Dare to Compare

Compare for Yourself

If you are seriously considering owning your own business, The FDI Elite Team has conducted a study to compare FDI with the biggest network marketing, franchise and conventional business opportunities in the industry today. Out of all the companies reviewed, FDI was the ONLY company that met ALL of the necessary criteria listed below, which we believe to be crucial for producing the highest probability of success in business.

DON'T BE FOOLED! Here's a list of just a few of the companies we've compared FDI to: ACN™, 5Linx™, Global Verge™, Liberty International™, Pre-Paid Legal™, Agel™, Mary Kay™, Avon™, Quixstar/Amway™, Melaleuca™, Arbonne™, United First Financial (UFirst)™, Ambit™, Ignite™, Fortune High-Tech Marketing™, Shaklee™, MonaVie™, Noni™, TVI™, Ardis™, Numis™ and all of the Top 10 Conventional and Franchise Business Opportunities. Even though these are all great companies, according to our research, each of them possessed certain characteristics that did not meet all of the criteria we believe is necessary to provide the highest probability of success in business. Things like: high start up costs, low customer/rep retention rates, product build up, too much breakage in their compensation plans, limitations on earnings, charge backs on commissions, lack of mass appeal (products that only appeal to certain health, ethnic, financial or gender related demographics) and more. Again, you can make money with any of these great opportunities and our comparison is in no way meant to discredit these companies. However, our research confirms why so many businesses fail within their first 5 years and why so many people are succeeding with FDI.

Startup Costs:

Network Marketing - Recommended to be less than the average American's expendable monthly income. (Preferrably less than $500, this provides the best chance for duplication, even in a down economy).

Franchise and Conventional Businesses - In order to determine a reasonable startup cost for these types of businesses, you must weigh risk vs. reward. For this reason, The FDI Elite Team recommends steering away from these types of opportunities. We have chosen to focus more on network marketing to eliminate unnecessary risk while gaining access to an unlimited income potential, instead of a capped income, which is typical with conventional and franchise businesses. You may intend to own multiple franchises that are ran by someone else, however, you can create this same scenario in network marketing, with little to no risk.

Compensation:

  • Immediate income (People are always looking for instant gratification.)
  • Coding income (The ability to create leverage and compensation through unlimited depth.)
  • Residual income (Money that comes in month after month for something you sell one time.)
  • Advancement bonuses (incentives to build and promote such as: car bonuses, leadership pools, profit sharing, etc.)
  • Percentage of reps earning $500 or more in residual monthly income.
  • Retention: Are reps/customers staying active because they're making and/or saving money quickly or do you have to replace them constantly. Example: if you put in 4 this week and you have to replace 3 of them the next week, you may want to find another company. This scenario is typical with most networks. If you are involved in network marketing to create a walkaway residual income, retention is the Key. Otherwise you've bought a job, instead of a business opportunity and have limited your ability to create leverage or residual income.
  • Fairness: Does the compensation plan compress up when someone cancels or does the company keep the money being paid to that reps position, also known as breakage. This is the fastest way to see if a company is doing what is best for it's reps or are they counting on making money from attrition.
  • Qualifications and fastest times people have achieved top level positions.
  • Incentives: Promotions & Recognition (pins, rings, watches, jackets, plaques, stage time, etc.)
  • No Charge-Backs on cancellations
  • Compliant, Non-Gifting and ABSOUTELY No Binaries that include flushing.

Products and Services:

  • Customer retention (Are the products/services making or saving people more money each month than what they cost?)
  • Supply and demand (Must be marketable to at least 90% of the population and not limited to specific health, ethnic or gender related demographics.)
  • Pricing/Value (Must be equal to or less than the cost charged to the general public and needs to provide more savings or value than it costs.)
  • Preferrably Service related in order to avoid product pile up caused by standing orders.
  • Should not require: Inventory, Deliveries or Collections
  • There should be No restrictions on where you can market the services or opportunity in the United States.
  • No Employees or Licensing Requirements necessary for the Reps to be able to market the product.
  • Real positive testimonies of actual results, not actors.

Company and Owners:

Definitely, do your homework on this one!
  • Quality of customer / representative support.
  • Length of time company has been in business (preferrably 5 years or more. Remember 95% of all businesses fail within their first 5 years).
  • Integrity of owners.
  • Track record, background and experience of corporate officers and key leaders.
  • Lack of negative publicity.
  • Consistent growth pattern.
  • Professional endorsements (people who have put their reputation on the line by endorsing the company).
  • Legal staff (who's handling compliance and making sure the company is protecting the rep's opportunity?)
  • Vision and long term goals for expansion.
  • Has the company added value and increased income, without increasing the cost to the rep/member base or have they taken money away from the field?
  • Is company publically traded or privately owned? (Preferrably private to avoid stock holders requesting changes to increase their stock prices, which can potentially take profits away from the Rep base.)

Representative Ownership and Control:

  • In order for you to truly own your own business, your position or distributorship needs to be willable, sellable and transferable.
  • Does the companies non-compete attempt to control or own you, prohibiting your ability to be involved with or participate in any other business or networking program. This is a sure sign of insecurity. Any company that truly believes they have the best opportunity, isn't worried about legally retaining their reps or customers, they do it by competing and producing results for their customers and reps.
  • This type of control should only be limited to marketing a product, service or opportunity that directly competes with that of the company you are representing.

Tools, Materials and Training:

  • A proven system (The company needs to have a simple duplicatable system to market it's services/opportunity and examples of success using this system!).
  • Websites & online back offices (websites and company back offices for reps need to be professional, informative and effective for marketing and managing your business).
  • Corporate training & presentations (The company needs to have sufficient training & presentations via web, conference calls and regional events to assist the rep base in growing their business effectively).