Have You Done ML Marketing?

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Howdy fellow ex Excel-er.

I think Excel was a good opportunity. They, IMO, are the reason you can buy unlimited long distance from the big phone companies.

But, again, I was totally amazed at the people who would literally rather pay more money... much more money... every month... than change phone companies.

It was quite an eye opening experience

I've seen several who said, "I couldn't believe people would rather pay higher rates for long distance.......". I'll tell you why I said "no." For me, it was because I was just too dang suspicious. After you've been hit up for every rip-off scam in the history of Christianity, you just start saying "no" to everything after a while. I wouldn't even listen to the sales pitch. I think I got the the point that if someone had offered me a foot-tall stack of hundred dollar bills if I joined their program, I'd have said, "No!"

And the Mona Vie stuff that's big now.....I was given a CD to listen to, that was supposed to help convince me. And it was Rodney Howard Brown giving the sales pitch!!!! As if THAT was gonna help.

[notofworks]

Just interested....has anyone ever made any serious money on MLM? I saw John, I think, that made $800 on Excel. Anyone bank it big time from MLM?

[Nitehawk013]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

On Guard my arch enemy... I sold KIRBY's. LOL


I sold the grand total of ONE... and I didn't get a Kirby out of it.

Kirby's!? Those big heavy ancient beasts?

Those are one of the vacs we learned our "Vacuum buster" selling points on. My mom had a Kirby and I thought it was a good vac though.

Nothing compares to my Rainbow though. The water can be a pain, but the lack of dusty air and a dirty bag and the fact that you never lose suction/airflow no matter how much you vacuum far outweighs the hassle.

[*AQuietPlace*]

Originally Posted by notofworks

I've seen several who said, "I couldn't believe people would rather pay higher rates for long distance.......". I'll tell you why I said "no." ....

That's why I said no, too. It was the principle of the thing. I hate being hit up by salespeople. (and, I even *did* some of these things, so I was guilty of the same crime)

[Esther]

Originally Posted by Hoovie

AvonAmwayMelalucaReliveShackleyExcellPrepaidlegalHerbalifeSeasilverFortuneHiTech

I know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.

lol You forgot Watkins, Unidial, Eagle, etc.

Been involved in too many of them.

Always a losing outcome.

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by Esther

lol You forgot Watkins, Unidial, Eagle, etc.

Been involved in too many of them.

Always a losing outcome.

Fuller Brush?

[ManOfWord]

Originally Posted by notofworks

I've been surprised not to see the current juice craze on here. What is MXI, by the way?

What do you do when people in the church get militant/aggressive in their sales? I have a really hard time with that.

I'll pm you a web address, but I won't use AFF.

I don't have anyone at NLC who gets aggressive with these. If they do, people will steer clear of them. Kind of fixes itself.

Originally Posted by Praxeas

MLMs are not ponzi or pyramid schemes.

This is true. MLM is just another way to sell products. Instead of retail it is done face to face and others can become "distributors" of products.

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I understand fully the legal difference between the two -ML and pyramid, but even though a LEGAL MLM company may sell a real product, the way they are sold is really no different in that mathematically it is almost impossible for later recruits in any given city to make any real money, yet they are promised such.
Yes, a pyramid scheme usually involves NO product or service (or could be safely be said to NEVER provide a real product or service), but the charts and funny math seem (to me) to be so close as to be indistinguishable.

HUGE difference between MLM and pyramid schemes. In a pyramid, ONLY the guys at the top make the money. In MLM ANYONE can get to the top as there is infinite room there for those who work hard for probably a couple of years and then they begin to reap the rewards of those whom they have recruited.

I am HUGELY skeptical of MLM's where the business eclipses the product. If it is a good product, it WILL sell and the business side is simply an outgrowth. In fact, I went to a "meeting" last night and was impressed with the lack of hype and the great amount of sincerity of the presenters. I have sat through my share of "miracle" stories and overnight millionaires.

I'm not a fan of MLM by any stretch, but if the product is good, I'll consider it.

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I'll pm you a web address, but I won't use AFF.

I don't have anyone at NLC who gets aggressive with these. If they do, people will steer clear of them. Kind of fixes itself.



This is true. MLM is just another way to sell products. Instead of retail it is done face to face and others can become "distributors" of products.



HUGE difference between MLM and pyramid schemes. In a pyramid, ONLY the guys at the top make the money. In MLM ANYONE can get to the top as there is infinite room there for those who work hard for probably a couple of years and then they begin to reap the rewards of those whom they have recruited.

I am HUGELY skeptical of MLM's where the business eclipses the product. If it is a good product, it WILL sell and the business side is simply an outgrowth. In fact, I went to a "meeting" last night and was impressed with the lack of hype and the great amount of sincerity of the presenters. I have sat through my share of "miracle" stories and overnight millionaires.

I'm not a fan of MLM by any stretch, but if the product is good, I'll consider it.

I received it, thanks.

I obviously take a much more dim view of the MLM world than you. I spend a lot of time with "unchurched" people and one of the apprehensions of church is frequently fund-raising, whether it be kids with candy-bars or a building fund program. I've had numerous people say, "I went to church and the lobby was like a flea market."

So when aggressive members, promising people wealth, hit people with their latest miracle product, it just gets ugly.

Our church is a young church and we're mostly new church attenders. So when the juice bottles come out, people stay home and away from the small groups, which is where a lot of this happens.

We've lost people over it. And then when we attempted to tone down the sales tactics, that hurt feelings as well.

So I hate the stuff.

[ManOfWord]

I won't allow it IN church or IN our small groups either. It is forbidden! I can deal with the little kids selling candy for their school, but if it get to be too much, I'll say something.

I think MLM can be handled well if two things are present:

#1 It is a good product
#2 People are not viewed as THEIR meal ticket.

Everybody and their brother has tried to get me involved in every MLM thing that has come down the pike! Like I said, I'm very skeptical and the first thing I do is listen to what is more important, the business or the product. If it's the business and they're afraid to tell me what the product is, I'm outta there! That's when I feel like a piece of meat for their benefit.

[notofworks]

Originally Posted by ManOfWord

I won't allow it IN church or IN our small groups either. It is forbidden! I can deal with the little kids selling candy for their school, but if it get to be too much, I'll say something.

I think MLM can be handled well if two things are present:

#1 It is a good product
#2 People are not viewed as THEIR meal ticket.

Everybody and their brother has tried to get me involved in every MLM thing that has come down the pike! Like I said, I'm very skeptical and the first thing I do is listen to what is more important, the business or the product. If it's the business and they're afraid to tell me what the product is, I'm outta there! That's when I feel like a piece of meat for their benefit.

So how do you forbid it? I sit said publicly or it is a written policy....how do you get the word out? Everyone thinks their product is a good one. Do you ever get the comeback, "You mean I can't EVER say anything to anyone?"

I've grown up with this stuff but in my years of pastoring, it's never been an issue until fairly recently. We've been pretty immune from it until Mona Vie hit the scene.