For you ZeeklerHeads who fell for this idiotic program. Lesson learned I hope. I also hope that those who "invested" in this mess over past couple of months are able to recover some of their money. Going forward, learn that you cannot get something for nothing, that if a company's program or business model is < 10 years old, if its executives come from out of nowhere, if they are not creating and marketing products that are needed by the marketplace and instead are selling something that is NOT needed by regular folks (and therefore involves spending money on crap one really would not buy or use in the normal course of their life), run, don't walk away. Over-hyped garbage touted by "gurus" is always going to be crap.

ZeekRewards Handed Over To Receiver; What's Next For Investors? - Forbes

www.forbes.com

The receiver appointed in the ZeekRewards took control of the operation and looks to recover and preserve any assets tied to the company.

Ten Steps to Selling your Home in this Crazy Market.

You probably already know that real estate across most of the country is not appreciating as fast as it was at one time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless of course you purchased last year and are now selling. People who have owned a property for a few years are generally well ahead in the game. We can't predict what 2012 will bring, but so far, most markets have at least slowed, if not declined. For the majority of established home owners in the prevailing market, prior property appreciation will ensure at least some degree of profit, though today's sales might not be as prosperous as they would have been in 2006. But all homeowners want to get the highest possible profits. How do you go about this? There are 10 negotiating steps that a seller can follow to assure that a person's home gets the best price and is sold quickly.

Step 1: Use a broker from the local area. When the market is down, so is the number of buyers. That means that you need to expose your property to as many potential buyers as possible. Who do prospective buyers get in touch with when they are house hunting? Real estate brokers. National Association of Realtors statistics show that 85% of purchasers count on real estate brokers for their home selections, while the Internet accounts for 80%. Who creates all of those online real estate postings? Real estate brokers from the local area.

Step 2: Familiarize yourself with the entire sale agreement. Nearly all jurisdictions have standardized real estate contract that has become lengthy and complex over many years. If you use one of those, read it carefully and be aware that you are agreeing to every unmodified term and condition. Make sure there is nothing in the agreement that needs to be taken out, rewritten or added. The brokers should offer a copy of the sale agreement that they might use at listing presentations and the sale deed should be read to avoid misunderstandings. As these are agreements on forms, whatever is not stated as a requirement by the law can be changed by a cross-out or addenda. Consult your attorney or broker for further detailed information.

Step 3: Be completely familiar with the current real estate market. For the sake of negotiations, knowing what the recorded sale prices were isn't sufficient because often they don't give the complete picture. As an example, two houses might have both sold for $300,000. A person might have sold for $350,000 while the other for $300,000 but the owner gave the buyer a 6 percent seller credit for a new roof and appliances, which is $18,000. Local brokers who are familiar with the details of recent sales are able to provide the best negotiation advice.

Step 4: Understand all of the terms you are willing to offer. You are confident that your home is going to sell at some satisfactory price, but instead of starting out with an inflexible amount, consider the property sale as a combination of price and terms. For example, it might make more sense in a slow market to help reduce the buyer's closing costs by offering a "seller contribution "instead of lowering the price of the property. Often the seller contribution could be significantly less than a reduction in price, and buyers who require cash to close the sale could find it more attractive as well.

Step 5: Request a smaller deposit. In order to bind a legal contract, the buyer needs to make a deposit. In an ideal marketplace, a seller will receive a large deposit, but in a down or "off" market, a much smaller deposit may have to be accepted. The buyers prefer to make the lowest possible deposit because a huge deposit indicates a big financial and psychological commitment. You can ask for a lower deposit if the buyer has mortgage pre-approval or if the buyer shows a strong interest in the property and you have no other offers.

Step 6: Sweeten the pot. Are you really planning to take large items like a swing set or washing machine? In certain cases it may be better to leave such items if a buyer makes an offer.

Step 7: MLS photos have to be updated. If your MLS photo shows snow around your home in the middle of the summer, potential buyers will know your house has been on the market a while. They may interpret this as meaning that you might be desperate to sell and will expect to lower your initial offer. Make sure your broker posts recent photographs.

Step 8: Fully understand the marketing plan. The broker's marketing plan should be reviewed quite often to see that it is being followed and is changed whenever it is needed.

Step 9: Check out open houses. Going to open houses, also known as your competition is a great idea. It isn't always easy to be objective. However, do other owners have selling ideas that might work in regards to your home? Is there something you can use to bargain with? You could consider offering to do some painting or other cosmetic repairs.

Step 10: Keep everything in context. Don't worry about nickels and dimes when your main goal is to get the house sold.

As an example, just before closing the deal, I had a buyer request an extra $600 to resolve last minute concerns. That gesture seemed like nothing more than a case of buyer's remorse, so I agreed to it, received an otherwise ideal price, and closed the sale. It wasn't long before the prices softened in the local market. It was better to lose $600 than to find another buyer later when the market was harsher and the final sale price might have been less by several thousands of dollars. Would we have preferred to save that $600? Certainly. However, six hundred dollars was a small price to pay considering that the delays could have meant a big reduction in price.

Anthony's LiveSpot Blog: I'm looking for networking partners.

Anthony's LiveSpot Blog: I'm looking for networking partners.

I'm looking for networking partners.

Okay, its Sunday, already gorgeous out, and I'm planning on getting out of there to jump on the deck for the rest of the day, or most of it anyway. I need to ask a serious question. Times are tight for many, retirement nest eggs vanishing for many, property values are down. I am very interested in helping two or three people this month pick up an easy $ 1000. Give me 5 hours this month and I'l...l help you do just that, but I'm only interested is people who are open minded enough to give me 1 hour to educate them as to what I will do, and how I'll do it. Not interested, its no big deal but perhaps you know of a young family, or a retired couple who are hurting, worried about their finances and need some help. I'm not looking for an investment, I have more than I need. I want to help those who want to help themselves. Message me at anthonyfontana@facebook.com  if you are open to a quick interview today. I'll be back online later this afternoon.

No Does not Mean No.

For some,  going throught the process of showing one's business, spending perhaps an hour doing so, and then getting "rejected" can be someone disconcerting.   Well, I had three "no" responses yesterday after spending that hour on each, conducted 2 secret meetings (I guess they were a secret, cause no one showed up), but still managed to book 5 more appointments to share my business with others this coming week, and enrolled one person onto my team for one of my partners.  All in all a very productive day.
Don't worry about the day to day results, just get out there and do SOMETHING! Results will happen naturally...

To your success
Anthony

The Secret of the Secret

No doubt many of the students of this site, my fellow networks are hard at work looking for that better way, that certain something that will move them into the next level, reach that goal, achieve that dream.  In fact I believe that many of you have watched or read "The Secret".   The amazing thing is that the secret has never been a secret at all,  and it has been right there in front of us for thousands of years.
Why is it that people who have seen the movie, or read the book, or read 100's of other books on this subject of manifesting one's desires, achieving ones dreams, have NOT achieved what they set out to accomplish.
The answer is simple. Are ya ready for it?  Get out a piece of paper and write this down, put it on your mirror, embed it in your mind immediately.  When you want something, but you CAN live without having it, you have increased your odds of having it astronomically.  When you do the natural thing and profess " I must have FILL IN BLANK" you have pushed it away from you.  Why?  You are focused on need.  The ultimate secret to attracting what you want is to want it without needing it.  When you NEED it, you push it away.  Thats the secret of the secret.
Take a few moments of your busy day and make a list of some of the things that you feel you need to have at this time and want to attract into your life.  Be happy with what you have right now.  Feel happy and focus on the many blessings that you have in your life at this moment.  Think about what you have now that you are grateful for. A loving spouse perhaps, a place to live, a computer in your head that can give you anything you desire.
When you desire something, and can see it in your mind's eye as already in existence in your life, you are half way there. The important thing to do is to have TRUST and PEACE OF MIND that what you already have is okay by you.  Attitude is key here.  Enjoy your life at this time. Everything that is going on around you is part of the grand plan.  Negative or positive, it doesn't matter.   Its all good.  When I have some great things happening in my life, life must balance out, so I know to expect some negative things to come. You cannot have THIS without THAT,  UP without DOWN, LEFT without RIGHT.  Just the same, you cannot have success without failure. Not possible. Period.
Enjoy your life. Have fun, no matter what is happening.  Expect success, see it happening around you, see it manifested, you'll have it, but please don't worry about getting it.  Be in the present, its a nice place.

How to pick a great network marketing company

How do you pick a winner?
No one in their right mind would want to pick a company that is likely to go out of business. Yet many people do. And, even with what I’m about to share with you, there’s no guarantee that your network marketing company will last for life.
So…what exactly do you look for when picking a winning network marketing company?
Is it the company that has the best product?
Is it the one with the most scientific evidence to validate their product?
Is it because everyone already uses what you have?
Is it the management team that makes it the best?
How about he compensation plan?
Before I get into the specific details of picking the right MLM opportunity for you, let me quickly share why I’m even qualified to address this question.
I’ve spent the past 22 years doing network marketing. A great majority of that time has been full-time in the field as an actual network marketing distributor. The past nine years my time has been invested in speaking and training for companies literally all over the world. I get to meet top earners, new reps and company owners everywhere I go. I get an amazing viewpoint as a speaker. It allows me to see different cultures, comp plans, systems, products and ownership.
Very few people have the viewpoint I have. Most people only see what they’re in. I get to see everything. THAT is why I am qualified to address this specific question.
So…how do you pick a network marketing company?
Let’s clarify the question a bit.
How do you pick a WINNING network marketing company?
The reality is that you could throw darts a board and pick literally ANY company you want. But…when it comes to rational decision-making, there are several factors you need to consider before choosing one.
The intention of this is to help you pick a winner, something that has the potential of being a long-term play for you.
I’ll tell you right now that there are few things you want to avoid like the plague.
• Don’t do gifting programs.
• Don’t play money games.
• Stay away from stuff that promises you millions with little or no effort.
• Run from companies or ads that promise to build it FOR you.
• Stay away from anything that promises CASH sent directly to you.
Here are a few FALSITIES that are also perpetuated upon people that simply are not true:
FALSE: You have to be one of the first in to make any money.
I have several personal friends of mine that have entered companies many years into their existence and still done incredibly well financially.
FALSE: It takes little to no effort.
Network Marketing requires work. In fact, it takes a lot of work. When people tell you that you don’t have to do anything, you’re not likely to make anything.
FALSE: You can build it 100% online.
Show me someone who has. There isn’t one single solitary sole that I know or have even heard of who builds their network marketing business 100% on the Internet. Yes…you can use the Internet to market and build relationships, but you can’t hide behind a computer and make money.
FALSE: If it’s not ground floor, you’re too late.
First of all, most companies take a little while to get their legs and figure stuff out. Getting in early CAN be good, but to say “it’s too late” if you sponsor in after the company has been around for a while is a complete joke.
There are probably several other garbage lies that are perpetuated upon new people looking to enter this profession, but those are certainly a few of them.
Does the Product or Service Suit You?
First and foremost, does the company suit you and pull on your heart strings? Do you REALLY believe in what you’re about to bring to market?
You cannot be successful long-term in a company where money is your only focus. Sure…we likely ALL do this to make money, but having that as your only driving factor is a recipe for failure. You’ve got to like what you’re selling and believe in it to the core…IF your objective is for a long-term play.
If all you want to do is make some money and be in something that keeps your interest only for a little while, then pretty much anything will do.
But let me ask you this. How many times do you want to have to rebuild in your life?
By the way, the likelihood of you being with only one company for your entire MLM career is slim to none. Sorry. Just being honest here.
The sad truth is that people talk all the time about building a company, work it hard for three to five years, then enjoy the Golden Years of your early retirement without every working again.
Companies come and go. It’d be great if you could pick such a winner that you never have to rebuild again, but probably not likely to happen.
And…by the way, that doesn’t make our profession bad. If you work on developing your skills and your abilities related to building a downline, you take those skills wherever you go.
It is possible that you find one company and stay there for life. It’s just not likely.
But here’s a little spin on that to make you feel better. What if you had a 7-year run with a company where during that time you earned say $1.5 million dollars? Then…the company makes a bad decision and they end up going under.
You could cry and go back to a job where your held captive by someone else, with very little personal freedom. Or…you could go, “Wow…I just made $1.5 million dollars over the past seven years. That’s an average of $214,000 a year without having a boss!”
See…but now you not only have the skills to do it again, you likely have developed a reputation for yourself where you’ve got people who will follow you into whatever new venture you are forced to pursue.
I’ve had to build six companies in 22 years. I’ve made money in all of them. And…I don’t regret any decision or situation that’s ever occurred, including one company I invested 11 years of my life in that ultimately went out of business.
So…again, the first thing you should be thinking about is “Does this company and what they bring to market suit me?”
If it does, then you’re likely moving in a good direction of picking the right company that is suitable for your personal desires.
The Management Team and Ownership: What’s their Background?
In the end, it’s these people who make or break the opportunity. The ONE thing that you have no control of is corporate decision making. While we are in charge of our financial destiny, THEY are the one’s who write the check.
So…you better do a damn good job of checking out WHO is running the company and what their background is.
There are people running companies today, as I write this, where they owners have been thrown in jail numerous times, have run company after company into the ground and have screwed people left and right. Yet…they continue on.
Google them. Research them. Do a background check if you must.
And…you also have to use your gut. What’s your gut tell you? Does it feel right? Are you getting a sneaking suspicion that something just isn’t exactly as they say?
And…let me say this. Just because someone had a charging order against them or spent some time in jail, doesn’t mean they are a bad person or an unable owner, it just means they may have made some mistakes in the past. Have you ever made a mistake? Thought so.
But again…use your better judgment. Do some due diligence.
• Do they have corporate experience running a network marketing company?
• Are they a distributor who finally decided to start their own company?
• Do they know anything about network marketing at all?
• What is their background?
These are simply things to think about and consider as you go about choosing a company. There’s no right or wrong answer on the four questions I referenced above, you just need to know that the owners set the rules.
The Best Compensation Plan in the Business
The best comp plan in the business is the one that pays you.
There is no single greatest compensation plan in network marketing. Whether you choose a breakaway, unilevel, binary, matrix, 2-up, or any other variation or combination is your choice.
Breakaway comp plans are the oldest in the business. I will say this, a breakaway compensation plan is typically considered a “full-timers” plan, even by those that are in them. There are some incredible, amazing companies doing billions of dollars in sales that have breakaway comp plans out there.
Unilevel compensation plans are probably one of the more widely used comp plans today. A unilevel compensation plan, much like a breakaway, enables you to front line sponsor as many people as you like. You’re typically paid a fixed percentage down through several levels of people in your organization.
Binary comp plans enable you to sponsor only two people on your front line, thus the term binary: two. Anyone else you enroll must go under one of those two people. More and more companies over the past several years have been able to last long term using a binary structure. For years, companies who had binary comp plans didn’t last long. However, over the past 10 years or so, more and more companies have figured out how to operate and function long-term with this kind of pay structure.
Matrix compensation plans aren’t used by many companies. In fact, there is only one big network marketing company that I can even think of that used this type of compensation structure. That’s not to say they’re bad or good, it’s just a fact. A matrix compensation plan typically limits your sponsoring width and depth. For example, a 2-by-7 matrix enables you two put two people on your front line and pays you 7 levels deep.
Australian 2-up comp plans, also referred to simply as 2-ups are primarily used by top-tier direct sales companies. These comp plans typically require you to give up the commissions on your first two sales to your enroller.
Like I said, the best comp plan is the one that pays you. It doesn’t necessarily make a company bad or good because of the comp plan they offer, it is simply a matter of personal choice. In fact, most companies, regardless of their compensation plan type pay out approximately the same amount of money.
I would say that on average, most companies pay out between 25% and 50% of their incoming sales revenue to their distributor forces.
I don’t ever pick a company solely on a compensation plan. And, there is no #1 greatest compensation plan out there. In fact, anyone who says that has to be an idiot. The only way you could make that statement is if you did a statistical analysis of every other compensation plan being offered by all companies currently in business. And…no one has the time to do that.
The Upline Leadership
Being with an active group of people that are driving the business and have experience and skill is likely a good thing.
If you’re new, working with an experienced crew can be extremely beneficial in helping you figure stuff out quickly.
Your upline doesn’t make you however. You do. Regardless of how good your upline is, it is YOU that will make or break the business. Remember that the only person to blame for your success or your failure is you. Take ownership in that and be personally accountable for your actions.
It is never the sponsor’s fault, the comp plan’s fault, the system’s fault or the product’s fault. It is always YOUR fault. Look in the mirror and see what kind of person is staring back at you.
Your upline’s role is to support and guide you. In fact, it is in the Independent Distributor Agreement of virtually every company in existence that the Sponsor’s role is to be a supportive one.
However, the reality is that sometimes you end up with a disappearing sponsor. And…if you do, you’re going to have to step up to the plate and figure some stuff out on your own. I would also suggest this if you have someone who has disappeared on you. Look upline. Find someone else who is upline from you who has a vested interest in your success and reach out to them for help.
The Marketing Systems and the Tools
When you are presenting your product or opportunity to your prospect, it’s great to be able to plug into a system that doesn’t require you.
In other words, having tools that do the information disseminating for you is certainly an advantage.
The reality is that most companies or distributor organizations within those companies have tools at your disposal.
If you end up in a deal an their expecting you to just go out and “pitch” the program without any tools to help you, you’re likely going to struggle.
But again, most good companies have plenty of tools in their arsenal.
The Timing and Marketability of the Actual Product
Not only do you require being in something that pulls on your personal heart strings form a product standpoint, but having something that is highly marketable in today’s current environment is also important.
Trying to sell LP records today, which are archaic and a thing of the past is obviously a lose-lose proposition.
• Is your product positioned in front of a trend or riding a current trend?
• Is the market size for your product or service significant?
• Do people already use or buy something similar?
• Is there already an existing need in the market?
Those are just some points to ponder in your search. Riding the wave of growth of a burgeoning trend can certainly be advantageous.
The Culture
One thing I can tell you as a speaker who has conducted hundreds and hundreds of events, every culture is different. Some cultures are purely product driven lovers and some are full of hard-driving marketers. Demographically companies differ as well. I’ve spoken for audiences that are all 50+ as well as groups of people who are all 25-35.
This again is simply a point to consider on your journey of finding the right opportunity for you.
Some companies have done an overwhelmingly amazing job of creating a driving culture of doers. There’s magic in that. If being around producers that make big things happen is something that you desire, then considering the culture of your companies distributor force is something to look at.
My Summary on Picking a Great Network Marketing Company
1. Pick a company that you feel good about.
2. Stay away from money games.
3. Check out the owners.
4. Do your homework.
5. Use your gut.
Then….put your head down, stop looking and get your butt to work. Don’t look up, down or sideways. STOP looking. START working…and don’t stop.
Jumping from company to company is a recipe for failure. Once you’ve chosen your opportunity, stick to a plan. Give it time. Don’t think you’re going to be rich in six months, because you won’t. Exercise patience. Focus on your skills. Work hard. Stay consistent. And…don’t take things personally.
Go get it.

Time for Spring Greening!

Dear Reader,

I think we can all agree that there's nothing quite like a sparkling clean home. But what if you discovered that those very cleaning products are hazardous to your health? Somehow, the crystal-clear windows, gleaming floors, shiny kitchen, and squeaky-clean bathrooms aren't quite so appealing. And as my patient Alicia discovered, products that are supposed to help eliminate bug-borne illnesses can backfire in unexpected ways.


Cleaners That Contaminate

Now you may be wondering, just how dangerous are conventional cleaning products? The answer depends on how often you use them and how weather-tight your home is. If you tend to keep the windows and doors shut year-round, product fumes can accumulate to dangerous levels. Chemical pollutants in the air inside homes can be as much as 70 times higher than those outdoors, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Since we typically spend most of our time indoors -- in a house, apartment, or office with little ventilation -- we spend hours and hours in an environment loaded with these toxins.

Of course, people aren't the only ones affected by the chemicals in cleaning products. With manufacturers churning out antibacterial everything, experts are concerned about the creation of superbugs, bacteria that have evolved a resistance to the chemicals designed to conquer them.

If creating superbugs isn't bad enough, there are other downsides to using conventional cleansers. The vast majority of Americans believe cleaning products have been safety tested. And why wouldn't they? Safety testing is required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). But the testing is almost always done by the manufacturers themselves. In all fairness, the tests aren't necessarily flawed or biased; however, testing by a third party with no economic interest in the product is the gold standard, and these tests are far from that.

4 Steps to Eliminate Dangerous Toxins

Luckily, there's plenty you can do to avoid chemical-laden cleaners. Here are four steps I recommend to my patients who want to eliminate these dangerous toxins from their lives.

1. Avoid any product labeled antibacterial.

Problem: Right now, Americans waging war on germs use a staggering amount of antibacterial products, hundreds of millions of pounds per year, according to some experts. But trying to kill all bacteria could be a big mistake for several reasons. First, as I mentioned earlier, antibacterial products can create indestructible superbugs, something no one wants.

And there are other downsides to antibacterial products. Take hand sanitizers, for example. Some studies show that they don't always work as well as soap and water. Personally, I don't want to use something that doesn't work. But I found something even more disconcerting: A recent study determined that triclosan, the active ingredient in many antibacterial products, has a profoundly negative effect on our immune system's natural killer cells, our primary defense against virus and tumor cells. To me, that's a real red-flag warning about the safety of these supposedly beneficial products!

Solution: Good old unscented soap and water has worked for centuries, and there's no reason to change now. In fact, the phrase "if it's not broken, don't fix it" comes to mind!

2. Shop for cleaning products carefully.

Problem: When it comes to certain dangers, cleaning products are clearly marked. But if you don't understand the terminology, warnings can be confusing. Example: What is the difference between a product labeled "danger" and one that carries the warning "caution"? According to the EPA, "caution" means fatalities can occur if more than two tablespoons are ingested, while anything labeled "danger" or "poison" is so deadly that just a few drops can be lethal.

In between the two, there's the term "warning." Just one teaspoon of these products can be deadly. And these terms apply only to adults. It takes far less to poison a child or an animal. In spite of the labels, household products poison about two million people each year, and more than half of them are children.

Other than these legally required warnings, manufacturers of conventional cleaning products usually provide little health information. If you want to know what ingredients a product contains, for example, you're on your own. Most mainstream product labels neither include ingredients nor do they have to, thanks to trade-secret laws that protect these "recipes."


Solution: Read, read, read the labels! Don’t fall for pseudo-healthy "green-washed" products created by companies hoping to profit from the nontoxic cleaning movement.

Terms like "biodegradable" and "natural" are legally meaningless, so they can be used on products loaded with petrochemicals and toxins. Also, don’t be fooled by terms like "free," "clear," "gentle," and so on. I just discovered that a major manufacturer’s fragrance- and dye-free laundry detergent contains a known carcinogen (a substance that causes cancer) called 1,4-dioxane.

Instead, concentrate on the ingredients. On safe cleaning products, they are usually listed. Most of the ingredients should be recognizable names -- citrus or coconut extracts, for example -- not what appear to be answers to a chemistry quiz. If you have questions, contact the manufacturers. Those with nothing to hide should give you straightforward answers.

How to pick a winner in the network marketing industry.

Okay this article is going to be basically how to find the right company from all of the garbage out there now.

I’ve been in the business for over 30 years, and I have a lot of experience with great companies and some really bad ones. Frankly it seems that there is so much garbage out there. I'm getting so tired of these new companies that open for business and promote themselves with so much freaking hype; You’ve all heard it “We are the cutting-edge; we are the new thing; we are the new kid on the block and our revolution is coming. I’m seeing it almost daily now as yet another juice company thing with a totally unproven model opens up. I’m tired of seeing that the guys that are getting into the business early on will make the bulk of the money. The reason that happens is because frankly they hype the crap out of the opportunity, transferring people from their other businesses organizations, companies that have already failed them, and move those desperate distributors into their new business, basically deciding for the masses that “NOW” this is the thing that they will all have to be doing going forward. “Sorry our last thing did not work out for you, but, hey this one will!” Bullshit, that’s all it is.

No one in their right mind would want to pick a company is likely to go out of business. And even with what I'm about to share with you here, there is no guarantee that your own network marketing company will last for the rest of your life. While there are no guarantees that a company will stay in business there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that you need to be involved in the company that will put you at risk.

So what exactly do you look forward picking a winning network marketing company? Well when I have gotten involved in network marketing industry back in 1980 I got involved in the big boy on the block, the grandfather of the industry, the Amway Corporation. Great company so I thought but it wasn't and isn't, so I left the company after 20 years, and even left the industry. I made a lot of money during my time in the business but not without a lot of sacrifice and investment. Frankly, if I added up the amount of time I spent in it making money, it was more like minimum wage. I believed that very few people could accomplish what I accomplished, because I was basically building a business full time, where most would not be able to make that commitment. So I set out to find a company that would actually give me exactly what I needed for it to have before I would even consider joining.

Is it the company that has the best product? Is it the one with the most scientific evidence to validate the product? Is it because everyone already uses what you have to market? Is the management team making it the best? What about the compensation plan? These questions I'll try answer here.

1. Okay, what were the success factors that I and my partners were looking for when we got involved in the business that we eventually joined? First we were looking for a company with a strong track record. Most companies fail within the first five years. The company I work with now has 26 years of consistent growth, missing only one year 2009 where it failed to grow over the previous year. 2009 was the heart of the recession, yet even though our volume dropped a few million, our customer base still grew from the previous year. Other than that one year, we continued to grow, and in 2011, we hit $1 billion without any debt. We are a totally privately owned company. It is financially sound, and your new company should be financial sound also.

2. Do they have a strong management.
a. Most company owners are MLM’ers and own the down line.
b. Most companies know that they have a very short window to make their millions and move on.
c. The result: most company owners make decisions to make themselves wealthy at the expense of the people’s (their customers) futures.
d. My corporal leadership come from Fortune 500 companies like ADT, Revlon,., Ohio belt, Gillette, Procter and Gamble, Cox communications, UPS, which equals sound business mine is running the company.
e. Is the company's management team principal centered/mission – driven
f. Is there any hype? Is a company promoting itself as the next greatest thing in the planet, a new revolution, something incredible happening here? Crap like that is just bull shit.

3. What is the product that is selling?
a. Are they manufacturing superior quality, safer products protected by trade secret, proprietary formulas and patents – products that can only be obtained from that company?
b. Do you need to create a need to buy the product?
c. Are the products those that people are already buying; in other words are they using old money, money they're spending already somewhere else, or are they forced to spend “new” money to get the products that they don’t normally use?
d. Is the monthly consumption of household basics – creating the residual income, or is it overpriced juice product or unproven supplement whose price has no bearing on the actual cost of the product?

4. Are the products competitively priced?
a. Is the company's price point at or below supermarket prices?
b. There are strong economics involved – great value in being a customer?
c. Are they manufacturing their own products – complete control over the product line?
d. Is the product line recession proof? In other words if a customer was unemployed, loses their job or has an issue with income will they still buy product. Is the product the first thing that they will think about buying after getting laid off?

5. A high reorder rate
High reorder rate is critical when you looking at any network marketing company. The consumer chooses the brand. That's what creates the residual income. Coming from decades in the business, I understood that there was no 80/20 rule in network marketing. Its actually 100% to zero. In other words I knew that as a leader I needed to do 100% percent of the work just to get a check. I've always understood that. What is your reorder rate for the company that you looking to get into. Of course if its brand-new you won't know that. The hype and excitement and the assets thrown at you early on in the early stages of getting the business off the ground is usually a basis for, well let's put it this way, exaggeration. Since the company has no idea what its ultimate results are going to be even if they have 10,000 or 15,000 people, or 20,000 people on hand for the launch, you can have no idea what their ultimate goal is going to be and what they'll actually reach. The bottom line is they don't know because they cannot know. It's impossible to predict. So they rely on hype. They create a false sense of success that doesn't exist. In many cases they don't even have a damn website up. So is the company willing to show a business report?


So in a nutshell one of the most important things to consider is this. Is there a personal production requirement. They should be no new money involved. No need to change your budget. You simply switch from wherever you're purchasing whatever it is you're buying to the new company. Everyone should be able to be a customer and be exciting comfortable about what they're buying every single month for years.

They should have a very low entry fee. Your enroler and any other upline should not be paid a bonus on you joining the business. You should be able to come into the business the right way – not based on a huge buy in, purchasing a useless inventory that you now need to sell to other suckers.They should be a very low attrition rate. In most companies if the customer did not order, they quit! 60% of businesses are brand loyal consumers. That equals stable, residual income, repeat purchases. The customers will stay if there's enough value.

Todd Falcone, one of the worlds most successful networker marketer says the following:

“Very few people have the viewpoint I have. Most people only see what they’re in. So…how do you pick a network marketing company?
Let’s clarify the question a bit.

The reality is that you could throw darts a board and pick literally ANY company you want. But…when it comes to rational decision-making, there are several factors you need to consider before choosing one.

The intention of this is to help you pick a winner, something that has the potential of being a long-term play for you.

I’ll tell you right now that there are few things you want to avoid like the plague.

• Don’t do gifting programs.
• Don’t play money games.
• Stay away from stuff that promises you millions with little or no effort.
• Run from companies or ads that promise to build it FOR you.
• Stay away from anything that promises CASH sent directly to you.

Here are a few FALSITIES that are also perpetuated upon people that simply are not true:

FALSE: You have to be one of the first in to make any money.
I have several personal friends of mine that have entered companies many years into their existence and still done incredibly well financially.
FALSE: It takes little to no effort.
Network Marketing requires work. In fact, it takes a lot of work. When people tell you that you don’t have to do anything, you’re not likely to make anything.

FALSE: You can build it 100% online.
Show me someone who has. There isn’t one single solitary sole that I know or have even heard of who builds their network marketing business 100% on the Internet. Yes…you can use the Internet to market and build relationships, but you can’t hide behind a computer and make money.
FALSE: If it’s not ground floor, you’re too late.
First of all, most companies take a little while to get their legs and figure stuff out. Getting in early CAN be good, but to say “it’s too late” if you sponsor in after the company has been around for a while is a complete joke.
There are probably several other garbage lies that are perpetuated upon new people looking to enter this profession, but those are certainly a few of them.
Does the Product or Service Suit You?

First and foremost, does the company suit you and pull on your heart strings? Do you REALLY believe in what you’re about to bring to market?
You cannot be successful long-term in a company where money is your only focus. Sure…we likely ALL do this to make money, but having that as your only driving factor is a recipe for failure. You’ve got to like what you’re selling and believe in it to the core…IF your objective is for a long-term play.
If all you want to do is make some money and be in something that keeps your interest only for a little while, then pretty much anything will do.
But let me ask you this. How many times do you want to have to rebuild in your life?

By the way, the likelihood of you being with only one company for your entire MLM career is slim to none. Sorry. Just being honest here.
The sad truth is that people talk all the time about building a company, work it hard for three to five years, then enjoy the Golden Years of your early retirement without every working again.

Companies come and go. It’d be great if you could pick such a winner that you never have to rebuild again, but probably not likely to happen.
And…by the way, that doesn’t make our profession bad. If you work on developing your skills and your abilities related to building a downline, you take those skills wherever you go.”

So let me summarize what I feel you need to do to pick a great network marketing company. Pick a company that you feel good about.

1. Stay away from money games.
2. Check out the owners.
3. Do your homework. Understand what you're getting into.
4. Use your gut.

Now, if you find a company, start working get your butt into gear, start doing something with it. Don't look back and don't look forward, just start doing some work. Jumping from company to company is a completely stupid way to building a business. Its a recipe for failure. Once you've chosen the opportunity that you plan to be in, stick with it. Give it time. Don't think you’ll get rich in six weeks. If you're ready to get rich quick, please don’t get involved in Network Marketing. You're only hurting yourself and hurting the business.