MLM vs Affiliate Marketing - what's the difference?

[Friedmett]

I do have lots of products in the Juvio line that I just have to find a way to sell to customers. I guess that's an affiliate progam but the topic sound interesting and I will put it up soon.

You can see the Juvio products on this site:

Juvio - Solutions for Life

I'm in the process of making a website ready with Skincare products. The page is a Juvio page so the design would be the same but with a new domain and updated megatags/description etc. in order to fit search engines better.

{{Affiliate tracking part of link edited out by Linda}}

[Linda Buquet]

Nope Juvio does not look like a traditional affiliate program either. If you can't figure out the compensation plan and there are various tiers of earnings, if there is "Group Commission Volume" and sponsors and "car bonuses" it smacks of MLM to me. Is there a cost to join? A member kit to buy? It's MLM.

[Friedmett]

Ok I see.

Are there any MLM forums like this I should go to so I can tjeck that out too. I will be reading/posting here too.

[Linda Buquet]

Hi Friedmett,

9 years ago I could have told you, when I played in that space. Don't know what the good ones are now, but I'm sure they are out there.

To answer the question
MLM vs Affiliate Marketing - what's the difference?

AM is always FREE to join
AM is typically one tier but can be 2 tiers
Training and support, if any come directly from the company (not a sponsor or upline)
AM is selling products or free offers or generating leads.
You get paid commission for the sale or offer or lead

You don't get paid for recruiting others into a biz opp
you get paid for selling the end product to end users.

Sometimes you get paid a percentage of commission earned by webmasters you refer - but only one level deep. But it's always for selling the product or service not for selling them the biz opp.

It's MLM or Network Marketing if...
You have to buy a starter kit or pay to join
If it's more than 2 levels of pay (you and the person you refer)
There are buzzwords like upline, downline, sponsor, matrix, spillover
If you cant understand the "comp plan"
If it takes 8 pages to explain the comp plan
If you have to recruit, sponsor and/or train others
If the only ones that get rich are at the top

There is probably more, but that's all I have off the top of my head.
Anyone else???

[mannmade]

Hello All,

One thing jumps to mind when I think of MLM. It's not true in AM.

You don't have to try and get your relatives to buy stuff when you're doing AM!

Oh yeah, one other thing. You won't (necessarily) get a whole housefull of soap and laundry detergent.

OK, I'm done.

[Linda Buquet]

Hehe GOOD ONES mannmade!
You gave me a good chuckle!

Oh and you NEVER have to go to rah rah meetings either!

[mannmade]

There is one drawback, however.

No Pink Cadillacs for us, right?

[Linda Buquet]

Cute mannmade and true!

This must be MLM week!

Jim Kukral over at Revenews blogged about AM vs MLM this week.
Affiliate Marketing Is NOT Multi-Level-Marketing (MLM)
http://www.revenews.com/jimkukral/archives/002484.html

And so did Shawn Collins
Ask Shawn Collins: Building a Downline
http://www.affiliatetip.com/blog/arc..._downline.html

So you can read their take on the issue too.

[mannmade]

Hi Linda,

I agree. I've never seen so much confusion as to the difference between MLM and Affiliate Marketing.

Personally, while I know that some folks have made some $$ with MLM, it's definitelt not my cup of tea.

[Lovely]

Am is MUCH better even through I'm in AM & MLM. I have a "Business also"
So yes, I would take AM anytime. My Blog is mostly of clickbank and AM and other Income opportunities. SO I think AM is much better. It's just when your first starting out with it...YOU have to work xtra hard to get traffic to MAKE sells



Good Luck To ALL