Bruce Bates   Cooperative marketing
Oh I am so glad you brought this topic up, and we will vastly disagree on my answer I am sure but I definitely have an answer that I want to stress.

Pyramids, are NOT pyramid scams.

EPX - honorable pyramid, avon - honorable pyramid, amway - mostly honorable pyramid (these days), Vorwerk - honorable pyramid, herbalife - honorable pyramid, pampered chef - honorable pyramid, this list goes on and on and on.

Pyramids backed by products - are not a problem and should FLOOD the market with their products.

The problem is the SCAMS. These idiots who turn ebooks into MLM's, or cyber training courses, or digital services in general (sorry guys I am just calling it as I see it). Digital products and services should simply never mix a multi-level business plan into the mix. Why? Because for every one legit one - there are 300,000 scams. Its not worth the risk.

If a company is NOT backed by real legitimate sales of tangible products and said company uses a pyramid structure (this includes matrices, one ups, gift giving, ponzi's, and every other type of scam model) run the other way!
Sep 19th 2013 08:45 1 Likes  

Mike G.   Marketer
We look at what pyramids is differently...I tend to think of anything that can be put in a brick and mortar on a shelf not be a pyramid.

...but I took the liberty to call Avon and ask them myself at: 1 (212) 282-7000 Global Headquarters if they considered themselves as a pyramid....No!

Amway is headquartered in my home state and I know them well just got off the phone at: 800-253-6500 and was told in anger "NO!"

I do get your point but rarely is anyone here promoting any of those good ones you mention. My point you can't get a good company to call themselves a pyramid.
Bad companies will salute the word for the most part.

Now, how do we stop the bad?
Sep 19th 2013 10:04 1 Likes  

Bruce Bates   Cooperative marketing
Haha you are right they won't call themselves a pyramid, but most pyramids won't in general. Ask them if they are a "network marketing" company and you will get a vastly different answer.

But how do we stop the bad, shun them from everywhere we go. Everything we own should shun them. In fact I have been talking to wincer about how to clean up apsense.

What I recommended he do is make a system wide policy to disallow all affiliate links.

The majority of quality marketers be they network marketers or affiliate marketers, create websites about themselves, their products, etc. They create their own sites that they maintain and they buy a domain.

So I suggested to wincer, get rid of everything that is not a domain based url - and ensure it is not a 301 rredirect nor a framed redirect. Only hosted sites.

I think that the vast majority of scammers are promoted by affiliates and most of them don't go buying domains that can be traced back to them.

Then picking off whats left of scams would be easy.
Sep 19th 2013 10:11   

Mike G.   Marketer
I think that is a good idea! It won't stop everything but it would weed out a lot.Thanks.
Sep 19th 2013 10:37   

Bruce Bates   Cooperative marketing
Wincer thought it was also a good idea so there is much change coming in the future I hope - but he is a busy man. He is equally open to more idea's and system wide policies to help end all this nonsense
Sep 19th 2013 10:53   

Mike G.   Marketer
Good deal can't wait to see these kind of changes! Thanks.
Sep 19th 2013 11:02   

Ted Carter  Lead Generation
You can't. It is a curse that we will always have.
Sep 19th 2013 15:03   

Mike G.   Marketer
Ted, when someone tells me I can't it get's me all fired up!
Sep 19th 2013 15:18   

Ted Carter  Lead Generation
Mike, you are a young man filled with enthusiasm, I commend you
Sep 20th 2013 15:57 1 Likes  

Mike G.   Marketer
Ted, I am burning out....I can deal with 300 social type sites with different people and ideas....I can handle thousand on my list...I setup and nearly complete 100 websites in a week but I can't create and deal with one mega website that I'm trying to get up and going or see clearly that it won't work!

Dealing with techs, execs, investors and legal issues is the craziest thing in my life! I never want to punch something so bad or scream to the top of my lungs! I'm about done with the crap...I know you have no idea what I'm talking about but I feel a bit better now so...
Sep 21st 2013 10:17   

Chuck Bartok   Veteran Entrepreneur now Sharing
Appreciate the emphasis on Product.
I have been personally consuming some products from MLM structured companies for many years...
And have Enjoying a tidy income from the Sales of the Products for years.
It is so easy to SELL something you use and it is fairly priced.
one of the owners approached me as the company was being launched and asked input. I said "PAY a high commission to those selling the product to customers"
He did and many are enjoying the benfit
Oct 6th 2013 17:35 1 Likes  

Steve M.   Traffic Specialist
No matter what Mlm business your operating be it a scam or not you will need traffic and this system will help you.
tinyurl.com/profits8048
Oct 21st 2013 08:41   

Bruce Bates   Cooperative marketing
I have reported steve for spam comments and have kicked him out of the group. He is some moron who follows me on every social network and tries spamming groups I am in saying "I am funny and don't know how to market".

I strongly encourage you avoid anything this guy touches or shares.
Oct 21st 2013 09:11   

Mike G.   Marketer
Yeah, I hit the report button soon as he posted...if you need my help with this let me know...If he turns out to be a bad guy every major site will ban his IP.

Hey, I don't know if you know about Morgan but she needs help...
Oct 22nd 2013 23:44   

Bruce Bates   Cooperative marketing
who is she send her my way
Oct 22nd 2013 23:49   

Mike G.   Marketer
She said she was going to write for you she is in Vermont...I will find her link here in a sec.
Oct 22nd 2013 23:52   

Mike G.   Marketer
OK, I said her name wrong its Margo Johnson. I have talked to her on the phone trying to get attention to her story now I'm getting heat for doing things my special way.
Oct 23rd 2013 00:00   

Oswald Rodrigues   writermaster.gumroad.com
I have the perfect solution: send them to Egypt. There they'll have a rollicking time promoting those pyramids.
Dec 14th 2013 10:23   

Mike G.   Marketer
Oswald, get the point but anyone from Egypt...I'm sure you will take care with great accommodations. Thanks
Dec 16th 2013 13:46   

Bruce Bates   Cooperative marketing
I'm not sure you did get it Mike, he was making a funny.... pryamids of Egypt.... you know, one of the great wonders of the world :)
Dec 16th 2013 14:38