One of the first things to look at, when exploring a program, is the realism of the claims made on the site.

Heres a hint regarding that, if the website promises you luxury mansions and Ferraris by the weekend tread cautiously! Its very easy to produce screenshots of large checks and massive bank accounts, what is far less obvious is where this income has come from. If you believe the promises on some of the sites out there, it is a breeze with their simple system [and only $49.99 till midnight tonight!]. If it was really as easy as this, everyone on the internet would be a millionaire within days, and happily retired, and I would be writing an article entitled the 10 favorite ways to spend your internet millions!

I am more inclined to trust the sites that make only modest claims regarding income, or make it clear that it will take time to build up to a significant level of earning.

2/ Does the website look like it has been designed by a five year old?

If the website looks like it has been designed by a preschooler, complete with bad spelling, then chances are its not to be trusted. Design your own site programs are so inexpensive and readily available nowadays that there is no excuse for cheap shoddy sites. If anyone expects to be taken seriously these days, a reasonable quality professional looking sales site is a minimum requirement. If you come across a site with shoddy graphics, poor spelling, no means of contact, and massive income promises, [particularly if they are limited time offer] my advice is keep your credit card in your wallet, because chances are the site will be around for a limited time too.

3/ Are there contact us links?.

Can you contact the site owner, or is there an e mail support address. If not, then leave well alone. If the site owner is not prepared to answer your questions about his product, or to provide a support link, then chances are they are really only interested in your money, not in having a meaningful business relationship with you. If there are links, give them a trial, ask some questions re the product, see how fast their customer support is.

Hint - 2 working days is not a bad response time, any quicker than that is actually pretty good. The odd site owner actually provides personal telephone contact details, which I feel is always a positive sign of a sites legitimacy. [assuming that someone does answer the phone of course]

4/ Have you ever heard of the person promoting the site?

Chances are you may not know all the Identities on the net, but its always worth doing a Google search just to see what you can find out. There are a lot of people out there claiming Internet Guru status in terms of what their program can do for your income levels. If they really are Gurus, then you should be able to find a lot of information on them on Google. Just as an example check out reputable internet marketer Mike Filsaime, he has over 148,000 entries on Google.

5/ Does the site have testimonials from satisfied customers?

If the product can really do what it promises, then the site owner should be proudly displaying testimonials from as many satisfied customers as possible, in as much detail as possible. Quality testimonials should be detailed, with lots of information, full names, and better still photographs of the people concerned. [great program, I am makin big buks- JR Texas, is not what I would call a quality testimonial!]. If a site has no testimonials ask yourself why, as testimonials are solid gold to any reputable business.

6/ Is the income a one time only hit, or is there a residual element?

The concept of residual income is nothing new, but an important one nonetheless when considering an income earning program. If every customer you sell too only buys once then you constantly have to be on the lookout for new customers in order to keep an income flowing in. Programs with a residual income element offer you the opportunity to keep earning from the sales you make. Even if it is only $10 a month, this will soon add up over time. Some programs also incorporate a multi level marketing income capability where you can earn from others activities as well. There are now some good quality income earning programs available which incorporate both of these aspects [and no I am not talking about old favourites like Herbalife or Amway

7/ What marketing support does the product supplier offer?

Unless you are very knowledgeable about internet marketing, you will need guidance about how you are going to market your program, because you can have the best product in the world, but without good marketing, it will be dead in the water. What resources does the site offer, does it give you quality promotional guidance? Do not be afraid to ask their support desk for more information if you are unsure.

Hint Have a look at the testimonials, they should make reference to what marketing techniques they have used, and also to the quality of support they have received from the site owner.

8/ How much time do you have to commit daily or weekly to your business?

The degree of commitment to which you put into your income earning program will invariably be a significant determining factor in your success, do not expect to be able to earn your fortune in 15mins a day [as some sites out there will happily claim].

Any new business venture takes time and effort to get off the ground, and unless you are prepared to treat the program you choose as a business and work at it diligently, then chances are you will not have a lot of success. So make a plan, commit a set number of hours weekly to work on whatever program you choose and do the hard yards. The beauty of most online programs is that you can work at them any hour of the day or night.

9/ Do you have a goal regarding your internet business?

What is your goal for your business both in the short term and in the long term? Like any area of your life, be it personal, spiritual, health etc, it is important to have clear goals to give yourself a sense of direction. So ask yourself what are you looking for from your internet income earning program? Is it simply a hobby, a bit of spare cash, or are you looking for a business which will support you and your family in the long term, and eventually take over from your paid employment. Write these goals down in as much detail as possible, and set some realistic time frames for their achievement.

10/ What resources and support do you have available to you?

Are you in a position financially to put significant investment into your program, or do you need to start off slowly?. This may be an important factor in choosing which income earning program to choose. What business skills do you have, ie marketing? Is there support available to you through the program you choose? If you are very new to internet business and marketing, it would pay to choose a program which can offer you a mentoring element from others who are already successful. Do you have the support of your family in your business endeavors? If you are serious about creating a full time income, then having your loved ones behind you is going to be important. Have a close look at your resources before you commit to a program.