Reflections of a Serial Network Marketer

Hello, my name is Diane C  Stephens and this is my story .  .  .

I first became aware of Network Marketing, also known as Multi Level Marketing (MLM) in the 1980’s! At that time I was introduced to Amway (think I still have some soap in the garage).     I was immediately drawn to the concept of network marketing and began my affiliation with the company. It was a good introduction to network marketing and I participated for years with the big A.    As time went on and I didn’t achieve the success I desired, I moved on with my life and dropped out of MLM. I learned many valuable concepts there and still incorporate skills learned there in my current endeavors.

After a few years I was presented with another opportunity and because I was still intrigued by Network Marketing I began a series of associations with various companies, literally from A to V. I had varying degrees of success with each company, accompanied by various problems associated with each. Why was I so attracted to Network Marketing?   Why did I keep going back again and again to the same type of business after each failure, either mine or the Company’s?   Eventually I started compiling a list of pros and cons about the business so I could determine what benefits I was receiving in Network Marketing, and to be able to determine what aspects I needed to avoid when evaluating and choosing a Company to promote.

Positive Aspects of the business:

• Emphasis on self development: This is a huge component of MLM, you need to learn skills to achieve success in life, and MLM companies are aware of this and place emphasis on it.

• Friendships with like minded people: A special type of person is drawn to MLM, those who are willing to invest some time and effort in improving their lives.

• Helping others to become successful: Network Marketers rely on individuals teaching others how to succeed, those willing to offer help are usually the most successful themselves.

• Promotion of Positive Attitude: Attitude is a key component in life, and in network marketing having a positive attitude is everything, it can sustain you through difficult situations.

• Residual Income Potential: What other industry could you work for 2 to 5 years and generate residual income with minimal effort ongoing, or even walk away and still receive income?

• Training Events: Very motivational and uplifting events, like a big party, where you get recharged, learn how others achieve success and get inspired.

• Recognition for Achievements: Beyond the actual income, which is the real proof of success, companies reward top producers with recognition and bonuses as they accomplish growth. Often people who achieve a certain level are recognized at the training events, can you imagine receiving a standing ovation for just doing your current job?

  Negative Aspects of Business

• Prevalence of Hype: Network Marketing can be riddled with hype, over exaggerations and down right lies, about the compensation plan or even the products themselves

• Start up Fees: Really? You want me to PAY you for the privilege of promoting your Company and products? And for recruiting others to do the same?

• Inventory requirements: This one always makes me wonder, is the product so unsalable that the only way the company can get any sales is by making their associates pay up front?

• Product value: Why would anyone buy a product priced at three times the price of a comparable product they can get at the corner store? The product can’t be just as good as, it must be exclusive, and well priced.

• Start Up Company: You may hear people say that you need to be in at the start up of a Company, this is completely wrong. All start up Companies I have been involved with invariable change the rules as they go along. They make adjustments to the compensation plan, depriving you of the benefits you have worked hard for, or they quit using Network Marketing as their method of advertising/sales, or go out of business completely! Of all start up business, even traditional not MLM, only around 5% are still in business after two years! This is way to risky, find a Company that is established, has worked out all the kinks and is reliable!

There is also the Compensation Plan to consider, which can be a positive or negative. I have had experience in         many types, uni level, matrix, forced matrix ~ with varying degrees of success, and a binary seems to offer the         inexperienced a much better chance of success. As recruitment of inexperienced associates is necessary, and        retention of them is KEY, it would be more likely to retain them if they can quickly experience some success        themselves, and a binary offers that aspect. I would prefer to have a company with a binary Compensation Plan.

After compiling and reviewing the list I was convinced I wouldn’t find a Company that had all the pros and  none of the cons, but I started searching anyway. I decided that the benefits I received from Network Marketing  was worth the effort I was expending and that I would find a Company with all the pros and a minimum amount of the cons!  I had already been associated with at least ten companies, and each of them had some of the cons.  I felt the biggest con was the start up,  I was personally burned on that with four of  the companies I tried to work.  So that would be a deal breaker, no more “Ground Floor” opportunities for me!  After reviewing lots of business opportunities, I finally found the one I was searching for :

VEMMA

Vemma has all the pros I was looking for! But more importa.nt to me was the lack of cons!!  The only possible  c on, is the hype aspect, the Company does not use hype, but being a large network of “Brand Partners” I do not know if any of the individuals associated with the company will use this tactic. I know that I will NOT. I am extremely pleased that two other aspects, that are generally a potential problem in MLM, are also pros with Vemma.

• The product itself: It isn’t your everyday mumbo jumbo “Its the greatest” shtick.   It actually has scientific evidence of the benefits of its use. Professionals like Doctors and Pharmacists, and Nutritionists are all using and promoting this product. It is not available on every corner, in fact there isn’t anything like it at all. And the price is reasonable, especially compared to some of the other juice MLM products, which are nothing more than high priced juice. I have a friend who has Krones disease, and has had large portions of his digestive tract removed. He is using the product and is extremely pleased with the results. As Vemma is not a medication, but a nutritional supplement, no medical claims are allowed to be made, but the testimonial of my friend has convinced me that this product has potential.

• Ability to Use the Internet for sales and recruitment: Many Companies don’t allow or want you to use Internet Marketing for sales and/or recruiting. Vemma provides “Brand Partners”  with websites for this purpose, and even provides training on using it. This is a big plus for people who have been in Network Marketing before, Personally none of my friends or family will listen to me about anything to do with MLM any longer. I really can’t blame them as they have supported my previous endeavors to their detriment. I need to find people who are interested in having their own business, and being able to use the Internet to tap into the hundreds of people looking online for some opportunity is a perfect solution for me!

My remaining cons, Start up fees, and inventory requirements are also a non issue with Vemma, there is no start up fee, distributor kit, get started package or anything else you must buy, including inventory. Everyone  purchases their own supply of  Vemma, and everyone pays the same price, a revolutionary idea in my opinion and just what I was looking for!

My previous experiences in Network Marketing also gave me the knowledge to look for one other key element to becoming successful with the Company. I found an upline and sponsor that were already full time Network Marketers. Having already achieved the success I was seeking, and being available more often than anyone who is still working their “day job” is a tremendous advantage.  Being able to tap into their experience and follow their path, and being able to reach them for personal individual attention and assistance, when necessary,  is important to me.  My line of sponsorship also offers additional perks, such as team training calls, recruitment group calls and three way calls, where I can have someone personally successful already talk to my prospects directly. They also offer contests and other motivational,   sustaining, and inspiring ideas.

After years of searching for the right opportunity for me I have finally found it! Now I will be putting into  practice all the knowledge gained through my previous attempts. Vemma is the right one for me!  If you can relate to my experiences it may be the right one for you as well! I invite you to join me on my path to success! If you would like to follow my progress I will be writing a blog at  http://www.healthvitawealth.com/blog please visit anytime!