| The internet offers the opportunity for people to run | | | | with multiple streams of residual income so that if one |
| their own business from home with very little start up | | | | stream fails or becomes less profitable you have other |
| and running costs compared to the average traditional | | | | sources to fall back on. |
| small business. | | | | 4. Easy recruitment |
| The online market place is growing exponentially and | | | | If the opportunity or product involves recruiting others |
| has made a lot of ordinary people extremely wealthy | | | | you want this process to be largely automated. I |
| in a relatively short time. Most of these people make | | | | generally favour programs that do not involve talking to |
| money by joining an affiliate program(s) and if you | | | | prospects at all. You want motivated prospects to self |
| choose the right ones you may be next online success | | | | refer themselves to you. Rather than you spending |
| story. | | | | hours trying to convince them of the merits of your |
| I run a home based business and probably receive | | | | opportunity only to find out later that they were not |
| more than 50-60 new business opportunity offers on a | | | | really interested in the first place. |
| daily basis. Many programs will promise enormous | | | | 5. Cost |
| profits, literally overnight appealing to the innate desire | | | | How much will it cost to join and maintain the |
| of the prospect for quick results. | | | | business? Some programs are free to join and some |
| I use a simple screening system to enable me decide | | | | cost money. You need to evaluate carefully what you |
| which programs merit further exploration. This method | | | | are going to get for your money. Remember not |
| is by no means exhaustive and I am sure you can | | | | every free program is bad and similarly not every paid |
| think of other characteristics you may wish to add to | | | | up program is good. If possible join as a free member |
| the list. | | | | first to get a better assessment of the business and |
| 1. Niche idea or product. | | | | then upgrade once you start to make some money. |
| The opportunity must be an excellent idea or product | | | | 6. Training and marketing tools |
| targeted at a market keen to buy it. Even then, you | | | | Does the affiliate program offer adequate training and |
| have to look the demographics and purchasing power | | | | marketing tools to aid its affiliates? It is always worth |
| of the market. It is probably easier to sell to working | | | | spending some time checking this out. This will save |
| adults who have more disposable income and have | | | | you a lot of time, anguish and money in the long run. A |
| access to credit facilities than to high school | | | | system that is easy to understand and can be taught |
| students.The product or idea has to be legitimate and | | | | easily to those without specialist knowledge of |
| ethical. | | | | computers and the internet is what you are looking for. |
| 2. Automation | | | | Even if you have a good grasp of technology those |
| One of the draw backs of most traditional small | | | | you are trying to recruit will be put off if they think it is |
| businesses is that the owners of these businesses are | | | | too technical for them to understand. |
| completely tied to them. These business proprietors | | | | 7. Track record |
| find it difficult to take holidays and dread falling ill. | | | | How long has the program been running? Most good |
| Any good home based online opportunity should be | | | | programs have a good track record and their affiliates |
| largely automated. Imagine a system where people | | | | are happy to promote the program to others. |
| can buy products from your website while you are | | | | Joining internet forums is a very useful way of |
| asleep or on holiday. | | | | obtaining more information about the opportunity being |
| 3. Residual Income | | | | offered to you. |
| The opportunity should reward you handsomely | | | | Finally, my advice to anyone considering a home |
| upfront for your efforts. Equally important is that | | | | based business to do their homework properly; once |
| program should offer a generous residual income for | | | | convinced that the opportunity is genuine they should |
| any recurring sales that are generated by your initial | | | | take the plunge and go for it. There is probably no |
| efforts. It is well known that it is easier to sell to | | | | better time than now to get involved. |
| existing customers than new ones. I prefer programs | | | | |