In my experience, people make decisions about joining a business a lot faster online than offline. Whether this is because the people who are online are different, or whether it is the influence of the internet on us, I cannot say. Maybe it is just easier to click a few boxes online than to do paperwork offline!
Whatever the case, the basic principles of choosing a business apply both on and offline. When you think about it, building a MLM business is not a quick, flash in the pan experience. Generally you would be aiming to make some money as soon as possible, with a longer term view to build up a substantial residual income. This being the case, would you want to devote several years of your life to building a business, and then have the company fold?
I recommend that you get the odds of success in your favor so that after a 5 to 10 year period, your company is going strong. To do this you will need to know something about the company, it’s management and track record (and the products of course).
If the company is publically listed on the stock exchange you will be able to easily check it’s financials. It is always best to make sure that the products provided are valuable, and something that you personally will use (even if it was not your business). It is a big help to you when building your business to value the products.
Make sure that there is a real need for the product. If it is a physical product, a consumable one is best. You want to be proud of any company you are associated with.
Do a few searches and look for complaints or problems. Check out a few forums and blogs to see what people are saying. You want a company that is credible, gives great customer service, and has a good system for handling problems and complaints. I like the ones with the online help, or a proper ticket system so you can get your questions answered. and it is always a good sign when you can phone in for a chat.
Most of us make sure that the business plan is fair and sustainable – watch out for some of the hype that is around too. Check that there is a demand for the product, and that it has something to differentiate it from all the others.
Importantly there must be a system – not just a corporate website. There must be a real system so that you can market your business, get training, and not have to worry about product logistics.
To be successful in MLM nowadays, companies really do need to get into the 21st century and think about internet marketing. So make sure that when you join, you know how you will find people on the internet, how they will view the business, and how you (and your prospects) will be trained. Some of the best marketing systems are not provided by the company, but by savvy marketers. There are quite a few of these around – I like those that actually help you to earn some money while building.
To Your Success
Janet Ellershaw
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