Alert #207: 6/10/2012

Inside Network Marketing Podcast is Back!
Fake MLM Gurus, Shorting Public MLM Companies, and Industry Trends Update

Inside Network Marketing Podcast
 
Yes, it’s been a while since my last podcast. Almost a year, actually. Unfortunately, being an industry advocate, watchdog, guru, or what ever you want to call it, doesn’t pay well. Actually, it doesn’t pay at all, so I’ve been focusing on keeping the lights on, gas in my Jag, and a supply of Marie Calendars frozen dinners in the fridge. But there’s just too much I want to say that just isn’t getting said, so I’m back to whacking hornet’s nests again. Or, in the case of this latest episode, sacred cow tipping.
 
It’s funny, sort of, that a few weeks back I was the victim of a home invasion. A guy actually kicked through my very large, thick front door. It took him about 8 or 9 attempts, and I remember the first thing I thought as the battering ramming began was, okay, who did I piss off now? As it turns out, he was just a low life looking to steal my stuff. Because I ignored his incessant doorbell and knocking concerto (he didn’t know the secret doorbell code that only my friends and family know) I suspect he didn’t even know I was home. When he made it through, all I had to do was make him aware of my Glock to turn him into a Roadrunner exit (big cloud with the word “Poof” in the middle of it). Since I was already on the line with 911 (a recording of which I’m getting a copy of), he didn’t make it far before the good guys got him. It was like watching an episode of C.O.P.S. in hi-def 3D.  
 
Anyway, maybe it’s because I’m now over half-a-century old, but I just don’t seem to care as much about how many people like me, or how much. I’ve been involved with this business, full time, for over 21 years now, and I’m just… so… tired… of the BS. Not just of the BS that’s slung at us from ignorant outsiders, which no one seems to want to do anything about, but more so of the BS that keeps bubbling up from within this business. Don’t get me wrong, I love network marketing. I love it like I loved Tribble, my champion purebred Persian, inbred, likely brain damaged cat that never used the litter box even once in her 13 years of life. There are some people and companies in this industry that really need a metaphorical whack with a rolled up newspaper. I’d love to do this in a gentle, tactful way, but I just can’t seem to figure out how to do that, and I don’t believe reading How to Win Friends and Influence People a fourth time is going to help.
 
In this latest edition of Inside Network Marketing (#18) I’ll be discussing David Einhorn, Barry Minkow, and the practice of shorting public MLM companies, like Herbalife and USANA. Then the fun really begins with a relatively restrained rant regarding fake M.L.M. gurus and how we all should be vetting our industry leaders – which we don’t seem to be doing at all.
 
So here you go. Let the flaming begin.
 
http://www.MarketWaveInc.com/RadioShow.asp
 
Industry Trends Update

At the beginning of every month the Industry Trends page at MarketWaveInc.com is updated HERE. Here’s some key results from this latest update:
 
1. Although the ratio of pro-MLM commentary to con rose slightly, from 1.93 to 1.96, the overall online chatter about M.L.M. dropped 5%.
 
2. Although M.L.M. stocks have outperformed the overall market over the past 12 months (10.59% to 2.66%), May broke a four month M.L.M. winning streak vs. the S&P 500, which dropped 8.6% from April. The M.L.M. Index dropped 19.2%.
 
3. The number of visitors to the Wikipedia entry for “Multilevel Marketing” and “MLM” in May was 62,644, the fourth largest on record. The highest was 66,656 in January of 2011. This is not necessarily a good thing considering a small but diligent contingent of anti-MLM Wiki editors now control this listing, thus it is no longer a fair and neutral representation of our profession.
 
Thanks for listening.
 
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.