Real No Scam Internet Business Opportunities – Are There Any Out There?

Sit down one evening at the computer (or on the couch with your laptop) and resolve to see how many internet business opportunities you can find that offer everything from a little extra money every month to guaranteed millionaire status within a few weeks.  Get comfortable because you will be there for a long time.  A very long time.  There are hundreds, if not thousands of business opportunities — most claiming to be the best — and the only answer to your home-based business needs.  Your intuition will tell you that the majority of these are too good to be true, and that some of them are downright scams.  And your intuition would be correct.  But as you continue searching you will find, every now and then, a few businesses that don’t set off your scam radar.  These are the ones that you need to investigate.

Why an Internet Home Business Anyway?

For starters, most of the opportunities available on the web are relatively inexpensive, and therefore provide little risk to your financial future.  You can spend between $20 and $20,000 (and up) to join some of these programs.  But these costs pale in comparison to other bricks-and-mortar business investments.  Try these franchise start-up costs:

• Dippin’ Dots (novelty ice cream): $80,000 – $235,000
• Express Oil Change (automotive services): $225,000 – $1.5 million
• Direct Buy (consumer buying program): $500,000 – $1.2 million
• McDonald’s (I think you know): $950,000 – $1.791 million
• Golden Corral Buffet & Grill (buffet-style restaurant): $2.067 – $5.937 million

These are financially out of reach for most people; or require such an investment of time that many people will pass on the opportunity.  Not to mention that they require financing, insurance, employees, inventory, generally take years to reach profitability, and ultimately provide only linear income if successful.  So if you believe that an internet home-based business is the most viable option for the average entrepreneur, which ones are for real?  Where are the real no scam internet business opportunities?

Finding the Gems in the World’s Biggest Flea Market

You can buy anything on the internet – and I do mean anything!  From Pez Dispensers to multi-million dollar estates, someone is selling it.  And many entrepreneurs (and scam artists) have come up with systems or programs that they market to others who want to be in business for themselves.  You can start a T-shirt business, a dating service, sell products on ebay, take online surveys, make money from blogging, or become an affiliate marketer.  And then there are the multitudes of multi-level marketing or direct sales opportunities that you will see as you search the web.  Of course there are the big guys like Amway, Pampered Chef, and Mary Kay, but not all of these are focused on the internet to drive sales.  And the upstarts like Carbon Copy Pro, XanGo, and Global Resorts Network, which are focused on the internet, but have their own limitations.  To be fair, all of these are legitimate businesses with opportunities to make real money, but with their own pros and cons to consider when looking for a solid six-figure income.

So What Now?

My recommendation is to search until you find a business that offers these key ingredients to your online success.  Make sure that you partner with a company that:

• has a sustainable system
• has a viable product
• is positioned for growth
• and teaches you to leverage the power of the internet to create success online

And maybe most importantly, find someone that has achieved the level of success that you desire and — as a wise business partner once told me — do what they do! If you find a mentor that has a genuine interest in helping you, then that mentor can take months or years off of your learning curve.  So there are many valid business opportunities available.  Just keep looking until you find the company that is the right fit for you and your family.

**Keith Hartung strives to be a servant of God, a committed husband, and a loving dad.  He is also an internet marketer and home business coach, working with people around the world to create financial success in their lives by leveraging the power of the Internet. To see how Keith is making money online enter your information in the form on the right.

Global Resorts Network: Is Travel the Answer to Your Home Business Search?

The Company and Products

Global Resorts Network is a travel business that has existed since 1986, selling discount luxury travel. The product is a membership that has been sold, up until recently, only to customers who attended a personal sales presentation. This membership enables the clients to book week-long vacations at time-shares and resorts around the world at discount rates, ranging from $298 to $798 per week. The Gold membership is $1495 (for three years) and the Platinum is $2995 (lifetime); the only other difference being that the Gold members pay a slightly higher price per week stay.

The Program and Compensation

There are currently three approved marketing systems that you can get involved with to run your online business for Global Resorts Network. The first two are standard marketing systems used to promote your website and the third is a Reverse Funnel System that is a funded proposal system. This means basically that the prospect must pay a fee to get any information about the business in order to weed out non-serious buyers. This was revolutionary when it debuted, but has now been copied by others in the direct sales home business industry. After joining at the Gold or Platinum level you then need to pay a $100 Global Resorts Network site fee and $29.95 to $300 per month, depending on which marketing system you choose. Advertising costs are not included, so this will add to your monthly cost. Global Resorts Network uses a perpetual one-up compensation plan, which means that your first sale is passed up to your sponsor to activate your first level. After that you receive a commission on each sale and your sponsor also receives a commission for that sale, and so on.

Analysis

This company seems to provide a good quality product that has a 20-year track record of providing discount luxury travel. However, by shifting their sales to network marketing they have dramatically increased their memberships, decreasing the available inventory. And as ever-increasing numbers of clients utilize their member benefits, the quality of the product diminishes since there is a relatively finite number of resorts. Secondly, the travel industry is highly competitive and there are many internet companies that offer competitive travel deals that can be customized for specific needs, e.g. — shorter weekend stays or different booking days. Additionally, this type of business is very hard to market in a down economy, as people tend to cut back on things like luxury travel when money is tight. Lastly the training, coaching, and other company help appears to be minimal. So if you enjoy travel and want to make some affiliate money from the opportunity as well, than this business might be for you. If you want a better marketing system, more personal coaching and help with your business, and a product that is less dependent upon a healthy economy, then continue your investigation.

**Keith Hartung strives to be a servant of God, a committed husband, and a loving dad.  He is also an internet marketer and home business coach, working with people around the world to create financial success in their lives by leveraging the power of the Internet. To see how Keith is making money online enter your information in the form on the right.