Money

Opinion Piece: Multi-level marketing can help check unemployment rates in the country

BY · April 17, 2015 02:04 pm

Almost every week since early 2014, I have been receiving messages about jobs that pay weekly and do not need any academic qualifications to apply.

Honestly, this sounds too good to be true, with the high rate of unemployment in Kenya, the youth are down for any kind of job, qualified or not.

Network marketing also known as multi-level marketing (MLM), is real and not all are pyramid schemes, but the big question should be, is it for you? What we fail to understand in life is that for one to succeed, hard work is a must. Network marketing is a type of business opportunity that is very popular with people looking for part-time, flexible businesses.

“Network marketing gives people an opportunity, with very low risk and very low financial commitment, to build their own income-generating asset and acquire great wealth.” says Robert Kiyosaki, Entrepreneur and Author.

In Kenya, companies like Mary Kay and Forever living are making billionaires out of network marketing, they recruit on a daily basis and grow their network daily too. Network marketing requires patience. Although the uptake of these businesses has been slow despite the huge returns promised, there has been progressive growth.

Many youth are joining the business while others find it difficult to invest the amount of money required to become a member of that particular company.

Research from Life plus company that sells Forever Living products, states that, their members are able to make $1,500 amounting to approximately Sh127, 500 every month. In Multi-level Marketing, members are required to be very aggressive and persistent in order to make great sales. Multi-level marketing has been highly successful in Asian markets. The business environment for network marketers is not favorable in Kenya, but as people continue to learn this might be a partial solution to tackling growing unemployment in the country.

For those open to the idea of joining network marketing they should know that it takes time, effort and energy to build a business but after that, they will start enjoying financial freedom, doubling the number of customers as time goes by thus more money for you. The best part is that you get to build your own fortune since you are working for yourself.

If you are up for the challenge, Multi-level marketing might be for you.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are solely those of the author in her private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Soko Directory Investments.

About the author: Mercy Kariuki is a student journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya.