| Melaleuca (The Wellness Company) has become one | | | | encourages their distributors to purchase business |
| of the largest and well-known network marketing | | | | opportunity leads (or bizop leads) to grow your |
| companies ever. They offer a variety of healthy | | | | organization. The problem with opportunity-seeking |
| self-care and home-care products, as well as an | | | | leads is that most of the time, they are not really |
| income opportunity if a person becomes a distributor | | | | looking for an opportunity. The process works like this: |
| and sells their products. | | | | you are out surfing the web, looking at different sites, |
| However, there are some very real concerns and | | | | and you suddenly see a pop-up ad to win a free |
| issues about starting or participating in a Melaleuca | | | | toaster is take a quick survey. If you take that survey, |
| business. In this article, I will provide and unbiased | | | | you will be asked to submit your name and phone |
| review of the pros and cons of developing a | | | | number to get your free toaster. The minute you fill out |
| Melaleuca business, and see if we can find out | | | | that form, you actually become an opportunity-seeking |
| whether Melaleuca is a great opportunity...or a great | | | | lead! |
| scam. | | | | This is why that if someone were to use |
| Melaleuca - The Good | | | | opportunity-seeking leads, they find that most of the |
| The company began under the name "Melaleuca Oil" | | | | leads had no idea how they got listed. These lists are |
| with the offering of a single product called "T36-C5 | | | | constantly re-sold, so that by the time the average |
| Melaleuca Oil" which was formulated from extract of | | | | distributor goes through the list, four other distributors |
| the melaleuca tree, commonly known as tea tree oil. A | | | | have already gone through it. |
| previous Melaleuca-based company by the name of | | | | Melaleuca - The Ugly |
| "Oil of Melaleuca" operated as a standard multi-level | | | | The sad thing about growing a Melaleuca business is |
| marketing company whose literature made health | | | | that if the distributor does not want to use opportunity |
| claims the FDA would not approve. The company sold | | | | leads, they are encouraged to go after their "warm |
| products whose uses and benefits were not verifiably | | | | market" or their friends and family. They are told to |
| documented. There were also exaggerated claims of | | | | hand out free product samples, business cards, |
| the efficacy of the active ingredient, tea tree oil, and | | | | brochures and flyers, and if the distributor ever |
| claims that the company was a sole source of the | | | | becomes discouraged, they are simply told to "stay |
| same, creating an impression of privileged access to a | | | | motivated". |
| unique product. | | | | The fact is, someone could absolutely make tons of |
| In 1985, the company was taken over by Frank L. | | | | money marketing healthy household products - if they |
| VanderSloot who dissolved the previous company, | | | | know how to market effectively. Trying to build a |
| created a new marketing plan to support consumers, | | | | six-figure income on the backs of friends, family, and |
| immediately launched an initiative to bring the | | | | work associates is more than just a tough sell - it is |
| company's product line into compliance with FDA | | | | irresponsible of the trust and respect that are a part of |
| regulations, and started this new company under the | | | | those relationships. Trying to "sell" and convince people |
| name of "Melaleuca, Inc.". | | | | on the legitimacy of your product and opportunity is |
| The original message that Melaleuca used to build their | | | | much less fun and much less lucrative than talking to |
| name was that they could make your home safe for | | | | people that have already expressed a direct interest in |
| your family. The chemicals and household cleaning | | | | what you offer. |
| items found in the average home count for the bulk of | | | | In closing, I would say that starting and developing a |
| reported deaths of infants and toddlers, and their | | | | Melaleuca business is lucrative if someone knows how |
| products offer a safer alternative for parents that | | | | to market effectively. It is not a scam, but like any |
| want peace of mind. | | | | business, success will be determined by the skill-set of |
| Melaleuca - The Bad | | | | the marketer. Melaleuca is definitely not a lottery ticket |
| For distributors that start a Melaleuca business, they | | | | or a stock option - meaning, you do not just buy in and |
| will find they are paid out with a residual income | | | | wait for a payout. |
| compensation plan. The primary way to generate | | | | If someone does not have the first clue on how to |
| revenue is to find other distributors and build a downline | | | | market effectively, then I would suggest they either |
| with Melaleuca. | | | | learn how to be an effective marketer, or else just use |
| The first flag that we noted was that Melaleuca | | | | the products and leave it at that. |