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Home » Business And Finance Articles » How To Guarantee Success In Network Marketing

How To Guarantee Success In Network Marketing

If you're looking to become involved with a network marketing company, there are many aspects you need to consider before deciding. There are many scams out there, unfortunately, and proper research is important to ensure you do not get tangled up in one of these. Your time and money are valuable, so spend both wisely!

The first thing to look at is obviously the company. Check the company's rating with the Better Business Bureau. See how long the company has been in business, as well as how much the company has sold within the past year. Find out how many network marketers are currently involved with the company. All of these things can help you determine how strong and legitimate any given company is.

The next thing to consider is the product offered by the company. There are hundreds of different products available through network marketing, so be sure to choose one you are passionate about. Have you tried the product yourself, and do you love it enough to recommend it to others? This is key. If you are not passionate about the product you are selling, you can't expect others to be passionate about it! So be sure that you love the product before choosing. Also, speak to current and former customers. Find out their honest opinions on the product. What did/didn't they like? What is their favorite/least favorite product offered by the company? Also find out what percentage of buyers make more than one purchase, as well as how many customers go on to become network marketers themselves.

As with any business, you need to know and understand who your competition is. The best source for this information is again the current and former customers. Speak to as many of them as you can to get a good idea of which company or companies are considered competition by the consumer. The buyers can also give you opinions on the price comparisons between the companies, and which they feel is a better value. The consumer really is the most valuable research tool when it comes to discovering the competition...to be successful, you need to understand what the customer is looking for and feels is the best product and deal on the market.

You're working to make money, so obviously the company's pay plan is important. Find out what percentage of your sales you will earn in commission, as well as what (if any) the minimum level of sales is that you must reach before receiving commission. Learn what level of commissions you can earn off of your downline also. You need to understand exactly what goes into totaling a sale...for example, should you exclude delivery cost when calculating the sale? You also need to find out if the company has territories or quotas. Discover how you will be able to market the product...can you use advertising, can you market only through parties, etc. Also find out if the company has any policies about their marketers selling products for other companies.

Nearly all network marketing companies have a start-up cost, and some require an initial product stock investment. Find out how much your initial start-up cost will be, and how much stock you need to purchase up front, if required. Some companies also require overhead fees. Learn how much and how often these may be with the company you are looking into. You will also need to look into purchasing sales aids to help you promote your business. Most, if not all, companies have company-approved advertisements and sales aids available to their marketers. Make sure to read the fine print and ensure there are no other hidden costs associated with your start-up. Also find out whether or not you may pay for your materials by credit card or check.

You need to understand how ordering and delivery for a specific company will work. Does the customer order directly from the company, or through the marketer? Does the company ship the product directly to the customer, or do you, as the marketer, deliver the product to your customer? Do the customers pay you, or the company? If they pay you, do you pay the company and collect the payment from the customer? What is the company's policy on refunds and exchanges, and do customers receive a refund or exchange directly from the company, or from the marketer? If the marketer is responsible for handling refunds and exchanges, does he/she refund the money or exchange the product first and then request reimbursement through the company, or does the marketer send in the request to the company and wait for a response? Finally, you need to understand what postage and delivery costs you will be responsible for.

Obviously, you will need help getting started. Make sure you have access to a supportive and helpful upline, one that is ready and willing to help you succeed! Find out what training and support is available through the company, and how much, if anything, these programs cost. Do you receive your training through another network marketer, or a professional trainer? Also, find out which training materials will be provided for you to keep for further individual training and future reference.

Finally, learn what customer service will be available to you. If you or a customer have a question, you obviously want quick and helpful customer service available! Find out what information you can access on the company's website, and how easy it is to find what you are looking for. If you need to ask a question, be sure you know where to locate the contact information, and find out which is the quickest and most effective way to receive your answer. Some companies even offer customer service directly to the consumer, so find out if your prospective company offers this.

Any business venture you embark on needs to be thoroughly researched and understood so you can make well-informed decisions. Network marketing is no different. It is very possible to become incredibly successful as a network marketer, assuming you know what you are getting yourself into ahead of time and you take advantage of all the training and support available to you. Now you are prepared to begin researching companies and find the one which will guarantee your success!

Copyright 2005 Anthony Samuel

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Why Sell Your House to an Investor?

When talking to people who are trying to sell their house I'm often asked the question, "Why should I sell my house to you?"

That's a great question. Today's house seller has lots of options: they can list their house with a real estate agent, they can try to sell the house themselves or they can sell their house to a real estate investor. None of these choices is necessarily better than the others: they each have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Here is what I say when asked why someone should sell their house to me:

1. I'm fast. In many cases, sellers are in a rush to get their house sold. Maybe they're facing foreclosure or they're settling a divorce. Sometimes the seller has moved because of a job and needs to sell the house quickly to avoid two mortgage payments. Or someone might inherit a house and they don't want the hassle of dealing with the repairs and marketing necessary to sell the house.

Most people who try selling their house themselves or through a real estate agent find that it is anything but a "fast" process in most cases. Unless you are willing to sell your house at a significantly reduced price, in many markets you could find yourself waiting one to three months before you accept an offer.

On the other hand, because I'm an independent investor with private funds I can often close a house purchase in 7 days or less.

2. My offers are flexible. I make my offer fit the seller's needs. If the seller wants to close quickly, that can be arranged. If the seller wants cash all at once or a monthly cash flow, I can do those, too. I can also make up past payments and take over current payments to immediately relieve money burdens on the seller.

I can be a lot more flexible with my offers than the "traditional" offers sellers typically receive. That's because I'm independent and not part of a bank bureaucracy which has to follow lots of rules. I'm also aware of possible creative solutions to meet sellers' needs that your average home buyer wouldn't think of.

3. I'm open-minded. I might buy someone's house when no one else will. In many cases I buy houses that have fire damage, termites, mold, foundation problems, roof problems or need major repairs. Houses with these conditions scare most buyers and real estate agents hate listing them because they know such houses are hard to sell.

I actually enjoy talking to sellers with houses like these because I can see the house's potential value after all the repairs are made. I'm also not worried about extensive repairs as long as the after-repaired-value of the house justifies the expenses.

In conclusion, I encourage sellers to investigate all avenues of getting their house sold in the way that best meets their needs. If they decide that working with me to buy their house makes the most sense, then I'm more than happy to help.