When people head to the internet to find ways of making money, they are often surprised by what they find. While many of them are looking for traditional work at home jobs, such as telecommuting positions, what they often get are online business opportunities.
Many of these online business opportunities try to pass themselves off as “jobs,” since they know that is what many people are looking for. Others, however, try to convince you that being your own boss is a dream come true, and for many people, it may be.
Starting your own online business can be difficult, especially if you make this choice on a whim due to a convincing business opportunity sales page. Instead, take a look at the top three most popular online business systems, and see if one works for you.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is the most popular form of online business. The job of an affiliate marketer is to promote the products or services of a partner company by using internet links. If your links result in sales for that company, you will receive a percentage of that sale.
Affiliate marketing, or internet marketing, can manifest in many different ways, from sending emails to a list of customers recommending a service or product, to creating a website that promotes these products and services.
This is often the most profitable of online business systems, but it does require a lot of time and effort, especially in the beginning stages. Affiliate marketing thrives on your ability to find potential customers, i.e. getting web traffic, and this is probably the most difficult thing to achieve online.
Network Marketing
Network marketing, or multi-level marketing, is the oldest and most established form of online business. Network marketing is when you join a company as an associate and earn money not only by selling their products but also by recruiting new company associates into your own personal downline.
Network marketing clearly predates the internet by decades – consider Mary Kay, Avon, or Amway. However these companies are really profiting from making use of the internet for both recruiting and sales purposes.
Network marketing business opportunities are often called a scam, due to their low percentage of associates that are actually able to make a decent yearly salary.
But the truth is that while network marketing is clearly not for everyone, those with a knack for salesmanship may discover that this opportunity is right up their alley.
Blogging
Blogging is a bit trickier to categorize as an online business system, since it be used as a form of affiliate marketing if you choose to directly promote products within your blog posts. However, that is not the only way to make money while blogging.
The most popular way of making money with your blog is simply by advertising. Allowing programs like Google AdSense to post the ads of other companies on your blog is free and can add up to big bucks over time.
This is the most popular online business system for people looking for a “unique” way to make money online, because you can precisely tailor your blog to your interests and expertise, even if that happens to be something as specific as growing exotic orchids. In fact, the more specific your blog is, the higher its chance of success.
The Bottom Line
Whenever you are considering a specific type of online business systems, reviews will be your best friend. Someone somewhere has already tried that business and has documented their experiences, positive and negative, somewhere online. Take advantage of these reviews, and learn from their mistakes.
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Sorry to be so stern, but people act like they are poor saints getting used all of the time. They act like the 10 bucks they spent on getting the kit sent to them would have fed them for a month or been donated to orphanages in 3rd world nations.
A #3 at McDonalds is $6-7 dollars. It cost gas to get there. It costs money for the antacid later, and the toilet paper and water to flush the #3 when you are done. It's about a $10 experience and one you should regret more than checking out a business opportunity. :)
Fight through the hurt and just learn the ropes of internet business and marketing. Learn about credit card transactions and just plain LEARN. Put fear aside and get serious about participating in the online world, not as a reactionary, but as a student and explorer.
By the way OBS added "buySAFE" insurance to their order site so now you are even insured against the loss if they ever did try to steal your hard earned dollars.
Cling to reason and learning, and run from your fears. I say this because I do it. It's not easy but we must stop being bleating sheep and complainers if we are going to change our lives.
Best intentions all!
Yes Im in the biz. No Im not with OBS and ultimately the decision on the new person I sponsor is for them to decide where they want to get into. Most get in at 500VP learn to retail, learn to talk with people and learn to become a mentor coach. Then they build on that and yes eventually they get to the supe level done all on there own but with help along the way. I'd say if your not in go out dig some people out that are leaders and spend some time knowing who they are then make a decision to join a group or person that you have gotten to know.
Problem is though too many people are looking for a quick fix and don't want to work for it. I understand your market financially is absolutely down the toilet. Get this one thing. This is the time when networking business prosper and more so the people that get into it. WHY!!!! because they're hungry to give the boss the ass or if they are out of a job they have made a CHOICE! to never ever work for a BOSS again..... so here's the deal. stop whinging, stop complaining, send it back if you have to and either get a JOB (Just Over Broke), get into a Networking business or get onto welfare. simple..... no ones stopping anyone except yourselves..... Good luck with your choices you are making .
--full 4000 VP supervisor bulk purchase qualification which will cost around what you were saying Thomas over $3K+ and this is how the coaches that sign you up gets Royalty from Herbalife each month they sign up a new supervisor that's why this is call MLM which I'm not a fan of.
--2 month qualification is where you purchase up to 2000 VP at around $1,900 and then 2nd month another 2000 VP at $1,900 which is personal volume points which is more expensive than the 4000VP bulk purchase.
--Then there is what online business systems call it a buddy system where your coach finds another person to pair up and share the 2,500 VP, but that has to be done 2 months consecutively which equals to 5000 VP.
I'm telling you this whole thing is a non-sense scam and I would rather go out and run a hot dog stand just like the previous reviewer had said. I went through the same process and got ganged up as well.
The recording is designed to help her and a prospect get all of the details and not miss any (like it says in the script). Once she is a veteran then maybe her conduct will please you.
She is new, and I am relatively new. Neither of us know it all, but apparently you do!
You don't have to be kind, but do you have to rude and condescending?
NOW, that being said I like Michael's review. Good review Michael. I would add one distinction though: the system did not work for you. It works for my friends Tommy, Joe, and Nancy. Perhaps the business plan is not well suited towards your skills and abilities? That is something I have considered about myself.
I think that you might do well to remember the subjectivity of your own experience and rate your own ability and match with OBS with a little humility.
As far as the bait and switching that OBS seemingly does. I can agree to a point. But, I also know that most American businesses operate in such a way. There is always an upsell. That doesn't make them crooks, that makes them students of American (and Canadian)consumers. The business world adjusts to how consumers behave. At least everything they offer has Money Back Guarantees's and is optional. Also an A+ with the BBB does count for a little (I know the BBB isn't perfect). IF you want businesses to be held accountable, then hold yourself accountable to be a rational, controlled consumer.
To everyone else perhaps it would be helpful to know that you are dealing with individual coaches when seeking your refunds as each one of them has their own merchant accounts from which they decide to bill or not bill you. Therefore, deal directly with them and be firm and professional. You will get your money back. Even if you didn't Visa and Mastercard will burn them just to please you, TRUST ME I've done it with charges (and had it done to me).
Try really, really hard people not to over value your own efforts and devalue a business concurrently. It looks dishonest and you all come across as forum flamers and trolls. There are only 28 comments here and OBS has thousands of successful representatives (I've met them).
Just because you've been burned in life or think it's unfair, or you are being "scammed" doesn't make you right. Context, context, context...
Good luck and Happy Holidays,
Chad
PS
If anyone wants to understand marketing and online business principles I know a little and many at my compnay know a lot more. I would be happy to discuss, clarify, or even debate (not in a bad way) about what I have written if it can be helpful.
I have been reading your reviews. I am taking the weekend to consider OBS. I have been out of work for the last 2 months and $399 is a lot of money to invest right now because the money is not coming in.
I just want to ask. Do you have to have product on your shelf? Actually how long have you been in OBS? And after the $399 am I going to have to put more money into the business right away or after I make a profit.
By the way, one of the things that attracted me to OBS is the fact that BBB has accredited it.
Amos
I just checked back for a bit. I am currently trying out the OBS system since I last posted.
I'll fill you guys in as time goes on since this has become a defacto place to post.
I'm doing it part time so expect progress to be slow!
Happy Holidays to you Chad and nice to meet you!
BTW, I did check out Online Business Systems, read all their information, researched more on it, and actually ordered the package. After ordering, I was called by my coach, Anne, and have checked out a second website that gave me even more information. She answered a couple questions and said will answer the rest once we talk again. I look forward to this.