If the flexibility and growth potential in network marketing appeals to you, the next step is to find the right company to work for. Since every one of these businesses has a well-crafted script for convincing you that they are the best in the world, you’ll need a way to objectively evaluate them. We’re here to help.
Find a Strong Company
Find out how long the company has been around. Don’t write it off just because it’s new, but you should be much more cautious about getting in early with a company. Check for financial disclosures, if the firm is publicly traded. Again, you’re taking more of a risk investing your time and money in a privately held business that isn’t required to make its financial situation public.
Check with your state’s Attorney General for complaints about the company you’re considering and run an Google search for class-action lawsuits. Read what people are saying about the company, but remember to consider the source of the reports, whether glowing or negative.
Evaluate the Product You’ll be Selling
You’re going to be spending a lot of time and energy on this new venture, so make sure you believe in the products. If you’re not convinced of its worth and value, you’ll never be able to convince someone else to buy it. Your own passion for what you’re selling is your best sales tool.
You’ll probably want to avoid quick fixes and miracle ingredients. Look for the science and, again, consider the source of that information. If it looks too good to be true, it might be. If the marketing material is full of buzz words with no real meaning, beware.
Look for a Fair Compensation Plan
Most important: avoid any company that offers you more for recruiting other sales people than for selling the product. That’s a sure sign you’ve stumbled onto a pyramid scheme.
Find out about your expenses. What will you have to pay for and what is provided to you? Look for support for the claims being made about how much money you will make. Talk to people who have been there, but remember that this kind of entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, so don’t write it off just because someone else failed. Ask how long it will take for you to start making money and what conditions are necessary for that to happen.
Get everything in writing and make sure the words on the paper agree with the impression you’re being given. Remember that you will want to recruit other distributors, so make sure you can feel good about the plan you’re offering. You don’t want to be held responsible for false claims made by the company. And you can be.
Make Sure You’ll Have Support
What happens once you’ve signed on the bottom line? If there isn’t strong on-going support in the way of training and access to professionals in the organization, walk away. If they aren’t committed to helping you succeed by giving you their time and attention, you are going to be adrift and not likely to meet the goals you’ve set for yourself.
Training should be actual professional development, not just weekly cheer-leading sessions that get your adrenaline going.
Bottom line: Get the complete picture and don’t rush into a decision. Talk to a trusted advisor who knows you and understands why you are looking at network marketing opportunity. Make sure the time and money commitment makes sense for you. Remember, if distributors sell more product to other distributors than to the public, or if they make more money from onboarding new recruits than from selling, it’s a bad deal.