Sandy and Keith Moreland are escapees from corporate America.

After building successful, but extremely stressful careers in government and business, they were ready for a change. Sandy worked for 23 years as a highly paid mid-level manager for the IRS in charge of field collection and about 100 employees. Keith was with TRW in network communications and decided to start a new business in network marketing when he faced a layoff at age 40. They had only 30 days from the start of their new business to when he faced termination with TRW. After their first year in the business with no prior MLM experience, they achieved their goal of replacing his salary and getting her out of her IRS job and were both full-time in their business.

In 1997 Sandy and Keith faced an even bigger challenge - dealing with the death of her mother after a lengthy battle with cancer and the tragic death of their daughter, Heather, the victim of a drunk driver. They found their network marketing business offered them the time to deal with their grief and still provided a regular income - something most jobs could never have given them.

How did they do it? In the following interview, Sandy shares her story and the details of how she and her husband, Keith, built their networking business from scratch and reached the top level of their company and how they dealt with their life challenges.

Linda: Why did you choose an MLM business over other types of home-based businesses or franchises?

Sandy: My husband Keith started our networking business. He wanted to work from home, change his career and do something that was centered around team building. When our friend presented Keith with the business, his first response was that he didn't want to sell, but he liked helping people and training. And the more he talked to our friend, the more he liked what he saw. I only agreed to use the products and support him. He felt that he could get into MLM with a minimal investment and earn more than in a conventional business without having to deal with employees, office space and all the other trappings.

I was attracted to the idea of using non-toxic products, especially since my mother had just been diagnosed with cancer. Keith didn't want to go through another layoff, he really wanted a career change. I was very skeptical about this "network marketing" thing and told him I didn't want to do meetings or sell anything. I agreed to use the products and help him get his business started. Since I was out on sick leave due to stress I had the extra time. I also decided to research his new business and make sure it wasn't the fly by night business I was sure it was!

Linda: You started with no previous experience in MLM, yet you became a success with your first company. What did you do differently from most people starting out?

Sandy: Keith had 30 days from the start of his network business to when he terminated with TRW. Our network company offered an incentive program if you did $6,000 volume in one month. We didn't realize that this special program was intended for experienced networkers. We just decided to go for it! We practiced what to say to our friends on each other. We had a limited circle of influence because just about everyone I knew worked for me and Keith would lose his severance pay if he talked to his co-workers. We approached who we could, friends and family. They are still with us today, using the products. We were never told how to make a list or even do presentations.

We read everything we could, listened to a lot of tapes, gave up extraneous social activities, including skiing and television. I read somewhere that you needed to keep bringing in new people and teaching people how to do that so that's what we did. I decided that I could make about 15 to 25 contacts a day. We bought lists and I started cold calling. That will make or break you real quick. But believe me, cold calls are easy compared with doing collections for the IRS. We were determined to replace a huge income and worked hard to do it. We read John Kalench's book, Being the Best You Can Be in MLM. We each did our goals, dream sheets and followed his advice the best we could.

We just tried to create a team atmosphere and put other people's success ahead of ours. By helping them advance, we grew a solid business. We were the first people with no prior MLM experience to reach the top of our compensation plan.

Linda: In 1997 you went through a tough period - losing two loved ones in a short span of time - how did this affect your networking business?

Sandy: Last year we suffered the loss of our daughter, Heather and my mother. It was devastating. Without our home-based network marketing business we could not have survived. Working in an office would have been impossible. We live in Colorado and my mother and daughter lived in Texas, so we took two months off and then worked part-time for the next month to deal with everything. Our income stayed the same then even went up, thanks to the devotion of some of our group. Throughout last year, we worked our business when we could and took time off as we needed too.

Sometimes we just turn the phone off, read, take walks, work around the house, go to the mountains, and travel. We spend time with special understanding friends having fun, going to movies and attending special seminars for people who lost children. This has been a real healing thing that allows us to cope with our grief and proceed with our business and our lives. We work long hours, but we play when we want to. Without this type of business we could not be advancing in our grief as quickly. We can focus on business, but also stop and cry when we need to.

One of the biggest effects the deaths had on our business was that many people stopped calling us because they couldn't deal with our losses. Other people that had just been in the background of our lives stepped forward and literally saved our lives. Our upline, Keith and Pam McEachern really earned their stripes - we could not have done it without them. We got into networking because of relationships and making new friends. That is so important to us. And we realized how vital our downtime was and is. We are lucky to have few good friends to help us through.

Linda: You work your business with your husband. How does that work to your advantage? What are the challenges of working at home together?

Sandy: Working at home as a couple is fun and a challenge. Keith and I are very different people. He's technical, I'm not. I'm outgoing, he's not. He gives a lot of detail, I don't. He's very patient, I'm not. We have remedied that by having separate offices in the house. We have also each found our niche in our business. He is the technical backup for our downline, teaching them voice mail, computer, doing flyers, post cards, etc. He also patiently works through shipping, personality or any other business problems. I am very good on the phone, at enrolling, marketing and training. I ad-lib well on calls and do more of the initial contacts and Keith helps with followup and getting people started. We have been married 20 years and have been through some very hard times together. We do make each other crazy at times, but we compliment each other in business practices and have been very successful together.

I read somewhere about 90% of all couples who network together succeed big time! I think we're on our way.

Sandy and Keith Moreland are one of the top producers with their networking company and their business is centered on health and wellness. They can be reached at 800-850-0537 or by e-mail at kmorelnd@concentric.net.

Welcome, my friends, to the show that never ends! For rock concert followers, those words opened a live performance of Emerson, Lake & Palmer years ago. For our purposes in this article, however, the term means something far different - trade shows!

Trade shows offer businesses one of the most cost-effective, immediate-response methods today for marketing and sales. As I tell my clients, trade shows offer any business the ability to show and sell pre-qualified prospects all about your products and service on the spot - what I define as interactive advertising.

So how do you get into "show biz?" Easy, if you follow the right steps! Preparation maximizes the impact of trade show investment. Planning can make the difference in coming away from a show with strong leads or empty pockets. Here's a few tips to get you and your company in gear to generate new business from a trade show:

Start with a positive attitude. Be there because you want to be, not because you have to be! Recognize the different sales atmosphere at a show - buyers are coming to see you. Visualize winning over your toughest customer... right in front of your competition! It's an opportunity, so make the most of it.

Define your purpose for being there. This can include making contacts, obtaining names for a mailing list, selling products, closing sales, and/or intensifying existing relationships. This is a great opportunity to arrange follow-up meetings with "hot leads" and meet new information sources and suppliers. While you're there, don't forget to market to your fellow exhibitors.. after all, at a show, everyone is a prospect! And remember, you are not a display window for people to casually walk by - qualified prospects are in a buying mood, so be sure that you're in a selling mood.

Set show goals and rewards! In order to ensure your success, you need to set daily and overall show goals. Think ahead and set goals for your total number of pre-show appointments, contacts made, closes or orders written, good leads, total dollar amount sold, and total units sold. Make it a game: set rewards and honor them!

Do pre-show marketing. To maximize awareness of your participation at the show, send out postcards or self mailers with a quick read message inviting prospects to your booth. Include a snappy headline, a few key bullet points, and most important - your booth number. Mail these out at least two weeks before the show. Follow up with phone calls to inquire what your prospects are interested in seeing at the show, and use that as an opportunity to book appointments where appropriate.

Pre-show messages can include:

Offering a show special sales discount for orders written at the show.

Announcing a new product introduction and/or hands-on demonstration.

Booth drawing for a major prize. Note: make sure the gift is either your service or an item of value related to what you do.

Plan the booth set-up. Instead of the typical skirted table and curtain backdrop, consider renting a portable trade show booth. These come in small countertop units, or full 8 foot backwalls and are usually velcro-compatible. This allows you to attach enlarged photos, signs and other graphics to attract attention. Keep in mind your booth is similar to a giant billboard for your company, so be sure to make signage bright, colorful, and easily visible from at least 20 feet away. If you light your booth, use 100 watt lamps and make sure they shine down on displays, not out in people's eyes. Bring extra light bulbs in case of burnout.

Design your booth space as a sales area, not your living room!

If you use the 8 foot table usually provided by the expo company at the show, don't place it across the front of your booth and stand behind it like a barricade! Rather, put it to the side, opening up your booth to buyers.

Remember literature and demos. Have sales literature easily accessible and face it out to attendees within easy reach of buyers. Also set up a couple business card holders for your cards and be sure to replenish them frequently. Place all extra materials out of sight, and make sure nothing extends into the aisle.

If you have videos or slides featuring your product or service, make them short and to the point! Remember, you only have five seconds to grab attention. If you plan to demonstrate equipment, be sure to try these items out before the show to ensure proper operation!

Show And Tell...

Now you're ready for the doors to open...or are you? Here are several pointers to help you make a great first impression.

First, prepare a 15-30 second statement about who you are and what you do, and rehearse it often. Next, be sure to know your product and the competition, and be prepared to combat competitive claims. Lastly, role play with a friend or co-worker. Feel comfortable in quickly summarizing for the attendee what benefit your company can offer to them.

Next, develop sales strategies for the Three Types of Prospects as defined by American Salesman Magazine:

Window shoppers; just looking: Use casual, conversational approach.

Toe-dippers; curious: Answer questions with explanations; demonstrations.

Bull in china shop; highly interested: Give detailed information; ask for the business!

Remember, attendees come to a business trade show because they want to find new products and services. As such, they are predisposed to buying! You simply have to convince them your product or service is the best for their needs, and your company is the most knowledgeable about the subject.

While at the show, be comfortable yet professional. Don't wear anything tight or restrictive. Buy a new piece of clothing (shirt, blouse, tie, or even socks!) for the first day to feel fresh! Your feet, legs and back will take the brunt of "stand-up selling", so be sure to wear comfortable shoes...no high heels or heavy wing-tips. Try bringing an extra pair of shoes and trading off.

Eat a good breakfast and light lunch; heavy foods cause drowsiness in the afternoon. Bring high energy snacks or fruit for late in the day, but never eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, pick your teeth (or anything else) in the booth if you can help it. After all, what would happen if a key prospect walked up to you when your mouth was full?

When a show runs all day or multiple days, be sure to get outside for a breath of fresh air.

If you're by yourself, arrange a back-up person who knows your company services to stand in during your break, or make a sign that tells people you'll be right back. Never leave your booth unattended for long periods of time - a key contact may just happen by when you're away.

One of the biggest mistakes most people make when working a show is sitting down! This tells attendees you really don't want to talk to them, and appears that you're tired and bored! If you must sit down due to back or leg strains, get a tall stool and stand/sit periodically. To show enthusiasm, stand outside or at the edge of your booth and invite buyers into your selling space.

Get to your booth at least 30 minutes early prior to the show opening and be ready to go! At the end of the day, wait at least fifteen minutes after closing, then put things away. Don't look too anxious to leave...even if you are!

The key to trade show selling is to be "up" for the duration and always be ready to sell. The number of contacts you can make in a short time far exceeds most other marketing tactics, and allows you to sell yourself directly to key buyers. Plus, the benefits of successful trade show selling keep on working far after the show date. Prospects may not be in the market for your products or services right away, but may file away your information and pull it up later when the need arises. As we say, trade shows are the shows that never end, so welcome my friend and happy selling!

Copyright 1995 MarketSpark, All Rights Reserved.

Kellee K. "Sparky" Harris is the owner of MarketSpark, a consulting company specializing in sports and health and fitness marketing. You can contact her by e-mail at marketspark@marketspark.com or visit her web site at http://www.marketspark.com

A policy of giving can accomplish a great deal if you are building and running a business. You've probably heard the expression, "You get what you give." It is very true. If you give freely, you will get abundantly. Conversely, if you are stingy or afraid to give, you won't get much.

Here are some suggestions for giving.

Give free samples. This can be in the form of goods or services. You can give samples of your product or samples of your work. Shareware is a free sample of a product that often has something missing, or it will stop working after a specified time. Sampling the product invariably increases usage and sales.

Give referrals. Look for opportunities to recommend other business people. Ask the person to whom you give the referral to mention your name.

Give more than your customers or clients expect. If you are shipping goods, include a free gift that you can make part of your offer. If you provide a service, such as Web site development, include something extra -- an extra graphic, registering with search engines or something else of value.

Give love and trust. Many people in the business world have an attitude of distrust. This isn't a good idea if you want your customers to trust you.

You have to trust first. I have always trusted that my customers will treat me well. Doing this allows me to love and be open with them. As a result, in the last few years I have only had four bad checks and one charge back. The four bad checks came at a time when I was mailing out 50,000 catalogs (snail mail) every few months and processing about 700 orders a month. My merchandise return rate was under 1%!

Give your attention. How many times have you been to a networking function and felt as if the only reason anyone wanted to talk to you was to sell you something. When you are at one of these functions, forget about selling and concentrate on meeting people. Ask them questions about them. Find something about which you can honestly compliment them. If you pay attention to them you can not only qualify them to see if they really are a potential customer, but you will foster good will. When they see your business card, you will be remembered.

Give information. Keep your eye out for tid-bits of information that could help one of your clients or potential customers. Send it with a note saying, "I thought you would find this interesting." If you have a Web site, you can give, give and give some more. All it takes is the time to do the HTML coding. The more you give, the more people will come to appreciate what you do.

Giving can be an important part of your marketing strategy. However, the secret to successful giving is not to expect anything in return. Learn to give for the sake of giving. When you no longer expect anything, much will come to you. That's one of life's paradoxes.

Visit Joan's Web site at http://www.prosperityplace.com for lots of helpful business advice and resources for entrepreneurs or e-mail her at joan@prosperityplace.com.