If you are a mom looking for an at-home business, you might be tempted by a multi-level marketing opportunity, like selling Avon or Pampered Chef. But there are literally hundreds of products you could sell and as many companies you could work for selling those products. How do you choose the one that’s right for you? Let’s look at some criteria to help.
Product quality
Be ethical when you do multi-level marketing. There are many people that work in this type of marketing that are dishonest and have unethical sales tactics. No matter what kind of pressure you’re under to succeed in this marketing, try to run an honest business. This can easily make you stand out from the rest.
Most WAHMs who sell a product through one of these companies discover the product when they attend a home party where the product is being sold. They might find that they like the flavor of the food, or the ease of makeup application or how they feel after drinking the drink.
That means, then, that there’s a belief in the product’s quality before signing up with the company. But if you decide to sell something that you have never tried before yourself, you have to do a bit more digging. Make sure that the product has good reviews, that it does what it promises and that the company itself is a good one that stands behind its products.
Investment
Seek products that you actually respect and maybe even love. It’s tough to market or sell what you can’t stand. You’ll find your job in multi-level marketing a whole lot harder if you hate the products you are dealing with. Do some due diligence and find a product that you really like.
How much will it cost you to get started in your business? While you should never have to pay in general to work for a company, there’s always a start-up investment when dealing with a MLM. You will buy a kit, or supplies, or a starter supply of something. Much depends on the company as to what you need to buy and how much it will cost.
Can you afford the initial investment it takes to get your business started? Many MLM companies will let you start with either a basic, bare bones kit, or you can purchase a kit that includes samples, sales orders and the like. In addition to whatever kit you choose, however, you will also need to purchase business cards, perhaps a website, and other office and business supplies.
Support
Be sure to ask experienced members of your upline the same sorts of questions you will be asked by customers. For example, if the product or service you are offering is more expensive than the same sort of product offered by other companies, learn the reason for this. There could be perfectly good reasons for this, such as the use of higher quality ingredients. Knowing these kids of details will help you provide better service to your customers.
What kind of support does the company offer its consultants? Can you call someone during your start-up period for advice? Is it free? What kind of support might you get from the others who work for the company? Will your upline provide any support? Is there any training efforts that will help you as you establish your business?
One of the best aspects of signing up to sell a MLM product is the built-in support that most companies offer; though not all companies do offer that support mechanism, the best ones will. Be sure to ask the right questions before you sign up.
Time involved
Present a sensible, businesslike appearance at multilevel marketing events and always. You never know when you might be talking with a potential customer or team member, so it can definitely pay to look your best. Go for an understated, professional look. Avoid overdressing, wearing too much makeup or speaking in a sales-pitchy tone of voice.
Does the time requirement for working your business work for you? If you decide to sell food or kitchen products, for example, you might need to prepare food in advance of each party. Do you have time for that? If you sell scrapbooking products, you might need to make an album full of sample pages with the company’s products. Can you add that into your already busy schedule?
If you don’t have a lot of time to give to these kinds of endeavors, you might want to think about that before you sign up with a company. Other products, like makeup or skincare, might not require as much preparation.
Potential for earnings
Try to make sure that what you are selling is unique. It is harder to sell something you would not buy yourself and aren’t particularly passionate about. Find something that people can’t walk into the closest retail store and buy. Find something to sell that is both special and appealing to you.
Carefully examine the company’s compensation package. How much will you make from a sale? How much can you make from a party? Will you make enough to cover your expenses and bring you a nice profit? Sometimes it can be hard to turn a good profit from MLM companies. Many moms report losing money, likely because they don’t do the research ahead of time that you will do.
Your market
Do you have a good base of potential customers now? When you first start your business, your initial customers will likely be friends and family. If you have a tiny family and few friends, your potential for getting that business off the ground quickly and easily will be shaky.
Try not to annoy people when recruiting or selling your product. Many people are wary of multi-level marketing. While it is good to be passionate about your product and business plan, you don’t want to scare people away. Bring your business up within your social circles, but try not to push the subject if no one is interested.
Carefully consider the market that you have. Will they buy products from you? Not everyone will be willing to hear your presentation and might even feel put on the spot by your desire to sell the products. Make sure you have a comfortable base of potential customers to begin with.
Doing a bit of research before you jump into a new earning opportunity can be the difference between a successful endeavor and a failure. Make sure you do everything you can to achieve the former.
