How to Find a Good Home Based Business Opportunity

There are so many websites offering home based business opportunities and work from home programs, it's hard to know where to begin. How do you choose the right program for you? How do you protect yourself from getting scammed?

After much thought on this subject, I have come up with a seven step screening process that I use when searching for a business opportunity. I have listed these steps in detail.

1. Trust your first instinct.

This one is easy. If something sounds too good too be true, it usually (but not always!) is. When looking at an opportunity, ask yourself:

- Does this company sound legit?

- Is what they are offering a sound product or service?

- Would you be comfortable selling this product or providing this service?

- Does what it promises sound to good to be true?

- Do they have testimonials from satisfied customers on their site?

- Do they have any credentials listed?

- Do they offer a money back guarantee?

As stated in the heading, trust your first instinct. It is always best to go on your gut reaction. If you're not sure, ask someone you trust to take a look at the program and give his or her opinion.

That first rush is always great. Reading through some of these opportunities can be very exciting. The money they promise you will get your heart pounding. But ask yourself, "Does this sound right"?

I advise you to think on the opportunity for a day or two and then go back and read it again. This will allow time for the initial excitement to die down and allow you to put some serious thought into pursuing this particular program.

2. Make sure they offer a money back guarantee!

I listed this in the first step, but it deserves its own heading. This may be the most important rule.

If the company does not offer any kind of guarantee, they are most likely not a reputable company. There should be a minimum 30 day guarantee. Of course, 60 or 90 days is better, but no less than 30 is acceptable.

A guarantee shows that a company stands behind its product. If there is not a guarantee, the product will probably not be very good.

3. Don't be taken in by one time offers or timers!