I'm doing some speaking to church groups and other groups of people looking for work. The topic: "Career Alternatives in the New Economy."
What I'm finding is that as bad as things are, most of the people who attend these talks still cling to the hope of replacing their lost job and aren't open to doing anything that doesn't offer a paycheck.
That will change. It has to. When they've gone through their savings and unemployment and they start falling behind in their bills, reality will bite them and they will have to get out of their comfort zone and find an alternative career.
Jim Rohn says, "For things to change, you must change," and nowhere is this more evident than in the decimated job market.
It's fear, mostly, and understandable. On top of losing their income and all that this implies, the idea of doing something entrepreneurial, something they've never done before and that usually involves a big investment of money they do not have or don't want to risk, has got to be frightening.
I offered advice on marketing themselves to employers and re-packaging their skills for what few jobs might remain. And then I explained the advantages of being in business for oneself.
I pointed out that most people who want to start a business reject the idea because
- They don't have the money,
- They don't have the time,
- They don't want to take the risk, and
- They don't know what to do.
And then, after talking about some of the alternatives–consulting, creating a product, buying a franchise, and so on–I recommended network marketing.
I told them they don't need a lot of money or time and there's almost no risk. I told them they don't need knowledge or experience to start or succeed in network marketing because free training and support and ready-to-go systems are all part of the package. I told them this was what Robert Kiyosaki recommends (I showed them his Cash Flow Quadrant (TM)) and told them this was the choice I made.
I told them how it's worked out for me–financial freedom, time freedom, residual income–but did not present my company. (I don't think it's appropriate. I said if they want more information, they could see me after and I gave them this web site.)
Most had never heard of network marketing. And most did not want to.
You could see it on their faces. The few who asked questions made me realize they didn't appreciate the benefits of network marketing, or didn't believe them.
I will continue, however, because it's a sorting process and as I meet more people who aren't a candidate for network marketing, I will meet some who are. That's great for me, yes, but my objective isn't just to build my business, it's to empower people who right now, aren't feeling too powerful. I try to leave everyone with the idea that there are alternatives and when they are ready, they should explore them.
Some will, some won't, so what, someone else is waiting. . .
Categories Home Business, Network marketing/MLM by 
"What I've discovered about prosperity, it's that you can't borrow your way there, you can't hoard your way there, and believe it ornot, you usually can't save your way there. Credit is not a great prosperity builder, as you're usually just mortgaging your future. And you can't hoard your few remaining bank notes, because that's is antithetical to the circulation law of prosperity.
I do believe in saving, and planning for the future. But take a look at the interest rates paid, and you'll quickly understand that manifesting prosperity that way could take you 50 or 60 years. And the people that think they're going to get rich doing that in our profession right now are nuts. There are times to stand pat and check the bet. And then there are times to push your whole stack of chips to the middle of the table and go "all in." There are times for bold, daring and forceful action. Like now.
There are all lots of people in our business that are patting themselves on the back, adding up how much they're saving on airfare, hotel and meals, because they're not attending their company convention or other major event. So, so foolish. And so sad. Because these people will stick around the business, holding on to their dreams, and giving reassurances of their commitment to their sponsors. But they're really dead man walking. They've given up any chance of success, but they don't know it. And don't want to… It's easier to lie and convince themselves that they're still in the game, still have a shot at their dreams, and are just re-grouping for when the time is right.
What they don't get is that the time will never be more right than it is right now. At least not in their lifetime. I did an opportunity meeting here in LA last night. But instead of the usual presentation, I wanted to talk about the current reality in the world today, and how it applies to us. I told the people in the room and the others watching on the Internet, that it's time for a revolution. The current models are broken. They don't work any more. The old government model is broken. It doesn't work any more… Governments can't just keep printing up worthless money that devalues more with every tick of inflation and every billion dollar/pound/peso/Euro government bailout.
What we do know is this: Communism doesn't work. It didn't work in Russia, it's not working in China, and it's cratering in Cuba. Here's what else we know: Socialism is simply Communism with lipstick. And it doesn't work any better. And these socialistic programs in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Asia and other places are like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. There is a solution…. Real free enterprise. Not the over-regulated, over-legislated, substitute governments are pushing today, but real free enterprise like we have in network marketing. Where you are rewarded in proportion to the value you provide, and where anyone, regardless of experience, education or connections has a viable chance to live their dreams. The old government model is broken. Our model is better. We need to shout it from the rooftops. The old distribution model is broken. It doesn't work any more…
The days of a manufacturing making a product, selling it to a wholesaler, who sells it to a rack jobber, who sells it to a retailer, who sells it to you are over. That was necessary 200 years ago. It's not necessary today. Toll-free numbers, the Internet, Fed-Ex, UPS and DHL have made that model obsolete. An network marketing. company can manufacture a product and ship it direct to their team member, who is often the end consumer, or will virally market the product to their friends. All of the parasites in the middle are no longer necessary. All of the money wasted on $2 million Super Bowl commercials, full page newspaper ads and other marketing can go to product research and development, and to pay the people actually doing the work: You.
The bankruptcies of Macy's, Kmart, Circuit City and so many other legacy retailers prove the case: The old distribution model is broken. Our model is better. We need to shout it from the rooftops. The employment model is broken. It doesn't work any more… Companies laying off everyone over 50 to replace them with cheap new college graduates isn't right. Unions fighting management isn't working. The major airlines that have segued into bankruptcy, erased their pension plan obligations and come out with million-dollar bonuses, stock options and golden parachutes for their executives wasn't right. The unions with so much clout that someone can sit reading a book half the day and can't be fired isn't right. People staying loyal to a company for decades and then having their jobs outsourced to India isn't working.
Companies pillaging the environment for extra profits isn't right. Rank and file workers slogging through menial tasks like worker drones in the collective isn't working. Our profession allows everyone the opportunity of work with meaning. A chance to build success by helping other people reach success. A chance to make what they are really worth, with no discrimination or glass ceilings. What we do isn't just a job. It's a profession, and a very noble one.
Yes we have the chance to drive free bonus cars, win trips to exotic locales, earn free cruises, and earn more in a month than most do in a year. But more importantly, how many single parents have been able to raise their kids, how many people escaped welfare, bankruptcy and poverty? How many have been the role model providing for their children and teaching them the values of self-sufficiency, integrity and hard work? The old employment model is broken. Our model is better. We need to shout it from the rooftops.
Okay I didn't mean to rant on so much, but I'm very passionate about the world situation and what we can do about it right now. But that means you have to be bold, not timid. You have to stop buying into this "hunker down and hide" talk in the media and work harder than ever. This is the time to invest in growing your business, and take advantage of the window of wild opportunity we are facing right now. So get to all your local events. Whatever the next major event is for your company, get there. If you don't have the money, cancel your cable and sell your TV. Do what you have to do to attend, so you can build your belief, gain more confidence, and develop new skills. If you have to stay down the road at the Motel 6 and sleep five on the floor, do that. But get to your company's next major event. In the meantime, please take an inventory of your mindset and daily action. Invest in yourself and your business. And get into massive action."
Categories Network marketing/MLM, Wealth & Money by
This clip, from the movie, "Facing The Giants," is a poignant reminder that we can do more than we think we can. It also shows you why you should never give up.
We've shown this at our team retreats. If you need a bit of inspiration, or a kick in the seat, watch this clip and ask yourself, "What could I do if I didn't know I couldn't?"
And go for it.
Categories Goals & Goal Setting, Inspiration by
The "how-to's" in network marketing are simple. Really. All we do is show people information, using tools, and if they have questions, we get them on the phone with somebody else. We also attend events. In my company, it's ten hours a week, one Saturday a month, and three weekends a year. If you do it consistently and give it enough time, you can earn passive, residual income and time freedom for the rest of your life.
Well worth it and easy to do. So why doesn't everyone do it?
Fear.
People get hung up on hearing "no" and don't do the daily activities or stop doing them and they never get the freedom they say they want and could so readily obtain. It's fear of rejection and fear of failure that stops people. Successful network marketers feel that fear too, but do the activities anyway.
How do you do that? How do you move forward in the face of fear?
Well, one way is to focus on the activities and not the results. If you focus on doing two exposures today and you do them, you are successful no matter what the outcome. You know the law of averages works in your favor and if you do enough exposures, in time, you will recruit a lot of people.
But sometimes those results seem to be a long time coming and we can't help but look at our (lack of) results. What we can do, though, is change the way we think about those results.
Most people think of results in terms of "yes or no". It's a win or a loss, a zero sum game. Since most people say "no", that's a game that gets tiring to play. But if you change the paradigm from "yes or no" into something else, every exposure can be successful.
Every time you do an exposure, there are four possible results:
- They sign-up
- They want more information
- You decide you don't want them in your organization
- They go into your drip file
If they want to sign up (and we want them to–it's our choice, after all) that's a good result. If they want more information, that's also good; it means they're interested and the process continues. If you decide you don't want them in your organization, you're not failing or getting rejected, you are rejecting them. "Application denied!" Try it–it's fun!
That leaves number 4, "they go into your drip file." What does that mean? It means we have delivered the information, we want them in our organization, and they haven't yet said yes. They haven't yet said yes. Notice the wording. We're assuming that everyone will eventually join our organization–it's only a matter of time.
See, you can look at what they say as a "no" or you can look at it as a "not yet". Which one feels better? Which one is the mind-set of a successful Associate?
So we wait for them. We don't try to convince them. Convincing is hard and ineffective. If we talk them into joining, we'll just have to talk them into doing something, won't we? And when you try to convince, you get rejected a lot and you fail a lot. You push, they pull, you chase, they run.
No convincing. Just stay in touch with them until they are ready. Share more information, a little bit at a time, over a period of time. "Drip" on them with information and stories, the occasional article or new tool, news about your progress, until they tell you (1) They are ready to get started, (2) They want more information, or (3) You decide you don't want them in your organization.
Don't flood them with information; that's convincing. That will chase them away. Drip on them–a bit here, a drop there, spaced out over the ensuing months and years. Not convincing, not asking, just reminding them that you and the benefits you offer still exist.
See, it's not so much about the information, it's about the person. Today, they don't see what we see; tomorrow they might. If they're doing well at their job today, they might not be looking for an opportunity. Tomorrow they might get laid off and have a different perspective. Things can happen that change someone's readiness in the blink of an eye. Changes in health, job status, stock market holdings, a foreclosure or bankruptcy, the birth of a child. Or maybe little Johnny once again asks why daddy never comes to his soccer games and for the first time, daddy asks himself that same question.
Circumstances change and people change and your role is to be in front of them when they're ready for what you offer.
I've had Associates sign up seven years after I first approached them. I've had Associates do nothing for seven years and then get going. And I've had Associates drop out of the business and sign up all over again years later, when they were ready. Every single exposure I've ever made has been successful, and every one I make in the future will be, too.
They sign up, they want more information, we decide we don't want them, or they go into our drip file. Every exposure is successful.
Categories Network marketing/MLM, Prospecting & Recruiting by
