First I feel it’s important that people follow this process for themselves. I will not be mentioning any companies by name (so you know that I am not simply trying to convince you that the company I am in is the best). And if you are reading this on Living Aloud, any comments that mention particular companies by name or have links to them will be deleted. The point of this article is that people go out and find the company that is best for them…and No, there is no “best” company that everyone should join.

One of the problems with the MLM/network marketing industry these days is that many people jump into the first company they stumble across without stopping to think if it is something they want to spend their time on, that they want to be a part of. If you are currently looking at the MLM or network marketing industry there are several key factors to consider before you commit to one. Once you’ve committed to a company you want to give it your all, you need to invest your time, efforts, and capital in just one business at the start so make sure you pick the one most suited to you.

Before you begin your search, decide what you are looking for. Get a piece of paper and answer these questions. Take the time to get clear.

1. What type of life do you want to be leading?
When I ask prospective business partners this question they often get tongue-tied. They say they just want to be able to pay the bills. If that is truly ALL you want…hit your back button now. You should not be in business, but maybe working freelance doing jobs for someone else.

Really think about what your ideal day would be. What type of work would it involve? Would you be having interesting conversations with people with a shared interest? Would there be no phone involved and you would just be working online? Where would you be? Who would be with you? The important thing here is to figure out your ideal everyday. Otherwise you wont get past the idea of just being on holiday. Holidays get boring. People need to be creating and growing. What would be fun and stimulating for you? What sort of lifestyle do you want? This can get quite specific, down to the type of house you’re in, the car in your garage, how your day would progress.

2. What are you Interested in?
What broad areas of interest do you have? Are you interested in helping the environment, traveling, shopping online, physical fitness, personal growth, fashion?

So many people join network marketing companies because they saw a good pay-plan, but never even stop to think about the products themselves. These days there are network marketing companies in most industries. The key here is that if you are going to sell products from your company they should be products that you can get excited about and that you would buy yourself.

3.What Type of Compensation Plan Suits You?
There are MLMs, Direct Sales, GPTs, etc. There are many types of compensation and you need to decide what type will get you to your ideal lifestyle. GPT (Get paid today) or Top-Tier programs tend to have extremely high commissions so you need to make very few sales to achieve a high income. They usually have less residual component so while the growth of your network can provide an incredible income you need to continue to do a certain amount of work. MLM’s tend to have a very small commission, but you get commissions down through several levels of your business. This model also requires a ton of upfront work and takes a lot longer to replace an income, but then can yield much higher residuals later on. Of course there are a few hybrids out there. Just make sure that the model you choose can really help you achieve the lifestyle you outlined in step one.

4.What Type of Leader Are You Looking For?
This is important. This person can really assist you in growing your business quickly. They have probably have made a few mistakes and also figured out what works. One key thing to remember is you don’t necessarily want to work with the top income earner in the company. They will be less likely to have time to work with you directly, also they will be less invested in your success because they have a huge organization whether or not you are successful. Find someone who resonates with you. Who deliver value to you. Make sure you have a good chat with them before you sign up. You want to be sure it’s someone who appeals to you and you can see yourself working with. They don’t have to be a friend, but if you don’t like their vibe, go find someone else.

5. Research
Now that you have your list. This is how you apply it to your research:
-Start with Industry. What opportunities are available within your listed areas of interest?

-Then look for the Comp Plan that most suits you.

-Once you’ve selected a company find a Leader that
suits you (I have in the past started with a leader I wanted to work with first and then researched their business. But if you really resonate with them, they are probably in a business that will resonate with you)

-Now have a look back at Step 1. Can this company, compensation plan, and team provide the lifestyle you are looking for? Does this company have a community you will enjoy being a part of? Does it fit in with your image of the ideal you?

One of the major reasons people fail is lack of marketing training and knowledge. A lot of network marketers don’t know anything about internet marketing and can’t train their team. However, if you can line up all the above components and find an opportunity that fits what you are looking for you can get good training elsewhere. You can continue to visit sites such as this and Network Power PRO, and apply the marketing training to your opportunity.

Just remember that you are starting a business, not a hobby, not a job. Also, you will never find a company that exactly perfectly fits everything you have on your list, but if you are clear on what you are looking for from the start you can make sure you are in an opportunity where you can really achieve YOUR dreams.