Multi-Level Marketing As A Home-Based Business – A Lucrative Way To Make Money If You Know How

There are a lot of MLM companies advertising themselves as good home-based businesses on the web nowadays, and most of the reviews that are written rave about a certain company and its promises of wealth beyond your wildest dreams! The sites create the illusion that you are going to amass this great wealth as soon as you join up. Because I am not affiliated with ANY of these companies, I write unbiased, informative reviews on MLM home-based business companies using on as much information as I can find. I read the negative reviews as well as the positive and I try to figure out what’s going on with the negative reviews. I look beyond the buzz and the upbeat music to give you a substantial review that is designed to assist you in your quest for a legitimate company.

Review or misconception?

There seems to be a key thread with the negative reviews. The writer of the review is frustrated or angry because none of the “claims” about wealth came true instantly. I get the feeling that these reviewers are forgetting to look beyond the glitz and glamour hype that these companies are putting out there. Most companies have extremely upbeat, dynamic, colorful websites with fabulous testimonials about the company’s product and wealth potential. They are trying to get you excited about their company as your home-based business and it tends to work! Even the most cynical consumer out there can be taken in by some of these claims. The fact is, if you do not understand the world of Multi-level marketing, you are not going to understand how they work and whether or not you will be able to make money. I am reading negative reviews about companies, when in actual fact, the reviewer simply didn’t understand the process of creating a “downline” or team of sales people.

But Can It Work?

Is it possible to make money with an MLM as your home-based business? Of course it is. However, it requires an extreme effort and some market savvy. The success of your product or company will depend solely on your ability to market yourself and the product you are selling. You will need to have the ability to reach thousands (probably more) of potential new prospects. You absolutely,without fail,must have the ability to create a huge “downline” for MLM sales to be lucrative. Can you do this selling to your friends and neighbors and co-workers and family? Nope, you honestly can not. I think this is the over-looked aspect with MLM sales. It is so difficult to earn a living at MLM sales if you don’t know the tricks of the trade. You have to know going into it that the massive downline is how you will make a lucrative income. Unfortunately, if you are not at the top of a multi-level marketing company, you probably aren’t going to be the guy on the website with the Lamborghini, the mansion, the pool and the supermodel. But, you might be able to make a lucrative income with this type of home-based business, if you know how to market yourself and your product.

Do Your Homework!

Before you make any decisions about joining any MLM company, please be sure you understand the terms and conditions of sales, and develop a game plan for your own home-based business so that you will be a success story. Thoroughly investigate the company before you commit. Read all the reviews, good and bad. Try to get a feel about the reviewers. See if you can determine whether you might have a legitimately a bad business venture or if the reviewer simply didn’t understand that firm’s terms, conditions, compensation plan pay outs, etc, and has decided the company is a “scam.” Always be sure to understand the compensation plan. Familiarize yourself with any terminology you are unfamiliar with. It’s your money, know what you are getting into and know what you can expect back! I can not stress enough to anyone, a home-based business in MLM sales can be quite lucrative, but it is a highly competitive field, fraught with more failures than successes. Will you have what it takes to be successful and beat out your competition?

Starting Home Based Businesses

When you want to start a home based business, there are certain things you must consider first. It is not just like any other business started and operated in the normal and likely way. This kind of business is always unique in some areas compared to the normally formed businesses. One of the interesting features of home based businesses is that it is certainly done from home. There is no need for an office in the business center’s or anywhere else as expected with other businesses. There are regulations on how these businesses should clearly be started. Starting a home based business and managing it successfully may perhaps be the question everyone wants answered to.Before you start a home based business, outline your priorities, talents, skills and considerations of what you want to do. If for instance you want to start an online consultancy firm, access you capabilities, your competence, your talents and whether this is an opportunity ready for the market niche. Are you really ready to work from home? Weigh the probable advantages against the disadvantages of working at home. Once you set a decision, make sure you preview and review your options with the help of a specialist or expert. This is important in helping you analyze the benefits of venturing into a particular business. Professional home based businesses should find needs and expectations of customers and actually satisfy them.Start an internet business by transforming your ideas into realities. Many people are ready and eager to launch or start their businesses than run them. In many instances, their joy comes when they launch new products or services in the market, but they constantly fail to make these products known to customers. After setting your ideas and starting the business, it is important to work on it and improve every possible aspect of the business. A lot of research is generally needed for home based businesses to succeed.Start a home based business from a deeper understanding of what the risks are. If it is not worth the investment, energy and the expected profits, then an alternative can definitely be sought. It is important to carry out research before you start any type of business from home. Some businesses require nothing much while others must always reflect on the expected value of the investment or other inputs into the business. Depending on the type of the home based business, your personal attributes must contribute to the business’ success.

Investment Options – Is Your Advisor Giving You the Information Needed to Succeed?

How soon would you want to know if your investment advisor wasn’t telling you about the three major investment types? If you’ve only heard of two – Variable and Fixed, then you may have a problem.

Unfortunately, many investment advisors routinely fail to present all three types: Variable, Fixed, and Indexed as valid investment choices to their clients. This is normally because they are unable to offer all three options or they have a personal dislike for one or more of these investment types.

So what is the difference in these investment types and what do the terms mean? The simplest answer is that these terms define how interest is earned on your investment. More specifically, it tells you how your money is invested and if your money is protected from market fluctuations. Let’s take a look at these various investment options.

Variable

A Variable investment is one where your money is typically invested in stocks or mutual funds. The performance of these stocks or funds varies and is not guaranteed – hence the term “variable investment.” Variable investments have many key benefits. They allow you to earn interest by investing in a single company (individual stock), multiple companies, or a specific segment of the market (mutual funds). You can even invest in an entire Index like the Dow Jones or S&P 500. Also, variable investments allow for the greatest return and historically have outpaced all other investment options.

Sounds pretty good, right? It is, as long as you have the tolerance to lose money as well. The volatility of variable investments is a major concern for many investors. The “upside” or growth potential is nearly unlimited, unfortunately so is the “downside” or risk of losing money.

One other adverse factor that Variable investments face is the cost. Most have either fees or loads associated with the underlying investments. These fees or loads can reduce the performance by as much as 3.5%, although 1-2% is more common. These fees or loads are applied even in down years so it is definitely something to consider.

Fixed

A Fixed investment offers a pre-determined or fixed interest rate for a specified period. This is most commonly seen with bonds, CD’s, annuities and universal life insurance products.

Fixed investments have three major advantages over the other options. First, they provide a guaranteed or known interest rate that is disclosed prior to making your investment. Second, fixed investments are generally designed to protect your initial or principal investment.

A Fixed investment also has two major pitfalls. First, because they provide a known or guaranteed interest rate, they generally provide a lower rate than what may be available when you’re willing to risk your principal. Second, they normally have restrictions or penalties associated with any withdrawals made during the fixed interest rates term period. This is especially true with CD’s and annuities.

Overall, Fixed investments can be a great option for those not willing to risk some or all of their money, older clients using the investment interest to provide or supplement their income, and clients looking to provide a hedge against other, more aggressive investments.

Indexed

Unlike Fixed and Variable investments, Indexed investments are somewhat unique to the insurance and annuity marketplaces. An Indexed investment shares traits of both Fixed and Variable investments, but with one major difference – how interest is earned.

With an Indexed investment the underlying funds are not directly invested in the stock market or an Index, nor are they directly invested in a bond, CD, or other fixed investment. They are however, secured by bonds or other conservative investments which provide a minimum guaranteed interest rate similar to a fixed investment.

Generally, this minimum or fixed rate is lower than what is available in a purely fixed product. This is because Indexed products offer a higher maximum interest rate over Fixed investment products. The Indexed products determine the maximum interest earned using a formula based on three factors, all part of an option purchased by the insurance or investment company. They are the participation rate, the cap rate, and the reset period.

The maximum interest earned provides “upside” potential while at the same time eliminating “downside” risk. In essence, it is like having the growth potential of a Variable investment with the “downside” protection of a Fixed investment. There is however a trade-off.

An option, sometimes referred to as a call or put option, provides investment returns (interest earned) based on the growth of a specific market Index like the S&P 500 or Dow Jones. The option allows for lower initial costs, a pre-determined strategy for establishing current and future interest crediting, and ensures that money can’t be lost due to market fluctuations. The option also caps (limits) upside potential or growth.

Many opponents of Indexed investments point to this limiting of growth, especially in years were the Index or stock market exceeds the Index (option) cap or participation rates, as the Achilles heel of these products. There is also some controversy over the way the Index rate is determined in future years.

While Indexed products do have a minimum cap and participation rate that is known for the entire term period, the current or maximum cap and participation rates normally reset on an annual basis. This makes it difficult to determine what will happen in subsequent years. Some advisors avoid these products claiming that the difference between the current and minimum rates creates client confusion.

No matter which type of investment you choose, it is important to get the facts and options available for each. Each of the investment choices outlines provides different advantages that need to be weighed against their disadvantages, however they all have different uses and can all be viable choices when planning your financial future. As always, it is important to consult your “Financial Professional” to find out which of these investment choices is right for you.