INFLUENCE OF MULTI-LEVEL MARKETING MEDIA AND APPROACHES ON CONSUMER PATRONAGE OF LONGRICH PRODUCTS AMONG CIVIL SERVANTS IN IKEJA LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Abstract

Multilevel marketing (MLM), also called network marketing has become a fruitful concept that endows ordinary people to turn into successful entrepreneurs. Although, there are so many benefits accruing from it, the need for an organization to properly coordinate its marketing communication strategies in order to deliver clear, consistent, credible and competitive message about itself and its products has become an issue of concern, which result oriented firms wishes to overcome. The study sought to find out the different communication strategies adopted by Longrich products’ multi-level marketers and the extent to which they influence consumer patronage of the products, it also examined the marketing strategies adopted by Longrich multilevel marketers and the challenges they encounter while distributing products or recruiting new members. Both quantitative and qualitative method research were adopted for the study. Sample size 160 was systematically selected for the survey. While 8 multi-level marketers were interviewed. The findings revealed that the respondents and Longrich multi-level marketers make adequate use of social media for receiving information as well as dissemination of information respectively. Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram story twitter and word of mouth are forms of media that are mostly used by consumers and multi-level marketers, while issues surrounding the credibility of the business is the challenge mostly encountered by multi-level marketers. The study recommended more proactive ways of utilization of social media by multi-level marketers to educate the public about the business opportunity and improvement on pictorial representation that will be used to convince people.