Monday, September 26, 2005
Duplication In Network Marketing
If you're involved in any MLM/Network Marketing program the key thing to
remember is duplication. The thing to remember is that if it's not
duplicatable; your downline may not be able to do it. I know it's easy to
think your skill set can be done by anyone, but the truth is, it may not be.
I would guess that the majority of the people you'll talk to and bring into
your organization will be totally new to this industry and that's fine. We
were all new at one time and we need to remember that.
Let's go over a few Do's and Don't's
Do's
Do teach that they need to let their friends and family know what they're
doing. There may be some people they don't want to tell until they reach a
certain point because of the following Do.
Do teach them not to let their friends and family discourage them. This is
probably the most important thing to teach a new person. It's been said that
more people drop out of MLM or any business because someone talked them out
of it. These are the same people who sit at home and watch TV while
complaining that they're broke and refusing to do anything to change it.
Always remember and teach your downline to remember that if ANYONE has
succeeded at ANYTHING, they can too!!!! All it takes is doing the same
things they did to succeed.
Do teach them how the compensation plan works. They need to know how to get
paid and they need to be able to explain it to others. The simplest plans
are if you get X amount of people who get X amount of people, and you all
make X amount of sales each month, you'll make X amount of money each month.
Geometric growth can really add up.
Here's an example. You recruit 6 people who recruit 6 people (36) who
recruit 6 people (216) who recruit 6 people (1296) who recruit 6 people
(7776) who recruit 6 people (46,656) and everyone makes enough sales to
generate $5.00 in upline commissions you would earn 233,280 bucks a month.
This is just an example of course, since not all of them will recruit 6
people who make $5.00 in upline overrides etc and not all plans will use
this formula. You will have to modify this to fit your comp plan. The simple
fact that not everyone will find those 6 leaders is why most big money
earners tell you to recruit as wide and fast as possible. 6 people doesn't
sound like many but the reality is the bigger the entry price is and the
more sales they'll need, the harder it'll be to find those 6 leaders. But
don't stop at $5.00 in upline overrides. Teach them that customers come and
go and to keep making sales.
Do provide support for them and teach them to provide support for their
downline. It saddens me to receive an e-mail from an agent in someone else's
downline who can't reach their sponsor. I help when I can and refer them to
forums, websites etc when I can't.
Do remember that this industry is the greatest chance for an average person
to reach whatever level of success they want to achieve. There is no job or
normal business that provides the financial and time freedom possibilities
that MLM does.
Do teach them to buy a domain and either frame it or forward it to their
company page. If their URL has a "?" or id code, the chances of someone
typing the incorrect code is pretty good and gets better the longer that
code is. Besides, you can get a domain for about $10.00 or less a year and
the frame or forwarding service is usually included. The company I promote
offers domains with URL forwarding and e-mail forwarding for $9.75 a year
and tech support is great.
Do teach them to buy business cards and pass them out when it fits and keep
a supply on hand at all times. If your company doesn't offer business cards,
they can be ordered through a local store or vistaprint.com.
Do teach them to create a profile page (also known as face page) on a site
such as www.PowerfulIntentions.com and ideally use a domain with their name
in it to point to it. I was lucky and my name was available but even if
yours/theirs isn't, there are still options if you're creative. This is
still a relationship business and regardless of whether or not they'll be
using the internet to prospect, they need a place to let others know who
they are and what they're doing. Most people should be careful of how much
personal information they put on the page for safety reasons i.e. don't put
driving directions or that you live alone unless you think about the
possible ramifications. My life is pretty much an open book, but I'm aware
of the possible downside of revealing as much as I do.
Do teach them to get a second bank account for their business and put a set
amount of money in it each month for advertising, leads, tools and deposit
their commission checks there until they reach their goals. Reinvestment is
key to succeeding. If you need to "borrow" from this account, pay yourself
back with interest. If you want to get crazy, use the same interest that a
check cashing/payday advance loan place charges, usually $20 per $100 per
payday.
Don't's
Don't try to reinvent the wheel. This is a tough one for most people. I know
it was for me. But it's in your and their best interest to use the proven
things that got you and your upline to where they are. I'm not saying to
never try new things; but I am saying to use the tools that are proven and
test the tools that you find before recommending them to anyone. Just
because an ebook tells you to do something, doesn't mean it will work. The
internet is a rapidly evolving thing and what worked last year, may not work
today and some things will always work.
Don't teach anyone to do TV ads, Billboards or similar big ticket things
until they are making a lot of money and maybe not even then. Remember that
most people will only join you if they believe they can do the same things
you do and most people can't afford to start out buying a billboard or a
spot on primetime.
Don't teach anyone to hound anyone. It's the fastest way to lose friends.
It's one thing to mention it from time to time and when someone asks what
you're doing to say you're still doing the online business and getting
closer to retirement but it's another thing to call them every week and say
"Are you ready to start your home business yet?" The later is the reason so
many people have caller ID. Not to mention, there's too many ways to find
people who are interested. You can generate your own leads via the internet
or newspaper ads or buy them from a reputable source such as
www.bestmlmleads.biz
Don't bother with paid sign-ups. I have yet to find anyone who has
consistently made them work or had good things to say about them. Maybe they
work for some people, but we're looking for duplication.
Don't try to build anyone's business or tell them you will. This will only
create a group of people who expect you to do their work for them. By all
means help them, answer questions and be a good sponsor but DON'T tell them
you'll do all the work. The only exception to this is if your payplan has
spillover and even then they'll still need to work but as you also work,
some of your people will also payoff for your downline. For a better example
here's a company that has spillover (See Resource Link Below) Always
remember that if no one did any work in a spillover company but the top
person he or she would die trying to fill a low level.
I know that this article doesn't cover all of the do's and don't's but it'll
get you started and hopefully prevent you from making a time wasting
mistake.
Resources for this article are located at
http://stservices.powerfulintentions.com/library/view/2137
Brian Baldwin is a Professional Networker with Cognigen specializing in
Telecommunications, Travel, Internet Services, and more. He currently lives
in Reno/Sparks Nevada.
To find out what he's up to now, go to http://www.BrianBaldwin.com and read
his blog.
remember is duplication. The thing to remember is that if it's not
duplicatable; your downline may not be able to do it. I know it's easy to
think your skill set can be done by anyone, but the truth is, it may not be.
I would guess that the majority of the people you'll talk to and bring into
your organization will be totally new to this industry and that's fine. We
were all new at one time and we need to remember that.
Let's go over a few Do's and Don't's
Do's
Do teach that they need to let their friends and family know what they're
doing. There may be some people they don't want to tell until they reach a
certain point because of the following Do.
Do teach them not to let their friends and family discourage them. This is
probably the most important thing to teach a new person. It's been said that
more people drop out of MLM or any business because someone talked them out
of it. These are the same people who sit at home and watch TV while
complaining that they're broke and refusing to do anything to change it.
Always remember and teach your downline to remember that if ANYONE has
succeeded at ANYTHING, they can too!!!! All it takes is doing the same
things they did to succeed.
Do teach them how the compensation plan works. They need to know how to get
paid and they need to be able to explain it to others. The simplest plans
are if you get X amount of people who get X amount of people, and you all
make X amount of sales each month, you'll make X amount of money each month.
Geometric growth can really add up.
Here's an example. You recruit 6 people who recruit 6 people (36) who
recruit 6 people (216) who recruit 6 people (1296) who recruit 6 people
(7776) who recruit 6 people (46,656) and everyone makes enough sales to
generate $5.00 in upline commissions you would earn 233,280 bucks a month.
This is just an example of course, since not all of them will recruit 6
people who make $5.00 in upline overrides etc and not all plans will use
this formula. You will have to modify this to fit your comp plan. The simple
fact that not everyone will find those 6 leaders is why most big money
earners tell you to recruit as wide and fast as possible. 6 people doesn't
sound like many but the reality is the bigger the entry price is and the
more sales they'll need, the harder it'll be to find those 6 leaders. But
don't stop at $5.00 in upline overrides. Teach them that customers come and
go and to keep making sales.
Do provide support for them and teach them to provide support for their
downline. It saddens me to receive an e-mail from an agent in someone else's
downline who can't reach their sponsor. I help when I can and refer them to
forums, websites etc when I can't.
Do remember that this industry is the greatest chance for an average person
to reach whatever level of success they want to achieve. There is no job or
normal business that provides the financial and time freedom possibilities
that MLM does.
Do teach them to buy a domain and either frame it or forward it to their
company page. If their URL has a "?" or id code, the chances of someone
typing the incorrect code is pretty good and gets better the longer that
code is. Besides, you can get a domain for about $10.00 or less a year and
the frame or forwarding service is usually included. The company I promote
offers domains with URL forwarding and e-mail forwarding for $9.75 a year
and tech support is great.
Do teach them to buy business cards and pass them out when it fits and keep
a supply on hand at all times. If your company doesn't offer business cards,
they can be ordered through a local store or vistaprint.com.
Do teach them to create a profile page (also known as face page) on a site
such as www.PowerfulIntentions.com and ideally use a domain with their name
in it to point to it. I was lucky and my name was available but even if
yours/theirs isn't, there are still options if you're creative. This is
still a relationship business and regardless of whether or not they'll be
using the internet to prospect, they need a place to let others know who
they are and what they're doing. Most people should be careful of how much
personal information they put on the page for safety reasons i.e. don't put
driving directions or that you live alone unless you think about the
possible ramifications. My life is pretty much an open book, but I'm aware
of the possible downside of revealing as much as I do.
Do teach them to get a second bank account for their business and put a set
amount of money in it each month for advertising, leads, tools and deposit
their commission checks there until they reach their goals. Reinvestment is
key to succeeding. If you need to "borrow" from this account, pay yourself
back with interest. If you want to get crazy, use the same interest that a
check cashing/payday advance loan place charges, usually $20 per $100 per
payday.
Don't's
Don't try to reinvent the wheel. This is a tough one for most people. I know
it was for me. But it's in your and their best interest to use the proven
things that got you and your upline to where they are. I'm not saying to
never try new things; but I am saying to use the tools that are proven and
test the tools that you find before recommending them to anyone. Just
because an ebook tells you to do something, doesn't mean it will work. The
internet is a rapidly evolving thing and what worked last year, may not work
today and some things will always work.
Don't teach anyone to do TV ads, Billboards or similar big ticket things
until they are making a lot of money and maybe not even then. Remember that
most people will only join you if they believe they can do the same things
you do and most people can't afford to start out buying a billboard or a
spot on primetime.
Don't teach anyone to hound anyone. It's the fastest way to lose friends.
It's one thing to mention it from time to time and when someone asks what
you're doing to say you're still doing the online business and getting
closer to retirement but it's another thing to call them every week and say
"Are you ready to start your home business yet?" The later is the reason so
many people have caller ID. Not to mention, there's too many ways to find
people who are interested. You can generate your own leads via the internet
or newspaper ads or buy them from a reputable source such as
www.bestmlmleads.biz
Don't bother with paid sign-ups. I have yet to find anyone who has
consistently made them work or had good things to say about them. Maybe they
work for some people, but we're looking for duplication.
Don't try to build anyone's business or tell them you will. This will only
create a group of people who expect you to do their work for them. By all
means help them, answer questions and be a good sponsor but DON'T tell them
you'll do all the work. The only exception to this is if your payplan has
spillover and even then they'll still need to work but as you also work,
some of your people will also payoff for your downline. For a better example
here's a company that has spillover (See Resource Link Below) Always
remember that if no one did any work in a spillover company but the top
person he or she would die trying to fill a low level.
I know that this article doesn't cover all of the do's and don't's but it'll
get you started and hopefully prevent you from making a time wasting
mistake.
Resources for this article are located at
http://stservices.powerfulintentions.com/library/view/2137
Brian Baldwin is a Professional Networker with Cognigen specializing in
Telecommunications, Travel, Internet Services, and more. He currently lives
in Reno/Sparks Nevada.
To find out what he's up to now, go to http://www.BrianBaldwin.com and read
his blog.
Sunday, September 18, 2005
Two Quick And Easy-To-Implement Tactics To Monetarise The Traffic ALREADY On Your Web Site!
The Internet is full of "How To Get MORE Traffic To Your Web Site" Schemes, Strategies And Techniques...
And yes, while getting more pre-qualified traffic to your web site is always a positive thing, a better approach is to utilize/ maximize the traffic that is ALREADY there, on it (your web site that is).
Here's a better question... "What are you doing with the web site traffic that's already ON your web site?"
Or, a simple premise... "If a person is already ON your web site they're searching for something, right?" They just didn't turn up on it because there was nothing worthwhile to watch on TV... or they thought they'd just go surfing while waiting for the roast (dinner) to cook.
They WANT something from you (and your web site).
Here's what happens (in the brain) when a person lands on your web site.
The brain says to itself "What is it?"... and then it says (again to itself, unless you're in the habit of talking out loud to your own brain)... "What's in it for me?"
Now, if the brain (aka that thing between your ears) doesn't get a good, CLEAR answer to its own question/s, then it gets very confused very quickly and then it says (again to itself) "I'm confused, I'm going elsewhere", or... "I think I'll go check out the roast dinner now".
Bingo, They're gone (probably never to return again).
Now, here's another way!
Master Internet marketers talk a lot about "sales funnels". What they mean by this is the directing of people from an OFF-site source (usually another web site, text link ad etc) down a pre-determined path towards their own pre-determined (and desired) outcome (usually the signup to a list).
So, what if you were to take this (sales funnel) concept and apply it to your ON-site traffic and systems? What would happen then?
Well, I did just that. I tested my own theory, and noticed an immediate and dramatic spike in traffic to my own pre-determined (and desired) ON-site outcomes/ actions (from people who were already ON my web site).
I used techniques to redirect people (who were already on my web site) to my desired outcome (and I tracked these systems to see what happened).
The sign ups soared!
Here's what I did.
1. Used a new generation popup system on the landing page.
Now, when new visitors landed on my site a high percentage of them clicked on the "PS" type (popup) note and were taken through to the offer ON my site. This page (of course) has a navigation bar. People can still access the other content that's ON my web site.
2. Set up a footer - text-based banner - on every second tier page.
The copy in this footer banner was unobtrusive. It repeated the message on the "PS" popup on the landing page. I used text (to 'say' the benefit).
My conclusions,
>>> "In addition to working on increasing traffic to my web site from OFF-site sources, implement better ON-site traffic-direction techniques for the traffic that's already on it", and
>>> "Point first time visitors towards my own (desired) ON-site outcomes, right up front... and then KEEP them on my site with a consistent - benefit laden - navigation bar".
Kenneth Doyle is the author of the mini-course,
* Mining The Diamonds In Your Own Backyard *
'5 Simple, Easy-To-Implement Tactics To Monetarise
The Traffic Which Is Already On Your Web Site.'
Get It Here... http://www.feedyourhungrymind.com/diamondsam1
And yes, while getting more pre-qualified traffic to your web site is always a positive thing, a better approach is to utilize/ maximize the traffic that is ALREADY there, on it (your web site that is).
Here's a better question... "What are you doing with the web site traffic that's already ON your web site?"
Or, a simple premise... "If a person is already ON your web site they're searching for something, right?" They just didn't turn up on it because there was nothing worthwhile to watch on TV... or they thought they'd just go surfing while waiting for the roast (dinner) to cook.
They WANT something from you (and your web site).
Here's what happens (in the brain) when a person lands on your web site.
The brain says to itself "What is it?"... and then it says (again to itself, unless you're in the habit of talking out loud to your own brain)... "What's in it for me?"
Now, if the brain (aka that thing between your ears) doesn't get a good, CLEAR answer to its own question/s, then it gets very confused very quickly and then it says (again to itself) "I'm confused, I'm going elsewhere", or... "I think I'll go check out the roast dinner now".
Bingo, They're gone (probably never to return again).
Now, here's another way!
Master Internet marketers talk a lot about "sales funnels". What they mean by this is the directing of people from an OFF-site source (usually another web site, text link ad etc) down a pre-determined path towards their own pre-determined (and desired) outcome (usually the signup to a list).
So, what if you were to take this (sales funnel) concept and apply it to your ON-site traffic and systems? What would happen then?
Well, I did just that. I tested my own theory, and noticed an immediate and dramatic spike in traffic to my own pre-determined (and desired) ON-site outcomes/ actions (from people who were already ON my web site).
I used techniques to redirect people (who were already on my web site) to my desired outcome (and I tracked these systems to see what happened).
The sign ups soared!
Here's what I did.
1. Used a new generation popup system on the landing page.
Now, when new visitors landed on my site a high percentage of them clicked on the "PS" type (popup) note and were taken through to the offer ON my site. This page (of course) has a navigation bar. People can still access the other content that's ON my web site.
2. Set up a footer - text-based banner - on every second tier page.
The copy in this footer banner was unobtrusive. It repeated the message on the "PS" popup on the landing page. I used text (to 'say' the benefit).
My conclusions,
>>> "In addition to working on increasing traffic to my web site from OFF-site sources, implement better ON-site traffic-direction techniques for the traffic that's already on it", and
>>> "Point first time visitors towards my own (desired) ON-site outcomes, right up front... and then KEEP them on my site with a consistent - benefit laden - navigation bar".
Kenneth Doyle is the author of the mini-course,
* Mining The Diamonds In Your Own Backyard *
'5 Simple, Easy-To-Implement Tactics To Monetarise
The Traffic Which Is Already On Your Web Site.'
Get It Here... http://www.feedyourhungrymind.com/diamondsam1
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Looking Back On My First Year With A Home Based Business
For reasons that escape me now, I kept sort of a diary during my first full year of working at a home based business. It was nothing close to being a complete daily diary, but was more of a collection of scribbles about things that I felt were worthy of note at the time. Since quite a bit of time has passed since then, I decided to revisit these notes.
In no particular order, here are some of the things that I hadmade note of.
Choosing the path...in the beginning, my enthusiasm was very high (perhaps too high?) and I was chasing off on several different home-based business opportunities at the same time (exhibiting the "dog in a meat market" syndrome, I suppose) and not focusing my efforts enough to be successful at any single one of them. I finally reigned myself in and focused on a single work at home business opportunity.
In other notes I find reference to emotional and/or psychologicalissues that I experienced and are probably typical for most people when starting a home based business. When working at homea person can, at times, experience a feeling of isolation whichis probably brought on by the lack of interaction of a work force environment.
There were also periods of doubt in the early going...did I picka viable business opportunity?...am I doing the right things todevelop my business?...when will I start making a profit?, andso on.
Many of the entries in my so-called diary had to do with theproverbial "two steps forward and one step backward" thing andthe ever-looming temptation to become discouraged. Although I didn't appreciate it at the time, it is now obvious that as longas you have more steps forward than backward you will eventuallyget ahead! Isn't hindsight wonderful?
Other entries reflect the fact that relatively minor events canseem huge in the early stages of developing a work at homebusiness and can really contribute to an emotional roller coasterride. For example, if you are just starting out and you have twocustomers/clients and you lose one...that's a 50% drop! However,if you fast-forward in time to the point where you have hundredsof customers/clients and you lose one...that's just a mere fraction of 1%! Same event, just at a different point in time.
Looking back on it now, some of the stuff I recorded now seemshumorous, but I'm pretty sure that was not the case at the time I made the notations.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. Visit his website at Legitimate Home Based Business for more details.
In no particular order, here are some of the things that I hadmade note of.
Choosing the path...in the beginning, my enthusiasm was very high (perhaps too high?) and I was chasing off on several different home-based business opportunities at the same time (exhibiting the "dog in a meat market" syndrome, I suppose) and not focusing my efforts enough to be successful at any single one of them. I finally reigned myself in and focused on a single work at home business opportunity.
In other notes I find reference to emotional and/or psychologicalissues that I experienced and are probably typical for most people when starting a home based business. When working at homea person can, at times, experience a feeling of isolation whichis probably brought on by the lack of interaction of a work force environment.
There were also periods of doubt in the early going...did I picka viable business opportunity?...am I doing the right things todevelop my business?...when will I start making a profit?, andso on.
Many of the entries in my so-called diary had to do with theproverbial "two steps forward and one step backward" thing andthe ever-looming temptation to become discouraged. Although I didn't appreciate it at the time, it is now obvious that as longas you have more steps forward than backward you will eventuallyget ahead! Isn't hindsight wonderful?
Other entries reflect the fact that relatively minor events canseem huge in the early stages of developing a work at homebusiness and can really contribute to an emotional roller coasterride. For example, if you are just starting out and you have twocustomers/clients and you lose one...that's a 50% drop! However,if you fast-forward in time to the point where you have hundredsof customers/clients and you lose one...that's just a mere fraction of 1%! Same event, just at a different point in time.
Looking back on it now, some of the stuff I recorded now seemshumorous, but I'm pretty sure that was not the case at the time I made the notations.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and coaches others seeking to start their own home based business. Visit his website at Legitimate Home Based Business for more details.
