If you’ve ever posted on a work at home forum that you’re thinking about starting a home business, you probably got flooded with replies all more or less saying “I’ve got a great opportunity for you!” So how do you decide which is the right one for you?

They say follow your passion, and this is a start for choosing the perfect direct sales company. These companies offer all kinds of possibilities, from selling makeup and such from the long established ones such as Mary Kay and Avon, to working with a brand new company that is just starting up.

Once you have decided which kinds of products you would like to represent, you need to start reviewing the companies. The Direct Sales Association is a great place to start. Their members must commit to a Code of Ethics. This gives you at least a little reassurance that the company intends to be professional and honest.

Find out what you can about the company: how long it has been in business, the range of products you can sell, what kind of investment is required, how many reps are in your area. You need to know if the market in your area is saturated, not covered at all or somewhere in between. After all, no matter how much success Aunt Sadie, Cousin Marie and five of your closest friends are having, if they’re all with the same company you need to think about where your customers will be coming from.

It is also important to look at who you sign up with. I would look first at the people who are eager enough to respond to you quickly, but if things just don’t click with them you might be better signing up through someone else. Your upline is often a major source of knowledge and support, which is vital to your success.

Direct sales is popular as a work at home business for good reason - it can be fun and there’s money to be made. But there are also challenges and money to be lost if you don’t know what you’re getting into from the start.

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