| My Dad was always looking to make money from | | | | convenience. Would people buy these products |
| home. In the 1960's there weren't a lot of | | | | or services if they weren't distributors? |
| options. He started all kinds of businesses, | | | | |
| from bars to installing sprinkler systems. | | | | 2. Company Stability: The ability to give you |
| | | | long-term business and financial security, |
| But my Dad knew cars. He came across this | | | | based on their company and business history. |
| product which would keep your car from losing | | | | It's best if the company has been around |
| traction and spinning out of control on | | | | longer than 5 years, and shown financial |
| slippery roads. It worked and you could get | | | | stability and a track record of payouts. Is |
| rich. They cost about $500 each which was A | | | | the company a member of the Better Business |
| LOT of money in 1969. So he bought 10 and | | | | Bureau (U.S.), the Direct Selling Association |
| stored them in the basement under a sheet. | | | | or other highly regarded associations? |
| That way my mom wouldn't find out about his | | | | |
| new adventure. | | | | 3. Marketing System: System to market primary |
| | | | must be compatible with the internet |
| One day the phone rang, and it was my mom | | | | marketing techniques and current consumer |
| calling from work. | | | | trends. Today's consumer is different than 50 |
| | | | years ago. Today's consumer has more choices |
| "Karen, hide the newspaper NOW! Don't let | | | | than ever before. Is the marketing system |
| your Daddy see it!" (She found out anyway). | | | | promoted by this company reflect today's |
| | | | consumer habits? The marketing system must be |
| "Why?" | | | | simple and duplicatable. Network marketing is |
| | | | a business system for non-business people. |
| "Because his business partner's been | | | | |
| arrested. Your father's in one of those | | | | 4. Company Management: Must be led by |
| pyramid schemes!" (Like Dad wouldn't find | | | | successful leaders in business with a vision |
| that out at the next meeting?) | | | | for the future growth, not management mode. |
| | | | Does the company have the talent at |
| And that was my introduction to network | | | | management level to effectively keep a good |
| marketing. | | | | product pipeline and service its distributor |
| | | | base? Do they have a plan to carry this out? |
| Needless to say when I began my network | | | | Are they generating positive publicity in the |
| marketing career in 1988, I was afraid of | | | | public media - creating a buzz - that makes |
| getting ripped off. I literally blasted my | | | | the distributor's job easier? |
| first sponsor with over 70 questions. Poor | | | | |
| woman. She didn't know what she was getting | | | | 5. Global Reach: Must be ground floor in |
| into with me. Everyone else just believed | | | | their global expansion. Management must have |
| what she told them. I wish I'd known about | | | | prior experience in global expansion. Is the |
| the 7 Critical Elements then! It would have | | | | compensation plan the same around the world? |
| made choosing a company so much easier. | | | | What is the size of their product offering in |
| | | | new countries? Do they have the |
| We are skeptical of what we don't know. If | | | | infrastructure to support globalization? |
| everyone else who is rich got that way by | | | | |
| working 80 hours a week, and climbing the | | | | 6. Compensation & Incentives: Maximize your |
| corporate ladder, or discovering the wonder | | | | income based on your efforts. Must payout at |
| widget, how in the world can you make 6 or 7 | | | | least 50% of sales dollar, must offer |
| figures in a part-time business from home? | | | | unlimited depth within compensation plan. |
| | | | Must offer Fast Start Bonuses, must offer |
| Multi-level marketing is a perilous business. | | | | other incentives and recognition. You must be |
| On the surface, everybody says the same | | | | able to achieve $10,000/month true residual |
| thing. And everyone claims to be legit. Even | | | | income with less than 500 people in the |
| the scammers. And the "MLM truth" sites hate | | | | organization. Does the company you are |
| everything, so they're not a big help. What's | | | | evaluating document its payout with U.S. IRS? |
| a mere mortal to do? | | | | |
| | | | 7. Pay-It Forward: Does the company Pay-It |
| Enter the 7 Critical Elements of a Primary | | | | Forward to the masses. They must give back |
| Business. There are elements that every solid | | | | globally what they are taking out. Are their |
| network marketing opportunity should have in | | | | products and policies ethical? Socially |
| order to give you the best potential for long | | | | responsible? Is the company's vision is to |
| term income. | | | | make an impact on the world in a positive |
| | | | way. Do they encourage significant charity |
| Here they are in a nutshell: | | | | corporately and amongst their distributor |
| | | | base? |
| 1. Unique Products: Products must serve | | | | |
| multiple market categories, be unique enough | | | | These criteria may seem a little too rigid to |
| to get patents, and the products have to | | | | you. Maybe you just like the product you |
| serve the largest possible group. Are they | | | | market. If you just want short term cash, |
| consumable? Products with one-time-sales | | | | fine. But a business takes too much heart and |
| makes residual income difficult. Does the | | | | energy to waste on a so-so company. There are |
| product line make sense as whole? Or is the | | | | companies that meet all of these criteria and |
| company just putting stuff in a catalog to | | | | more, so it is possible! If your company can |
| sell? In today's highly competitive market | | | | meet all 7 of these critical elements, you're |
| you don't want to have a bunch of me-too | | | | on your way to tremendous success. And you'll |
| products and compete solely on price or | | | | never end up in a pyramid scheme. |