Ever since the advent of companies like Amway, Herbal Life, and others many people have pursued the concept of network and multi-level marketing. The popularity of these kinds of business ventures has soared dramatically, while seeming to offer a fairly easy and recession-proof way to earn profits.

The basis of network marketing is rather a simple concept. A product or a service is created, a business plan and advertising campaign are developed, and prospective participants are sought for investment in the company. The networking is the main instrument of the success of the venture because the responsibility of the promotion of the product or service is shared by the participants.

The criticism of these types of marketing schemes generally focuses on the pyramid structure of the company itself. Some dissenters point out that all the work is done at the bottom of the pyramid, while those at the top reap most of the reward. While this may sound like a reasonable criticism, the fact is that any company or corporation is structured this way. Those at the top levels are often the founders or have created the product or service to begin with, or are people who have skills and experience in running a corporate venture. The lower rungs of the ladder constitute those who contribute to the successful manufacture, distribution, and sales of the product.

Another negative perspective on network marketing is that it most often requires an investment on the part of the participants in the network. This may seem to be a legitimate critique, except for the fact that these types of companies fall more into the category of a franchise than they do a regular industry venture. As such, the normal investment required for a franchise in a product line or a service is many time greater than what is required for most MLM offerings.

Those who sing the praises of network marketing do so because they have found a level of success that meets their financial needs as well as their time management goals. Many people prefer the self-employment approach to earning an income, and some are naturally gifted in this style of marketing.

What MLM offers does attract some who really are not ready or qualified to work on their own. Relying on oneself to not only work at a trade but to ensure its success by promotion, sales, and networking does demand a lot of effort. Additionally, there are those who come into network marketing to escape the disappointments and failures they may have had in the past, without being realistic about their own responsibility for their previous letdowns.

Regardless of the reasons for considering network marketing, the fact remains that many people have had great success with these types of ventures, and continue to invest their time and money. Because of this fact, there is no doubt that MLM ventures will continue to be offered year in and year out, in good times and bad, to people who are interested in taking control of their own destiny.