No Primerica company review would be complete without mentioning Arthur L. Williams, who founded the company in 1977 as A. L. Williams and Associates, with a goal of transforming the insurance industry. Mr. Williams believed that whole life and other add-on insurance packages sold by the big insurance companies were too expensive for the average consumer. He reasoned that if his customers would buy term insurance and invest the difference between term and these more costly vehicles, then they would be better off financially and better able to manage their retirement, higher education needs, etc. With this “buy term and invest the rest” philosophy he was able grow his business into a company that now serves six million customers in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and Spain. Primerica now sells term life, auto, and home insurance, debt relief loans, mutual funds, and other financial instruments through a sales force of 100,000 licensed representatives. The company is currently a division of Citigroup. But with Citigroup’s huge losses and government bailout this year, they are planning to sell Primerica with an initial public offering valued around $1.6 billion.

The Program

The company is set up as a traditional multi-level marketing or direct sales organization with these 100,000 representatives all working as independent agents. The reps, almost all of whom work part-time, make commissions from the products they sell, but also recruit others to join the business opportunity so that they can make additional down-line commissions. For as little as $200 you can start your career with Primerica. There are no education or business experience requirements needed to begin with the company. When you sign on you will receive training and support, access to legal and compliance advice, publications created for educating clients and recruiting prospects, an online back office to keep track of your business, and a hand-held device for submitting claims and orders. The primary marketing method used by the Primerica rep is the Financial Needs Analysis. This is a free tool that offers prospective clients an assessment of their current financial situation and suggests a strategy for their financial security.

Analysis

Primerica has a thirty year record of success, and the products they offer can help thousands of families to gain financial security. But while Primerica does offer a way to make money with your own business, I believe that most independent agents will struggle to find success within this system. The challenges they face are numerous, but the biggest might be that to make any money at all they will need to sell to and recruit friends, family, and acquaintances on a regular basis. This is very difficult and uncomfortable for many people and most give up on this technique after a few disappointing attempts. The other market for your business is the millions of others that you do not know, and this is an even more difficult proposition with the marketing methods available. It is of major concern that Primerica does not allow sales of its products over the Internet, which will hamper a representative’s ability to tap into his cold market of millions of possible clients. Another challenge for many reps is that when they begin their career with Primerica they are likely not in a solid financial position themselves, which makes giving financial advice to others a tough sell. So if you believe that you can make a difference in the financial lives of others, are able to sell and recruit your friends and family into the business, and can work hard to cold call enough prospects to make successful living, Primerica may be the right choice for you. If you would rather find a home business where you do not have to attend home meetings or opportunity presentations, do not have to sell to friends and family, and are encouraged to leverage the power of the internet to reach millions globally, then you should continue to look for the business that is the right fit for you.

**Keith Hartung strives to be a servant of God, a committed husband, and a loving dad.  He is also an internet marketer and home business coach, working with people around the world to create financial success in their lives by leveraging the power of the Internet. To see how Keith is making money online enter your information in the form on the right.

The Company and Products

Developed by Jay Kubassek, a rags-to-riches entrepreneur and online marketer, this company offers a replicated website that advertises a business opportunity, but then charges $49 (that is the “funded” part) for prospects to find out information about the business. Once a prospect pays the $49 they receive a DVD — an interview with Kubassek that gives an overview of the company — and 30 days access to their website. During this one-month period the company calls the prospect to sign them up for the Business in a Box ($400), which is a set of 3 DVDs and two marketing manuals that teach personal development and online marketing techniques. To keep the membership active you will need to pay a $150 subscription fee at the end of the 30 days (and every month thereafter) for access to the back office where their other training is located. Once you have your BiB, then the company wants you to purchase the products that Wealth Masters International sells: DVDs, courses, and seminars on personal development, tax strategies, asset protection, and other investing topics. These are M1 ($1,995 for another set of DVDs), M2 ($8,995 for a wealth conference), and M3 ($12,995 for a special wealth group); but are generally sold as packages. The Platinum Package includes M1 and M2 and is $8995, and the Platinum Plus includes M1, M2, and M3 and is $19,995.

The Program and Compensation

When you are set up and paid you have a replicated website and the ability to earn commissions off of the sales your website makes. All Carbon Copy Pro asks you to do is advertise your website and drive as much traffic there as possible to start the cycle over again. They have a call center that then takes your applicants and attempts to sell them these same products. The company advertises that you will never have to speak to a prospect to make a sale. The compensation plan is multi-tiered so that the commissions you earn depend upon the level that you joined. For example, you can’t make a commission on a M2 or M3 sale if you joined at only an M1.

Analysis

Carbon Copy Pro offers a respectable product and people are making money with it. The positives for the opportunity are that you get an automated business that you don’t have to create, and it takes the fear of selling out of the equation since you never have to have contact with any prospect. However, I see several flaws in the system. The first and most obvious is the cost. The average person looking for an online opportunity will not have the $3000 to $20,000-plus to get involved and market this opportunity. Secondly, while the products can definitely help the online marketer learn more of the trade, they are standard financial advice and personal development tools that are available other places on the web for much less — and would not stand alone outside of the business opportunity. Also, while taking the personal touch out can be helpful to some, I think that you will always need some follow-up to build your business. Lastly, by getting the “carbon copy” website, you have now thrown yourself into a sea of thousands of identical sites on the internet, all selling the same thing. There is no personal branding at all, except for branding Jay Kubassek. To market anything online I believe that you need to stand out, and personal branding is an essential part of this. If you are looking for an opportunity with a more desirable product, branding that will set you apart, and a lower entry cost I suggest that you continue your search.

**Keith Hartung strives to be a servant of God, a committed husband, and a loving dad.  He is also an internet marketer and home business coach, working with people around the world to create financial success in their lives by leveraging the power of the Internet. To see how Keith is making money online enter your information in the form on the right.