Accountability In Network Marketing?

Posted by Jeff Boyle on May 21, 2009 in Blog, Networking News | 1 comment

There are few industries more misunderstood then network marketing.  Despite widespread disdain, the industry continues to demonstrate its power and has proven to be a legitimate and time-proven career path for many entrepreneurs.   However, it is also an industry that has received more than its fair share of criticism from its naysayers, some of it admittedly deserved.

Our position is simple:  The concept of network marketing is extremely powerful and provides a true Abundance Exchange  for its participants IF AND ONLY IF the company is managed correctly, operates ethically, demonstrates creativity, and provides innovative and valuable products.

Currently, bad network marketing companies and good network marketing companies, for better or for worse, share the same reputation in the public eye.  Industry insiders and successful distributors know how to separate the wheat from the tares, but to the general public all industry participants are largely viewed the same.  We want to change that.  By providing a thorough, objective and easily understood rating system, good companies can measure improvement and bad companies will have the choice of improving or perishing.

Diners have Zagat Surveys, drivers have Consumer Reports, and now budding network marketing entrepreneurs will have our survey.  We believe that very quickly companies will seek to obtain a high rating and entrepreneurs will be able to make an educated decision rather than one based on hype and hyperbole.

Analysts not Antagonists

The current industry watchgroups (mlmwatchdog.com, etc.) have a sharp, edgy tone.  Even the term “watchdog” implies protection from outside threat.  More specifically, such groups exist to protect innocent consumers from network marketers and companies who by implication have disingenuous motives.  We disagree with this blanket approach to the industry and intend to demonstrate that while some companies through execution and culture fail to fulfill promises, others exceed expectations.

In essence, we are protagonists of network marketing when it is done correctly.  Although network marketing products and commission plans are heavily scrutinized by governments around the world, there has never been a standardized approach to compare the different opportunities from the consumer’s viewpoint.  There are ratings and top ten lists, but these fail in that they are often influenced by sheer size considerations, advertising dollars and provide very little analytical depth.  In addition, simply because there is government scrutiny, just because commission plans and products pass minimum legal muster, it does not mean they are truly dynamic and value driven opportunity.

We have spent many years in network marketing in every role imaginable.  We have participated in the industry as outside and inside legal counsel, as distributors, corporate consultants and executive founders of a company.   No matter what the involvement, it has been very difficult to watch person after person engage in bad opportunities that are destined for failure which in the end leads to disappointment and bitterness.   If we are successful in causing poorly run, underfunded, overly greedy companies to change, we will call ourselves a success.  However, the industry will be the winner when honest entrepreneurs are given appropriate facts to help them choose a true opportunity that fits their needs.
Our system provides a rigorous and standardized analytical framework that takes into account the many areas a new entrepreneur would never think to question when they are considering a network marketing opportunity.  We are confident that choosing the right opportunity will raise the rate of success for the entrepreneur and improve the industry as a whole.