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 MLM
Woman Issue 130
November 2007
From the Desk of the
Editor
Welcome to the 130th edition of the MLM Woman Newsletter.
Thanksgiving Day is approaching fast and I'd like to take a
moment to give thanks to you, my loyal readers and subscribers and
my talented writers! I appreciate your continued support and I'm
very thankful that I have been blessed to serve you through my site
and newsletter. I wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving with those
you love and cherish.
If you like this month's issue, please be sure to let your friends
know about it too and invite them to come and visit us. Also,
if you have comments, questions or something to share after reading
this month's articles, please visit our MLMTalk
Discussion Forum and join in the lively conversation!
And also be sure to check out our MLM
Marketing Blog for lots of additional tips and resources which
are added throughout the month.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Linda Locke, Editor MLMWoman
 10
Tips to Being a
Great Upline and Leader
By Jackie Ulmer
So, you’ve just sponsored your first person!
How exciting! You are now an upline because you have a downline.
And, you’ve just tapped into the secret of how to make the
most money in your MLM business.
Here are 10 tips you can take to the bank on being an effective,
awesome upline leader for your team.
1. Be an effective communicator. Communication is the key
to every successful partnership. Don’t wait. Pick up the phone
immediately and call your new team partner. Welcome he /she aboard
and see if there are any questions you might answer. Being an effective
communicator doesn’t mean you must know all of the answers.
Know how to find answers and know where to refer your team to find
answers. Communication is a two way street, so make sure your team
know that your line is open for calls as well.
2. Provide Leadership. Great organizations are always built
around a few key leaders. Leaders blaze a trail through their words
and their actions. They deal with difficult situations and exercise
integrity in their actions. Leaders go the extra mile; pick up the
phone sometimes instead of email; and provide a sense of team unity
and direction.
3. Continue to recruit. The time to slack off on personal
business building happens when you are ready to retire, or you have
enough personally enrolled team partners keeping you busy and involved
with assisting them with their journey in leadership. It took me
13 years in the industry to reach the point of backing off slightly
on my own recruiting efforts in order to provide coaching, training
and leadership as needed to those on the team. You’ll know
if and when the time is right. Until then, avoid falling into “management
mode.” No one needs a manager in this business. Provide guidance,
tools and then get back to work.
4. Work on Self Improvement Daily. Leaders are readers and
one of the greatest gifts you can give as an upline leader is to
share great books, tapes and conferences with your organization.
Start your own “recommended reading list” and make sure
each team member has access to it. Start a “Book of the Month”
recommendation. This offers ideas and direction. Make sure it is
a book you have read or are reading and share why this book has
impacted you and why you are recommending it.
5. Attend all Company Events. When your company invests
time and resources to bring the team together for an event, make
sure you don’t miss it. This time is priceless for you to get
to know the company, your team and the leaders who are shaping the
company. Words can never convey how important it is to be there.
You must experience it for yourself. When I attended my first company
event, 13 years ago, I was told that for every 5 people I had there
from my team, another 25 per person would be there the following
year. We brought 8 people to that first event from our team. The
next year, we had 130 there. Those numbers were pretty accurate.
Success gives clues – attending company events is a big clue.
Don’t miss one.
6. Inspire your team through your own goal setting and accomplishment.
Set your goals and share them with your team. Specifically,
share your business goals. You don’t have to share income goals,
but give your team some insight into what it is you are working
toward. This sets a vision for where you are headed and the team
as a whole. While everyone is working toward their own individual
goals, by putting yours out there, it provides a sense of direction
and demonstrates your commitment. This creates a sense of security
among the team. Show them that you see this as the awesome opportunity
that it is by your actions.
7. Strive to create leaders among your team. Duplication
is the key to ultimate success in MLM. You can create a nice paycheck
through your own efforts, and you will create “obscene wealth”
by duplicating those efforts with others. The first step in this
is to identify and cultivate leadership in those who have similar
goals. Get these aspiring leaders involved in leading the team.
Conference calls, articles and recognition all go a long way toward
creating that leadership vision in those desiring leadership. Sometimes,
people can be hesitant, and hold back. Be bold and push them ever
so slightly into stepping into their own greatness. This creates
security and camaraderie in your business.
8. Develop tools and trainings to duplicate the process and
watch your team growth soar. While we are lucky to have more
and more training tools and “how to guides” emerging in
our business, we still have plenty of room for great ideas and coaching.
If you feel something is lacking in the training process, step up
and put together what you view to be a valuable resource. Share
it with your team and provide it for others to use, add to, improve
upon, etc. This goes a long way in encouraging the duplication process.
9. Recognize the efforts of those on your team, both large and
small. “It has been studied and noted that people will
work harder for recognition than tangible items. We are starved
for attention and recognition. Most people don’t get it at
work, and many, not at home either. Look for successes and let the
person know, and the rest of the team as well. Nothing brightens
a face faster than seeing one’s name in print, for a job well
done. Recognition is such a win-win. You make another feel great
and you feel good in the process. Who can you give some recognition
to today?
10. Express your gratitude. Again, another win-win is created
with gratitude. Do you take time to let your team know how much
you appreciate them? Appreciate their efforts? Appreciate their
contributions? Gratitude creates ongoing success. Start today with
gratitude about where you are in your life, your business and your
journey. You may not be exactly where you want to be, but appreciate
what you have today, and watch how that will expand tomorrow. Start
a gratitude journal. Every night, list 10 things you are grateful
for. There is no right or wrong in gratitude. On those days when
nothing seems to go right, it may seem tough to find ten things
to be grateful for. It may be the fact that the sun did rise and
you are still above ground. That is certainly something to be grateful
for. As you practice this exercise regularly, your gratitude muscle
will grow. Be grateful for that!
Where are you on your journey to greatness as an upline? It doesn’t
matter if you have 0, 10, 100, 1,000 or 10,000 on your team right
now. Practice these 10 tips and you’ll hit whatever mark you
have set for yourself. Based on past evidence collected, a good
way to start getting what you want is to develop the habit of seeing
yourself as already there. Let the greatness in you shine!
About the Author
Jackie Ulmer, a veteran Home Based Business Owner, has coached and
trained thousands of representatives both inside and outside of
her sales organization. One of her primary goals is to help others
succeed. She can be reached through her web site at: http://www.streetsmartwealth.com/
 Kirby
Vacuums and
Network Marketing
By Kelly Wissink
I am the proud owner of a Kirby Vacuum Cleaner.
This was not my intention, yet, I have to
say I was impressed.
It was 7:00pm on a Saturday evening when a
strange van pulled into our driveway and actually interrupted
our marshmallow roast over a campfire. It was dark and I
know that my dazed, "who are you?" look with a
stick in my hand and a glowing marshmallow at the end, looked
quite silly.
I have to say, the demonstration was impressive.
My kids were inspired. My husband said, "BUY IT!".
Now that was a huge surprise.
The vacuum cleaner itself is an amazing tool.
What left the larger impression was the dedication, commitment
and confidence that these two young people displayed from
the time they stepped out of the van, until they walked
out our front door, waving good bye.
What was it that had me asking them questions,wanting
to learn and then trading phone numbers as they were leaving?
What can we learn from Kirby Vacuum Cleaner
sales people to get us in the door, to build that trust,
and to make the sale?
I believe it comes down to these 3 things
-
1. They gave something away. When they first
stepped out of the van, they had a large container of laundry
soap. Why soap? I didn't ask that question.
2. They knew their product and believed in
it. They were passionate about their product.
3. They worked when no one else was working
- they were committed to success.
So what about you? How does this translate
into your Network Marketing business? What do you give away?
It may be a free sample of your product, training CD's or
a part of yourself. Hmm, a part of yourself. YUP!
We were not convinced that this Kirby vacuum
cleaner was worth the money so we asked them to clean yet
another spot after they had all ready proven themselves.
They did it with a smile. Smile! They jumped out of the
van with a smile. They answered our myriad of questions
with a smile and they left with a smile.
Network Marketing isn't about ME! It is about
my customers and my old and new team members. The more I
give away, the more I receive in return in terms of loyalty,
fellowship, and finances.
Give away more than you think you deserve!
Do you know your product? Not just what it
is made of or the benefits. Do you have a story to tell
about why you chose it and how it has affected your life
and the life of your family? Share the juicy details about
your life before and then after using your product and you
will get results. When a new product comes out, buy it,
use it and ask others for their opinion.
Being passionate about your product will make
sales. When you believe in something and share that with
others, they too will catch the passion and will see it
through your eyes.
Finally, as I am writing these thoughts in
the wee hours of the morning I realized that my business
thrived when I became a teacher and a student of my industry.
I had the opportunity to spend a fun filled day with my
three children and then CHOOSE to work when they are asleep.
Network Marketing offers the time freedom and flexibility
that no "job" can offer. It is also one of the
most challenging businesses out there today.
It takes discipline and focus to replace your
"boss" in the workplace. Working smart and not
longer hours, is what is important.
When the Kirby sales people showed up at 7:00
on a Saturday evening, they guessed that we would be home.
They were right.
They worked smarter. That is the key to making
your business fun filled and successful.
About The Author
Kelly Wissink is a published author, trainer and coach for
not only her company but also
her thriving team. As a home schooling mom of 3 and professional
network marketer, she is designing a life for their family
which includes bringing home her husband so they can travel
the United States and experience history first hand. Get
to know her at http://www.MiaBellaHomeBusiness.com
 Listen
to your Wisdom
By Lisa Martin, The Working Mother’s Coach
Being a good listener starts with paying attention
to yourself—your own inner dialogue. We all talk to ourselves,
but how many of us really listen? Sometimes the inner dialogue
doesn’t even shape itself into words. It’s a song
that’s been running through your head for a couple of
days, or that twinge of intuition that you’ve been pushing
to the back of your mind. Listening to yourself is about connecting
with your inner wisdom, your deepest desires and dreams, and
understanding what is truly in your heart. It’s listening
to that little voice that wants to guide you to your best
life.
Intuition is your Inner Compass
As women, we understand the power of our intuition and how
valuable it can be in steering our lives in the right direction.
“Women’s intuition” we say by way of self-congratulation
when things go our way. By better understanding what intuition
is and how it works, we can proactively access and leverage
our wise self to chart the best course for our lives. Intuition
may appear to be random thoughts or the beginning of a subtle
knowing. These rambling thoughts may or may not be well-formed
arguments for or against something in your life, but you need
to pay them attention nevertheless.
Often, intuition begins not as a loud scream
but rather an inkling that something is not right or, conversely,
that something feels good. When we listen to these messages
and follow through with our “gut” feeling things
work in our favor. On the other hand, if time isn’t taken
to listen to your inner dialogue, to be with yourself, you
may find the ability to connect with your intuition compromised.
And, chances are, you may make decisions that are not in your
best interest.
Create Space for your Thoughts
Silence and patience are prerequisites for accessing your
intuition. You may remember the insightful words of Simon
and Garfunkel’s song from the 1960s The Sound of Silence.
“Hello darkness my old friend,
I've come to talk with you again.
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seed while I was sleeping,
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence.”
Sometimes it is difficult to bring that suppressed
inner dialogue to the forefront of your awareness. You need
to make space in your life to listen to yourself. Stopping
the busyness of your life, even for a few minutes, to be with
the silence surrounding you will promote a still and quiet
mind. When in this state, true reflection can take place.
To hear the inner workings of your soul, you
must also practice patience. Give yourself permission to take
the time to capture your true longings. This may mean letting
go of your need for instant answers to mirror the speedy pace
of your life. Sometimes it’s enough just to have formed
the question and let your inner dialogue and intuition work
on the answer in the background of your mind.
© Copyright 2007. Briefcase
Moms®. All rights reserved.
About the Author
Lisa Martin is a certified coach who inspires working mothers
to achieve success that’s balanced. Author of Briefcase
Moms: 10 Proven Practices to Balance Working Mothers’
Lives, Lisa is a sought-after expert and speaker on work-life
balance issues. Known for her very personal and practical
approach, Lisa coaches working mothers to know what they want
and get what they want. A mother herself, Lisa’s powerful
presentations and programs have helped thousands of women
define success and balance on their own terms. www.briefcasemoms.com
 Building
Your Business
Around a Full-Time Job
By Shira Colish
Many people may get turned off from a home business
because they work a full-time job. They don't think they'll
have any time to work a business. Or, once they start a home
business, they quit - relying on the same excuse. But wait
a minute. Don't they want a home business so they can eventually
QUIT their full-time job? How can they ever quit their job
if they don't build a business? It's just a big circle of
procrastination. As Nike says, Just Do It!
I can relate to this scenario. When I started
my network marketing business, I was, and still am, working
a full-time job. However, I've been successful. I started
by sponsoring my first team member, and now I have a downline
of over 100 entrepreneurs. To me, this is an accomplishment,
as I have only been able to build my business around my job.
But how, you ask? Here are a few ways I have been able to
still work my business daily, while maintaining an 8-5.
First, I take action during my lunch break.
I have a certain amount of time each day to leave my job and
interact with the public. So, what can I do? Pick a different
place every day to grab a bite to eat, and give the waitress,
or cashier, or drive-thru worker, a business card. If I need
to stop by the bank, the teller will get a business card as
well. Anyone I can come in contact with during that 30-minute
block of time is a prospect.
This was a difficult task for me initially,
simply because I wasn't comfortable doing it. I cared too
much about what the other person thought, if they'd look at
me like I was weird. But, fast forward to now, I have taken
the advice of one of the owners of my company, and his slogan
is "Some Will, Some Won't, So What? Next!" If the
person I give my card to checks out my website, or calls me,
great! If not, what have I lost? And it's that easy.
Second, when I come home in the evening, after
I make sure my daughter is fed and situated with a book, a
movie, coloring, etc., I can get on the phone. I can use this
time to call leads and follow up. Many of the people I'm calling
probably also work during the day, so the evening is a good
time to reconnect with people I've already spoken with, or
initiate new relationships. Picking up the phone and making
these calls can be very productive in building your business,
so this task should be done daily as well.
Finally, I make sure to keep in contact with
my prospects by email at least on a weekly basis. I can send
out emails in the morning, before going to work, or in the
evening when I get home. I like to send an email to announce
an upcoming conference call, new product, or training series.
This simple task that can be done anytime has been extremely
useful for me in sponsoring new members.
The way I see it, if you work a full-time job
and want to retire early, you MUST commit to daily action
steps to build your business. Consistence and persistence
will bring you the income you desire. Most importantly, throw
those excuses out the window, and just get started.
There are 24 hours in a day. I know you can
squeeze in at least one or two if you're really serious about
your dreams. If you never start running, how will you reach
the finish line?
About the Author
Shira Colish has been involved
in network marketing for almost 3 years. She is currently
building a successful candle business and coaching a growing
team. To learn more about Shira, visit http://www.AScentsibleCandle.com
 Becoming
A Master Networker & Communicator
Copyright © 2007 by Sue Seward. All Rights
Reserved.
Building your Network Marketing business without building relationships
whether it be on the Internet, off the Internet, or both are like
building a house without a FOUNDATION!
As soon as the first big storm hits it all washes away and you
have to rebuild it again. This could be quite costly in the long
run. After all that hard work and it’s all taken away within
the blink of an eye.
I started building a business from home online in 1996 and had
just moved to a community 4 months previous to joining an MLM company
and had moved from another state about 1300 miles away. So consequently
I had no warm market at that time. I had just bought a computer
and was very green to the internet.
I have always had an extreme interest in Network Marketing because
of past experiences and realized that it would be a perfect career
to develop. The main reason is because I do not like working for
anyone else and now that I've developed a long term successful career
that dream of freedom has come true. If I can do this anyone can.
It takes determination, focus and willingness to get it done!
As far as online marketing goes though I never really put the two
together. In the beginning of developing a home business I approached
people that I was beginning to meet out in our community which are
considered warm market. Many of them turned into HOT market because
of the relationships and friendships made over time.
Most of the people I’m partnered with however have come from
networking and communicating with people I meet online.
It’s taken a bit longer to build this way because the Internet
is considered a "cold" market.
Warming people up by communicating and building relationships via
the Internet is possible! It’s a bit like gardening which takes
lots of patience, cultivating the soil, watering, pruning, weeding
and then a harvest comes.
Giving up is not an option. There’s no harvest for those who
give up and quit.
Anyone who chooses to make the commitment and put forth the effort
can make anything work if they have a supportive team and a system
that others can easily duplicate.
Duplicate and Support! It can be more difficult to succeed with
online marketing without a system that others can duplicate easily.
Having the support of an experienced team all working together for
the good of all is an extra benefit.
It's not very effective when someone uses automation, such as constantly
sending out autoresponders and never actually communicating with
people on a personal level. When there's no real personal communication
or relationship being built there's no solid foundation to keep
the relationship or the business going and people are then constantly
starting over.
We do use autoresponders but only as a way of following up with
a list of people until they actually raise their hand and that’s
when the PERSONAL touch comes in. That’s when it’s time
to turn high tech into high touch!
It takes diligent efforts, focus on one thing and being consistent
with daily activities that are geared towards prospecting. Having
a good follow up system is crucial and that’s why we use an
autoresponder system. Knowing when to take it to the next personal
level is important.
Do not be fooled into thinking that the autoresponder is going
to do ALL the work for you. People are looking for the personal
touch. If you do not provide that to them they will find someone
who will.
Over ten years ago all we had was email! We didn't have all the
online systems, email programs like Group Mail that send out hundreds
of personal emails at a time to prospects, autoresponder systems
like Aweber, and all the fabulous automation and conference
call technology and audio recordings that we have now. We had EMAIL
and the PHONE to build relationships one person at a time!
I still keep the business on a personal level and do not plan to
lose sight of that! In fact, people send compliments all the time
about how much they appreciate the personalization! So it's very
effective!
I've built a solid reputation and a long term business on that
personal communicating touch!
When someone responds to an email or an ad they receive a personal
follow up email and a phone call to introduce and get to know one
another to see if there’s a match!
We use a landing page system for people to visit for more information.
They fill out a contact form with details about themselves and what
they are interested in. This form automatically comes back to us
by email and this tells us that this person is interested in hearing
from us.
After they fill out the contact form they are immediately sent
to our replicated website for more details on our company, products
and our compensation plan. They are also put into what we call our
drip system which is an autoresponder system that sends them information
every few days reminding them that they expressed an interest in
our business. Each message has a link back to our company replicated
website and to our personal website if we have one.
A company replicated website is from our company and let’s
the company share their story, products and compensation plan. It
brands the company. A personal website brands YOU! Let the company
website tell their story. There’s no need to re-invent the
wheel and duplicate another company website.
If you want a personal website build one that brands YOU. Share
your story and why you started a home business and then link back
to the company website. People want to hear about you because they
are looking for a partner! Someone they can relate to. Remember
everyone has a story no matter how long they have been in business.
Always put your photo on your personal website. This is very important.
If you join online communities put your photo there as well. If
you don’t have a photo have a professional one done.
Brand yourself as a professional, an entrepreneur, a Network Marketer
and a leader.
When someone expresses an interest for further information get
back with them by phone as soon as possible to determine further
if they are a good match for the team. If it’s not possible
to get back with them right away then ask your upline partner to
call them on your behalf.
By the time we speak with someone by phone they are warmed up and
actually waiting to hear from us. This is an important time to find
out more about their interest and to answer questions as well as
determine if they are ready to get started. Sometimes we may determine
that a 3/way call with our upline partner would fit the particular
situation.
Do not be afraid to ask your upline partner for assistance. If
they are not available go upline until you find help. I learned
a long time ago that the squeaky wheel gets oiled first!
We’re really fortunate with our company because it’s
still small enough for us to get one of the owners on a call with
our prospects.
It's always about serving others first!
It's best to keep a non-pressure low key atmosphere that helps
people feel comfortable. After all you are calling on THEIR behalf.
We are here as servants to guide and advise people not to pressure
them into something that may not be right for them or the timing
may not be right.
It’s our job to find out if what we are doing is a good fit
for them and to determine if they are someone we’d like to
partner with. Remember they have asked to be called! They are requesting
information and it’s our job to follow up with them! If we
do not follow up someone ELSE will!
Will this be RIGHT for them or the right timing? That's why we
ask those specific questions. Not only that, but are they right
for us? More questions will determine this.
After some practice, it doesn't take long to find things out. Everyone
starts to pick up on the little clues to determine what direction
to point a person in. Remember it's ALWAYS about them! We are just
the messengers!
Something I've also done, which is very important, is to develop
a presence online by becoming a promoter of the Network Marketing
industry and by becoming a servant and an encourager by giving back
to the industry in general by becoming a master networker and communicator.
Some ways of becoming a master networker and communicator are activities
such as getting involved in MLM forum boards, writing articles,
and publishing an industry newsletter. These activities are to genuinely
promote the industry with the utmost of respect and integrity focusing
on service to others and developing into an expert. Remember eleven
years ago about the only thing I was an expert in was being a mom.
This has all been done by developing an actual career and in the
process a profitable business has been created.
It's the PEOPLE you develop that count! So become a master networker
and communicator!
Is it possible to build a network online? YES it is.... with a
proven system that others can duplicate, a strong commitment to
succeed, a reputable company of the highest integrity with quality
products and or services of value that benefit people, a strong
support team, a willingness to build true lasting relationships,
follow up like a professional and focusing on service to others.
About The Author
Sue is a wife, mom, entrepreneur, top income earner with her
company, who has been working from home online since 1996. She
encourages millionaire mind thinking and shows people how to develop
valuable connections online and turn them into lasting relationships
for long term business profits. She is also a public speaker and
published author of numerous print and electronic articles as
well as coauthor of the book 'Build It Big: 101 Insider Secrets
From Top Direct Selling Experts'. To find out more about how Sue
builds her business online visit http://www.eCommerceHomeBiz.com
Back
to the MLM Woman Newsletter Index
We want your feedback!
Send e-mail comments to
Linda at: regent@west.net
Copyright 2007,
Regent Press
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