No doubt about it. Smart marketing takes finesse. Nowhere is that truism more apt than in message definition. If you want to craft a compelling message, you need to understand your prospective buyer’s motivation.

I had a boss once whose favorite saying was "Don't assume. It makes an ass out of you and me." Drove me nuts, but you know what? It stuck. It was meaningful, memorable (although corny,) and it was repeated. (A meaningful and memorable message is more likely to stick with audience. Repetition imbeds a message in brain.)

The communications lesson inherent in this saying is "know your audience." If you want your promise (message) to be meaningful, you need to understand what's important to prospective buyers of your product or service.

Pyramid Schemes:

Pyramid Schemes are illegal in USA, and probably abroad. We all know how these schemes work, or at least get jist of idea. A person (the originator) starts by sending a message to several people. Usually people he/she knows. The message in some round about way, will tell everyone to send him $5 or so...and then send message to someone else. All while adding names to list, and each new recipient must send money to first person, second person...etc

There are a million variations of Pyramid Scheme, but main attribute that define a pyramid scheme ( also known as chain letter) is that there is no product, it's just people sending money. The term "Pyramid Scheme" is derived from fact that it starts with one and size of those involved increases as you move towards bottom. On paper, it looks like shape of a triangle, or pyramid.

Multi Level Marketing:

How is MLM different from a pyramid scheme? After all, on paper any MLM looks like a pyramid in reality right? The differences are very simple. In MLM there is a product being sold. Income is generated from "commissions". It's actually a pyramid scheme, except that participants get something back...regardless of whether people they refer actually pay for something...

In MLM, participant always gains from their investment. The catch is in value of product that participant receives. This is reason that MLM is so big on internet. Because, information can have a monetary value, and it cost distributor nothing. So ebooks, software, newsletters...etc... these are most common products used in MLM. MLMers have added tangible products as well, and home products were first to use MLM as a primary marketing strategy.

The Forced Matrix: