Just look at how much things have changed since the mid-1400s when Gutenberg came out with the first Bible. The church at the time martyred some individuals because they had the nerve to copy the Bible and distribute it. This took power away from the church and the leaders. The people could read for themselves God’s word and not have to depend on somebody’s interpretation of it and their demands that you follow them.

In the past, major corporations tightly controlled their advertising message and squashed any dissent. Frankly it was very expensive to offer an opposing point of view anyway. If you wanted to complain about something you could write a letter to the editor and if you are lucky, get it printed. You tell a few of their friends about your disappointment. There are some fairly high-level examples of people who went to much greater lengths to let people know that they were disappointed with the product. Everything from buying a billboard to complaining to Congress has been tried.

But now all that has changed and the playing field has been leveled. The following video explains this in a profound way:

One of the messages of social media is that companies have to let go and forget trying to control the message. That’s a very nerve-racking thing for most businesses to think about. But I’m here to tell you that unless businesses lose that control, in the near future they will be out of business. Because if they remove people’s ability to add to the message, there will be no message. Social media is just what it says is-social. People want to take part in things, they want to add and contribute, they want to voice their opinion and tell people about their experiences. Businesses today must recognize this fundamental change that has come about because of social media.

And if they do, and if they take care of their customers, and if they listen to the consumer they will have more consumers. The message will continue to be enlarged and expanded upon. New products and services will be invented in the social media platform. Consumers will feel part of the creation of products and companies.

Recently there was a large study done regarding games and using game based marketing for companies. In this manner a game is used to teach a principle and the whole time the company’s logo or product is used as part of the game. When these things go viral it’s astounding how much advertising value they get out of it. But the most amazing part of this is the physical interaction with a product. It isn’t a passive message like television or radio where we listen to or see what they’re telling you. In the game you are playing with it. You are making it a part of your psyche. You are involving your life with that brand. This is a powerful tool and again something part of the social media platform that is changing the world.

There are so many deeply powerful aspects of social media that are only beginning to be explored, understood and implemented. Please contact me to see how we can involve your business in this amazing new technology that can explode your customer base.

Can you make money with Internet Marketing? Yes, absolutely you can. Is it easy? No, but with a little education it’s doable. With a little bit of research and a whole lot of effort, a fairly good income can be made.

Can you make money with Multilevel Marketing? You know, selling lotions potions and pills, exotic drinks, healthy chocolate, legal advice, etc? Yes you can. I have several friends that have done fairly well in the industry. I have a lot more that are no longer doing it but that is true with any business, it probably fits the 80/20 rule.

But now here’s the real question-can you mix Internet Marketing with Multilevel Marketing and make any money? I believe that for the vast majority of people the answer is an emphatic No! Now why would I say this? For one very simple reason-the two do not mix very well.

Multilevel marketing succeeds within intimate contact between individuals, relationship marketing and one-on-one communication. If a successful person shares with another his duplicatable process of success and that person follows through and follows his example, success can be had. It’s actually very simple business and I personally know some very wealthy people in multilevel marketing although they are not close friends.

Internet marketing works exactly the opposite fashion. It’s also an extremely large and broad-based business that cannot be so easily narrow down to a simple description. There are pay per click campaigns, ad campaigns, e-mail campaigns, affiliate marketing programs, article marketing, click through programs, etc. etc. But none of these are the personal one-on-one programs in multilevel marketing requires for success.

There are a number of big-time gurus and marketers who develop systems that have tried to combine the two business models together. They have a rather appealing allure in trying to convince someone to join a MLM program and marketed to the world via Internet marketing systems. Just imagine, you may have the entire world to market to! Sounds good doesn’t it?

It doesn’t work.

Let me rephrase that-it works for one type of individual: the hardcharging Type A personality who promises everyone in the world: the moon, personal attention, duplication process systems and training, etc. and then completely drops the person who joined the minute the credit card account went through!

Type-A Wins at Others Expense

I wish I could say that this only happened once or twice but I have to believe that the vast majority of those who have flashed their massive checks and bank account information to entice the unsuspecting masses, are more than people realize.

Everybody is searching for a way to make money online. They know it’s the future. They can see how it affects their own personal lives. Everyone is a witness to the dramatic changes taking place because of the Internet over the last 10 years, probably greater than any changes that it ever occurred in the history of the world, and they want to be a part of it.

Everybody seems to be searching for a way to make extra money and because of the recent global recession, there is a great sense of anxiety and fear in everyone’s minds. This has caused a number of people to be suckered in to joining multilevel marketing programs with the sales pitch that using the Internet will help them avoid having to sell to their family and friends and open up the world to be in their downline.

My advice is obvious in this discussion. Do not combine the two. Pick one or the other and if you choose some sort of Internet marketing program be sure and narrow it down to one highly specific area to pursue.

If you want to make money with multilevel marketing find somebody in your local area, not someone online, and ask them to show you their system. It won’t take long to find someone that proclaims that there is success in the business, but you’ll have to do some homework. Ask them for the names of people in their downline and how they succeeded. If they are telling you anything different than he is, find someone else.

If you want to find an Internet marketing program to join it’ll actually be a little bit harder search. There are so many people proclaiming successful programs with websites of Ferraris on the beach that it’s really hard to find a reputable program to follow.

The following is a link to a program with which I will make a small affiliate commission if you join but it is really the only one I can currently recommend. After spending literally thousands of dollars over the last few years on program after program I’ve thrown them all out except for this one.

My only hope is that less people will be taken in by the numerous scams and shysters that proliferate the Internet. There are so many that it’s sickening and part of the reason I’m writing this article.

Do your homework, have faith in the future and your abilities, work hard and things will work out.

You may even get that Ferrari on the Beach drinking Monavie, swallowing Usana Vitamins eating Healthy Chocolate and protected by Pre-Paid Legal all the while!