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I have come to discover that there is a lot that people do not know about Multi Level Marketing in Nigeria, and believe it or not, there are some things beginning to happen that indicate that those who have profited or lost but understand the systems are about to be rewarded. I know that there is a lot that people do not know about many things as well, many other things like manufacturing, refining, mining, agriculture e.t.c, but if I had the opportunity to start with one industry that I know has the power to empower people, particularly Nigerians the fastest I’ll chose Multilevel Marketing, Agriculture and then the others. I also know that the first reaction of most people to multilevel marketing might be negative, but believe it or not, you are missing out of some opportunities, and Passing Over Opportunities Repeatedly is what makes people POOR.
Donald Trump is reported to have been asked, what will you do, if you suddenly became bankrupt today. He said “I’ll look for a good Multilevel Marketing company, and work my way to the top there.” Multilevel Marketing is business for people that are interested in helping others, it’s a business school in that, you work and learn. Interestingly however, all of us are doing it already, howbeit unsuccessfully.
I lady buys a shoe, it’s a very good shoe. She wears it to church one midweek service day, and everybody can’t seem to stop sharing good comments about the shoe. “Wow, what a lovely shoe, where did you get it from?” 10 of her friends in church decided to check the shop over the weekend, and 8 of them ended up buying the shoes immediately. They wore it to work, and their colleagues had a similar reaction to the one they had, and gradually the shoes are selling and this shop in a hidden alley in Marina becomes popular. Can you relate with that? If you can, listen further.
Same scenario as above, but only this time around, the owner of the shop calls the lady and says, “wow, I got 8 of your friends who came here to buy shoes, I want to say a big thank you, and reward you. For every of your friend that buys a shoe from me, I’ll give you N200, for any of them that refers anybody, I’ll give you N100, thanks for bringing me business!” In a more subtle form, he could offer her an extra pair of shoes for free. That’s multilevel marketing. We all generate referrals for what we like, Movies, Cars, Shoes, Clothes, Bags, Hotels, Banks, Investment opportunities, e.t.c, but in how many of these referrals are we actually rewarded? Multilevel marketing is a system that is put in place to ensure that the stakeholders in any sales process are rewarded. This concept of reward, motivates the first buyer, and kindles entrepreneurship as the buyer is also able to make passive income promoting what he/she would have promoted without reward.
In my indept research into multilevel marketing, I discovered that there are legitimate MLMs and illegitimate pyramid schemes parading as MLM. An ability to define the difference between these two, have made many people falsely detest MLMs. The major difference is MLMs are product based, and the emphasis is on the product/value derived. Distributors are paid based on commisions on products sold in MLMs, while for Pyramid schemes it’s a cleverly masquraded attempt to collect money from the base, and use the money from the base to pay a few people on top – No product, no value. In an MLM, the product or service is real and has value. Even if you are not rewarded, you still have the product. In a pyramid scheme, there is no product, your money get’s spent rewarding others, and there is no value for you in the transaction.
Robert kiyosaki says that MLM is business for people who love helping other people. It’s an exciting way to meet new people, do business at your own convinience, and grow your alternative sources of income. MLM is a business model that suits the interactive and social nature of Nigerians. It’s a tool that is being reviewed for use in various sectors, our banks are already heading in that direction, and a revolution might indeed be near. However…
Just for standards and quality check, always ask yourself before being a part of any MLM. Will the product or service be valueable to me if I wasn’t going to be rewarded? If not, am I going to be able to market people to whom it is valueable? If any of your answers is yes, you can go ahead.
20 thoughts on “MLM Education -001”
Another great post Deolu, but we may want to look into why MLM apathy sets in after about 6-12 months of most of the MLMs we have seen, is it the structure of the programmes, those managing it or our elevator mindset to getting rich quick? Until these fundamental are addressed MLM will be another circus game, this makes your MLM education timely.
I personally look forward to the other series that will follow, so let the learning begin!
Enjoy!
Thank you Sir…Good to read about the advertorial…All the best
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Bravo Deolu and weldone, i’m excited about the broadcast advertorial, it’s the beginning of greater impact, many more Nigerians need to hear of the new wave of thinking.
MLM education is very important like you have rightly put it here. I see a great economic boom and financial empowerment for many NIgerians if the MLM structure is properly used, properly regulated and structured. A lot of our untapped resources will find a very co-operative platform to operate and become great in short time.
The New Nigeria Dream is a possibility, Vision 2020 or 2030 is realistic, all i believe it requires is ‘ LET US COME TOGETHER AND CREATE …’
@Chairman,
Thank you so much and God bless you. Amen.
Generations yet unborn will call you blessed.
Hi Deolu ,
I am happy to be back on this site . For a while i could not log on bcos of that security threat that always popped up. Your broadcast advertorial system really worked well.
The issue of MLM can never be over flogged . I got my first education on MLM through CF then i proceeded to DCC for my “A levels” . I’ve never ever circle out of any of those programmes .
but i have no regret either.Through My involvement with MLMs i’ve learnt how to build a network . I have a strong network of friends and partners that have profited me, more than what the rewards of circling out would have given me . I will join any MLM first for for the connections then as a bonus i will aim for the rewards. My biggest pain is that up country – northwards – the awareness and participation is terribly low . Recently i was discussing with colleagues and the common line was MLM does not exist in the northern area. I sincerely hope they wake up very soon . I will be willing to share experience with anyone on how not to fail with MLMs. Cheers
MLM education! kai people need to read this.Can i copy and paste on my blog,this is a must read.Thank for thinking about it,it is a word in season.
A new lesson, a new turn in my MLM aproach.
Now i know better about the things i thought i know more about before now. I’m glad my last MLMic exploit was more about what i believe in and really, MLM is a value adding system and a better way of saying thank you to loyalty in business or should i say for being good customer and unpaid marketer…:)
keep up the good work Dee, no limits..
can i post this on my blog too?
http://www.babaolowo.blogspot.com
I totally disagree about the MLM model! I am very aware that the mathematics of the model can never always leave everyone satisfied so therefore like the franchise model, the MLM business model is very flawed. I once did the mathematics for the “MLM” model and the truth is there will always be a loser.
We might as well blow the trumpet of the winners in all these flawed business models but the truth is there’re always losers and therefore for that reason, I am not in agreement with them (anymore)!
Anyone see it from this angle? I mean must we always agree on these issues? I beg to disagree and open an avenue for alternative views!
Mo
Hello Mo,
While we are open to disagree, please tell me if this works on not.
You buy a book that you need for N1000 but the actual cost price is N500, but they have a reward model such that buyers are have an opportunity to earn income from getting others to buy. When it becomes difficult to get the reward anymore, the book will still be valuable, so who loses?
The reason why you are calculating loss is because you assumed that the product itself has no value.
@ Mo,
While i so much respect your point of view but i have enough reasons to disagree with your choice of words and description here. To say ‘MLM model is very flawed’ goes ahead to confirm one of the reasons while this article is very important and what i believe Deolu is seeking out to address for those who will think about it, remember the word ‘Education’ is part of the title.
It seems to me that you read your prejudged mind into this article, i’m not sure how many MLM models you have been involved with across the countries, there is always a difference from structure to structure it all depends on the purpose of the organisers and integrity. The view you put up here thinks too much of all MLM as internet board based but be informed that there are a thousand many others who doesn’t use these structures at all.
MLM is not about mathematics, it is just a compensation structure for those who promotes a business product or service, however one structure is more fairer than the other. MLM short circuits traditional way of advertisement. I will like to say there are a lot of MLMs where you can’t be thinking of anyone losing at all because there is always value gained for your input even though you might not be the biggest winner in the compensation structure.
Please consider these businesses MLM structure, compare them and tell me how anyone need to be a loser because you joined: Mary Kay Cosmetics; Avon Cosmetics; Kleeneze; GNLD; Betterware.
I believe MLM is a good and powerful structure which can be leverage upon to drive substantially any valuable product or service which is good for the common man, while everyone involved shares the profit according to your input, cheers.
Thank you Deolu & Peter for elucidating your positions on MLM. Do not forget my words…i said the model is flawed. Not everyone is a winner and of course Deolu you have pointed out the need to have a product.
May i point out here that my arguement is to actually stimulate our thinking to come up with a model which beats the MLM as it is. Yes the product is needed, but I still believe the model as it is, is flawed. Once you start to build a herechiacal structure, it brings about a problem and causes the whole structure to collapse. Maybe for the sake of a better name to call better models, we just put them all in the same basket and call them MLMs.
I’m calling on our inner minds here. Let’s create something better, not join the bandwagon! I beg to differ but do not forget, it must be with purpose. Regards
Mo
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Hello Deolu,
I just want to respond to Mo,Pls dont forget the value the MLM product will add.The problem is that alot of us join MLM programmes,not because of the product but the reward,mostly monetary.Same here I join because of money,as suh I must work hard to make money by referring people,not product,If you lose then you lost because you failed to consider the product,if you must,win,you must work hrd on referals like myself.Right now,I focus on product and rewards alike.It has come to stay.If you dont believe in the product dont join.If you join because of the reward,then you must work hard. Everyone can win with this perspective.
Wonderful invaluable dimension added to the MLM mentality for most people(including myself) by this article. We should incorporate product thinking with our existing rewards craze in summary. I think Mo is only clamouring for inspirational ideas of models that will take care of any possible shortcomings of MLMs…..a bit of additional creativity/thinking out of the box……which I think is fair enough. But I do agree that if MLM is done with the right perspective, understanding and education, no one should loose.
True talk.
MLM is the way to go
i love MLM. it not only helps build ones’ sales ability, it also helps people become financially independent. its great and i think i have learnt a thing or two from this article. thank you sir.
Peculiar article, exactly what I wanted to find.
Thanks for sharing this awesome blog post. I’ll be back to see more.