This post is part of a series attempting to present a balanced view of the Direct Sales/Multi-Level-Marketing business movement. For another perspective, read this post.
*A note from the author: There are some lovely people who sell for multi-level-marketing companies. They simply let their friends know that they have the products available if they’re interested and leave it at that. This blog is not for them.*
I was going to share a recipe this week, because life happened and I’m exhausted. But, then as I was scrolling through Facebook, an article popped out at me and Mama Ann had to climb on her soapbox instead.
A mom had written the article. It was about her sixteen year old son who works in a grocery store. He had a lady come through his line who ignored the boy’s cheerful demeanor and instead focused on his acne-scarred face. She handed him her business card in front of everyone and told him that she had a cream that would clear all “that” up. The boy was mortified. The lady didn’t take into consideration that he had a medical condition and had been to numerous specialists already. Nope, she just wanted to make a sale.
Hundreds of people had taken the time to comment on the post. They wrote lengthy stories about their own run-ins with people from multi-level-marketing companies. And, they were painful to read.
There were people who had severe social anxiety who thought they had finally found a friend only to find out that they were just being sold to. Others struggled with self-esteem issues and had strangers literally chase them down in stores with weight loss business cards. And, there were those who were thrilled to be contacted by long lost friends only to be dumped carelessly once again because they weren’t interested in buying their friends’ products.
The comments went into great detail about the betrayal people felt and the pain that was caused by someone’s singular focus on making a sale. Some of the commenters had carried the trauma of those encounters for years.
My own daughter and her family recently started going to a new church. Two-thirds of the friendly people who approached them were selling multi-level-marketing “opportunities”. Please let that sink in: a hard and fast, countable, two-thirds of the people IN CHURCH were trying to sell to her instead of reaching out in love. Fortunately, my daughter is a veteran believer. But, what if she wasn’t? What if she was brand new in her faith? What message would she have received about what church was all about?
Matthew 21:12 (ASV) – “And Jesus entered into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold the doves:”
These and many other reasons are why I’ve never been tempted to join a MLM (multi-level-marketing) company. Being a super-empath, causing the people in my life any pain would just kill me. You really do have to use your friends and acquaintances to make the big money. And, no amount of money would make that alright in my book.
Instead, I went out and got some really fun part-time jobs. I worked in the evenings after my husband was home from work. My jobs gave me a reason to wear something besides “mom jeans”. I learned new skills, met fun people and brought home funny stories about my experiences. And, I contributed to the family bank account.
Of course, that’s just my story. And, while I do understand the appeal of being able to work from home, make your own hours and add to your family’s income, I just could never wrap my head around the concepts of MLM.
As I said at the beginning of this blog, I know there are some of you who sell products with grace and kindness, and I salute you. I really do. Perhaps, you would share your tips with us and how you have made MLM work for your family.
And, now I will climb down from my soapbox and let others have a chance to share their experiences (with kindness). We look forward to hearing from you.
Read more of Ann’s contributions to allmomdoes here.
