MLM Advertising – Are We Shooting Ourselves in the Foot?

Compiled by Len Clements © 1996

Once again we take a pointed stab at those among us who take it upon themselves to write their own ad copy. Only this time it’s not for laughs. These are ad headlines from a variety of MLM trade publications, as well as several outer-circle business magazines — and they are not funny.

As you may have noticed, MLM doesn’t exactly have the greatest reputation in this country. Many of those we are trying to pursued to take a look at MLM seem to feel our industry is made up of get-rich-quick schemes that are really designed to make them go-broke-slowly. Their impression seems to be that MLM doesn’t really work, or if it does, those who participate in it are all con artists.

Well, here’s a sampling of how we, as an industry, are trying to convince them otherwise.

BURNED BY YOUR MLM COMPANY???

Have Them Gladly Refund Your Money

(Card Deck, 5/95)

STOP MLM RIP-OFF

Free Audio Tape Explains Why 99% Of All People

Fail In Network Marketing

(Postcard, 5/95)

DON’T GET RIPPED OFF IN MLM!

(MLM Magazine, 7/95)

DUMP THOSE MLM BLUES

(MLM/MO Newspaper, 6/95)

HAVE YOU GOT THE MLM BLUES?

(MLM Magazine, 7/95, different ad than above)

If You Have Lost Your Shirt In Other Programs, Here

Is Your Chance To Get It Back!!!

(MLM Magazine, 7/95)

DISSATISFIED?

(MLM Magazine, 7/95)

No More Unstable Companies, Disappearing Uplines.

(MLM Magazine, 7/95)

THE SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT NETWORK MARKETING

(MLM Magazine, 7/95)

DON’T BECOME A VICTIM

(MLM/MO Newspaper, 7/95)

SICK AND TIRED OF LOSING MONEY?

(Business Magazine, Spring ’95)

THE REASON PEOPLE FAIL IN NETWORK

MARKETING. Free Report…

(Business Magazine, 11/94)

THEY AREN’T TELLING YOU HOW MLM

REALLY WORKS!

(MLM Magazine, 2/95)

THE GREAT DECEPTION

(MLM Magazine, 1/95)

LOSING MONEY IN MLM? Of Course You Are…

(MLM Magazine, 2/95)

FRUSTRATED IN MLM?

(MLM Magazine, 2/95)

HAS MLM BEEN LONG ON HYPE AND SHORT

ON DELIVERY?

(MLM Magazine, Spring ’95)

EVER BEEN SCAMMED IN MLM?

(MLM Newspaper, 6/95)

WARNING!

Your (sic) Being Lied To And It’s Costing You A

Fortune!

(Business Magazine, 5/95)

MLM DOESN’T WORK!

Unless Your (sic) Willing To Work Hard And Pick A

Company That Lasts

(Business Magazine, 5/95)

NETWORKING — NOT WORKING?

(Business Magazine, 5/95)

ARE YOU TIRED OF SWIMMING ALONE WITH

THE MLM SHARKS?

(MLM Magazine, 4/95)

Although they are not specifically negative towards MLM, such ad headlines as these should really enhance our image as well:

CRIME PAYS (Numerous MLM publications)

FREE MONEY (MLM/MO Newspaper, 3/95)

I RAID DOWNLINES (MLM Magazine, 3/95)

BULLSHIT (MLM Newspaper, 7/94)

Now let’s all think real hard and see if we can come up with a theory as to why MLM has such a bad image.

Hey! I have one…

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.