his work, outdoing his peers, can succeed in any field he is good at(inc business); doesn't have to be MLM. I don't see anyone in the top 10, top 20 or even top 50 in the world's richest list doing MLM anyway. The like to, and only can, cite this one person - Donald Trump. But sorry, Trump made most of his fortunes thru real estates. And of course, he should be relatively more succesful(as compared to his peers in the same industry) in MLM because SO MANY pple know him, thru his publicity stunts.
Yes, some people do make money in MLM, but how much? What's the proportion of people earning? And how is the industry as a whole doing? Anyway, if selling through MLM involves lots of overheads and ending up overpaying these 'salesmen'(I do not see what other role they are playing other than making sales), this makes neither business nor economic sense; more inefficieny, less competitiveness. I'd buy a non-MLM pdt any day, as long as it's value-for-money, unlike lotsa MLM products. Remember, there's no free lunch in this world. Earning loads of money in MLM means that somebody have to pay for these services, where i still don't see any products that's really solid and best in the industry such that it deserves to be sold at a premium. Anyway, among the all coys involved in direct-sales, the most successful firm in executing this strategy is none other than Dell, ironically but not surprising, non-MLM.
The 'MLM is the next wave' hype just reminds me of the dot.com boom and ultimately very fvcked bust. People simply put their money, buying in at atrocious prices, in these company which has no value and sell sh!t products simply because this is the 'next big thing'. Sure, there are people who made money, but only because due to luck and psychological shrewdness(reading these idiots minds and emotions). The majority of the people lost money - loads and loads of it.
The prob with MLM is that it's fundamentally flawed. First, almost all of them have lousy and overpriced products. Secondly, it involves lots of manpower to promote and sell their products(the traditional mode - advertising, made use of economies of scale - screening to millions of people at one go - such that marketing cost per product sold could be kept reasonable or even miniscule; one man displaying and selling a handful of products at a time, compared to Walmart, with one store and a few employees displaying and selling loads and loads at a time), thus jacking up the price further more. Third, people join in less because they like the product nor have a good impression of the products, but more because they just want to make money - loads of it. Fourth, even if the products are very very solid, almost all the companies do not have a cap on the number of people allowed to join, ultimately resulting in fierce competition among networkers for business of the same products since there are so many of them and thus, their individual income as a whole is still very limited. Fifth, there's a great sense of aversion to MLM'ers among the general public due to very inethical sales tactics and highly questionable promises. If a great no. of people have a negative towards you, the odds of making a good buck are against you, since your potential gains ultimately depends on the decisions of the general public.
The general health of MLM companies remains to be vague and very much mysterious, since almost all of them are not listed in the stock exchange. Even, the largest of them all - Amway - had been delisted from NYSE some years ago. And, I also find the fact that James Phang receives 5% of revenue(this is not even counting the other portion he'd be receiving for his stakes in the coy) for every product sold is too much and unreasonable. C'mon, even McDonad's charge their franchisees only 8% of revenue, to be paid to the thousands of executives and staff in the headquarters as salaries and yearly bonuses, to pay for the cost for the lease or real estate, to pay the gov as taxes, to pay for advertising and other marketing campaigns, with the end profits to be distributed to the millions of shareholders, etc. And that Phang wanna get 5% for free? No way!
At the end of the day, business success cannot run away from these fundamental factors - desirable products at a desirable price, good marketing(MLM may come into this, but it's subjective), good accessibility, and ability to keep costs low. Forget these, and you can forget about everything else. -
Anybody who is dedicated and talented to his work, outdoing his peers, can succeed in any field he is good at(inc business); doesn't have to be MLM. I don't see anyone in the top 10, top 20 or even top 50 in the world's richest list doing MLM anyway. The like to, and only can, cite this one person - Donald Trump. But sorry, Trump made most of his fortunes thru real estates. And of course, he should be relatively more succesful(as compared to his peers in the same industry) in MLM because SO MANY pple know him, thru his publicity stunts.
Not so. Again, as i emphasised many times, in the business world today, size and revenue are not the main measures of good business. Profitability measure against industry and quality of services and products, plus cost efficiency are the mainstay. It is always ridiculous to see people measuring large, non focused companies like Wal Mart, against companies with focus on specialised products and niche market, or to be correct, on few markets, such as Microsoft, Amway and other such companies. Do you know in Singapore alone, many companies are changing focus on mass market to quality service, products and niche market. I can tell you heck a lot about companies such as Pestbusters who goddamned compromise their profits in exchange for quality and training. Such ranking of size of companies can only make their way to magazines such as Times, rather than serious business journals such as Harvard Business Reviews. Companies are asking for troubles by having narrow minded vision of targetting just size and revenue.Yes, some people do make money in MLM, but how much? What's the proportion of people earning? And how is the industry as a whole doing? Anyway, if selling through MLM involves lots of overheads and ending up overpaying these 'salesmen'(I do not see what other role they are playing other than making sales), this makes neither business nor economic sense; more inefficieny, less competitiveness. I'd buy a non-MLM pdt any day, as long as it's value-for-money, unlike lotsa MLM products. Remember, there's no free lunch in this world. Earning loads of money in MLM means that somebody have to pay for these services, where i still don't see any products that's really solid and best in the industry such that it deserves to be sold at a premium. Anyway, among the all coys involved in direct-sales, the most successful firm in executing this strategy is none other than Dell, ironically but not surprising, non-MLM.
Again, its your observations. So far, none could provide legitimate statistics on how the MLM industry is doing. I seen many people only pick a handful out of the possible few hundred direct selling companies in SG and make a judgement. Heck, in last year Straits Times, they admitted they couldnt even get the right estimates of people working in this industry. And, like the Coke theory, everyone guess the cost of these products. Unless the stats come straight out the company, how can you be sure these industry observers are absolutely right?
Something worth heckling about your comments on products sold at premium. While some argue costs are lowered by elimination of marketing intermediaries, others are also right to say its being raised to cover the commissions due to these distributors. Seriously, any businessmen wouldnt care whether its right or wrong to set prices at preimum, but rather, whether these premium prices suits market demand, Again, these are the fundamental flaws of price costing, than the marketing channel which is MLM. Its basic business laws that boss should match their prices to achive demand, and keep the company going. I wonder how can anyone attribute this breaking of fundamental rule solely to MLM? This is hillarious....The 'MLM is the next wave' hype just reminds me of the dot.com boom and ultimately very fvcked bust. People simply put their money, buying in at atrocious prices, in these company which has no value and sell sh!t products simply because this is the 'next big thing'. Sure, there are people who made money, but only because due to luck and psychological shrewdness(reading these idiots minds and emotions). The majority of the people lost money - loads and loads of it.
The prob with MLM is that it's fundamentally flawed. First, almost all of them have lousy and overpriced products. Secondly, it involves lots of manpower to promote and sell their products(the traditional mode - advertising, made use of economies of scale - screening to millions of people at one go - such that marketing cost per product sold could be kept reasonable or even miniscule; one man displaying and selling a handful of products at a time, compared to Walmart, with one store and a few employees displaying and selling loads and loads at a time), thus jacking up the price further more. Third, people join in less because they like the product nor have a good impression of the products, but more because they just want to make money - loads of it. Fourth, even if the products are very very solid, almost all the companies do not have a cap on the number of people allowed to join, ultimately resulting in fierce competition among networkers for business of the same products since there are so many of them and thus, their individual income as a whole is still very limited.
Again, this paragraph clearly shows your perceptions.The general health of MLM companies remains to be vague and very much mysterious, since almost all of them are not listed in the stock exchange. Even, the largest of them all - Amway - had been delisted from NYSE some years ago. And, I also find the fact that James Phang receives 5% of revenue(this is not even counting the other portion he'd be receiving for his stakes in the coy) for every product sold is too much and unreasonable. C'mon, even McDonad's charge their franchisees only 8% of revenue, to be paid to the thousands of executives and staff in the headquarters as salaries and yearly bonuses, to pay for the cost for the lease or real estate, to pay the gov as taxes, to pay for advertising and other marketing campaigns, with the end profits to be distributed to the millions of shareholders, etc. And that Phang wanna get 5% for free? No way!
Yes, this is true, which actually contradicts your first few points. Until someone make a thorough observation of the whole industry, I would never speculate on these few aspects you touch on, whether its good or bad. Thats why I make my judgement or arguments solely on specific or individual companies, than making a generalisation of the whole industry as you have done.At the end of the day, business success cannot run away from these fundamental factors - desirable products at a desirable price, good marketing(MLM may come into this, but it's subjective), good accessibility, and ability to keep costs low. Forget these, and you can forget about everything else.
This whole paragraph is damn true, but it sticks out sore thumb when someone read through your whole post.... -
I don't know how MLM works but as a consumer, I can tell you that its products are OVERPRICED. I bought these products just to "patronise" my friends and relative. I don't need to pay for costly anti-aging creams when I can get Estee Lauder, Lancome, etc. from the cosmetic counter. My colleague sold me a box of pregnancy vitamin at $130+ but my gynae advised me not to take as I am already taking her recommended pregnancy vitamins at only $30+ - same ingredients. Two bottles of aromatherapy I brought home gave me allergies and I threw them all away. Then, I was invited to a seminar about skin problems by a professor. As I stepped into the hall, the members were singing, clapping and with music playing very loudly. I was shocked! It reminds me of the cult church that I had attended in my younger days. Also, why do you need the "professor" to explain the epidermis and structure/layers of the human skin when it is common knowledge? Isn't it questionable that a "professor" is standing on the stage to explain and encourage its members to sell their products? Shouldn't a professor be doing research?? Some product is marketed and labelled to look like it is from U.S. or France but in fact from Taiwan! One day, I gave a dressing down to my friend who brought an MLM sales person to my home! Trying to sell many products from his catalogue, one of them is the "purified water" that uses special equipment and certified at a cost of thousand+, instalment avail too. The benefits? "purified water" for health. I see no harm with drinking boiled water from our tap water resource. At least we get hydrated! How can you justify the cost of that? Of course, after that there usually is some demo to convince you, like testing the different water from tap, boiled water and their own purified water. It is the same with my relative who try to sell me a special washing detergent. Then there was this herbal vitamin that costs a bomb - the ingredients you can find from fresh food!! Because he is selling based on information from the files and folders, it really tells you how far this person know about the product (textbook!). Because of me and my child's allergy problems, I am always researching, and even scrunitizing every ingredient that may not be suitable for us. My advice? Buy MLM products IF you can Afford it, or NEED it to SAVE your life! Or unless you are patronizing your friends like me!!!
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The above example is very specific to a company....
Mind telling us the name? -
All above products are from different MLMs. I can't name it so explicitly! I was going to tell my friends to give me a break. I believe a balance diet and healthy lifestyle is good enough. No need to go to extra length to eat and use special products.
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thats right.. if only everyone can have balance diet and healthy lifestyle like you....
sometimes we cant compare prices just like that.. saying mlm products overprice is a biased comment without backing up by facts and figures. if you think the price is overprice, you can anytime file complaint to CASE. -
Not so. Again, as i emphasised many times, in the business world today, size and revenue are not the main measures of good business. Profitability measure against industry and quality of services and products, plus cost efficiency are the mainstay. It is always ridiculous to see people measuring large, non focused companies like Wal Mart, against companies with focus on specialised products and niche market, or to be correct, on few markets, such as Microsoft, Amway and other such companies. Do you know in Singapore alone, many companies are changing focus on mass market to quality service, products and niche market. I can tell you heck a lot about companies such as Pestbusters who goddamned compromise their profits in exchange for quality and training. Such ranking of size of companies can only make their way to magazines such as Times, rather than serious business journals such as Harvard Business Reviews. Companies are asking for troubles by having narrow minded vision of targetting just size and revenue.
I did not really comment on the quality of the business with regards to the paragraph in question. And since when did i say that size and revenue = good business? However, Wal-Mart is still indeed a good, efficient and highly profitable business anyway. If I ever mention Wal-Mart(which I did), it is always because of its very efficiency and ability to keep costs low and hence passing the benefits to the consumers, beating the competition, while still remaining highly profitable. The message I was sending was to bust those in MLM'ers who hype a lot about how you could be the next billionaire in MLM, giving unrealistic expectations. Joining MLM is not the only way, nor proven to be the most effective way, to be rich and successful.Again, its your observations. So far, none could provide legitimate statistics on how the MLM industry is doing. I seen many people only pick a handful out of the possible few hundred direct selling companies in SG and make a judgement. Heck, in last year Straits Times, they admitted they couldnt even get the right estimates of people working in this industry. And, like the Coke theory, everyone guess the cost of these products. Unless the stats come straight out the company, how can you be sure these industry observers are absolutely right?
Read the word 'if'. I did not say definitely that MLM is inefficient. What I meant is t hat selling through the alternaltive MLM should be made efficient, esp against traditional methods, for it to be really viable. The demand of course is dependent on quality(which the QC and management involved is responsible; nothing to do with whether it's MLM or not), desirability(this come into market research; MLM or not does not matter in the research) and marketing n sales tactics involved. The maim aims of selling thru MLM are to provide a better and more personalised service(depends on the product; certain commodities such as toothpaste, household items, vitamins, etc, do not really need such a service) and to better the cost-effectiveness(don't you think this is an advantage has an effect on price? Price competitiveness is essential too in many fields of business)) of the promotion and distribution of the same products via the traditional way. If the MLM firm do not meet such requirements, MLM itself could be redundant, and may be non-viable. And of course, MLM is not necessarily more efficient when compared with traditional methods.
Something worth heckling about your comments on products sold at premium. While some argue costs are lowered by elimination of marketing intermediaries, others are also right to say its being raised to cover the commissions due to these distributors. Seriously, any businessmen wouldnt care whether its right or wrong to set prices at preimum, but rather, whether these premium prices suits market demand, Again, these are the fundamental flaws of price costing, than the marketing channel which is MLM. Its basic business laws that boss should match their prices to achive demand, and keep the company going. I wonder how can anyone attribute this breaking of fundamental rule solely to MLM? This is hillarious....
It's also true that many MLM companies manage to sell overpriced products(and hence what i call 'premium') because of pushy sales tactics, fabrication of lies about their products and the fact that it comes together with the signing up because its many promises. A lot of people I know involved were not willing customers, or that they found out they were cheated after buying the products. Obviously, there are indeed too many bad eggs in the industry. I am also more wary than I usually do when it comes to MLMs, because of so many such cases.Again, this paragraph clearly shows your perceptions
I was specically referring to most people who join MLMs due to peer pressure and hype they promise, without any real understanding of the business and structure of the companies involved. I do admit that I went too far and quite off the line when I said that it's 'fundamentally flawed' though; I was making a sweeping statement on the whole industry. I retract this statement, and apologise for any misunderstandings and distortions made.
I do admit that my writing skills are not that good and often awkward. Again, I apologise if anyone has misunderstood any of what I have written due to my deficiencies in my writings.
Anyway, laurence, I was googling for sites mentioning 'NTI' and got my way here. You confirmed my doubts on NTI after reading your posts, among other good ones also. That's why I'm here.
Anyway, MLM to me is just another way of doing sales and marketing within a company. Certain things essential - method of prodution, quality control, research and developement, etc - don't change and are independent of whether the coy is MLM or not. -
ahh, i see, your post becomes clearer to me
and i must state that this time i agree with you...
hope you also dont see me as an antagonistic or offensive
hope for more of such debate...i am already tired of other people becoming defensive and resort to character assasination after i question their arguments....
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peace. argue wont prove anything.
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Unfortunately, MLM does not allow them to reach these goals either.Originally posted by sabokid:Firstly! NOT EVERYONE CAN DO MLM...
people with the following SHOULD NEVER do MLM:
lazy
want quick buck
dont like to talk alot
looking for a degree with a secure job
like to be selfish
people who should do MLM:
want to be succuessful
want to be different
want to be financially free
want to learn
want to share with friends
help friends
So do hundreds of thousands of MLM, they all claim to have successful people.I know you do not trust me.. as I am a NETWORKER myself... but I guess the problem now is that too many young networkers are in MLM and put up a VERY BAD image on MLM... firstly they cannot really afford it and felt cheated as they did not earn their investment back.. it normal....
Why?
I been to 4 MLM companies... different MLM company only works for different types of people
if you like to sell products... 4 life, Amway is the answer they got good products... [/quote]
So do many thousands of MLM, they all claim to have good products.if you like to be successful and talk to people... NTI is the answer..
Like it is any better.BUT if you prefer a secure job... then DONT DO MLM PLEASE! cos it will only make the image of MLM worst...Don't take it too hard on yourself. Don't blame yourself so hard. MLM is not designed to be successful.Anyway... I am no one now.... MLM althought I lost some money.. from it.. I was responsible to say... I know why I lost money.. as I didnt put in the effect...
Lots of difference. At least with traditional job, you can make an honest living without selling your soul to the devil.If.. you want to start a business.... dont you want your employee to work? of course you do right? so what differents it makes in MLM? you are the boss.. and the employee... you dont work.. how to earn?Then have you made any money? Lets wait till you make money first then talk.So... summary is.... if you prefer working for a job.. then do so.. but dont... say it is a cheat just because.. you LOST money.... I also was in your shoes before I know... But... if you think again.. what really make u lost that money?
Unfortunately, it does more harm than good.was it the friend u introduce? or issit... did you really understood the plan and implement... what they teach? so it is up to you to decide what I say is truth... why I am posting this is.... I cant help it.. that you all post so many posts about MLM the bads and goods..
In any business there are sure Goods and Bads..... but because it a business about earning from others and a helping business it affected many people who are NOT business man...[quote] THAT IS WHY the 90/10 rules stills stays truth.. as... why 10 percent of the world are rich and 90 percent are either middle class or poor... simply... they dont want to change and want to stick to their secure job... =)Unfortunately, in MLM, there are more failures compared to traditional business. -
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hahahaha so funny on mlm.. tell you all what lar, all newbies who don't what is mlm go read some info about it on the net or bk or from ur close relatives who u could trust them. Those who know what mlm is or find sh1ttY abt it just hack care their product and events let them die... haha =P no offense , then those who are in mlm liao gd luck bros, i hope u earn ur extra income as an part-timers, if u are in full time.. hm... the god is always their above you if you made fasle perceptions of the income opportunity of ur company or the mircales that ur company's product will do.. no doubt u will be very rich hahaa but i pray u won't die early.. if not got money no life to spend ar
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lol... based on your own emotional perception. i prefer facts and logic here.. not another baseless childish claims.Originally posted by lution:Unfortunately, in MLM, there are more failures compared to traditional business.