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MLM thoughts (Read 187 times)

zonykel


    Someone close to me is trying out several Multi Level Marketing schemes. One is Melaleuca and another is some sort of fruit juice drink called Noni or something like that.

     

    personally, I'm very much against MLMs. Statistically, you need a bunch of people underneath you in the pyramid scheme to make a profit. I find such business model distasteful and unethical , since you need 99% of the people losing money for 1% to be rich. The false promises of riches for everyone drives me crazy.

     

    how does one approach a loved one about a topic like this one? On the one hand, you don't want to insult them, but on the other hand, greed seems to take over for reason.

     

    Thoughts?

    npaden


      I was just approached on a new one of these to me.  Geneiss PURE.  Some of their products sound good, but when the guy trying to sell the plan said that around 55% of the cost of the product goes back down the sales chain that just blew me away.

       

      Instead of selling something for $100, lets mark it up to $220 and pay out $110 to folks selling it for us.  Way better than selling it for $105 and paying $5 on an advertising budget?

       

      The guys doing the selling sure get excited about it though.  Need to get in on the ground floor!

      Age: 50 Weight: 224 Height: 6'3" (Goal weight 195)

      Current PR's:  Mara 3:14:36* (2017); HM 1:36:13 (2017); 10K 43:59 (2014); 5K 21:12 (2016)

      zonykel


        I was just approached on a new one of these to me.  Geneiss PURE.  Some of their products sound good, but when the guy trying to sell the plan said that around 55% of the cost of the product goes back down the sales chain that just blew me away.

         

        Instead of selling something for $100, lets mark it up to $220 and pay out $110 to folks selling it for us.  Way better than selling it for $105 and paying $5 on an advertising budget?

         

        The guys doing the selling sure get excited about it though.  Need to get in on the ground floor!

         

        The quality of the product is somewhat irrelevant. As you pointed out, it's absurd to mark up the product so that it feeds the pyramid scheme.

        kcam


           

          The quality of the product is somewhat irrelevant. As you pointed out, it's absurd to mark up the product so that it feeds the pyramid scheme.

           

          This is absolutely true.  The 'product' is merely what legalizes the pyramid scheme.  Zonkyel, I'd pull no punches and tell this person exactly what I think about it and refrain from voicing any judgements about him/her personally.  I think the middle paragraph in your original post would do nicely.


          A Saucy Wench

             

            This is absolutely true.  The 'product' is merely what legalizes the pyramid scheme.  Zonkyel, I'd pull no punches and tell this person exactly what I think about it and refrain from voicing any judgements about him/her personally.  I think the middle paragraph in your original post would do nicely.

             

            ehhh, except 90% of people who are involved in selling MLM's will never admit/recognize that they are part of one.  So that middle paragraph to them is both insulting and irrelevant.

             

            I always go with "Sorry, I am not interested" with NO further reason or justification that they can "refute" and if they are persistent "Look, this isn't personal, but I have already told you that I am not interested, please do not ask again"

             

            MTA: If your question was "how do I save them from continually getting sucked in to these things?", you can't.  Dont try.  Unless it is your spouse, child, or parent and they are draining the family finances on the "starter kit" .

            I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

             

            "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7


            Menace to Sobriety

               

              ehhh, except 90% of people who are involved in selling MLM's will never admit/recognize that they are part of one.  So that middle paragraph to them is both insulting and irrelevant.

               

               

               

              I have no problem whatsoever insulting someone who approaches me with one of these scams. It's always someone that I had a very casual aquaintence with but haven't seen in several years. I doubt anyone ever approaches real friends with these "opportunities".

              Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.


              bigkenny

                I've had some close friends, and casual acquaintances, get involved in MLM.

                 

                What works for me is to buy some of the product and tell them "I don't get involved unless the product is absolutely the best".

                 

                So I'll buy some vitamins or soap, something that I need anyway, and usually by the time I've consumed the purchase they are out of the business anyway.


                A Saucy Wench

                   

                  I have no problem whatsoever insulting someone who approaches me with one of these scams. It's always someone that I had a very casual aquaintence with but haven't seen in several years. I doubt anyone ever approaches real friends with these "opportunities".

                   

                  My mom's partner is on at least her 5th in the last 3 years.  Which almost comes under the category of "parent sucking the money dry".

                  I have become Death, the destroyer of electronic gadgets

                   

                  "When I got too tired to run anymore I just pretended I wasnt tired and kept running anyway" - dd, age 7

                  kcam


                    Well, I have no problem telling someone that is not close to me to stuff it regarding this kind of stuff but OP stated this is someone close to him.  Presumably, he/she wouldn't want to lose the relationship with something insulting so again .... the middle paragraph would do nicely.

                     

                    Last time someone attempted to pitch MLM me:  Someone my wife knows very casually invited us over for a 'dinner party with a few friends'.  So we show up there and what do I find but about 20 people and a gawdam flipboard setup in the living room.  I was steaming mad.   We turned around and left.  I wouldn't have been so angry except that we were freaking lied to about the nature of this gathering.  Haven't heard back from that 'friend'.

                      Someone close to me is trying out several Multi Level Marketing schemes. One is Melaleuca and another is some sort of fruit juice drink called Noni or something like that.

                       

                      personally, I'm very much against MLMs. Statistically, you need a bunch of people underneath you in the pyramid scheme to make a profit. I find such business model distasteful and unethical , since you need 99% of the people losing money for 1% to be rich. The false promises of riches for everyone drives me crazy.

                       

                      how does one approach a loved one about a topic like this one? On the one hand, you don't want to insult them, but on the other hand, greed seems to take over for reason.

                       

                      Thoughts?

                      Hey Zonykel,

                       

                      Having been really involved with Melaleuca and reaching the prestigious position of Senior Director, the business plan is designed to benefit the company way more then the reps trying to build it.

                       

                      I don't know much about Tahitian Noni International, apart from the fact that the juice is way to expensive when comparing it to other Noni  juices on the market.

                       

                      You also brought up a very good point ... since you need 99% of the people losing money for 1% to be rich. The false promises of riches for everyone drives me crazy.

                       

                      Hence the reason I had pretty much given up on MLM until recently when I discovered a company that offers a real and honest way to completely automate a well above average income for the average person. Meaning that people do NOT have to do anything other than join and have this company build the business for them.

                       

                      One no longer needs to do any recruiting, talking to anyone about anything or sell anything to anyone ever as they  do all the work.

                        Someone close to me is trying out several Multi Level Marketing schemes. One is Melaleuca and another is some sort of fruit juice drink called Noni or something like that.

                         

                        personally, I'm very much against MLMs. Statistically, you need a bunch of people underneath you in the pyramid scheme to make a profit. I find such business model distasteful and unethical , since you need 99% of the people losing money for 1% to be rich. The false promises of riches for everyone drives me crazy.

                         

                        how does one approach a loved one about a topic like this one? On the one hand, you don't want to insult them, but on the other hand, greed seems to take over for reason.

                         

                        Thoughts?

                        Hey Zonykel,

                         

                        Having been really involved with Melaleuca and reaching the prestigious position of Senior Director, the business plan is designed to benefit the company way more then the reps trying to build it.

                         

                        I don't know much about Tahitian Noni International, apart from the fact that the juice is way to expensive when comparing it to other Noni  juices on the market.

                         

                        You also brought up a very good point ... since you need 99% of the people losing money for 1% to be rich. The false promises of riches for everyone drives me crazy.

                         

                        Hence the reason I had pretty much given up on MLM until recently when I discovered a company that offers a real and honest way to completely automate a well above average income for the average person. Meaning that people do NOT have to do anything other than join and have this company build the business for them.

                         

                        One no longer needs to do any recruiting, talking to anyone about anything or sell anything to anyone ever as they  do all the work.


                        SMART Approach

                          I loved the concept back in the late 80s and into the 90s. I lost a lot of money and worked hard. I then created my own network marketing company, product and plan. Only then did I make "a lot" money. It was fun for a while until it fizzled.  Since I have seen and experienced it all, I am totally against this industry now. A person who gets involved has to experience it for themselves. Politely tell them you don't have an interest and can purchase those type a products at a fraction of the cost elsewhere.  The quality of the products is nothing to write home about even though they say they have all these scientists formulating these things.

                          Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery

                          Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training

                          Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique

                          www.smartapproachtraining.com


                          Menace to Sobriety

                            Last time someone attempted to pitch MLM me:  Someone my wife knows very casually invited us over for a 'dinner party with a few friends'.  So we show up there and what do I find but about 20 people and a gawdam flipboard setup in the living room.  I was steaming mad.   We turned around and left.  I wouldn't have been so angry except that we were freaking lied to about the nature of this gathering.  Haven't heard back from that 'friend'.

                             

                            Legit businesses rarely rely on ambush tactics. I had one guy call and I directly asked if it was Amway. He denied it, then continued with his spew. Eventually, when I pressed several times, he finally admitted it was Amway, but said that because it had such a negative impression, they weren't supposed to tell people what it was right away. Gee, I wonder why people have such a negative impression of them?

                            Janie, today I quit my job. And then I told my boss to go f*** himself, and then I blackmailed him for almost sixty thousand dollars. Pass the asparagus.

                              Many of us already know that the MLM Industry is currently around $130 Billion per year. It is Endorsed by virtually all the major Billionaires out there (Buffet, Clinton, Gates, Trump, Kiyosaki) and on its way to a Trillion$ Industry.

                               

                              The public’s inability to SELL is MLM’s #1 epidemic problem
                              People can’t make money. People dropping out = Attrition.

                              Many of us already know that the MLM Industry is currently around $130 Billion per year. It is Endorsed by virtually all the major Billionaires out there (Buffet, Clinton, Gates, Trump, Kiyosaki) and on its way to a Trillion$ Industry.

                               

                              The public’s inability to SELL is MLM’s #1 epidemic problem
                              People can’t make money. People dropping out = Attrition.

                               

                              Over 99% fail in MLM. Because most people CANNOT sell.                                                                                                                                           Over 99% are NOT Professional Salesmen.                                                                                                                                                                      Only less than 1% succeed.

                               

                              But there is good news.                                                                                                                                                                                                         There is a light at the end of the MLM tunnel…

                              Listen, we hire an ATTORNEY when we need legal representation. We hire a DOCTOR when we need our health/Bodies fixed. We hire Engineers to build for us. But in the world of MLM, and the obvious Profession that is in dire need to-be-hired, a Professional Salesmen or SYSTEM for HIRE was never available.

                               

                              LOGIC: Successful Salespeople are well trained and in a league of their own, much like Doctors, Attorneys and Engineers. TRYING TO SELL on your own is the same way an ordinary person would try to spearhead their own medical treatment or surgery or draw up their own legal contracts. *Not wise!

                               

                              So in “MLM”, when a Sales “Leader” tells you: “if I can do it – anyone can do it too” – is perhaps one of the biggest misleading statement anyone can make.

                              In simple words...

                              • We hire an ATTORNEY when we need legal representation.                                                                                                                                          • We hire a DOCTOR when we need our health/Bodies fixed.                                                                                                                                           • We hire Engineers & Architects to build for us.

                              So Why Not Hire PROFESSIONALS to build your Network Marketing Business – For you?

                               

                              In the world of MLM, and the obvious Profession that is Direly-Needed;

                              A Professional Salesmen or SYSTEM for HIRE was never available.

                              Until now…

                                Well, I think that just about wraps up this thread....thanks for coming, folks, please drive safely.

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