This is a True Confessions post, one wherein I bare my soul and most embarrassing financial moments.
Do you remember when I told you about the time I almost married the Amway salesman. Or the time when I was an Avon Lady? And then there was my mother-in-law’s stint in Amway. I remember her telling me all I’d need to do was to buy my sundries through Amway. At the time I was on welfare and getting food stamps. I had exactly $35 cash each month to spend on sundries. She obviously was unaware of my financial limitations and casually said anyone could do it, all you have to spend is $200 per month. Well, I didn’t have $200, and even now, years later, I still don’t spend $200 a month on sundry items.
I would have thought with my (somewhat limited) experience with mu
lti-level marketing that I would have known better, and steered clear. But today I confess to you the mistake I made a few months ago. I signed up for an MLM. I hear the collective groans, I’m right there with you. “Really, Mrs. Accountability? How in the world did you manage that?”
Well, I’ll tell you what happened. A fairly close friend of mine became a distributor and because she followed all the necessary steps within three months she had earned a $10,000 bonus.
Let me set the record straight – she never asked me directly to sign up or get into the business. She just talked about it – and not even directly to me. She posted on her Facebook page, and occasionally mentioned in a group we’re in together the success she was having, how the products “sell themselves”, how she’s expecting to make 6 figures in the coming year, various projects she was now able to do because she had more money to work with.
I started feeling like I was missing out.
I started feeling like I should act now, or I was going to be sorry later.
When she was making a big push for the $10,000 bonus and had just a couple days left and needed two more distributors, I decided to take the plunge. After all, these things “sell themselves” plus I could help my friend earn $10,000!!
Unfortunately, as it turns out, I’m unable to use a good number of the products, and the main product which “sells itself” has not produced results for me. I used it faithfully for eight weeks. Some see results with only one treatment. I seemed to lose an inch or so, which was promising. But when I examined my before and after photos, I could see no difference and that was extremely disappointing.
My friend tells me of the hundreds of people she has personally helped with this product, I am one of three that did not see results.
Take my advice and please do this one thing first before you get into multi-level marketing:
Try the products first.
Look before you leap. Not seeing results has severely cramped my style when it comes to being excited about the product, which is of course vitally important when you’re trying to sell a product to every person with whom you come into contact.
If you’re thinking about joining an MLM, do yourself a favor and please try the product before you sign up as a distributor. I believe I could have saved myself money and stress had I tried the product first.
Have you ever sold MLM? Would you ever?
This post was included at:
Lifestyle Carnival at PF Carny
Yakezie Carnival at Personal Finance Utopia
Carnival of Retirement at Your PF Pro
Carnival of Financial Camaraderie at Save and Conquer
Carnival of MoneyPros at Money Pros
Financial Carnival for Young Adults at Lisa Vs. The Loans
I have been involved with MLM a few times and so has my mom. My first few tries were flops. I didn’t sell a thing. Mainly because the products were overpriced. But…… I am currently in MLM again with a different company ad I LOVE it! But this time I did my research first. I chose a product I love. Then before taking the plunge to sell, I checked to see how many other people in my are were selling. None were. Then I researched to see if there were other products available at regular retail stores that were similar to the product I wanted to sell. They’re aren’t and their wont be because the product has a US Patent. Then I carefully checked into any fees or monthly minimums involved with the company. And I was super pleased to find out it was $49 to sign up, there were no monthly fees involved and my website is FREE! They ONLY requirement to becoming a consultant was to purchase or sell $29 worth of product a year. And I was going to buy that myself anyway. So, I signed up to sell a little over a year ago. And while I did not make $10,000 my first year…. I still made money for my family and had fun doing it by showing busy girls how to take their hair from messy to Beautiful in no time.
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Oh man do I have a story for you! I have tried over 3 different MLMs and NONE them worked! I will be very clear that they are all legitimate businesses with legitimate business models but I truly believe if you are willing to do all that work you might as well create you own company. Chances are with your own knowledge you could create a better product.
I don’t consider myself a salesman but I really hate how no matter how much you sell, you will never make any money unless you get people to sign up under you.
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You are so right to suggest people try the products themselves. Too many people jump into these things without having a real appreciation of what it will be like. Thanks for the great breakdown!
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LOL! My mother was an Avon lady. Mostly she ended up with a large collection of sample lipsticks and face creams. She was still trying to use the stuff up YEARS later!
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Mrs. Accountability Reply:
March 30th, 2014 at 10:20 am
Sounds pretty typical. 🙂 Interestingly enough, looking back now I recall that I didn’t have much use for the product. I have never been one to wear a lot a makeup and I couldn’t stand the smell of their colognes. I could detect Avon on anyone for years, there seemed to be a similar smell to each cologne.
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