Network Marketing Today and Beyond

Fishing or Being Fished?

By Curt and Kelly Wissink

Photo by Stanrandom

 

Are you fishing for leads or are you on someone else's sonar?

 

"The Web got built by people who chose to build it. The lesson is: don't wait for someone to show you how. Learn from your spontaneous mistakes, not from safe prescriptions and cautiously analyzed procedures. Don't try to keep people from going wrong by repeating the mantra of how to get it right. Getting it right isn't enough any more. There's no invention in it. There's no voice."-The Cluetrain Manifesto

 

A huge thanks goes to  John Jantsch from Duct Tape Marketing and his Blog post: Tis Better to be Found than to Find. All we hear in network marketing today is duplication, duplication, duplication. What other business  in the world tells you to duplicate their business model? Ask Google, Apple computer, or even McDonalds.  If you are going to jump quantum leaps over your competitors, you will need to rethink what you are doing.

Instead of buying leads wouldn’t it be great if your prospects found you?

From Social Networking including MySpace, Facebook, Twitter or even Squidoo, the possibilities are endless.  Your goal - to present yourself a such a way that others will seek YOU out.

Becoming the hunted on the internet is a lot like fishing.  An old friend of mine and expert network marketer,  Bob Schmitz,  says that if you put one line in the water, you will catch one fish at a time. Put multiple lines in the water with different bait and catch all kinds of different fish. Change the bait until you see what works. 

Why not use a the easy way and a  duplicable system?   You have the same bait in front of everyone. Marketing plans that  worked 2 months ago, a year ago, 10 years ago, may change over night. Are you ready to cast your lines a little deeper to find the fish?

Are you ready to try a new lake and invest in a new boat before putting your lines in the water and grabbing a cold drink, your favorite book and preparing yourself for the bite?

An old Chinese proverb states, "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."   

Are you teaching your team how to fish?

"There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot." --Steven Wright

Tis better to be found than to find- John Jantsch

Where are you fishing?

My Embarrassing Moment

I confess, this is not just one moment but actually an on-going embarrassing moment, especially at the beginning of my network marketing career.  I signed up with a fire in my belly and a belief that Network Marketing really is the pathway to wealth, happiness and the 4 hour work week.  I believed it with all of my heart, and my mouth followed. 

I made my list and began calling.  Or rather throwing up.  I approached each person to whom I spoke with the urgency of a hungry lion.  My results?  You guessed it. Not very good.

You see, I thought that I had to share every single detail, ingredient, story, product and price to let them know that I had the very BEST opportunity they would ever find.  The problem is that I was not a very good listener and I didn't wait for a response, I just expected the sign up.   

One day I was dressed from head to toe advertising my new business. I had bought the shirts, hats, lanyards and was carrying a bag with my business cards peeking through little clear plastic windows with catalogs right behind.  I was so very proud.  A dear friend of mine, whom I shall keep anonymous for her sake, was getting a cup of coffee.  I followed her, said my pleasant hellos, and then jumped into my new business speech. Smiling, I shared how I would love to partner with her, why this was the business for her and I shoved a sample under her nose, which immediately dropped into her uncovered coffee cup.   After she quickly scooped out the sample and conveniently dropped it into the garbage can, I offered her another and then followed her into the ladies room.  All the while I am still spouting the uniqueness of our products, why this is the business for her and how much it costs to get started.  It wasn't until she went into a stall that I realized that she was done listening.  Fortunately, this didn't ruin our friendship.  It didn't create a partnership either.

My embarrassing moment, this one of many, was actually a starting point for my journey of self discovery.  Through my mistakes, I learned what worked and what didn't.  I learned how to listen and the speech and actions that brought results and kept friends. Yes, that is possible!

Now it is your turn. Fess up.  What embarrassing moments brought you to a point of realization in your business? Or, have you not realized that the weakness in your business may be you?

Success by Chicken Plucking

"And that, my friend, is the real secret of success. It’s not a formula. It’s a way of thinking. It’s an approach to life and to work. It’s having the clarity of vision to see what needs to be done and the focus of will to do it, simply and directly. "  Dean Rieck

For so long I thought that there was a secret formula to success.  If I just buy the right program and listen to the right CD, hook up with the right mentor, then,  I will learn the secret of success.

Dean Rieck hit the nail on the head or rather plucked the chicken, and shared this powerful memory
from childhood to inspire those who are looking for the secret.  All along,  the real secret was inside of them.   

What lies did you believe that swept you away in the fog of complexity and formulas?

Where Will Your Business Be In the year 2015?

by Curt and Kelly Wissink

Photo by soldiermediacenter

I have visions of watching The Jetsons on Saturday morning cartoons as a kid. The Jetson's theme song forever is ingrained in my memory.  Meet George Jetson... his boy Elroy..daughter Judy...Jane his wife... dah, dah, dah dah

Sitting in the movie theater clutching my popcorn in the 1980's  and watching in awe as Marty McFly jumps into a steaming stainless steel Deleoran, was pure joy .  Mad scientist  Dr. Emmett L. Brown was close at hand. Will Marty cross the time and space continuum? What if?

Back To The Future is still one of my favorite movies.

We are, in Seth Godin's words, in the midst of "another revolution".  We are in a revolution where TV ads, junk mail, and interruptions calls during dinner don't work any more.  Oh, great.  What does that mean for you, the Network Marketer?

Stop pondering and do it.

Do what you have dreamed of doing and don't spam people along the way.
Create your own way of sharing how what you have to offer will benefit your consumer or new team partner and then respect their response.

You can stand on the shoreline and do what you have always done or jump in and get not only your feet, but your whole body,  wet.

What are you doing right now that will affect the future of your business?  How will your network marketing business be different in 7 years, 2015?

Epic 2015 is a video that will get you thinking of the vast possibilities with internet marketing.

Will you stand on the shoreline watching until it's safe to jump ?

Or will you research the possibilities and dig deep into the birthing pains of the internet. Join me  and strap on your swim ring or life jacket. The water is  great.

What if?

75 Tax Deductions for Network Marketers

By Curt and Kelly Wissink

Image by tax.umn.edu

April 15 is a date seared on the heart of  every warm blooded American. Tax Day!

But don't despair, you can take advantage of 75 tax deductions for your home business.

This is not the whole list by any means.  It is a starting point.

I can't emphasize enough to document, document and document everything.  Save all your receipts.

Be organized and professional.

Buy a file cabinet  at your local office supply store or better yet check Craig's List or go to a garage sale.

Turbo Tax has been simple, easy and very comprehensive and is a personal recommendation.

Use this tax information as a guide. I'm not a tax expert. So please contact a tax professional to discuss your particular tax situation.

Home Business Expenses

• Business cards
• Brochures
• flyers
• stickers
• cd's
• copying
• printing
• letterhead
• advertising- Newspaper, magazine, radio, TV, internet
• business checking account

Office Supplies

• Envelopes
• Postage
• shipping
• printer paper
• printer ink
• pencils , pens, markers, highlighters
• notebooks
• post-it notes

Office Equipment

• Computers and repairs
• printers
• fax
• copy machine
• answering machine
• furniture
• office space
• file cabinets

Communication Expenses

• Cell phone, phone bills
• PDA
• camera
• video recorder
• voice recorder

Travel Expenses

• Mileage- trains, subways, bus
• toll , parking fees
• airfare
• lodging
• meals
• conferences
• conventions
• seminars
• entertainment
• Business gifts

Internet Expenses

• Website hosting
• domain names
• web design
• blogging expenses
• podcasting - ipod, software
• accounting software
• tax software
• internet service
• classes
• webinars
• marketing

Business Related Education

• literature- books, journals
• magazine subscriptions
• educational cd's and dvd's

Trade Show Expenses

• booth fee
• travel
• meals

Do you have any to add?

Start Journaling To Chart The Course of Your Network Marketing Business

By Curt and Kelly Wissink

Photo by gemteck1

Chart the course of your Network Marketing Business with journaling. Journaling isn't a new idea.  It's really blogging on paper. Journaling is  a diary of your ups and downs and triumphs in your networking business.

Journals come in all sizes and shapes;  spiral notebooks from Walmart to a Moleskine from  Barnes and Nobles.

What is Journaling?

Here's a journaling definition I really like from How to Keep a Spiritual Journal  by Ron Klug: "A Journal is a tool of self-discovery, an aid to concentration, a mirror to the soul, a place to generate and capture ideas, a safety valve for the emotions, a training ground for the writer, and a good friend and confidant."

How do you start?

Just do it. It's not about getting it right but getting it started.

I don't know if you've just started your new network marketing business and you're in the honeymoon stage, or if you are a grizzled old mlm veteran. Either way, journaling can breathe new life into your business and your own self-discovery. 

Photo by L Joy

Here are some Journaling prompts:

 

-What are my fears about network marketing?
What baggage do I carry around?

-What are my dreams?

-What new ideas would I like to try?

-Draw and doodle

-Storyboard

-Write  favorite quotes

-What are my goals?

-What roadblock did I overcome today?

-How did I respond to my family?

-What holds me back?

One question that is frequently asked is, "How often should I write?"

It's up to you, anywhere from two times a week to every day.  Start.  That's the hardest part. It will take time. I gave up drinking soda one day  at a time.  I'm proud to say that I am soda free for 2 months.

Every week or month, Ron Klug says you should harvest your entires.

Harvest your thoughts regularly. Glean what you see as growing pains for your business or areas within which you need to dig deeper.  Take time to let your written words soak into your soul and
know that when you harvest you will bear fruit.

Are you journaling?  What have you discovered?

5 Minutes That Will Change Your Network Marketing Business

by Curt and Kelly Wissink

Wow! We won't be complaining any time soon.

What excuses do you use that slow your Network Marketing Business down?

Twitter in Plain English

by Curt and Kelly Wissink

What is Twitter?

Image by Twitter

"Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"- Twitter

If you're not familiar with Twitter check out the instructional video below.

Has Twitter helped you with your network marketing business?  How?

RSS in Plain English

by Curt and Kelly Wissink

 

Have you ever wondered what this logo means? This is an RSS feed logo for blogs and news sites.

This feed button allows you to subscribe to that favorite blog or news site. RSS stands for(Really Simple Syndication or Subscription). In the same way you would think of a magazine subscription, but free. How cool is that?

The video below is excellent to get you started with RSS feeds. Every time some one adds new information to their blog or news site you are automatically sent a post to your RSS home or library called a Reader. I use Google Reader but you can use others like: Bloglines, Newsgator or MY Yahoo.

This will save you time. You will start discovering new blogs and news in your niche market.

Network marketers who start today will wonder how they lived without it.

So what did you think? Are you ready to RSS?

Eye-Fi- Saving Pictures Wirelessly To Your Blog

by Curt and Kelly Wissink

   
Image by Eye-Fi

"The Eye-Fi Card is a wireless memory card. It automatically uploads pictures from your digital camera to your PC or Mac and to your favorite photo sharing, printing, blogging or social networking site. No cables, no waiting, no hassles." ~ Eye- Fi

Boy, there's nothing like making my life easier. Is this too good to be true?  Now I can spend time recruiting and blogging instead of messing with tangled cables.

Eye-Fi connects with many popular sites.

Check out the latest Eye-Fi awards.

For less than $100, I'm thinking of taking the plunge into this wireless memory card.

Have you already added Eye-Fi to your blogging arsenal?

What did you think?

Word of Mouth Marketing

by Curt and Kelly Wissink

Word of Mouth Marketing is driving online sales and services. Advertisers will no  longer interrupt your life with commercials and pop up ads. The consumer will now be in the driver's seat.

You will see new variations of viral marketing driving this new marketing era.

Tapping into this ever changing viral arena will create a new buzz for your product or service.

Companies who are late to this new marketing dance, will be left like a wall flower wondering where everybody went.



Word of Mouth 101

Types of Word of Mouth Marketing


Where have you seen the power of word of mouth marketing?

| View | Upload your own