Network Marketing is one of the best business models available today for the average person looking to create long term residual wealth.
Unfortunately, since the vast majority of people who get involved in network marketing do not have prior business ownership experience, they may not understand some of the pitfalls that can be associated with the industry.
Hopefully, this article will help you to understand some of the things that you should be looking at when you are considering associating yourself with any network marketing company.
1. The Company Management, Customer Service, Company Reputation
Does the company management have long experience with integrity? Is there a phone number and physical address located on their website? Check http://earth.google.com to see if their location is a house or a business. Are they a member of the BBB? Are there excessive complaints with their local chapter of the BBB? Do they have an excessive number of unresolved complaints? Are they a member of the DSA (Direct Selling Association)? Do they have a track record of great customer service?
2. The Timing
Has the company been in business less than two years? Never get involved with a startup unless you are willing to take the chance to lose everything that you have built. Because of the enormous growing pains that startup network marketing companies face, the vast majority of new network marketing companies will fail within the first two years. Do not allow yourself to be a guinea pig just because something sounds too good. Remember the old saying: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
3. The Product
Is the product or products unique? Are they fairly priced? Are the products consumable? Could you purchase a similar quality product for less elsewhere? If the product is a service, could you get the service somewhere else for less? Would you purchase the product if a pay plan was not involved? Is the product worth selling?
4. The Pay Plan
Is the pay plan easy to understand? Is it fair? Are there any sponsoring conditions required to receive a commission check? Are the independent contractor’s agreement and the terms and conditions easy to understand? Since the majority of your team will be part-timers, does the compensation plan reward the part-timers as well as the full-time networkers? Can you make money retailing the product without sponsoring anyone?
5. The System
The thing to consider here is that people are not duplicatable, but systems are. Does the company and/or upline have a system in place for training? Is there someone there to help you past the learning curve? Are the brochures, catalogs, samples, and training materials reasonably priced?
These are just some of the questions that you should be asking yourself prior to joining any network marketing company. Spend some time investigating the company and upline prior to signing on the bottom line.
Finally, once you find a company that you believe answers all your questions and you feel that you could promote with integrity, then never quit, never give up, do the work, and enjoy your success.
