Avoiding the Scams: How to Find a Business Opportunity That is Right for You

We created this blog post as a public service to help readers avoid scams, but also to help them find legitimate opportunities that are right for their skills and needs. The first step is always researching any company that reaches out to you - through social media, e-mail, or phone. Websites such as Better Business Bureau can provide valuable information about companies and tell whether they have an established record of good dealings. Other sites like the Federal Trade Commission’s website offer tips on avoiding fake offers.

But sometimes, you'll need to spend a bit more time looking and questioning. You can tell right away if a company is legitimate and has a solid track record by asking for more information about their offerings. If you ask for material that confirms the validity of their business model, an entrepreneurial company should be happy to provide it. (This is the case with the Better Business Bureau.)

Also, remember that even legitimate opportunities are not necessarily good fits for everyone. (We’re including some of our favorites below. These are companies that we know to be legitimate, and they are good fits based on the particular experiences we’ve had and tested with other entrepreneurs.) Look for opportunities that suit you as an individual.

We offer a new opportunity evaluation form with our latest book, “The Art of Social Media: Power Tips for Power Users,” in which we compare the pros and cons of the top 100+ opportunities out there. We also include some exclusive content from interviews with industry experts like Lance Somerfeld and social media marketing legend Mari Smith. You can order the book here.

Also, be sure to check out all links below. We include these on the new opportunity evaluation form. Many of them are helpful resources and insights that we’ve gathered over time.

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* "BIO: I am a serial entrepreneur with a focus on technology and online marketing."

* "BLOG: SocialMediaMoms.com"

* "BLOG: Facebook Marketing Specialist"

* "BLOG: Promoting Online Businesses"

* "BLOG: Mobile Marketing for Driving Traffic to Your Website"

* "SOCIAL MEDIA CONTACTS: Twitter®, Google+®, LinkedIn®, +Twitter handle, Facebook Page," etc.

* "PRICING: free trial, free, $x/month," etc.

* "COMPANY: http://company.com;" E-mail addresses, phone numbers, web address for the company or website(s) related to the opportunity; and often a link that takes you to a page where you see contact information for the company or representative.

* "OFFER: this is what the company is offering."

* “BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The company explains basics of its business model and how it works with customers."

Excerpted from The Art of Social Media by Amy Porterfield & Dave Kerpen (John Wiley & Sons Inc., May 2012).