So I actually did a little research for this post:
I watched a handful of juggling videos on YouTube. As a kid, I had to learn how to juggle for science class. We started with one ball, which was incredibly boring, but we had to demonstrate mastery before we could move on to juggling two balls... and then three.
Fortunately, three was our limit. We just had to be able to prove we could keep three balls in motion for a preiod of time. And for as great of a multi-tasker I've become, it was not easy to keep three balls in the air in 7th grade.
So imagine my surprise when I found 5 ball forced juggling, 4, 6 and 8 object jugglers!
And it got me to thinking about how many responsibilities we, as business owners have in our daily routines.
And along comes online marketing, and "you want me to add ANOTHER ball to my juggling routine?"
I hear you.
I selected this video for two reasons - and I hope you watch it to the end. If you watch, for the most part, no one is ever responsible for more than 3 or 4 objects at one time - there are lots of items in the air, but each team member really only has to focus on their piece of the pie.
The other reason is that if you watch to the end you see where they actually DROP something. Now this was planned for effect, and if you watch, it's all done "on the beat" to the music and set up so that it times out perfectly with the end. Even there, you'll note that more than one person is throwing things at the catcher - no ONE person is responsible for everything.
In small business - particularly in direct sales, we feel like we've got to go it alone in and do it ourselves. That's the surest way to stay small in your industry.
That doesn't mean hire a bunch of elves to handle your tasks. It DOES mean seek out competent, qualified help - even if it's only on a project basis, to help free up your time to focus on the essential activities that MUST be done by you and only you.
Maybe you need a VA or one of your kids to help with loading/packing, shipping or customer follow up.
Run your business like a real business would and find excellent people to support you.
It's worth it in no uncertain terms.
With the right support team in place, you can have many many objects in the air, making it look incredibly difficult, and knowing all the while, that it's really simple if you stay focused on the part that's your responsibility.
Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label contest. Show all posts
No budget? No problem for real beginners
The tips I'm sharing in this post are not for people with an established web presence. This is purely for folks who have NOTHING online, and little to no cash to get started.
Boy does that sound hinky.
The purpose of the post is to answer a question posted on my 12 week challenge contest blog. Basically, how do I get SOMETHING going when I have no resources?
First think about the resources you DO have.
Sites like Office Live or Google sites will allow you to set up a basic bare bones website for free. It costs nothing.
Heck you can host your blog on blogger.com or wordpress.com - that's free too.
There are places like Morguefile.com where you cn get high-quality royalty-free images to use as well.
There's no excuse to NOT have soem kind of website.
What about an opt-in? even office live now has a makeshift otion to create a contact email management system. Not my favorite, but if you're totally broke, it's better than NO opt-in at all.
What about video? Windows moviemaker comes standard on most PC's now, and there are sites where you can create short videos for free. Just want to post informational videos? embed something from youtube.com
Seriously. You can create all of this from scratch for nothing. No hostng fees, nothing.
There's simply no excuse.
Now if you've got a budget (even a small one) there are other ideas - like a domain name that you OWN and can re-direct to your new site (that shouldn't cost more than $10 from godaddy.com). Or web hosting so you can have more specialized content on your site (or to host your own customized blog).
Obviously the more money you have, the more options you have. But there are great, simple ways to get yourself online in a professional manner for FREE.
Yes, there may be a gazillion other people out there using the same blog template as I do, but it's free, it works, and I get traffic. THAT'S what matters most. It prevents analysis paralysis because blogger only has a few dozen templates from which you can choose. And you don't need to obsess over how it looks - you need to obsess over getting things going!
I hope that clears up the "I can't afford it" issue. EVERYONE can afford (and should have) a website of some sort that markets THEM (not their product). The 12 week challenge will spend a whole session on building a website and step-by-step help on how to make it happen.
We start October 26. Are you signed up? There are only a handful of seats remaining!
http://www.homepartysolution.com/12weeks
Hope to see you there!
Boy does that sound hinky.
The purpose of the post is to answer a question posted on my 12 week challenge contest blog. Basically, how do I get SOMETHING going when I have no resources?
First think about the resources you DO have.
Sites like Office Live or Google sites will allow you to set up a basic bare bones website for free. It costs nothing.
Heck you can host your blog on blogger.com or wordpress.com - that's free too.
There are places like Morguefile.com where you cn get high-quality royalty-free images to use as well.
There's no excuse to NOT have soem kind of website.
What about an opt-in? even office live now has a makeshift otion to create a contact email management system. Not my favorite, but if you're totally broke, it's better than NO opt-in at all.
What about video? Windows moviemaker comes standard on most PC's now, and there are sites where you can create short videos for free. Just want to post informational videos? embed something from youtube.com
Seriously. You can create all of this from scratch for nothing. No hostng fees, nothing.
There's simply no excuse.
Now if you've got a budget (even a small one) there are other ideas - like a domain name that you OWN and can re-direct to your new site (that shouldn't cost more than $10 from godaddy.com). Or web hosting so you can have more specialized content on your site (or to host your own customized blog).
Obviously the more money you have, the more options you have. But there are great, simple ways to get yourself online in a professional manner for FREE.
Yes, there may be a gazillion other people out there using the same blog template as I do, but it's free, it works, and I get traffic. THAT'S what matters most. It prevents analysis paralysis because blogger only has a few dozen templates from which you can choose. And you don't need to obsess over how it looks - you need to obsess over getting things going!
I hope that clears up the "I can't afford it" issue. EVERYONE can afford (and should have) a website of some sort that markets THEM (not their product). The 12 week challenge will spend a whole session on building a website and step-by-step help on how to make it happen.
We start October 26. Are you signed up? There are only a handful of seats remaining!
http://www.homepartysolution.com/12weeks
Hope to see you there!
The Big Winners: 12 week challenge contest
Okay, This was a lot harder than I thought!
There were a bunch of entries I had to hand submit near the end of the contest, but I got them all in.
I then used the random number generator at Random.org to draw the numbers (based on the order you were posted on my blog). Remember, you had to post AND sign up on the mailing list so that I could track your entry.
Here are the winners (as you posted to the blog):
The following posts win a Free 30 minute marketing strategy session with me ($175 real value):
Bert
brenda
vicki
ivette
Karen (post #15)
Alva
Karen (post #4)
Hariette
Jo C
Colorado Chocolatier
5 winners of FREE access to my 12 week challenge program:
Lorian
Pure Romance Holly
Shawnasie
Tamera James
Donna Young
Grand Prize winner - the 30 minute strategy session AND FREE access to my 12 week challenge program:
Michelle Hostetter
Congratulations to everyone that entered! An email will be going out tomorrow to all the entrants with details on how to claim your prizes.
This was so much fun - and informational. Look for further updates on my blog as we answer the very questions you posed for growing your business online.
There were a bunch of entries I had to hand submit near the end of the contest, but I got them all in.
I then used the random number generator at Random.org to draw the numbers (based on the order you were posted on my blog). Remember, you had to post AND sign up on the mailing list so that I could track your entry.
Here are the winners (as you posted to the blog):
The following posts win a Free 30 minute marketing strategy session with me ($175 real value):
Bert
brenda
vicki
ivette
Karen (post #15)
Alva
Karen (post #4)
Hariette
Jo C
Colorado Chocolatier
5 winners of FREE access to my 12 week challenge program:
Lorian
Pure Romance Holly
Shawnasie
Tamera James
Donna Young
Grand Prize winner - the 30 minute strategy session AND FREE access to my 12 week challenge program:
Michelle Hostetter
Congratulations to everyone that entered! An email will be going out tomorrow to all the entrants with details on how to claim your prizes.
This was so much fun - and informational. Look for further updates on my blog as we answer the very questions you posed for growing your business online.
Strategic Planning: A Gift and a Skill
So I'm getting out of the shower Saturday morning, and the phone rings.
At 6:30am. Highly unusual in my home.
It's my sister. She lives in Arizona, so it was 3:30 in the morning where she was.
Had she not been so pleasant, I would have thought the world was on fire.
She called just to catch up, see what's shakin' and share a little news in her life. She didn't know I was packing to get on a plane to D.C.
My sister works for an incredibly wonderful company and one of the highlights of the year was the fact that she exceeded corporate expectations by 132%.
So not only did she reach the goals attained by her company, she blew them out of the water.
And after I complimented her work ethic, I quickly joked that she just made it that much more difficult for herself the next year.
Then with all seriousness she revealed her strategic vision for the next 5 years - which didn't include staying in her current position as a sales rep. We talked about management opportunities and things she'd like to pursue - all of which are still on the table - and she laid out a definitive vision of how she'd like the next few years to go.
In that moment, it occurred to me that my sister has an incredible gift of foresight.
She worked at AOL (I can say this now) during a time of "save the customer no matter what" and could see there was no profitability in that. She got out just before her head own was on the chopping block - and she was one of the top performers in her facility, probably in the country!
She's always been two steps ahead (at least) when planning her career moves, and every time, her focus and determination have put her head and shoulders above everyone else in her organization.
As her sister, I'm uber proud. As a business owner, I'm impressed with her gift of vision and skill for strategic planning.
As a coach, I want to convey the lesson clearly to all of you: You can't sit comfortably. Ever. Even if you're outperforming your colleagues and besting your own performance by 130%, you can't rest on your laurels.
You need to have a vision for yourself, your life, your future.
Most people don't get into direct sales thinking they're going to be at the top of the food chain someday. Oh sure, they may win some recognition, earn a few incentive trips, but the real, underlying reason for direct sales has nothing to do with being a direct seller.
We have some kind of vision for our lives and see Direct Sales as the vehicle to take us there.
This is what I talk about when I talk about your "what" being more powerful than your "why".
Behind it all is some kind of vision of what you want your life to be like. How you see everything shaking out in the next few years - or at the end of your life, depending on how far out you plan.
I've learned that some people have an amazing GIFT for forethought and planning. It just comes naturally.
I've also learned that while my sister excels with the gift, I have learned the SKILL.
It's work for me to plan. I have to think and process and sift out tons of ideas. My head gets so cloudy with all the "what if"s and bright ideas that it's hard to see the forest for the trees - that's one of the reasons for this Mastermind planning session. To help us clear out and focus on the ideas that are most impacftul and significant to ourselves and our businesses. And while you're reading this, I'll be heavy duty in the thick of it.
Once I get clear, as I'm sure is the case for most people, the planning almost takes care of itself.
So to all of you that say "I'm no good at planning", I offer myself as the poster child of the unbalanced checkbook - even though I was a licensed financial planner, and the person who was voted most likely to succeed - and still feels the pressure of an unkept home.
This year I've already doubled my income - and tripled my profitability (probably quadrupled, but I don't have the final numbers for the year yet). And you can talk income all day long - it's the profit that counts. The key to all of that is clarity, focus and planning.
But as Robert Frost would say, I still have "miles to go before I sleep". With strategy and planning, I too will leave this weekend with a forward look into how I want my life to be - instead of letting life happen to my business and to me.
Eat your heart out, sister mine!
At 6:30am. Highly unusual in my home.
It's my sister. She lives in Arizona, so it was 3:30 in the morning where she was.
Had she not been so pleasant, I would have thought the world was on fire.
She called just to catch up, see what's shakin' and share a little news in her life. She didn't know I was packing to get on a plane to D.C.
My sister works for an incredibly wonderful company and one of the highlights of the year was the fact that she exceeded corporate expectations by 132%.
So not only did she reach the goals attained by her company, she blew them out of the water.
And after I complimented her work ethic, I quickly joked that she just made it that much more difficult for herself the next year.
Then with all seriousness she revealed her strategic vision for the next 5 years - which didn't include staying in her current position as a sales rep. We talked about management opportunities and things she'd like to pursue - all of which are still on the table - and she laid out a definitive vision of how she'd like the next few years to go.
In that moment, it occurred to me that my sister has an incredible gift of foresight.
She worked at AOL (I can say this now) during a time of "save the customer no matter what" and could see there was no profitability in that. She got out just before her head own was on the chopping block - and she was one of the top performers in her facility, probably in the country!
She's always been two steps ahead (at least) when planning her career moves, and every time, her focus and determination have put her head and shoulders above everyone else in her organization.
As her sister, I'm uber proud. As a business owner, I'm impressed with her gift of vision and skill for strategic planning.
As a coach, I want to convey the lesson clearly to all of you: You can't sit comfortably. Ever. Even if you're outperforming your colleagues and besting your own performance by 130%, you can't rest on your laurels.
You need to have a vision for yourself, your life, your future.
Most people don't get into direct sales thinking they're going to be at the top of the food chain someday. Oh sure, they may win some recognition, earn a few incentive trips, but the real, underlying reason for direct sales has nothing to do with being a direct seller.
We have some kind of vision for our lives and see Direct Sales as the vehicle to take us there.
This is what I talk about when I talk about your "what" being more powerful than your "why".
Behind it all is some kind of vision of what you want your life to be like. How you see everything shaking out in the next few years - or at the end of your life, depending on how far out you plan.
I've learned that some people have an amazing GIFT for forethought and planning. It just comes naturally.
I've also learned that while my sister excels with the gift, I have learned the SKILL.
It's work for me to plan. I have to think and process and sift out tons of ideas. My head gets so cloudy with all the "what if"s and bright ideas that it's hard to see the forest for the trees - that's one of the reasons for this Mastermind planning session. To help us clear out and focus on the ideas that are most impacftul and significant to ourselves and our businesses. And while you're reading this, I'll be heavy duty in the thick of it.
Once I get clear, as I'm sure is the case for most people, the planning almost takes care of itself.
So to all of you that say "I'm no good at planning", I offer myself as the poster child of the unbalanced checkbook - even though I was a licensed financial planner, and the person who was voted most likely to succeed - and still feels the pressure of an unkept home.
This year I've already doubled my income - and tripled my profitability (probably quadrupled, but I don't have the final numbers for the year yet). And you can talk income all day long - it's the profit that counts. The key to all of that is clarity, focus and planning.
But as Robert Frost would say, I still have "miles to go before I sleep". With strategy and planning, I too will leave this weekend with a forward look into how I want my life to be - instead of letting life happen to my business and to me.
Eat your heart out, sister mine!
Online Marketing: Know Like and Trust
Several of the entries in the 12 week challenge contest talk about how difficult it is to "make the transition" from online acquaintance to business client or associate.
Before we can make that transition, however we have to establish the relationship.
That's the "sermon" for today's post.
The "KLT Factor" - know, like, and trust - are always a hot topic in the business world. People have to know you, like you, and trust you, at least to SOME degree to be wililng to do business with you.
For example, you may not know a thing about that pimply faced, rookie salesman trying to sell you a dryer, but because they work for a well-respected mega store in your community, you trust that they won't steer you wrong - or if they do, you'll be able to sue the pants off the mega store.
Some level of KLT has been established.
If you have NO desire to work with the consultant down the street because she bad-mouthed a competitor during a presentation, her KLT factor with you is pretty low - even if she's your sister.
To be blunt, telling everyone how grat your product is, or how wonderful your company is, or that you just won an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas is NOT building your KLT factor in the eyes of your customers. IF they already know you, or like you, they may be happy for you, but they don't care about your good fortune anymore thant they care about themselves.
It's always about them.
Period.
If I closed the post there, it should suffice for those serious about building a servant-minded enterprise. Disney built an empire around the concept of caring for the customer - and they have the overpriced burgers to prove that what they do works.
The companies that have stuck around for centuries or more are those that put the right thing in front of the ROI. They care more about their customers than themselves.
But many of us are too concerned with ourselves to have that kind of concern for our customers.
And the words "get what you want by helping other people get what they want" become only so many nice words.
You've heard me talk before about providing value. Mike Dandridge, in his book "The One-Year Business Turnaround" says that Value is in the eye of the customer. You can give them a 10% off coupon, free shipping, and tickets to "Riverdance", but if your customers find no value in that, those aren't valuable additions to the product.
And fast turnaround, or "excellent customer service" are supposed to be standard. Again, not value added benefits for a customer.
Sometimes, doing something of value means making a sacrifice. Sometimes a BIG sacrifice. Not always, but sometimes.
Why did thousands of people sign up for my Direct Sales Super Summit in March? There are dozens of free training calls all over the place. There are many speakers that talk on similar topics for a fee.
The reason people signed up is because they saw the VALUE in what I was providing: quality information they could use to impact their lives, their businesses right NOW at a reasonable investment.
That's value.
And when my customers email me they say things like "do you remember last month when I placed that order?"
Of COURSE I remember. You're my customer. You put food on my table and clothes on my kid's back. You are my livlihood, my bread and butter, keeping the wolves from the door! I try to touch every single transaction at least once to remind myself to be grateful for everyone that comes through "the doors" of my business.
That's value to some of my customers. They want to know that someone - a REAL human being - is behind all the blog posts, emails, newsletters, etc.
To others on my list, it's no big deal, they rarely communicate with me, and they like it that way. And that's okay with me, too.
The point is to meet people where they are, provide what THEY believe is valuable. THAT'S when you build a real relationship. Help people. Maybe they could care less about your biz opp today, but need their flat tire fixed.
Taking the time to help with their flat could be the thing that they remember 6 months from now when they stumble on your card after having lost their job. You thought you'd never hear from them again, and what a waste of a perfectly good afternoon, and oh my, your hands were so dirty. But they remembered that when they needed help (something of the UTMOST value), YOU were there. And now they need "help" again. So they call you.
It happens more times than I care to count. Building trust isn't a dog and pony show. you don't do it just when it's convenient. You do it because it's part of who you are, part of what you stand for. When you establish trust, people begin to like you and then they want to get to know more about who you are and what you have to offer.
It's about integrity. It's about helping first, and selling later. Or maybe not selling at all. you never know who's watching you perform the random acts of kindness that make us better people.
But if you invest yourself in your business this way, you can't help but win. It's how the Carnegies and Motts and Rockefellers of the world managed to KEEP the wealth they worked so hard to earn.
During the horrible market crach in the 20's a 3+million dollar embezzlement scheme was found out in one of the biggest banks in my community. The former president of the bank, having virtually no liability for the debacle, could have easily washed his hands of everything, leaving all the depositors to fend for themselves, most likely ending up with nothing.
But he chose to front his own money - and approach lenders in the bigger markets to help cover the debt so that the honest, hard working people in my community wouldn't lose everything. He didn't have to do it. He CHOSE to do it. Not to save face, but to helpa community of which he'd grown very fond. Not only did he save the financial lives of so many people, he got all his money back and then some - and lived out his days as one of the wealthiest members of our community.
He was a man of intergity, ingenuity, trust, respect and strong moral character. He gave and gave of himself, his finances and more. And in return, grew a powerful company, built a foundation for the less fortunate, and left an amazing legacy that fuels this community to this day.
I never met the man - he died before I was born. But his life is an integral component to what makes my community what it is today.
That's the kind of value we need to be providing to each one of our customers. If we don't enjoy what we're doing, or who we're working with enough to be willing to make sacrifices to help them, why are we doing it in the first place?
Direct Sales isn't for everyone. Being a business owner or an entrepreneur isn't for everyone. It requires great sacrifice - of ourselves, our time, energy, money - sometimes our families, our finances, our homes.
What are you doing to provide REAL value to the people in your business? Are your business contacts like family to you?
I remember a class I took once when I was in real estate. the instructor said as an agent, we had to treat all our buyers like they were our grandmother and all our sellers as if they were our little sister. The idea is that you'd want to get them the very best possible deal, so that everyone wins, and no one feals cheated. that doesn't mean doing "just enough" but giving out UTMOST.
And frankly, so many of us just don't do that. We've learned how to get by. We look for the "magic pill" and we want everything to come easy.
To quote The Princess Bride "Whoever said life is fair?" Where is that written? Life isn't always fair."
But if we give our utmost, the hard work is rewarded in more ways than we can ever imagine. That's when real trust is built, lives are changed and business is done.
In business, there are many ways to build relationships, and the beauty of online marketing is that you can move through this process at a more predictable pace by using tools and strategies designed to decrease the germination period. The sooner you can establish trust, build rapport and create likability, the sooner business can be done.
In the 12-Week Challenge, we'll take a look at several tools you can use to not only build rapport, but automate some elements of the relationship building process, so that you can run a more efficient business that focuses on serving your perfect fit customers. There's still time to enter the contest before next week. Winners will be announced on October 20.
Before we can make that transition, however we have to establish the relationship.
That's the "sermon" for today's post.
The "KLT Factor" - know, like, and trust - are always a hot topic in the business world. People have to know you, like you, and trust you, at least to SOME degree to be wililng to do business with you.
For example, you may not know a thing about that pimply faced, rookie salesman trying to sell you a dryer, but because they work for a well-respected mega store in your community, you trust that they won't steer you wrong - or if they do, you'll be able to sue the pants off the mega store.
Some level of KLT has been established.
If you have NO desire to work with the consultant down the street because she bad-mouthed a competitor during a presentation, her KLT factor with you is pretty low - even if she's your sister.
To be blunt, telling everyone how grat your product is, or how wonderful your company is, or that you just won an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas is NOT building your KLT factor in the eyes of your customers. IF they already know you, or like you, they may be happy for you, but they don't care about your good fortune anymore thant they care about themselves.
It's always about them.
Period.
If I closed the post there, it should suffice for those serious about building a servant-minded enterprise. Disney built an empire around the concept of caring for the customer - and they have the overpriced burgers to prove that what they do works.
The companies that have stuck around for centuries or more are those that put the right thing in front of the ROI. They care more about their customers than themselves.
But many of us are too concerned with ourselves to have that kind of concern for our customers.
And the words "get what you want by helping other people get what they want" become only so many nice words.
You've heard me talk before about providing value. Mike Dandridge, in his book "The One-Year Business Turnaround" says that Value is in the eye of the customer. You can give them a 10% off coupon, free shipping, and tickets to "Riverdance", but if your customers find no value in that, those aren't valuable additions to the product.
And fast turnaround, or "excellent customer service" are supposed to be standard. Again, not value added benefits for a customer.
Sometimes, doing something of value means making a sacrifice. Sometimes a BIG sacrifice. Not always, but sometimes.
Why did thousands of people sign up for my Direct Sales Super Summit in March? There are dozens of free training calls all over the place. There are many speakers that talk on similar topics for a fee.
The reason people signed up is because they saw the VALUE in what I was providing: quality information they could use to impact their lives, their businesses right NOW at a reasonable investment.
That's value.
And when my customers email me they say things like "do you remember last month when I placed that order?"
Of COURSE I remember. You're my customer. You put food on my table and clothes on my kid's back. You are my livlihood, my bread and butter, keeping the wolves from the door! I try to touch every single transaction at least once to remind myself to be grateful for everyone that comes through "the doors" of my business.
That's value to some of my customers. They want to know that someone - a REAL human being - is behind all the blog posts, emails, newsletters, etc.
To others on my list, it's no big deal, they rarely communicate with me, and they like it that way. And that's okay with me, too.
The point is to meet people where they are, provide what THEY believe is valuable. THAT'S when you build a real relationship. Help people. Maybe they could care less about your biz opp today, but need their flat tire fixed.
Taking the time to help with their flat could be the thing that they remember 6 months from now when they stumble on your card after having lost their job. You thought you'd never hear from them again, and what a waste of a perfectly good afternoon, and oh my, your hands were so dirty. But they remembered that when they needed help (something of the UTMOST value), YOU were there. And now they need "help" again. So they call you.
It happens more times than I care to count. Building trust isn't a dog and pony show. you don't do it just when it's convenient. You do it because it's part of who you are, part of what you stand for. When you establish trust, people begin to like you and then they want to get to know more about who you are and what you have to offer.
It's about integrity. It's about helping first, and selling later. Or maybe not selling at all. you never know who's watching you perform the random acts of kindness that make us better people.
But if you invest yourself in your business this way, you can't help but win. It's how the Carnegies and Motts and Rockefellers of the world managed to KEEP the wealth they worked so hard to earn.
During the horrible market crach in the 20's a 3+million dollar embezzlement scheme was found out in one of the biggest banks in my community. The former president of the bank, having virtually no liability for the debacle, could have easily washed his hands of everything, leaving all the depositors to fend for themselves, most likely ending up with nothing.
But he chose to front his own money - and approach lenders in the bigger markets to help cover the debt so that the honest, hard working people in my community wouldn't lose everything. He didn't have to do it. He CHOSE to do it. Not to save face, but to helpa community of which he'd grown very fond. Not only did he save the financial lives of so many people, he got all his money back and then some - and lived out his days as one of the wealthiest members of our community.
He was a man of intergity, ingenuity, trust, respect and strong moral character. He gave and gave of himself, his finances and more. And in return, grew a powerful company, built a foundation for the less fortunate, and left an amazing legacy that fuels this community to this day.
I never met the man - he died before I was born. But his life is an integral component to what makes my community what it is today.
That's the kind of value we need to be providing to each one of our customers. If we don't enjoy what we're doing, or who we're working with enough to be willing to make sacrifices to help them, why are we doing it in the first place?
Direct Sales isn't for everyone. Being a business owner or an entrepreneur isn't for everyone. It requires great sacrifice - of ourselves, our time, energy, money - sometimes our families, our finances, our homes.
What are you doing to provide REAL value to the people in your business? Are your business contacts like family to you?
I remember a class I took once when I was in real estate. the instructor said as an agent, we had to treat all our buyers like they were our grandmother and all our sellers as if they were our little sister. The idea is that you'd want to get them the very best possible deal, so that everyone wins, and no one feals cheated. that doesn't mean doing "just enough" but giving out UTMOST.
And frankly, so many of us just don't do that. We've learned how to get by. We look for the "magic pill" and we want everything to come easy.
To quote The Princess Bride "Whoever said life is fair?" Where is that written? Life isn't always fair."
But if we give our utmost, the hard work is rewarded in more ways than we can ever imagine. That's when real trust is built, lives are changed and business is done.
In business, there are many ways to build relationships, and the beauty of online marketing is that you can move through this process at a more predictable pace by using tools and strategies designed to decrease the germination period. The sooner you can establish trust, build rapport and create likability, the sooner business can be done.
In the 12-Week Challenge, we'll take a look at several tools you can use to not only build rapport, but automate some elements of the relationship building process, so that you can run a more efficient business that focuses on serving your perfect fit customers. There's still time to enter the contest before next week. Winners will be announced on October 20.
Target Marketing Online: Where to look first
My biggest challenge with marketing online is finding people who would be truly interested in the business either as a customer or a distributor. Advertising on other sites is OK, but can get expensive. So, I need to find a better way to connect with people to get the message out. I have been writing guest articles on general marketing and follow up techniques for direct sales. My articles include a simple demonstration of how my business/product can help them personally connect with customers for less money and time. I have had a few leads, but need to get the word out to more people. I know my product can help them get more referrals and reorders. I just need to find the prospects!
This is one of my favorite questions. In an industry where we've been trained that "anyone with a pulse" is our prospect, it's ironic that so many people building an online presence can't seem to find anyone interested in what they have to offer. Then the question comes: how do I find prospects?
Several entries in the 12 week challenge contset have a similar theme. But this entry outlines at least SOME strategy: advertising.
While it's true that advertising is a fast way to bring in leads - when done properly - it's also true that it's a fast way to lose money - when done improperly.
So what can we do as business owners to attract our perfect fit clients to us?
First, we have to know who those perfect fit clients are. In direct sales, we actually have multiple "customers" - or actual clients, our hosts, and our recruits. In small business we may also have multiple customer types depending onteh products or services we offer.
The challenge is that no one approach will work for everyone. There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to marketing (online or offline).
That's one of the reasons you'll see the same print ad in different magazines with different models. Same content, same poses, same message, but the models have different hair, skin or makeup coloring. It's why you don't see ads for bikini waxing in ESPN magazine.
Because different things appeal to different people.
Just like Super Bowl ads and print magazines, online marketing is not suitable for everyone.
Uh-oh, do you feel another marketing bashing coming on?
Wait. There's more.
You can't use the same message to attract everyone.
For example, if your goal is to increase sales, you need to be looking for BUYERS. If you're looking to increase the number of recruits on your team in a direct sales organization, you need to be looking for business builders.
You won't always find those people hanging out in the same online or offline "places".
Different bait for different fish, so to speak.
Once you've developed a perfect fit customer profile, only THEN can you truly consider the likely places to find them.
For example, if your perfect fit customer is a 30-something single mom, probably a lawyer, who lives in your local community (let's say Peoria, IL), then do a google search for women lawyers in Peoria, IL.
My search yielded the women lawyer's directory pretty quickly:
http://www.womenlawyers.com/states/il.htm
Who says you can't find your target market?
So my first question to people is always: Do you really know who your prospects are? If you can identify a true demographic - right down to the color of their fingernails - it's actually like shooting fish in a barrel anymore.
They're everywhere - particularly online - and with online marketing, you don't have to limit yourself to a local area! In most cases you can attract a global, if not national audience.
I live in Michigan. The bulk of my direct sales customers are Internet leads that don't even LIVE in my state - and have NEVER met me. In my coaching business, many of my clients are on the Eastern seaboard states.
I'm a no-nonsense, play no games kind of girl. I tell it lke it is, and rarely sugar coat - mostly because I never really learned how. Easterners from New York, Maryland, Delaware, they understand that, they're attracted to that - thus, they find me.
Not everyone is my customer. I embrace that and play to my strengths. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy having a few more clients in Arizona or California (I love reasons to travel!), but I also don't focus a lot of time spinning my wheels when I know I have a huge untapped market with people in areas I already serve.
Again, it comes to focus. Pick one thing and focus on that. If you're young in your small business, focus on increasing sales and market share - on getting your name out there, being seen and getting seen. Build some stability into your business and "grow slowly" as Wolfgang Puck said in Inc Magazine.
If you're a seasoned business owner, consider laying a foundation for expansion in your marketing. Direct Sales Leaders should focus on team building and establishing a persona for your organization - one that follows you to whatever company you may end up with. One web page can't be all things to all people. So stop trying.
If you have multiple markets, multiple segments, multiple perfect fit customers, create multiple approaches to reach them. People are not cookie cutters, and we don't all respond the same to every marketing piece. We are savvy, we need multiple contacts, and you can't jsut click your heels together three times and get us to buy into your message.
You MUST establish a level of KLT: know, like and trust.
But that's for another post another day. Tomorrow perhaps.
Today, know that your biggest successes will come from the moments of clarity you can build into your business. The more clear you can be on what you want, the easier it is to attain that want.
Otherwise, you'll be scratching your head, because you can't see the forest for the trees.
In the 12-week challenge, we'll devote time to not only identifying your perfect fit customer, but analyzing where you can find them, crafting a message and offer to attract them, and ways to connect with them that are meaningful. There's still time to enter the contest, and tickets for the program went on sale yesterday. You can purchase your tickets here before we're sold out. Only a total of 175 "seats" are available for this event. when they're gone, they're gone! Winners will be announced October 20, 2009.
Online Marketing Strategies: Where to begin?
My biggest challenge with marketing my business online is probably the same with alot of people. You just don't know where to start! So you keep doing what you always do and keep getting what you always got. NOT Smart. - Donna
Yet another entry, this time, from one of my facebook friends. Yes, it's probably the underlying issue that most small business owners struggle with - the not knowing.
But if you notice what Donna wrote, there's actually a couple of issues at play here.
1. not Knowing where to being AND
2. Always doing the same thing
Did you also notice that Donna already acknowledged that she realizes she's not on the path to success?
This is a big one.
In reality, with online marketing, there's no wrong answer, only a less efficient one.
I know, it sounds like I'm knocking online marketing again. But hear me out.
It really doesn't matter where you begin: video, facebook, blog, twitter, website, build a list, create a product, autoresponder... it doesn't matter.
All of them WILL work - some are just more efficient than others. And some of them will have a shorter learning curve for you.
The real problem lies in the fact that everyone is looking for an instant win, a lottery ticket that will set them up for life. "If I do this, then I'll be SET!"
That's not reality - well if you're that lucky powerball winner (Odds of winning the Powerball Jackpot are 1 in 195,249,054) - then I guess it would work for you.
Reality says, pick something, hone it, craft it, and tell the world about it. If you build it, they won't come. If you build it, it's good stuff, and then you tell people, invite them to have a peek - THEN they come - and they tell their friends.
Walt Disney said "Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again - and bring their friends."
That's what you have to do in business. Whether it's dirct sales, carpet cleaning, running a theater, or building a real estate empire. It doesn't matter what you pick, what matters is the passion and commitment behind what you're doing.
So if you detest blogs, don't start one. If you can't commit to building a website, don't do it. If the idea of using twitter totally freaks you out, DON'T DO IT.
And realize there are consequences for that inaction.
You can't have it both ways in business. You must do SOME kind of work to get some kind of return. Some actions will be more efficient, some less.
But if you're drawn to twitter, and can't stand facebook, use twitter with a passion, contribute value, and tell people what you're doing so they can come check you out. Do it so well that they'll want to come back over and over - and bring their friends.
That's how you make online marketing work for you.
In our 12-week challenge, we're examining the heart of your expertise - that thing you are uniquely qualified to share with the world - and creating a strategy to help you bring it out for the world to see. Your strategy will be unique to you, customized by and for you - so that you KNOW what you're doing will work for your business. There's still time to Enter the contest, if you haven't already. Tickets are now on sale for the challenge as well. Take the 12-week challenge here.
More about the 12 week challenge
Wow! In a day, I've had half a dozen entries come in. I'm looking forward to seeing even more questions from all of you.
You can post your entry by clicking here. All the instructions are on yesterday post.
And I realize that many of you are probably waiting to see just what exactly is involved in the 12 week challenge. So here's the skinny:
Beginning October 26, and for the following 12 weeks, you're invited to join me on a step-by-step walk through of Home Party Solution. Now, I'm not going to read you a chapter a week, because I figure you all can read! What I am going to do is walk you through each element, with additional insights and strategies that aren't included in the book, to help you take action right away and help you grow your online presence in an easy to digest way.
Now I know it's a challenge to know from one month to the next what you'll be doing - let alone for the next 12 weeks - particularly when we're rolling into the new year.
So we're giving you the MP3 downloads as well, so that you can keep up with the group if you have to take a holiday or your computer crashes for a week.
The reason I put this group together is because so many of you were telling me that even though it's laid out in bite-sized pieces, it was easy to put the book on a shelf, and let "life get in the way". The result was a bunch of half-completed work that left you feeling more frustrated than successful. Then there were those of you that wanted to attend the Live event, but just couldn't make the trip.
Frustration is not why I wrote this book. This book was created out of a true desire to help consultants become MORE successful and LESS frustrated. It's the process I used to grow my direct sales business - and also my coaching business.
I used the exact same process for both businesses. Which means yes, you can use this info even if you're not in a direct selling business. Any micro/small business looking to create and build an online presence with a personal brand at the front of it all can use this program successfully.
So we'll be working on mindset, and focus. Then we'll develop a perfect fit customer profile that you can use to develop your marketing strategy. Armed with that laser-focused information, you'll be able to quickly assess which online marketing methods will be your best bet for rapid results, and then we'll take ACTION to get things rolling quickly. With 12 weekly assignments (in bite sized, easy to handle pieces), you'll have plenty of time to get everything handled.
Plus, there's Q&A, video training, and more. I'll personally be critiquing your work, reviewing your sites, and helping you build a powerful web presence. We'll even have private coaching sessions to make sure your particular situation is covered. Can you tell how serious I am about helping you succeed?
You can view the info page here:
http://www.homepartysolution.com/12weeks
(link opens in a new window)
Because of all the personal attention, we are strictly limiting the number of "seats" for this telecoaching series to 175 - and HPS Live attendees shrink the number of available seats - and 6 more seats will go to my contest winners. With less than 200 seats available, you know the tickets will go fast - and tickets will go on sale October 10.
If you've already purchased the book, you get a $200 discount on the program. If you were at the HPS Live event, this 12 week challenge is free for you. A special announcement will go out to all our customers this week with further details on the discounts.
AND, during the contest, I'll be posting answers to the questions contestants are asking in their entries. I invite you to engage as well, asking more questions, offering suggestions of your own, etc. I want people to LEARN from this blog, and the best way to do that is to share the answers with all of you - not just the contest winners or challenge participants.
I might even post updates during the challenge! It really depends on the level of interest you show here.
You can post your entry by clicking here. All the instructions are on yesterday post.
And I realize that many of you are probably waiting to see just what exactly is involved in the 12 week challenge. So here's the skinny:
Beginning October 26, and for the following 12 weeks, you're invited to join me on a step-by-step walk through of Home Party Solution. Now, I'm not going to read you a chapter a week, because I figure you all can read! What I am going to do is walk you through each element, with additional insights and strategies that aren't included in the book, to help you take action right away and help you grow your online presence in an easy to digest way.
Now I know it's a challenge to know from one month to the next what you'll be doing - let alone for the next 12 weeks - particularly when we're rolling into the new year.
So we're giving you the MP3 downloads as well, so that you can keep up with the group if you have to take a holiday or your computer crashes for a week.
The reason I put this group together is because so many of you were telling me that even though it's laid out in bite-sized pieces, it was easy to put the book on a shelf, and let "life get in the way". The result was a bunch of half-completed work that left you feeling more frustrated than successful. Then there were those of you that wanted to attend the Live event, but just couldn't make the trip.
Frustration is not why I wrote this book. This book was created out of a true desire to help consultants become MORE successful and LESS frustrated. It's the process I used to grow my direct sales business - and also my coaching business.
I used the exact same process for both businesses. Which means yes, you can use this info even if you're not in a direct selling business. Any micro/small business looking to create and build an online presence with a personal brand at the front of it all can use this program successfully.
So we'll be working on mindset, and focus. Then we'll develop a perfect fit customer profile that you can use to develop your marketing strategy. Armed with that laser-focused information, you'll be able to quickly assess which online marketing methods will be your best bet for rapid results, and then we'll take ACTION to get things rolling quickly. With 12 weekly assignments (in bite sized, easy to handle pieces), you'll have plenty of time to get everything handled.
Plus, there's Q&A, video training, and more. I'll personally be critiquing your work, reviewing your sites, and helping you build a powerful web presence. We'll even have private coaching sessions to make sure your particular situation is covered. Can you tell how serious I am about helping you succeed?
You can view the info page here:
http://www.homepartysolution.com/12weeks
(link opens in a new window)
Because of all the personal attention, we are strictly limiting the number of "seats" for this telecoaching series to 175 - and HPS Live attendees shrink the number of available seats - and 6 more seats will go to my contest winners. With less than 200 seats available, you know the tickets will go fast - and tickets will go on sale October 10.
If you've already purchased the book, you get a $200 discount on the program. If you were at the HPS Live event, this 12 week challenge is free for you. A special announcement will go out to all our customers this week with further details on the discounts.
AND, during the contest, I'll be posting answers to the questions contestants are asking in their entries. I invite you to engage as well, asking more questions, offering suggestions of your own, etc. I want people to LEARN from this blog, and the best way to do that is to share the answers with all of you - not just the contest winners or challenge participants.
I might even post updates during the challenge! It really depends on the level of interest you show here.
Home Party Solution 12 Week Challenge Contest
People have been asking me for months now if what I teach inside the pages of Home Party Solution will work for them - even if they don't have a network marketing, or direct sales business.
I love this question, because it means they haven't read the book yet. If they had, they'd know the answer is a resounding yes! In fact, I've been using some of the same strategies I teach in this book with my Simpleology Coaching clients - and many of them don't have a network marketing business of any kind. I've used these strategies with authors, owners of a theater, and other businesses that need to put a personal face on the work that they do.
While there are some aspects of the book that talk directly to people in the direct selling profession, the bulk of the book is geared to any small business owner.
If you are a micro biz owner, a solo-professional, or anyone trying to develop a personal brand online and attract more perfect fit clients using strategic target marketing, social media, websites, opt-ins and more, it's time to consider my 12 week challenge.
I'm even going to let a 6 lucky readers have access to the entire program FREE (with product and services totally nearly $10,000 for the 12 week program).
Intrigued? Read on...
The Home Party Solution 12 Week Challenge is a telecoaching program that walks you through the entire online marketing model I've used to create several successful businesses. We begin with mindset issues, then develop a "perfect fit" customer profile, and lay out the strategies you'll need to grow your business using personal branding and the power of the Internet. From websites to blogs to social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, you'll have everything you need at your fingertips.
And if you're like many business owners I know, it's hard to know what you'll be doing in 12 weeks, so if you need to miss a class, you'll even have the MP3's to listen to to keep moving forward, or to re-listen to a strategy you might have missed.
It's easy to enter. Just answer this question:
What is your biggest challenge with marketing your business online?
What you'll win:
All eligible entrants will get complimentary access to the March 2010 Super Summit Teleseries - and the audio downloads (a $100 REAL value, people paid that much for each of my two previous summits and March looks to be even MORE spectacular!).
10 winners will get a 1-on-1 Target Marketing Session with me ($175 REAL value - I charge and get $175 per half our of coaching). We'll spend 30 minutes honing in on your perfect-fit customer and develop a preliminary marketing strategy to help you reach your target market and attract customers you WANT to work with.
5 winners will get access to the entire 12 week challenge - including Audio downloads ($297 REAL value - only 175 seats will be available for this event - and the first 5 will be filled here!)
ONE Grand prize winner will get all of the above (That's a $472 REAL value, folks)
How to Enter:
Write a paragraph, describing your biggest challenge with marketing your business online - you don't NEED to be involved in a Direct Sales business to enter or win. Just write it up and post it either to your blog or facebook with a link back to this post. Then email us at lisa126-465599@autocontactor.com so that we know you're eligible for the prizes. You'll get a confirmation email right away.
You can also post your question here and then Share This Post on twitter or facebook (or both!).
Here's the link, if you want to tell your friends and neighbors: http://www.homepartysolution.com/contest
Aren't engaged in social media? You can still enter by emailing your entry to the email address above. All eligible entries will be posted to this blog, regardless of how you enter.
Contest Rules:
Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries on October 20, 2009. Only one entry per email address is allowed. Winners will be notified via email and an announcement will be made on this blog.
Tomorrow, you'll learn more about the 12 week challenge. We begin October 26 and there's only 175 total spaces available, and tickets go on sale soon. If you purchase your ticket and are declared a contest winner, your purchase will be refunded.
Best of luck everyone!
I love this question, because it means they haven't read the book yet. If they had, they'd know the answer is a resounding yes! In fact, I've been using some of the same strategies I teach in this book with my Simpleology Coaching clients - and many of them don't have a network marketing business of any kind. I've used these strategies with authors, owners of a theater, and other businesses that need to put a personal face on the work that they do.
While there are some aspects of the book that talk directly to people in the direct selling profession, the bulk of the book is geared to any small business owner.
If you are a micro biz owner, a solo-professional, or anyone trying to develop a personal brand online and attract more perfect fit clients using strategic target marketing, social media, websites, opt-ins and more, it's time to consider my 12 week challenge.
I'm even going to let a 6 lucky readers have access to the entire program FREE (with product and services totally nearly $10,000 for the 12 week program).
Intrigued? Read on...
The Home Party Solution 12 Week Challenge is a telecoaching program that walks you through the entire online marketing model I've used to create several successful businesses. We begin with mindset issues, then develop a "perfect fit" customer profile, and lay out the strategies you'll need to grow your business using personal branding and the power of the Internet. From websites to blogs to social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, you'll have everything you need at your fingertips.
And if you're like many business owners I know, it's hard to know what you'll be doing in 12 weeks, so if you need to miss a class, you'll even have the MP3's to listen to to keep moving forward, or to re-listen to a strategy you might have missed.
It's easy to enter. Just answer this question:
What is your biggest challenge with marketing your business online?
What you'll win:
All eligible entrants will get complimentary access to the March 2010 Super Summit Teleseries - and the audio downloads (a $100 REAL value, people paid that much for each of my two previous summits and March looks to be even MORE spectacular!).
10 winners will get a 1-on-1 Target Marketing Session with me ($175 REAL value - I charge and get $175 per half our of coaching). We'll spend 30 minutes honing in on your perfect-fit customer and develop a preliminary marketing strategy to help you reach your target market and attract customers you WANT to work with.
5 winners will get access to the entire 12 week challenge - including Audio downloads ($297 REAL value - only 175 seats will be available for this event - and the first 5 will be filled here!)
ONE Grand prize winner will get all of the above (That's a $472 REAL value, folks)
How to Enter:
Write a paragraph, describing your biggest challenge with marketing your business online - you don't NEED to be involved in a Direct Sales business to enter or win. Just write it up and post it either to your blog or facebook with a link back to this post. Then email us at lisa126-465599@autocontactor.com so that we know you're eligible for the prizes. You'll get a confirmation email right away.
You can also post your question here and then Share This Post on twitter or facebook (or both!).
Here's the link, if you want to tell your friends and neighbors: http://www.homepartysolution.com/contest
Aren't engaged in social media? You can still enter by emailing your entry to the email address above. All eligible entries will be posted to this blog, regardless of how you enter.
Contest Rules:
Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries on October 20, 2009. Only one entry per email address is allowed. Winners will be notified via email and an announcement will be made on this blog.
Tomorrow, you'll learn more about the 12 week challenge. We begin October 26 and there's only 175 total spaces available, and tickets go on sale soon. If you purchase your ticket and are declared a contest winner, your purchase will be refunded.
Best of luck everyone!
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