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Network Marketing: Why so Many People Fail

Sunday, July 25th, 2010

Financial Freedom. Wealth. Independence. If you have ever looked into Network Marketing you are sure to have heard these beautiful words and many more like them. Truth be told, these are not just empty promises. Network Marketing can and does give these things to those who succeed. But what about the others? Why do so many people who come in to the Network Marketing Industry leave it soon after with a bitter task in their mouth? Is there some formula one must follow in order to guarentee success? As with everything else in life, YES.

 

Following are things one should consider in order to achieve success in the network marketing world.

 

 First of all is your choice in network marketing companies. There are alot out there. So how do you choose? Well make sure the product is consumable as this will keep your customers coming back. The product should also stand out in the market as having something unique. Most important you have to be passionate about your product. I have a friend who works as an insurance agent. He is very good at what he does, so good in fact that he can sell meat to a vegeterian! But, although he is making lots of money, this guy is miserable. He has no passion for the product he sells. So what good is it to be wealthy if you do not enjoy what you do? Satisfaction. If you are passionate about the product, you will be satisfied when people buy it. Which brings us to the first principle in network marketing.

 

1. Become a product of the products.

If your company makes it, you should be using it. You cannot market a product if you have not tried it yourself! When you use a products and have seen the benefits of it, you will be more enthusiastic about it. People buy into your enthusiasim and when you share your first hand experience of the products they are more likely to be interested in what you have to sell.

 

2. Fall in love with Network Marketing.

What’s not to love? The concept of network marketing is such a simple one really. You are your own boss, you own your own schedule and you choose the people you want to work with. No one looking over your shoulder all the time, having the freedom to build a world wide business from the comfort of your own home, building a residual income for life. The benefits of network marketing are endless. You are in Business where ever you go. Love it, Live it.

 

3. Love people.

 As my friend Margie Aliprandi puts it, “No body cares how much you know, untill they know how much you care” True, you want to sell your product cause that is the way money is made, but that should not be your only concern. You should genuinely have people’s best interest in mind. Give them the best value for their money, put their needs first. When people she how much you care they will be around long term, whether they are customers or team members. As for the latter, love them, support them, but do not criple them. Do not do the work for them for they will never have the satisfation of having their own business that way. Give them space. Show them that you are available but let them build their business at their own pace.

 

4.Discision.

There is power in diciding. Do not just give an opportunity “a try”, dicide that you will do it and succeed in doing so. When you make a decission and stick to it you move into action and everything you need to succeed will move in harmony to achieve your goal. Commit to your goals. Have a vision. Dicide you will be a success story. It has been said many times that deciding is often the hardest part.

 

5. Daily Action.

Do something for your business everyday. Making a decision is fantastic, visualising is super, having goals is spectalcular, but unless you take action none of your goals are going to become reality. When I say action i mean consistant, effective action executed with a sense of urgency. Being consistant means doing something that will move you towards your goal everyday, like talking to people or being in contact with your team. To be effective in network marketing your actions must result in the recruiting of people and or the sale of product. Creating a sense of ugency is vital because your team will duplicate you, so if you tiptop with this business, so will they but if you create the sense that now is the best time for them to be building they will folow your example. Everybody has other obligations, but giving 1 or 2 hours daily, consistantly, to your network marketing business will give you lots of time freedom to do the things you love doing in a relatively short period of time compared with traditional businesses.

 

6. Be prepared to pay the price.

In network marketing you have to make a few sacrifices in the beginning to be able to reap the rewards later on. Some people are terrified of this word sacrifice. Let us look at it more closely. The meaning of sacrifice is giving up something of a lower nature for something of a higher nature. So you could sacrifice an lour of TV and substitute them with a conference call with your team or a follow up call with one of your prospects. This is also known as the rasor’s edge activity. Maybe you have made a call, given a presentation and all you need now is call the person up to get their decision, but something comes up and you get all caught up in things that have little or no importance. So the razor’s edge is that little extra step you need to make to get the results yoy are looking for. In comparasion to what you have already done it is such a little step that it might seem insignificant, but it is that little step that will take you over the edge. Find your razor’s edge. It could be waking up an hour earlier to check your emails or contact your team on the other side of the world before your family is awake. It could be watching less TV and attending an informative event about your company’s products. What ever it is, when you find it, your razor’s edge will get you far on your journey towards the frutation of your dreams.

 

7.Sowing and reaping.

Like everything else in life, building this sort of business has its seasons. You do not know when the season of reaping is, but you know when the season of sowing is. Everyday. You cannot expect to sow one seed and feed your whole family for eternity. Sow seeds consistantly and the harvest will come. You canot force sowing and reaping. You have to wait it out. You do not know when the reaping season will come but when it does, you will be so surprised with the abundant harvest you have that you will be wondering what you have done to diserve all this. Truth be told, you stuck to it, you were persistant. You would not have been succussful if you didn’t deserve it.

 

8. Persistance.

Persistance is key to success in Network Marketing! Ask any Network Marketing Millionaire what he did different to those people who left after only 2 weeks in the business. Staying. It is vital. No matter what people tell you, Network Marketing is NOT a get rich quick scheme. You have to put in the effort. Sure you will meet people who do not understand the concept, some will say yes, some will say no, some no will be yeses later on. So what? Do you really want the goals you have set for yourself? Are you really set on living the lifestyle of your dreams? Persist. Keep moving forward. It is a process. Build now to reap later. Your dream depends on it.

 

9. Personal Growth.

You are your best assist. Invest in yourself. Develop a passion for your growth. Recognise that you are a gift to the world. You are unique. Believe that you are diserving of the abundance that you seek. Strive to constantly become a better person. Make that your number one goal. You will be surprised at the impact your being a better person will have on your Business. When you are in harmony with yourself, people enjoy being around you. You will experience the phenomena of people actually calling you to be part of your team. Make it a point everyday to do something to improve yourself. Meditate, develop new skills, learn a new language, anything that will improve you. This is all essential for you to grow into the type of person who can lead and inspire large groups of people in your networking team.

 

10. Gratitude.

Be grateful for what you have in life. Grateful for opportunities, people you meet, people in your team, the product you market. Everything. You might not understand it yet,

but we are governed by laws that are Universal. These Law are in operation whether you know about them or not and whether you believe in them or not too. Basically, you attract into your life things and experiences which you constantly think about with feeling. Now one of the greatest feelings one can feel is the feeling of Gratitute. Being grateful sends out a positive vibration. Being thankful for what you have sends a signal to the Universe to provide you with more to be grateful for. So, the more grateful you are, the more you have. It pays to be grateful.

 

What it all boils down to is that successful people do everyday what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.So start where you are and do what you know, with what you have and you will always know what to do next. Ask yourself what do I want to do with this amazing opportunity? Listen to your heart, you already know the answer. If you can’t hear your heart through all the clutter, ask somebody who is already experiencing success in Network Marketing. You will be surprised how open they are to helping you achieve your own success too.

 

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Learn Right Here Why Your Chances of Success in Network Marketing are Only 3%!!

Saturday, March 13th, 2010

“I’ve been in Network Marketing for about 3 years with very limited Success. Basically doing all the Incorrect Things my upline was telling me.”

“I’ve Been in Network Marketing for 2 years and I haven’t been successful.”

These are 2 of countless testimonials given by people who are in the 97% of people who don’t make any money in Network Marketing. There are many reasons why

people don’t make any money…

Fear

Lack out Action

Run out of Money

And the list goes on.

But one of the Main reasons many of us fail is because of the “Old Stone Age” Business building techniques that are still being taught, even as we speak.

Right now as you’re reading this there’s an upline telling someone

“Make a list of Everyone You know”

“Make sure your at the weekly meetings and on the conference calls”

“Put me on the phone with these people and I’ll close them for you”

And the sad part about it is that a lot of “Uplines/Sponsors” don’t even know what they’re talking about. They’re only doing it because their Upline/Sponsor told them to do.

These techniques DID work a LONG time ago, however in todays industry, these techniques have not only led people into more debt and frustration, Even Network Marketing Companies have gone Bankrupt. And they believe it was because the product was no good, or the Comp Plan didn’t pay out enough, or the people weren’t motivated enough. And that’s the farthest thing from the truth.

These same techniques that are being taught today were very effective back when Network Marketing was a pretty new concept, and before “Scams” and “Pyramid Schemes” weren’t being ran. Now those same techniques are now just flat out “Blantant lies”!

And a lot of Comanies know they’re lies, but tell them anyway just to get people to sign up.

You couldn’t imagine the amount of Companies that advertise things like:

“100% AUTOMATED, NO SELLING, OR COLD CALLING”

“MAKE 5K A MONTH IN 60 DAYS”

These Companies know they’re lieing. I’ve even heard a CEO of one of these Companies say himself “Well, we all know they can’t really do that, but it’ll get them to sign up.”

My GOODNESS!! It’s no wonder why people think Network Marketing is a Scam!

But let’s be honest here, You can’t totally blame the Companies, because if people haven’t learned by know that there’s no such thing as “Get Rich Quick” then there’s nothing you can do for them. Becoming “Financially Independent” takes hard work, sacrifice, and commitment, not by Clicking a Button. If it was that easy We’d All Be Rich!!

But some of the other lies are “Ignorant Lies”. The kind of lies that people are telling, but don’t even know it. Kinda like the “Blind leading the Blind”.

People are told that “Anyone Can do this Business” when they can’t. Everyone can’t do Network Marketing, because they simply don’t have what it takes to Succeed.

Too many factors come into play, such as Personality (Not Good with People), Laziness (Too lazy to put forth an effort), Aren’t Persistant (On Fire today, Cooled off tommorrow) ,and the list goes on.

Therefore everyone can’t do this business. There are leaders who have learned that everyone that wants to join their business, just don’t “Qualify”.

Just because someone wants to join your business, doesn’t mean they’re qualifed. But we’ve become so blinded by “Greed” that whenever someone says “I wanna join” we see Dollar Signs, and not a person who’s investing their trust and confidence in us.

People are also told “The Product Sells Itself” which is another lie. No matter how many problems your product will solve, or how popular it is, Everyone isn’t Gonna Buy it.

There are plenty of people who don’t own a Bank Account, Who don’t own a TV, and don’t want one. And that’s ok.

And by you telling people “They’d rather have it and not Need it, than to Need it and Not Have It” won’t make them buy.

As a matter of fact, they’ll want it even less. And if they do eventually end of needed it, You’re the Last person they’d buy it from.

Same rule applies to your Business Opportunity. It doesn’t matter how much money can be made, or how easy it is to make it. Everyone’s not gonna join.

Inspite of what you’ve probably heard, There are a lot of people who are happy with their jobs, they may even Despise Network Marketing, and don’t wanna own their own business. And Yea, they might even want to make more money, but not with Network Marketing. And it doesn’t make them crazy, or scared if they don’t join.

And New Recruits are being told that “Some will, Some won’t, So What, Who’s Next?” And that’s true, not everyone will, but they’re told that the way to find those that will is to talk to everyone. And if they experience “Rejection” then that’s just a part of business, and they need to get used to it. But what makes it even worse is the way they’re told to go about doing it is “Sneaky”.

Because you lure people in with small talk, or F.O.R.M. (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Money) and like a boxer, if you see an opening, BAM!!! HIT ‘EM with your business opportunity. And if that person isn’t interested, then just go F.O.R.M the next person you see.

People don’t want to be apart of a “Sneaky” Business. And I say Sneaky, because you don’t see a MLMer just walk up to someone and say “Hey, I got this Business Opportunity with this Company, that pays this much, and I want you sign up so I can make some money.” Of Course you don’t, because they know there’s a very good chance that people would Laugh in their face, and say “NO WAY.”

Even with family and friends, they’re told to say things like “Hey, I really admire your opinion, and I want you to take a look at something and tell me what you think.” or something like “Well I’m just telling you about this because if a year down the road I’m making a lot of money, I don’t want you to say I didn’t tell you.”

You see “Sneaky”. They won’t just come out and say “I Wanna make some money with this company and the only way I can make it is if you sign up, so will you?” Being a friend isn’t a good enough reason for people to buy from you. (More on that at a later time).

To be honest with you, there’s a lot of Network Marketers who are like the “Get Rich Quick Companies”, they could care less if the person actually worked the business, they just want them to sign up so they can get paid.

But they’re given these Sneaky ways to Prospect people, but all that “sneakiness” ends up with the same results. A wasted presentation to a person, who wasn’t really interested in the first place, and every time you follow up with them, they just keep blowing you off. But you’re told to keep following up, because eventually, You’ll get them.

And these “Old Played Out” Techniques only work 3% of time, but they try to compensate that ineffectiveness by telling you 3% is good by hitting you with the Law of Averages “Talk to 10 get 3″ and if you can do that you’re considered and Expert. But the only problem is, the average Network Marketer only recruits 3 people.

What we need to understand is that People don’t buy a Product, A Service, or a Business Opportunity. People buy “Solutions”!

But not just any kind of Solutions, “Solutions they’re looking for” because Solutions don’t mean a thing if no one’s seeking them.

For example, if someone keeps complaining about being broke, and they don’t have a job, then the obvious Solution for them would be get a job right? And all over the place there’s “Now Hiring” Signs, but the person isn’t looking for a job, then those signs won’t mean a thing.

So in order to increase your chances of Success in Network Marketing, you must have a Marketing System that brings “Pre-Qualifed Prospects” to you. People that are actually looking for what you’re offering. At that point, you’ll be perceived as an “Expert” because they came to you, not because of the amount of people you talked to, or how good of a “Smooth Talker” you are.

And also, by having a Marketing System in place, you’re able to prospect 10, 20, 50, even 100 times more people at the same time, versus doing it the “Old Fashion Way” which is “One By One”.

And your system allow you to only talk to people who either want more information, orwho are Ready to buy. That way you’re not wasting your time with “Window Shoppers” because your system will sort out the one’s that aren’t doing anything but “Looking.”

And there will be a lot of instances to where you won’t actually talk to anyone, because your “Marketing System” will close them for you. Not your Upline/Sponsor, Not the guy making $30,000 a month, but “YOUR” System. And think about it, that’s way more duplicatable and simplier than you calling you Upline, and (if they Answer) Make sure they’re not busy, and willing to do a “3-Way” with you, because you don’t know how to close them YOURSELF.

Whenever your business is dependent on someone other than you, you may want to get some “Network Marketing Insurance” because if something happens to that person, and you don’t know what they know, you’re in for a long haul.

But when you have a system that “Gives the Information and even does the Closing For You” WOW!! How amazing would that be for you and your team!!

Now having a Marketing System will not eliminate the fact that you still have to build relationships with people, because you will. If someone tells you that you can build a successful business without talking to people, RUN!! Run very fast in the other direction, because that has sSCAM written all over it. Because building relationships with people in Network Marketing isn’t just essential in Network Marketing. “IT’S A MUST”. That’s why it’s called “NETWORK” Marketing.

But having a Marketing System that reverses the Prospecting to where you have people asking you “Can I do what you’re Doing?” That’s far more powerful than you asking them “Wanna join my business?” Which one would you rather have?

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What it Takes to Suceed in Network Marketing

Sunday, March 7th, 2010

Having been in the network marketing industry for 12 years, there are a number of things that you can do to make your team stand out from other opportunities you may have been associated with in the past. In almost every network marketing opportunity, there is going to be a distributor fee to get involved.

I’ve seen these fees range anywhere from $25-$3,000 depending on what kind of product that company is offering. Next whoever your sponsor may be, they’re going to tell you that you need to order your product, purchase a replicated website, order business cards, purchase company brochures or CD’s to hand out, then order a bunch of cold market leads, and wish you luck.

I’ve talked to so many people who have said I never got any help from my sponsor. So now you are eager to learn so you’ll order your product, get your $19.95 a month website, spend $20 on business cards, $100 on brochures, samples, or CD’s to hand out to all the wrong people, then order a list of leads from .30 a lead to $4.

There’s a lot of truth in the saying only suckers buy leads because the only one who gets any results from leads are the companies who are selling them.

So what do you need to do to stand out from the croud?

Build your organization from a Team Standpoint. Get people on your team who are willing to help each other out.

The act of giving back with the pay it forward concept is what attracts many people . Develop a group of people who are unselfish and committed to helping each person succeed.

These are just a few of the things that will separate you and make you so different and unique. There will be people who I would have, I could have, and then there will be those who say I should have.

I ask people all the time, are you looking for a temporary fix to get yourself out of a situation that you’re in, or are you looking for a lifestyle change so you won’t find yourself searching once again for something 2 yrs. 5 yrs. or 10 yrs. down the road. The stock market here in the US has fallen nearly 1100 pts. this week alone.

People are losing their jobs, they’re going to struggle to pay for heating oil this winter, and they’re finding it hard to make their bills. The days of depending on the govt. or a corporation or a 401K plan to secure your future and your retirement are over. It’s up to you to take control of your financial future, and with a team effort, you can do it.

Those of you who want to change your life have to look deep into what you really want and attract that same person into your organization. Don’t ever look to your upline for guidance, they are not concerned about your future.

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What is Affiliate Marketing and Where to Start

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Affiliate marketing is probably the best, as well as the easiest, way to make money on the Internet. Truth be told, an affiliate marketing campaign can be up and running in minutes. So exactly what is affiliate marketing and where do you start? Let’s break it down and make it simple.


What is Affiliate Marketing?


Affiliate marketing, very simply, is where you sell other people’s items or products for a commission. There are numerous affiliate product sites all over the Internet for this purpose. The good thing is that most of them are free to join and easy for the affiliate marketing newbie to get going.


Why are the sites free to join?


Affiliate marketing sites are designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to provide large businesses with an outlet for their product. These businesses pay to list their products on the site.


You, the affiliate marketing newbie, comes along and decide to promote that product and receive commissions for each sale you make. In this way, the marketing site makes money (from the listing fee), the product supplier makes money (from product sales) and YOU make money (from commissions on sales). Everybody is happy!


How much can I make?


This really depends on you based on your promotion efforts. More promotion equals more sales equals more commissions. The harder you work, the more you make.


What kind of commission can I expect?


Usually, this is set by the business offering the product. Some commissions are as high as 75% while others may be as low as 10%. Look around a bit and see what’s out there.


How do I get paid?


This can vary from site to site. Some might utilize PayPal as a payment medium, some may do a direct deposit to your bank account and some send checks out at specified times.


Every market site has a “back office” area that reports your earnings at any given moment. You can see what you have coming any time you want. They also report on sales activity, so you can see what is working and what isn’t.


Sounds great! Where do I go to start?


There are several affiliate sites called marketplaces. The biggest and most trusted is Clickbank. They have been around for quite a few years and know how to treat their customers and affiliates.


Another large one that has been around a while is PayDotCom.


Then you have Commission Junction and Linkshare, which host major large corporations like Wal-Mart or Circuit City. Since these are all free to join, the affiliate marketing newbie has nothing to lose by registering and looking around some.


How does the site know when I make a sale?


All affiliates are given an identification code or number. When you select the products you want, your code is attached to the link and is tracked back to the marketplace where it is reported in your “back office”, where you can see it.


Do I need to learn HTML to be an affiliate marketer?


Absolutely not. Anybody can open an affiliate marketing business. All you need to do is copy & paste. It couldn’t be simpler or easier to do.


Will I need a web site?


This is highly recommended for a place to drive customers to. A central web site is definitely a plus, though not necessary. You could simply do your promotion via email using the sales materials from the marketplace.

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Reviews on Attraction Marketing – Tips You Need to Know

Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010

Why is this? Simply because more people are coming from an offline prospecting world and learning that there are now more avenues open to them to create income streams other than there network marketing income. If this sounds confusing read on. 

The art of teaching a prospect before hitting them with a sale is a skill more and more are learning but up until they get that person interested in their business they have the opportunity to make some additional income from them. This education applies before prospects even respond to your promotions and not just when they enter your leads funnel. Training and education is the thing most people are looking for when they are looking to grow their network marketing business and increase their prospect numbers. 

However, there are still a number of things you should be aware of when completing attraction marketing reviews. This article will explore one such aspect that once understood and implemented will see your business grow at warp speed.

Big Attraction Marketing Tip The following principle of attraction marketing involves being able to blend in with the rest of the crowd. This means that you need to be providing unique and fresh angles to what the rest of the pack are providing so that you have the best chance of grabbing the attention of your prospects.

 This is one of the biggest problems that network marketers face when trying to attract interest from potential prospects. Many choose to go with the company’s marketing line using the same marketing materials and promoting identical ideas. The worse thing here is that all are using company-generated generic websites with no unique identity.

 Take a look at this scenario. Whilst everyone is promoting the same thing and using the same promotional materials how can you expect to stand out from the crowd? How does the message you are present differ from that which other marketers are presenting? The truth is that there is no difference at all and without doubt your message will be lost in the ocean of identical messages and will sink without trace never to be read.

 Your offer needs to be totally unique to what everyone else is offering and one of the best ways of ensuring this is to provide useful information that provides prospects with valuable tips and tricks on how they can best build their home business.

 You can forget about the sales pitch that everybody else is using and grab the attention of your prospects from a completely unique angle. You can now grab your FREE ‘Copy This’ Step-by-Step Blueprint — How To Make $250/day Online — created ESPECIALLY for the newcomer –by clicking here

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Business Marketing is incomplete without Web Designing

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Currently, businesses think their advertising works on the internet. Having at your dumping, a medium which has the prospective of drawing innumerable fresh consumers to your company is fairly an appealing situation. And this is accurately to what nearly all business proprietors’ desire i.e. enclosing a web site to showcase their company in a most striking and attractive method.

And certainly, Houston web design is vital in drawing fresh clients, and given the dimension of the internet “population”, it is capable of doing so with astonishing outcome. That is why a web site should have an inspiring look. It is necessary to draw all those fresh clients and to results which can be obtain from having a latest stream of customers upcoming at you. The augment in income is the chief idea and it is accomplished by cutting expenses from the normal forms of promotion, which are not yet as efficient as web sites, and by having fresh clientele loving your produce and ready to pay for it.

Certainly, appearing good is not all that is necessary from a web site. The aesthetics feature is significant largely for the truth that the foremost impression matters and so the web site has to be visually convincing. But convenience, simple navigation and being easy to use are all just as vital. Ensure that these specific features of Houston web design are well kept in mind and implemented makes a high-quality web site.

But we should remember the importance of a web site i.e. its content. Enclosing a well expressed and persuasive content is what, finally, will obtain internet customers to become clients to your trade. An attractive site with inspiring videos will do nothing for the company it signifies if the content is badly finished and unpersuasive. Look will just acquire the business hitherto.

Houston Web design can be an influential instrument of marketing but merely when employed in the accurate way. Ensure that you just have all the necessary elements to create for an excellent web site. They have to work jointly and generate the thought of agreement, of a well sustained trade with serious and consistent services to proffer.

Houston Web design is destined for all targets and intentions, to trade a specific product, be it information, products or services. The complete thought of creating the contents of a web site attractive is too added to idea of business production. Though, web design has handled to fetch this principal to a state of art. Enclosing a well designed web site currently articulates on so many stages that it is hard to consider that, at its center, web design is simply advertising.

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What it Takes to be the Best Network Marketing Company

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

Whether you are looking to branch out a little bit and to add a little bit of extra income to your household, or you are looking for something that will change the way that you work and do business, there is a good chance that you are wondering the best network marketing company for you is going to be.  The fact is, with so many network marketing companies out there, and with so many stories about companies that will take your time, effort and money and give you nothing in return, you’ll find that it can be a little nerve-wracking when you are trying to figure out what the best opportunities are.

The first thing that you should remember is that there is no direct profile of what a great network marketing company looks like.  They all sell different goods, they all have different modes of operation, and frequently, they will have different compensation plans.  You’ll find though, that they all do pay, that the best ones will be upfront about the fact that you need to work to get it.  You’ll find that any company that makes you promises about not having to work at all are probably lying to you or at least stretching the truth.  Especially at the beginning, when you are getting your platform set up, you will need to do some work; it’s only after everything is set up that things get easier.

When you are considering whether or not you want to work a certain network marketing company, do your research.  A simple Google search on the name will get you started, and chances are, you’ll find plenty of people who are willing to review and talk about their experiences with it.  This is a good way to find out if the opportunity is a genuine one, or if it is a scam.  When you are doing your search, remember to take the reviews with a grain of salt.  Don’t let one powerful bad review overshadow a number of good ones; you’ll find that there are many different points of view, so take them all into account when you are making a decision.

Remember that a good company will also invest a lot into good training and sponsorship.  If your sponsor is going to be making money off of your sales as you are part of their downline, you’ll find that you definitely want to make sure that they are in a position to earn it!  Take some time to really consider what you are going to be learning.  How much time with the company spend teaching you about the product and learning to sell it well.  Think about the level of instruction that you will need to feel comfortable with a product, and remember that you need to think about the fact that your needs might be different from that of other people.

To really make a good decision about a company, remember that there are a many things to keep in mind.  Look for downsides as well as advantages, and make sure that you know exactly what it is that you are getting in to!

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Social Networking: What Small Business Marketers Should Do Now

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about social networking and wondered whether you should participate. Companies like Facebook, MySpace and YouTube, are talked about in endless marketing articles and hyped by the media. The phenomenon is huge. eMarketer predicts that ad spending on social networks will reach $2 billion by 2010.


But, as a small business owner, you need to maximize your time and effort. Is there something for your small business here? To make the most of this trend you need to consider the following:


1. How does social networking apply to a small business?


Social networking is a way of interacting with others online. Your communication doesn’t have to be located on a particular platform or site to be considered social networking. It’s a way to find others to interact with in a more direct way. It’s not like an ad that you put up on a search engine site. It has your voice and your specific style at the heart of it. Of course, there are specific social networking sites available, but you don’t have to sign up to one of them to do social networking. As the trend continues you will begin to see the features commonly seen on a social site integrated in most websites.


2. What if I don’t feel completely confident about trying social networking?


When you read about people making great connections and getting referrals from their social networks, it’s important to remember that networking is not usually a skill you are born with. Yes, there are those who can jump into any social situation and make it a success, but the majority of business people need to learn networking skills. And the truth is, they may never be fully comfortable. If you feel this way, start slowly. The bottom line for anyone who networks is to start with the idea that you want to meet and add value for others. When you meet like-minded individuals, you’ll see how easy it is to build a network. Everyone will have a focus outside themselves which makes for more creative exchanges.


3. What specific ways can I participate now?


If you don’t have a lot of time to devote to social networks, you don’t need to jump into anything too time consuming. A business network like LinkedIn might be a good fit to start. There you can network with others, answer questions and show off your expertise without spending hours.


Some other things you can do that don’t require a personal page on a networking site are:


-Distribute information to forums and message boards about your business


-Learn about competitors by reading other people’s exchanges


-Read blogs and ask questions that will draw others to answer


-Comment on a new book and ask the author a question


-Ask an expert who is not well known to be a guest blogger on your site to kick start their blogging


Anything you can do to start meeting people who care about the same topics you do, is a great way to get started without spending all your time chatting online.

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The Truth About Internet Marketing

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

There are many fallacies about internet marketing around and they veer from the sublime to the ridiculous. On the one hand there is the hype that aims to attract anyone that is fairly new online. The get rich quick headlines boom out to all novices in an attempt to get you to buy the product, join the membership…come on roll up, roll up…see the show.

The other extreme is if you actually tell people you have an interest in internet marketing and they automatically assume that you spend your life spamming all the other poor internet users out there. The truth is far from both of these extremes. Internet marketing can be a great way to gain an extra income or even to make your living online. However, no get-rich-quick methods will feature if you actually want to make a success of marketing long-term. Internet marketing, like anything else, does take work, it does take commitment and it does entail a learning curve as you absorb new skills.

The best way to approach internet marketing initially, is as you would a new job. First, look around and view the environment you are working in, i.e. what is working successfully on the internet and what is not? What are people drawn to, what do they enjoy and more importantly where are they willing to part with their hard earned cash? Look at how the internet giants such as Amazon and E-bay do it, and where do they succeed and fail.

Second, have a look at your colleagues. Join forums, network with peers and discuss with people in a similar situation to yours what has helped them in their journey, and what has hindered them. As in any job, have a laugh and socialize, but also remember that at the end of the day you are there to get a job done, and to get it done well. People will value professionalism and an ability to follow through on your promises in any environment, but particularly so when you don’t have the advantage of meeting face to face.

Third, as with any new job you are going to need to increase your level of skill. Now, this does not mean that you are suddenly going to have to become a computer programmer, but you may at the very least have to gain a better understanding of the jargon of the internet. For the more advanced techniques, as you would do in any job, you can delegate to people who have different areas of expertise. As you gain income this may mean outsourcing some areas to others, but even initially when money is tight, it can mean asking for help on sites and forums where people are more proficient than you in particular areas and you can then return the favor with a skill of your own.

Overall, to succeed online you need to formulate a plan, test to see what is successful and then rinse and repeat. You won’t be buying a mansion this time next Tuesday, but what you will be doing is starting to build a residual income that will grow and expand into the future. There are a lot of people around who have made serious amounts of money on the internet. There are millionaires, there are people who are seriously rich and there are people who have paid off all their debts, or who have been able to shake off the shackles of the 9 to 5 and work from home. All of these people are equally happy with what internet marketing has had to offer them. Would you like to be amongst them?

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A Resource Buying Guide For Internet Marketers

Monday, February 8th, 2010

The “make money online” crowd is probably the most actively targeted niche market on the internet. Which is quite ironic when you think about it; “The hunters become the hunted.” And it’s not surprising we are so serviced with offers continually, the truth is we are, on the whole, information junkies. We are suckers for a good ebook, report, or video.

The problem is that an over supply of internet marketing tools (even good ones) can leave you feeling overwhelmed, unproductive (too busy reading about internet marketing to actually DO any), and flat broke!

So how do we filter the offers we are bombarded with, so that we invest sanely in our education and resources? Let me offer this simple “buying guide” to help.

When you boil it all down there are basically 4 different kinds of products on the market, and you have to be able to recognize them so you don’t waste your time and money:

1) Basic training guides & tools. Everyone needs some of these, but you don’t need to be buying 10 versions of the exact same information.

2) Advanced techniques. These are the “Shazaam!” products. The ones with truly unique and creative ideas. If I can identify which ones these are, I’ll buy them all day long. If I can get ONE really good, repeatable idea, it is money in the bank. The caveat, though, is you’ve got to actually implement them – otherwise you’re just wasting your money, and spinning your wheels.

3) Tools that make life easier. These are OK if you’ve got disposable money to spend on them, but if you’ve got a limited budget (like most marketers that are still getting going) you’re probably better off spending it where it can be best leveraged for the most effectiveness. Case in point: At the time that I’m writing this article I’ve been getting emails all week – I’ve had at least 15 just today – promoting a particular hot product. The free teaser report is great – it includes a couple of really exciting ideas (see point 2). However, when I looked at what is actually being offered in the main package – 8 software programs that collate information in various forms from around the internet – they’re all really cool tools, but they are nothing that you can’t already do yourself for free. Cool, but not necessary. Convenient, but not essential.

4) Snake oil. These are the products that are thrown together to make sales to newbies, but they do not work. They are bad advice. You’ll discover that usually the author hasn’t had any success with the method he’s teaching at all, but he can make a few bucks wasting other people’s time with it.

So, when you’re considering buying resources to help you build your online business, read the sales copy discerningly. Honestly evaluate the product and classify it in one of the above 4 categories. Then it’s a simple decision to make the appropriate response:

Category 1: Buy it if you don’t already have a product covering the same topic, or if you are reasonably convinced that your understanding is going to be increased sufficiently to justify the investment.

Category 2: Buy it, and DO something with it! Don’t procrastinate – take action. Winners are taking imperfection actions while others are still formulating their “perfect” plans.

Category 3: Buy it only if you have surplus cash, and don’t mind blowing some on a luxury – because that’s what it is. Ask yourself, “Could I leverage the money I’m about to spend on this to better effect in my business?”

Category 4: Click that little “x” button at the top of the browser window, and be proud of yourself that you’ve developed the wisdom and experience to stop wasting time with that kind of rubbish. If you already bought it before you figured out that its “snake oil”, ask for a refund and chalk it up to experience.

Buying is far more an emotional decision for us than we “savvy entrepreneurs” would care to admit. Anything we can do to take pause and inject some thought into the process will save us time and money. This buying guide offers a place to start.

Phil Morgan

Phil Morgan is the author of numerous books and training resources for making money online. You can read his regular blog posts at http://www.windupwealthy.com

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