Friday, March 30, 2007

Is Network Marketing Just a Scam?

This article is relevant today especially with the advent of all the Business Opportunities being touted online. This is information that you need to know when evaluating that opportunity. To find out more about a solid business opportunity go HERE -

This Article originally appeared at Entrepreneur.com on Dec 25, 2000.

There's a huge difference between network marketing and pyramid schemes. Learn the truth here.

By Michael L. Sheffield
December 25, 2000



Marketplace
Q: Some friends continue to try to recruit me into network marketing deals that seem like some type of money game or pyramid. Other friends tell me they're illegal and I'll get into trouble. How do I know what's legal and legitimate?

A: To help you understand what network marketing is, I must first explain what it isn't. First, network marketing isn't a pyramid scheme. Pyramids are programs similar to chain letters where people just invest money based on the promise that other people will put in money that will filtrate back to them and somehow, they'll get rich. A pyramid is strictly a money game and has no basis in real commerce. Normally, there's no product involved at all, just money changing hands. Modern-day pyramids may have a product, but it's clearly there just to disguise the money game.

Network marketing is a legitimate business. First, it's based on providing people with real, legitimate products they need and want at a fair price. While some people do make a lot of money through network marketing, their financial benefit is always the result of their own dedicated efforts in building an organization that sells real products and services.

Pyramids are illegal and are based on taking advantage of people. For a person to actually make money in a pyramid scheme, someone else has to lose money. But in network marketing, each person can multiply his or her efforts, skills and talents by helping others be successful. Network marketing has proved itself as part of the new economy and a preferred way to do business here and around the world.

Network marketing isn't about taking advantage of your friends and relatives. Only a few years ago, network marketing meant retailing to, and sponsoring people from, your "warm list" of prospects. Although sharing the products or services and the opportunity with people you know is still the basic foundation of the business, today we see more people using sophisticated marketing techniques such as the Internet, conference calling and other long-distance sponsoring techniques to extend their network across the country.

Network marketing isn't a get-rich-quick scheme. Of course some people do make large amounts of money very quickly. Many would say those people are lucky. But success in networking isn't based on luck. (Unfortunately, money won't sprout wings and fly into your bank account no matter what someone has promised you.) Success in network marketing is based on following some very basic yet dynamic principles.

Now let's discuss what network marketing is. Network marketing is a serious business for serious people. It's a proven system where the design, creation and expense the corporate team has gone through becomes a road map for your own success. Just follow the simple, proven and duplicable system that the good companies provide.

The real key is this: Network marketing is all about leverage. You can leverage your time and increase the number of hours of work effort on which you can be paid by sponsoring other people and earning a small income on their efforts. J. Paul Getty, who created one of the world's greatest fortunes, said "I would rather make 1 percent on the efforts of 100 people than 100 percent on my own efforts." This very basic concept is the cornerstone of network marketing.
For example, most successful people building a network marketing business do so in an organized method. They work a few dedicated hours each week, with each hour of effort serving as a building block for their long-term business growth. Then they sponsor other people and teach those people how to sell the company product and sponsor others who duplicate the process.

By helping the people you personally sponsor to sponsor others, you duplicate yourself. As this process continues, you create compound growth that can lead to hundreds or even thousands of people coming into your business. You leverage your time by helping others be successful and earn an income from all their efforts.

With network marketing, there are no big capital requirements, no geographical limitations, no minimum quotas required and no special education or skills needed. Network marketing is a low-overhead, homebased business that can actually offer many of the tax advantages associated with owning your own business. Network marketing is a people-to-people business that can significantly expand your circle of friends. It's a business that enables you to travel and have fun as well as enjoy the lifestyle that extra income can provide.

LearnMoreRead On The Level for more information on how to investigate a multilevel marketing opportunity.

Michael L. Sheffield is the founder of Sheffield Resource Network, a full-service multilevel marketing consulting firm in Tempe, Arizona. He is also the co-founder and chair of the Multi Level Marketing International Association (MLMIA), whose members represent companies throughout the world.

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Homework

More people leave the office grind behind to work at home.
Whether downsized, outsourced, or sick and tired of cubicle hell, more people are earning their living by working at home. The work at home industry is booming with a diverse lot of income earning opportunities. People of all skill and education levels can find a niche in this market.

Telecommuters

Technology has enabled former office rats to do their work at home. Armed with a computer, fax, and telephone, employees from back office data entry to management staff are able to perform part or all of their jobs at home. The telecommuting option is appreciated by workers as it allows them more freedom and control over the work day and more time to spend with families. Companies find that this set up often improves employee morale and productivity.

Net Work

Earning money via the Internet has become an increasingly popular option in the work at home industry. Chances are you know someone who sells merchandise on eBay. Many online merchants are working out of their homes. The Internet offers a wealth of opportunities for writers to earn a living at the keyboard. People with an Internet-based career often start on a part-time basis while working their regular office gig. Once their "web job" takes off, they escape the office grind for full-time work at home.

Home Base

Another option in the work at home industry is a home-based business where you go out in the field to provide services for customers. This is a wide open opportunity - think of any product or service that people need and, viola, you have a business. The senior population is exploding. Start an elder service that helps seniors with light housekeeping, grooming, and transportation. Two career families and busy folks in general equal a business for you running errands such as shopping, chauffeuring kids, and picking up dry cleaning.

You can strike out on your own with these home-based businesses or buy a franchise. Franchises offer a brand name people know and trust along with marketing support from the headquarters office. Start up costs can be out of reach for a lot of people, however, there are hundreds of franchise options in the work at home industry that will fit with small budgets.

Scam Alert

The Internet and print and broadcast media are full of ads for great-sounding work at home opportunities. Sadly, the work at home industry is full of scam companies that advertise high income home-based jobs. Some ads are specific while others are vague and keep you in the dark about the exact nature of the pie in the sky venture.

Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do your research before you plunge into any work at home opportunity. Talk with others who are working at home. Check out franchises or Internet opportunities with the Better Business Bureau. Despite the scam artists, there are thousands of options in the work at home industry and one of them will suit you.
Sources
funcareers, (funcareers.com)

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Do I Really Have To Sell Soap?

by Joseph Demasi
One thing you must realize is that any Home Based Business is still a business. Goods and Services must flow through it in order for it to be successful. There are many opportunities on the internet that are viable and will make you money. Most of these are product and service driven. Understand this loud and clear. If there is no product and/or service that flows through that business, it is not a business- it is a money game and those are being shut down left and right here in the US. Somebody will get burned-maybe not you-but somebody will.

You may have started a business or maybe you are looking at one. The most improtant thing you must do in order to succeed, YOU MUST BELIEVE IN WHAT YOU ARE DOING! If you do not fully believe in what you are doing, you will never get a prospect to believe in it either. Do you believe in yur products? Would you use them if there was no business attached to it. If all you are doing is moving products through because the business demands it, and you really wouldn't be buying them if the business was not there- that could be a problem. There are a lot of opportunities out there with copy cat products you could literally buy at the corner store. What is keeping people in the business and buying the products?

Naturally if you are invested in the business and are building it, you will be buying product. How about the person that you sponsored and quit the next month, is he/she still ordering the product? Would you order the product if you could not do the business any longer? That is something to think about. In order for anyone to make any money products have to move through the system. There was a great quote from someone in network marketing years ago: when asked if she was a sales person she responded: " I am not a natural sales person, but in this business if you want to get paid-'somebody's got to sell soap'.

So, you don't like sales? You don't like to sell? Hate to break it to you, you are selling everyday. Whenever you go to a job interview, go to work, out with your friends. You are selling yourself. Ever talk about a great movie you saw, and told your friend they just have to see it- SELLING! How about that new store that opened up with those great deals - SELLING! It is all around you. YOU ARE A GREAT SALESPERSON! Let's turn that Selling into Telling! You are used to telling people about things and recommending things to your friends. That is a form of selling, even though you hate to sell. This business is all about TELLING. So remember if you want to succeed in network marketing - 'somebody's got to sell soap'.

For Great training and support for network marketers GO HERE

To Great Success

Monday, February 05, 2007

Don't Believe Everything You Read On The Web!

by Joseph Demasi

Information is now moving at the speed of light across the World Wide Web. You are making a mistake if you truly believe that all that information is correct. It is too easy for someone to pay for a domain name and publish a site. The total cost for something like that is less than $100. pretty cheap for someone to put up their opinions on a web site that can be designed to look professional.

Of course you need to take everything with a grain of salt. For example there are so many sites out there fanning the flames of scams on the internet. Now, of course, you need to make sure you know what you are looking for. How many 'scam report' sites have you seen that at the end of the report are guiding you to the #1 opportunity on the web. "Discovered and recommended after years of research". This is an example of a site that is promoting a program or product from the onset.

If you spend any time on the web - you have seen so many of these. The programs they are promoting, might be good and might be bad. One thing you MUST realize is that everything you run into on the web is selling something. They are always selling, no matter what they are telling you or how you see it. Either they are selling you off an opportunity or they are selling you an opportunity.

Whenever you look at a site you must realize that this is the case and do not take anything at face value. Make your own decision based on your own research. You will be the wealthier for it!

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

NO Action = NO Success!!

So, you have done all the research and you have found a great money making program. It's ground floor and you are counting your earnings in your sleep. You can hardly stand it, you are going to be rich!

You pour over the marketing plan, review the comp plan- check out the product or products. You are going to know this backwards and forwards. There will not be a question that you can't answer. You will know everything about this that there is to know.

3 weeks go by and you are still going over everything now for the third time- after all you want to be thorough. You want to be comfortable with everything. After all that what it is all about, you don't want to make any mistakes.

2 weeks later you quit. It doesn't work- it's too hard, nobody wants to join. WHAT HAPPENED?

You did not take action!

You were too concerned with all the details that the most important thing passed you by. You must take action. Action = Success, there is no other way to put it.

This goes for those who have not even gotten into a program yet, but have looked at 1000 different ones and just wants to find the right one.

You must take action. I can guarantee you one thing- if you don't take action you will not succeed!

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

All Network Marketing Companies Are Not Created Equally

by Joseph Demasi

Did you know that every year over 500 new MLM/Network Marketing Companies are started. Within a 2 year period over 90% will fail. 5% will be treading water and the remaining 5% will last over 3 years. Can people make money? Yes. Those that get in first. The ones that get in near the end, well they lose and MLM/Network marketing gets another bad mark.

Did you know that in the US 90% of the businesses that are started on a yearly basis fail within the first 3 years. It is hard to run a business these days. It is very important to choose carefully when you start a business.

There are really 7 critical elements that a MLM/Network Marketing company needs to give you the best chance for success.Did you know there is a such thing as MLM Minimum Wage? That is when you are working like a dog to make $200-$300 a month. Is that any way to live? Of course not, we all want to work less, not more in our home based businesses.

What are the 7 things you should look for?

1. Unique Products: Products must serve multiple different Market Categories, Products must be unique enough to get Patents, and the Products have to serve the Masses. There is a problem if the company has only a few products or product lines. The more the better. Are the products something you will use regardless of the business opportunity? This is very important.

2. Company Stability: The ability to give you long-term business and financial security, based on their company and business history. Minimum 10 to 20 years using the network marketing as the primary method of distribution of products. This way the company has been proven and has survived the test of time.

3. Marketing System: The system must be Simple, Duplicatable and Proven successful for the average part-time person (NO SELLING). Can anyone plug into it and be successful? We are not talking about referring someone to a corporate website.

4. Company Management: Must be led by already Successful Leaders in Business with a Vision for the Future Growth. What kind of experience do the leaders have? Are they successful business people with a proven track record of success?

5. Global Reach: Must be groundfloor in their Global Expansion. Are they in every country already or are they in a few countries, but with plans for global expansion? You want a groundfloor global opportunity.

6. Compensation & Incentives: Maximize your income based on your efforts. Must payout at least 50% of Sales, must offer Unlimited Depth within compensation plan, must offer Fast Start Bonuses, must offer other Rewards and Recognition, you must be able to achieve $10,000/month true residual with less than 500 people in the organization. Do you know that with the average network marketing company you need over 1800 people in your organization to make $10,000 per month residual income.

7. Pay-It Forward: Does the company Pay-It Forward to the Masses. They must give back globally what they are taking out. The company's vision is to make an Impact on the World in a Positive Way. Are they a recognized leader in this area? They must care about the masses that they serve.

When choosing a company to align yourself with, make sure it is not just about the product. You may have heard the hype of the latest and the greatest product that literally sells itself. Let's be honest - no product sells itself. If it did, the company would not need you.

The bottom line is to be educated about the process and the company. This site will give you good information about choosing a company:

Mastering Your Primary

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Has Anyone Ever Heard Of Donald Trump?

Of course you have. Have you been in a cave for the past 2 years? I think he is well known across the globe, especially with his hit TV show "The Apprentice".

Donald Trump knows that success begins in your own mind. As we kick off 2007 I'd like to offer you his thoughts on success, taken from his new book, Trump 101.

-"Ask yourself whether you're doing what you want and what is right for you."

-"Be positive every day. If you're not, no one will think you can succeed."

-"Believe in yourself, exude confidence, and get in your competitor's way. Project yourself into their picture and upset their status quo."

-"Break loose from your comfort zone by moving forward with the power and momentum that positive thinking creates."

-"Zap negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. Whatever energy you expend will build the positive stamina that is vital for success."

-"Ignore the expectations of others. Stand up to your friends, family, teachers, colleagues and those who think that they know what's best for you. Plug into your own energy."

I thought that was great advice from him. You can't argue with a man that is worth over 2 billion $. The main focus for you should be maintainig focus on your goal and not letting anyone steal your dream. Always be positive and kill the negative or you will not succeed.

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

ATTITUDE

One thing I love about a blog is getting you the information that I find very worthwhile. I found this quote and thought I would pass it on. This is so relevant in our business:

Attitude
by Charles Swindoll

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what hapens to me and 90% how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our Attitudes."

And so it goes. Your attitude will have a lot to say about determining your success or failure. If you understand nothing else about this, or any other, business- Understand that!

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Success is a mindset and the best way to change your mind is by going to SUCCESS UNIVERSITY

Friday, December 29, 2006

Robert G Allen In Network Marketing Selling Vitamins?

by Joseph Demasi

I was reading Robert Allen's book the other day, "Multiple Streams of Income", he has a recent one called "Multiple Streams of Internet Income". It may be very suprising to find out that in fact Robert Allen has an MLM business. Well not exactly him, but his wife. With all the bad rap that MLM and Network marketing has taken over the years and the well publicised 95% failure rate- that you would find a giant in the wealth game actually praises the industry. With books like "Nothing Down" "The One Minute Millionaire" "Creating Wealth" "Cracking the Millionaire Code" among others - he quite frankly raves about his wife's MLM business.

Robert is not a stupid man, he realizes and understands the idea behind network marketing and the great impact it can have on the lives of ordinary people. Imagine being paid to recommend a good movie. Imagine yourself going to a restuarant and enjoying the meal so much that you told your close friend. Your friend then decides to go and try it out. 2 weeks later you get a check from the restaurant because you referred your friend to the restaurant, in fact every time your friend goes to the restaurant, they send you a check. How many people would you tell about the restaurant?

That is how Network Marketing works. It survives on the best advertising, free advertising - word of mouth. Robert Allen understood this, his wife understood this and now she makes a 6 figure income recommending vitamins! In his book "Multiple Streams of Income" Robert Allen refers to network marketing as the 'Automatic Money Machine'. Once it is set up correctly it can continue forever. The checks keep coming and it is a great passive income stream.

I speak to people all over the world and it is quite apparent the difference between successful people and unsuccessful people. Successful people look at the opportunity and what it can do, the potential. The unsuccessful look at the cost, "what will this cost me?" They get so hung up on the cost, they never see the potential. This could be because they don't see themselves as successful. They can't envision themselves succeeding with the business so they always want to cut their losses, instead of believing in themselves.

Do you believe that Robert Allen looks at the cost or the potential. How about Donald Trump? How about Robert Kiyosaki of Rich Dad, Poor Dad fame? Those names may intimidate you, and rightly so, they are giants in their industries. But, we are not talking about turning yourself into Donald Trump! You can have your own version of success, and it is very possible especially in the network marketing industry. Get plugged into a good system for a good marketing, support and training system

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Make Money Online For Free?

by Joseph Demasi

At first look it sounds terrific. All those Guru's online touting starting your own internet home based business for free. No money out of pocket. Great News. Right? Well, it depends on how you look at it. If you have ever taken someone up on that offer, you soon found out that there is no quick and easy free way to riches on the net. In fact, there is no quick and easy way period!

This may burst your bubble and dash your hopes of making a fortune by the end of the month, but reality is sometimes a sobering thing. You have to ask yourself a question when faced with one of these offers: if it is free and as easy as they claim, how come everyone is not doing it?Good question. The fact is that any home based business, online business opportunity, network marketing program is going to take work and time and money to run if you want to be successful. There is no free ride in the world and the internet is no different.

Things you can do to give you the best opportunity for success:

1. Do your research. Many times the programs that people are offering are just new versions of the old stuff that has been rehashed over and over again.

2. As with anything, expect that you will be asked to put up some money to join affiliate programs. After all, if all the programs are free- how will anyone make any money.

3. Make sure that there is free lifetime training and support. You don't want to get into a situation where they are willing to work with you but only if you sign up for a training package that could cost you up to $100 a month.

4. Make sure your sponsor is responsive, are they available for your questions by email? You may not be able to reach them by phone - after all they are busy building their business as well.

5. Beware of so called FREE programs that ask you to purchase e-books and training material right off the bat with the offer of reselling it and making commissions.

6. Realize that you will have to make a decision and take the first step and start. It does you no good to continue to research for years at a time withut doing anything. If you do that you will be branded a tire kicker and will never do anything. You are a victim of analysis paralysis.

I realize that it is difficult to know if you are in the best opportunity. realize that there is no best opportunity, for the most part they are all good and you can make money with them. You must put in the effort to see the results. If you are looking for that one program that will give you instant riches without work - keep playing the lottery and get off the web!

If you are serious about your financial future and willing to put that into action and real effort, then you can succeed.

A good program to check out if you want to make money online, but don't know where to start:

3 Steps To Success

They give a great overview and take you through the steps to make money online and all the training and support is free.

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Friday, December 15, 2006

Great Opportunity in Disguise! Do You Recognize it?

Imagine this. Your boss comes to you one day and tells you that they are going to be laying you off. They need to cut expenses and just cannot afford to keep you on. What are you feeling at that moment? I know, I have been there. You feel as though you have had the wind knocked out of you. You can't believe it. You have given this company over 10 years of your life. How can they do this?

Just then your boss comes back and tells you that if you are willing to work 1 hour a day of overtime without pay, you will be able to keep you job. What would you do? Say yes, of course, you have saved your job and all you have to do is work 1 extra hour a day. Then he tells you that this would be temporary and that if they saw you working really hard for that extra hour, they would reward you the following month with a small bonus, around $100.

You just went from sad to yipee! There is more: he now tells you that if you would be willing to do this for 18 months and continue to work hard then you would be able to retire with a full salary at the end of that 18 months. Would you turn him down? Of course not.

Fast forward to 3 months later. Your close friend is over for dinner and tells you that you are crazy to put in that extra time for no pay and maybe a measley $100 bonus at the end of the month. You should quit and find something else - they say. You are just a sucker. You try to explain that you are going to retire with full pay at the end of 18 months. They just don't get it.

6 months down and you are not spending enough time with your spouse and they are not happy. Why are you working so much? You need to be here more often. I don't know why you are wasting time at work. You feel like screaming: I AM GOING TO RETIRE IN 12 MORE MONTHS!!!

This may seem farfetched, but if you are trying to build any kind of home based business you have been in the same situation many times. People just don't understand. The time and effort you put in now will pay big dividends down the line. You are willing to sacrifice now to live the life you want later. this is far from the exchanging time for money mentality that most people have.

You must know that there is no legitimate way to fast and easy online riches. No one is going to send you money for doing nothing. It will take work and time and you realize that. in the end though, it is well worth the time and hard work when you are going on vacations 3 - 4 times a year, not punching a clock or minding the store. What we are talking about is true financial freedom. The ability to build a business one time and reap the benefits for years to come and have your income always increasing.

What would you do with your time if money was no problem? What would a constant stream of income do for you, for your family? Think about it, because it is possible.

For all the information you need to build an income online with free lifetime training and support go here:

http://www.josephdemasi.com/recommends/3steps

Build an online business with 3 simple steps.

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Monday, December 04, 2006

Targeted Traffic Is The Key

I Just read this Article in one of the ezines I subscribe to and I thought it would be a good resource, since we are all trying to make money online and need to realize it is all about the TRAFFIC! For a step by step guide to generating quality traffic online and a business system that works:
http://www.HelpingOthersToProsper.com


Traffic Building: Top 10 Myths About Traffic Building
By Sean Mize

Traffic building is an area that even the masters don’t always understand. They are constantly trying to come up with a new ‘angle’ to use to get traffic, or so they can sell their new ‘method’ to someone else—particularly the ‘newbies’ online.

So what are the top 10 myths about traffic building?

10) Guaranteed traffic works. The only thing that guaranteed traffic is guaranteed to do is make the person selling it money.

9) The more traffic you get, the more money you make. The truth is, only buyers make you money, raw visitors do not make you money. If you cannot make money with 100 visitors a day, it is unlikely that you will make money with 1,000 or 10,000 a day – you will just have to pay for more bandwidth from your web host.

8) PPC traffic is good traffic. It depends on what you think of as good traffic. If you need traffic to test with, great, use PPC. But if you really want to make money off the clicks, you will have to do a lot of testing to make it profitable. If you have been online for less than one year and are unwilling to spend more than $500 per month on PPC, PPC is probably not for you. PPC costs money to test and if you are just getting started, that is the wrong place to put your money.

7) It is worth your time to use tricks to monetize traffic exchange or safelist traffic. Sure, you can monetize it, but why? All the time spent would be better spent writing articles or cruising online forums.

6) The more article directories you submit to, the more traffic you will get. That may be true in the long run, but before you do it, research it good – don’t just take some gurus’ word for it. Do what works in the short term and build on that. If you cannot see measurable results today, it is unlikely you will see measurable results in 3 months. There are some exceptions – so don’t take this as concrete – but be sure and think about it before you spend a lot of time on it.

5) Get to number one in the search engines and you will get tons of traffic. I have several web pages that made it to number one and I got some traffic. I get far more article marketing. The problem with search engine optimization is that I can easily teach you to get to number one in a long-tailed niche market that has very little traffic, but getting to number one in a short tailed market with lots of traffic is much harder. Sure, you can do it, but when the PPC monsters change your ranking from #1 to #3000 overnight with one small scripting change, you are starting over. I do not believe you should chase the mythical natural search engine market. Do things right, and if you get close, push to get to the front page – but other than that, I think your time is a waste.

4) JV giveaways are good for you. Hmmm – I fell for that one. Sent a lot of traffic (good quality traffic, I might add) to some JV giveaways. Then they stopped spending as much with me, or at least that’s how I saw it. Think about this – if you are one of 5 people emailing your list daily, you have a chance of getting some sales, right? But if you send your subscribers to a giveaway that captures your subscribers’ email every time they download a free gift, and they download 30, for example, now they are on 30 lists instead of 5. What is that going to do to your response rate?

3) Ezine advertising is the best. Hmmm – this one is hit or miss. You must be willing to test, and test a lot. If you cannot afford to buy at least 10 different sources or ezine advertising so you can compare (some ezines might not even mail your offer at all), you might as well not do it. Better to do emailing swaps with list builders on your list.

2) You should buy lists – someone else has already done the work. This is one of the greatest lies – the important thing about a list is the relationship with you. If you buy a list, is there any relationship? No, or course not.

And for #1, the number one myth:1) Article marketing is only good for backlinks. That is crazy. I get as many as 30-40 new subscribers per day when I am actively writing and submitting articles like this one. That translates to around 100 very high quality visitors from writing articles just like this one. Article marketing is probably the highest form of traffic you can generate on the web.

Do you want to learn more about how I use articles to generate huge traffic in my own business? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, ‘Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide‘Download it free here: Secrets of Article PromotionDo you want to learn how to build a massive list fast? Click here: Email List BuildingSean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has created over 350 articles in print and 8 published ebooks.Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Mize

To Great Success,

Joseph Demasi
www.HelpingOthersToProsper.com

Monday, November 27, 2006

MLM/Network Marketing : Scam or True Opportunity?

By Joseph Demasi

You have heard it all before. That MLM thing is nothing but a scam, a pyramid scheme where the only way to make money is to get in fast and early and get out before the whole thing collapses. On the other hand, there are true legitamate opportunities that fall under the so called MLM banner. There are many factors to consider in determning the true value of an opportunity

Let us delve into some of the history of the free market system as relating to MLM or Network Marketing. Several manufacturers of products in the early 50's tried to sell their wares the traditional way, by going to stores and trying to get on the shelves and found that this was a tough task because the stores would rather spotlight their own brand products over something new and relatively unknown.

If a company does not have a big ad budget and they want to keep tight control of the product and not sell the rights out for pennies on the dollar, it is almost impossible for them to make any kind of headway into the public domain.There needed to be a better and cheaper way to get these products out there without spending millions on a Madison Avenue ad campaign. It goes without saying that I am referring to producs that were of the highest integrity and worth every bit as much as the so called national brands at that time. We are not talking about inferior products. Anyone that has used one of these products can attest to that.

MLM is born:

In 1954, a young man came up with a marketing system that would bypass the great advertising machine and take the product to the streets in the hands of entrepreneurs from all walks of life that believed in the product and the chance to make some money by recommending the products to friends and family. They were rewarded by the company through volume bonuses, so instead of the company paying big money for advertising - the money would go back into the pockets of the individual distributors. Basically payng the people that recommended the product for their word of mouth advertising. So in many cases, these products that were just as good as the national brands, would actually cost less to use because the company would save so much on advertising.

It is tue that there have been some MLM companies that have been considered a pyramid scheme and have been shut down quickly by the FTC. MLM has gotten a bad rap because of Uncle Joe trying to sell Grandma Betty on the great business venture where you only have to get 4 friends to do the business and retire in a year. This get rich quick mentalty of some distributors that only care about recruiting new people as not helped the industry. When you have an army of distributors out there, the company can only do so much. Every reputable company has a code of ethics and expects their distributors to follow suit, but sometimes it is hard to enforce.

Anytime there is money to be made and big money involved there are the scam artists that will try to take advantage and give the industry a bad name. With the recent shutdown of PAS ( prosperity automated systems) we know the Government is always on the lookout for pyramid type schemes that only benefit the first people in. Don't rely on the government to always help out, even with PAS, it is estimated that over 5000 people lost the $4k investment they made and probably will never see it again. With PAS, the writing was on the wall. If someone tells you that you will make thousands of dollars a month with no work on your part at all- that should raise a red flag. No company of integrity is going to sell you that pie in the sky BS.

With the right company and compensation plan MLM/Network Marketing can be a true opportunity. Do not expect to become rich overnight. Like anything of value it will take work and some sacrifice, but with the right sponsor and system in place to teach you and give you step by step guidance, it can be a vey rewarding journey. It has been a way to business ownership for millions of people worldwide who otherwise would not have had the opportunity because of the usual high start up costs of traditional businesses.

For a great system that can take you step by step to succeeding online GO HERE. If you want to know about what you need to be looking for in a primary Network Marketing opportunityGO HERE.

To Great Success,

Joseph Demasi

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Do You Have What It Takes To Work From Home With An Internet Business?

You have heard it said that there is money to be made on the Internet, and indeed, there are people who are making a lot of money using the ‘Net. Yet did you also know that there are a lot of frauds out there who will promise you the blue off the sky in return for some of your hard-earned cash? Similarly, do you have all the tools you need to do your work? Read on and find out if you have what it takes to work from home with an Internet business.

Have you done your research?

There are so many great looking Internet business opportunities that it may seem like an easy task to pick one or another. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of scam artists out there who will want your money and will not be able to help you work from home after all. Do your research on any Internet business diligently! For example, look to see if the website will tell you the details of the business. If it is vague, or promises you that all you need to do is get people to watch a clip or download a free e-book, the odds are good that this is not a lucrative business. Similarly, if the entire website is nothing but a gigantic ad for the e-book the webmaster has written, you are not actually going to start an Internet business, but simply buy a book. So do your research, and you will soon be able to weed out the wheat from the chaff.

Do you have the tools?

Let’s say that your Internet business will be web design. Designing web pages is not a very difficult feat, but it does require some specialized software and enough memory to ensure that your computer will not slow down if you are uploading large graphics or files. Is your equipment new enough that it could handle this kind of business? Do you have the software you need to get started? Before you start advertising your new work from home Internet business, make sure that you have all your ducks in a row, so that you will not have to turn away any business!

Do you have a reliable Internet setup?

Granted, dial-up is more and more going by the wayside, but if you still do rely on a dial-up connection, you need to be honest with yourself and assess if you are truly able to rely on the connection. Does it work quickly and efficiently, or does downloading take long periods of time? Do you lose your connection frequently, or is it pretty solid? If you do not think you have a reliable Internet connection, you might need to consider upgrading your system.

So go ahead and take stock in what you have, and see if you are ready to work from home with your very own Internet business!

Monday, November 13, 2006

Finding the Top Home Base Business

Finding the top home base business is for you is not one of the simplest things in the world, but if you are able to pinpoint it, you have taken an incredible step towards personal success.
The top home base business for you is does not necessarily mean the most profitable in terms of money, nor is it the job that offers the best prospects of advancement. The best business for you is simply the one that can propel you towards your own definition of success, whatever that definition may be.

Most people define success as having a lot of money, or having a lot of people look up to you. While these are valid criteria for success, they leave out too many other variables that make up human happiness. No one really wants to make money for money itself. After all, who wants to spend their lives just accumulating paper?

We run after money because it represents a whole lot of the other things that we want in life. Money helps us take care of our basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. It also gives us the capacity to do things and go places that we otherwise could not have engaged in. In other words, money gives us possibility. If it can provide anything beyond that, however, is open to question.

When looking for the tope home base business to engage in, how much you can earn from it is definitely an important consideration. But don’t neglect all the other aspects as well. For instance, will you be happy operating such a business? Would you able to really “sink your teeth” into it? If you take a person who was meant to be a teacher and place him in a job that denies him his dream, he will be unhappy, no matter how well he may be compensated in money. Similarly, take someone who absolutely wants nothing to do with children and place him in a classroom, and he will probably be miserable whatever the size of his paycheck is.

Before anything else then, take stock of your inclinations. The top home business for you is one that is in line with what you love. Such a business may not become the top moneymaker in the world, but in all likelihood it will succeed. After all, if you engage in the work that you love, it won’t be work at all. It will be a labor of love, and you will most likely find happiness in pursuing such an occupation. And, being happy with what you do, you will invariably end up doing an excellent job. This will be your key to greater financial rewards. Wouldn’t you rather have money and happiness both at the same time?

For a Great Home Business GO HERE

Monday, November 06, 2006

The Legalities of Running a Business in Your Home

by Joseph Demasi

There is much enjoyment to be had in running a home business, but did you know that there are also quite a few legalities you will need to keep in mind? It is true, you will not be able to simply open up your doors and hang out a sign. As a matter of fact, depending on the business you are running in your home, there are probably a number of rules and regulations you will need to follow.

For example, if you are planning on opening a home day care business, you will need to have a license to operate. This will mean that a city inspector will come in and take a look at your residence to make sure it meets the safety codes and rules that your city and state has set forth for such home daycare centers. Additionally, you will need to permit occasional visits from the overseeing government agency to ensure you are still up to code.

If you are living in a covenant controlled community, you will need to dig up the bylaws of your homeowners’ association and take a look about what it says with respect to home based businesses. Some associations do not permit businesses to be run out of homes within their vicinity, while others only limit the kinds of business you may engage in or the hours of operation.

If you are not under the auspices of a homeowners’ association, you will still want to check in with the zoning commission to make sure that your proposed home business will not violate any zoning laws in your area. The same is true for signage. While you will need some signs that advertise the location of your business, you need to find out what the neighborhood and city limitations are. This may pertain to size, color, and also placement of any sign.

Other legalities to observe include insurance issues. For example, if a customer were to enter your home business location and fell in the course of doing business with you, your homeowners’ insurance will probably not cover any of the injuries she or he sustains. You will need to contact your insurance company to find out if you need a special waiver, rider, or a different policy altogether.

While these legalities may appear to be a wrench in your home business, do keep in mind that they are designed to protect you, your customers, and everyone else doing a similar kind of business. Adhering to certain standards and obtaining licenses and permits will actually give you a leg up with the competition, since you can show how your business is superior to anyone else’s – simply by displaying your licenses and permits. As a matter of fact, you could say that the legalities of running a business in your home make for great marketing tools!

HOME BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Avoiding Home Business Scams

How many times have you heard about a great home business opportunity? Probably more than you care to remember. But to go along with this how many of these home business opportunities ended up being a scam? Again, probably quite a few. Hopefully, you were never the victim of any of these scams. But unfortunately there are others who probably fell for these “opportunities.” The fact of the matter is that these scammers would not be wasting their time if they were not making any money. And as long as people continue to get mixed up in this business, these scammers are going to stick around to trick more and more people.

The best way to avoid a home business scam is to thoroughly research each opportunity before you move forward with it. This means doing much more than simply reading a bit about it online. You may get lucky and end up with a good home business opportunity, but chances are that you will not. Not only will you want to read what is available on the site itself, but you will also want to search for other information as well. Check with third party review sites and on message boards and forums. You may find out soon enough that a certain company has been reported as being nothing more than a scam.

You may also want to check with the Better Business Bureau if you are thinking about getting involved with a home business opportunity that you are not sure of. They will be able to tell you if they have any complaints on file. If they do, you will want to avoid the opportunity at all costs. But if it appears that a company is doing business the right way, you can continue your research.

Before you decide to do anything, attempt to get in touch with the company that you are interested in. Can you get them on the phone? Do they respond to your emails? If you cannot even talk to a company before you start, there is not chance that they will be around when you need them. This is one test that you can run early on in order to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable company. If you do happen to get an employee on the phone ask them questions in order to get some feedback on the company. Anything that will give you better insight into the home business opportunity is a good question.

Overall, home business scams are all over the place. Do your part in putting them out on the street by not falling prey. The best way to do this is through extensive research and questioning. If you do not feel comfortable about something – trust your instincts and pass. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check out the resources on this blog and do some checking yourself.

To Great Success,
Joseph Demasi

Thursday, October 26, 2006

You really can have Success Working at Home

Do you want to start a home based business? Is it your dream to run your own show so that you never again have to listen to your boss? If this sounds like you, you are in a group of thousands of other people. It is safe to say that in some point in everyone’s life they dream of running their own business. The benefits and advantages of having a home based business are many. If you are lucky enough to ever have this chance you should really revel in it. Remember, not everybody can be so lucky.

But you are probably asking yourself if you can really have success with a home business. The answer to this question is simple, yes. If you know what you are doing and take your time, you can have success running a home business. Unfortunately, it is not always as easy as it may seem. You are going to run into problems from the very beginning, and there are going to be times when you think about giving up.

The first thing that you need to do when setting up a home business is to make a decision on what you want to concentrate on. In other words, what is your business going to do? This is a question that can sometimes be hard to answer. The majority of people want to do something that they like, but at the same time they do not know how to get started. You need to remember that in order for your home business to be a success you have to like what you are doing. If you don’t like your home business idea, why move forward in the process? You will simply end up in the same situation that you are in with your current job.

Also, a successful home business needs time to grow. You should never think that you are going to take off within a couple days of opening up shop. It is going to take you a bit of time to get your bearings and take off. For this reason, patience is very important to the success of your home business. With patience you will be able to wait out the rough times that are bound to show up time and time again. No home business starts making big time money in the first day. But if you take your time you will get to where you want to be.

Overall, you can have a lot of success with a home business. It may not be easy at first, but as time goes by you will become comfortable with what you are doing. Sooner or later you will be making profits on your own.

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Tips for Making One’s Work from Home Internet Business a Success

by Joseph demasi

Individuals these days are learning about the success which the combination of work at home opportunities and the Internet can bring about. For those who have a work from home Internet business, there are a few tips which they can follow in order to make it more likely that success is imminent in this type of business.

Choose a Lasting Business

First and foremost, an individual who starts a work from home Internet business must make sure that the type of business which is selected is one which will stand the test of time. This means that an individual should not choose a sales product that is a fad and will die out in a year’s time. The business should be based on a solid concept which will continue to be a necessary item or service as the years progress. If the Internet business is not focused on a sale of goods or services, the owner should be sure to choose a home business that is one that will not fade in the future. See Mastering Your Primary for further tips on what a business needs.

Make Sure Time and Effort Can Be Expended

Most businesses take a lot of time and effort in the beginning, and throughout in some cases as well, in order for them to be a complete success. If one is able to expend the necessary time and effort they will find that the business will flourish as it is getting attention that is needed to make it a success. Therefore, it is imperative to be able to spend a good amount of time and effort on the project. Make sure this can be done without interruption.

Ensure a Good Work Space

When setting up a home office or area in which the home Internet business can take place, it is important that the workspace is beneficial and will be well suited to the purpose. With that said, it must be spacious, accommodating and promote a beneficial work environment. By setting up a good workspace the business owner will be helping himself or herself out in the long run by ensuring that work will get done and business will prosper.

Have the Necessary Equipment on Hand

Each business will require specific items and materials in order for the business owner to be able to carry out their daily business in an easy, efficient manner. In order to make the work from home Internet business a success, it is crucial to have all of the necessary operating equipment on hand. Nothing is worse than needing something and not having it onhand.

Conclusion

A work from home Internet business is one which has good chances of success overall. However, the amount of success will depend on what the business owner does to make it happen and taking the aforementioned items into consideration might just help with producing a desired result.

Friday, October 06, 2006

Small Home Business Ideas for Stay at Home Moms

Would be entrepreneurs are always at a quandary as to what small home business ideas they should follow. In most cases, a lot of start up small businesses don’t make it in the first six months of operations simply because their small home business idea is not workable or turns out to be too ambitious for their present circumstances. In order to avoid the common pitfalls of small start up business, one should first take an inventory of available resources before embarking into any business be it a small business or a large enterprise. Taking an inventory of resources does not only mean financial resources but also other available resources such as talents, manpower, existing space in the house, equipments and the likes. Not to forget time constraints as well.

There are many small home business ideas that are very much feasible depending on your present circumstances. That is why taking an inventory of your present resources will greatly affect the outcome of your small business venture. To narrow down our list of small home business ideas, let us focus on five areas where a stay at home mother could engage. First, cooking is usually the forte of stay at home mums so let us explore the possibilities of a home based food business. If you live in a neighborhood full of busy people who don’t have time to cook their own meal, you could get busy in the kitchen and cook for your neighbors. Many people take lunch boxes to work and these lunch boxes usually contain sandwiches day in and day out. Most people would welcome a variation in their lunch especially if these variations are home-cooked. Offering some tasty and delicious food packed in lunch boxes which people could pick up from your place on their way to work should be a good idea.

For artistic stay at home moms, a small home business idea such as scrapbook making and handicrafts would be good for you. Scrapbook making services could be profitable. A lot of people would like to put their pictures in nicely designed folders but never have the time to do so. They would be glad to let somebody do the work for them for a fee. Another option for you if you are artistic and really love handicraft is to design greeting cards. Putting together greeting cards is really fun and many people would love to get a card made specifically for them. You can even get your kid to help along by handing you over some colored papers and tapes. This small home business idea could be a very interesting activity for you and your kids. Handmade greeting cards are usually in demand during big occasions like mother’s day, father’s day, Christmas, New Year and the likes. You can expect to get big orders at this time of the year so it would be better to start making those cards well ahead of time to beat the demand.

These are just a few ideas for you designed to get your creative juices flowing. There are so many different things you can and should look into. Remember if you concentrate on your natural talents or something you are passionate about you will ensure that you will be having fun while working, which is what we are all concerned about, after making a living of course.

To great success,

Joseph Demasi

Find out more about starting a business from home and making money online go to:
Make Money Online