The Metamorphism Of The SDI Profession

NOTE: Peter John Lawrence titled this article: "The Metamorphism Of The MLM Industry, It's Changing - Can You Hear The Thunder Of The Coming Storm" when he authored it on March 30, 2011.

The title I chose to use at this blog: The SDI Eye Opener is: "The Metamorphism Of The SDI Profession" because SDI (Self Directed Income) = MLM (Multi-Level Marketing). And furthermore, I prefer the term "Profession" rather than "Industry" because, indeed, the SDI sales and marketing model is becoming more professional now with the advent of MNU (Marketing and Networking University).

"The Metamorphism Of The MLM Industry, It's Changing - Can You Hear The Thunder Of The Coming Storm?"

By Peter John Lawrence

Consider this, have you ever gone back 40 to 50 years to look at the old advertisements that were used in Movie theatres, or on TV or in newspapers? Those ads can be so funny and so ridiculous. Why is that? It is because we, the consumer, have changed and have become more educated, more informed and, in two words, "more aware". 

We do not succumb, as easily as we used to, to aggressive selling and unsophisticated sales-pitches. Well guess what: The Direct Sales (DS), Network Marketing (NM) and Multi Level Marketing (MLM) industries all need to address the changing consumer levels of intelligence and awareness. Unfortunately most of the proponents are not always willing to change -- but they eventually will change as their existence and profit margins dwindle.

One of the earliest and well-known MLM companies started the Old School MLM methods over 50 years ago. It is time to change from using those outdated methods for many reasons not the least of which is that only about 1% of the participants make any substantial money. Most of the remaining 99% make less than they spend each month on the company product (automatic monthly shipments) and or on company web pages, which are the worst websites to use to send any prospect to.

From selling/peddling personal products to friends, acquaintances and relatives to a worldwide business as an entrepreneur using Internet Marketing as the vehicle. The Old School MLM is going through a transition and the dinosaurs are trying to ignore the inevitable changes that are taking place and that will continue to change in spite of their closed minds and resistance. Therefore this article primarily addresses the MLM Home Based Business sector where the Old School dinosaurs are hanging on to the gullibility of people who are victims of the massive credit crunch as part of the economic down turn in the industrialized countries.

However the same arguments are applicable to other business models (DS, NM, Retail, Brick & Mortar...) Q. What does this mean? A. There is greater unemployment than anytime in the past 50 years (Reference: - misery index website) as more and more jobs move offshore to India, China, and Taiwan etc. The effect is that the general acceptance among the population who think that DS, NM and MLM are legitimate has moved from about 20%, in approximately 1990 (Ref "The New Professionals" by Dr Charles King and James Robinson) to an estimated level of over 40% in 2009. 

People are opening their minds more readily to alternative methods of creating and earning an income. So there are many more people opening their minds and willing to look for a way to generate an income and are turning more towards a Home Based (HB) business. This is good because with the Industrial Revolution Departing N America over the past 30 years, having come to North America from Europe in the 1800's, there will be less traditional jobs (See the movie - Manufactures Landscapes- by Photographer Edward Burtynsky). So what are the challenges apart from the process and logistics (desk, telephone, fax, computer, possible legal identity.....) of setting up a business at home? The challenges are: -

1. What type of business? (Retail, DS, NM, MLM, Brick and Mortar, Consulting.....)
2. What industry? ([consumer products] Telecoms, Health, Cosmetics, real Estate and Jewelry and [business products] Internet awareness, Advertizing, Commercial doors and windows....

After choosing which of the two alternatives in 1 and 2 above then the challenge is -How to do the business?- Well that is where the Old School starts to surface with the use of the 'hype and sales pitch' approach and trainings which spread the word that it is easy and everyone can do it. This is where they attract many would be neophyte business owners into the endless trail of very low-income and endless monthly expenses (monthly auto ship or website usage) as well as the hotel meetings, chasing friends, relative and neighbours and also buying worn out lists of names. You will be taught to draw circles and to explain all the variables in a compensation plan that can be like playing three-dimensional chess. That is the Old School and it is pass.

• Question: "Why does it continue to be used?"
• Answer: The proponents are the top income earners (the top 1%) who continue to push and present it and to train people in order to keep their own positions as top income earners with 99% of the organization below them not earning more that their monthly expenses. These top income earners are also somewhat trapped by the system and their own treadmill as well as a myopic appreciation of the evolving changes.

OK! you say, - So what is the alternative to this Old School method of selling? The major alternative has to be explained by initially changing your appreciation of the market size and market forces out there and then to increase your understanding of the possibilities that will exclude using any of that previous Old School modus operandi. The market is huge, bigger than you can probably imagine, and is not the typical 200-250 personal connections that you may have. 

It is defined by the number of people who use the Internet worldwide. By learning about Internet Marketing you will be watching for and attracting those who are looking for the opportunity you represent and are offering to a worldwide market rather than a confined personal market. Q. "So how do I learn about Internet marketing?" Hold on. Why not learn about the size and the potential first?

So how big is it?

According to this US reference as of December 2009 there were over 1.7 billion users Worldwide and many more have joined during the first few months of 2010. It is now estimated to be over 1.9 Billion:

• Total world population 2010 estimate = 6,845,609,96
• Total Internet users as of December 2000 = 360,985,492
• Total Internet users as of latest information = 1,966,514,816
• Internet penetration in world population = 28.7
• Internet usage growth 2000 - 2010 = 444.8 %

So you can see that this is huge, as I stated earlier and now you can possibly see why this Internet Marketing lends itself to those of you who are broke using the Old School MLM methods and who want a more dynamic and rewarding route in your business. Of course you will be subjected to persuasive arguments by those making money in MLM using Old School methods, IE the top 1%.

You now know the size of the market and that you want people to find you and that you do not want to buy more lists, call or chase friends and relatives, attend hotel meetings nor listen to the O.S. Hype. Therefore it is time to consider your new direction and education. If you wanted to be a heart/cardiac surgeon and you were so enthused that you went to a surgical supplier and bought all the tools, implements, equipment, gowns, etc and then, without any formal training except what you maybe saw on TV, started to perform operations I would guarantee there would be a trail of bodies out there. 

You need to get educated, informed and trained BEFORE you are capable of making progress in any profession. It is the same with the Internet and the Social Media Networking. You need to get trained or to take training. There are two ways to accomplish this: -

1. Spend months or years teaching yourself which is very time-consuming and costly and has a low chance of income at the early stages other than your family joining in.
2. Find a qualified, proven and successfully Educational Platform whereby you can, at your own pace and convenience, learn how to use the Internet and the Social Media Networks to your advantage and for your business development.
   
   NOTE: (In 2014, I can now recommend two "Educational Platforms" (a) The UsuryFree SDI University (Free Tuition) and (b) (Marketing and Networking University) MNU (Reasonable tuition with a unique pay plan).

Question: Is there any formal schooling at a College or University where I can enroll in to learn all this?

Answer: Only as it is possible to provide an overview of the Internet, however there will never be a complete curriculum because the environment, the methods and the information about the Internet Marketing industry is very dynamic and is changing daily and weekly so by the time that a course was written and printed and classes set up the content would be out of date.

Question: So where is there such a Platform for me to investigate and possibly use?
Answer: During my searching I determined that there is a company.

What is there to be learned and what will you gain? Here are a few topics that you will be guided through with daily access to live training calls and webinars. You will learn about: - Domain names, landing pages, content, templates, understanding image formats, useful programs like Landing Pages, Flowplayer, Aweber understanding basic HTML, opt-in forms, Auto-responders, dynamic keywords and phrases, Search Engine Optimization (SEO) basics and keywords, SEO networking for niche markets, global verses local activities, Google, Google website optimizer and split testing, blog setup and categories, pop-ups, video making, article writing, blogs, Social media site like Twitter, Facebook, MySpace etc and many other topics. There are over 30 short videos and over 130 pages of trainings in the back office and archived, all at your own pace. Yes this will take time but time is passing anyway and you want to improve your odds for success and your knowledge anyway.

NOTE: The author did not disclose the precise name of the "Educational Platform" that he is referring to in the above paragraph.

Other Benefits:

No more Hotel meetings nor Home parties, No more chasing friends or chasing everyone who fogs up a mirror or using that 3ft rule... AND whatever you are presently doing for your own business (MLM, Brick and Mortar, Retail...) you can choose to use CCPro's to learn how to promote, to develop and to expand it. The result is that people will be finding you and you will be "system dependent" and not "advisor dependent".

Internet Usage Statistics

http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm
Here are some bullet points: -
•Born in the UK.
•Married to Shirley, four children and eight grandchildren
•Professional Engineer in the UK (C..Eng) and Canada (P.Eng).
•Master Degree, Imperial College, London University.
•Engineering R&D several years.
•Sales of Life Insurance, Mutual Funds and fax machines as well as other Hi Tech equipment.
•Built a distributorship with 15 suppliers in the National-Security telecoms and IT industry business.
•Built 10 companies of my own over a 25 year period with the smallest start-up being $15,000 and the largest start-up being $25 million.
•Worked building businesses and financing business and projects in 22 countries for other companies and for other people as well as for myself.
•11 years experience in three companies in the MLM business.
• Hobbies include reading about history, mankind and the universe.
Also I enjoy sailing (own a Hobie CAT), swimming and house design (wanted to be an architect not an engineer).
So why do I personally feel qualified to present this article to you? Please take a look at my Squidoo site at http://www.squidoo.com/peter-lawrence which will show you some of my personal and business background.
Thank you for visiting and reading this article.
Peter John Lawrence

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 Peter John Lawrence