7 Important Tips on Investigating a Business Opportunity
| Category: Home Based Business - Getting Started | Date: 2003-06-18 |
!!! Get In On the Ground Floor!!! Well Build Your Downline Using Our Unique Spillover System that Guarantees an Income of OVER $5000 EVERY WEEK! HURRY! THIS IS A LIMITED TIME OFFER!
Give me a break.
Wed all be millionaires if claims like the one above were true. If youre looking for a business opportunity on the web where scams feed on the dreams and weaknesses of everyday people, the thing to remember is to *take your time*. Good opportunities dont disappear overnight.
To investigate an opportunity, check out the following:
__Do You Know EXACTLY What Youll Be Doing?
Have you ever read over a business opportunity and at the end of the article you think, But what am I SELLING?
Youre not alone. There are endless opportunities touted online as being the cream of the crop, the best of the best, the ultimate money-making opportunity destined to give you the freedom and flexibility you desire.
They just dont tell you HOW.
Dont send money for more information. If theyre not upfront about whats involved in their opportunity, then run the other way and dont look back.
__Can You Independently Find Others Who Are Successful?
Message boards are a fabulous source of first-hand information from people who have been there, done that. Ask for other peoples experiences with an opportunity before you join. If you can find a number of people who have had good experiences, thats great. If you cant, and all you hear are negative comments, then learn from them: even if you doggedly pursue it and find one positive testimonial, it wont mean much if youve heard 20 other negative comments.
__How Long Has the Opportunity Been Around?
New opportunities dont yet have a history of success. There is no way of knowing how well the average person will do with them.
Dont worry about getting in on the ground floor; its far better to have a solid history that shows a viable business opportunity.
__Are You Selling an Opportunity or a Product?
When the focus is on earning income by signing up others, youre part of whats known as a pyramid scheme. To be brief: theyre illegal.
Every opportunity should allow you to earn an income by selling a product or service to customers. If it focuses primarily on recruitment, reconsider.
__Are Claims and Testimonials Verifiable?
Is contact information provided so that you can verify a testimonial? Can you find people who actually make what the opportunity claims you can make?
Dont take income claims too seriously. Everyones different, and although one person may think its a perfect opportunity, it might not be for YOU. A blanket statement of You can make up to $5000 a month or more can be safely ignored. A statement of AVERAGE earnings is more useful.
Exercise caution if an opportunity guarantees that you can make money. That is completely beyond their control; its your efforts, your skills, and your motivation that determine whether or not youll make money.
__Hows the Service?
One thing I like to do is ask a bunch of questions by email or phone (they DO have contact information posted, right?). If they answer me quickly, courteously, and in detail, thats another point for them. Emails that are ignored or phone calls not returned are a bad sign; if they treat YOU that way, how do they treat the rest of their customers? Why are they hiding?
__Does the Opportunity Fit YOUR Interests?
Theres no point in doing something you hate (heck, some of us left JOBS that we hated - we dont need to start a business that we also hate!). For example, if you would rather pull out a tooth with a set of pliers than sell face-to-face, then dont join a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) opportunity. If you love talking to people, look into something like party planning, childrens book sales, etc. If youre the quiet, shy type, look for opportunities that will allow you to work nose-to-nose with your computer most of the time. You get the idea.
Sure, its time-consuming to do all this investigative work. But its a necessity: prudence and planning now will pay off by possibly saving you money and frustration later.
Theres simply no such thing as a simple business in a box. However, there are many legitimate opportunities, both from other companies and those of your own dreams. Happy hunting!
(c) Copyright 2001, Angela Wu
About the Author
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, an exclusive newsletter for eBusiness beginners. OBB features ongoing tutorials on how to build a profitable Internet business on a shoestring budget. You dont need a million-dollar budget to be successful! Find out how you too can join the thousands quietly earning a living online: http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html
angela@onlinebusinessbasics.com
http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com
Give me a break.
Wed all be millionaires if claims like the one above were true. If youre looking for a business opportunity on the web where scams feed on the dreams and weaknesses of everyday people, the thing to remember is to *take your time*. Good opportunities dont disappear overnight.
To investigate an opportunity, check out the following:
__Do You Know EXACTLY What Youll Be Doing?
Have you ever read over a business opportunity and at the end of the article you think, But what am I SELLING?
Youre not alone. There are endless opportunities touted online as being the cream of the crop, the best of the best, the ultimate money-making opportunity destined to give you the freedom and flexibility you desire.
They just dont tell you HOW.
Dont send money for more information. If theyre not upfront about whats involved in their opportunity, then run the other way and dont look back.
__Can You Independently Find Others Who Are Successful?
Message boards are a fabulous source of first-hand information from people who have been there, done that. Ask for other peoples experiences with an opportunity before you join. If you can find a number of people who have had good experiences, thats great. If you cant, and all you hear are negative comments, then learn from them: even if you doggedly pursue it and find one positive testimonial, it wont mean much if youve heard 20 other negative comments.
__How Long Has the Opportunity Been Around?
New opportunities dont yet have a history of success. There is no way of knowing how well the average person will do with them.
Dont worry about getting in on the ground floor; its far better to have a solid history that shows a viable business opportunity.
__Are You Selling an Opportunity or a Product?
When the focus is on earning income by signing up others, youre part of whats known as a pyramid scheme. To be brief: theyre illegal.
Every opportunity should allow you to earn an income by selling a product or service to customers. If it focuses primarily on recruitment, reconsider.
__Are Claims and Testimonials Verifiable?
Is contact information provided so that you can verify a testimonial? Can you find people who actually make what the opportunity claims you can make?
Dont take income claims too seriously. Everyones different, and although one person may think its a perfect opportunity, it might not be for YOU. A blanket statement of You can make up to $5000 a month or more can be safely ignored. A statement of AVERAGE earnings is more useful.
Exercise caution if an opportunity guarantees that you can make money. That is completely beyond their control; its your efforts, your skills, and your motivation that determine whether or not youll make money.
__Hows the Service?
One thing I like to do is ask a bunch of questions by email or phone (they DO have contact information posted, right?). If they answer me quickly, courteously, and in detail, thats another point for them. Emails that are ignored or phone calls not returned are a bad sign; if they treat YOU that way, how do they treat the rest of their customers? Why are they hiding?
__Does the Opportunity Fit YOUR Interests?
Theres no point in doing something you hate (heck, some of us left JOBS that we hated - we dont need to start a business that we also hate!). For example, if you would rather pull out a tooth with a set of pliers than sell face-to-face, then dont join a Multi-Level Marketing (MLM) opportunity. If you love talking to people, look into something like party planning, childrens book sales, etc. If youre the quiet, shy type, look for opportunities that will allow you to work nose-to-nose with your computer most of the time. You get the idea.
Sure, its time-consuming to do all this investigative work. But its a necessity: prudence and planning now will pay off by possibly saving you money and frustration later.
Theres simply no such thing as a simple business in a box. However, there are many legitimate opportunities, both from other companies and those of your own dreams. Happy hunting!
(c) Copyright 2001, Angela Wu
About the Author
Angela is the editor of Online Business Basics, an exclusive newsletter for eBusiness beginners. OBB features ongoing tutorials on how to build a profitable Internet business on a shoestring budget. You dont need a million-dollar budget to be successful! Find out how you too can join the thousands quietly earning a living online: http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com/article.html
angela@onlinebusinessbasics.com
http://www.onlinebusinessbasics.com
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