How to select a company:
First off, let me say there are wide variety of quality network marketing companies out there … with different products/services to suite just about any interest. This little section is not meant to be a definitive guide to choosing a “good” company. But, I am going to share with you three simple little “rules” that I’ve found to be useful when it comes to selecting a quality business …
Products/Services – Let’s call this one the “would you buy it” rule … Basically, would you (or other “real” people that you know) purchase the company’s products or services (at the RETAIL price) even if there was NO money making opportunity involved? Now if you come up with a “no” to this question, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the opportunity is a “scam” or “pyramid scheme”. However, based on my experience I can tell you that you would have an extremely hard time succeeding with any company where you didn’t personally feel that the products/services provides a good VALUE for price being asked.
Opportunity – I like to call this one the “mom” rule … real simply, would ask your mother/brother/sister/favorite aunt to sign-up for your business opportunity (using THEIR OWN money) ? This one is important! You’ve got to find something that you won’t be embarrassed to share with people you know. If you think that it’s possible to succeed in network marketing talking ONLY to strangers, you’ll quite likely be setting yourself up for a long, hard, disappointing road.
Management – This one is the “x-factor”, and quite likely more important (from a long-term perspective) than either of the previous criteria combined. Find out all you can about the people who are running the company. What is their background / experience? What are their Beliefs? What is their Vision? Find the answers to these questions, then see how well your own beliefs and vision FIT with that of the company. Bottom line here … trust your gut … and don’t ever let the dream of “easy money” cloud your better judgement.
* I hope you find these tips to be helpful.
Til next time … Todd
Actually one lesson I learned over the years is to never involve family with business. Even if the business succeeds you will end up fighting about things. So just leave them out and forget the mom rule.
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Todd…all excellent tips. Thanks!
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Todd,
Great post…but I’m pretty new to your site, so it begs the question for me…”What network marketing opportunity do you suggest is the best you have found?” I would appreciate your thoughts on this very much. I’m new to the game, so I love to learn how others perceive opportunity!
Best,
TAM
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I love the “easy money” line. Most of the marketing searchers depend on it, when in the end, they simply become victims.
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Great info, I totally agree with your tips. If you can’t get your friends and family to join you, then how can other reasonable customer do the same? Thanks for this post!
Twitter: whoistodd
Hi Karmin,
You make a good point … and I didn’t necessarily mean that you literally have to go out and try to recruit your mom. However, unlike pure Internet marketing (think selling ebooks), successfully selling a network marketing opportunity is most definitely NOT easier with absolute strangers. The point I was trying to make with that “mom rule”, is that if you’re not comfortable enough with the opportunity to share it with people who already know, like and trust you; then maybe, just maybe, it’s not an opportunity that you should be trying to promote to Anybody.
Just my opinion of course,
Todd
Twitter: whoistodd
Hi Grog,
You’re very welcome.
Twitter: whoistodd
Hi Brandon,
I’m pretty much not “new to the game” … started with network marketing in 1999. If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the years, it’s that when it comes to opportunities; “best”, like beauty, is very much in the eye of the beholder. As they say, different stroke for different folks. Personally, I’ve been working with the same candle company for a number of years now. I knew the owners before they started the business, and I like their “style” of thinking … so, it hasn’t really been too big a surprise that the business has turned out to be a good fit for me. As I said in the post, when it comes to selecting an opportunity, I truly believe that ensuring the values of the company/ownership are in sync with your own, is multiple times more important than a “cool” product, or “high payout” compensation plan, etc.
I hope that answers your question,
Todd
Twitter: whoistodd
Hi Cesar,
Everybody wants “easy” money … which probably explains why so many people make No money. There are a whole bunch of “simple” ways to earn extra money … but they all require some sort of work … or at the very least, a liberal dose of luck.