How did I choose my current list of network marketing offerings?

I have a few criteria for choosing the companies I have decided to join. I want to use the products offered. I want to offer the best products. I care about the marketing practices of the company I represent. I don't want to attend a lot of informational rallies or "opportunity" meetings. I am happy when the company shares my values regarding the environment, health and information. Below are three companies in which I currently participate and the reasons why.

I was introduced to Shaklee via a trusted friend to whom I turned when told by my doctor to supplement my nutrition. I have known this person for over ten years. I had heard them brag about the quality control of the Shaklee company. When it comes to your health, especially having suffered a heart attack, you want to be certain of the quality. In order to buy the supplements recommended by my doctor, I discovered it would save me money if I became a Shaklee marketer. So, I joined. I joined to get the product at a discount. I have stayed because I was impressed with the Shaklee line of Green Home Cleaning Products and the company's commitment to the environment and to quality nutritional supplements.

Recently I became interested in the product offerings of ACN, when introduced to them by a friend. They offer a video phone and discounts and commissions on various communications services like cell phone plans, television, and internet service. Before I could order my video phone or other services from ACN, my friend, whom I trusted, was leaving the ACN network to join the Trump Network. He told me that Donald Trump had endorsed ACN and their product line-up but had reservations about their marketing and compensation plan. According to my friend, the Trump Network planned to offer similar communications services and products in the near future. Initially, the Trump Network was offering nutritional supplements with a twist. The twist, which I liked, was that I did not have to get trained and read up on the benefits of nutritional supplements and educate my prospective client about those benefits. The Trump Network offers a metabolic test to determine the optimum mixture of nutritional supplements on an individual basis. They then package and ship those supplements directly to the customer. This convenience is important to me.

I have never felt comfortable with the thousands of nutritional supplement marketers out there, many of whom have very little formal training in nutrition, offering their "expertise" diagnosing nutritional deficiencies and prescribing the solution.  How many times have I been told "you should be taking...."(nutritional supplement) to ward off one thing or another. The other snake oil aspect of nutritional supplement marketing I detest is the testimonial curative powers of common and uncommon nutritional supplements they offer. the cures are nearly supernatural, but don't transfer across the population. For instance if I were to take xyz supplement to relief arthritis pain, I may be pain free within months, while another person taking the same supplement had no similar result. The Trump Network offers a test. The test determines what supplements would benefit you most and then send them to you. No hype. No testimonials. No "selling". Don't get me wrong, I am happy to sell any Shaklee supplement a person feels they may need based on what they have read, been told by a professional or friend, or heard in a testimonial. I just don't want to employ those tactics to sell people something. If on the other hand, a person is interested in adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes nutritional supplements, but doesn't know where to start, I recommend the Trump Network.

I joined Blast Off, a free, internet shopping portal in order to help a friend build their down-line. Blast Off is a bit of a stretch for someone like me. I try to live and promote simplicity. I avoid consumerism. I also prefer to shop at local, independent businesses. I rarely shop online. I decided Blast Off could fit into my portfolio  of network marketing opportunities because: it was free to join, I could help a friend, many people do shop online, I occasionally shop online when I want to save time and fuel, and some products and services are only available online.

I may join other network marketing opportunities based on these reasons:

• They must offer a product or service I use or others use or would likely use.
• I want to avoid the learning curve of convincing people why they should use a product or service they don't already use or have considered using. This goes to my core principle of avoiding consumerism. 
• They must be easy to join for a nominal or no fee. No hype about joining at a "higher level".
• The company should have an honest commitment to improving the world and lessening their "footprint".
• Ideally, the products or services should not compete with brick and mortar, independent, local businesses. 
• Testimonials of miraculous cures or sudden wealth, should not be the prime method of selling either the product or the business opportunity.
• I don't have to have a lot of specialized training on either the product or opportunity.
• I won't be expected to attend the sales rallies.
• I won't have to hit up my friends and family to buy the products or opportunity.

Those are some of my guidelines for joining the Network Marketing world, what are yours? What companies have you either joined or purchased from? Why?