Within the peaks and valleys of Multilevel Marketing lie the corpses of untold millions. A small percentage of the committed enjoy permanent vacation type results while the vast majority lick their wounds and limp away into oblivion. Among the ashes and destruction are horror stories of greed, deception, misinformation and nightmares come true. Joe Average lost his bid for financial security simply because he was unaware of the complexities involved in success. He chased a dream and woke up to reality.

Multilevel Marketing is a business, not a lark. And like all good business, you need to have all the pieces in place to be successful.

So, why do so many fail in an industry that is a time-tested, proven vehicle for so many others?

What follows is the final 5 pieces of my 15 Pieces of a Successful Multilevel Marketing business. For the other 10, or specific breakdowns and solutions to a given topic, see some of my other articles on this subject.

11. Balancing Duplication vs. Marketing Uniqueness: In the early stages of your Multilevel Marketing growth, you will typically do whatever your sponsor does. You will use tools and resources provided by the company you rep for or created by the support team above you. Often, this includes websites, flyers, scripts, conference calls, etc. There's nothing wrong with any of that. Make the most of it.

A common key to a successful Multilevel Marketing team is duplication. Doing things that are easily duplicated by new members with little effort or skill. The better it duplicates, the faster it grows.

However, it is also critical that you LEARN along the way if you intend to enjoy long-term success. Learn the traits, activities, disciplines and nuances that will make you a true independent. Eventually, your goal is to be successful without relying on what others provide or what they can do for you. To build a strong following over the years, you need to establish a reason for others to follow you. Your story, your skills, your resources/training, your natural abilities and personality. You want to establish your personal uniqueness that will make you "someone to work with" in the eyes of others.

In the business, this is called branding. Much has been written about this and it would serve you well to research the best ways to brand yourself. But, again, I remind you that this is a gradual goal over time. Don't let it stop you from getting started and connecting with other successful Multilevel Marketers. Start your on-the-job training now.

12. You Don't Have to Love It: A major factor in successfully marketing any product or service is your belief in it. And to that end, most experts will tell you to "be a product of the product." That means, USE your product - lead by example. Establish your personal success story with what you're marketing. I concur with this and yet, there are exceptions to every rule, right?

What if your company has 5 products - or 15 - or 50? Do you have to use them all? Obviously, the answer is no. But, even more specifically, even if there is only one product - what if you don't like it? Or, what if it doesn't fit your personal needs? Can you still market it successfully? And the answer to this is yes.

Your marketing approach and your story might have to be altered, but the fact is that you don't have to love it to make money with it. You don't have to love hamburgers if you want to own a McDonalds.

The most common example is weight loss. Diet products make up a large portion of what's available in the Multilevel Marketing industry. It's obvious that some people are already skinny and don't need them. Other folks are overweight may not be ABLE to take them for medical reasons. Can they still promote them? Sure!

To be brief, remember Puzzle Piece #1. Balance a great product AND a great business opportunity. Market what makes the best business sense for YOU - even if you're not particularly "in love" with the product. As long as you BELIEVE in it, you can still be successful.

13. The Point of No Return: As mentioned in Puzzle Piece #10, you increase your income security by helping your new members to achieve their goals. It's helpful to use historical trends and time-tested facts to guide your decision-making in any business. Applying this wisdom to helping your sales force will lead you to something we call the Point of No Return. By that, we mean the point at which "most" Multilevel Marketers are earning enough money to keep them from quitting.

Step one in this endeavor is obviously to get into profit. The average Multilevel Marketing opportunity costs $50 to $150 per month in personal purchases of product. The typical pay plan requires you to sponsor an average of 2 to 5 members making similar purchases in order to reach the break even or profit level. This stage of the process should, of course, be Priority One for you and your new members. Reaching this point assures that even if they don't grow any further, they are not losing money - nor will any unfounded resentments fester towards you or your Multilevel Marketing program.

However, many will still fade away, lose interest or be cross recruited if left alone at this stage. Such attrition is counterproductive to your efforts to build a large, successful sales force.

To combat that backsliding, it is critical that you help your new members to reach the P-O-N-R. Many years ago, we generally considered this to be $300 per month in commissions. However, with today's economy, inflation and other variations in business expenses - I would simply suggest that you shoot for an income level that is at least 3 times the amount your new member is spending on minimum monthly product purchases. Upon reaching this income level, they should typically be involved enough - enthused enough - to continue working and growing even if you relax your efforts to spend time with other new members.

14. How Many Eggs in Your Multilevel Marketing Basket? Here's another issue that doesn't have a wrong answer - that requires good judgment based on personal abilities. The question is about the wisdom and strategy of diversification. However, history has again given us enough data to provide sound guidelines that I strongly recommend.

To establish long-term security for YOUR business life, you should diversify. You should have multiple income streams. That's just smart in any business.

But, the tripwire for new Multilevel Marketers is when and how much. Once you get involved in this industry, you will be exposed to a ton of opportunities. The temptations for greener grass will be hard to resist. But, frankly, for new Multilevel Marketers it's a mistake. Inexperience and a lack of contacts make expansion unwise.

Applying the concept in Puzzle Piece #1 and starting your Multilevel Marketing journey with a good program that suits your needs is a must and from there you must stick. That means, don't divert or be sidetracked. Stay with it until it is fruitful before even considering adding an egg to your basket. Set a personal benchmark - a house payment - or matching your current income from your mainstream job - and build your business until you are enjoying at least that much income.

When you do decide to branch out, do it methodically and don't rush. Look for more "good fits" to your portfolio. Cross research opportunities with your growing circle of experienced associates. Make good decisions. And above all, continue to support your primary program members as if it was still - and always will be - the only thing you're doing.

15. Proper Expectations vs. Pending Disappointment: Paramount to most discussions about Multilevel Marketing is the high failure rates associated with it. This issue deserves some clarification, because in fact, failures are few. The vast majority of Multilevel Marketers simply lose interest and/or quit.

Two main reasons affect these results and frankly, both are easily addressed.

ONE: you are introduced to a product that you enjoy and then "assume" you can get rich telling others about it. See Puzzle Piece #1 and #2

TWO: your mental and emotional outlook on your new business is based unrealistic expectations.

By that, I'm referring to the fact that most new Multilevel Marketers are misled (hyped) - given a misrepresentation of the opportunity - or simply suffering from misguided assumptions. They are encouraged to "just get involved" and to "let the product sell itself" so they can become "financially free" and "never worry" again. Sure, those are benefits that can be found within the Multilevel Marketing industry if you look hard. But, where's the honest information that creates a properly balanced outlook and realistic expectations?

Such as, it won't happen overnight, it takes time, you have to stick with it, it's not for everyone, set a budget, plan the work and work the plan, try to reach profit within 90 days, yes there will be phone calls, yes you should get training, etc.

Don't get me wrong. The Multilevel Marketing lifestyle can be immensely fun. It offers tremendous benefits. The rewards are staggering. Yes, I know many, many people who are enjoying those benefits. But, the new Multilevel Marketer needs to be aware of what's involved in getting there. How to put the pieces together successfully.

Disappointment is a direct result of expectations. Frustration can be linked to expectations. Drop out rates can be affected by expectations. For more cheerful results and members who are more likely to "hang in there" you should try to provide more realistic, honest expectations.

Success is not an end goal; it's a personal journey.

Success will not fall in your lap - unless you know where to put your lap.