Make a good choice....

...and recommit EVERY day.


Well this is the longest time I have gone without posting.

It's not that I have been in a creative vacuum, not at all !

I have been building a new website-- it will be a bit before I am ready to unveil it, but you will be the first to know.

This activity, the energy of creating something, has inspired me to dream again.

In researching my company for accurate information, I am sold all over again on Lexxus International and our Go Global vision. (That's just a little hint about the new site. ;o)

That thought brings me to the point of my writing. It has occurred to me why it is so important to read about your company, the management, the big stars, the products and the vision. In fact it is absolutely crucial to your success that you sell yourself on your business every day.

You see, this industry is full of pitfalls, and dream stealing traps. There's a tiger in the bushes, and a wolf on the street corner. Distractions, and fears, that can throw you off track when your enthusiasm wans.

There are many reasons why you started your business...right? Whether you have been with your company for a month or a decade, you should be able to count those reasons off one by one.

Part of keeping yourself focussed on your goal and your reason has to include a daily supplement of company related "energy". You need to immerse yourself in the "culture" of the industry until it becomes a part of who you are.

Here's what I do to stay on the bubble.

• Attend ALL meetings and training calls


• Phone my upline sponsor daily


• Listen to the stories of success


• Search for and read articles written by other networkers


• Read a chapter daily from a personal development book


• Participate daily in Networking conversations. (my area is woefully shy on network marketing success stories, so I meet up with some of my friends in an MLM forun


• Attend ALL company conventions and events.


• Seek out an upline mentor.


• Teach what I have learned to others

I know, without a doubt, that the company that I work with is by far the best choice for me, and for many other people, and I resell the vision to myself every day.

Now having said that, how do you know if your current lack of success is a company or support flaw, or if it is you. Let's face it, you don't always make the right choice the first time. The first thing you need to understand is that what you thought might have been true as a new distributor, may just turn out to be "smoke and mirrors". It is important to give yourself permission to change your mind if it turns out that you made a bad choice, but it is also important to know the difference.

Here are the things that should be in place to help ensure your success in the business you are in.

Training materials that are easily accessible and free.

Strong upline support. Somewhere in your upline there needs to be someone who is willing to dedicate a little time to your success.

Consumable products that are of the highest quality, in great demand, and affordably priced.

A system for introducing new people to your company and products that is easily duplicable by the greenest of new distributors.

A management team that is focussed on growth, and the distributors in the field.

A company vision that is in alignment with your own ethics and standards.

A solid compensation plan that is easy to understand and explain, and easy to work for newcomers and seasoned veterans alike.

If all these things are in place, and things are still not working out the way you had planned or hoped, then it is time to call (or find) your mentor and ask for some coaching. If any of these things are lacking, then it may be time to look around for a stronger company.

Whatever you decide, chase your dream, work diligently and with focus for what you want, and have fun along the way.

Shelley Penney is a network marketing and internet marketing specialist with 7 years in the field. She is currently mentoring a small group of people to achieve financial freedom from home.

Network Marketing 101 - Pick Your Partners

My friend Dave Stone of NetWork Marketing Today has a series of essays "in progress" called Network Marketing 101 Feel free to visit his blog when you are finished here! You will find practical, ethical advice from an industry peer!
NetWork Marketing Today

Here is Dave's latest installment.

I can remember being new to Network Marketing. I can remember being excited about my program and products. I believed that EVERYONE would want to sign up into my business. I recall the anxiety associated with the first phone call made to invite one of my friends to a presentation using the dreaded "curiosity approach". I recall my first dose of the harsh reality of network marketing after facing several "no's" or "is this a pyramid?" or "is this MLM?" or the worst one, "is this Amway?". I was thrown to the wolves and I was handed my hat.

Many new marketers that step into the arena may find themselves with these all too common experiences. At first, it is all about survival and endurance. Some don't live through their first rejection before they move on and quit. Some are a bit tougher and may face multiple rejections but eventually succumb.

I experienced many negatives and became frustrated that my business wasn't growing as quickly as I wanted. I sought out coaching from my uplines and any training I could that might make the journey a bit more enjoyable and rewarding.

I continued to plug along, had some meager success but found I was still far from my selected goals. Looking back on this time (hindsight) I now understand that I had fallen into the trap of letting my potential partners choose me. I believe this was evident in two ways.

First, I had taken the rejection personally and this began to wear away at my self-confidence. This revealed itself through the lack of conviction in the words I used and the tone of my voice. I was seeking people that would be committed but yet my manner did not display the exact kind of commitment that I was trying to attract. I received exactly what I was broadcasting.

Second, stemming from my confidence issues, I would prospect and present my program in what I can best categorize as "white noise". I have heard it said that inside a dog's brain is a constant stream of low-level static. That was me. Nervous chatter and way too much "telling and selling". If you need to convince people to join your enterprise, they may enter but not of their own commitment. These same people will need a higher degree of assurance and continued convincing through every activity or adversity. This, in most cases, will generate high degrees of negativity for YOU. You will find yourself spending otherwise precious, productive hours coaxing and consoling and coercing and convincing and counseling because your team signed up on YOUR reasons.

You should assess the strength of your business by the strength of those that are joining you. They may not match your level of commitment or dedication. They may not match your intensity and drive. They may not match many other attributes but, I believe, the one element that you should seek most of all is desire.

You may yourself have limited skills but if you possess an UNLIMITED DESIRE, you can and will accomplish anything you set your sights on. This is what you should also be looking for in your prospective business partners.
-Dave Stone, NetWork Marketing Today blog

What to do when you just don't want to.

Network marketing is work just like any business. We are constantly battling apathy, hype, and a poor reputation. It is definitely character building, and many people give up out of frustration or discouragement. The true leaders in this industry knows how important it is to work, even when you don't feel like it.

The KEY is to work a plan and hold yourself accountable to it.

You need to plan your work, and follow through.

If you are working an MLM or network marketing business, planning your work
is critical to your success. You need to make a clear, quantifiable and executional plan for your day, your month and your year. As well, you need a long term projection, let's say 5 years.


PLAN YOUR WORK

1. Set your goals. Your goals need to be measurable. That means very specific, and when you reach them there is no doubt. i.e. "I want to make more money" is not a measurable goal. Substitute instead with "I want to earn $5000 a week"
2. Write them down. On paper, in pen. List your goals in order of priority.
3. Make a plan of execution. Figure out on paper exactly what you need to do. For example, how many distributors on your team, on autoship, how many new team members, will you need to accomplish your goal. Then ask how many people will I have to put through the system to accomplish that. How many calls will I have to make per day.
4. Now write your daily plan of action.
i.e. Monday contact 20 new people.
Tuesday contact 20 new people. Follow up with people from Monday that visited website or requested more information.................

Make a full schedule of work, recreation, family time. Mark it all on the calendar with different colors signifying different activities. i.e. Green ink= money making activities. Red ink = spouse or partner time ...

Then put down what the expected results are.

Make yourself accountable. Send your plan to your mentor, or share it with a loved one. It is easy to let yourself down, but not as easy to disappoint someone you respect.

WORK YOUR PLAN



Now, get to work.

There will be times when you don't FEEL like working.
But the fact that you have a schedule, and someone who believes in you will help to keep you on track. Once you have established a routine, the work is much easier. Before you know it, you will hardly need to look at your schedule to know what you have to do.

Working your plan sometimes means working when you don't feel like it.
Make working your plan a habit.

Shelley Penney is a network marketing and internet marketing specialist with 7 years in the field. She is currently mentoring a small group of people to achieve financial freedom from home.

Treat your business like a business!!

Treat Your Business Like A Business
By Shan Eisler

Business Builder Extraordinaire
Wife, Mother, CEO

One of the truly remarkable benefits of direct selling is that it can bind your family together. For that to happen, the first sale you must make is to your family members. They are part of your business, too, and can be a tremendous help if you let them. Key to making that sale is your commitment to making the business work for you. I found I had to be very creative to balance and fulfill all my commitments.

My kids were five and six when I started. I made a large Smiley Face sign and a Stop sign to post on my office door. When I could be interrupted, I put up the Smiley Face. When I was making calls, I put up the Stop sign. The kids understood and supported me, even though they were small.

My kids had two sets of toys. The premium, really fun stuff came out when I had the Stop sign on my door. These special toys were put away when the Smiley Face went up. A favorite was an easel and art tools. We were careful to prominently display their art in the kitchen so they got recognition for helping to build Mommy’s business.

I paid a neighborhood teenager to come in and play with my kids during times the Stop sign was up. This way, I was accessible to them but could focus on work until they needed me.

I enlisted the help of my husband early on. This wonderful man has taken on much of the work behind running our home. To help that happen, we agreed on specific tasks that he could do to allow me the time to grow my business.

Managing Your Time and Resources
Open your business every day. In direct selling, you get to decide whether you are employed or unemployed every day. You are only employed if you are open for business—doing the things required to conduct business.
I found out early on that I needed to have a fairly detailed schedule for integrating family activities with work. A clear idea of what needed to happen allowed us to make sure the family was fully cared for, even when deeply involved in business.
You need to figure out whether you are a morning person or a night person. The best hours for your business doors to be open are from 9 A.M. to 9 P.M. These are the hours when you can work with people. If you are a morning person, do your paperwork in the morning, before 9 A.M., if a night person, do your paperwork after 9 P.M.
I also did the math and found that if I was earning $35 per hour it didn’t make sense for me to do my own cleaning if I could pay someone else $10 per hour to do it for me.
I plan menus by the month. On the evenings when I need to be out, or if I have a heavy afternoon’s worth of work, we enjoy crock-pot meals. This way, I have no wasted time wondering what to feed the family and meals are served on a regular schedule.
I never shop for office supplies. Most office supply stores deliver if you order online or by phone.
I have learned to think before making a commitment. My immediate response is “Let me get back to you.” I then weigh the time costs of accepting a commitment against the emotional costs of declining, and then make a final decision.
My children are now 18 and 19. Far from feeling neglected, they have both thanked me for working in my direct-selling business from home and teaching them a strong work ethic. By working from home, we have always been there for each other.

Today’s Actions for Family and Business
Are you treating your business like a business or a hobby? Gain your family’s support by:

Taking an action that expresses your appreciation for their support—special toys, outings, or other rewards.
Closely managing your calendar and keeping everyone in the family in the loop about expectations and plans.
Increasing your productive hours by taking advantage of free and inexpensive services such as delivery and babysitting.

Thanks to the author! This article is featured at MLM.COM
A great site for articles, discussion forum and resources!

Shelley Penney is a network marketing and internet marketing specialist with 7 years in the field. She is currently mentoring a small group of people to achieve financial freedom from home.

Pay attention to the details!

A couple from Minneapolis decided to go to Florida to thaw out during one particularly icy winter. They planned to stay at the very same hotel where
they spent their honeymoon 20 years earlier.

Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult to coordinate their travel schedules. So, the husband left Minnesota and flew to Florida on Thursday, with his wife flying down the following day. The husband checked into the hotel.
There was a computer in his room, so he decided to send an e-mail to his wife.

However, he accidentally left out one letter in her email address, and without realizing his error, he sent the email.

Meanwhile, somewhere in Houston, a widow had just returned home from her husband's funeral. He was a minister of many years who was called home to glory following a sudden heart attack. The widow decided to check her email expecting messages of condolence from relatives and friends. After reading the first message, she fainted.

The widow's son rushed into the room, found his mother on the floor, and saw the computer screen which read:

To: My Loving Wife
Subject: I've Arrived
Date: 16 January 2005

I know you're surprised to hear from me. They have computers here now and you are allowed to send e-mails to your loved ones. I've just arrived and have been checked in. I see that everything has been prepared for your arrival tomorrow. Looking forward to seeing you then! Hope your journey is as uneventful as mine was.

P.S. Sure is hot down here!

Shelley Penney is a residual income specialist an author, mentor and trainer to the home business industry.