Four UK Network Marketing Opportunities for the Home Business Entrepreneur

Network marketing offers an excellent way of generating income from a home based business. Either as a part-time or full-time income, with very few overheads, no complicated staffing issues and, best of all, you can choose your own hours to suit your lifestyle.

But choosing the right network marketing company for You can be a little hit and miss. It is important that you do your homework because, if you don't feel entirely comfortable with either the company, the product or the service, then you are unlikely to be able to offer them to your friends, family, neighbours and colleagues.

Here are just 4 of the better-known network marketing opportunities on offer for the home based entrepreneur.

1. Avon - Avon Cosmetics has its headquarters in the USA and was originally founded in the 1880's. Their products are marketed in over 100 countries, and is sold by over 5 million independent distributors. Marketed as 'the' company for women it seems to be marketed mostly by women; generally from brochures of womens (and some mens) cosmetics. Practically every household in Britain will have heard of this brand name, and it has recently been given extra exposure through tv advertising in the UK.

2. Telecom Plus - Operating under the brand name Utility Warehouse this British FTSE Top 250 company, was founded in 1996 and is headed by Charles Wigoder, who made a huge success as founder of Peoples Phone with a turnover of over £200m before selling to Vodafone in 1997. Named Company of the Year 2009 and with a string of Which? Best Buy and consumer awards, the company supplies over 300,000 customers with their gas, electricity, fixed telephony, mobile telephony and broadband. In addition, they offer an innovative 5% cashback card and all charges are on one bill. Already gathering momentum, this UK only company does not advertise on television, offers unlimited free training to its distrubutors and provides distributors with their own free utility warehouse website.

3. Betterware - A successful UK home shopping company, selling to customers in the UK & Ireland, mainland Europe, Channel Islands, Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus & Central America. Known initially for its extensive homeware and housecare cleaning products, the range has grown over the years to include gifts, personal care and beauty as well as outdoor products. Works in a similar way to Avon, with distributors providing a brochure and taking orders. There is no television advertising and customers can order products either through their network of distributors, territory sales agents, by post, over the phone or online from the company.

4. Herbalife - Founded in 1980 by Los-Angeles based Mark Hughes (died 21.5.00 aged 44) it is one of the world's larges distributors of herbal wellness products in over 70 countries with more than 1.9 million distributors. Its headquarters are in Los Angeles. Like Telecom Plus and Betterware, there is no television advertising. A distributor earns profits by buying Herbalife products at wholesale and reselling them at retail.

Anyone can make a financial difference to their lives by becoming an independent distributor for a network marketing company, but few people realise that it will only happen with commitment and a genuine desire to succeed. Companies that offer overnight success are often scams but many, including the companies above, are legitimate work from home network marketing opportunities. Get it right at the outset, and be prepared to put in some time and effort, and you will reap the rewards, whether you only want to make enough money to pay the mortgage each month or whether you want to retire early with a residual income for life.