I was intrigued by the title: MLM Ethics. Isn't that an ox, y'moron? Do ethics and multi-level marketing really go together? Can they co-exist in one e-mail newsletter? I set out on a mission to discover the truth.
So I signed up for the list and took a look at the archives. There wasn't a whole lot about ethics in these past issues. There were motivational articles and tips. My immediate impression was that the editor's blurb at the beginning of each newsletter was designed to attract salivating, money hungry, would-be MLM'ers to her particular brand of opportunity. For instance:
"We've had a great year so far. Our cheques have almost doubled. Business is going well and we had a fantastic holiday in South Africa....
"We went for a month in February - the end of their summer and it was like every holiday I've ever enjoyed rolled into one. From tranquil, deserted, beautiful Indian ocean beaches to the wild Atlantic ocean coast with penguins. From the altitude of Johannesburg at 5500 feet above sea level to the depths of the Kimberley diamond mine where so many died. from the 21st Century, American style luxury shopping malls to the last century home steading aura of the ostrich farming communities. And that's not even mentioning the game parks and deserts!
An astonishing place I recommend it to you all. I loved it so much that my next goal is to buy a winter home out there." ©ESG 1999
Wow! I wonder what company she's with? I want to sign up, and I'm completely anti-MLM (couldn't you tell)? Here's more:
"We're still having the most wonderful year so far. Cheques continue to rise constantly. They increased by over $2500 while we were on vacation! Isn't networking wonderful? We've so far hit the goal we set last year of spending at least 35% of our year on holiday Of the 26 weeks of this year we've been in the sunshine for 11 of them." (©ESG 1999)
If this is their idea of ethics, may I say that I am completely unsurprised? It is exactly what I expected. Any experience I've had with MLM's has shown the industry as a whole to be sneaky, devious, and designed to appeal to the greedy and desperate.
I suppose I'm not recommending this mailing list, unless you're one of them.
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