Although network marketing offers the potential for long term residual profits on your original efforts, it is important to take the time initially to choose the opportunity that is best suited to your interests and marketing skills. The following five "red flags" will help you narrow down your choices and find the program that holds the most profit potential for you.

1.) The product doesn't excite you.

The promises of high payouts, spillover, and an endless stream of glowing testimonials might make a network marketing opportunity seem like the one to jump on now. The fact is though, if the actual product doesn't interest you, it's going to be very difficult for you to refer anyone else into the opportunity once you join. Your own excitement and interest in the product will be one of the top keys to success in whatever program you choose to promote.

2.) The compensation plan is too difficult to understand.

Really now, stop and think about it, if YOU can't even understand the compensation plan, how are you going to explain the benefits of it to your prospects? Although network marketing plans do need to break down commissions on different levels, there should be a straightforward explanation in laymen's terms that won't frighten away your leads.

3.) You aren't familiar with the target market.

If you don't know a lot about the target market the products in the network marketing opportunity are geared towards, or if you're not willing to spend the time to research, study and get to know the market, don't even bother. Being able to relate to the interests, hopes and aspirations of your potential customers and business partners is another important aspect to network marketing success.

4.) Your potential upline is unresponsive.

If you are looking into an opportunity, be sure to contact your potential sponsors and upline members with a few questions. See how long it takes them to respond. And when they do respond, see if their answers are actually helpful. You'll certainly want to know before hand if you will have a supportive team on your side if you join.

5.) The people behind the company are new on the scene.

New network marketing companies can offer the opportunity for you to get in on the ground floor in a potentially untapped market. Keep in mind though, if the new company is being launched by people who already have some prior experience and success under their belt, you'll be on much stronger ground!

Keep your eye out for these red flags when choosing the program that's right for you. This will help prevent you from becoming an "MLM junky" jumping from one opportunity to the next. Putting the effort into finding the right opportunity the first time will payoff big time down the line.