How do you see MLM ? Do you see it as a business, a nice way to make a few hundred dollars extra? Do you see it as a social outlet?

Do you see it as something that can maybe be a home based business?

Do you see it as Hard to do…or Easy to do?

Or do you see it as a Wealth producing Vehicle?

What and How you see this business… will become what your business grows to…or doesn’t grow to… Read the rest of this entry »

I believe it’s time for us to retire this well-worn phrase. It represents an old way of thinking about enrolling people and sharing your MLM business. In essence, telling people to “fake it ’til you make it” is teaching dishonesty, and the language of “faking” does not imply personal evolution or personal change, but presents something that’s not really you.

I’m not saying this is the intention of Networkers who use this phrase. I can understand what’s behind it. It’s an intention to have people be out there stretching themselves even though they may be fearful. It’s the idea that acting like you’re a success will create the behavior that really will lead to success. People also say this in an effort to get new distributors off the idea that until they know everything they can’t take action. You know the cliche — the ultra-educated Networker who’s never sponsored someone. Read the rest of this entry »

Life is a challenging thing. MLM and Network Marketing will challenge you like nothing has before!

It’s a challenge to get up when your alarm goes off…it’s a challenge to go out to work everyday not really knowing what to expect…it’s a challenge to pick up the phone and make that follow-up call…it’s a challenge to start conversations with strangers.

But…it’s what’s called a “zero sum” game.

You get back what you put in.

Sometimes you have to give that little bit more…push yourself that little bit harder…in order to set yourself up for the breakthroughs that will come your way.   And if your persistent, they always come your way in Network Marketing.

Life isn’t easy. Sure it can be made easier…but usually at the expense of what you really want to achieve.

Action Point:

Are you taking out more than you put in?

Try pushing your comfort boundaries and you will be surprised at how easy it is to ‘raise the bar’ and keep pushing even further.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to work harder…just smarter. Work on yourself…use technology to automate routine tasks…and focus on quality instead of quantity.

In his brilliant book, “A Brief History of Time,” Professor Stephen Hawking opens with the story of a well-known scientist who gave a public lecture on astronomy. The scientist described how the moon orbits the earth, the earth orbits the sun, and how our solar system orbits around the center of the galaxy. When he finished, a little old lady got up and said, “What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise.”

The scientist gave a knowing smile and replied, “What is the tortoise standing on?”

“You’re very clever, young man, very clever,” she replied. “But it’s turtles all the way down!”

We all know people like that little old lady. The point is, why try to convince them otherwise? If they believe that the universe is a big stack of turtles—or that all network marketing opportunities are illegal pyramids—nothing you present to the contrary is going to change their belief. Read the rest of this entry »

This past week I read the amazing story of LuAn Mitchell, one of Canada’s great entrepreneurs. Her story will never be a movie because no one would believe it!

Pregnant at 16, later a beauty queen who married a man even after they found out he had a life-threatening disease, single mom, and CEO of (believe it or not) one of Canada’s largest meat packing companies, she has an astonishing story of perseverance and accomplishment.

How did she do it? And, what can we learn from people like LuAn who overcome the odds and get results most of us only dream of?

I think there are at least four basic principles that MLM distributors can keep in mind.

The basics are just that, the BASICS! Too often we get caught in the busy-ness of life and we either forget to monitor the first principles of success, or we get over-confident and think we can re-invent the basics, but there are no “new fundamentals.” The fundamentals have not changed. We either take care of business, or we struggle.  (Or we count on “luck” to save the day…never a smart plan.)

So, what are the basics? Read the rest of this entry »

“How can I get a hold on my marketing efforts so I can increase my client base?”  This is the question I got from one of my distributors recently.  As we talked a little more about the issues he was facing, marketing wasn’t where he needed help initially.  He needed help with being clear about what business he is in and who would pay for the MLM products he offered.  We also found that his Business Foundation wasn’t solid enough to support the goals of his business; therefore his marketing efforts were not efficient.

After working with him to build a solid foundation, he was able to create a solid marketing plan and increased his MLM prospect base immediately. 

I’m sharing this story with you because 80% of business is marketing.  If you think about it, most activites that we do in our MLM business are focused on getting new business in one form or another–your target market is the CORE of marketing.  If you don’t have customers you don’t have a business.  Since marketing is such a critical ingredient for business, one must understand business to understand marketing.

When you understand business your marketing efforts will be effortless.  To understand business I’ve listed the 10 Basic MLM Business Principles that a small business owner should know and understand.  It will help give you clarity in your business so that you will have clarity in your marketing. Read the rest of this entry »

For most of us, “failure” has a tragic and undeserved reputation as something bad and painful. It’s very unfair, and it holds us back and limits our success. If “failure” had an attorney, it would have an excellent chance of winning a lawsuit for defamation and slander. 

Too often, we view failure as reflecting on the person who “failed”. We view them (or ourselves) as having poor judgment, poor skills, or lack of character! How absurd!

There are only a handful of ways to “fail”, and I don’t view any of them as bad.

First, you can “fail” by losing a competition. I remember talking to a high school athlete who defined himself as “slow” because he lost a race to the state’s fastest sprinter. I also remember a beautiful and talented woman who defined herself as “ugly” because in college she finished fourth in a beauty pageant.  How, exactly, are those examples of “failure”?

Are you beating yourself up when you don’t win your MLM Companies product retailing contest?  Or when there are bonuses for new sponsoring activities?  Why? Read the rest of this entry »