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 MLM
Woman Issue 137
June 2008
From the Desk of the
Editor
Welcome to the 137th edition of the MLM Woman Newsletter and
a fresh crop of new ideas to help you build your business as we
sail towards summer.
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!
You can also view the articles from this month's issue at the
MLM
Woman Newsletter blog . This blog will be updated each month
with new content from our monthly newsletter. So head over and take
a peak.
And also be sure to check out our Moms
in Business Blog and MLM
Marketing Blog,
and my Twitter
Tips Blog for lots of additional tips and resources
which are added throughout the month.
Yours in Success!
Linda Locke, Editor MLMWoman
Celebrating Your
Uniqueness
By Linda Locke
Editor, MLMWoman.com
One of the best ways to promote your business and
to stand out from the crowd is by uncovering what is truly unique
about your business and celebrating it. But how do you find your
uniqueness, and how do you communicate it once you've discovered
what it is?
Here's five ideas to get you started:
1. Tell your business story. By telling people your story
about your unique business journey (why and how you started your
business), people will start to make a connection with you, especially
if they can personally relate to your story. After all, people like
to do business with people that they like and trust and can relate
to. Your story will help them to decide if they want to do business
with you. Just be sure to keep your story true, consistent and authentic
and you'll make the connection.
2. Make it personal. Tell your prospective customers and
prospects what you offer that is different and better than anyone
else. In other words, answer the unasked question lingering in their
minds, "What's In It For Me?". Maybe you offer fast delivery,
or personalized services, or a unique system or training program
that you designed. Whatever it is, make sure it's something that's
perceived as truly valuable.
3. Think outside the box. Get a copy of Seth Godin's "The
Purple Cow" for ideas on how to make your business truly remarkable.
And read his blog http://sethgodin.typepad.com/
regularly to stretch your marketing mind with a fresh perspective
from a master marketer.
4. Target a niche market. Select one or two niche markets
to focus on. Develop a marketing campaign designed to get their
attention and that focuses on what's important to that niche. How
do you find a good niche? To start, list the niches that you are
part of yourself. This makes it easier for you to figure out what
that group's needs and wants are and also makes it easier for them
to identify with you.
5. Think service - Providing excellent customer service
and going that extra mile will definitely get you noticed. Answer
your phone messages and emails promptly, fix problems with a smile
and always keep your word.
Seven Things You
Can Do
to Sponsor New Distributors
By Audrey Okaneko
If you are in network marketing, then one of your
goals should be to meet new people and to sponsor new people into
your business. Here are seven things you can do to begin a relationship
with others:
1. Make a goal of talking to at least two new people every single
day about your business. I’m not saying to “pitch your
deal” to someone, I’m suggesting mentioning some aspect
of your business every single day to at least two others. Maybe
this will be sharing an article. Maybe this will be brainstorming
on product usage. Maybe this will be asking someone if they’d
like a catalog. Two people every day for a month is 60 new people
you’ll have spoken to in just one month.
2. Join at least one new online or offline community and get involved.
You might join a message board community online, or you might join
a networking community such as Ryze or MySpace. Don’t just
join, go one step further and get involved. Offline, you might join
a local non profit, or you might join a local breakfast club. Again,
go beyond joining and get involved.
3. Load up your purse, briefcase and car with business materials.
Make sure you have business cards, catalogs and recruiting information
with you, everywhere you go. You never know when someone you meet
will want information or a catalog.
4. Create a newsletter. What can you write about that others will
enjoy learning about? If you don’t have a website to promote
this newsletter, consider using a service like Yahoo Groups. I get
a few newsletters via Yahoo Groups. This is a wonderful way to meet
others and share your knowledge. Thousands of people search Yahoo
Groups each and every day and just might be looking for the newsletter
you’re offering.
5. Make a goal of talking to five new people every single day.
This is different than the above suggestion of talking to two people
about business. I’m suggesting that you make a point of introducing
yourself and saying hello to five new people every single day. In
one month’s time that is 150 people you will have met. There’s
a good chance that of those 150 people, one of them knows someone
who wants what you’re offering.
6. Reconnect with old acquaintances. Write an email or make a phone
call and say hello to folks you have not spoken with in a long time.
Just this past week, I was in a community and recognized a woman
I had known from two years ago. I sent her an email, told her how
wonderful it was to see her again, caught up with her and discovered
she wants what I have to offer.
7. Make a point to learn new things this month. For example, I’ve
never used Twitter. It’s my goal to learn how to use Twitter
this month. What have you thought about learning more about? Make
it a point to learn something new this month and to implement this
new learning into your business.
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
About the Author
Audrey Okaneko has been working at home since 1983. She can be reached
at audreyoka@cox.net or visited
at www.recipe-barn.com
 What
Is RIGHT About Network Marketing?
Copyright © 2008 by Sue Seward.
All Rights Reserved.
Network Marketing is one of the only industries that actually gives
a person the chance to take back the American dream.
It allows someone like myself who barely made it out of high school,
who went to college and dropped out to go to work - to build a credible
career that pays as much or more than a lot of people who have college
degrees earn and pays you even when you're not able to work! Where
else can someone earn an income even if they cannot work with the
exception of government assistance?
In network marketing though it's earned and not because someone
is giving a handout. Instead of giving people an apple to feed them
for one day teach people to plant an apple orchard and feed them
for life.
The industry gives someone like myself with no experience, no income,
no credibility, no contacts, no confidence, no corporate background
or degrees, incredible leadership growth and experience which is
priceless! So even if it was all lost today it could be done all
over again because of the self-development and experience gained
from being a part of this industry. How can something be wrong about
that?
There's absolutely everything right about Network Marketing for
the people who see it for what it really is and start treating it
like the real business it really is meant to be.
So many people get into Network Marketing with the ole 'I'll give
it a try' attitude. They never set their enterprise up like a real
business entity right from the start so it's never treated like
a real business.
Network Marketing is really treated more like a hobby by many people
who for the most part it doesn't have much significance or priority
for them. Others outside our industry pick up on that attitude and
do not take these people serious and then they wonder why people
poke fun and complain about what's wrong with network marketing?
People get started and you hear them saying you mean there's an
investment in this and in myself? What happens is they never really
get started right in the first place and end up quitting because
they simply cannot handle delayed gratification.
Entrepreneurs invest in themselves and work for no pay for many
years. They understand and can handle delayed gratification because
they realize that the eventual pay off can be huge. Sometimes they
have losses and they overcome those too and do it all over again.
They have a business minded attitude, they act and present themselves
as professionals. People and business are attracted to them.
It's up to the leaders in this industry to show professionalism
to our teams and to the entire industry at all times. That also
means to not bash another person's company or product or try and
talk them into or convince them to join yours when they are not
interested.
When people decide not to build their belief in themselves and the
industry they simply will not build a profitable business and then
turn around and say something must be wrong with the entire industry.
It's not the industry that has the flaw, it's some of the people
who tout it as easy and get rich quick to people who are cash addicted
and have no priority for running a business in the first place because
they never treat it like one right from the start.
My husband went to school for years, got his degree and studied
for his professional license for many years and ended up with professional
land surveyor licenses in five states. I remember all those grueling
hours of study he had to do to accomplish this.
If he was to start a survey business it would cost us in the 100's
of thousands of dollars just for all the equipment needed, office
space, employees, benefits to them, etc. It would take years to
see a profit and if the economy is slow there's no work and people
start to be laid off!
When we brought our son James to Austin to play tennis almost a
year ago he was a very weak player, a pudgy 14 year old who was
30 pounds heavier, who they had to take and mold like a piece of
clay. He has had to work very hard to compete here with these kids
who have been playing tennis at the academy, many of them since
they were six or eight years old. Most of them are way ahead of
him. He has made it this far because he has a sincere desire to
become one of the top players and obtain a college scholarship.
His coach said he has to do even more and it has to do mostly with
his attitude to win!
For many months we thought that we had made a mistake and were
wasting all this money because we just were not seeing him winning
the matches and moving up in levels. It has been grueling to watch
him lose match after match. Not really realizing that he's right
on target with his training!
At the end of the year party we were shocked to hear that our son
was giving the end of the year speech! If you all knew James you'd
know he's extremely quite and shy. He barely speaks in school. He
took the challenge the coach gave him and we had tears of joy when
he gave his speech loud and clear in front of over 50 people including
his peers! That took a tremendous amount of courage and it gave
us hope and reassurance that we've done the right thing by bringing
him to Austin to play tennis!
There are people who drop out of the academy because they don't
see the progress quick enough. The coaches told us that by what
our son is doing now we'll see the results in four more months.
What he did four months ago we're seeing right now! It's amazing
to see the leader he's becoming and it's taken a huge amount of
sacrifice and investment for our family to give him this opportunity!
In fact, if it were not for network marketing he would not have
this opportunity in the first place.
It's the same with our network marketing business. When we do all
the right things now we will see the positive results come back
to us in the near future. Three to four years and even five years
is not much time really to invest in the freedom that network marketing
provides and that my friends is what is so RIGHT about network marketing!
I'm proud of our son, love being a Network Marketer and so proud
to be an American and appreciate all that network marketing has
given and also excited about what we can all give back to the greatest
industry in the world because they are all watching us guys and
gals! Remember this saying by Ralph Waldo Emerson? "What you
do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say."
Where you are now is because of decisions you made five years ago.
Where you'll be in the next five years will be because of decisions
you make TODAY!
About the Author
Sue Seward is an entrepreneur, Network Marketing Online Coach and
top income earner in the industry, who has been working from home
online since 1996. She encourages self-growth and teaches people
how to develop valuable connections online and turn them into long
term relationships for building a home-based enterprise. 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 visit http://www.SueSeward.com
and/or call 800-985-4697.
Sequencing
If I Knew Then What I Know Now
By Judy H. Wright
To: Those who come after us, with us or
beside us
RE: What I have learned from my life journey
Sequencing is the one word that sums up what
I know to be true. It took me some time to really "get
it." It being that you can have, be and accomplish
anything you want in life, but not all at one time. Living
in anticipation of this season to be over so that you can
find happiness in the next is a fallacy and prime breeding
ground for resentment and stomachaches.
Rushing through school, so I could enjoy vacation,
I got the education, but sometimes missed the wisdom. Eager
to start real life, I sometimes overlooked life lessons.
Wishing the babies would get potty trained so I would be
more mobile, I sometimes forgot staying home was okay. Hoping
they would pass the driver's license test so I wouldn't
have to drive them everywhere, I suddenly realized the drive
was the best communication model available. Hungry for a
promotion at work, so I could climb higher on a ladder leaning
against an institution I didn’t even like, I woke up
to my real passion, and it wasn’t Corporate America.
"To everything there is a season, and
a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born,
and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck
up that which is planted." - Ecclesiastes 3:1-2
Sure I was busy, but was I productive? Was
it imperative to be on so many boards and involved in so
many organizations in order to hurry change? Why was I so
annoyed when others didn't see the same vision I had? Was
I impatient to pluck what had been planted, before it had
fully matured? My greatest crop has been fine children who
like themselves and each other. My marriage is solid and
our retirement is secure. In terms of worldly accomplishments
and acclaim, I have done well. But, I forgot to enjoy myself
along the way.
Hasty at waiting for the "real stuff"
to happen, I frequently neglected to savor the season. Now
I know that all the good things would have happened anyway,
just a little later in my life. Now, I know that there is
time to take walks with a friend and not be afraid to miss
the boat. There will be another one coming along soon, and
it might be headed to a far better destination than any
of us could have ever imagined.
My advice to you, my dear friends: You have
plenty of time to do all that you were destined to do. Climb
in the rowboat, but don't be so concerned about steering
or paddling against the current. Relax, and enjoy the scenery
and the season. You will get where you want to be soon enough
by just going with the flow and trusting that you are where
you need to be, doing what you need to be doing and learning
what you need to be learning right now.
Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com
About the Author
As we all work on becoming better people tomorrow than we
are today, we can use assistance. If you are interested
in learning more about the power of encouragement, receive
a free eBook by clicking on www.UseEncouragingWords.com
this book was written by Judy H. Wright aka Auntie Artichoke,
the storytelling trainer who conducts workshops on mutual
respect and kindness. To join her teleclass series or see
the other books and articles available see wwwArtichokePress.com
Join us at we find the heart of the story in the journey
of life.
 Choose
the MLM Business That Fits Your Personality
By Ronda Tuckness
If you do not choose the MLM business that fits your personality,
you will not last long in the business. If you are forced
to do things that you detest in order to build your business,
you will never be successful.
Here is a perfect example. I do not like home parties.
I don't like jewelry parties, home decor parties, makeup
parties, candle parties, or kitchen gadget parties. I would
rather have a root canal than attend one of these functions.
Therefore, joining an MLM company that is based on home
parties would be a foolish thing for me to do. Home parties
are an option in my company, but they are not mandatory.
Other distributors say that we should all participate in
at least a few of these in order to be able to train new
distributors.
I wholeheartedly disagree. Our company provides detailed
training in home parties just as it does with other areas
of our business. Why should I feel obligated to try each
and every method that my company recommends? The answer
is simple: I don't.
Most people will simply not join a business opportunity
that mandates how they should run their business. I would
never join a home party business when my only interest is
in building online.
On the other hand, for those of you who love home parties,
then that type of business is perfect for you. You will
do well because you will enjoy what you do. Those who attend
your parties will see your excitement and it will be contagious.
There are companies who teach their distributors to approach
their friends and family, or their warm market. My company
recommends it, but I don't spend much time on it. I have
set up an email signature with a little blurb about my business.
I also have a web decal on the back window of my car with
my website address.
As a result of these two things, my friends and family
know about my business. I never had to approach them and
make them uncomfortable because I told them about my new
candle business. Even if you don't ask for a sale when mentioning
your new home business, it is inferred in your message.
If my warm market is interested, they contact me and ask
me questions about my products or my business. It is true
both with your warm and cold market; prospects that come
to you are better prospects.
You have something that interests them, and they have come
to you either for information or to make a purchase. I am
not a salesman, and I never wanted to be. I will never push
sales of any kind for any reason, so I just do things my
way.
My way is to provide valuable information on my personal
website. I use article writing, ad placement, forum posting,
a blog, an email signature, and various other things to
drive traffic to my site. Those who find something interesting
on my website then contact me, and the relationship begins.
I am in this business because I enjoy it. If I didn't,
I would have quit long ago. You should enjoy it, too. Do
not practice any marketing methods that you are not comfortable
with. Some will disagree because they think that you should
step out of your comfort zone.
While this may be true to an extent, it can also cause
you enough panic and discomfort that you decide to quit.
If you choose the MLM that fits your personality, you will
be much more likely to stay in the game.
About The Author
Ronda Tuckness is involved in network marketing through
her gourmet candle business. She hopes to educate others
with what she has learned. Learn more about MLM at her
website, http://www.FlamingSoy.com
Using Internet Social Media For Small Business Marketing
By April Boone
The Internet has proved to be the biggest marketing
tool by itself for small businesses and large corporations
alike. In fact, everyone who has any sort of product or service
to sell approaches the internet for prime marketing. It has,
in the last two decades, become the cheapest means of reaching
a target audience without having to pay through the nose,
as many companies were wont to do before its advent.
The internet is an autonomous entity that contains
more than merely web pages or web masters. It's more than
any one person can imagine, with a vast number of websites
which number in the millions. More than one billion people
get online everyday, either to check mail, or surf the net,
or perform research. And out of these, most get on the social
websites to meet new people and have a good time. This is
where you come in.
As a small business owner, networking is extremely
important for your business. Websites such as Facebook, Stumbleupon,
Digg, Twitter are social communication websites which offer
you a wide platform for increasing publicity for your site.
How do you do this? Simple.
Let us first have a look at how Facebook serves
as your marketing platform. It's called the Facebook economy.
Everyone who knows anyone is on it. First step: Register.
Build your business profile on it. And then network like crazy.
Get into Make New Friends, register your website or blog on
it, join all business ventures related to your field, socialize
and make a name for yourself. You'll soon see increased traffic
on your actual website (Did I mention you need to have your
own website? Not for Facebook, but so people can see what
you're selling.)
Twitter is another form of social communication
media that can get you places. All you need is a following.
Twitter operates on the What Are You Doing Right Now phrase.
Sign up, and get a following. It's the ideal way to market
yourself and your business. Twitter is home to millions of
twitterers. Be one too.
There are many other social media out there.
Get onto them, figure out how they work, and get marketing.
If you have to spend two hours each day on advertising your
website, why not do it in the most efficient way? So start
today.
About the Author
April Boone is the owner
of Global Marketing Solutions. Get more about small business
issues at FreelanceSprout.com
Free Promotion:
Signature Advertising
By Tammy Embrich
Signature advertising has proven to be an excellent
(free) advertising source for online marketers today.
What is a signature? A signature is a
block of text at the end of your forum/newsgroup messages
or emails. It includes your name, a brief blurb or saying
about you and/or your business, and a link to your website
or business.
What is signature advertising? Signature
advertising is simply including your signature in your postings
on forums/newsgroups and at the end of any emails you send
out. It is a proven fact that about 75% of people surfing
the Internet today will click on your signature links. And
it's 100% free advertising!
To make the most out of signature advertising,
(if you intend on advertising through message forums or newsgroups),
you need to subscribe to as many of them as possible that
relate to your website or business. Always make for sure you
read the posting and signature rules on each forum you join...important!
If rules are not followed, you could be banned permanently.
Once you have joined the forums, don't forget
to create your signature.
Important Note: Always make sure you
have "always include your signature" ticked on all
your profiles in each of the forums. This way, your signature
will always automatically appear after all your posts. Also
always make for sure you follow the character length rules
in your signature in all forums.
Catchy Link Titles
It is important to have catchy link titles in your signatures
to entice the members to click on your links. Try different
ones....create link titles with short word phrases that relate
to your website or business. Signature advertising has proven
to be effective over and over again, especially in message
forums. Try and make your links as creative as possible, to
try and perk the readers attention and make them want to click
on your link.
In message forums (related to your website or
business) start out by participating in conversations...answering
questions, sharing advice/tips, welcoming new members to the
forums, and just having fun getting to know the other forum
members. There is usually a folder in the forums where you
are allowed to enter your ad for your website or business
promotion. Please always read any rules for those ad postings.
Important Note: It is always important
to begin in each forum by FIRST...introducing yourself and
telling a little about your business and what you do from
home. In this introduction, leave out any ads. The Introduction
folder in message forums is for getting to know other members
and sharing a little bit about yourself and is not intended
for ads. If you do include an ad or affiliate link in the
Introduction folders, it will most likely be deleted by the
administrator.
Another effective signature advertising method
is including your signature with a link to your website or
business at the end of all of your outgoing email messages.
You will be surprised at how many people click on these links.
Once you get a good amount of signature links
out there in the public eye, you will soon discover more and
more traffic to your website. This could mean sales for your
business, someone interested in networking with you...a number
of things.
Wishing you much success in your online business
endeavors...and Happy Posting!
Back
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We want your feedback!
Send e-mail comments to
Linda at: regent@west.net
Copyright 2008,
Regent Press
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