MLM
Woman Issue 57
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From
the Desk of the Editor
Welcome to the 57th issue of the MLM Woman Newsletter.
This month we offer articles to motivate and inspire you to turn up
the volume in your life and to go for your dreams even in tough times.
Remember
Your Why . . .
Starting and building a business is never easy. There
are all too many people who will tell you it can't be done. Friends
and family will try to persuade you to give up this madness and get
a good, steady job with a regular paycheck. Prospects will turn you
down, recruits will abandon you at the first sign of work, and a tiny
commission check will make you want to quit. Don't!
"But it's so hard," you say, "No one
believes in what I'm trying to do, my friends and family think I'm
crazy, I'm just not sure if I am up to it!"
When you have days like this - and you will -- the one
thing that will sustain you and keep you going is your Why. In other
words, the reason that you stepped out of the long line of people
following the regular path and started your own business in the first
place. Maybe it's because you want to stay home with your children,
or that you want to finally get out of your dead-end job that pays
you a pittance, or that you'd like to buy a home, or spend more time
with your family, or to spend your day doing what you want to do.
Whatever your Why is -- it's unique and special to you. Cherish it
and honor it, because your Why is what will keep you going when all
the obstacles seem stacked against you.
Succeeding in your own business is hard -- after all,
if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. It takes a lot of energy,
drive and passion to make it through the tough times on the road to
success. It's like you were a rocket that has to expend tons of jet
fuel to break free of the earth's gravity. Your Why is your jet fuel
that burns hot and bright within you. And once your orbit has been
successfully achieved, you can look back and see that all the energy
expended is worth it and your path is high and wide.
So, the next time you feel like you want to quit --
just remember your Why and stay the course.
Linda Locke, Editor MLM Woman
Getting
& Staying Motivated
in Trying Times
Copyright 2001 Terri Seymour
It has been awhile since the devastating attack on America,
yet many people are having a hard time continuing with their daily
life and work. I think about the attack and all the peoples' lives
that were forever changed and torn apart and have a hard time also.
It is a heavy load for us to deal with, but we must carry on the American
dream and tradition.
There are many things we can do to help. Donations,
volunteering, and giving our support are just a few ways to help.
But we also must help America and keep her strong and brave! We can
do this by keeping the economy going strong, continuing on with business
and not letting the cowardly attackers get the best of the American
people!
I am a member of many discussion lists and have read
messages by several people who seem to be in a state of depression
and lack of motivation that they cannot escape. I am hoping with this
article to give some of these people the reason or motivation to go
on with life and business.
If because of the attack on America or for some other
reason you cannot get motivated enough, think about the questions
and statements below.
What motivated you in the first place?
What were the reasons you first started your business?
Do these reasons still apply? Think about why you got started and
remember the motivation and excitement you had then. Use that to get
going today!
Are you still passionate about your business?
You chose your business because you had a passion for
it, right? Is that passion still there? Take another look at your
business and what brings out that passion. You will probably find
that it is still there waiting for you!
What will be gained or solved by not working? Think
about what will happen if you let your work go and your business die.
What will be gained? Will you have helped the people affected by the
tragedy? NO Will you have helped America? NO Will you have helped
yourself or your family? NO! If you DO get back to work and grow your
business you will have helped America, your family and yourself.
Does your work make you happy and proud?
How do you feel when you accomplish something in your
work and/or business? Does it make you feel proud, happy, self-confident
and self-reliant? These are feelings that you want to hold onto and
working will help you keep these feelings!
Do you feel better about yourself because of your work?
The feelings you get when you bring your business to
life make you feel good about yourself. Not doing anything and being
unmotivated will not make you feel good about yourself and will just
bring you down. It will also bring down the ones you love!
What does your work do for your family?
Your work is also important to your family. Income aside,
the way you feel about yourself because of your business and/or work
has a direct affect on how you treat your family and how they can
relate to you. If you are happy, self-confident and feeling good your
loved ones will be much happier and feeling good as well!
Think about all these reasons to carry on and I think
your motivation will pick up enough to get back to business. Once
back in business, you will be motivated even more.
If you are still having trouble, visit this site for
guidance:
http://www.helping.com
Not only are there links (towards the bottom) for helping
people to cope after such a tragedy, but there are links for you to
offer help or donations, which can be helpful to you as well. There
is also a link for support groups, prayer groups and much more.
I hope I have helped you see some of the reasons that
it is important to keep going and proceed with our daily lives. America
will overcome and we can all help her remain strong!
About the Author
Terri Seymour owns and operates MyOwnEzine.com MyOwnEzine.com is
a website, ezine and service which provides the resources, tools,
guidance and more to help you start, publish and promote your own
ezine. You can contact Terri at ter02@newnorth.net
Subscribe at subscribe@myownezine.com
or visit http://www.myownezine.com
for lots more info.
"Owning
Your Own Home Biz:
Bliss or Blunder?"
By Julie Frost © 2001
There are some many wonderful aspects of owning your
own home-based business. Like being there for your kids, a sense of
fulfillment, the income, the income tax savings, the hours, the boss...
I mean, what is there to complain about, right?
Wrong.
Just because you own your own business does not mean
that every day is going to go perfectly. Yes, you're going to have
days when you ask yourself why you ever had the crazy idea of starting
your own home-based business in the first place. You may even feel
like quitting.
But you know what? In my many years of owning my own home-based business,
it seems like the days that start off the worst end up being some
of the best. By the end of the day, I am almost always reminded how
lucky I am to be in business for myself -- no matter how poorly the
day started out. I have to admit, I'm a pretty cool boss to work for.
Aren't you?
Recently I was having a problem with one of my clients.
While I knew I was in the right, I wanted to find a way to make her
right and therefore repair the business relationship. I started to
get very frustrated and wonder how I could deal with this woman on
a long-term basis. I even had thoughts of just "firing"
this customer. After all, if I wanted headaches, I'd go get a job!
But then I started to remind myself how lucky I am to
be able to be home with my daughters each day and earn a significant
income at the same time. And I reminded myself that, in the grand
scheme of things, my business is really all about helping other people.
So, I had to ask myself: If I resolved the situation one way or the
other, how would it affect myself and my business, long-term?
And that is a great question to ask yourself when you're
having a bad day: How is this situation going to affect my business
-- both positively or negatively -- in the long term? When you want
to get down to business, but are being constantly interrupted, will
it really matter in a year? If the answer is no, don't worry about
it. You're doing the best you can. But if you're not tracking your
income and expenses, in a year (or less!) when tax time comes around,
that could be a major setback. That is something you do need to resolve
right away, even if you don't like to deal with it.
In the case of my grumpy client, I decided that -- in
the long-term -- I would not only feel better about myself and the
way I handled this certain situation, but I would obviously retain
business long-term, if not her respect, from this woman if I could
work out the situation to her satisfaction. But it was important to
me to work it out to my satisfaction, as well!
I'm here to tell you: not only did everything work out
for the best, she is now one of my best clients. And we get along
fabulously. But don't think that I didn't feel tremendous amounts
of stress over the situation. I did. I fretted over it for days. Consulted
trusted mentors. I even asked my family for input. I almost lost my
focus and wondered if I really was in the right business. Luckily
that feeling quickly dissolved and I got back to the business I love!
But there are still days, though rare, when I go to
bed wondering if I'm in the right business. Trust me, we all have
them. I know a man who makes over a million dollars a year from home
after only 7 years in business for himself. Recently he admitted to
me that, years ago, when he first got started, he would pull his car
to the side of the road on his way home and cry, wondering how he
would face his wife because he had not made any sales that day.
You know what I believe? I believe that the only difference
between him and the person who "failed" is that he didn't
QUIT! And neither will I... and neither should you!
If you are questioning if you're in the right business,
ask yourself if this is only temporary. Are you feeling scared because
this business requires you to do new things... Maybe things that you
don't think you're that great at -- yet? Or that it occasionally brings
up situations that make you feel uncomfortable?
If so, remind yourself that no matter what business
you are in, that would be the case from time to time. If your business
generally brings you joy and income -- and whatever other parameters
are important to you -- then one bad day here and there should not
topple your future empire. Right?
When you're having a bad day, try to look at your situation
from a more positive point of view. Remember that you ARE the best
boss to work for... that the hours are great... that being there for
your family is the BEST! Thinking this way may not always make you
feel instantly better, but it certainly can help you get through that
moment, and on to a resolution to the situation.
And who knows, maybe a few minutes, hours, or days later,
you'll land a big sale or be rewarded for your efforts like never
before. And then you'll be reminded that, YES! You are
doing the right thing! That the "crazy" idea of starting
your own home-based business was actually the BEST decision you've
ever made.
I know that's true for me.
About the Author
Julie Frost is the Owner of http://www.YourHomeBiz.com
-- where they help people just like you find, start, grow and succeed
in their own home-based business - through articles, advice, a free
weekly newsletter, and more. She also helps people become independent
business owners through a home-based business opportunity: http://HomeBizSuccessTeam.com
Just Doin' It:
Tales of a "Mediocre Entrepreneur"
© 1999 by Harmony Major, All Rights Reserved
Are you dissatisfied with the amount of money you're
making online, and feel nearly powerless to change it? Are you frustrated
with the snail's pace that your Internet business
seems to take? Are you sick and tired of trying to "find the
right time" to release that dream product you've been sitting
on for months?
Chances are, you're a "mediocre entrepreneur."
A mediocre entrepreneur is nothing less than a natural
procrastinator -- a 10-foot hurdle in the leap to self-made success.
Did any of the above criteria describe you? Do you often find yourself
in that kind of mentality or engulfed in those kinds of situations?
If the answer to either of those questions is "yes," your
business needs a post-mortem heart-start ASAP!
How do you know if you have the dreaded "mediocrity"
syndrome? When you find yourself continually obsessing over finding
the "right time" to start an important project, putting
off certain tasks due to estimated lack of time or funds or other
equally as hindering tasks, you're becoming a threat to your business.
The biggest problem that any self-run business can encounter IS
the self.
The only way to get over the "can't get right"
blues is to pick yourself up and JUST DO IT. Don't worry that you
may not have the money to support a pending project. If you're serious
enough about making it work, you'll find the funds. Don't stress
yourself out over finding the right time to do something. There
never IS a "wrong time" unless YOU make it.
Use the power of YOU to start your ascent to profit
and success. Don't ever let anyone talk you down, discourage you,
or make you feel inadequate. Conquer your goals and shoot down failure
by taking circumstance by the throat in a determined death-grip.
NOTHING can stop you unless you let it. Never wait for the ideal
circumstance -- learn to MAKE IT perfect enough to work for YOU.
Are you still waiting for the "right" number
of subscribers to get that new ezine off the ground? Searching for
the "perfect" joint venture partner to help promote your
site? Trying to discover the "most effective" way to get
to the top of the search engines? Still waiting to get "in
the writing mood" to do the article for your ezine this week??
It's a shame.
I'll be looking back through the blossoms of a six-figure
income in about two years time, thinking:
"Hmmm. I wonder what ever happened to that mediocre
entrepreneur I encountered on my way to the top?"
Will YOU be that one, or are you coming with me? Success
can be a long and lonely road. Better get started now.
About the Author
Harmony Major is the author of Yahoo! Secrets,
where she reveals how YOU can drive HUNDREDS more visitors to your
site each day, by getting a #1 listing on Yahoo. Don't just settle
for "getting listed." Use her instantly-effective tactics
to boost your site traffic with a TOP Yahoo listing! Visit: http://YahooSecrets.com
If
You Tell Them,
They Will Come!
By Arlene GoldbergCongratulations! You have made the decision! You have
decided what to be when you grow up!
The time has come to be an entrepreneur and report to
the very best boss you could ever have - yourself! Some may disagree
with this, but take it from me, after years in the corporate world,
I am really the best boss I have ever had (with only one exception
and that person is currently a dear friend). However, I demand more
of me than anyone else could possibly!
Once you have made this momentous decision and are ready
to open for business, a major question arises (after all the questions
are answered about how to actually start a business) - how do I tell
the buying public all about this wonderful service or product I have
to offer?
One problem you might have is that you don't have very
much money to designate for marketing, or so you think! The truth
is that you cannot afford not to write a marketing plan and stay with
it, as well as funding that plan!
Where to start with a marketing plan? After you have
decided that there is a market out there somewhere for your product
or service, think about who this market is and where they meet, what
they read, which TV and radio programs they listen to, and to which
professional organizations they belong.
It is to this target audience that you will direct your
marketing plan - your public relations campaign.
Once you have found your target audience and researched
how to reach them, next, assemble a media list of print and broadcast
media (with contacts). Include personal contacts and professional
organizations where you might find that all-important target audience.
This is how and where you want to announce your not-to-be-missed product
or service.
In a perfect world, it would certainly be beneficial
to publicize your business for the very best price of all - none!
Is this possible? It certainly is! How do I do that, you might ask?
With a little-known and most valuable tool - the press release.
Can just anyone write a press release? Maybe, but usually
not without some advice from a public relations professional. Believe
it or not, there is a method to all this madness - an effective press
release is short (one page or less), but most importantly, the release
includes something really unique about your business - a "hook"
- that applies to no other business like it.
Imagine that the editor is going to ask, "Why should
my publication include an article on your business when there are
so many others just like yours"?
In your press release, perhaps you might want to start
a contest, offer a coupon or a discount on product or service, something
to tempt customers.
Editors are generally impatient and busy people and
will most likely not read any release that is longer than a page or
less and especially one that does not have all vital information in
the first paragraph - the five "w's" and "h" (who,
what, where, when, why and how).
Before sending a release anywhere, develop a relationship
with someone at each particular medium - newspaper, radio, TV, cable,
etc. - and send releases to that person. Also, ask about deadlines
(most important as media lives and often dies as a result of deadlines).
Did I forget to tell you to call and alert your contact
that you are sending a release? And, be sure to call soon after it
gets there to be sure it really did get there and that it is not buried
under an enormous pile of paper on a desk somewhere.
What else can you do to tell the public about your business?
Ever heard of the word "networking"? Can never say too much
about this! Join professional organizations where you will find others
in your field and search out organizations to which your target audience
belongs. Perhaps you could be a speaker at one of those meetings or
give a workshop at their annual conferences?
Business showcases and trade shows are an invaluable
tool for showcasing your products or service. Spend the money when
you can to buy a table - believe me when I say it will often be money
well spent. The optimum word here is "exposure."
You didn't forget business cards, did you? How else
will you leave a lasting impression with a potential client or customer?
Most importantly, invest in your business cards - have them printed
with a logo and be sure the card indicates what it is that you do.
Last, but certainly not least, if you wish to present
a really professional image to clients, to the buying public, to everyone,
you need a press kit. This contains your brochure (did you forget
one of these? I don't have one yet, but you know, the shoemaker and
the shoes?), a really impressive bio on you, a business card, perhaps
a photo, testimonials if you have them yet, any articles about your
business. To really make a professional impact, ensure that everything
in your press kit matches in color of paper and ink and that the appropriate
pieces contain your logo.
Logo? What is that? Have a professional graphic designer
do something especially for you that truly depicts your business.
This is an abridged version of a course in public relations,
but the essentials are here. Of course, if any of these suggestions
scare you or appear overwhelming, there are public relations professionals
(like me) out there only too happy to assist.
About the Author
Arlene Goldberg is a Free-Lance Publicist/Writer/Editor
living in Ventura, California. Her clients include small business
owners and authors. She can be reached at kaitz@aol.com.
Listening
Can Make You Rich!
Listening is How to Make More Money in Your
Direct Sales Business??
By David Klaybor
Let's define LISTENING as it applies to your network
marketing business... Listening is not just HEARING, it is:
A method of tuning in to the communication process
initiated during your business activities.
The art of applying oneself to hearing something from
another person in hopes of sponsoring them or retailing your product.
To place your undivided attention to something important
to your business survival.
To take notice or heed some communication with another
so as not to waste your time or theirs.
A listening post: a strategic position for gathering
information.
I love this last point... it is extremely important
for you to visualize yourself as the person in charge of manning
the "listening post" opposite the person you are talking
to. Your mission is to gather information 1st, then share data 2nd...
not the other way around. How do you know what your prospects hot
buttons are? How do you know what will motivate them to take action,
(buying your product or sponsoring with you).
Are you the type of person that just "brain dumps"
everything you know about your company hoping you hit one of their
hot buttons in the process? This method is the most widely used
in sharing MLM business opportunities and the least effective. This
is the, "throw it up against the wall and see if anything sticks"
approach. Sure it's a numbers game... but intelligently planned
presentations are the key to your ultimate success. Being lucky
is great, but developing the art of listening is critical to your
overall success in this industry.
Career Professional Network Marketers are accomplished
listeners. Every personal development teacher I know suggests that
one of the key ingredients to achieving success is by developing
the ability to listen to others.
I know you probably agree with me, but wouldn't you
also agree that it is hard for most people to be a good listener?
On a scale from 1-10, how would you rate your listening skills,
I mean really. You and I, we all need to keep reminding ourselves
that we have two ears and only one month. God knows best, he designed
us for success, our ego's, our selfishness, our wanting the center-stage,
our wanting to continually be heard just keeps us from taking an
interest in what others are saying to us... we keep overriding our
eardrums commands to our brains. Can we solve this problem? Sure.
Let me share with you how I discovered how I could
become a better listener?... maybe you'll find it worthwhile in
working your business. Write me with your success stories. Here's
the secret... LEARN TO ASK GOOD QUESTIONS! It's really that simple.
The better your questions, the more successful you will become at
listening to the thoughts and concerns of others.
In the sales or "sharing" environment, most
distributors find themselves talking endlessly about their business
opportunity. This is a HUGE mistake. People (your customers or potential
clients) do not want to hear you go on and on about how great you
are, how great your company or product is, or how miserable their
life is without your help.
Take this fun test: Join a group of your friends that
are sharing a conversation and count the number of declarative sentences
they use in a row before they ask a question. A good rule of thumb
that I learned from one of my mentors David Cooper, was 3-6 declarative
sentences followed by a question. Every time you ask someone a meaningful
question about what you're talking about, their mind has to subconsciously
review what you have said before they respond. This technique insures
that your party is listening to you and that they understand the
point you are attempting to communicate to them.
Listen Very Carefully But, Be Careful Who You Listen
To. Beware the "Dream Stealers."
Good Luck and Let Me Know!
Dave
About the Author
David Klaybor is President of PowerLine Systems a
world-class training and consulting firm http://www.powerminduniv.com
who also manufactures the finest Business Planning System designed
specifically for the NWM industry. To ask questions, schedule a
seminar or get a free tape on how to make $100k/yr. in NWM…
email: CaptainDave@PowerLineSystems.
