MLMs are also criticized for being unable to fulfill their promises for the majority of participants due to basic conflicts with Western cultural norms.[57] There are even claims that the success rate for breaking even or even making money are far worse than other types of businesses:[58] "The vast majority of MLMs are recruiting MLMs, in which participants must recruit aggressively to profit. Based on available data from the companies themselves, the loss rate for recruiting MLMs is approximately 99.9%; i.e., 99.9% of participants lose money after subtracting all expenses, including purchases from the company."[58] In part, this is because encouraging recruits to further "recruit people to compete with [them]"[4] leads to "market saturation."[22] It has also been claimed "(b)y its very nature, MLM is completely devoid of any scientific foundations."[59]
^{Rather than focusing solely on the technical aspects of how the best MLM leads are generated , we are able to dramatically improve overall conversion rates and quality of network marketing leads by adjusting the entire opt-in process through the eyes of your prospects. Our job is to understand what your prospects want and to help them get it. We believe technology and design should follow people, not the other way around.}
In April 2006, the FTC proposed a Business Opportunity Rule intended to require all sellers of business opportunities—including MLMs—to provide enough information to enable prospective buyers/participants to make an informed decision about acquiring/joining a business venture with information disclosed about the average likelihood of monetary profitability (and the extent of monetary profitability, if any) of acquiring/joining the business venture. In March 2008, however, the FTC removed "Network Marketing" (i.e. MLM) companies from the proposed Business Opportunity Rule, thus leaving MLM participants without the ability to make an informed choice of entering or not entering MLMs based on the disclosed likelihood of success and profitability:
For full disclosure, I want to point out that I am not affiliated with any multi-level marketing or direct sales companies, and that I don’t receive any compensation from the industry for my opinion on it. I’m sharing this with you because after I wrote what is considered the most widely read, copied, and quoted MLM article in the history of the industry, I was accused of writing it to promote my own MLM business or the industry in general, which is not the case.

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In order to be successful at any business, you need strong support and solid training. The law requires MLM companies give you a slew of information, including financial details about average income. Study this and ask questions. If the rep is hesitant to answer or glosses over your concerns, he's not someone to work with. A legitimate MLM company wants you to be informed
A long time friend that you lost touch with for the last 10 years gives you a call and asks to meet up. After meeting up and breaking the ice, he/she then introduces a new revolutionary product and how you stand to get rich by selling it. Throw in jargons like passive income and downlines, you suddenly realise you’re beginning to be sucked into the dream they are selling.
Is Home Depot going to run a class on how to make submarine sandwiches? No. Makes no sense, right? Would people be attracted to that? Like that one I might attend. I like submarine sandwiches, they’re pretty good. That I might attend but I’m going to go there and be like why am I in a building supply company? I’m not going to buy anything. It doesn’t make sense.
6. MLM trade journal advertising. A well-written and properly placed ad can generate some good contacts. But don't expect thousands or even hundreds of inquires. These publications are read by experienced distributors who see lots of offerings. Yours must stand out in order to compete. Many publications will offer you a press release to accompany your ad that will greatly enhance your inquiries.
^{It was an absolute pleasure doing business with you. I was very pleased with the speed that you delivered your product. We ordered a specific quantity of addresses but Listguy was very generous in supplying 5,000 more addresses that we had requested at no further cost. We were able to acquire the addresses we needed in the time frame we required. I would definitely recommend Listguy!}