Who gets involved with multi-level, or network, marketing? Certainly not me. Or so I thought.
In this blog, I will take you with me on my journey into the world of network marketing. I'm investigating one company, and it's products, from the inside out: AmeriSciences. I hope to be able to provide others with information that I couldn't find in my decision making process. I'll discuss the products, the people, and the sales/marketing experience. I never thought I would become invoved in network marketing. I'm not a sales person. I know next to nothing about business and marketing. I'm skeptical of promises of easy money, and the products attached to any such promises. So how did I get here...?
The other day my fiance, Kirk, told me that his friend, Jerry, wanted to talk to us about a "business opportunity." Jerry had recently become involved with AmeriSciences, a company that sells vitamins and supplements, and markets them to doctors to sell through their offices. Since I am in the medical field, Jerry wanted to talk to me about selling them through my office. I was immediately uncomfortable with the idea, but Jerry and Kirk are so close that I had to at least pretend I was considering the option. I shared my ethical concerns, but agreed to hear him out.
On Monday Kirk came home with samples of AmeriSciences Sleep, Energy, and Head Start. This is when I learned that the company we were being approached about was AmeriSciences (Kirk hadn't remembered the name before). I immediately jumped online to find something to discredit the products or the company. Preferably both. I also look for anything pertaining to vitamin sales by doctors for profit. What I found:
1- Kirk had told me that these were the only FDA approved vitamins. False. The FDA does not approve vitamins. However, AmeriSciences does use standards similar to FDA regulations to manufacture it's vitamins and supplements to a phamaceutical grade. Here's what AmeriSciences has to say about it's standards: http://www.amerisciences.com/science/quality.asp
2- Kirk said AmeriSciences had a contract with NASA. This appears to be true. http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=28993
3- I can't find anything reliable about ethics specific to AmeriSciences sales by doctors. I do find one comment from a patient complaining about her eye doctor's AmeriSciences display, with a response suggesting it is unethical. Jury's still out.
4- I learn that AmeriSciences is a multi-level marketing company. Alarm bells sound! Isn't multi-level marketing the same as a pyramid scheme? (I later learn it's not.) I don't want to be that (annoying) friend who tries to push a product on all of her friends and relatives. I don't think most of my contacts would be interested in such an "opportunity." I'm not sure I am.
5- There's nothing to suggest that AmeriSciences products are in any way unsafe. If anything, what I find suggests that the products are probably high quality. I see no contraindications, except that certain supplements are not advised for pregnant or lactating women. I'm not pregnant or lactating, so I decide the products are safe to try.
Kirk brought home two packets of Sleep, one Energy, and one Head Start. He doesn't need help sleeping, so both of those are for me. I take a packet (2 pills) and go to bed.
SES by business degree online promotion team.
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