Nutrition From MLM Companies

(This post is in response to Sofia's question on the first post)

Can you get nutritious products from an MLM company? In fact, what is an MLM company? Isn't that one of them illegal pyramid scheme deals? Do you have a family member trying to sell you on some MLM product?

These are common concerns to much of the population. MLM stands for Multi Level Marketing. A long time ago, in the 1930s in fact, the first MLM company was created. It too sold supplements like many of these companies do today. The company started out as Nutrilite, but later became the company most people know as Amway. Well over 70 years ago this type of marketing was invented and to this day it is used more than ever. Something must be working if it is still around. If it didn't work, companies would never consider using it.

If it works, then why is there so much debate over it? A few (quite a few) bad apples gave MLM a bad name. They set up their payment plans in a true pyramid fashion. That means that all the money flows up to the top. The top person makes more money than anyone else can. Now that government has cracked down on these companies, the payment plans tend to be fair. Any distributor at any level has the opportunity to make the same amount as someone 5 levels above them.

The other part of MLM that leads to debates and lawsuits are the people, the distributors in the company making false claims to get you to buy their product. While this is completely legal in the car sales industry (well, not completely, but pretty common, if not expected) it is strictly forbidden with MLM companies. It is difficult to control though and can hurt many companies.

Is it all bad? No, absolutely not. In fact, there are many quality companies out there. Keep in mind, most all of the negativity surrounding MLM companies has to do with the marketing of the product, NOT the product itself. Most of these companies have a very good product but cannot afford to market it in traditional ways.

Should you join an MLM company? That's a decision only YOU can make. I have joined various MLM companies through the past 13 years of my life. Some I have regretted and others I am still a member of. URI International is the company I currently am a distributor for (click the link of their name for more info).

Can you make money in an MLM company? If you couldn't, so many people wouldn't join them. However, understand that typically people never do make much money. This is primarily because they either do not have the skills or the drive to achieve the success they want. When I look at signing up distributors, I want someone genuinely interested in trying to create their own business and willing to learn the skills required to do so.

I originally joined because I wanted the products at wholesale prices. After taking them for sometime and sharing them with my family, I realized how good the products made me feel but still was not interested in selling them. Then one day a new co-worker asked me why she has never seen me sick. This is not an odd question because in North East Ohio the climate is very unstable. Monday it was in the high 80s, Friday it was in the low 40s and next week it is suppose to be in the mid 70s. As a result, people in my workplace frequently tend to be sick. I explained to her that my belief is that if you feed the body the nutrition it needs, your body will defend itself from colds and flus. She asked if I take any supplements and I proudly told her about URI products. She asked for more info and then decided to try the products.

About a month later she came up to me and said, "I have to tell you something." She continued, "I wanted to thank you so much for telling me about URI. Not only do I feel great, I can fit into my old jeans. I went down a waist size. My little boy also loves the taste. I was quite surprised." My heart melted. I had helped this new employee that I barely know with her health and she was so thankful for it. It was at that point that I made the decision that I wanted to help people and teach them about nutrition. Being a successful distributor takes more skill than simply liking the product, so I started to study marketing and sales methods. I found the URI company offered many of these tools to me.

To sum up, MLM companies are not as bad as many people think but you have to do your homework. Are they a company with Integrity? Are they making false claims? Do I have the opportunity to make as much money as everyone else? Do I like the product? Would other people want the product? Do they give you the tools or training you need to market the product? Am I proud to say I am a distributor for them?

As far as the products go, MLM companies do tend to sell pretty good products. Do not let me or anyone else tell you what products are the best. Everyone's body is different and every product may affect people in different ways. Try the products and ask yourself "how do they make me feel?" Ultimately that is what is important.

For more info on MLM marketing, you can read the 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing. Thank you Guardian Angel for the link to this. The document is 35 pages but is well written. Keep in mind, she puts quite a negative spin on MLM but does offer some good advise on how to be a better distributor.

Best of health to all of you.

Coming up in the next post: "LIVE
Whole Food Nutrition versus Super Juice Drinks"