Many articles and reviews have been written about what are the best MLMs and what are the characteristics of good network marketing home based business opportunities, but when it comes to deciding which one to choose, I am of the opinion that every opportunity An individual has to be evaluated on their own merits, but also on how well they fit in with the person considering the MLM opportunity. Since we are not all the same and do not all have the same needs, wants and aspirations, the definition of a good opportunity will undoubtedly vary from person to person. With that being said, there are three basic dimensions to consider when choosing a network marketing business opportunity that will help determine the best option.
product lineup – The first thing to consider is what kind of product are you looking for? There are network marketing and direct selling business opportunities for almost any product imaginable. Is your intention to simply sell the product or do you also intend to promote the business opportunity? The answer to this question can significantly influence the choices of the companies being analyzed because, in the case of the latter, the business opportunity must also be evaluated as a product in itself. So when considering the product, ask yourself what would make someone want to buy it rather than a substitute. Are you competing on quality, price, or both? What is your perception of how well this product sells? Would you use it yourself? Do you see yourself promoting it? Would you use it if it wasn’t tied to the business opportunity? Is the product in line with your values and belief system? For example, is it made abroad or at home? Is it an ethical or green product? Are you comfortable with where and how the product was made? All of these questions require personal preference answers, from which you can determine which products to evaluate and also gauge how well the product aligns with you.
company alignment – Your personal values and beliefs should also be weighed against the company’s values. Depending on your plans and your own needs, some companies may offer you services that you value most. For example, do some offer prospecting and lead generation training? Do you have your own marketing plans and systems? If so, does the company allow you to use them or are you bound and limited in action by restrictions? How important is it to you to have administrative support? What services do you need? Are you risk tolerant or risk averse? If you are risk tolerant, would you consider a new opportunity? On the other hand, if you are risk averse, you may want to choose from more established companies that have been around for a long time. Along the same lines, the indebtedness of companies should also be considered. In terms of how the business operates, are you required to maintain product inventories? What will be your involvement in logistics related to managing sales, orders, shipping, billing and payment fulfillment? Are you involved? Do you want to participate? Will you depend on your upline for training and support? If so, your evaluation may consider who the sponsor is, their experience, and what they have to offer. All of these questions help establish whether or not a company is aligned with you.
Effectiveness of the Compensation Plan – The final piece has to do with how well the policies and procedures surrounding the rewards system align with your value system and how well they reinforce the desired behaviors you need to be a successful network marketer. For starters, are you required to spend money to buy products for yourself? Do you have to maintain product sales minimums to maintain your affiliate status or to be eligible for bonuses and/or payouts? Do you have to maintain quotas for new registrations? Does the compensation plan reinforce teamwork by providing incentives for team building? Do you allow teams to grow and develop over time, or do you systematically divide them as they go through matrices or dashboards? Does the plan allow new leads to be inserted further down the matrix where they are needed most? Do you recognize the best for their individual efforts? The answers to these questions will help paint a picture of what behaviors the compensation plan rewards, and consequently, how aligned those behaviors are with your own value system.
So, to summarize, it’s very difficult to come up with generic assessments of what the best network marketing opportunities are, since each one is different in its own right and each person evaluating an opportunity has a different set of needs and values to which they relate. compared to make that assessment. Consequently, by considering an opportunity along the three core dimensions of Product Alignment, Company Alignment, and Compensation Plan Effectiveness, it becomes more apparent to the evaluator which opportunities are truly the most promising for them.
