These things are illegal because if - as in a dream world - they really worked, by time one person had attained level number five, he would have "signed" everybody on face of earth with only first two levels receiving any of money. There would be nobody left for third, fourth and fifth levels to sell to...

Multi-level marketing companies get around law by stating within their by-laws that it is strictly forbidden to promote or attempt to sell program by mail. Then, when postal inspectors come calling on little guy, MLM company says: He did it - we don't do such things - here, look at our by-laws.

The bottom line is as old as hills: you can do anything you want - legal or illegal - so long as you don't get caught - but when you do get caught, you'd better be prepared to pay price.

Besides terrible mess multi-level marketing has gotten a lot of normally law-abiding & moral people into, it has "foisted" upon these people personality changes that man of them do not like.

To make any money selling a product or service on a commission-only basis, you have to have ability to sell like proverbial "used car salesman". It's all hard sell, and more often than not, involves "forcing" prospect to buy whether it's good for him or not.

Anyone who has ever attempted to succeed in commission sales, knows that it takes a product in great demand - a great deal of sales calls, advertising and persistence - at least a little bit of failure - and a tremendous amount of "total business moxie" to make any money at it.

There's nothing wrong with commission selling - and if you're good at it, you're good at it, you can make a lot of money if this kind of selling - but remember that multi-level marketing is commission selling - way "distributors" are recruited is very illegal, with authorities closing down more MLM companies every day - and it takes a special kind of personality to succeed at it.

7. Fast money in MLM is rare; big money is not so rare. You may not even get a first check for six weeks, and it will probably be small. The aim of your efforts will be to build toward a network of distributors under you, especially on third through fifth levels where fortunes are won and lost.

8. Plan your campaign. Know exactly where you want to be in one month, six months, a year, five years from now. Stick with every bit of plan you can, although you will find it needs revision as your success grows. If your plan requires mailing X number of letters or holding X number of sales meetings a week, do it, and fill every activity with maximum amount of efficiency and effectiveness.

9. Never let yourself stay discouraged for more than a moment. Persistence is real key to MLM selling. The longer and harder you work, more certain you can be that you will win. Believe it or not, there are still many fortunes to be made, so never blame a good product for your failure. The losers are dabblers and dropouts.

10. Unless specifically requested in your contract, don't stay too long with just one product or product line without adding another. Add a new line as often as your finances permit. Department stores make more money than specialty shops.

11. Don't waste time! The more effort you expend in crucial first few weeks, more rewards you will reap "downline."