Pros and Cons to Joining a Network Marketing Business
If you are looking for a way to earn extra income from home, you might be considering joining a network marketing company. These types of companies have you harness the network you already have—friends, neighbors, and coworkers—to sell a product or products. Many people do very well with network marketing, but be sure this kind of work is right for you. Consider these pros and cons of entering such a business before you take the plunge.
Pro: It's easy to get started.
If you were to start your own business from the ground up, it would take you months, if not years, to get everything flowing and find clients. You would also have to source products, hire people, and carry insurance. With network marketing companies, there are few barriers to entry. You don't have to hire anyone else to work for you. The company sources the products, so that part is done. You don't even have to worry about business structure, since that is all predetermined by the network marketing company!
Con: You'll need steady sales to do well.
People who do well in network marketing are persistent, and they dedicate real time to their business and make lots of sales. If you want a job that you can pick up and set down with no ill effects, network marketing may not be for you. Without consistent effort, your income may stay pretty low.
Pro: You choose when you work.
Although you will need to consistently work to do well, you can choose when you work, which is great! If you are a morning person, you can get all your work done in the morning and enjoy the rest of the day to yourself. If you're a night owl, on the other hand, you can work into the wee hours of the morning without a boss getting mad. And if you have family obligations, you can alter your schedule to suit those obligations so you can get everything done.
Con: You don't have as much control over how the business is run.
Because network marketing companies already have a defined structure, products they sell, and ways that they want their workers to pursue sales, you don't have as much control as you do if you were working for yourself. If you are the sort of person who likes to make every decision on your own, this may leave you feeling a little unsatisfied. Then again, some people enjoy not having to make too many tough decisions!
