Author Archive
Stick your nose in my business.
Posted by: | CommentsWhen I first became involved in Network Marketing five years ago, I never imagined how much it would change my life. Like so many others, I was attracted to the lifestyle and the people and like so many others, I was discouraged when I realized how hard it was to achieve these things. However, I didn’t give up. I attended the regular meetings and training, I worked my way up the ladder and I got to know those who were making things happen.
Once I got into the “inner circle” of my first company, I started learning that a lot of the “bling” that people were flaunting was smoke and mirrors. Many of those who were actually “making money” weren’t actually earning money from the company but instead were earning money from the sale of training materials or even from other businesses. Furthermore, many of the so called “average Joe millionaires” made their money by being propped up by a real MLM big hitter in order to create a story. The income is neither stable nor earned, and it is very unlikely that anyone else will duplicate that success.
Even after learning all of that, I also learned that there is a lot of good. By plugging in and focusing on the basics I learned sales and communication skills. I learned how to motivate myself. I learned that if I focus, I can achieve just about anything. I recruited with integrity and honesty, and I’m happy to say that I’ve taught the business skills that I’ve learned, and a few of those I’ve recruited that have left the Network Marketing industry have actually gone on to create very successful traditional businesses. Turns out the skills are transferable.
I remember reading a book by Donald Trump and Robert Kiyosaki called “Why We Want You to be Rich: Two Men – One Message”. In it they endorse the Network Marketing industry, not for the money that you can make, but for the training that you will receive if you choose to listen.
Today, things are different. The economy is the worst I’ve seen and there are more people looking for new opportunities than ever. With the Internet and Attraction Marketing strategies, it is easier than ever to find people to talk to. Using Internet Marketing you can actually build a business at home if you can find the right team with the right training. If that’s what YOU want, then stick your nose in MY business and I can help you.
Online MLM Lead Generation : I got Published!
Posted by: | CommentsI just thought I’d post a link because I got another article posted at Prospex.
There are many ways to find people to talk to, some more uncomfortable than others, but with the Internet we can all generate our own MLM leads for our business. All you need is a little writing skill and a lot of time. The concepts you will learn are all free.
Here’s my article on Online MLM lead Generation
What is your “Exit Strategy”
Posted by: | CommentsI should warn you that this post may make some people feel uncomfortable, but I feel that it is important to be said. Network Marketing/MLM definitely has it’s share of negativity and bad press. Some of it is completely uncalled for and untrue. However, there is a fair bit of it that is true.
Although I do concede that there are many people who run MLM businesses at a loss to take advantage of the tax write offs against their income, most people do not do it on purpose. Instead, they are brainwashed by their upline/company into thinking that all you need to do is attend regular “meetings” and purchase their monthly autoship and eventually they will recruit that big hitter.
Let’s get real for a second!
You will NOT recruit a big hitter, until you BECOME a big hitter! That is just the reality. Those who have been “around the block” so to speak, know that positioning is of utmost importance. There is no way that they are going to enroll under just anyone. They can usually network and jockey their way into a lucrative position. That is what big hitting Network Marketers do. What’s more important to keep in mind is that there are only about 2-5% of those who enter the industry that really hit it hard and earn the big bucks. The odds of recruiting that big shot by luck are not looking good.
Instead of being one of the statistics in this industry that lose more than they earn, we all need to set our goals upfront and work the plan. How long will it take to earn your initial investment back? What work will you do in order to achieve that? Of course, I understand that depending on your experience and talent, some people will take longer. However, you NEED a plan.
Once you’ve figured out your roadmap to success and you’ve reviewed it with your upline sponsor and even a few other mentors that have been through it before, work the plan. You also need an exit strategy if you cannot follow the plan. If you don’t hit your sales and recruiting goals and therefore, you don’t hit your income goals, you need to get out. Either your upline support system is not a fit for your style and philosophy or your company, compensation plan or product is not a fit for your personality. Please stop beating a dead horse. You should know based on the roadmap that you’ve set out if you are on track or not.
Dress for Success.
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I’ll never forget my first major success in Network Marketing. It wasn’t really that big of a deal by my standards today, but at the time it was monumental. I had run through my warm market and I had run out of people to talk to. I started prospecting out in public and I was pulling in some leads here and there, but nothing substantial enough to keep me afloat. So like so many of us, I bought a batch of leads.
I have to say, these leads were horrible. I must have called a hundred numbers and barely got through to ten. When I did reach a person on the other line, I definitely met some serious resistance. I learned the hard way what an “incentive lead” was.
Then a breakthrough: I had just gotten ready for one of the regular hotel meetings and I was looking all spiffy in my new suit. I had my tie on and I felt sharp. I was a few minutes early and I thought I’d just pick up the phone and make a couple calls. I couldn’t believe it. Maybe it was a coincidence, but the first person that I got through to was not only receptive, but I booked a follow up and she eventually joined my business.
I thought of the significance of this for quite some time. Was it just luck? Or was it the suit that got me the deal?
Let’s remember for a second how we feel when we are looking good. Have you ever had a good hair day and it seemed that everything you touched turned to gold? What about when all of your pants were dirty and you had to wear a pair that was just an inch too short.
The way you look has a serious impact on your outward confidence. If you know that your first impression (your looks only) is going to be favorable, then you will exude that confidence out every pore and you will no doubt be far more persuasive in your message.
Just a thought!
MLM Lead Generation
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MLM lead generation is the lifeblood of a Network Marketing business. If you cannot find people to talk to then how can you recruit for your business? In the past, you could find MLMers out on the streets with T-Shirts, pins, panphlets, etc. trying their best to generate leads for their business. MLM lead generation was more likely referred to as “prospecting”. In today’s high-tech world things can be a little easier.
Social Networks such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are making MLM lead generation much more accessible to those who actually want to “work from home”. However, it can be tricky. There is so much spam out there, that people online have become very desensitized to the messages out there and MLM lead generation campaigns run into a lot of competition and negativity.
Not to worry! There are so many companies that have gone through the groundwork to find out what MLM lead generation is all about and how to accomplish your recruiting goals with streamlined systems.
There are many tools out there and MLM lead generation training programs range from free to thousands of dollars. Of course, the more money you pay the less of the actual work you need to do. However, just because you pay more money, it doesn’t mean that the MLM lead campaign will be more successful. Oftentimes the opposite is true. I think that it is very important to learn the basics of MLM lead generation in order to ascertain whether you are being ripped off or not.
Out of the MLM lead generation training programs that I’ve seen out there, the most bang for your buck is with a company called Prospex. This community is free to join and there is so much free training available from live/recorded conference calls, a training article library and complete step-by-step videos to get traffic to your site and to start collecting qualified leads for your business.
Are you really “Open Minded”? I guess NOT
Posted by: | CommentsI was having a conversation the other day with a friend who is in the industry. He was trying to get me on a conference call with his upline. I ended up listening to his upline’s recorded training call. This is a friend of mine and I suspect that he is probably struggling but I’m sure he’s making a little bit of money.
I listened to the first half of the call, and there was no training whatsoever, it was all about “how to choose a company”. I pinged him and asked him if this was just about picking a company. He said “yes, it’s the most important step”. I respectfully dissagreed.
These programs are not new… It’s an apparent “training” call supposedly designed for people in the industry, but really it is just a “bait and switch” designed to lure a prospect with the promise of “help with their business” and then bash their companies to convince them to join yours. This was a fantastic idea a few years back when it was new, but now it is old and overdone. I suggested he look at the Prospex program, since it is actual real training that could actually help him grow his business. Not surprisingly, he declined and told me that he’s already in the “best deal”. Too bad. However, I understand why he declined. It’s because he’s already in a “bait and switch” training program, he just thinks I’m doing the same thing.
I’ll never quite get used to the hypocrasy in this industry. Here we have a guy who want’s to “help me” build my business by putting me on a call that is NOT designed to teach me useful training like; 3-Way Calls, Effective Prospecting, or Branding Strategies (which are all prospex training articles). Instead it just tells me how bad all other companies are and why I should join his company. Then when I try to use this same approach with a REAL training company, he rejects it.
Maybe people should look in the mirror. If someone rejects your own sales lines, what does that say about the validity of what you are doing? Let me tell you a little bit about a better way.
Firstly, offer real training. Do not offer anything designed to make a person switch companies. That will only put them on the defensive. Instead, if you offer something that can actually help them, then they feel as though you actually care about their success. If they believe that you care, then they will care about what YOU are doing. Guess what! This is relationship building! Once you have a FRIEND then you have a hot prospect. The rest of the equation is simple.
Think about it!
Could Home Business be the way to navigate a difficult economy?
Posted by: | CommentsMany of us are feeling the pressure of this economy. Unemployment is up and there are still layoffs. We are either looking for work, or we are worried that we may not have a job by the end of the month.
During these times the Direct Sales industry has always flourished. Home businesses give people a chance to build something on the side, or to operate a business out of their home to generate a full time income. However, how do you choose the right business for you?
This is always a challenge. While MLMs are flourishing it gets harder and harder to distinguish fact from fiction, scam from legitimate business. Consider the following two points;
Is the product something that you would buy even if you weren’t earning income?
This is probably the most important aspect. Just to clarify, YOU don’t necessarily need to buy it, but there MUST be a market for the product. If you wouldn’t buy the product then how can you expect someone else to?
Is your sponsor someone that you trust and respect?
Let me make this crystal clear. YOU are responsible for choosing your sponsor! Many people will have you believe that you must join the first person who introduces you to a company. This is NOT true. Your sponsor is the person who benefits most from your enrollment and your success, and therefore, has the most vested interest to help you. This is the person who will get you where you need to go. Choose someone who is already there so that you can follow in their footsteps.
There are people that want you to believe that things like “timing”, “momentum”, “compensation plan”, etc matter. They do not. What matters is you. You are responsible for your success or failure. If you can’t sell the product then who cares what your “compensation plan” is? You will not make a dime.
Find a product (or a line of products) that you can promote and find someone that will help you promote it. It is not easy, but it is simple. Work hard and prosper.
I wish you the best of luck!
What is your brand?
Posted by: | CommentsI just got another article published at Prospex about branding.
After attending a seminar for small business, one of the topics struck a chord with me. It’s all about branding. Your brand is much more than just your logo or your colors. It is the uniform experience that you offer your customers no matter how they reach you. Very cool stuff.
Here’s the article; What is your brand?
Network Marketing: The good, the bad and the ugly!
Posted by: | CommentsNetwork Marketing has been around for a long time and has destroyed the finances and friendships of some and created new lives for others. Are you wondering why there is so much negativity? Are you interested in building a business successfully, ethically and without succumbing to the pitfalls that so many others have? Find out the truth!
You can read my PUBLISHED article at Prospex! You can imagine that I’m flattered and thrilled that I’ve been published again.
Are you selling or are you helping them buy?
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I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people say that they don’t like sales. However, we are always selling, whether it be material things, services or even ourselves. I think that the confusion is because people tend to believe that sales is when they are “suckered” into buying something they don’t need or want. These unethical salespeople are the ones that mess it up for the rest of us.
Make no mistake… people LOVE to buy, they just want it to be their choice, not yours. Therefore, in order to be an effective and ethical salesperson, you need to take yourself out of the mindset of “selling” and put yourself into the mindset of “helping them buy.”
Here are a few tips;
1. When you answer a questions or make a point, stop talking!
Too many people talk themselves out of the sale. Your prospect has some questions and/or concerns that you need to address. If the point is important, then they will ask it… Don’t try answering questions that they didn’t ask. You will only confuse them.
2. If they say no, it means no.
Of course, there are objections to overcome… However, there is a clear difference between an objection (ie: question/concern) and a no. When they say no… It’s over. Move on. You will only create bad blood and ruin your chances of getting a referral if you continue “selling.”
3. Wait until all questions have been answered before you ask for the sale.
There are two things to keep in mind here… The first is of course to ASK FOR THE SALE. Too many people are afraid of rejection and don’t bother to ask for the sale. The other problem is that some people rush into it and try to close the sale before the prospect knows what they are buying. Be patient, and continue asking the question “Are there any more questions?” until the prospect says no. Then say “Great, then let me help you with your order.”
