What do you look for in a Network Marketing company?

[Angela in Oz]

When you are evaluating the many different companies you can join, what is the number one thing you look for?

Are you looking for an established company or a start up? A great product or team building opportunity? Company support or something that would be easy to manage on your own?
Aligns with your values, or will easily align with others?

My own preference is for uniqueness, a gap in the market, and something I can 100% believe in. Am interested to know what others are looking for.

[sreece]

I think one of the key elements in choosing a network marketing company is seeing where that company is in the business cycle. We were a part of a company for a number of years that was no longer viable due to various circumstances. Even though we loved the product and were extremely loyal to it and to our upline, we decided to switch to another company with equally good products because of where it was in the cycle i.e., just going into the upward growth phase. It was already established so we knew it would be around for a long time, but it hadn't yet become a household word. So we've been very happy with the results. There are so many good products out there, other factors such as this one play a big part in whether you can actually make money with that company or not.

[FreeElectricity]

I think overall you need a business/product that you have a passion for and really believe in...or in my case that just makes good sense. For my main business, it just makes good sense because it's not a niche market and everyone already uses it. But for my Beachbody business, that's personal. I'm passionate about the products because they've helped me achieve what I have been trying to do for years - lose weight and be healthy and it's eluded me all my life. So I have a passion for that.

Then after those factors I would look at reputation, etc. Honestly with Ambit I jumped right in because it made so much sense to me, but I now know they have an amazing reputation as well, so that's a bonus at this point!

Theresa

[mountainmom5]

I wasn't really looking when my company found me, but I am glad I jumped on board as I am seeing the benefits of being involved in the formation stage. I know that can be tricky as so many companies go under in a few years, but I just got lucky when I got involved with mine, I guess.

But I would say it is important to be able to believe in the company and the products you are marketing as it's really hard to sell something you don't believe in!

[81charduck]

There is no ONE thing I was looking for. Being passionate about the product is really important to me, but I also have to see a large market for the product at a reasonable price. If products are too expensive, no matter how great they are, they'll be difficult to sell.

I was also seeking a business with integrity. I did lots of research to be sure there weren't negative comments posted all over the internet. I did not want a start-up. I wanted a company with a generous, but simple compensation plan.

Of all my requirements, I believe a business with integrity is the only one upon which everyone would agree. The other qualifications will differ from person to person. We are fortunate that we do NOT all love the same product or desire the same comp plan. There would be very few companies from which to choose if that was the case.

[Angela in Oz]

great answers.

The other question I have is, do you focus more on your product, or more on your team building?

[Cornelius]

Is the product a life significant product? If a person had to could they make a living just from personal sales of the product or service. As for the recruiting MLM side a big consideration Is the ease of duplication. For income it's sales and for wealth it's build a team.

[AllanJames]

Are you able to discern truth from the, oft repeated, fictions you hear so often?

Hold on to your hats, cos I'm about to get a bit controversial as I repeat a post on my blog here, and I'll probably get flamed to death because of it

But I'm going to tell you the truth. Yep the truth, based on the fact that way back I was in the top 2% of earners internationally in two MLM. HUGE numbers of FBO's/Distributors etc in my businesses and tons, yes tons, of products moving through each month. And the fact that I'm still financially and personally free.

Are you ready for the truth? (remember 'a mind is like a parachute, it only works when it's open' So, please, keep an open mind)

I'm going to assume you want to make a full time income in a part-time basis. I will assume that your lifestyle is 'OK' but unexciting and you don't have time to enjoy all the good things in life - and that you've been struggling online for a lonnngg time trying to change that unhappy situation.

You REAL success online has little to do with:

• How good the company is.
• How great the compensation plan is.
• How wonderful your upline is.
• How unique and unbeatable your product is.
• How high your retention rate is (it's lousy isn't it)
• How great the training you get is.
• How superb your blog or site is.
• How high you rank in the search engines.
• How big your email list is.
• The superb articles you write.
• The captivating video's you produce.

All this lot does is use up something you can't ever replace. Your time.

You know it's true! If you haven't been working your little bum off hour after hour after hour for years, you'll be making peanuts!

Even if you have been grinding away at all the above for years, you may be making good money but I'll tell you this, you haven't found freedom.

Freedom, the ability to do what you want to do when you want to do it. To wander the world, to give to causes, to have lots of quality time for family and friends, to be your own boss.

No, you'll be putting horrendous hours still in trying to keep the money coming in.

So why do people maintain the incorrect perception that all those things above will lead to freedom.

They maintain them because self interested, inexperienced, or unthinking people keep parroting that this and that is what you need to do.

Rubbish! I do none of these - yet I'm free to wander around New Zealand continuously in my motorhome, visiting and staying in the many incredibly beautiful spots in NZ, fishing, kayacking, tramping, doing all the often expensive 'tourist' things, microlighting, having a quiet beer with the locals and the list goes on. And sometimes (in slow moments ) I come here as my way of paying back to the industry.

None of the above made me free!

What made me free was selling essential services as an affiliate (hosting, autoresponder services etc etc) and enjoying a three level affiliate compensation plan - using automated advertising methods (PPC, PFV, Media Buys etc)

Lately I've exploded my results using the latest and most effective recruiting and sales platform ever to be seen on the Internet.

What you really have to have to achieve freedom is:

• Access to exclusive, targeted, high converting leads.
• A Saas/SMS platform to sort them out and for them to optin to with their smartphone
• Targeted, done-for-you, high converting sales funnels (for ANY product or opportunity) to drop them into.
• Automation - a platform the follows up and converts them to sales or to join you.
• A community of winners to surround you, support you and enjoy your success.

NONE of those are in that hugely boring and time consuming list up at the top.

Your job?

Once people have partnered with you, is to form a relationship with them, introduce them to other winners, and make sure they head in the direction of the simple steps that will insure their own success.

Then go out and enjoy life (as it should be)

I know thus may be a confronting post for some but if you're not using automation, mobile, sms and and a sales/recruiting conversion platform you are dropping behind the leading edge in marketing. Way behind.

I implore you! Look beyond all the 'noise' that surrounds our industry and find where real success is being had, and were real success can be proven.

[FreeElectricity]

Originally Posted by Angela in Oz

great answers.

The other question I have is, do you focus more on your product, or more on your team building?

I do it differently with each one because I do them for different reasons. With Ambit, it's about money and building long term residual for me and my team. The product part is simple and we have people come to us for the savings - so it's really about finding more people who want to change their financial future and have a good Plan B in place (or a new plan A as it may be for some).

With Beachbody it's about product because product is what has made the difference in my life in a big way and if others want to achieve that, then they'll want to get the products. And then, if like me, they want to save on those products if they find that they work for them - they may as well be a coach just to get the savings. If a team builds out of that - great! If not, that's okay too. I'm still going to be buying the products for myself at a discount and continue using them.

[FreeElectricity]

Originally Posted by Cornelius

Is the product a life significant product? If a person had to could they make a living just from personal sales of the product or service. As for the recruiting MLM side a big consideration Is the ease of duplication. For income it's sales and for wealth it's build a team.

Excellent points!