I would day say that 95% or more of network marketers are frustrated with their businesses and can’t figure out what to do to have the success that they desire.  Many jump from one opportunity to the other with the hopes that “this one” will be the business to make it all worth it.  Most never understand the real reasons why they fail and thus repeat the same process over and over getting the same painful results.  Most end up quitting and then months or years later; try again because they know deep down inside that network marketing works.

There are thousands of so-called opportunities out there, all with the promise of making you rich.  They show you cars, houses, checks, statements or earnings, all with the hope of luring you into there “awesome” opportunity.  They tempt you with the word “prelaunch” making you feel the urgency of getting in at the ground floor.  Yes, you can get in at the ground floor, but I am afraid, in most cases, the elevator is going down!

Network marketing is, by far, the best way to make substantial income and gain the independence that you deserve.  It’s just too bad that so many people get involved not knowing what to look for in a business.  There are too many “opportunities” out there that claim that you can make $10,000 in 30 days and not have to sell, make calls, recruit, and the like.  Network marketing is first of all a people business.  You have to contact people; there is no other way!  So please don’t fall for all the hype.  Very, very few ever make money in those types of businesses.  So what kind of business does one look for?

Things to watch out for before joining an opportunity:

• A company with a proven track record and reputation.  Prelaunches are not proven.  My advice is to stay clear of them until they are proven.  This could take up to two years.
• Leadership that has been in the field and knows what is takes to succeed in network marketing.  Don’t join any company with someone at the helm that can’t even spell MLM.  I would suggest Googling the names of the company leadership as well as your sponsor-to-be to see what you can find out about them.  If there are negative reports on any of them…run Forest run! 
• Are there awesome products?  Is there a demand for them?  Are they affordable to the general population?  Would people buy them even if they were not an affiliate?  Look for the “purple cow.”  Something that grabs the attention of the masses.  Be wary of technology products and services and they are changing rapidly.  What costs money today could be gotten for free tomorrow when it comes to technology.  Also chose something that you can be proud to represent.  Don’t appeal to the weaknesses of the masses such as the gambling and gaming scene.  If  there are no products involved, it may be a scam.
• Make sure the compensation plan is right for you.  Most people join never understanding how the compensation plan works.  The best plan pays for moving volume.  What I mean by that is that you get paid for sponsoring AND retail.  Don’t join anything that makes you sponsor, sponsor and sponsor more.  Sponsoring alone will not work for the average person. A great compensation plan lets you build wide AND deep and will handsomely reward you no matter what
  direction that you build.  Going wide AND deep will work for anyone regardless of their personality.  If I were you, I would figure out how much you want to make in RESIDUAL monthly income and ask the company representative you are talking to how many people would it take to produce that kind of income.  You will be surprised…if they are honest or even know.
• You must be able to plug into a duplicatable SYSTEM.  Your downline will never be able to duplicate you, but will be able to duplicate a SYSTEM.  Does the company you are looking at have a duplicatable system in place?  Can anyone do it?  If not, run!  You need to be part of an organization that offers real mentoring, a duplicatable system, and a simple way for the common person to be successful in the business. 
• Read the Policies and Procedures (P&P’s).  Do you know that 99.9% of folks who join network marketing companies NEVER read the P&P’s?  As a result, many, and I mean many, have lost huge checks because they unwittingly violated some stupid policy or procedure that they didn’t know about.  Others had memberships  cancelled for NO REASON (It’s stated in the P&P’s).  Still others had their downlines taken away from them and given to others.  And this kind of crap was written in the P&P’s.  If the P&P’s are several pages long…beware.  They are written to protect the company…not you!  If it takes an attorney to understand them, run!  A good company will take care of both you and them; however, they are few and far between.  Policies and Procedures must be simple to understand.
• Don’t join anything that forces you to be pushy or sell to people.  95% (from my experience it’s 100%) of the population HATES pushy people!  And no one likes to be “sold.”  Rather people love to buy.  Having to hound people is NO FUN! 

The reality is: MOST companies fall short of what I have outlined above.  As a result that is why the masses are failing at network marketing.  There are great companies out there; you just need to do your homework to find them.

Something else I would like to mention.  One must focus on a primary business.  I have talked to people involved with multiple businesses and successful at NONE of them.  Very, very few persons can be massively successful trying to do multiple businesses.  Moving from business to business will only make the situation worse. The best thing that you can do is find a good business model, as outlined above, and focus ALL of your attention on it.

Finally, do not give up.  Though you may have hit your head on several “opportunities” that only issued in painful bruises that does mean that success in unattainable.  You can success and will, if you do not give up on your dreams.  The question now is, “How big is your dream?”  Is it big enough to make you get up and try again until you make it?  If not, you need to work on that first.  Sit down and come up with a huge reason why you want to own a successful network marketing business.  Once you have a big enough reason or dream, nothing will be able to stop you.  Oh sure, you may get tired and weary for a moment.  Just rest a minute or two and then get up and keep on keeping on.  It is impossible to fail with this kind of determination and attitude.  Especially if you have found a business that you can call home. 

Does network marketing really work?  The answer is a resounding yes!  You just have to do your homework by hooking up with a great company. Treat it like a business; plan on working hard at it for a couple of years (7-10 hours a week).  Don’t give up and before you know it you will be the success story that you dreamed of.