Simon Prentice on RichGrads.com posted on May 24, 2009 a list of the the types of questions you should ask when checking out any business opportunity such as Shaklee.  Here is a link to his posting:

Full Article on RichGrads.com

In order to help you filter out the good companies from the bad, I have put together a post that discusses the Top 10 Qualities to look for when selecting a network marketing company.

These 10 characteristics are based on research put together by D.C. Falter Marketing, The University of Illinois Network Marketing Faculty, MLM Insider and Networking Times. By finding a company that has all of these qualities, you can feel assured that you will be getting involved in a company that will give you your best chance of achieving success.

Here is the list and how Shaklee stacks up:

1.) The founder of the company started the business for a purpose he or she was passionate about.

• Shaklee was founded by Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee in 1956 and was passionate about improving peoples’ lives through better health and a more healthy home.

2.) The products are consumable. For example, if the company sold water it would meet this criteria as water is consumable. Vitamins are another very good example.

• All of Shaklee products are consumable – from vitamins, Cinch weight management products, Get Clean home products, and all healthy beauty products.

3.) A binary compensation plan is used. It is far easier to make passive income with a binary compensation plan.

• Shaklee does not use a binary compensation plan, but is a type of “stair-step” program which is often described as being driven by both product and performance.  This doesn’t mean that binary plans are not good, they are just a different format. What is important is that the compensation plan is built around selling product, not recruiting new distributors for a fee.

4.) The company has a good reputation. Google it! Sketchy companies will have many negative comments written about them. Good companies will have more positives than negatives.

• Check it out and see for yourself. Because Shaklee has been successful for so many decades means that they are doing something right.

5.) The company has been in business for at least seven years.

• Shaklee was started in 1956 – over 50 years and growing.

6.) The industry the company is based in has a future not a past. Therefore, there is growing demand for the products. A good example would be products that serve the baby boomers (a growing segment).

• Shaklee is in the center of the nearly $1 trillion health and wellness industry, focusing on health and wellness, anti-aging, green products, nutrition and beauty, and home-based businesses.

7.) The company has exceptional training programs and marketing materials.

• Shaklee provides comprehensive training for all new distributors, such as the online Shaklee University. Training continues through local, regional, and global conferences. The most important training comes from your sponsor.

8.) The product or service is distributed through online systems.

• All distributors have a personal web site (PWS) which is used for processing all orders. No distributor needs to order, house, or ship products.

9.) The company prides itself on HELPING people not selling to people. Sketchy companies focus most of their energy on training you how to just recruit other distributors. Good companies focus on training you about their products and why they help people and how to help people achieve their goals.

• Shaklee likes to focus its products as designed to help individuals and their families live a healthier life while treating the planet well. Of course the most successful Shaklee distributors work on developing new business leaders, but their compensation is based on total product sold – not income from new memberships.

10.) The company has an exceptional product or service that people will want to recommend to their friends.

• You have to determine this for yourself. Our household has been using Shaklee products daily for over 20 years and we do not hesitate to refer others to these products.

What do you think?

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