Copyright (c) 2010 Soaring Eagle Companies LLC

If you are thinking about joining a multilevel marketing company, even a simple internet search under the key words "multilevel marketing companies" will give you thousands of entries and hundreds of companies. Never mind all the stuff you get in your email box about opportunities.

So how can you zero in on a company that you want to work with? More importantly, how do you make sure you don't get stuck in a company that at the very least has bad business practices or, even worse, is actually doing something illegal?

One of the most obvious things to check out is how long has the company been around and pick one any that has been around for awhile. They don't necessarily have to have a 30 year track record, but if the company has only been around six months, you can bet that particular company is pretty high risk.

More than 50% of all the companies that start fail within the first year and 8 out 10 will fail within the first five years*. Multilevel marketing companies are not immune to those statistics.

The second is to make sure they have an actual physical address and phone number. In this day and age of virtual everything, it is pretty easy to make a virtual company. Even if they list a physical address, make sure it exists. If they list a phone number, call.

Third, talk to someone who is in the business. It is easy to put up testimonials on the web, but you really have no way of knowing if they are real or not. Ask for names of people you can call. Make sure to get more than one.

While you are talking to the people in the business make sure you ask some revealing questions like how long they have been in the business, if they have received adequate help, how they like the products, and if they are making money. Granted, the company is probably not going to give you names of disgruntled distributors, but you can still get a general idea of the culture of the company. You can also search on the web for names and call them.

Fourth, be sure you know all the costs involved in being in the company. While purchasing products is obvious, there may be other fees that are not so clear. Do you have to pay a fee to have you website? Is there a fee associated with certain reporting abilities (i.e. detailed reports on your downline)? How much do you have to pay for promotional materials or sales aid (i.e. samples, brochures, etc.)?

There are a lot of great opportunities out there, just be sure you get involved with one of the good ones!

Distrust and caution are the parents of security.Benjamin Franklin

If you wish to succeed in life, make perseverance your bosom friend, experience your wise counselor, caution your elder brother, and hope your guardian genius. Joseph Addison