The advent of the Internet brought direct sales/network marketing into a new era of promoting and recruiting. The digital age has forever transformed the flow of information, and savvy networkers have been able to capitalize on getting their message out to the masses. As professional network marketers began discovering new ways to capitalize on the Internet and social media to grow their business, a whole new sector of profiteers was born: the MLM haters.
Every successful entrepreneur understands the necessity of building networks. Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad says it best. “The richest people in the world build networks; everyone else is trained to look for work.” To build anything, you need a strong network of people who are ready to collaborate. Sadly, the world of direct sales has come under assault from networks of bloggers who disseminate information and misinformation about MLM.
As professional network marketers began discovering ways to brand themselves online for lead generation and traffic generation, the MLM naysayers also learned many of the same strategies. If you have ever researched a network marketing company before, you probably came across the website BehindMLM. The BehindMLM website states that its mission is to provide useful information to people who are either interested or curious about direct sales. The creator Klaus Bardenhagen publishes under the pseudonym “OZ.”
Klaus claims that he created BehindMLM for philanthropic purposes. On his website, he states that he has a sincere interest in the industry of network marketing and a desire to provide everyday people with accurate MLM information, news, and company reviews. But was this really Oz’s intention, or perhaps he discovered a way to profit from posting negative reviews.
First and foremost, BehindMLMis a for-profit blogging website. Now there is nothing inherently wrong or evil with blogging to make a profit. I have ads running on my webpage, and I enjoy making a profit as much as anyone. However, the Behind MLM page advertises itself as a resource to provide unbiased information about network marketing companies. But in reality, it’s nothing more than a network of the “I Hate MLM” fan club. By the way, there’s nothing illegal or immoral about hating MLM, but for Oz to brand himself as an informational resource for network marketing is like President Trump branding himself as an unbiased resource was sharing information about Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Oz clearly does not support MLM, so his claim that his website is about sharing information seems suspect.
Profit Not Philanthrophy
The real agenda of BehindMLM should seem obvious. Profit, not philanthropy, is the chief aim. Oz understands search engine optimization and has a keen insight into creating content that can be easily found on the Internet using popular search engines like Google. His business strategy depends on getting as many visitors as possible by writing biased reviews on a consistent basis. The thesis of almost every article he writes is intended to generate uncertainty and fear about individual MLM companies and the profession as a whole. Every page comes equipped with a Google banner, so for every visitor who shows up to read a review, Oz gets paid. Capitalizing on people’s fear is not against the law. The mainstream news does it every single day. But does the website and its agenda of disinformation truly serve the public at large, or is it self-serving? Given the traffic that Behind MLM generates on a weekly basis, my estimate is that Klaus earns an estimated $4000-$8000 per month with banner ads.
BehindMLM’s “unbiased” commentaries leads its readers to these same conclusions in about 90 percent of his reviews.
- It’s a Pyramid Scheme.
- It’s a recruiting scam.
- It’s a Ponzi.
- It’s a securities fraud.
- The company is being sued.
Behind MLM attracts 10,000+ visitors per day, so you have to tip your hat to Oz for being able to attract a large international following. And to be fair, not everything that Behind MLM publishes is false information. In fact, a lot of what gets published has some basis of truth. The direct sales industry is not without reproach. We have seen many examples of network marketing/Internet companies that have taken advantage of the unsuspecting public. Independent consultants and distributors have been guilty of over-promising and under-delivering. There are a lot of unscrupulous individuals making income claims that cannot be sustantiated. There have been numerous illegal recruiting schemes and pyramid schemes out there. Zeek Rewards is one of many examples. A buddy of mine years ago just to recruit me into Zeek. Because I trusted him, I actually took a very close look. But the compensation plan was too fishy. When someone shows an idea that can potentially reap a huge profit with little or no effort, then my first instinct is to run in the opposite direction.
The truth behind MLM is the same as the truth behind any business concept or model. There are legitimate businesses to be found in direct sales, just like in the real world. And there are plenty of scams and schemes in the world of MLM just as they are present in the real world of business. Network marketing is a microcosm of society. You can’t and shouldn’t indict an entire industry just because there are a few bad players. But when profit is at stake, you can’t expect people to play fair. BehindMLM does not seek to promote truth. The purpose is to promote profit.
“Always consider the source of your advice. Advice cannot be neutral, the source of advice is just as important as actual words.”―
Stay strong and stay well.
Bill Garner
Founder Abundant Path Consulting
205-317-1031
