It is a well known fact in this industry that 95 percent of the people who join a network marketing company and start a home business opportunity, fail. A large majority of people who start are unprepared, so naturally they fail. They are encouraged to join a company and start a home based business opportunity by other unskilled, untrained, unprofessional individuals. That is definitely a recipe for disaster and no surprise why most people are not successful in their business.Well, it simply doesn’t work very well when you have the blind leading the blind. Every business person knows that to achieve results they have to learn from someone. They need a mentor dedicated to advising and guiding them in the right direction.Most people are first introduced to a home based business opportunity by friends and associates. Before you join any opportunity that anyone recommends, check it out yourself.You need to do some serious research on any company’s opportunity you intend to join. Here are some questions you need to ask before joining a home business opportunity:o How long have they been in business?o Are they set up in a permanent place of business?o Is it easy to get questions answered by a company representative?o What is their pay plan and do you understand it?o Do the affiliates make most of the profits or does the company keep them?You must also consider the product the company is promoting.This is what will make or break your success in business. If you don’t have a good product no one will want to buy it.Ask yourself these questions:o Can you buy the very same product at a supermarket or your favorite shopping mall for less money? Many network marketing companies sell normal everyday store bought items and increase the cost in order to cover distributor payout.o Would you buy the product even if there is no financial gain?o Are you excited about the product?o Do you understand the product well enough to describe it to a customer?o Does the product offer benefits to your customers that can’t be found elsewhere?Your sponsor is an important factor to consider. He or she can be a great asset to your business or they can be like blood-sucking leeches that can destroy it. I suggest you get to know your future sponsor before signing under them.Training is paramount after joining a home based business opportunity. If they don’t have a training program, I would encourage you to look for a different sponsor or a new company.Since network marketing is all about duplication, successful network marketers with a home based business opportunity need to be able to show new recruits exactly what they did to become successful.Other training resources you should look for in training are teleconferences, training videos, and weekly business meetings. In order for these resources to be effective, you need to be responsible and do your part by reading, watching, or listening to them.