How to tell if a home based business opportunity is real or a scam.

At Second Income Secrets, we reveal some of the scams that are out there and in particular what to look out for from a legal perspective when considering a home based business.

How to decide if an opportunity is real? Attend a meeting, speak to others and contact an Executive Leader

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Myth1: Direct Sales is about Sales
I sometimes get the question is it sales, less so now because I have followed a simple 3 step inviting process.
Essentially if you work from home, you usually are providing some communication as part of a process. Is this sales? If the customer buys direct from you, yes. However most home based business opportunities are about spreading the word about an opportunity, product or service. Direct sales is when a potential customer buys direct from the supplier. You don't fulfill the order, but you do get a comission. Any business requires people to communicate either by website, email, text, phone or face to face. Do you have a problem with that?
The following video also talks about what's legal and what's not.
watch Randy Schroeder's evolution of network marketing - a 100 year old work from home industry.

Myth2: I shouldn't have to put money up front, should I?
Let's be honest, even if you go do a regular job, you have to put money up front. You have to pay to go to the interview ( transport, clothes, phone calls, paper, stamps ) and with a regular job you have to pay your transport costs up front in. Example Sevenoaks to London annual train pass: £3,604. Also if you have to talk about a product or service or share it with others, you need it to show / share. However, what if it's something not everyone likes or you like? Does this present problem number 2.

watch Randy Schroeder talk about the importance of choosing the right product


Myth3: All home based business opportunities are scams, right?
A regular JOB exploits the worker for the benefit of the company and shareholders. After all the primary purpose of any business is to make money. If you have a problem with that, go start a co-op. However, some businesses are fairer than others. The fundamental principles of Community Commerce dictate that 50% of revenues are fed back to the distributors. Is this wrong? Up to you to decide, but here we have an opportunity that is paying out

But how can I tell if it is real?
Well there is only one real way to tell if an opportunity is real. Social proof. This means it's not what the company says but the people involved. Only they can show you. The more people you speak to the better the picture you can create - that will help you decide.

Some key pointers of a real opportunity. Questions to ask.

Do they make money for people?
Do they help people make money?

Do they make it easy? Is there a system?
What are independent organisations like the direct sales association say about them?
Are they on the inc 500 list?

If you have a particular question then I'd be happy to answer or research for you.

Regards
Mark N Hopgood, Executive Leader
skype: mark.hopgood
mark@hopgood.eu

is it networking? What is networking? Speaking to people, connecting with people. Making friends first and if they have a need they will tell you. If it's an additional income or better health or more time.

Another thing my 7 year old son taught me today

I love being a dad - I get to do things I wouldn't be able to do otherwise. Because I get to drop my boys off to school in the morning and pick them up, I'm often speaking to them about what they did during their day and what they like doing.

My Son Showing me the way on a recent treasure hunt

Well the other day we were walking back and it was a Tuesday. This is when they normally do swimming and my 7 year old who doesn't really like swimming said that he'd swum a width of the pool. Wow, I thought. His Tuesday practice with school must have made a difference.

I asked him if it was the practise. He said no, he'd just decided to start swimming. I asked him what made him decide. He said he was fed up of having floats thrown at him, and all he was doing was just treading water. He just decided to act.

That's the challenge with many people that come my way. They are fed up of just treading water in their lives and want to act. Do something different. I show them a way to generate a second income with a friendly supportive team. I find that people that are ready to take the plunge in the deep end find it easier to do so when there is a lifeguard near by.

The reason I wrote this blog is so that it will inspire my team and anyone who is just about to dive in that they may be encouraged.

Mark N Hopgood
07767 875 550 (UK)
904 638 9046 (US)
mark.hopgood (skype)
mark@hopgood.eu

What makes a home based business opportunity

There is really only one factor in success for a home business. That's belief. But how do you build belief.
How do you improve an opportunity's believability?

As a professional Network Marketer and practitioner of Community Commerce, I speak to many people each week and I've heard it all.

Some recent examples people have told me about...
Send money to people at the end of the letter.
Cycle cash systems online.
Send £15 in an envelope to receive details.

What's different in our opportunity is that every month a new millionaire is created, but we work together as a team. It's the social proof aspect that is unavoidable. Unless you are working with a team to help sustain your energy, you will burn out.

This is one of the principles I learned as a traditional business owner. In Michael Gerber's book the E-Myth the brothers who are starting a business decide to plan out their business in advance.

With that in mind our opportunity we have chosen gives us all the support we need and all the major functions such as delivery fulfilment and our role is to introduce people to the products and services. A totally scalable and believable business.

The challenge then is deciding when to get started.
My next blog post is on decision making

Mark N Hopgood
07767 875 550 (UK)
904 638 9046 (USA)
mark.hopgood (Skype)
mark@hopgood.eu