6 Key Points in Selecting a Solid Company by Janet Callaway

Yesterday we spoke about 5 qualities that are important in a business partner. Today let's explore 6 key points in finding a company that is “built to last.” After all, if you are going to invest your time and effort to build for the future, you want to know that company will still be around in the future to pay you that residual income you earned.

Though it might seem odd, I am going to list these 6 keys in reverse order. In other words, I am going to start with the Least important first which may surprise you.

1. Product. What, you say; how can that possibly be the least important? You're thinking if I had a great product to market, a product that really “Worked,” I would be rich because everyone would want it and would keep using it. While your logic sounds well, logical, unfortunately the reality is something else. People use great products, get better, feel better, look better or whatever better, and then they quit taking the products. Why? Because they are better! People forget about prevention and following consistent routines for optimum results. Life happens and people “forget” how they were before or they choose to spend their money elsewhere. A great product does not guarantee longevity of a company nor success for the individual distributor.

2. Compensation. No way. If the compensation plan is good, the program/the plan will work and “I'll get rich!” Sounds good, however, once again that old reality is quite different. Many compensation plans are designed to only last a “short” time rather than the long haul. Still others “work” when there are a modest number of distributors and simply fall apart when the distributor force grows larger. The bane of the network marketing industry is compensation plans that keep changing because they were not well designed in the beginning. The good news/bad news is that it is not about the Compensation plan because people have made tons of money with truly terrible Compensation plans. Go figure.

3. Tools. What on earth do you mean by “Tools.” Tools are what you use to deliver the information to your prospective business partners. They are critically important. This quote by Archimedes best describes the power of good tools: "Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand, and I will move the world." 
    
4. Systems. Newcomers to the Network Marketing industry often don't recognize the importance of a system. Because most of us are used to having to do it by ourselves, we forget that Network Marketing is about the power of leverage as Archimedes so well stated. You not only use Tools in a system, you also use people. In a good company, there is a step-by-step system that anyone can follow. If people do follow the System, they experience success because they have people helping them each step of the way as well as the Tools that do the work for them.
   
   
5. Coaches. This is probably starting to make sense to you now. You now have a Product to market, a Compensation plan to pay you as well as Tools and a System to follow. Your Coach helps to put it together for you and keep you on target so that you achieve your goals. Any successful athlete, musician, or person who excels at a craft/trade/art has or had a coach. In most instances, its multiple and continuing coaches. Recognizing the importance of coach, we celebrate great coaches like the late Coach John Wooden of UCLA. Work with a coach, a mentor and you will succeed. Attempt to do it all on your own and, most likely, you will fail.
   
   
6. Owners. Simply put, if the owners lack integrity and the ability to lead, the Company will fail. The Owners are the ones who write your royalty checks both today and into the future. Make sure that they have a track record of success and integrity. Your future depends on it.

Choose wisely. Let me know if I can help in any way. Would love to hear your thoughts on these 6 Key Points.