FIVE WAYS TO EVALUATE AN ONLINE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF
IT'S RIGHT FOR YOU
So you've decided you want to work from home, and you've signed
up for a few of those 'Business Opportunity' mailing lists.
Every day there are interesting-looking possibilities turning up
in your email inbox... but how can you tell the 'real McCoys'
from the 'get-rich-quick' scams that are proliferating all over
the Internet?
I've got some ideas about that, and I may be able to save you
some grief if I pass them directly on to you...
1. Is the business opportunity based on a tangible product or
service? Many online opportunities are simply based on signing
up as many recruits as possible, without consideration for a
viable product line.
Yet real opportunities exist online to build a business selling
everything from children's toys to ebooks to health care
products. If the product figures prominently in the company
information, is it a product that will sell, to folks who will
buy it? That may sound silly, but it bears thinking about --
Elvis CDs may not be such a great idea anymore, while
nutritional supplements, for example, are a hot item right now.
2. Is there plenty of company support or training to back up
whatever effort you are expected to make to sell the product or
service? In other words, does the company offer you, as a
representative, free web space, a free company based email
address, autoresponders, sales leads or any other kinds of sales
support?
If you have to set these all up yourself, it can be time
consuming, confusing and expensive to get started.
3. Is there a way provided for you to connect with other company
representatives to share information, sales tips, or success
stories - for example, message areas, bulletin boards, or an
email discussion list? Successful online businesses know that
they need to keep their independent consultants connected - to
the business, and to one another.
4. Are you offered any 'offline' tools - business cards, product
information brochures, or catalogues, for example?
5. Is there an accessible customer service department for
representatives to be able to ask questions, get product
information, or track their orders?
These are all questions to ask yourself to evaluate potential
money-making business opportunities on the Internet. There's
lots of them 'out there,' but make sure you do your homework
first before you jump in to anything you may later regret.
Reputable businesses who are looking for legitimate sales
consultants to work independently won't object to you
researching to determine, first and foremost, if the company
will be there for you -- or just leave you to your own resources
in 'Never-Never-Net-Land.