Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Evan Carmichael Top Header about About Home Profiles articles Tools forums inspirational quotes About facebook Twitter YouTube Blog
Share for a Cause











2 Major Differences Between MLM and Pyramid Marketing

Guest post by: Jeff Casmer

Article Overview: People often confuse MLM (multi-level marketing) with pyramid marketing. However there is a very clear distinction between the two concepts. Both types of marketing inspires strong feelings in a great many people for both sides. With subjects such as multi-level marketing or pyramid marketing much can be learned by examining each side. Better to examine the position calmly and reasonably as an alternative to making assumptions over the differences. Let's calmly examine the 2 clear and concise differences between MLM and pyramid marketing:

Free Download - The Best Way To Increase Productivity For Your Unique Home Business Ideas In 3 Easy Steps By Jeff Casmer
Name: Email:

2 Major Differences Between MLM and Pyramid Marketing

People often confuse MLM (multi-level marketing) with pyramid marketing. However there is a very clear distinction between the two concepts. Both types of marketing inspires strong feelings in a great many people for both sides. With subjects such as multi-level marketing or pyramid marketing much can be learned by examining each side. Better to examine the position calmly and reasonably as an alternative to making assumptions over the differences. Let's calmly examine the 2 clear and concise differences between MLM and pyramid marketing:

O.K. Here we go! Pyramid marketing is a non-sustainable business model that involves promising participants payment, services or ideals, primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme or training them to take part, rather than supplying any real investment or sale of products or services to the public. Pyramid schemes are a form of fraud.

Multi-level marketing (MLM), on the other hand, is about moving the product through a larger network of distributors so that the business can increase sales. This is the first major difference. There is a product that you are selling.

The second major difference between MLM and pyramid marketing is that pyramid marketing requires each level to DOUBLE before a new level is created so it isn't fair to people lower down in the levels and also unethical. MLM, however, awards a commission based upon the volume of product sold through own sales efforts as well as that of the down line organization.

Multi-level Marketing follows a significantly different structure than pyramid marketing. The network is divided into parts comprising of different number of people. Some parts of the network may comprise of lesser people because the initiator might not have been able to sign-up more people; however, other parts may have flourished due to a hard-working marketing genius have good resources. Hence, MLM turns out to be a fairer approach to generating income and sales and is based on the individual's efforts but rewards the entire team.

So there we have the 2 major differences between MLM and pyramid marketing.

What is the bottom line with both of these concepts? One is unethical (pyramid marketing) and the other is a great way to make money on the internet if you choose a company that fits your interests and are willing to put forth the effort to succeed. MLM marketing has made millionaires all over the world. Get your piece of the pie too!

Related Articles
  Network Marketing vs. Pyramid Schemes
  Network Marketing Opportunities – Pyramid Schemes or Legit Opportunities?
  Kenya, the land of the pyramids
  The Marketing Pyramid: How to Find Your Ideal Client
  career transition&Success paradigms
  HARNESING THE POWER OF DIFFERENCE
  Legal Marketing: How to write your firm's blog
  What is wrong with Multi-Level Marketing?
  Who Else Wants to Discover the Truth Behind MLM Pyramid Schemes?
  My 5 Favorite Excuses For Not Building A Network Marketing Business
  Article #13 Hoping the Next Business Opportunity Would Be “The One” to Make You Rich?
  Why you should choose network marketing for your new career
  Do network marketing Prospect Questions Make You Go Berserk?
  Where Are You In Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy Of Needs?
  What’s the Difference Between Writing Articles & Media Releases?
  Link Pyramids
  Linking Pay to Performance: Cascading Goals
  Relationships and Psychology: We’re More Alike than We Think
  Differences Between Marketing Your Business Online Vs. Offline
  What You Need To Know About MLM and its 3 Lies

Home > Home-Based-Business > Jeff Casmer > 2 Major Differences Between MLM and Pyramid Marketing >
Article Tags: multilevel marketing, pyramid marketing



Related Forum Posts
Re: Art of Marketing Re: Art of Marketing - Differences, at some basic level, will always level the playing field - for the better. Take a look at the franchise fast food industry. Yes, the top concepts are there year after year, but if you take a step back, smaller concepts are always gaining market share. People love fast food. But people also love variety. Apply this to the Art of Marketing, there is a customer base everytime - however, its more how much of an artist you are in your customers eyes, not yours keep in mind.
Re: Fashion Re: Fashion - Nana, At you choice you may choose to research the fashion industry a bit more. There is obviously a Business side to it as well as a creative side to it. Find out all the types of roles that exist in the industry. Some that come to mind merchandiser, Window dresser, floor plan organizer (someone needs to determine the layout of a retail store to best sell the goods), fashion consultant (Yorkdale mall has fashion consultants that take you around and tell you what looks great on you - you also get a cut from the sales). This is what I've observed from the business side, you may know more. All these roles I've written about will help you grow as a business person and make the contacts in the industry...possible stepping stones. But further more you'll also notice that you need to develop some business acumen possibly tailored to the fashion industry. When I was at Ryerson I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur someday too. I knew I needed some basic business courses to get a foundation to build from. I was in a Tech/Business Major (I'm sure Fashion has something similar - Fashion/Business Major) and then started to create my own minor. Here are some of the courses I took: Marketing, Law, Entrepreneurial, Management, consulting.. and a few more . Also, I'm sure that within the Fashion Major there are also courses you have to take where you can use your creative side and create designs. Typically within a Major there are focuses you can choose - ask the program coordinator. Your next step is to do some research. 1. Visit Commercial retail outlets like H&M, Banana Republic, or jacob. Tell the Manager your doing some research for University and would like to know what types of Corporate roles exist aside from the roles on the retail floor (like sales associates). If she asks you to elaborate then you can use some of the roles I mentioned above. 2. With this information in hand you can visit the Ryerson Fashion department and inquire with the Program Coordinator on what focus within the Fashion Degree would help you the most. In my program there were 5 different focuses within the Tech/Business program. Just a quick aside. A good friend of mine too has a dream of fashion. he want to create a niche fashion line tailored to skinny men (I can't mention the style). He's in Business school but not in the Fashion program... He's in International Business but all his Minor courses are tailored to running a successful business ... similar to the ones I mentioned above for myself. I have no doubt in my mind he'll make it 'cos his vision is that strong.
Re: Art of Marketing Re: Art of Marketing - [quote="theFranchiseMarket":zr4fnhdv]Differences, at some basic level, will always level the playing field - for the better. Take a look at the franchise fast food industry. Yes, the top concepts are there year after year, but if you take a step back, smaller concepts are always gaining market share. People love fast food. But people also love variety. Apply this to the Art of Marketing, there is a customer base everytime - however, its more how much of an artist you are in your customers eyes, not yours keep in mind.[/quote:zr4fnhdv] Hi theFranchiseMarket, Can you expand and give an example on your comment about "smaller concepts"?
Re: What is your Business? Re: What is your Business? - We are running a Online Marketing Firm and we have some good clients to which we are offering a complete Digital Marketing strategy like Search, Mobile Marketing, Branding and Design. I think in Online Marketing company online presence can be a wining factor for the success of the company.
laptop vs. Desktop laptop vs. Desktop - I'm not a heavy gamer or graphics person so a Laptop is ideal for me for all the obvious reasons (portability, wireless, work on the go, etc etc) Major downside is the battery power and the cost to replace it - half as much as the cost of the laptop on my current IBM.


Recommended Article for You close

  Network Marketing vs. Pyramid Schemes

Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.



Featured Article

Bottom Footer



Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Environment and productivity at the office

ROSI Return on SUNK Investment

Local Marketing: 3 Simple Low-Cost Strategies

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.