How to Choose the Right MLM Company for You

Now, more than ever, people are hunting for a reliable way to make money from home. Increasingly people have become disheartened by the tactics of big corporations. They're tired of being down-sized, layed off, receiving reduced insurance benefits for a higher premium, receiving fewer benefits such as sick days, holidays, bonuses, company matches to 401K (if they still offer a retirement option) and the list goes on. Previously reliable companies have let their employees down and this has resulted in a huge group of people looking for other ways to satisfy their needs (financial and emotional). Network Marketing is the one industry that continually thrives during a bad economy; additionally, Network Marketing is especially successful during times of financial down-turn.

Did you know there are literally thousands of different Network Marketing Companies? If you go to www.Npros.com you'll find a directory of online businesses. I can guarantee you that there will be quite a few listed that you've never even heard of. On top of that, there are new Network Marketing businesses popping up every day. How do you decide which is the best company for you? Here are a few key company traits to look for when finding the right company.

1. Please, please, please don't jump into the first offer that comes along. Too many people enter this industry because somebody (possibly a friend) approached them with, what seems like, a great and exciting business offer. Do your due-diligence and it will pay off in the end. Do your research.

2. Determine how long the company has been in business. The standard you're looking for is at least 5 years. If the company has been around for at least 5 years, then you know it's stable and has weathered some difficulties within the economy. Did you know that 90% of all Network Marketing companies fail within their first 2 years? They do. So, if your company has been around for 5 years they are in the top 10% of this industry. There are always exceptions, which is why you must weigh all the factors being discussed here.

Consider yourself in this equation. You want to join a company that you know will be around for the long term. You don't want to join the ranks of Network Marketing just to make a quick buck (though you may). You want to join a company that you plan to be with as long as that company exists, so you want a company that is stable and will be around for a long time.

3. Does the company have the capital to keep going over time, considering growth? In other words, does it have the money to update its' technology over time and with growth? Does it have sufficient funds to pay all affiliates as well as support staff such as technical support teams and training teams?

4. Strongly evaluate the company products. You want to consider whether the products you'll be working with are unique, easily accessible, reasonably priced and relevant to today's market place. Boy! That is a mouthful and an essay all by itself. Think about it. Do the products that this company is built around "stand out in the crowd"? Or, are they just another company that, in order to be legal, has to throw in some products to sell? You want products that prospects will like and want, but are not the same as something they can buy cheaper at the local grocery store or pharmacy.

When I suggest that the products should be relevant in today's market place I'm saying that you won't have success working in a company that's centered around outdated products or fads. Does the product fit a real need?

5. Thoroughly review and understand the compensation plan. All compensation plans are not equal, and they all vary in one way or another. My personal favorite are the companies that have a "one up" or "two up" plan. With the "two up" plan, this means that the first two people your prospect brings in go to you. In turn, this means that once you bring in as many prospects as you're comfortable with, your marketing needs, and therefore your marketing costs, significantly diminish.

6. Consider whether the company provides you with the technology to help you market and achieve your goals. I discuss this issue in great detail in previous article and you can read the details there (In that article I discuss training, webinars, and one-on-one contact/training with your upline). One component I didn't mention in the previous article is the autoresponder. You want your company to either have, or have access to an autoresponder to help with your business.

7. Is the person who introduced you to the business excited about working with you to achieve your goals? Is he/she committed to you? Will they work with you one-on-one daily until you are ready to be "released"? Further, will you be willing to do the same when you join?

All these issues can be rooted out by researching the company via google or other network marketing sites. Additionally, ask questions of your upline. Any and all questions are allowable. If your upline is hesitant to answer, then find other resources.

I hope this communication is of great value to those searching for their way out of a staggering corporate world, and into the exciting arena of Network Marketing.

My desire is to see you succeed in whichever business you choose.

Nancy Shillingford