Checklist for a "Quality" MLM

Today's blog post is about a ridiculous checklist an MLMer posted. This was his version of key guidelines for an MLM, and somehow every MLM that doesn't meet these qualifications should be deemed inherently bad. It is important to note that this is something that was programmed into him by a maniacal MLM upline, or worse, this MLMer is the maniacal upline trying to utilize deceit by means of a worthless checklist. Without further ado, here it is:

10 ways to choose an awesome Network Marketing Opportunity.

1. Has the company been around for at least 5 years?

2. Is the company well funded?

3. Does the company offer products or services that are unique?

4. Is there a genuine need for the product or service?

5. Is the product or service trendy or just a fad?

6. Can you generate immediate income?

7. Does the marketing system take full advantage of technology?

8. Is the person who is introducing you to the opportunity committed to YOUR success?

9. Is there a way to build your business part-time without losing your full-time income?

10. Can you have FUN with this company?

Let's go through each point and dissect the inherent issues with them pertaining to MLM.

1. "Has the company been around for at least 5 years?"

This is completely backwards logic when it comes to MLM. MLMs have spread like wildfire because of social media platforms and checking to make sure an MLM has been around for at least five years is a significant hindrance on anyone's potential success with MLM. The whole point with MLM is to get in as early as possible and form the biggest team before other people come along and snatch up your prospects. If you have to wait five years before you even get started, then you might as well take a fire to your money, because the percentage of people left is incredibly small compared to the beginning.

2. "Is the company well funded?"

Not only does this have nothing to do with MLM, but if the company has already been around for five years, then it should have already proven to be "well funded". MLMs don't need a lot of funding because most of their marketing is done for slave wages based on a false premise of a "Utopian lifestyle" (Thank you David Brear) once they have committed themselves to the business. Also, when has an MLM ever told anyone anything about their funding or monetary resources? The government can't even get the biggest MLMs to release any forms or income/disclosures, therefore your chances of finding out are somewhere in the neighborhood of 0%.

3. "Does the company offer products or services that are unique?"

Let me be perfectly plain. NO MLM HAS EVER HAD A UNIQUE PRODUCT EVER! They specifically target markets with little to no regulations and they continue to pump out overpriced generic products to help compensate for the pyramid type pay structure. If an MLM ever had a unique product, then they would not market their product in an MLM but rather sell the product through normal channels such as online and brick mortar. The MLM structure is not advantageous for the consumer or the distributor because they MUST mark-up the products significantly in order to pay out the levels of the team (pyramid).

4. "Is there a genuine need for the product or service?"

Again, let me be perfectly plain since this relates to the previous point. THERE IS NO ACTUAL NEED FOR AN MLM PRODUCT OR SERVICE. There never has been and there never will be, because of the structure in which MLM is formed. These are generic products wrapped up in a misleading scheme based on the dreams of charlatans that want to take people's money. There is not one MLM product or service that has been needed in the market place and there never will be.

5. "Is the product or service trendy or just a fad"

This is the weirdest point because it actually makes no sense. You can't ask an OR question and have both words mean the same thing. I honestly can't tell what the person is asking because this is like asking do you wear clothing or garments? This is a bad attempt at a loaded question and should automatically derail anyone from being interested in a business opportunity that proposes such nonsense.

6. "Can you generate immediate income"

I have never heard of a business that generates IMMEDIATE income. In fact, most investments don't generate IMMEDIATE income and anything that suggests that there is IMMEDIATE income is a RED FLAG. This is another way of suggesting MLM is a "get rich quick scheme", which an MLM will never admit, and may deflect by saying there is IMMEDIATE income opportunities, but it takes a lot of effort and time, which completely detracts from the previous statement. If someone says there is IMMEDIATE income then it is time to IMMEDIATELY excuse yourself.

7. "Does the marketing system take full advantage of technology"

Okay, a couple of issues here. The name of the business opportunity is Multi-Level Marketing, or in this person's case "Network Marketing" (sadly has become interchangeable), so what does it mean by "marketing system"? According to MLM, their plan reflects using people involved and therefore it is discretionary as to whether or not they choose to use technology. Also, the phrasing of the question is completely bizarre. If you take away "marketing system" and put in yourself, then is this person basically asking if you utilize technology? This seems to be phrased as a question, but is more so meant as a statement or advice. This is a runner-up to point number 5 for strangeness.

8. "Is the person who is introducing you to the opportunity committed to YOUR success?"

Ah, this is a wonderful question that pulls on my philosophical heart strings. First of all, is it really necessary to capitalize "YOUR" in the question? I'm fairly confident we can understand whom this question is about. Secondly, the person introducing you to the business has a financial bias to make themselves successful before they worry about you. It seems contradictory to ask them to take time away from themselves to help you be successful in the same endeavors. It is also ludicrous to assume the person introducing you to the business does not consider the opportunity to make money off your enrollment and monthly auto ship. This question is completely asinine when it comes to the structure of MLM.

9. "Is there a way to build your business part-time without losing your full-time income?"

This seems to be a subjective question and truly depends on the person instead of the MLM. After watching many episodes of Shark Tank, I believe it is necessary to focus all of your attention on new business ventures, but again this has nothing to do with the business itself. This question seems backwards and suggests that the MLM dream business which can make you fabulously wealthy and retire should come second to your nasty old full-time "J-O-B".

10. "Can you have FUN with this company?"

Wow, this is not only irrelevant but extremely bad advice. If your livelihood was dependent on how much fun you were having, then I'm pretty sure most people would not be working. It is "FUN" to receive a paycheck for all of your efforts and be able to pay for "FUN" activities with your money. This is something that MLMs cannot supply for 99+% of their members, and that strikes me as not "FUN".

On a serious note, this check list was actually created by a real human being. This person is trying to take money from unsuspecting consumers and they do not care about the people they hurt in the process. This list is something I would expect from a kindergartner and not a fully functioning adult (I use full functioning lightly). Please be careful as this list was designed to pertain to ALL MLMs as a whole.

If you have a story involving abuses from your upline and would like me to share it on this blog as a guest post, then please e-mail me and I will be more than happy to post it! Your stories are not as unique as you may think, and your stories are some of the most impactful resources we have to fight MLMs. I will keep your anonymity upon request.