Many businesses use the concept of multilevel marketing to improve their sales force while saving money on wages. By offering individuals a chance to own their own distribution business working for themselves, companies are able to increase sales and profit, while the distributors establish their own customer base and recruit other distributors.



In its simplest form, multilevel marketing networks consist of the main company or product manufacturer with a sales force. Instead of hiring people full-time to sell their product they bring in independent sales professionals to sell their merchandise and offer commission on every sale. For example, a person sells widgets for a major manufacturer and earns a 30 percent commission on every widget sold.

To encourage more sales, the company advises the distributor that if they can recruit others to join the sales network, or team, they can also earn 10 percent of that distributor's sales. Additionally, if that distributor recruits another distributor, the first in line can earn another five percent of their sales. Doing the math, the first distributor starts to understand that a product sells for $100 and if they sell one, they can earn $30. If the next person in their line sells one, they can earn $10 and if their recruit sells one, they get another $5.

It does not take a genius to figure out if each of the people working under them sell two items, they can make $30, which is as much as they make selling one, and there was no work on their part. They may begin to concentrate on recruiting sales people to work under them, making money off their sales and doing of their own work.

The problem with this theory is the original member of the team is dependent on the sales of those under them to make an income. If the line starts to break down their income begins to fall. For example, if a better widget hits the market and is offered to the sales force as a multilevel marketing program, many may bail out to the new company, getting an early jump on the new product.

As the first member of the sales team, your income from everyone under you has disappeared and with introduction of the newest widget sales from your company dry up and you are out of work and out of an income. The only way out is to find the next new opportunity and jump ship before the one on which you are sailing sinks into oblivion. With internet marketing, and the speed on online sales, this is why the turnover is so high. More of the lower-tier members of a downline are looking for the opportunity to be in the top tier the next time around, leaving their former mentors and business partners in a lurch.

With more multilevel marketing networks there is no loyalty except for their own income and to remain successful a person has be involved with a quality product that produces a sustainable income. Repeat business is always easier to obtain than new customers and being able to deliver on a promise will keep the customers coming back and the lower-tier members of the network from finding other opportunities.