The whole question of "where to start" when starting an [tag-tec]online business[/tag-tec] of any kind can freeze many people in their tracks.

This is really sad, considering that a person has already mapped out (at least in their head) their dreams, aspirations and lifestyle they want to get from this new venture. They can already see the new cars, the nice house, and other rewards from having a thriving business.

But when it comes down to nuts and bolts, the reality of the moment sets in when they realize they don't know what they want to sell. This is more of a challenge outside of network marketing because decisions have to be made not only on what kind of product to sell, but how to source it, how much and what kind of inventory to carry, how to ship in a timely manner, handle returns and customer service, etc.

One of the advantages to starting a business with a [tag-tec]network marketing[/tag-tec] company is that all of the above is taken care of for you. There may be occasional times when you have to handle some customer support, but the majority of the focus is spent on promotion and training. That is, promotion of the business, receiving training from your sponsor and passing training on to those you sponsor.

So if promotion and training are the two focuses in building in a network marketing business, then it stands to reason that you would want to find a good source that can effectively teach promotion and has a working [tag-tec]training program[/tag-tec]. This is also where another factor comes into play: is your sponsor someone you can trust to work with you in developing these promotion and training skills.

[Quick Definition: your "sponsor" is the person who brought you into the network marketing company. They could also be called your "recruiter". The closest analogy in the job world would be "manager", but that word implies more of a controlling authority than exists with your sponsor. This is another appealing aspect of network marketing - you really don't have a "boss", but the person who sponsored you should be more of a "coach" to help you get the most for your business.]

In the process of qualifying your sponsor, they should be able to provide with a roadmap on how to get from "zero" to some level of income. Be wary of promises or guarantees of success. More than anything, success depends on the drive of the individual to follow a working roadmap even when profits don't come overnight. Some people do manage to make a decent amount of income in a short amount of time, but those are exceptions and usually happen with people who have previous experience or skill.

With all of that being said, there are some things that can help speed along the process of business growth. These are things like having advertising copy provided by the sponsor and outlets ready to place that advertising. There should also be training on how to develop your own advertising copy and advertising locations as your skill improves. Even though most processes are tought as being "duplicatable", when you master the parts that are easily replicated you can really take your business to another level when you insert original ideas. You just need to keep the duplicatable parts in place so that those you train have something reasonable to emulate.

It's also helpful to sponsor with someone you feel that you can communicate with and work together on developing a larger vision. The most successful organizations are those whose members can share ideas and implement process that help everyone involved.

With that in mind, I always ask for input and feedback that I can use to see where processes and training can be improved. Questions help to clarify and expand the knowledge of everyone in the group and answers given in different ways or with a different twist can enlighten even those who thought they already knew the answer!