Thursday, June 12, 2008 2 Cebuanos win awards for network marketing
TWO Cebuanos who earned top awards from a direct selling company want their success to correct the misconception about multi-level marketing (MLM).
“Some people who go into network marketing don’t work hard but expect a lot,” said Percival Vergara during a press conference yesterday.
Together with his business partner, Laarni Unger, they are the first Cebuanos to receive Amway’s Diamond Independent Business Owners (IBO) award.
A Diamond recognition is given to independent business owners who were able to contribute a minimum of P400,000 as monthly sales six times in a fiscal year. At present, there are already six Diamond IBOs in the country.
“We did something to achieve this award,” Vergara added.
Unger, who was a full-time housewife based in Australia prior to joining Amway, said when one goes into network marketing, one should treat it as a business.
Unger and Vergara also admitted that those who have a negative attitude towards network marketing do not understand how it works.
Aside from the misinformation on network marketing, Vergara said that there are also businesses under the guise of MLMs that are actually pyramid scams.
Vergara advised those who want to enter the network marketing industry to really know the company first before joining one.
He said that there are “acid tests” that one can use to check the legitimacy of a network marketing business.
One of the things that Vergara suggested for people to watch out for is if the company gives out commissions from recruitment.
“Instead, you should earn from product sales,” said Vergara. He added that in a pyramid scam, one will never have the chance to earn more than the person who “sponsored” the new recruit.
Investment
He also said that the amount of money invested should be worth the initial product package given to the person upon registration. This is in compliance of the requirements of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Unger also said that most pyramid scams do not stay long but the legitimate ones do.
“Amway has been in the Philippines for 11 years already,” she said.
Despite its existence for over a decade, Amway’s corporate services manager Suzanne Comagon said Amway Philippines can still be considered a baby compared to the ones in other Asian countries.
Unger also said that being in Amway is one way for business-minded persons to go into business since it does not entail a big capitalization.
For P2,000, one can already start with Amway’s direct selling business.
Since it first started in the country in 1997, it now has a network of 14,000 independent distributors nationwide. (DME)
