Multi-Level Marketing has proved a very successful method of selling and distribution for more than one type of product or service. In fact it is so successful for the companies, which use these techniques that we now see off shoots to these marketing methods, such as the “Friend and Family Program” and the “Buzz Marketing” incentive plans. We need our consumer protection groups, both public and private to work harder in educating the consumer from unintentional MLM Fraud, which occurs when new recruits embellish their sales pitch when trying to attract their down line business partners. But we must be sure to educate folks in a way without scaring the "Bejesus" out of them. If you scare people too much they begin to not trust anything or any business, legitimate or not. If you do not warn people the scam artists win, we cannot let them win. If you scare all the consumers then the legitimate companies get screwed and you hurt our Nation’s greatest asset; entrepreneurship with incessant over regulation. This issue with inadvertent, accidental and unintentional fraud has completely troubled me for a long time. This is my letter to the FTC on the issues of enforcement of MLM, multi-level marketing. http://www.ftc.gov/os/comments/franrulestaffrpt/OL-100001.pdf After you read through the FTC letter at least the first 7-10 pages you will learn a lot and then know more about the real issues that are hurting industry and consumers alike. Perhaps my entrepreneurial training, flying and pilot experience or my days as an athlete have helped me observe this more readily than others, hard to say, not sure. But this issue must be addressed for the betterment of the business community and the consumer. As far as MLM goes in general; well, I hear a few people do well, some people fake it, some people are caught up in it and others will do whatever it takes to recruit someone into it. Think on this in 2006. |
