Know-How Exchange : Other

Jeff, I don't have any personal experience with FHTM, but these links provide some more information about FHTM:
https://chrishoyt.com/general/fortune-high-tech-marketing-fhtm-secrets-you-...
https://www.squidoo.com/fortune-hi-tech-marketing
https://www.topix.com/forum/city/west-plains-mo/TTOE5FK21KVU9EG25
https://www.ripoffreport.com/Search/Fortune-Hi-Tech-Marketing.aspx
https://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/fhtm-c239954.html

Jeff,
If a person has the kind of energy and lack of call reluctance needed to be a success in MLM, I would advise them to start a real business....
A franchise, a service company, just about anything.

Problem is most don't....

Dear Jeff,

There are two camps: one loves MLM; the other loathes it.

Personally, I'm a little gun shy of MLM "systems". Others might
swear by them, I swear AT them. To my mind there is too little
to differentiate MLM from a pyramid scheme.

I know that the FTC takes an extremely dim view of MLM schemes because of price fixing at the low end and because of illegality at the other end. Many states in the US deem MLM and pyramid schemes at best, shady, at worst, out right illegal.

Here's a quote from Wikipedia that cites two independent sources on the wordl of MLM:

"MLM organizations have been described by some as cults (Butterfield, 1985), pyramid schemes (Fitzpatrick & Reynolds, 1997), or organizations rife with misleading, deceptive, and unethical behavior (Carter, 1999), such as the questionable use of evangelical discourse to promote the business (Hopfl & Maddrell, 1996), and the exploitation of personal relationships for financial gain (Fitzpatrick & Reynolds, 1997)." [10] "By its very nature, MLM is completely devoid of any scientific foundations." [11]

SOURCES: 10: Carl, Walter J. (2004) "The Interactional Business of Doing Business: Managing Legitimacy and Co-constructing Entrepreneurial Identities in E-Commerce Multilevel Marketing Discourse" Western Journal of Communication, Vol. 68.
11: Terry Sandbek, Ph.D. "Brain Typing: The Pseudoscience of Cold Reading" American Board of Sport Psychology.

Here's an MLM "Facts for Consumers" report from the FTC that makes for interesting (and possibly alarming) reading:

https://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/invest/inv12.shtm

About seven years ago a "friend" tried to pull me into an MLM scheme that, despite obviously being an MLM scheme, he claimed was far from that, although the difference was never made clear.

I sat and listened to the whole dog and pony show, was handed the paper work to sign up there and then and, when I said I needed to read through things in a little more detail, it was made crystal clear that because I was not prepared to sign, to commit right there and then, that I was evidently, an idiot and that I was wasting this guy's time!

Excuse me?

I simply don't like the idea of being signed up for something so that I might then help to line the pockets of someone else higher up the chain. Nor do I like the idea of being made to feel stupid simply because I am not willing to sign a piece of paper that commits me to God alone knows what.

In the mid 1990s I got taken for a serious ride that almost ruined me. This was in the UK and although the "system" was a little different, it left an extremely bitter taste in my mouth.

Here are two other sources. I know many people avoid Wikipedia because, as one person recently told me "It's not peer reviewed!"
Haughty nonsense like this makes EVERYONE ignorant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-level_marketing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyramid_scheme

Here's a blog entry from Joel Comm on a well known cosmetics MLM system:

https://www.joelcomm.com/to_arbonne_or_not_to_arbonne.html

All of which I hope helps you make your own decision.

Ultimately, buyer (or signer) beware. Be VERY aware. If you go into this, go in with your eyes WIDE open and do as much as possible to create rapid results.

If, after whatever period of time you think is right for you you see NO results, run, do not walk, run. Avoid the elevators. Go for the stairs and don't look back. If it's not right for you, to quote "The Rolling Stones "Ride little pony, ride!"

And as always, if it sounds too god to be true, it probably is.

I hope this helps. Good luck to you and, if this IS right for you,
I wish you the bet of luck with it, truly I do.

Gary Bloomer
Wilmington, DE, USA

Follow me on www.twitter.com @GaryBloomer (but not if you're selling MLM schemes, thank you.)

I know people who have quit their day shops with a good MLM. And others who have the stuff stacked in their garage till they fire sale it away.

I am sure you know how to do your due dilligence to see the products are worthwhile. In reviewing their site-- they are quite diverse. It's like all sales-- be sure the products have good USP's.

Some of these services (like FABS) seem like subscription -- and hopefully provide residual income. Not bad.

Since you have been in MLM before, you know the real $ comes from your recuiting others to work under you.

I'd also look at trade restrictions. I was chipping away at one pretty well -- and they changed the rules about selling in trade shows. That was our main source of income. We did it anyway-- till some rat told on us!!

I don't have any negativity toward MLM. I wouldn't do another one, but I buy from a couple of them.

let us assume for the moment that this opportunity is the best of all possible multilevel marketing programs. Should you pursue it?

If I were making the decision, I would have to weigh the potential upside versus the very real possibility that I would negatively impact my relationships with friends, relatives, business acquaintances, and other contacts.

There are no doubt some multilevel opportunities which are clearly better than others. But the whole industry has such a bad reputation that you could be guilty by association.

Hi,

Got this link, I guess you will find answer for the question you were looking for:

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/other-business-careers/fortune-hi-tech-market...

Swap.