          
          
          
          Multiply and Conquer
          
          
               Yes, there are opportunities in MLM.  Fortunes
          have been made and will be made in the future.  But you
          need to know what to look for in an MLM organization,
          and you also need to know what to avoid.
               To begin with, you need to understand MLM. 
          Virtually any product or service can be sold via MLM,
          but most of the companies in the field emphasize
          consumer goods, such as cosmetics, vitamins, and
          personal care items.
               Every person in an MLM organization can sell those
          products directly to a consumer, receiving a commission
          on each sale.  However, it's doubtful you'll succeed
          strictly through your own sales efforts.
               Instead, with an MLM program, you'll make the most
          money by recruiting other salespeople, sometimes known
          as distributors.  Then, you'll earn a partial
          commission, known as a bonus or an "override," on all
          sales made by the distributors you recruit.  Here's how
          a sample MLM operation might work:
               Every distributor starts out paying a nominal
          amount (usually under $100) for a distributor's kit
          that might contain a carrying case, a manual, a product
          catalog, brochures, order forms, audiocassettes, video
          cassettes, etc.  In addition, distributors can buy the
          company's products at a discount, say 20% off the
          retail price.
               Each distributor recruits other distributors, who
          recruit still more distributors, and so on.  All those
          below you in your organization are known as your
          "downline," and you'll share in the commissions on what
          they sell.
               Often, a minimum amount must be generated in sales
          by your downline before you're entitled to bonuses and
          overrides.
               Suppose a first-level recruit (a distributor you
          brought into the organization) reaches a certain level
          of sales, $300 dollars worth of products in a month. 
          Then an override kicks in, and you might collect 5% of
          your recruit's total sales.  If a second-level recruit
          (someone your recruit has recruited) reaches the $300-
          dollar plateau, you might get a 4% override.  This
          structure continues down the line so you might get 3%
          for a third-level recruit, and so on.
          
          
