For some it means “making little money,” while for others it’s “making lots (of) money.” Why the difference? Why do some succeed wildly, while others try MLM opportunities again and again, only to fail?

For those of you who wonder what the heck I’m talking about, let me say that MLM “is a marketing strategy in which the sales force is compensated not only for sales they personally generate, but also for the sales of others they recruit, creating a downline of distributors and a hierarchy of multiple levels of compensation. Other terms for MLM include network marketing, direct selling,and referral marketing.”

The Wikipedia post on Multi-Level Marketing goes on to say…

“MLM companies have been a frequent subject of criticism as well as the target of lawsuits. Criticism has focused on their similarity to illegal pyramid schemes, price-fixing of products, high initial start-up costs, emphasis on recruitment of lower-tiered salespeople over actual sales, encouraging if not requiring salespeople to purchase and use the company’s products, potential exploitation of personal relationships which are used as new sales and recruiting targets, complex and sometimes exaggerated compensation schemes, and cult-like techniques which some groups use to enhance their members’ enthusiasm and devotion. Not all MLM companies operate the same way, and MLM groups have persistently denied that their techniques are anything but legitimate business practices.”

What makes a successful Multi-Level Marketer? Is it the ability to ignore these all-too-common perceptions, and forge ahead with networking and relationship building? Is it leadership, pure and simple?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot - and I believe it’s time to hear from you. What do YOU think?

(Source: Wikipedia)