Joy Adalia
If you are like me, then you are also quite annoyed by the people who constantly post on Facebook and other social media about easy opportunities for earning A LOT of money without having to work too hard for it.
Networking sites are too many to follow these days that it seems every day a new one is popping in the market. Let’s not name names here but you probably have an idea what these networking sites are and what products they are supposed to be selling their clients.
A Pyramiding Scam?
If you look at the structure of networking, it appears to be the same as pyramiding. You see, the structure is just the same: you are on the top of the pyramid. Just below you are the people you recruited (Yes! That’s the correct term!) directly. Just below them are the people they recruited…and so on.
So, if you list them all down, you still create the same pyramid used in pyramiding scams. The difference is that networking or multi-level marketing (MLM) have products they sell for profit, so that those who participate in the “business” do not just put in money (a characteristic of the pyramiding scam).
Still, even if your networking “upline” is trying to tell you that everything is legitimate and that you can all earn money here, if you just work hard with the group, in reality, you do have to find people who will become your “downlines”.
Without these downlines, you can never really get rich in networking. Yes, you can sell the products and make a profit out of them but the thick bundles of money, new cars, tours outside the country, and new houses only come to those with downlines.
So, can you get rich with networking?
The answer is “yes!” BUT only the luckiest and most hardworking ones remain on top of the game. They are the ones who truly get rich.
For example, both Juan and Pedro join a networking company that is selling weight-loss products. At first they invested the same amount of money.
Because Juan was not very enthusiastic about the company, he found it hard to look for downlines but was able to sell the products to a few of his friends who soon became his regular customers.
Meanwhile, Pedro worked hard on a daily basis, posting on Facebook (yep, he embodies those pesky recruiters) about the company and its products so that he was able to get two downlines within a week. Every week thereafter, new downlines began to be added in his network. He was lucky to have downlines as persuasive as he is, so his own network prospered – to make the long story short, he got rich. He did not even need to sell the products because his large network is bringing him plenty of profit.
So, does that mean you can TRULY get rich with networking?
Again, “yes!” The example is actually close to the truth for some people; however, just because Pedro became rich from networking did not mean the people in his network were as lucky. The most industrious and persuasive people were the ones who also got rich like Pedro.
Hmmm so are they saying those who didn’t get rich and those who didn’t join were lazy? Somehow, that is the implication there but the getting rich part continues to be a matter of great debate in the marketing circle, especially because many believe that the uplines are taking advantage of their downlines!
The networking arguments are long; with each side able to offer their own reasonable answer to the questions.
This should serve as a warning, though:
It’s best not to get involved in plans where the money you make is based primarily on the number of distributors you recruit and your sales to them, rather than on your sales to people outside the plan who intend to use the products. – US Federal Trade Commission
Watch the Failon Ngayon special report here:
