Multi level marketing opportunities aren’t always scam – but a lot of them are. They are very good at sucking you into their system by promising the moon and telling you how easy it is to make the money and within a very short period of time without telling you all the major work that needs to go into it just to scratch out a modest living at best. It does take many hours per day to be able to make a living with multilevel marketing. And when you want to run your own home based business this may not always be the way for you to go.

Getting involved in the wrong program can have far reaching implications for you. It can be a drag on you financially and a drag on you personally. In fact, for many people, the personal repercussions of being involved in a multi level marketing scam last much longer than the financial ones. The stress alone can have many negative reactions to you in itself, which can lead to a whole host of other problems that can lead you into other sickness. You can avoid the headaches and heartaches by making sure the program that you want to get involved with is legitimate. Here are some ways to tell the good multi level marketing programs from the bad.

First, rely on word of mouth. There are many multi level companies whose names and reputations you know, for good reasons and for bad reasons. There are many people out there that have had some kind of contact with these different companies and they are more than willing to share their experience with you. Don’t discount the things you have heard about a particular company or business just because you get caught up in a pitch. Where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire when it comes to multi level marketing groups, so if you’ve heard a company is hard to work for, has a product that doesn’t sell or is just a pyramid scam, walk away. No matter how much they tell you that the people who do not make it are just losers who couldn’t understand the potential of the business in the first place. In many cases it is more for the lack of support and training that is to blame.

Next, take a good, hard look at the pitch they make to you. Does it sound like the bulk of your business will involve sales of a product or does it sound like your main job is to sign up new recruits? Often with multi level marketing, the product takes a back seat, and you may walk away from the sales talk not really knowing exactly what you would be selling. The sales pitches are usually by nature very vague. They only want to give you enough information to get you hooked and keep you there. You will probably have some vague notion about selling health supplements, travel or some other product, but you won’t really be able to define it. If the real money in the business comes from signing up reps, then that is a pyramid scam and not a business. In a case like this you most definitely want to walk the other way, because chances are they will collect your money and leave you to sink or swim on your own.

Also, pay close attention to the pitch. Does it even make sense at all? With just a little common sense you can tell if it sounds outrageous or not. Do you really, in your heart, believe it will be as easy as they say? Do you really believe that your friends and family will jump at the chance to be your customers/victims? In many cases your friends and family will not become your customers. Not because they do not believe in you, but because they are suspect of the company. Do you really think that for no time commitment you will be able to pull in tens of thousands of dollars every month? If it really worked like that, everyone would be doing it. Don’t buy the baloney about everyone else not recognizing the opportunity – if it was legitimate and worked like that, word would get out. People would be doing it. If the pitch sounds unrealistic, be very wary about taking things any further.

Last but not least, trust your instincts as well as that of your family and friends. If you wipe away all of the excitement you may feel about a new business opportunity, your gut will tell you if it is really right for you or not. Listen carefully to what your feelings are telling you – you could save yourself a lot of money and trouble. You should also listen to what your friends and family say. They can look at it without bias and tell you from another viewpoint if it might be good or not.

Following these guidelines as well as many more will help you to understand the dangers behind multi level marketing and how it may not be the best choice for your home based business. You do not need to make an immediate decision, they are not going anywhere. That is one of their techniques is to pressure you and tell you that there is only a small window of opportunity. Once again just use a little common sense and do not let them rush you and you will be able to avoid the headaches that so many people have fallen for.