Misconceptions about the MLM Industry (Part 2)

"It was a high counsel that I once heard given to a young person, "Always do what you are afraid to do." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is a continuation from the previous post. I first thought that this topic was going to be a rather short one. But then it turns out I’ve got a lot of views about this topic. I don’t think it will exceed 2 posts. Although I might decide to add on other views in future posts.

You only make money if you’re at the top

I think this is most difficult point to argue because to a certain extent, that statement is true. If you look at the way all the Rewards Plans is structured from any MLM company, it will look as if only the top people make tonnes of money. As the person on top, you will receive commissions from everyone below you.

But, if you look closely at the 4Life Research Rewards Plan, it is possible for someone lower down the order to make tonnes of money. I think I’m going to have to use a chart for this to show you how you could make more money than your upline.

Now for example, let’s say A recruited B who in turn recruited C and D. C then recruits E and F while D recruits G and H. If this were to remain constant, then in any given month, A will earn 72LP which is equivalent to USD 72.00, while B will earn 104LP or USD 104.00

As you can see, B is earning more than A. Some of you might look at this and say that this is all theoretical. It doesn’t apply in real life situations. Give it a try. Join 4Life Research and go out there and work harder than your upline. You will see the results in 3 months. The 4Life Rewards Plan was structured in such a way that the people who work hard at hard doing the business will enjoy the most benefits. It doesn’t matter where you are in the order of things.

It’s a pyramid scheme

I can’t deny this one. When you present the Rewards Plan, show it in a chart, it does look like a pyramid scheme. But, I guess most people don’t see that the organization that they work for is also built based on a pyramid structure (That is unless their organization has 10 directors, 5 GM’s, 3 Managers and 1 Exec).

The way I see it is that the biggest difference between both of these pyramids is, the person above me doesn’t determine how much I get paid for the work I do. I’ve worked for a few companies before under the same pyramid structure. I’ve had managers, deputy general managers, general managers, chief executive officers and directors above me in the pyramid structure. All of these people determine how I get rewarded at the end of the year. They decide on my increment and how much bonus I deserve.

Now, in 4Life Research, I determine myself how much I get rewarded every month. If I work hard enough, I get paid more. Ever feel like your monthly salary isn’t worth the amount of work you do? That’s how I felt every month when I was working in full time employment. You work your a** off trying to please the bosses and getting your work done, and at the end of the month, you get a measly paycheck.

Okay, once again, it’s getting a bit too long. Plus the fact that I’ve run out of points to argue at this moment. I’ll continue this post another day (If I’ve got time, tomorrow) and try to come up with more points to argue.

Platinum Networkers, a great team...

"We never touch people so lightly that we do not leave a trace."
- Peggy Tabor Millin

I’ve done quite a lot of MLM businesses in the past. And most of these MLM programs would have at least one area which is lacking, either the product isn’t good enough, or the rewards plan isn’t much good or sometimes the support just isn’t there. In some cases, all three areas are lacking (I didn’t even bother to join). In one case (I’m not going to mention the product), they had a good product and rewards plan, but the support was really bad. I left that program too.

As I said before, these three factors are crucial in determining whether an MLM program is successful or not, the product, the rewards plan and the support you get from the company and your uplines. 4Life research has got one of the best products on the market. The product basically sells by itself. The product is the scientific breakthrough of the century and has helped thousands of people improve their lives and their health.
As for the rewards plan, it is the highest in the industry. It pays more than 20% more out of their sales compared to any other program. The average payout is 57% of the total revenue earned and the highest is 64% at each level. That is the highest in the world.

But like I said, there’s no point in having a great product and a great rewards plan if you don’t have the support you need to make the business work. This is where Platinum Networkers comes into play. 4Life Research provides their distributors with the “Compass Kit” which is everything you need to know about the business and also some additional materials about the business and the products. It also organizes some training sessions especially for new distributors. But that alone is not sufficient to provide you with in-depth knowledge of how to run your business.

Platinum Networkers provides more in depth training to new distributors. They start off with training on the rewards plan and the products, and then they go deeper into the business. They provide suggestions as to how you can approach potential customers or distributors. They do role plays with one member being playing the role of the potential customer, asking questions to one of the distributors. They also show you how to present the business plan based on a presentation prepared by their leader, Cheanu Chew.

One of the most important aspect of what Platinum Networkers does for new distributors is that they try to build your confidence. In this business, confidence can make the difference between success or failure (Looks like a lot of things can make a difference between success or failure. But that’s the way business is. Your success depends on a lot of factors). Platinum Networkers provide all kinds of training, role playing, and other activities, mainly targeted at building your confidence. The more confident you are, the higher the chances of success.

But I think the most important thing that Platinum Networkers provides is moral support. Like any other business, doing the MLM business is not easy. It does involve a lot of work, but you can do it on part time basis. Not every day will be a good day. There will be rough patches, especially for new beginners. Platinum Networkers is always there for their new distributors, each member ready to give a helping hand when required. That’s why they have the motto “Leadership with Heart”.

This is why I chose 4Life Research as a business. Not just because of the products or the rewards plan. But also because of the support and teamwork given by Platinum Networkers. They are there when you need them the most, that is during the first few months of your business, when you think nothing in this business is working for you, you’re struggling to recruit your first downline or find your first customer, they will be there behind you all the way. That is the most important part of the business.

Everything you need...

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.
Vince Lombardi

Sorry I haven’t written anything in a while. All of a sudden, things started to move from “Nothing to do” to “Some things to do” and finally to “I haven’t got enough time” in the space of a week. Now it seems I have to squeeze time to be able to write this post. Not to worry. I’m not going to compromise on my writing. I will still try to provide you with as much detail about the business as possible.

Coming back to topic of the factors that will make a good multilevel marketing program, the third and final component is support. Support comes in 2 forms, one is from the company, and the other one is from your team.

Support from the company is crucial. You need this support in order to grow. I’ve seen a lot of MLM programs right here in Malaysia dwindle down just because the support from the company is lacking. When we talk about support, we’re not just saying that the company has to support their distributors with products, but a whole range of other things.

Materials are one of the most important tools for a distributor. The company needs to provide sufficient materials for the distributor to approach and recruit more distributors. Apart from that, the company must also provide training and also a place where distributors can meet with potential recruits or customers.

The company itself must have a solid background. One of the problems with a lot of local MLM companies is that they don’t have much of a background. Their foundation isn’t strong and when their products do not move as fast as they expect, the company dies.

4Life Research has 10 years of solid experience in the industry. They were formed in 1998 and in 2003, they were recognized by Inc 500 as one of the fastest growing companies in the world. They have now expanded to 22 countries around the world and they are still growing. They currently have a monthly turnover of about USD 4.5 million a month.

Another area of support every distributor needs is from his or her team.

This support is in 2 different forms, one is training and the other one is moral support. A lot of people who join an MLM business will not have much experience (Although there are those with too much experience). They need to be trained and the team members, especially their uplines, will have to provide this training.

Platinum Networkers is one such team. They provide training on the products, the rewards plan, approaching prospects, talking to them and answering their queries. This is all essential training for every new distributor.

Another thing that Platinum Networkers provide is moral support. Like any other business, MLM is not easy. It’s not difficult but without the right support it could be. Every distributor will go through times when they think that it’s impossible to do the business, especially at the start. Most MLM distributors, quit within the first 3 months. It is crucial for the team to provide moral support and encouragement during this time. Platinum Networkers does exactly that.

I guess that covers most of the things about the things any MLM business needs to have in order to succeed. These are the main reasons why I chose 4Life Research. It has a great product, one of the best rewards plan in the industry and also great support from both the company and the team I joined, Platinum Networkers.

P/s: Photos of training sessions will be posted soon. Have to get Cheanu's permission to take the photos first