There are several things to look for when contemplating joining MLM business opportunities. And now is a good time to join one or more because they are increasingly drawing more and more popularity in the online world. There are many reasons for this.

The MLM business model offers many people a real opportunity to work as an independent contractor from home and many of the people joining are now earning terrific commissions while selling other companies’ products and services. And while the earnings of these independent contractors (generally called affiliates) who are involved in an MLM business will often be based on the sales they are making for the company, there are other ways to earn as well.

Affiliates can generally also earn commissions on the sales of their team members that they have referred to the business. These team members are usually called a downline because they are placed under the person who signed them up and referred them to the business. This is known as leverage and is a very attractive feature of MLM business opportunities because your success isn’t only based on your own efforts, but on the efforts of the others on your team. If you have some real “superstars” on your team then they can be worth their weight in gold as far as producing commissions for you. So before you join any MLM business make sure you understand the products or services of the MLM company and how earnings are paid out.

Another important criteria to examine is how long the company has been in business, although that is not necessarily a determining factor on whether to join the business or not.

If a company has a long track record and has a history of producing a good product and service, and paying its affiliates, then you might want to consider joining. A drawback could be that since the business has been around awhile then the downline tree could be substantial and growth might be slower than if they were just starting out, making it tougher to build your own downline team. However, since most MLM business opportunities are now global in their reach, it has become increasingly easy to find more people who are interested in good MLMs.

As a rule of thumb, I generally like to look at new startups who have an ownership with a previous track record of building great companies. If the owners have a great prior history of successful businesses then I generally will join any company they start. Not only do I have the confidence that the company will be around awhile, but I position myself early in the downline team where growth is a virtual certainty. But again, an opportunity is only as good as the product or service being offered. So always look at the product or service first when evaluating whether to join an MLM.

One last thing you might try before joining an MLM is to reach out to any affiliates you might know to see what they say about the company. Ask about the products and services offered. Ask about the pay plan, how commissions are paid, and whether they are paid on a timely schedule. Try to talk to at least 5 people to get a good overall impression of the company.

If everything checks out to your satisfaction then sign up and start marketing on a 2 prong campaign. The first is always to build your team. The quicker you can build a downline the sooner you can start turning a profit. And then secondly, start aggressively promoting the product or services.

Then stay in regular contact with your downline, insuring they are engaged and up-to-date on the latest company news. Offer them marketing strategies and tips that you yourself are using to be a success. And also make sure to reach out to your upline for suggestions as well. As marketers we are always learning new things so the more you reach out and share the better off you and your team will be.