1. How long has the company been in business? If they’ve been around for several years, they’ll have network marketing operators who have already paved the way. Ask for references. And if they won’t give you any, dig deeper to find out why.

If this is a start-up venture, look for signs of financial stability. Are they properly funded to deliver on the promises they promote?

2. Who are the people behind the company? Do they have proven business expertise? Have they had other successes prior to this business that assure you they understand what it takes to succeed? Do they have a successful network marketing background? If not, is a member of their executive team or a consulting organization guiding them?

3. Are the products or services of personal interest to you? You usually won’t do well in a business when you can’t personally relate to the products. Would you buy this product yourself? Would you recommend it to friends even if you weren’t paid to do so? Have you actually tried the product?

4. What type of training is offered in the beginning? You can’t do what you don’t know, so make sure you have access to beginning and ongoing training support.

5. Does the company offer great support tools? Do they provide a time-tested and proven marketing and sales system, as well as tools to help you? Video and audio training or sales presentations, printed literature, catalogs and a strong Web site linked to an online e-commerce catalog are all considered standard sales support. Linking your personal Web site to the company site is a must when marketing branded consumer products–you need this to ensure sales credit for your customers’ online purchases.

Also, what’s the product warranty? Will your customers be on your doorstep if there’s a problem, or will the company stand behind the product … and behind you?

6. How do you earn your money? If you’re buying products or services at wholesale and marking them up for your profit, the company should have a suggested formula for profitability. Is it rich enough to return your investment quickly? Is the compensation plan easy to understand? Find out whether the profit percentages are paid on retail sales, wholesale after retail commissions are deducted, or on an amount selected by the company based on product profitability. Don’t judge the plan solely on the promotional copy. Ask questions and make sure you understand when you’ll receive your profits. Also, ask someone you trust who has network marketing experience to evaluate how the money will flow. The company should have a detailed explanation of their plan to help the novice work though the complexities. Good compensation plans can be complex. Don’t let this scare you. Just take the time to understand the reward for your investment.

You can’t afford to make hasty decisions in choosing a network marketing business. Your time is your life. Waste your time, and you waste your life. Making good decisions means seeking out the facts. It’s well worth the effort–it saves you time and money by eliminating the bad choices and finding winners.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 8th, 2006 at 8:07 pm and is filed under Network Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.