There are hundreds of millions of products out there. Some may make your fortune, others may suck your pockets dry - but you know that already, which is why you ask yourself the question time and time again: what should I sell?

I know, I did that myself - and I made a couple of mistakes, one of which was very costly. That's the reason for this article: to try to save you from some of the mistakes I made in the beginning.

Let's look at a few rules, the first of which is that, whatever it is you market, you should enjoy teaching other people about it. Notice, I did not say you should enjoy selling it. You should enjoy explaining whatever it is; you must avoid selling at all costs. That will merely drive people away.

Don't sell anything

You sell when you think of the money you will make if the other person buys. You explain when you show the other person the benefits they will derive from your product or service, and whatever negatives there are. You explain when you become a teacher intent on giving the best advice possible to the other person. You win by giving, and you win in two ways: monetarily, yes, but also in the satisfaction of knowing that you have done the right thing for that other person.

Just think about your own reaction to sales people. Someone who is not pushy, who answers all your questions directly and honestly, who explains what your potential purchase will and will not do...that's the person who will get your business, if the product is right for you. If the product is not what you need, you may remember that sales person and seek them out when you need something else in their line.

What do you know already? Everyone knows something that is of value. And if you don't feel confident that this is true in your case? Then look for a company in whose products you have faith, that you think are wonderful, and you wonder why everyone doesn't have one or more. You can always start off marketing for another company and, if you wish and after you have learned the ropes, start your own business later.

Be cautious with your money

A word of caution here, though, one learned from bitter experience: beware of companies that want you to put up a chunk of money to allow you to sell their product. Are they really trying to make money selling their excellent product, or are they trying to make money by getting suckers like you and me to pay them for what they claim to be an opportunity? There are many companies like this, and they usually do a hard sell, telling you how easy it will be for you to make plenty of money.

If it was so easy, why do they need you? And if they tell you that they will do all the work and all you have to do is cash the checks, the same question applies: why do they need you? You should quickly realize it is your money in which they are interested, not potential sales to the people to whom you are supposed to sell so easily.

Check Google before you consider going into business with any company. You will usually find a few people who are dissatisfied with something about a large company, but if there are more than a few, run, don't simply walk away. And while you are in the business of checking them out, don't forget to check with the Better Business Bureau, not just in your home town but also in the town or city in which the business is located.

I lost thousands

I failed to do that when I started out, and it cost me thousands of dollars. By the time I checked the company's reputation, it was too late. My money was gone.

Ask questions, lots of them, and from different people. When you evaluate answers, look for the self-interest of the people giving you those answers. Answers that go against that self-interest may indicate honesty. If you get conflicting answers, answers that seem evasive, questions that are avoided or simply swept aside as if they are not important...start running.

There are a lot of opportunities, but only one you.