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Am I the only one really turned off by MLM? Especially if it is somehow incorporated into a physician's practice?
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Maybe there is more credibility to MLM. I had similar doubts. I heard a podcast on Doc outside the Box with Passive Income's Wife (can't remember her name). She addressed some of those concerns. -
I'm not a fan. My Mom was always too polite to decline invitations to various "parties," and there's typically significant social pressure to purchase products when you're surrounded by friends and neighbors. I still remember the awful taste of the Herbalife drops my brother and I had to choke down after she was sold some bogus supplement.
As a man, I don't seem to be the target market for many of these MLM's, but I'm married to a doctor's wife, and that seems to be a prime demographic for these products. But the only parties we go to are fundraisers for noble causes or parties hosted by true friends and family with good drink to offer and nothing to sell.Comment
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Not a fan, but dont know what its in reference too. These are usually just a wording/arrangement or two of legal/structure from being absolute pyramid schemes.Comment
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I'm not a huge fan either, but I can think of a few products that are probably best marketed that way. Someone in a blog comment mentioned some "intimate products" that I can see would be best marketed from trusted friend to trusted friend. Kitchen products and make-up products have also been pretty successful. So are essential oils around here. I'm not really into any of those products, but for those who are, I don't think the business structure is a big deal. The only reason it is a big deal is when people think it's a get rich quick scheme. It isn't. It's a job in sales and training. If that's what you want, why not? If it isn't what you want, then don't go to a "party" that is a sales training seminar.Helping those who wear the white coat get a fair shake on Wall Street since 2011Comment
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First job after grad school was in Grand Rapids, MI. Home of Amway. Those people were aggressive and would approach you everywhere to join their team/network.Comment
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Since I'm not on Facebook anymore, I wasn't familiar with MLM until reading about it on Wikipedia. I can't think of a less appealing way of earning passive income. What medical product do MD's believe in so much that they're willing to pester their friends to buy it? I'd rather work at McDonalds than try to sell turbogenix or some electrodes you hook up to your waist that will give you a perfect six pack.Comment
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Regarding essential oils:
https://www.kidnurse.org/house-of-cards-the-toxic-combination-of-essential-oils-and-multi-level-marketing/
http://www.sequenceinc.com/fraudfiles/2015/03/essential-oils-scam-not-a-medical-treatment/
A couple of years ago, I read a really good post about essential oils and MLM (which I can't find right now). Bassically, the gist was that MLM is a great way to sell worthless products (which essenstial oils are). The idea is that if they really treated anything, they could be marketed through traditional channels. When you want to market some crap, though, MLM works great, because you have your friends pushing it on you.
Zaphod, this is in response to the post introducing Passive Income M.D. I read through the post, and nearly did a spit-take when it mentioned he (and/or his wife) are into MLM.
I'm obviuosly not a fan of MLM schemes, but get really worried when they are incorpoated into a physician's practice. I guess I will interested to see what PIMD has to say about it.Comment
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Passive Income MD talks about it, although not to a great extent.
I’m not a huge fan either, but I can think of a few products that are probably best marketed that way. Someone in a blog comment mentioned some “intimate products” that I can see would be best marketed from trusted friend to trusted friend. Kitchen products and make-up products have also been pretty successful. So are essential oils around here. I’m not really into any of those products, but for those who are, I don’t think the business structure is a big deal. The only reason it is a big deal is when people think it’s a get rich quick scheme. It isn’t. It’s a job in sales and training. If that’s what you want, why not? If it isn’t what you want, then don’t go to a “party” that is a sales training seminar.
I certainly don't get to tell you what to do with your business or your site, but don't be surprised if you get a bit of a backlash for associating yourself with a proponent of MLM.
Although I'm sure it'll probably fall by the wayside, just like every time you get backlash for every other thing you do that someone doesn't think is the *perfect* thing to have done, like endorsing Splash, or paying off your mortgage despite calling it financially stupid, etc...it's just the kind of scrutiny you invite for having the visibility and level of trust that you do. You know you're not going to please every single person who reads everything you (or, by extension, your associates) write. It's growing pains, I guess.Comment
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Zaphod, this is in response to the post introducing Passive Income M.D. I read through the post, and nearly did a spit-take when it mentioned he (and/or his wife) are into MLM. I’m obviuosly not a fan of MLM schemes, but get really worried when they are incorpoated into a physician’s practice. I guess I will interested to see what PIMD has to say about it.
I admit I did one of these, too:
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I will go further than “not a fan” to say that I despise MLM and view it is a sibling of the Ponzi scheme and a first cousin of the sock puppet, both detestable on their own.
My favorite is when local moms, usually the wealthiest and non-working types in my ‘Hood, host trunk show parties, creating peer pressure for their guests (like my wife) to buy overpriced crap they don’t need.Comment
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I think PMID's wife does it. Any friend I've had that's gone done that path is sadly not a friend anymore, just couldn't take the pestering, but I do respect those who are making $$$ through it.Comment
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The best ones are the "gifting" arrangements, investment clubs, women empowering women, christmas kris kringle cash, you name it. Literally just a pyramid arrangement whereby you dummies all give me your money, but you'll make even more money by recruiting dummies of your own. At least you don't have to buy any crap.Comment
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Maybe there is more credibility to MLM. I had similar doubts. I heard a podcast on Doc outside the Box with Passive Income’s Wife (can’t remember her name). She addressed some of those concerns.
Nah, there is none.
If it was a legitimate business, you could be successful selling to the public and not leaning on your friends and family.
All of these schemes are just a way to exploit your coworkers, family, friends, friends of friends.Comment
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I read some of PIMDs blog. Not finding much value or substance there so far-clickbaity and superficial posts. Agree the MLM stuff was a big turnoff.
Please encourage him to raise the bar up to PoF and WCI levels of content.Comment
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