Alert #164: 11/19/2010

The Ultimate “MLM Summit”? You Decide!
Also, Industry Trends Update Now Posted

One of my dream projects has always been to hold an “MLM Summit” where not only do many of the best leaders and trainers come together, but all of the most powerful, influential people in our industry. The attorneys, consultants, publishers, authors, watchdogs, vendors, and the executive leadership from our various trade associations and companies, all in one place, for one united purpose – to improve the public image and acceptance of the multilevel marketing profession. 

This would first involve doing something that so many of our industry’s most influential power brokers (mostly from the corporate, training and publishing segments) have so far been loath to do – admit there’s a serious problem. Nothing is ever going to get fixed until we, as a profession, confess to what’s broke.

While the MLM business model itself is just fine, and indeed offers tremendous advantages to any would-be entrepreneur, it is so often dismissed or outright rejected due to mass ignorance of its true nature. This ignorance is perpetuated by the mainstream media, and by a small but prolific clique of anti-MLM zealots. If you want to find them, just Google “MLM”, like many of your prospects are doing. At least five of their sites are usually within the top 25 search results, and typically three or four of the top ten. What has been most frustrating, at least for me, is that their anti-MLM propaganda can be so easily refuted, if not completely debunked, yet so few even make the attempt. The reasoning has always been, “Acknowledging them just draws more attention to them”. That may have made sense, maybe, before about 1996 when that thing called the internet became so popular. Today if we defend ourselves against these anti-MLM ignoramuses perhaps 98% of our prospects are exposed to them instead of 96%. At least, 98% of them that are taking their business serious enough to have done any investigation of it before joining, and have made any attempt to learn more about it once they’ve joined.

Those that would have the world believe that we’re all just scammers promoting “product based” pyramid schemes are kind of like cavemen with clubs and spears – and we’re the U.S. Marines. But instead of defending ourselves against their onslaught of rocks and pointy sticks with .45 caliber facts and 20 megaton truth bombs, we stand there with our hands clasped behind our backs, with our eyes closed and our chins jutting forward, inviting them to freely batter away.

And we could end this tomorrow.

Well, maybe not that fast. It might take a couple of months, actually. I know because that’s how much full time work it would take to completely the development of AntiMLMZealots.com. I’ve already produced all of the responses, now I just need to find a web developer with some free time who is as passionate as I am about fighting back, and defending this profession. I’m going to co-brand this site with somebody, and somebody is going to get a ton of exposure. If that might be you, please email me.

But, the first thing we need to do is stop giving the anti-MLM Neanderthals a target. There is way too much “junk MLM” out there with gimmicky pay plans and products based on hype, exaggeration, and in some cases outright fraud. Even when the content of our gift has great, legitimate value, way too often the packaging is crap.

An MLM Summit?

An event production company called CAPA Productions, founded by ANMP and DSRA board member Bret Matheny, is attempting to produce an event that may very well accomplish many of these goals. This ambition venture will definitely be more than just a few MLM gurus giving lectures (not that that’s a bad thing). I’d give you more details about exactly what it will be, except much of that is being left up to you!

Please participate in this survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FXPH6DF

Anyone who takes the survey gets a chance to win an 8 Gig Nano iPod ($150 value).

Industry Trends Data

Also, the MLM Industry Trends data has been updated HERE. An index of the ten largest public MLM companies is still outperforming the S&P 500 over the past year (20.02% to 11.5%) and past three months (9.88% to 8.71%), and the ratio of pro/con MLM search term results increased 1.8% to 2.09 (the third increase in the past four months, although the overall trend for the year is slightly down).

In closing, look for an increase in the number of Alerts and “Inside Network Marketing” podcasts in the weeks ahead. I’ve had some major projects that have kept me busy the last few months, but it’s time to get back in the game. Thanks for hanging in with me during my absence.

Len Clements
Founder & CEO
MarketWave, Inc.

About Len Clements

Based in Las Vegas and Founder and CEO of MarketWave, Inc., Len Clements provides consulting, training & expert witness services for the network marketing industry. Since 1989, he has been a top producer, trainer, and consultant for multiple network marketing companies. As a well-respected icon in the MLM industry today, Len conducts Inside Network Marketing seminars throughout the world and is the author of several best-selling books and audio tapes including Inside Network Marketing (Random House), Case Closed, The Whole Truth About Network Marketing and The Coming Network Marketing Boom.