Kindle Publishing vs Empower network

This current thread will doubtless interest you, Darren. (It starts off with a jokey/entertaining post, but develops into a much more serious discussion a little further down the page ).

You're 100% right, Sunil. That's one of the key questions that regulators and courts look at, too, to make their determination of whether or not something calling itself MLM is actually an illegal pyramid scheme. It's evident in case after case after case, in the American court proceedings in which such companies have been closed down. And I hear the same's true in some very similar European court cases, too.

In America, they refer to this as "The 70% Rule". I don't think it's more than a "rule" of precedent, really, in other words a guideline.

But there are some MLM companies now who - in order to protect themselves - require their distributors to certify, before ordering products each month, that they've sold a minimum of 70% of their previous month's products to retail customers (i.e. specifically excluding distributors' own product/service-consumption). That says a lot, doesn't it?

Hi: As an offline marketer, who has been "around" the block a few times, trying to move my copywriting business online, I have, of course encountered both strategies.

I went in "all the way" in EN--I knew enough about SEO to know one of the chief benefits of EN, and also the "done-for-you-products." Unfortunately, I made some "mistakes," chief among them, using my first name for the blog, and changing blog titles and neglecting the blog and ending up in the Google Sandbox, and getting poor results in my one attempt marketing the squeeze page--again, mostly errors on my part. But the facts are:
--despite having a HUGE number of back-links built in, the rest of the product and product line + training is a HUGE amount of work...for example, my team leader who makes $30k/months suggests making five posts a day, plus marketing and so on...Let's just say, if I wanted to work that hard, I'd go back off line to the big company agency scene.
--I agree with Sunil's (I think) implied reference to the issue with affiliate products.
--Having said that, there is a vibrant culture of EN followers who are making money.

I have since moved on--there are too many issues with that platform: market saturation, and some self-serving and manipulative tactics that...well, didn't appeal to me, and other marketers. For example, most solo ad vendors are outright rejecting EN mailings.

I could go on, but I don't want to bad mouth them. As I admitted: my errors and personal issues with the "system." Many are doing extremely well with it.

WHAT I WILL SAY: if you don't buckle under pressure, and customize the blog to your taste and business--having like a hundred thousand back links head start would be a very nice way to launch ANY business blog. Not a bad price to rank your blog higher than you would probably ever be able to do on your own. Will Google really love you, long term? Well, let's put it this way: facebook and youtube have already shut them out...nuff said.

Despite being a writer, I have not looked at Kindle very closely--just too busy writing copy to think about it. But as I get more time to write more creative work--fiction and non-fiction, I do plan to explore Kindle.

Simple fact: This platform is associated with a business with a very smart, even sterling reputation, and shows no signs of slowing down.

THE BOIL down: BOTH are two different animals entirely. And I feel you may be thinking too tactically. I personally would look at what I want and am good at, and find the intersection between THAT and a profitable and sustainable niche and try to build a a real business using proven, long standing platforms and principles.

That's what I did, and am starting to do now...it's not instant riches but I am on a good path with an excellent mentor...If you want to know more about it, you can check out the blog-link below...or not. YOU can also PM me with any questions. Okay? Hope this helped...

Chetr

The problem those who are hot don't listen to reason by then it's going up, once they cool and jump on the new shiny object (MLM) it deflates. The MLM that works is one like SendoutCards where I use it not caring for the payment part, but I use the product. Most MLM's people don't care about the product they juse care about getting the next guy in so they can get their cut, for what that they don't care.

Its a valid question, most people use some sort of vehicle to hit their goal. It could be writing, building app whatever...

Thanks to everyone who has posted relevant and related information to the question. The other TWO stick in the mud's, please dont post if you have constructive to say related to the question.

Yes, exactly. I don't think you can compare the two. Its like apples and oranges.

This is true, but I think a lot of people make the mistake of thinking of "Kindle" as a "way to make money".

It is not. It is a platform to publish books on. Your books are the "way you make money" and there are plenty of other platforms that you can put your books on, thus reaching other customers.

Naturally, if you are an author, it behooves you to create an author platform from which you try to sell more books to your fans.

Like any business you have to work at building it.

The same probably goes for Empower network (but I admit I don't know much about it) with the exception of you not owning the product (form what I hear), therefore your business is at the whim of another.