Pain- an uncomfortable necessity of life

Nobody likes to be in pain. Pain can make a normally happy baby miserable, a pleasant person cranky. But pain is necessary in all areas of life.

There is a neurological disorder where the pain receptors aren't working properly. These people feel no pain. Now you might think that this disorder is a cool thing to have but pain is a physical message "something here is in trouble, correct the problem". You are touching a hot stove, the pain tells you your hand is in danger and that you need to move it or you will burn yourself badly. How would a woman know she is supposed to give birth if she didn't have the contractions preparing her for the arrival of the baby?

How many times have I heard, while working in the dental clinic, "how could this tooth need a root canal, it didn't hurt me" or " I only come to the dentist when my teeth hurt".  Why do we need to experience pain to take care of something?

If you look at pain in this way, it is a blessing to experience pain. There are other illnesses that if you wait till you are in pain, you might be too late.For example, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, in the beginning stages, there is no pain involved. 

There is a famous expression when talking about exercise "no pain no gain", we need to feel the pain to feel that we are accomplishing something during our exercise.  I would admit that it is not "pain" that we are feeling in our exercise routine but the extreme effort we are putting into it to get the maximum of our workout.

I wish to take this expression one step further, in the area of relationships-"no pain, no gain" a couple who do not admit that something is bothering them, that don't "fight", will not grow in their relationship. I remember watching a movie "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" it was about a couple who lived secret lives as hired assassins, each spouse not knowing that the other one was a hired assassin. At one point they were hired to kill each other by the same person. During the course of the movie, they show how they live their lives on a daily basis, shallow and boring, until they discovered each other's secret and from that point on their relationship was much stronger and deeper and they were able to fight against the people who were trying to kill them.  Alone they wouldn't have been able to win but together they were unstoppable. 

Any person who walks around scared to admit that something is bothering them, is living a lie and will be miserable.  Don't go looking for arguments, don't go looking to pick a fight, but if you are in a situation that you don't like, speak up! 

Who's in charge here?

Do you remember "Wheaties-Breakfast of champions"?  I think they were one of the first cereal  companies that put sports figures on their cereal boxes. I remember looking at a picture of Bruce Jenner for months. Today, most cereal companies put some action figure or TV star on their boxes. 

Now, I have nothing against Shrek, but I do not think he belongs on a bottle of ketchup. I do not buy Shrek Ketchup or any other food product that has a TV figure on the packaging. Why? I want to be in charge of what I expose my family. Not dictated by a box of cereal.  The picture on the box of cereal is a silent testimony that I agree with what the person stands for. If it is a TV character then I approve of TV and of the character and how she dresses/behaves/ talks. I do not approve of TV and am rather strict about which movies I will allow my child to watch.  What are you giving your silent approval? Spongebob? The Simpsons?  Football players?

My son goes to a private school where they have no formal dress code, the boys can wear almost anything they want. They cannot come in jeans and they cannot have pictures of sports figures on their shirts. What's wrong with jeans? Jeans are a casual clothing and when you wear casual clothing you act in a casual way. The school wants the children to realize that school is a serious place, where you come to learn.

I always wondered about the kids that come to school in sweat suits. Is that what they slept in the night before? If you come in your pajamas does that mean that you behave in the same way? Does it mean that you are sleepy all day and can't concentrate in class?

Are you following up?

If a doctor gives a medicine to a patient for high blood pressure and doesn’t follow up, is that malpractice? Whose responsibility is it to follow up? The doctor or the patient?  It depends. If the patient doesn’t come back for more medicine, then he is either dead or decided not to take it. If the patient comes back for more medicine, then you must check the blood pressure before prescribing more medicine.

If a direct salesman does not follow up with his buyers-someone else will and take them away from him! If the salesman does not ask for feedback on his product-someone else will show up and offer a better product or a better value.

Our network marketing business is similar to direct sales, but in our business if we sponsor someone into our company, whose responsibility is it to find out how the new client is doing? Ours!!! They might be too embarrassed to admit they are having difficulty.  They might be embarrassed to contact you , they think "you are such a busy person, you couldn't possibly have time for me". I know, since, that was me.

But then I realized if I believe in the company and the products, it is in everybody's best interest for me to be successful and therefore I started to ask for help.  My sponsor wants me to be successful and I of course, want to be successful.

So regarding follow up, should come from both directions, if you (the client) are not seeing the results you want, they you should be pounding on the doors asking for help!!!

Hey sponsor, wake up! You did the hardest part, you built a relationship with someone and had them join your business- now follow up with them. It's so much easier to continue a relationship then start one from scratch! Contact them once a week, find out how they are doing. Maybe you have a book to recommend, a workshop that you suggest to attend, a video to send, something that makes the client feel that they are important to you. Those 10 minutes will be paid back to you in the long run.

Being "All in"

Multitasking, that is what women are famous for. We can stir a pot, talk on the phone and rock a baby all at the same time.  But what about our network marketing business? Can we talk on the phone, check our text messages, type emails, and pet the dog all at the same time? Yes we can. But should we?

I read a story about a salesman who was invited to give two  presentations to two different managers. The first one, the manager's desk was full of papers . During the entire hour the salesman made the presentation, the manager signed and shuffled papers, answered phones,  and in addition, the secretary came into his office twice to ask him a question. The unspoken message to the salesman was one of imposing on the manager's time and that he wasn't important.

At the second manager, he was asked to fax a summary of the presentation and was given 10 minutes of his time. During the brief 10 minute meeting, the manager held all calls, cleared his desk, took notes on what was discussed asking a few questions. It was only 10 minutes but the salesman felt he was listened in the full.

We have to treat everyone the way we want to be treated. In network marketing we need to talk to people to advance our business. Any prospect with whom  we talk to on the phone, we need to be "all in", we need to listen with all our heart.  We can't be writing notes about another prospect, checking emails or thinking "when am I going to finish with this prospect, I have to call 5 other prospects". The prospect will feel your lack of attention and not be receptive to you. When we listen being "all in" then we will better understand and empathize with whom we are talking to.

It's the same thing with being with a company, then we are "all in" with that company, don’t look for another "great deal" to get in, you won't do either company any good.

What about listening to your kids? Do you "listen" and say uh huh a few polite times while you are cooking or chopping vegetables? Or do you stop cutting the vegetables look the child in the eyes and listen to what he has to say? What message are you telling your child?

Guess what? If you tell your child, "what you say is important to me , I will finish cutting these vegetables/talking on the phone and THEN listen to what you have to say", they'll be OK with that. Especially if you really do what you said you will do. That will show them that you are "all in". The important part is to focus on what you are doing at the time and give it 100%.

The importance of finding leaders-lesson 3

What to teach leaders.

So you think you have found a leader. Look at it this way. You've taught your new distributor to be a good distributor - and that means you've taught him: * All about the products. * All about the company. * How to be loyal.

* How to network. * How to be positive. * How to sponsor effectively. * How to retail products. * How to build a group. * How to duplicate his efforts, etc.

After teaching your distributor all these important skills, you now have a really well- trained distributor - but you don't have a leader!

So now you decide you're going to teach your distributor to become a leader. >> What are you going to teach him?

The only difference between leaders and distributors is how they think. In every situation or problem, a leader will think differently than a distributor.

So if we can train our distributor to think differently when problems, challenges, or situations arise . . . then we'll have a fully trained leader. Great! How are we going to do this?

We will make a list of problems, challenges, and situations and write down:

1. How a distributor would think, and

2. How a leader would think.

Once we've completed our list, we'll start training our potential leader, the person who passed the leadership test from last issue.

When a problem, challenge, or situation arises, we'll take our potential leader aside and say: 'There are two ways to think about this - as a leader and as a distributor. Let me show you the difference.' Then we'll methodically explain the difference between the two ways of thinking.

A potential leader can't learn what he doesn't know. We must give him the knowledge so he can learn this new type of thinking. If we don't do this, your potential leader will never develop, will flounder aimlessly, and will attempt to learn and memorize all kinds of nice information that won't help him to become a leader. Your potential leader will become frustrated!

If they do, let's solve their frustration and teach them exactly how and what to think in every problem, challenge, or situation.

The best way to show you how this works is to give you some practical, everyday examples that you can use right away.

 Imagine that you sell a product.

You go next door and sell some product to your neighbor. You come back home, order the product from the home office and . . . it's on backorder! If this happened to you, what would you think? Would you think: 'This is terrible! I took my neighbor's money and didn't deliver his products. He is really going to be mad at me. And then he'll tell everyone in the neighborhood that I am dishonest. My reputation will be ruined. I'll never be able to show my face again. Everyone in the neighborhood is going to laugh at me. My company can't even keep the products in stock. That's a simple job. If the company can't even keep products in stock, well, they probably won't be able to pay bonus checks. They probably can't even hire and fire employees properly. In fact, I bet they don't even have employees - just a bunch of answering machines. The company is going to collapse. And Western civilization as we know it will collapse! This is terrible - I quit!' >>

Would you characterize this as leadership thinking or as distributor thinking? It's obvious - this is distributor thinking and you would get distributor results because of this thinking.

How would a leader think when confronted with the exact same backorder situation?

A leader might think: 'Whoa, the product's backordered. These products are so much in demand that even if my customers give me money, they still can't get the product. It's so exclusive and selling so well, the company can't keep the products in stock. My new customer is going to be so impressed; he'll probably order two or three times more product to make sure he can get some. That means two or three times more product volume for me, and two or three times the bonus check. Wow! I hope they bring on some more backorders - yes!'

Would you characterize this as leadership thinking or as distributor thinking?

Point out that there are two ways of thinking - leadership thinking and distributor thinking. If you think like a leader you'll get leader results and if you think like a distributor, you'll get distributor results.

Then give your potential leader a big dose of personal responsibility. Tell him: 'I'm not going to change your thinking. That's up to you.

If you want distributor results, think like a distributor. If you want leadership results, think like a leader. It's strictly up to you which results you want.

Pick the results you want in your life, and then you'll know which type of thinking to choose.

An exercise!

First, write down all the everyday problems you encounter in your business.

Second, for each problem, write down what would represent leadership thinking and what would represent distributor thinking.

And third, write down any appropriate stories that you could tell your potential leader to help him change his thinking from distributor thinking to leadership thinking.

That's it. That's what you're going to have to teach them.

The best way to change a potential leader's thinking is with stories that illustrate graphically: 'Hey, this is reality. This is what works in the real world.'

Think of common challenges to your business and offer solutions with a "leader mentality" you might be surprised at your results.

See you at the top!

Special thanks to Tom "Big Al" Schreiter for material for this blog post

The importance of finding leaders-lesson 2

How to find leaders?

You might be able to "steal" a leader from another company, but that can get messy, so I don't recommend it.

The best way to get leaders is to build them from scratch.

In other words, we are going to find a distributor who is not a leader now. Then, we're going to teach him exactly how to become a leader.

But there is a challenge! If this distributor is not a leader now, he is going to look exactly like any other temporary distributor, right?

So how do we know who to build into a leader?

How do we avoid wasting time building the wrong person into a leader?

We give them a test! Not a math test to calculate their compensation plan, or a history of network marketing test! But a test that they will prove to us they are a potential leader otherwise you will work with someone who is coachable, committed to action. 

Have you ever spent lots of energies on someone who wanted to be a leader -- and that person never became a leader? All they did was complain that they have no good prospects.

Everyone says they want to be a leader- What a waste of time and effort? Who do you want to spend your time with? Who do you want to spend your energies on?

So what is the test?

A simple test- You give them a book! Tell them to read the book and that you'll check back with them in three days to discuss the book. This test will separate the men from the boys.

You give them a book and say "Here's a book that's really going to help you build your business. I know you want to be a leader. Today is Monday. Why don't we get together on Thursday and discuss what's in this book? I'll show you how you can use it in your business.'

Of course I'll thank you for the book and say that I'm looking forward to our Thursday meeting.

Well, Thursday comes and you call me. I start making excuses over the telephone and say: 'Well, I couldn't read the book on Monday, because that's when my favorite program is on television. And then on Tuesday, I had to work overtime on my job. Wednesday night is family night. So I really haven't read the book yet.' >>

What would that tell you about me?

That says:

'Hey, if I can't put forth enough effort to read the book that should have taken you a few hours to finish, what chance is there that I would put forth an effort to take guests to meetings? To go to other training and listen to tapes? To drive to conventions?'

This doesn't mean that I will always be a non- leader. It just means that at this time in my life, I'm not willing to make a commitment. It doesn't mean I'm a terrible person, it just means - hey, I'm not going to be a leader right now. I have other priorities in my life.

 It's important that we give this test before we invest time in training a distributor to become a leader. If we don't perform this test, any time that we spend with an uncommitted distributor is wasted.

Here's another scenario-

You give me a book Monday night. We set up to speak on Thursday.

Lo and behold, the next morning I give you a call at 6 a.m.? I say: 'I know it's early, but I am wired with excitement. I've highlighted the book and made an outline. I know it's 6 a.m. but let's get together for breakfast. If we hurry up, we can have breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and talk about this book before I go to work.'

What would that tell you? >> Ka-ching! We have a winner here. This is a simple test but it makes all the difference in the world.

What book should you give as a test?

"Success in 10 Steps" by Michael Dlouhy is a good start.

You can get it at http://judyy.successin10steps.com/?mad=61440

But it doesn't matter which book you give as a test! Why? Because it's only a test. You're only checking for action from your potential leader. Remember, almost everyone will say that they want to become a leader, but talk is cheap. You have to check for that action commitment.

So if you don't have a brilliantly written "Success in 10 Steps" handy, you can give them a National  Geographic Magazine, A company magazine, a comic book. Anything.

It doesn't matter. You're only checking for action.

By the way, if you don't have a book or a magazine, what else can you give as a test? You could use videotape, an audiotape, or have your potential leader listen to a conference call - or send him to a store for milk and cookies. It's only a test. But if you don't have a book, an audiotape, or even videotape, you might reconsider your leadership capabilities. Either that, or find a good book to give your leadership candidates.

Now you may get disappointed, you will give a book to your currently obvious leaders and they WONT read the book. So to cheer you up, I recommend you give a book to the ones that aren't obvious, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Special thanks to Tom "Big Al" Schreiter for the material for this blog post.

The Importance of Finding Leaders-lesson 1

What is a leader?

If you had a choice between 1 qualified leader and 100 productive distributors- which would YOU prefer?

(Hint-think 1 general and 100 foot soldiers).

The answer is- 1 qualified leader! 100 productive (or non productive) distributors will drop out for one reason or another but the self confident leader will stick around through the hard times.

That is the secret to success in network marketing.

In this series of 3 articles, I am going to teach you how to find leaders and what to teach them so that you can then sit back and enjoy your iced tea at the pool.

To be successful in network marketing, all you have to do is build leaders and make them successful.' In other words, if you had a choice to go out and do a retail party to sell some skin care or long distance or some other prospecting techniques, that's nice - but that's probably a job. That's not building the type of residual income business you want.

While this activity is part of your business, this activity will not be the fastest route to your goal of becoming a profitable leader. You have to think differently if you're going to build a large and successful down line organization. You're going to carefully focus on which activities you do, because you want to be a leader.

Find a leader!

That sounds like a plan!

We're going to create our master plan in three easy steps. By mastering each step, one at a time, we'll end up with an organization of leaders. Here are the steps to master:

Step #1: Define what a leader is.

Step #2: How to find leaders.

Step #3: What to teach leaders.

So it sounds simple-just build leaders! It sounds like the line "find good prospects". How DO we find and build profitable leaders?!

The first definition I heard is from a man named Tracy Dietrich in Dallas, Texas.

He says that leaders are professional students of the business. In other words, leaders actually read the sales manual that came with their distributor kit.  We're students of network marketing - always looking for new ideas and information.

Leaders listen to audio training tapes, read books, go to up line meetings and, whenever they can, they attend company conventions.

You'll see leaders hanging around with the up line leaders hoping to pick up a good idea. This definition makes it easy to spot leaders. Just go to any training meeting and You'll see the chairs full of potential leaders.

Another definition of a leader is the person who you put in charge when you go on vacation. He is someone who does his business without your constant motivation and checking. He is someone you don't have to worry about.

The final definition of a leader-

This one is the toughest of all

A leader is someone who handles problems. Let's say there is a problem in the down line. Mike didn't get his order or Mary talked longer than Al or there was some bad news in the local press, or whatever. A leader handles the problem. Your leader will call the home office to trace the order, will help Al understand why Mary talked longer, or support and counsel a devastated distributor who is upset over some bad publicity.

The leadership test is this: Will the problem filter up line to you?

If you have a distributor whom you think is a leader -- but the distributor is still passing problems up line to you, this distributor in just a "wannabe" leader.

This is a tough test, but it separates leaders from the crowd.

More on finding leaders with lesson 2……..

Special thanks to Tom "Big Al" Schreiter for material for this blog post.

Be ready for life's surprises

I'll bet you've noticed that sometimes you get a life or business outcome you didn't figure on - or want. And other times, you get a really good outcome from a situation that looked pretty bad.

To me, experiences like this emphasize how important it is to have the outlook that your life is a wonderful adventure, full of surprises - which means you have to be ready for pretty much anything.

You're guaranteed to struggle at times. Knowing that, you can go in with a plan to get you back on the right road, no matter what the situation. And at times, you'll have great success. 


That's when you need a different plan, to really take advantage of your achievement.

No matter how much you know, or how experienced you are, or how detailed your plans are, your life and your future can change in a heartbeat.

In network marketing, you're meeting new people all the time. And they bring with them new situations and new opportunities. I've found I get the best results in life & business when I'm really open to these new ideas. Every once in awhile, you'll find a gem that makes your journey a lot more fun, or helps you reach your goals sooner.

No matter how much you plan, much of what happens is totally outside your control. So first, be ready and be alert. Then take what comes and use it to build the life you have dreamed of. 


The more you mentally prepare to adjust to life's inevitable changes, the better you will get at achieving your dreams.

To Your Success,

Judy

Who am I? Who do you want to be?

Your identity has a tremendous influence on your behavior. What we do readily or refuse to do is strongly connected with how we identify who we are. We tend to say, "I'll do that. That's who I am." Or, "I would never think of doing that. I'm not that kind of person." This pattern can work for us or against us depending on the nature of our subjective identity.

There was a famous study designed to illustrate the power of our sense of identity.

"Can we place this large billboard with the words: DRIVE CAREFULLY on your front lawn?" a number of homeowners were asked. Unbeknown to them the question was posed by a student working on a research project.

Understandably, most people answered, "No." They didn't want unsightly signs on their expensive front lawns.

This same request was then posed in two steps. The house owners were asked, "Are you for safe driving?" Everyone replied, "Of course, yes."

"Then would you please sign this petition for safe driving." Most agreed to sign.

Several weeks later those who signed were approached again. "You signed a declaration that you are for safe driving. Are you still for safe driving today?"

"Yes. I haven't changed my mind," was the unanimous response.

"Since you are a person who cares about safe driving, could you please allow us to place this billboard with a DRIVE CAREFULLY message on your front lawn?"

Most agreed. Why? Because once they identified themselves as individuals who cared about safe driving, they acted consistently with their new identity. Previously even if they agreed, they might have done so reluctantly. Now that they were acting in a way consistent with their identity as being concerned about safe driving, they felt good about doing their part to help save lives. This principle applies to all areas.

On our subject, the principle can be stated: Identify yourself as a person who is kind and caring and you will spontaneously upgrade your level of kindness.

There are many instances when you will have opportunities to do acts of kindness for others but might not be open to do them. At times you might not recognize the opportunity. At other times, you just won't feel like doing the kind deed. Or you might not feel like it's incumbent upon you to speak up.

When you identify yourself as a person who loves kindness, you will notice opportunities you hadn't noticed before. You will feel like doing acts of kindness you didn't feel like doing before. And you will always feel that it's up to you to do as much good as you can throughout your life.

As you develop your love for kindness, you will view yourself as a person with a life goal to help others. You might not choose to share this with others. But in your heart you will know that this is who you are.

From Kindness: Making a Difference in People's Lives:
Formulas, stories, and insights
By Zelig Pliskin 

Profile Pictures-Facebook

So you are a bottle of energy beverage? Maybe a sports car? Or my favorite-the Blue Box!

Facebook profile pictures are supposed to give the viewer an idea of who you are. If you are trying to build a business then here are some suggestions for chosing a picture that will attract people to you.

1) Make it a picture of YOU. You can be with your kids or your dog or even your sports car, but it has to be you, not some cartoon character or bottle of beverage (MLM or other). Put the kids pictures in one of your albums.

2) KIS- Keep it simple. Don't expect people to know who you are if you are standing with a bunch of people or far off. Make sure you are the center of the focus and there are not too many distractions around you.  

3) Smile! Nobody wants to do business with someone who frowns. You can have a neutral look, but a smile is best. If you have a problem smiling-see a dentist!

4) Make the picture clear- unless you are hoping for some dramatic effect, make the picture a clean shot. Most of the pictures taken off webcams are lousy.

5) Don't make it look too professional- that will scare people and think you are a snob. Unless you are leader in your field and have publish a successful book (think Robert Kiyosaki successful) , don't use a photo taken in a studio. Wedding pictures are kitsch but OK.

6) Keep things under wraps- don't show too much "skin". If you want to put your beach pictures of you in a bikini or thong bathing suit, PLEASE  put it in one of your albums, just don't use one of the pictures as your profile picture, it's not professional.

To your success,

Judy

Multiple streams of Outgo

A few years ago Robert Kiyosaki wrote a book called "Rich Dad Poor Dad". It compared two ways of thinking: Employee thinking and Businessman thinking. It was a great book and made a difference to many people's lives. If you are interested in making a change in your financial future and haven't read it, I personally recommend it.

One of the topics he discussed in his book was "Multiple streams of income". According to Kiyosaki, if you have some extra income, you should diversify and invest it in multiple areas such as buying gold and silver coins, real estate, stocks, bonds. Things that allow for extra passive income without a lot of work. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. (only real estate, only stock market).

In the network marketing industry, the MLM "heavy hitters" decided this was a perfect opportunity to get people to join their business.The Gurus started to tell people to join multiple MLM's using the logic that the more MLM's you join the more "multiple streams of income" you will have. Network Marketing companies and affiliate programs started to show up like mushrooms on a rainy day.

I do not think this is what Kiyosaki had in mind.  He wanted  people to buy gold coins and put them in a safe place where they will go up in value with time. He did not want people joining a gold selling MLM-Not convince 2 friends to get gold coins sent to them once a month and then they convince 2 people. He does not want people to join four affiliate programs in the hope that one of them will give an income. That is a mistake, you spread yourself thin and end up earning nothing.

Network marketing is WORK, you need to build a relationship with someone. You need to have a company that you feel comfortable working with, products that are competitively priced, give people value and help them, as well as, a duplicateable system that allows for average people to make money. Not waste money buying useless DVDs.

If you belong to two MLM's that both supply similar products, which one should people buy? Which one should they join? Which one should you invest more energies? Which one will bring you a better income?

It doesn't matter if it is an affiliate program or an MLM, you still have to get people interested in what you are offering.

KIS- Keep it simple! Stick to one program, invest your energies, see the results.

Would like to know more how to choose a good MLM?
Message me and I will teach you how-FOR FREE.

Judy

Rumors-the bloodless crime that's kills

There is no better way to kill someone than ruin his good name. All you need is one good rumor and the person's reputation goes up in smoke.

In the Jewish tradition it is one of the 613 commandments "Do not speak derogatorily of others". There have been  many books written on the subject how to speak, what you are and are not allowed to speak about.

Much of the emphasis in the books is intention. If your know the facts personally and the intention to what you are saying is truthful and will help the other person in his dealings then you are allowed to say something bad about another person. A perfect example would be- if you personally know someone who is doing drugs, a gambler or some other destructive behavior, NOT heard if from someone else second hand,  then you are required to say something to his girlfriend since you are protecting her from damage caused by being connected to someone with destructive behaviour. If someone just says something nasty, then you are required to ignore what they say and not repeat it. According to the Jewish tradition, it is even forbidden to repeat it.

Unfortunately it is human nature to think bad things about other people. People who are small minded tend to enjoy putting other people down in the hopes that it will raise their image in other people's eyes. It can be in personal relationships, business dealings or just someone famous.

If you hear someone say something nasty and probably false about someone you know and respect then it is in your best interest to ignore what they said. You should also reconsider your relationship with the "blasphemer" maybe you are better off not being connected with him/her since you never know what they might be saying about you behind your back.

You'll never get rich selling an MLM opportunity

In today's market, you cannot build a long-term successful MLM business by selling the opportunity. Even if you are a superstar salesperson, the fact is - over 90% of everyone else is not. They hate sales. And they will not be able to sell the opportunity, no matter how much sales training and "RAH! RAH!" courses you may give them. so they will disappear.

So how do you solve that problem? When your target  is"frustrated MLMers" ,many will see themselves and their own story in what you are saying, and they will want to talk about it.

It's easy to build relationships with the people who identify with this topic. No selling necessary. As you build relationships, you build your network. Bring value into their lives, and some of them will want to work with you. Then just tell them their options & let them decide.

Are you a frustrated MLMer? Maybe we should talk.....please contact me and tell me how I can help you.

What's your dream?

A good salesman can have you picturing your dream life in moments, and then actually LIVING that dream life, because he's going to leverage YOUR mental image to sell you HIS product or service. The better he can link what he's selling to your dream, the sooner you'll make that buying decision.

That's how sales works. The best salesperson gets you to visualize exactly what you want, in all its detail. Knowing that, why not use this technique on yourself?

We talk about visualization a lot. But do you actually ever DO it? And if so, are you doing it effectively?

Why not model the successful sales pro? YOU call the shots. Bond with your dream using all your senses - sight, sound, smell, touch, taste. Make it 100% vivid, just like you are really there now. Write down the details of the dream you are picturing, so you can use those details over and over.

Do it every day. The sooner you bond with your dream every day, the sooner you will pay the price to achieve it.

That is how life works.

MLM pros get the work done!

MLM pros know that success requires persistence and hard work. It takes discipline and commitment to success to ALWAYS complete any work that is important and related to their goals.

It pains me to say this, but at times, you've got to choose work over fun. (Of course, if THIS work isn't fun, you're not doing it right!) When you get things done, that connects your motivations and your goals. Unfortunately, most of the population would rather watch the 142nd rerun of "Gilligan's Island."

If you are truly on the success path, then you will take full responsibility for their actions. You realize that what you are today, and what you will be tomorrow, depends 100% on YOU! Your results come directly from your choices & decisions. You are proactive, and you go the extra mile, using your own resources & abilities - and your team's - to reach your goals.

The only way to identify an MLM pro is by their results. The world is constantly changing. Nobody stays the same for long. They either get better, or they get worse. The only sensible choice is to work your butt off until you can see the results you want - and then keep working until those results are overwhelming. THEN you'll know you're on stable ground, and it's safe to take some R & R.

Are you following the pros or the amateurs? 

Ten Don'ts

Ten Don'ts

From Kindness: Making a Difference in People's Lives:
Formulas, stories, and insights
By Zelig Pliskin
Printed with Permission of Shaar Press

[1] DON'T be obsessed with the people you can't help. Focus on the people you can. You are a mortal. You, like everyone else, are limited. Obsessing about what you can't do prevents you from thinking about things you can do.

[2] DON'T let the lack of kindness and giving of others influence you to stop helping and giving. Some people feel resentful, "Other people aren't helping. Why should I?" We learn from role models. Learn from those who are kind, not from those who aren't.

[3] DON'T keep trying to help someone who truly doesn't want your help. Some people are very independent. They could gain from accepting your help. But their need to be on their own is stronger than their wish for your help. Be aware that some people really want your help but are embarrassed about it. If you feel that is the situation, try to say things to put the person at ease.

[4] DON'T give up too soon. Some people might think that you really won't be able to help them so they initially tell you not to bother. If you don't give up, both you and the other person will see that he will gain much more than he thought.

[5] DON'T complain that other people keep asking you to do things for them. If others come to you for help, it's an expression that they believe you are a kind person. You might not be able to meet other people's needs right now, but by being aware of their needs, you might think of a creative solution.

[6] DON'T tell anyone, "I had to go without this for a long time. So you also can go without it." Other people have a right to something even if you didn't always have it. If you don't want to help someone, just say a polite, "No."

[7] DON'T be hurt if a selfish person complains that you are selfish. Some selfish people try to manipulate giving people by telling them they are selfish. Perhaps you are being selfish. Then again, perhaps not. You might want to ask objective outsiders for their opinion.

[8] DON'T be naïve. Don't believe every story you hear. If a story seems questionable, check it out. If you have good reason to believe that someone is lying to you, perhaps he is. But be very careful. Someone's sad story might not at first seem true, but it could very well be that it is. A person who loves kindness would rather err on the possibility of helping someone who doesn't need it rather than not helping someone who does.

[9] DON'T say things that might cause someone to feel badly when you help him. Some people might say things such as, "This is so difficult for me to do. I don't know why I agreed to do this for you." Or, "This is the last time I'll commit myself to do this for anyone."

[10] DON'T embarrass someone when you do something for him. Be careful not to say or do anything in the presence of others that would cause distress to the person you are trying to help.

Where were you two years ago?

For Avi Levy from Jerusalem two years ago things looked really bad. He had recently gotten out of prison on drug charges and he was still addicted to drugs. His wife and family who loved him very much, made him realize that if something didn't change, things were going to go from bad to worse. So Avi went to rehab to get clean and became a drug counselor for other drug addicts.

Eighteen months later when his wife was expecting their second child, the Israeli TV advertised a cooking competition "Masterchef". Avi made the first cut - "We are going to give you a chance" and he advanced through out the program impressing the judges with his culinary abilities mostly, staying close to the home cooking that he knew.

Competition was tight and all the contestants showed off their cooking skills to the judges. It came down to two-Avi the rehab counselor and Eliav the fashion designer. Avi won.

What impressed me with Avi, was his humbleness, he didn't win because it made good copy. He won because the judges felt that the food that he cooked was not only tasty, but also had another ingredient - who he is. It was reflected in his food. Hope, home, family, forgiveness, manliness.

He is giving hope with his food. Hope to all those who are in a bad place and don't see the light at the end of the tunnel, it's there, just after the bend in the tunnel. You just have to keep going and not give up.

One product company?

I like to look at different network marketing companies and what they offer. I was looking at a network marketing company the other day, a company that belonged to the wellness industry; they sold one product, a nutritional supplement that helped people feel better due to its antioxidant qualities.

Now I know that this is an excellent product, they had numerous researches to back it up. But let's be honest as a business opportunity, does it really make sense

If you look at cars, in the beginning, Ford offered the Model T in black and black, but he made them so reasonable people didn't mind buying black. Today, even the most expensive and fancy car companies have a few different versions of cars available (think Rolls Royce, Corvette, Maybach) . The big car companies have SUV, midsize cars, luxury cars, all available in a variety of  different colors, depending on what the person needs are in a car.

Back to our health product, now the company that distributes this product advertises itself as an MLM, which 
means you get bonuses and go up levels based on the amount of product you succeed in selling or introducing new distributors to your company.

Now I might be naïve, but you probably have to sell LOTS of this supplement to go up a level. It might be a life changing product, but to build a business on ONE product, just doesn’t seem like good business sense. I think it makes more sense to find a company that has a few life changing products that can help a variety of people with their health issues and join that one as an MLM, you chance for success increases.

Listening-the missing skill

-                          Everyone admits that one of keys to keeping your kids out of trouble is listening to them. When your kids are talking to you, how do you listen? Is just "uh huh" or do you look at them and listen to what they are saying? Do you stop mixing your pot/washing the dishes/watching your favorite TV program, turn towards them and listen? It makes a difference. It makes a difference since your body language and facial expressions tell your child that what they are saying is important to you.

Some of the ways that you show you are not really listening – interrupting, fidgeting, shifting your eyes/no eye contact, yawning, writing everything down, finishing sentences, giving advice( which is really criticism) when it is not requested.

Are you listening in a judgmental way or are you listening with an open heart? Are you thinking about what you are trying to respond or are you listening with your heart and then getting inspired to respond to your child with what is right and not what you want to hear? Acknowledge their feelings, review some of the main points they mentioned. Do not respond in  an accusatory tone.

Everyone listens faster than they can talk. People unfortunately, also have selective hearing; they hear what they want to hear and not what they heard. I have numerous times scheduled appointment with my children only to hear them say "but we didn't schedule it or I forgot/I am not around/ I have something else important to do". I have learned from that experience and always finalize the appointment by saying "OK , Julie, can you please repeat to me, "my appointment with the dentist is Tuesday, July 22 at 2:00 in the afternoon."

If you "practice" listening to your kids properly, it is only a small step to listening to your business partners in a professional manner that will be beneficial to all.

Print Handwriting or Cursive Handwriting It doesn't make a difference-just write it down!

Print Handwriting or Cursive Handwriting

It doesn't make a difference-just write it down!

The state of Indiana has removed cursive writing from their curriculum. In my daughters school all classes are equipment with computers and barcode screen, as well as internet connection. I grew up not only learning cursive writing but also typing. I always enjoyed the girls in my class who had the cute curly, swirly handwriting, but the typing classes have helped me more in life. (Thank you, Ms. Kahn- wherever you may be)

As I grew older, I came to prefer print to cursive handwriting. I worked for many years in dental offices, where the charts were filled out by hand. It can be very challenging to understand what the dentist is trying to say when I am reading chicken scratches. Today most medical and dental offices are going paperless to avoid confusions and misunderstanding due to spelling or handwriting issues.

Today, I seldom use a paper and pencil for composing letters. I mostly type everything -blog posts, letters, etc. It is so much easier to change your mind, add a line, copy/paste than using a pen and paper. But I find that I have a special connection when something is written down with a pen a paper. Prayers or for that matter, any request, are so much more effective when written and not typed.  

The art of "thank you" notes is so much more personal when it is handwritten than typed. Even if I use a standard card but add a few words and sign my name, I feel a bigger connection than if I would just have some "with compliments" stationary printed up with my name. A diary, even if it is a simple notebook has more emotions than the most expressive blog.

I hope the art of writing does not get removed from the school curriculum; there is nothing simpler than a piece of paper and a pencil to get your point across.

Lots of love-

Judy 

Network Marketing Oyster Warmers

Everyone knows that inside an oyster can be hidden a beautiful pearl. It can take opening hundreds  of oysters to find the concealed gem. Would an oyster fisherman, after opening an oyster and not finding a pearl, close it up and nurture it in the hope of finding one day a pearl? I doubt it.

Network marketers need to learn from the oyster fisherman how to treat prospects. They invite a prospect who agrees to come to the opportunity meeting…but doesn't show up. Once, twice, each time you are standing at the entrance waiting for them and they don't show up. Each time they find a legitimate excuse why not to show up.

Maybe it's time to part ways with the person? They know you have an opportunity. They know where to find you when the timing is right. Now the timing is not right for them. Don't lose sleep. Take only the volunteers. There are so many people out there for whom the timing IS right; those are the prospects you want to approach. Those are the prospects that are looking for a change in their life and you are the one to provide it.

Keep fishing……

Lots of love,  Judy

Network marketing- just like being a mother, Simple, but easy?

There is nothing simpler than being a mother, all a woman has to do is get pregnant and have a baby- presto, you are a mother!.

But easy to be a mother? Having raised 5 kids, I would be lying if I said yes. Middle of the night feeding, sick children, homework, fighting among sibling, there are lots of challenges to be a mother.

It's similar with network marketing. Network marketing is simple- Use product, recommend products to people, and sponsor people. But is it really that easy?

Use the product – that's easy. All I have to do is buy the product and use it. But did I remember to buy the product, or (oops) did I finish my stock and not order some in my next home delivery?

Use it- Do I remember to take my vitamins, or am I in a rush and forget to take my vitamins? Do I remember to use my skin care system, or am I too tired to use them? Do I know the proper proportions to dilute the energy concentrate for best results?

Recommend products- are you embarrassed to recommend products to friends? You have received benefit from the product, why aren't you sharing the benefits with them. They have two choices, buy product from you or not. Don't get caught up in the outcome. When they see you healthier, with more energy, they will want some too.

You would recommend a good dentist to your friends? If you would own a shoe store wouldn't you tell your friends about the great new shoes that you have in stock and encourage them to buy from you? Would you get offended if they prefer to go to Wal-Mart and spend  $1.99 on a pair of flip flops? Don't get caught up in the outcome.

Sponsor people- only take the volunteers. Don’t run after people who aren’t interested in what you have to offer. If they are a friend/relative that sees you often, they will notice the positive change in you, they will notice that you are happier, are looking different, or maybe even buying fancy things. They will either be envious and jealous of your success or they will want to join up and do what you are doing to get the same results.

Sorry to say, but there are some people who enjoy being miserable, it makes them get noticed, it gets them attention. These are the types of people who aren't interested in improving their lives or themselves and will discourage you from anything that will help you grow (and get away from them).

Inform, don't convince- when you are telling family and friends about your business opportunity/products, you are informing them about its availability. If you have to convince them to join, you will also have to convince them to work. If they see other people using your company's product they will remember that you also talked to them about the products/company and will come to YOU for more information because they are comfortable with you.

So what's going to be easier, taking the volunteers or forcing people kicking and screaming? The secret is have fun in the process. The choice is yours.

Lots of love- Judy