For more information, visit www.mlmlegal.com.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

For more information, visit mlmlegal.com.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

A Conversation with Jeff Babener Video Series: Learn about the difference between the various compensation plans and how distributors are compensated with each plan. It’s called multi-level marketing since distributors are compensated at each level as they recruit more consultants. How many levels are distributors compensated at? Learn about breakaway compensation plans. Learn the difference between sponsors and recruits. Get the definition of each unique compensation plan and which plans are most common and which are less successful. How many levels deep is it most common to go, and legal, to go?

When does a compensation plan become a lottery, which is considered legal by many states? Which programs have stood the test of time, and which have gone by the wayside? Which compensation plan should you choose so that your company is legal and stands the test of time? Learn how to ask the right questions to determine a legitimate operating MLM company vs. a pyramid scheme. Watch the video.

Keep yourself educated on the legal aspects of the MLM industry. Visit MLMLegal.com. Are you starting a MLM company? Make sure you have your legal aspects covered. Contact legal MLM expert Jeff Babener for your free legal consultation today.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

There are so many MLM, network marketing companies in operation. How do you know which one is a good fit for you? Have you thought about what type of product you’d like to sell? Or the compensation plan that would work best for you? Do you have a sponsor that will support you in growing your home-based business?

As you are researching your options, keep the following six questions in mind before you choose to sign up with a direct selling company.  

1. Does the direct selling company have a valid product or service that you believe in—that you are passionate about selling?
2. Does the company management have proven experience in network marketing?
3. Does the compensation plan provide retail profit to the distributor and pay bonuses for developing a downline organization?
4. Does the MLM company offer top quality promotional and support materials?
5. Does the network marketing company offer ongoing field training and support available throughout the country?
6. Do you have a sponsor that is willing to work with you and help you in your efforts?

These questions are all imperative to the success of your distributorship business. Weigh your options carefully. Network with other distributors about the companies in which they’ve had success. Do your research, compare each company apples to apples, or apples to pears. Make sure that you choose a company that you are not only passionate about, but that is also supportive of its distributors.

Watch some of our most popular videos to learn more about network marketing and MLM.

Do You Have Some Tips to Become a Successful Network Marketing Distributor?

If I’m a New Distributor Then Should I Focus My Selling In Areas Where Other Distributors Are Successful Or Should I Focus On Untouched Territory?

If a Sales Kit or Startup Fee Is Several Hundred Dollars, Then Is This Considered “Frontloading”?

Why Do MLM Companies Require Distributors to Use Replicated Websites Rather Than Distributor-Created Websites?

What Do I Do with Distributors Who Go Passive (for MLM Distributors)?

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Almost all major direct selling companies have defined “retail sales” to include sales to non-distributors, as well as sales to distributors for actual use or consumption (distributors like to use the products they sell too). Many regulatory officials, however, have maintained that the “mark of legitimacy” is found in the programs where primary sales revenue comes from sales to non-distributors, i.e. consumers.

As a theoretical goal, the regulatory position is admirable. The fact is that personal use in the direct selling business creates high sales revenue for many companies from the moment of their inception.

For many years after the 1979 Amway decision, a “live and let live attitude” prevailed between the MLM industry and regulatory community. Although periodic legal skirmishes occurred, the industry and regulators appeared to be content to “agree to disagree.” Instead, the focus on legal investigation was upon inventory loading, cash pyramids, phony products, and earnings hype.

The comments of a federal appeals court in a 1996 class action case involving a company called Omnitrition invigorated the debate on personal use. In that decision, which involved an interim ruling in the case, the federal appeals court questioned whether or not a network marketing company could be viewed as legitimate if its sales were not derived from nonparticipant customers (i.e. distributors). The language in the decision was heavily criticized by the MLM industry, and the Direct Selling Association (DSA), in fact, filed an amicus brief citing the importance of personal use in direct selling marketing programs. However, the decision stood firm. In the trial court’s ruling, the court recognized that products purchased for personal use by distributors constituted a retail sale in the same fashion that sales to nonparticipants would constitute a retail sale.

In the aftermath of the decision, both state and federal regulatory agencies were emboldened to sue or obtain consent decrees against network marketing companies which contain very restrictive requirements regarding recognition of personal use by distributors. State agencies were all over the board on their position. Some demanded 50 percent sales to non-distributors. Some demanded 70 percent sales to non-distributors. Some demanded 80 percent to non-distributors. Even the FTC awakened after 20 years of dormancy and demanded that more than 50 percent of sales be to non-distributors in various consent decrees.

The aggressiveness of government activity was alarming to the industry. The industry quickly marshaled forces, and in short order, at least four states adopted legislation specifically recognizing personal use as a legitimate end destination for products. Other states were likewise targeted for such legislation and the industry was of the belief that a trend would be started that ultimately would be recognized by all state and federal agencies. So strongly did the industry feel about it, that its leading trade association, the DSA, undertook consideration of a formal amendment to its ethics code which would recognize that, for purposes of a pyramid analysis, a retail sale would include sales to nonparticipants, as well as sales to participants for actual use or consumption.

Notwithstanding the ongoing debate on personal use, the industry seems to thrive in almost all states. These is no question; however, that the “personal use” issue is a thorny issue and one issue upon which the industry and regulators must carry on an earnest ongoing dialog to reach a consensus that protects consumers, distributors and network marketers.

Learn more about the multilevel marketing industry and personal use. Watch expert Attorney Jeff Babener’s videos:

What Is the U.S. and International Trend in Recognizing the Validity of Personal Use by Distributors in Pyramid Cases?

Is There a Message to the Direct Selling Industry on Next Steps after the Burnlounge Case on Personal Use?

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn’t

be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn’t

know it so it goes on flying anyway.

–Mary Kay Ash

Humble Beginnings

Can you become the “million-dollar earner?” Don’t sell yourself short just because you’re starting fresh in the multilevel marketing business. History tells us that, in America, many billion-dollar businesses – including MLM – have been started on a shoestring budget in garages and basements. Cases in point: Bill Gates of Microsoft, Phil Knight of Nike shoes, and Steve Jobs of Apple Computer. There are countless inspiring network marketing success stories about individuals whose companies or distributorships had very humble beginnings, such as:

1) The Bathtub?

The co‑founders of Amway, also known as Quixtar, network marketing’s largest multi-billion-dollar company. Rich DeVos and Jay Van Andel mixed their first product, LOC Cleanser, in their bathtubs when they began their business. Starting out as distributors for a vitamin company, Nutrilite, their Amway Corporation later bought Nutrilite, which today is their division for nutritional supplements. Amway has gone on to become the largest seller of dietary supplements in the world with consistent sales in the billions.

2) Door Knocking?

The founder of Avon (a cosmetic conglomerate), David McConnell, wasn’t even in the cosmetics business in 1886. He was selling Bibles door-to-door, and giving away free perfume samples as a way to get into the homes of prospective customers. As it turned out, his customers showed much more interest in the perfume samples than in the bibles. So, he began the California Perfume Company, later renamed Avon.

Today, Avon, trades on the New York Stock Exchange, operates in more than 140 countries with sales in excess of $7 billion, and is one of the largest sellers of cosmetics in the world.

3) Nothing, really?

After a successful career as a top distributor for the direct selling company, Stanley Home Products, Mary Kay Ash started her own small business in 1963, named Mary Kay. She created products with ingredients like hide tanner (used to cure animal hides) and became the most famous face of direct selling and network marketing. Mark Kay lecturing around the world and was even included in a case study at Harvard Business School.

Mary Kay Ash was one of three alumni distributors of Stanley Home Products that established multi-billion dollar companies. Her colleague, Brownie Wise, went on to help establish Tupperware, and Mary Crowley founded Home Interiors.

Clearly, their MLM distributor experiences allowed them to accept and succeed in new challenges that would likewise impact millions of lives and inspire other entrepreneurs to develop successful distributorships and found their own companies today.

4) Liniment?

Consider the origins of Watkins Products back in 1868. Today, Watkins sells a full line of products, from spices to cosmetics, to health care items. In 1868, however, the founder of the company, Joseph R. Watkins, was selling only one product: liniment. From that single product was built, perhaps, the longest-running direct selling success story of the industry.

5) Football?

How improbable! Art Williams was a high school football coach making little more than $10,000 per year when he applied principles of multilevel marketing to the sale of term insurance.

A. L. Williams went on to become the largest seller of term insurance in the U.S., eventually evolving into today’s Primerica, a division of one of America’s largest financial institutions, Citibank. Sales of financial products by Primerica run into the billions of dollars every year. And, all from a football field!

6) Big Dreams!

Modern-day network marketing successes – whether they are companies or individual distributors – all have their own startup story, starting on a shoestring budget. This business was meant to grow from the humble beginnings of one person’s dream. Hand-to-hand marketing is the nature of the direct selling business

And the successes of those that have started billion-dollar companies are paralleled over and over among the millions of network marketing distributors. Look around at the top distributors for major companies today and you will find individuals, who in their prior lives, were teachers, plumbers, lighting salesmen — all with modest employment incomes and equally-modest prospects in life.

What it Takes: A Positive Mindset

This is a mindset business. Your attitude is often a self-fulfilling prophecy. There is some real truth to the veterans’ advice which notes, “If you think you can, you’re right; If you think you can’t, you’re right!”

So, the next time you think you can’t do it, think again! Make sure, however, that you have access to one of the following tools:  a bathtub, a garage, a bible, or a dream.

Do you want more inspiration? Watch these video titles from the 30+ year direct selling industry veteran, Jeff Babener:

Are There MLM Companies That Have Achieved Success on a Low Budget?

How Much Does It Cost to Start a MLM Company?

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Because we are globally-connected, you are bound to become involved in long distance sponsoring.

Embrace the opportunity to recruit beyond your city walls. You never know if – in a city a thousand miles away – long-distance sponsorship will be your most productive downline.

Like everything else in this business (in life); however, there are right and wrong ways to go about long distance sponsoring.

In a Business Start-Ups magazine interview, a national developer and producer of marketing and training materials for MLM companies and distributors, notes that “a conscious game plan may make all the difference in effective long distance sponsoring.” The interviewee points out that the helter-skelter approach to sponsoring (“go wide and see where it goes”) won’t necessarily yield the best results for your time and effort. Using this approach, he says, people are told to sign up anyone “as long as they breathe.”

Like any other important financial decision, the interviewee goes on, give it thought. “Just because you know a guy in Ohio, doesn’t mean you should sign him up, particularly if he is going to do nothing in your organization but draw on your time.”

This approach may support a few heavy hitters at the top of a network marketing organization, but not the average distributor. The interviewee points out that the top people in a network organization always try to put active, motivated people on their organization.

Here are 10 tips to help you when it’s time to cash-in on long distance sponsorship:

1) Know your craft: Before you start sponsoring long distance, make sure that you’ve mastered sales and recruiting in your own locality. The interviewee advises, “Know what you are doing and what you are going to teach.” Be a deal closer!

2) Choose wisely: If you want to increase your chances of success in long distance sponsoring, look for people who are “wired to win;” independent people with a track record of success. In fact, the further the distance, the more independent and reliable that person must be. The interviewee parallels the long distance sponsoring relationship to that of a long distance romance, saying, “If I am in LA, can I have a successful romance with someone in NY? Perhaps if I choose wisely.”

3) Create a system: You should start off with a comprehensive plan of attack and communicate it to your downline distributors so that you are all singing from the same song sheet. This is best accomplished at the beginning of the relationship by emailing them your proposed plan of attack.

4) Agree on responsive commitments: When you first establish relationships with long distance recruits, take some time to qualify the candidates. You need to talk to them, says the interviewee, and determine what they want, how much they are willing to commit in time, money and resources, and in what timeframe. Although you are all operating independent businesses, you are somewhat dependent on one another. Once you find the right person, develop an agreement that details your respective commitments – at the very least – in an email dedicated to the subject of business goals and plans.

5) Establish a long distance sponsoring budget: You have to spend money to make money. Long distance sponsoring is going to create expenses you don’t normally have when you sponsor distributors locally. To determine whether it will pay off for you, you’d better understand the costs involved. The first obvious expense is of calling charges and data rates on phone plans that don’t have unlimited data. Are you going to be mailing support materials to downline distributors? Plan on postage and mailing expenses for communication and shipping expenses for support materials. Are you planning on flying out to meet your downline or join an event? Plan a travel budget to support your downline group. This is obvious, but must be mentioned anyway: Make use of free technology (email, Skype, messaging services, etc.) to cut down on your long distance communication expenses.

6) Get some support from your company: If it looks like long distance sponsoring will be a real winner for you, you should take a close look at the multilevel marketing company you are working for to see if it has systems that will work to support your efforts. These may include voice messaging systems, national conference call service, digital communications and documents, email services, distributor website, as well as engaging materials to support retailing and team building.

7) Make sure the company training program supports long distance growth: Although this has been a problem in the past for some network marketing companies, many MLM companies today are developing new systems to support essential training for long distance recruits. Just take a look at their marketing materials.

8) Build your downline in geographical areas supported by your company: When you build your organization long distance, try to build in areas where the company is supporting growth through tours, rallies, events, and training. It’s much easier (and less expensive) to arrange meetings if most everyone in your downline is located around the same regional area.

9) Focus on areas where other successful distributors are located: Geographical areas where there is an infrastructure of successful distributors should be your first focus. It is particularly helpful if you can develop a reciprocal relationship where you support distributors of long distance recruits in your city in exchange for your distributors being supported by successful leader outside your city.

10) Provide the personal touch: The interviewee suggests that “training is everything and three-way calling is the name of the game in long distance sponsoring.” Be sure that you are on the phone with the first 10 contacts your new, long-distance distributor calls. This bonds potential customers to your organization from the very beginning. And also – when your distributors contact their potential customers – your new recruit will have the opportunity to listen to your presentation, gather information, learn how to overcome resistance, learn how to close the sale, and begin to build their own successful business.

In network marketing, long distance sponsoring opens a world of opportunity. If you’re willing to do it right, it can be an extremely profitable world. Remember, it takes time. It take a lot of effort and patience. And, above all, it takes determination.

Learn more about recruiting from Attorney Jeff Babener!

What is the benefit of recruiting experienced distributors? Video!

What’s the difference between sponsoring and recruiting? Video!

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB)April 15, 2016

MLM News Global newsletter offers recent news, videos, company profiles, and timely articles. The e-newsletter contains the top news stories from the network marketing industry, the most recent MLM scam alerts, timely articles on the direct selling industry, and so much more. Keep up-to-date on top MLM news headlines or to hear about the latest MLM scam alerts and pyramid scheme accusations. The timely headline reporting will keep subscribers up-to-date on stories that affect everyone in the network marketing industry. In addition, important press releases, directly from MLM/network marketing/direct selling, party plan companies, keep subscribers current on trends and direct selling company developments.

Subscribe and look forward to exclusive videos that laser-focus on industry-educational topics, such as distributor education, industry Q&A, direct selling executive interviews, MLM startup, and pyramid schemes.

The MLM News Global newsletter features industry-related articles in every issue, featuring MLMLegal.com’s perspective on FTC rulings, Burnlounge, Herbalife, Vemma cases, and more.

MLM News Global also highlights featured articles, from industry experts, on MLM industry-related topics, such as pyramid schemes, compensation plans, recruiting, lead generation, consulting, legal analysis, software, and more.

The MLM News Global Newsletter is presented by industry educator, MLM legal expert, and network marketing business consultant and lawyer, Attorney Jeff Babener.

Sign up today to receive valuable MLM, network marketing, direct selling content, an imperative to anyone in the direct selling industry.

Unsubscribe at any time. We guarantee a NO SPAM POLICY!

Check out our Archives for past issues.

The Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference will be held May 20, 2016.

How do you find out more information?

Visit the new website:

http://www.mlmlegal.com

Visit the blogs:

http://mlmlegal.com/MLMBlog/

http://mlmattorney.com/blog/

Contact MLMLegal.com: 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162

Conference Information: The day will begin at 9:00AM and end at 5:30PM, then from 5:30PM-8:30PM there will be one-on-one time with the speakers. For more information visit our website or call 800-231-2162/503-226-6600. Registrations are taken exclusively by phone and questions are always welcome.

Presented by one of the most trusted individuals in direct selling and MLM, Jeffrey Babener, Editor of http://www.mlmlegal.com.
About Attorney Jeffrey Babener: Conference Host and Chairman, Editor of http://www.mlmlegal.com, as well as the leading direct selling attorney in the United States – With over 30 years of experience as a direct selling attorney, Jeffrey Babener has advised leading companies in the MLM/Direct Selling industry, ranging from Avon to Nikken, to Herbalife, to Melaleuca, to USANA, and to Excel Communications, Nerium International, plus many more. He has been published in national magazines such as Money, Inc., Atlantic Monthly, Entrepreneur magazine, Direct Selling News, Direct Sales Journal, Success magazine, Money Maker’s Monthly, among countless others. He’s authored several books, including his most popular Network Marketing: What you should know. Mr. Babener has chaired more than 70 national conferences on direct selling.

Learn how to receive two COMPLIMENTARY tickets to attend the next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference by visiting the MLMAttorney.com.

View the press release at PRWeb.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.

Portland, Oregon (PRWEB)April 14, 2016

Come visit the new and improved MLMLegal.com! This is the first major renovation of MLMLegal.com. MLMLegal.com’s new face is easy to navigate and full of valuable and educational content, pertinent to direct sellers. And Babener & Associates is working on updating more pages throughout 2016.

A new and easy-to-use navigation bar helps visitors easily find what they are looking for, whether it is the blog, articles, videos, MLM resources, conference pages, or one of the many other resources available on the website for network marketers.

The main homepage image was provided by expert MLM Attorney himself, Jeff Babener, while on a trip to Europe. These beautiful mountains provide the metaphor “Let Us Be Your Guide.” Let the Law Office of Babener and Associates, MLMLegal.com, guide clients through the sometimes difficult MLM industry and its legal climate. As experienced network marketing attorneys, who have been in the industry for over three decades, and who represent companies such as Melaleuca, Avon, Herbalife, NuSkin, USANA, Nerium, Excel, and Team National, our firm has the experience and credibility to help direct selling companies navigate the direct selling industry.

“Let us be your guide” through education provided throughout the website in the form of articles, videos, books, and MLM resources. Or,” let us be your guide” in helping to startup or run your direct selling company; Babener & Associates advises in all of the legal aspects of starting up or running MLM, network marketing, direct selling companies.

The new homepage offers quick and easy-to-find links so that visitors can easily contact Babener & Associates, request a Complimentary MLM Startup Manual, gather information regarding the next MLM Startup Conference, or subscribe to the newsletter, MLM News Global.

The new MLMLegal.com homepage still features new content, such as headline news and relevant articles, this time under their own, clearly-outlined sections.

Scroll down the homepage to find more educational video content and request a complimentary copy of the MLM Startup Manual.

What else is important?

A scrolling carousal provides visitors with images taken of past conferences and directs the eye and mouse directly to the page where one can find out when the next conference takes place and who will be included as expert speakers.

And now, visitors can find all of Jeff Babener’s educational MLM videos (over 140 videos) in one location, the homepage. …Right along with Mr. Babener’s most popular industry articles.

And don’t forget about the rest of the MLM, network marketing, direct selling content on MLMLegal.com. Use the Law Library to find all of Mr. Babener’s articles, federal and state cases, MLM law in 50 states, MLM business articles, IRS 911 Publication, and so many more article index pages that can be easily navigated.

Hint: Each new webpage now has related video and page content at the end of each webpage.

As does the new homepage. The end of each page has links to related material/videos, or other related pages that we suggest visitors look also to enjoy while at MLMLegal.com.

And finally, at the bottom of each webpage are links to social networking sites. Follow MLMLegal on Twitter. Friend MLMLegal.com on Facebook. Like the Babener & Associates Facebook page. Visit Babener & Associates on LinkedIn or Google+. There are lots of easy ways to stay in touch and now it’s made it easy to find and follow Babener & Associates/MLMLegal.com online.

MLMLegal.com and Babener & Associates thought a lot about visitors when redesigning the new website. MLMlegal.com is now more manageable yet still famous for being full of lots of useful content.

Potential attendees to the Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference are welcome to visit the conference page, view the speaker list, or get more details online. All executives/owners of direct selling companies are welcome to attend. Call 800-231-2162 to register.

The next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference takes place May 20, 2016 in Las Vegas. View the conference flyer and speaker list online. Participate in the Innovation Campaign for a chance to receive TWO COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS to attend the next conference.

Sign up for the MLM News Global newsletter for top headline news stories, videos, articles, and more valuable MLM, network marketing, direct selling content, an imperative to anyone in the direct selling industry.

The Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company conference will be held May 20, 2016.

How do you find out more information?

Visit the new website:

http://www.mlmlegal.com

Visit the blogs:

http://mlmlegal.com/MLMBlog/

http://mlmattorney.com/blog/

Contact MLMLegal.com: 503-226-6600 or 800-231-2162

Conference Information: The day will begin at 9:00AM and end at 5:30PM, then from 5:30PM-8:30PM there will be one-on-one time with the speakers. For more information visit our website or call 800-231-2162/503-226-6600. Registrations are taken exclusively by phone and questions are always welcome.

Presented by one of the most trusted individuals in direct selling and MLM, Jeffrey Babener, Editor of MLMLegal.com.
About Attorney Jeffrey Babener: Conference Host and Chairman, Editor of MLMLlegal.com, as well as the leading direct selling attorney in the United States – With over 30 years of experience as a direct selling attorney, Jeffrey Babener has advised leading companies in the MLM/Direct Selling industry, ranging from Avon to Nikken, to Herbalife, to Melaleuca, to USANA, and to Excel Communications, Nerium International, plus many more. He has been published in national magazines such as Money, Inc., Atlantic Monthly, Entrepreneur magazine, Direct Selling News, Direct Sales Journal, Success magazine, Money Maker’s Monthly, among countless others. He’s authored several books, including his most popular Network Marketing: What you should know. Mr. Babener has chaired more than 70 national conferences on direct selling.

Learn how to receive two COMPLIMENTARY tickets to attend the next Starting and Running the Successful MLM Company Conference by visiting the MLMAttorney.com.

See the Press Release.

Visit us at www.mlmlegal.com to learn more.