MLM and Web Sites - What Your MLM Company Will and Won't Let You Do

Almost every week I get a call from an associate, asking what they can and can't do with respect to advertising and getting themselves positioned on the web. While I am not an attorney, nor will I give any legal advice here, I have been in the IT world for over 40 years. In that time I have been exposed to the principles of "copyrights" and "Intellectual property rights" and have created thousands of web pages.Below is a simplified summary of what I will call the "typical company position" and what you can do to grow and advertise your business on the web.What You Can't Do:Almost every company has a "policy and procedures" manual and you should have a printed and dated copy in your files This manual is there to protect the company and set the ground rules. Many times this is put together by a compliance officer who, in many cases, is an attorney with an IT background. They are there to ensure that you, as a representative of the company, represent the company in a professional manor, especially on the web.Most companies will not allow you use the company name, logo's, trademarks, and other distinguishing items without the company's written approval. If you are thinking about putting up a web site to represent the company, you probably will have to go through a compliance review. Many compliance people ( that I have personally talked with ) will automatically say NO to this request, so this leaves you a little short.What You Can Do:As a professional marketer, I'm sure you have invested serious time, and money, into creating a marketing skill set. You understand how, in your prospects eyes, you need to represent yourself as a trusted professional and also as a leader. History has shown people fill follow leaders when they believe and trust in them.Now think about that web site. First and foremost, YOU are the person "needing positioning", so YOU should be the one the advertising is centered around. Make that web site about YOU. For example, let's say you are marketing weight loss. You have your own testimonial so target the web copy around to that idea.YOU are the person who found an "amazing cleansing system" to help you with your problem, and this system "melted" the pounds away. As long as this is a true statement, and you can back it up, YOU are positioning yourself as the weight loss guru. Your company's name was never mentioned, until it's time to order the product.In Conclusion:Understand the things (from your company) you can use and make you advertising campaign all about branding YOU as the professional. Your company may be "strict" but they want you to be successful ALMOST as much as you do, so let's work with them, not against them.