Hi Diane,

Most people are looking for additional income, so talking about the income will get their attention. Also, most people don't want to pay for an autoshipment of products or have real products piling up in their house, so digital products are usually more popular in MLMs. Lots of people also may not have an interest in the products, they may be more interested in the income plan, it depends. The most-sold and most-promoted digital products are about marketing and how to earn online, especially those written by successful high-earning marketers, so those may be of more interest to newbies because lots of experienced marketers already do things their own way and gather advice along the way, and have watched the successful rich people BECOME successful and rich over the last few years and basically have some understanding of whatever they write and sell. It depends on the customer. I've watched and listened to some marketing videos and taken notes, and purchased real books and bookmarked pages, basically it's all about saturating the internet or all forms of media with advertising and being unique, and becoming expert at something, whether it's writing articles or gaining a large following. I haven't seen any digital products that say anything much different than that...reach the largest audience, and stay in contact with our referrals, and be consistent with promotions, and I learned this in mail order that a lot of internet marketers don't do...always put part of the income into higher amounts of advertising, and make backend offers. Great backend online offers include sharing our advertising sources with our downline so they'll get more business and if they upgrade in those also, it keeps our advertising self-funded. People forget that ad sources ARE ALSO sellable services, and there are tons of ad sources out there that also have MLM structures, so pulling our MLM groups into our ad sources that also pay in an MLM way is a fantastic multi-stream income decision, especially if the downliners also do that.

As far as real-life products, the question is...would someone buy it in the real world if it wasn't attached to a money-making business? Is it something that people want and need and would buy on a regular basis?

Online marketers do a lot of ad-saturation, and newbies approach their relatives and real-life friends or co-workers. I told someone a couple years ago to get online and get name-recognition in networks, but she didn't do it, she kept trying to sell vitamins to everyone in the real world. It only takes a few months of consistent advertising and networking online to gain name-recognition, if people put their name at the end of their ads, and maybe with their photo, that makes a huge difference in response rates over anonymous advertising.

Thanks Kathleen for your feedback and your point of view on MLM's. as I am trying to get a "handle" on the whole subject, both the pros and the cons.

It is important at least to me that I gain a better understanding about how people think, feel and put action into what they are doing and why.. call it an exercise in the psychology of people who love internet marketing.

I do hope that you are well and having a good day...thanks again and looking forward to what others have to say

As no one is talking right now, one might say I have the floor...lol

I could say this in a blog post and maybe that would be the wisest course, but the fact is people do read these threads so I am making an executive decision about where I write today.

This particular thread has been about a few things from friendship, to getting people involved or I should say more involved with Adland and lately about an idea that was put forward about helping people find businesses that are working, that are ethical and have been proven.

The fact is regardless of why any person is on Adland, whether it be social or advertising, we are indeed being social in the context of talking about what we feel or how we think about any topic, in this case business.

The reason that I feel that creating a way for people to find good and ethical businesses is because of what I experienced when I first came on line to find a way to make money from home..work at home businesses and all the other keywords one can think of when people are searching for ways to make money.

Like many people I did not know my ass from a hole in the ground...(oops should I have said that? well I did and it is the truth.) when it came to creating that secret wealth on line and I know many who are still in that boat today.

When I came to Adland, it was like a mecca to be honest, it was busy and so many people who were inviting and helpful and I got caught up in the excitement and the pull to wanting to know more and to actually make money.


Anytime a person said, join this or join that, I jumped in with both feet, not my brain mind you, but with both feet and I sunk to the bottom...glugg glugg glugg.

There were a few new programs going around at that time, all of them were MLM's and yep you had to pay. I was never told anything except..you will make money, find a couple of people to join in and wow You will be set for life..um.. really? Well I did and yep I paid and yep I got a few people to join..never having sold anything, I had no concept of what to do, but like a good little puppy who believed, I spent money hand over fist and I sunk...glugg glugg glugg


why am I saying any of this. simple. I know for a fact there are many business models and many businesses where a person can make a decent living. I also know that not all businesses are for everyone, there is no such thing as one size fits all.

By creating a business list and yes it will change according to trends, interests and ya even where you are at in your life, where you can see what is working and yes not working, then you wont have to sink to the bottom and go glugg glugg glugg!


If you are on Adland for the business end of the community and especially if you are NEW to wanting to make that living then heed these words... Learn everything that you need to know to become good at whatever you do!

Ask questions, do your homework, find people who you can trust who will teach you the ropes and when you see any business on any list, don't just take it all as gospel, but ask your own questions and keep asking until you are satisfied.


For myself, times have changed and instead of thinking with my feet, I decided to grow a brain...lol

I have changed direction in what I do and the more I learn the more I realize that my best gift is to pass on information, to blog, to learn a lot more about social media and to create my own business ( getting there ^=^)

Turning you back to the regular scheduled programming...you now have the floor

Thanks Diane,

I relate to what you say here.

Similar to my experiences.

Roger

Lots of good points, offline vs online, products vs digital.

I have 2 comments to make.

First of all, I guess I am old school in that the product comes first (most of the time). Whether digital info or physical product it does not matter. A product differentiates a business opportunity vs money game (e.g. gifting program, ponzi scheme etc). I generally do not highlight whether the bizop is MLM or network marketing. Whether or not a company is MLM or not is irrelevant. It is because MLM is just the channel of product distribution the company has selected to move product in the marketplace. Channels of distribution include drop shipments, business-to-business (B2B), wholesale membership clubs, retail outlets, consignment etc. Just ask a real estate broker about his/her downline (RE agents). My response to anyone asking if it is MLM is ABSOLUTELY, else I would not be doing it.

Secondly, the marketing system and the sales process has to be complete with enough training. The vast majority of people joining a bizop are not trained in sales or marketing. Therefore, they need to have a complete bag of tools to chose from. Because most people are not trained in sales, it is essential the sales process be outstanding. If the sales system cannot close the sale, it does not matter how many prospects the marketing system generates.