Ten Tips for Evaluating Internet Home Business Opportunities
There are benefits and drawbacks to these kinds of businesses, but they also can provide you with a good start and the potential for income if you choose a reputable company to work with, and if you educate yourself beforehand about the realities of what is required to succeed in these kinds of businesses.
You'll find millions of ads promising you easy riches for no work. Beware! Many internet home business opportunities look too good to be true ... and it's because they are! Don't be fooled by exaggerated income claims and lots of dollar signs, and don't let yourself be pressured into making any hasty decisions.
Don't jump into any kind of internet home business opportunity without first doing research about the company. It's very important to make sure you choose a reputable company, because your good name and your reputation are at stake. If you represent a company that you later discover is not a legitimate business, you will unfortunately be associated with them!
Here are a few questions to ask when you investigate internet home business opportunities.
How long has the company been in business? Younger companies, less than 2 years old are at higher risk for running into problems and not surviving for the long term. Check with ICop.com, the Better Business Bureau, and the FTC to see if a lot of complaints have been lodged against them.
Are their products or services of excellent quality? Without excellent products you won't have repeat customers or referrals. The better your product the more referrals you'll get!
Would you want to use the products? I always recommend buying the company products to see how good they are, and to see what kind of customer service they provide. Do they have a money back guarantee? Do they ship products on time and provide good customer service?
Are the products or services in demand? If people don't want what you're selling, your business will not thrive.
Can the products be ordered securely online and delivered promptly?
Do they pay their associates on time? Talk to other associates to find out what their experience is. Check out message boards where network marketers or affiliates post and ask their opinion. If you find a lot of unhappy folks, beware!
Call the company, talk to various employees and learn how they respond to inquiries and requests for information. A good company will treat you with respect and answer your questions promptly.
What do average associates earn? If no one is earning a good income, the company is not doing a good job supporting their associates or their products or services are not of good quality.
What kind of marketing support does the company provide to their representatives? Check carefully to see what tools they provide for you. Affiliate programs should provide you with statistics so you can see the results of your marketing efforts. Online network marketing or direct sales businesses should provide online enrollment, training, product fulfillment and downline management.
Can you earn a good commission from sales or do you need to recruit others into the business in order to earn any profit? If a company doesn't provide you a way to profit from the sale of products, this could be an illegal pyramid scheme.
How much does it cost to get started in the business? Beware of business opportunities with huge start up costs, unless you're considering a franchise. Beware also of companies with inflated training costs. Training should be free or reasonably priced.
Most affiliate programs are free to join. Most legitimate network marketing companies have a start up cost between $10 and $1000 depending on the company and your level of involvement.
Are their monthly sales quotas or purchase requirements? Some affiliate programs will drop you from their program if you don't make sales. Some network marketing companies have sales quotas. If you don't meet them, you won't get paid.
Most network marketing programs have some kind of regular purchase requirement (products you purchase for re-sale or personal use) without which you will not be paid. Usually this is between $50 and $250. Make sure you really like the company's products and will use them personally as well as sell them every month!
In summary, thoroughly investigate internet home business opportunities before getting involved. A solid and reputable company to affiliate with can provide you with a good income for years, so it is worth your time to make the right choice!
Related Tags: internet home based business, internet home business opportunities, internet business opportunities
Tamara Esgoode is a business coach and writer for HomeBizWomen.com. Visit to receive the free Internet Business Ideas course which offers business mentoring for women in home based business.
Your Article Search Directory : Find in ArticlesRecent articles in this category:
- Conference Venues: Five Tips To Finding The Perfect Conference Facilities
If you're organizing a conference, tracking down a suitable venue is crucial. While cost is an impor - Measurementcamp: Social Media For Fashion Brands
For those who haven't heard of it, MeasurementCamp is a loose collective of individuals (mainly from - Free Traffic - 3 Good Reasons Not To Buy Traffic Software
When you're done building a website the first big thing that you have to think about is free traffic - Business Networking For Entrepreneurs --7 Tips For Success
Is there anyone else out there who can relate to this scenario? You arrive a little later than you a - Achieve The Best Mlm Skills For The Best Mlm Leads And Finally Get Out In Front
I really want to bring home the importance of learning the best MLM skills in this article.Too many - Understanding Internet Marketing Advertising Concept For Your Business
Internet marketing advertising concept is considered as an important tool for increasing business sa - Mlm Training- The Benefits Of Home-based Network Marketing Business Training
In multi-level marketing industry, many network marketers have failed and quit, not because their bu - Is Cash Gifting Legal Or Is It Just Another Scam?
If you are looking for an opportunity to provide you with financial freedom, there are many opportun - Tish Washington Joins Infinity Downline Extreme Team
Yes, it's true Tish has come on board.Tish Washington? Who's that?Tish is a very nice lady from sout - Good Diet Plans That Work Most Effectively
When somebody talks about diet programs, most of us instantly suppose that it's because we are searc
Most viewed articles in this category:
- MLM Training - How to Keep Prospects From Feeling "Baited and Switched"
Before a prospect will "reach out" for more information about your MLM business or products, you mus - Network Marketing - When You Shouldn't Be The Expert
I see a lot of different advice on how to talk to prospects or as I look at it-potential team member - Web 2.0 Business To Business Social Networking
Despite its now rampant popularity across the internet you still may not at this point have heard of - 2007 - Goal!
Welcome to 2007... Have you set goals for yourself for the next 12 months? Do you know that less t - Truth Behind Business Conference Calls
With all the latest technology, do you ever feel like you are out of the groove? There are so many n - Free Web Site Traffic
Anyone in any business who has a web site would love free web site traffic. It is the lifeblood of a - MLM Success - How Many Network Marketers Does It Take To Screw In a Light Bulb?
Assuming that you are in this industry in order to secure your financial future, then before choosin - Managing Hardware Assets
Managing Hardware Assets can be a daunting task. Exactly what needs to be tracked and for what reaso - How Not to Mulligan Your Business Golf Game
Golf season brings with it the opportunity to network and forge new business relationships on the go - Having Trouble Reaching a Specific Prospect - How to Reach That Hard-to-Reach Prospect in One Try
Wouldn't it be easier if you were referred to your hard-to-reach prospect instead of becoming one of