15 Irrefutable Marketing Proficiencies

Posted on by Nicolette

By Adam Urbanski

Time and again I talk to people who try one or two promotional strategies, don’t get the desired results and give up. They are confused about what marketing is and convinced that it will never work for their business. Does this sound like you?

You see, marketing is more than just one technique. It’s about becoming proficient at many “little” things. Here is my list of a few of those “little things”. I call them ’15 Irrefutable Marketing Proficiencies’. Check to see how many of them you’ve already mastered.

1. PASSION
I’m passionate about why I’m in business. What I do impacts who and what I care about. Performing my regular work activities gives me joy, re-energizes me and is my way of contributing to the world.

2. VISION
I can see where my business will be in the future. I’m excited to undertake the tasks necessary to get there. When I talk about my business people around me become enthusiastic and willingly lend their support. Continue reading →

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Building Your Business Through Networking = Sales/Marketing!

Posted on by Nicolette

By Andrea Nierenberg

Many of us still have a negative perception when we hear the word “networking” and as I always say, it’s a misunderstood word. My theory is that good networking skills build links and alliances with people we meet along our career path.

“The opposite of networking is not working”-you can learn from everyone you meet and also be a resource to them. If you are lucky, down the road something may come back.

Here are a few questions that I am asked as one thinks of this “new philosophy” on something that has been around since the beginning of time.

1. Is networking just about finding customers and growing one’s business?

Networking is all about developing and building relationships first. When this happens with hard work and sincerity, customers will come. It’s like a garden. When you meet new people for the first time, it’s like planting a seed. When you stay in touch by meeting for coffee or sending a holiday card, it’s like watering the seeds. Finally when there is a genuine reason for you to have a closer working relationship or friendship, it’s like the harvest. Remember we can plant and we can water-however the growth is a natural and organic process. You cannot rush it. One needs to think win/win and patience. I look at each connection I make as how I can help or refer that person. The biggest joy is when I put someone in touch with someone else and they do business together. Three of my major corporate clients took over three years to develop-lots of staying in touch, patience and finally an opportunity to work on an assignment. Each has turned into multiple referrals within the organization. The goal is stay in front of people, to be on their radar screen as a thank you. I do this with my electronic tips of the month, my quarterly newsletter and a variety of articles. Continue reading →

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When Life Knocks You Down – 5 Tips for Entrepreneurs

Posted on by Nicolette

By 

It happens – people get sick, depressed, long-term relationships end, etc. – your personal life can and will get in the way of your business at some point. You can’t plan for these types of things, so how do you hold up your business fort when you still have paying clients and your life just takes a really bad turn?

Schedule a vacation

Now would be a wonderful time to go on an impromptu vacation with friends or family. Whether it lasts for just a weekend, a week or more, something to look forward to in the near future will help you get your mind off things. The sooner you are able to go, the better. Surround yourself with people who love you so you don’t feel isolated. Explore and experience new things. Perhaps you will even become inspired to work again soon thereafter.

Forget the time-stealers and focus on client work

Don’t let social media, blogging and blog-reading steal your time, perhaps only for the important updates (like a 6 month entrepreneur anniversary!) or if you have an urge to share something. Not only will they steal your precious time, they will get you more down, especially keeping yourself updated on others blogs – their success will make you feel like you are failing, even though you have the right to take a break. If you only have enough energy to work a few hours a day, you should be focusing on your paying clients instead. The added bonus with focusing on client work is that it allows you to escape your personal problems for a little while, because the work you are helping your clients with feels more important than your troubles.

Do one small task each day

I’m a fan of Michael Nobbs over at Sustainably Creative, and although we do not share circumstances, I listen to his podcasts often – they are short, very meditative to listen to and his laugh is positively smile inducing! His advice of doing one small (creative) task every day when you have limited energy comes in handy when life knocks you out. As long as you have spent a few hours each day doing something that in some way moves your business forward or keeps your clients happy, you have made progress for the day.

Take a break – you need to heal

After your few hours of work is done for the day, take a break. Or if you can take a day or two off, do it. This may happen automatically as you probably don’t have either the energy, focus or drive to keep working on your business. Don’t beat yourself up about it, allow yourself time to heal and don’t feel guilty about taking time off from your business – go for walks, spend time with friends and family, watch movies, create art only for you, etc. You need this time to regenerate and reorganize your thoughts and mindset and you will know when you are ready to really start submerging yourself in your work again. Continue reading →

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You’ve got a new unit/team member! Now what?

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So, you’ve done all the work, had the interview, REALLY impressed your potential recruit, so they whip out their wallet and sign on the dotted line!  Congratulations!  Now what?  For many recruiters, that’s where they think their job ends and the director’s job takes over.  While generally it is your director’s responsibility to make sure your recruit has proper new consultant education, that does not mean that your job is done.  In order for your recruit to be successful, it means they need your support too.  While your director may provide that new consultant education, you can help your recruit during the process.  And, hate to say it, but some directors are simply not available or willing to give your recruit that support they need.  So, take that recruit under your wing, and show them what YOU do.  Show them how you book, how you warm chatter, how you coach your hostesses, how you hold your parties, and how you follow up.  While they can get the education from your director or the company, some recruits need that hand holding in order to be successful.  I’ve seen many many new consultants sign up and never even attempt to become active or book, or hold parties.  Why?  Find out what makes your recruit tick, and help them find their why.  Why did they sign up?  For alot it’s not the recognition or prizes, maybe it’s because they need extra money to pay bills or to take a vacation or even to be able to stay at home with their children.  If you find out why they signed up in the first place, and focus on that reason, it will be easier for you (and your director) to guide, educate, and help your recruit to success.

Sherrie @ http://mksdesignss.com/

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THE 20/80 RULE… TWO TRUTHS! YOU CHOOSE!

Posted on by Nicolette
Most people in my experience have heard of the 20/80 rule. This is where it’s said that 20% of the people do 80% of the business! It’s a rule that I accepted for many years because it appeared that it was true… Until I discovered another truth!

It happened a few years ago when I was attending a convention. As a courtesy I went to introduce myself to a distributor whom had not met before though I had trained some of his downline.

He quickly informed me that he saw Natural Selling in conflict with his own traditional Network Marketing approach of telling his story, using systematic approaches such as giving away tapes, and so on.

(Personally I don’t see any conflict. For me it’s just another option. The spiritual explanation of this was brought home to me by a German born Quantum Physicist, Hans-Peter Durr. He said at a seminar I was attending at the Chopra Center, “This is not an ‘either or world’ we live in. This is an ‘as well’ world.”)

After talking about this apparent difference, we got to discussing the high attrition rate in Network Marketing, and I asked, “Why is it do you think… that only 5% to 10% of distributors seem to succeed in this industry?

“To which he replied, “It’s the 20/80 rule!”

I knew what the 20/80 was, but I asked another question to find out his meaning. “When you say the 20/80 rule, what do YOU mean by that?”

“Well, you know – that’s where 20% of the people do 80% of the business.”

“And WHAT IF” I asked, ” …That was not entirely true? WHAT IF the reason that 80% of the business is done by 20% of the people, is that the 20% made up the rules that don’t work for the other 80%?”

“WHAT IF you gave the other 80% the option of using a different approach to operate under, an approach that allowed them to be just as successful, perhaps even more so?”

I then added, “AND WHAT IF, while using this different approach, only 20% of that 80% were successful? What would that do for the business?” (It would nearly triple of course!)

“WHAT IF…” is an Implication Question. A powerful one! It helps people look at whether their beliefs serve them! We might want to also check our own beliefs while we’re about it!

WHAT IF the reason you have difficulty in getting the things you personally want in your life…freedom, love, money, good health, peace, security, appreciation, acceptance, and so on… Is because you have allowed yourself to operate under rules that were made by the 20%?

WHAT IF everything you wanted was abundantly available to you, if you operated under a set of rules that resonated with you?

Just a thought!
Michael Oliver is a DSWA / International Sales Trainer, Speaker, Author, Consultant with 23 years of sales and training experience. Michael demonstrates how to completely eliminate rejection and objections, by ‘Selling Effectively from the Soul.’
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