Growing up, one of my favorite shows was the original Star Trek and my favorite character was Spock. He was logical and unemotional . . . like me (at the time). I loved it when he would place his hands on a person’s head and do the Vulcan mind meld. It was a combining of thoughts, experiences, knowledge, and memories. It was also a melding of two different cultures.
As I was contemplating this month’s theme: Old School versus New School, I immediately thought of the mind meld and realized that in order for us to be successful in network marketing we can’t be either old or new school, but a melding of both.
Back in 1979, when I joined the network marketing industry, we didn’t have computers, the internet, web sites, autoresponders, web conferences, e-mail, instant messaging, VOIP telephone, voice mail, cell phones, PDA’s, DVD’s, CD’s, or teleconferences. All we had was a pad, pen, and our personality. We met face-to-face, belly-to-belly and drew circles. We showed the plan, showed the plan, and showed the plan. It was a different culture than what we see today and yet it worked and continues to work.
In 1995 I started with a new company and decided to build on the internet. We developed a team image web site, offered a free book for those who were interested and would provide us with their contact information. We created the tag-team system of e-mailing, where a new prospect would receive 3 to 5 e-mails from our group, showing them a real team approach. We conducted weekly opportunity teleconferences for our network to use and did training conferences for our downline at least once a month. This was truly a “new school” business and it worked. We built a large international network that is still in place today and even though I’ve been semi-retired since 2001, it still generates a full-time residual income.
I learned a valuable lesson in that “new school” business – technology is great for sifting and sorting, but people still want to know that there is a live body behind all the technology. At first we were striving to build a completely self-contained system that would take a prospect from start to finish without human involvement. Although we built the system, it didn’t work.
We found the answer in John Naisbitt’s best seller, Megatrends. Although the book was published in 1988, it had great prophetic insight into the 21st century. Naisbitt spoke of the need for high touch with the high tech. Ah, the melding of two cultures. The old school mixed with the new school. As we began to apply this principle to our high tech system, it worked. We used the technology to sift through the lookers and find those who were serious. We engaged them in e-mail conversation and as trust was built, they would agree to a phone conversation. Once we reached that point, our average close ratio was over 75%. True high tech and high touch . . . new school and old school working together.
I love all the technology we have available to us in network marketing today. It makes building a business so much easier. However, I never want to forget that we are dealing with people and people need high touch. They want to hear our voice or see our face. They still like the personal interaction. The old school and new school must meld together into something better. Something more productive. Something that really works.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Get Paid to Prospect for Your MLM Biz
Over the last 29 years in network marketing, I’ve used just about every possible method of prospecting. I’ve worked my warm market, cold prospected, purchased leads, advertised in the newspaper, mailed letters to business people, passed out videos and audios, placed opportunity cards on car windows and handed them to people, posted flyers with tear off strips, and advertised on the internet, just to name a few. In every case, it cost me both time and money to prospect, but if it produced results, the investment was valid. However, recently I’ve discovered a way to have my cake and eat it too. I’ve found a system that pays me to prospect for my network marketing business. Now, that’s what I’m talkin’ about!!!
It’s called a funded business system – meaning that the system funds itself (and you). Here’s how it works. You create a book or e-book that every network marketer would want. If you have the idea, but not the writing abilities, e-mail me and I’ll write it for you. Next, you set up a web system that teases the reader about the book and offers a 5 to 10 day free training, which is delivered by autoresponder. In this training you give the reader some of the key ideas from your book and then sell them on the benefits of buying the book. Each e-mail should include an ordering link. The system will take the order with payment (by credit card or PayPal) and instantly deliver the e-book or promise delivery of the book.
Here’s the exciting part – each person who subscribes to the free training and purchases a book is someone interested in network marketing. They are typically in one of three places: (1) Looking for a company – in which case, you could present your network marketing business; (2) Already with a company, but not completely happy and would be open to looking at alternatives – in which case, you would present your business; (3) Already with a company and completely happy – in which case, you would keep them in a database and revisit every 4 to 6 months (as the average network marketer will change companies every 6 to 12 months until they hit it big or quit the industry). The book and autoresponder training will position you as an industry authority, which sets you apart from other network marketers.
All you have to do is get the word out about your book. You can advertise on the many free classified sites, post information in the various MLM forums, start your own blog, or write articles like this one and submit it to network marketing resource sites. Once you’ve put the system into action, it will produce for you – both leads and income, which you can then use to fund other sources of marketing for your business.
This almost seems too good to be true and if I hadn’t seen the results with my own eyes (and bank account), I’m not sure would believe. A funded business system is a great way to build a network marketing business and make some extra money on the site. It’s particularly good for the person who has just joined a company, as it typically takes a few weeks to a few months to start making money in a network marketing business. By using a funded business system, they can generate leads and a quick income, which just might be what they need to stay in business.
Now, if you don’t want to go through the hassle of developing your own funded business system – writing the book or e-book, developing the web system, writing all the autoresponder trainings, securing a merchant or PayPal business account, and then monitoring the system to make sure that it’s working – then you can use an already established system, such as The 2 Percent Plan (www.the2percentplan.com/plus). This system offers a power-packed e-book I’ve written and a powerful marketing system. You pay a one time fee for the e-book and get the marketing system and five amazing reports for FREE.
I started using some of the elements of a funded business system back in 1995 and they helped me build a large and lucrative international organization in a short amount of time. However, I was disappointed as there were still some missing pieces to the puzzle. Over the years, I’ve uncovered these pieces and have put them together to create The 2 Percent Plan.
So, whether you develop your own funded business system or utilize The 2 Percent Plan, your marketing life will change. Instead of paying for all those overpriced leads or advertising that may or may not produce, you can now get paid to prospect.
It’s called a funded business system – meaning that the system funds itself (and you). Here’s how it works. You create a book or e-book that every network marketer would want. If you have the idea, but not the writing abilities, e-mail me and I’ll write it for you. Next, you set up a web system that teases the reader about the book and offers a 5 to 10 day free training, which is delivered by autoresponder. In this training you give the reader some of the key ideas from your book and then sell them on the benefits of buying the book. Each e-mail should include an ordering link. The system will take the order with payment (by credit card or PayPal) and instantly deliver the e-book or promise delivery of the book.
Here’s the exciting part – each person who subscribes to the free training and purchases a book is someone interested in network marketing. They are typically in one of three places: (1) Looking for a company – in which case, you could present your network marketing business; (2) Already with a company, but not completely happy and would be open to looking at alternatives – in which case, you would present your business; (3) Already with a company and completely happy – in which case, you would keep them in a database and revisit every 4 to 6 months (as the average network marketer will change companies every 6 to 12 months until they hit it big or quit the industry). The book and autoresponder training will position you as an industry authority, which sets you apart from other network marketers.
All you have to do is get the word out about your book. You can advertise on the many free classified sites, post information in the various MLM forums, start your own blog, or write articles like this one and submit it to network marketing resource sites. Once you’ve put the system into action, it will produce for you – both leads and income, which you can then use to fund other sources of marketing for your business.
This almost seems too good to be true and if I hadn’t seen the results with my own eyes (and bank account), I’m not sure would believe. A funded business system is a great way to build a network marketing business and make some extra money on the site. It’s particularly good for the person who has just joined a company, as it typically takes a few weeks to a few months to start making money in a network marketing business. By using a funded business system, they can generate leads and a quick income, which just might be what they need to stay in business.
Now, if you don’t want to go through the hassle of developing your own funded business system – writing the book or e-book, developing the web system, writing all the autoresponder trainings, securing a merchant or PayPal business account, and then monitoring the system to make sure that it’s working – then you can use an already established system, such as The 2 Percent Plan (www.the2percentplan.com/plus). This system offers a power-packed e-book I’ve written and a powerful marketing system. You pay a one time fee for the e-book and get the marketing system and five amazing reports for FREE.
I started using some of the elements of a funded business system back in 1995 and they helped me build a large and lucrative international organization in a short amount of time. However, I was disappointed as there were still some missing pieces to the puzzle. Over the years, I’ve uncovered these pieces and have put them together to create The 2 Percent Plan.
So, whether you develop your own funded business system or utilize The 2 Percent Plan, your marketing life will change. Instead of paying for all those overpriced leads or advertising that may or may not produce, you can now get paid to prospect.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Explode your MLM Biz with Facebook
Facebook is another very popular social networking site that can be used to connect with people. On Facebook you can keep up with friends and family members, share photos and videos, reconnect with old high school or college classmates, discuss interests and hobbies, and plan parties and events.
Once you’ve registered, the next step is to create a profile. This is one of the keys to success, as this information is what people will use to find you. Make sure you include a great picture and lots of information about yourself, your interests, and who you are looking to connect with. You can also include other pictures (family, business, etc.), videos, articles, and links on your profile page. More information is better than less, but don’t use the profile page to pitch your program, rather provide valuable information that will help people.
The next step is to attract friends. Building a large network of friends and developing trust with those friends will enable you to promote The 2 Percent Plan to those interested in network marketing or making some money on the internet. The easiest way to attract friends is to join groups. Find groups of people interested in business, money, home business, network marketing, mlm, and so on. Get to know people, issue a “friend request” and off you go.
Facebook will allow you to set up your own groups. Search the groups, find a niche and set up your own group. This gives you even greater exposure.
You can also do a search for people with certain interests or classmates and send a friend request. This is more directed, but also more time consuming.
If you are a more advanced internet marketer, you can use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to place your blog in your profile. You can also place this same RSS syndication code on other web sites (with their permission), so that all your content is updated at the same time. If you aren’t familiar with RSS, you can do a Google or Yahoo search and find plenty of explanations.
Social networking is a great way to get in touch with people, but the key is to build relationship and this takes time and dedication. Make sure that you respond to friend requests quickly and are issuing your own friend requests every week. As you build trust, you can introduce The 2 Percent Plan and show your friends how they can make some extra money every month. This also opens the door for your to introduce your network marketing program to those who are not already committed to a company.
Social networking takes time and commitment, so only do this if you are willing to give it the effort necessary for success.
**Reprinted from the affiliate back office training in The 2 Percent Plan. For information on how order the new e-book and become a free affiliate: www.the2percentplan.com/plus**
Once you’ve registered, the next step is to create a profile. This is one of the keys to success, as this information is what people will use to find you. Make sure you include a great picture and lots of information about yourself, your interests, and who you are looking to connect with. You can also include other pictures (family, business, etc.), videos, articles, and links on your profile page. More information is better than less, but don’t use the profile page to pitch your program, rather provide valuable information that will help people.
The next step is to attract friends. Building a large network of friends and developing trust with those friends will enable you to promote The 2 Percent Plan to those interested in network marketing or making some money on the internet. The easiest way to attract friends is to join groups. Find groups of people interested in business, money, home business, network marketing, mlm, and so on. Get to know people, issue a “friend request” and off you go.
Facebook will allow you to set up your own groups. Search the groups, find a niche and set up your own group. This gives you even greater exposure.
You can also do a search for people with certain interests or classmates and send a friend request. This is more directed, but also more time consuming.
If you are a more advanced internet marketer, you can use RSS (Really Simple Syndication) to place your blog in your profile. You can also place this same RSS syndication code on other web sites (with their permission), so that all your content is updated at the same time. If you aren’t familiar with RSS, you can do a Google or Yahoo search and find plenty of explanations.
Social networking is a great way to get in touch with people, but the key is to build relationship and this takes time and dedication. Make sure that you respond to friend requests quickly and are issuing your own friend requests every week. As you build trust, you can introduce The 2 Percent Plan and show your friends how they can make some extra money every month. This also opens the door for your to introduce your network marketing program to those who are not already committed to a company.
Social networking takes time and commitment, so only do this if you are willing to give it the effort necessary for success.
**Reprinted from the affiliate back office training in The 2 Percent Plan. For information on how order the new e-book and become a free affiliate: www.the2percentplan.com/plus**
Blog Your Way to Success in MLM
Blogging is one of the hottest new ways to create an internet presence and establish yourself as an authority. Wikipedia describes a blog as “a website, usually maintained by an individual, with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse chronological order.”
Basically, you pick a topic, create the blog (more on this later), and then write your thoughts on that topic. If your blog is interesting and beneficial, people will visit and continue coming back to see what you have to say.
To set up a blog go to www.blogger.com. It’s simple to do.
Here are some keys to effective blogging:
1. Choose a catchy, yet professional sounding title for your blog.
2. Write informative and interesting articles.
3. Write a wide variety of articles on your topic – news, commentary, how-to, etc. The more of your topic area you cover, the more people will come searching for you as their source of information.
4. Use key words effectively in order to get better placement on search engines. When writing your title, it’s best if you use the most searched for keyword (in your topic) at the beginning of the title. Include other keywords throughout your text.
Here are some ideas for promoting your blog:
1. Blog Explosion (www.blogexplosion.com) – this is a blogging community where people can more easily find and read your blog and it’s free.
2. Blogger suggestions – you’ll find a bunch of suggestions on the blogger site by clicking HERE (link to: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42377)
3. Enter your blog on FeedBurner (www.feedburner.com).
4. Enter your blog on DMOZ (www.dmoz.org).
5. Create an RSS feed and submit your feed to the directories – if you’d like to learn more about RSS and how to use it, click HERE (link to: http://www.wizard-creek.com/rss/tutorial/rss-finding-feeds-with-directories.htm)
Blogging is a great way to create yourself as a topic authority, but it does take time and commitment to write new content every day. However, if you develop a solid blog and do a great job of promoting it, you’ll build up a consistently expanding following.
**Reprinted from the affiliate back office training in The 2 Percent Plan. For information on how order the new e-book and become a free affiliate: www.the2percentplan.com/plus**
Basically, you pick a topic, create the blog (more on this later), and then write your thoughts on that topic. If your blog is interesting and beneficial, people will visit and continue coming back to see what you have to say.
To set up a blog go to www.blogger.com. It’s simple to do.
Here are some keys to effective blogging:
1. Choose a catchy, yet professional sounding title for your blog.
2. Write informative and interesting articles.
3. Write a wide variety of articles on your topic – news, commentary, how-to, etc. The more of your topic area you cover, the more people will come searching for you as their source of information.
4. Use key words effectively in order to get better placement on search engines. When writing your title, it’s best if you use the most searched for keyword (in your topic) at the beginning of the title. Include other keywords throughout your text.
Here are some ideas for promoting your blog:
1. Blog Explosion (www.blogexplosion.com) – this is a blogging community where people can more easily find and read your blog and it’s free.
2. Blogger suggestions – you’ll find a bunch of suggestions on the blogger site by clicking HERE (link to: http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42377)
3. Enter your blog on FeedBurner (www.feedburner.com).
4. Enter your blog on DMOZ (www.dmoz.org).
5. Create an RSS feed and submit your feed to the directories – if you’d like to learn more about RSS and how to use it, click HERE (link to: http://www.wizard-creek.com/rss/tutorial/rss-finding-feeds-with-directories.htm)
Blogging is a great way to create yourself as a topic authority, but it does take time and commitment to write new content every day. However, if you develop a solid blog and do a great job of promoting it, you’ll build up a consistently expanding following.
**Reprinted from the affiliate back office training in The 2 Percent Plan. For information on how order the new e-book and become a free affiliate: www.the2percentplan.com/plus**
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