“The more trustworthy you become, the more success you have the potential to achieve”  Jeffrey Gitomer

Ask any successful network marketer and they will tell you that the key ingredient to their success is TRUST.

Doesn’t that make total sense? Just think about yourself. Would you join or buy from anyone you don’t trust? Of course you wouldn’t.

So how do you go about gaining your prospects trust?

Here are some examples…

Take the focus off of yourself .

Build trust by showing a genuine interest in your prospects. Learn about them, their needs and wants by asking questions.

Make it personal.

In your conversations (especially on social media sites) talk about you not your business. People don’t like to be bombarded with info about your business. They want to learn about you as a person, your family, hobbies, etc. They want to find out if there is a connection.

Brand yourself as a leader.

Share your knowledge and expertise. Always give value. The more value you give freely and unconditionally, the more trust you gain back.

Don’t act like a hunter.

Leaders don’t chase prospects. They wait for the prospect to come to them. Wouldn’t it be great if your prospects would come to you asking if they could join your opportunity? This only happens if they completely trust you. So always build trust first.

Be available.

Nothing is more frustrating to a prospect as if they have to wait for the answers of their questions. Make sure you are readily available. Answer emails or phone calls within 24hours. 48 hours absolute maximum.

Never over-promise and under-deliver.

Be true to your word. Say what you will do and then do what you say.

Remember, know, like trust and  that trust doesn’t stop once your prospects join you in your network marketing business. Au contraire.  Now begins the real test. Will you be there for your prospects to teach them the ropes and support them in their business so they can become successful in reaching their goals? You become responsible for them as soon as they join with you. But that doesn’t mean holding their hands all the way through. Well, that’s a topic for another post.

How do you develop trust in your business? Share your thoughts with us in the comment box below.

And … if you found value in this post, please share it on Twitter or Facebook. Thanks!

Related posts:

1. Don’t Assume Anything About Your Prospect – Ask Questions Instead
2. How To Build Rapport With Your Customers, Clients and Business Partners
3. 22 Tips to help your business grow this year

7 Tips To Make Your Start Easier

I was recently asked what advice I would give to someone just starting out in network marketing. Thanks, Josh, for providing me the topic for my blog post for today.

Here is how I answered the question of, “What advice would you give to a person who’s willing to start from step one?”

1) Pick the right company and products for YOU.

This is very important. Because, if you are not passionate about the products and the company you represent it will be hard to get others to join your team. People must feel your excitement. Excitement is contagious.

2) Learn everything you can about your company, the products and the compensation plan.

Be careful not to get analysis paralysis. Keep introducing people to your opportunity and products while you learn.

3) Always ask for help.

Keep in touch with your sponsor. S/he should have an interest in helping you succeed. If your sponsor is new or not available, go upline or sideline until you find somebody you can connect with. There are selfless leaders in every company who are willing to lend a helping hand.

4) Realize that, just like any other business, network marketing has its learning curve.

Failure is part of learning. You haven’t really failed until you give up. And besides, … “Failure is nothing more than another opportunity to succeed.”

5) Surround yourself with successful people.

People who have been there and done that. Learn from them and with them. They will lift you up. There are many pieces to the network marketing puzzle and there is always somebody who is an expert in one area or another.

6) Keep your day job until you can comfortably live on your network marketing income.

There is nothing wrong with starting your network marketing business part-time. Actually, it can be an advantage because it takes off the pressure of having to earn a certain amount of money within a certain amount of time.

Jim Rohn said it best … “Work full-time in your job and part-time on your fortune.”

7) Most important … Don’t ever learn how to quit.

Don’t give up when things get tough. There will be ups and downs and there will be times when you feel like quitting. Nobody said it’s going to be easy and even leaders have bad days. So…. don’t quit!

If you have any more tips or advice to share with someone just starting out in network marketing, please share it below in the comment box. It is very much appreciated!

And please, as always, if you liked this post, share it on Twitter and with your Facebook friends. Thank you!

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Give more in value than you take in payment.

Sponsoring new people in to your network marketing opportunity is a process that takes time. Very seldom do you meet someone who joins your team the same day you introduce him or her to your business. For example, I am a person who researches a business opportunity I am interested in for several months before I join.

Given the fact, that it may take several months before your prospect joins your team, and with the competition as tough as it is in the network marketing industry, you need to stand out from the crowd.

Be different…

I may sound like a broken record, but I say it again…

People will do business with and refer business to those people they know, like and trust.

One way of gaining people’s trust is by giving them value and by making them feel like they are the most important person in the world to you.

“Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.”
(The Law of Value, page 29, The Go-Giver.)

When I was looking into becoming a rep for my company, I was approached by several people I knew. A couple of them I have known for years. I like and trust all of them.

But they made several mistakes in trying to recruit me.

1) They used the “Hit and Run” approach, which means, they hit me up with the opportunity and then ran and waited for my reaction.

2) They didn’t follow up with me. None of them did.

I still wanted to get involved with that company, because I could see the benefits of the product and I knew I would have a lot of fun with it. But now I had a problem. Whom would I choose as my sponsor? I wanted to make sure I joined someone who cared about me. Someone who was plugged in to the company training and was committed to their business. Someone who would be there to train me and show me the ropes.

Luckily, another person entered the playing field, a complete stranger.

He introduced me to the company and product the same way those other people did, by sending me a greeting card that included a DVD about the opportunity.

But, … here’s the BIG difference … He kept in touch and followed up with me.

He sent me another card and then called to introduce himself.

He kept following up with me. He even sent me brownies for my birthday. A month later he sent me a magazine about the company … which by the way, I read cover to cover the day I received it.

Then again a month later he sent me a book about network marketing.

He didn’t have to do all this. I had already told him that I was going to join him.

And besides … He already had me at the brownies =) I could tell then that he really genuinely cared about ME as a person. (And yes, I felt a bit guilty too.)

Here is my point , …. give more in value than you take in payment.

Make your prospect feel special. Remember when you were dating your husband or your wife? You brought flowers. You went out to dinner. You watched a movie together.

Well, prospecting is a lot like dating.

Do me a favor … if you like this post, please share it on Twitter and with your friends on Facebook. Thank you!

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2. Just Starting Out In Network Marketing And Looking For Advice?
3. The Importance of Qualifying Your MLM Prospects | Network Marketing Tips For Beginners

And How Will This Affect All Affiliate Marketers or Programs?

Usually I love Mondays, but this week did not start off well for me. I found a letter in my inbox from Amazon telling me that my affiliate account had been closed as of today, March 8th 2010, and that I will no longer be paid advertising fees for customers I refer to Amazon.com after that date.

Amazon state their reason:

We are writing from the Amazon Associates Program to inform you that the Colorado government recently enacted a law to impose sales tax regulations on online retailers. The regulations are burdensome and no other state has similar rules. The new regulations do not require online retailers to collect sales tax. Instead, they are clearly intended to increase the compliance burden to a point where online retailers will be induced to “voluntarily” collect Colorado sales tax — a course we won’t take.

We and many others strongly opposed this legislation, known as HB 10-1193, but it was enacted anyway. Regrettably, as a result of the new law, we have decided to stop advertising through Associates based in Colorado. We plan to continue to sell to Colorado residents, however, and will advertise through other channels, including through Associates based in other states.

My thoughts are,  … If a giant like Amazon won’t comply with this new Colorado law … who’s going to be next?

What other companies are going to follow suit? ebay?  Google Adsense? Online Affiliate Programs?

Will other states follow suit and pass similar legislation in hopes of reducing their deficits?

How long will it be before other affiliate marketers nationwide are affected?

Let me know what you think. Thank you in advance for your feedback.
By the way … anyone got a spare bedroom? Just considering my options =)

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It just might be, if Senator McCain’s new proposed bill becomes law. If you are a distributor with and MLM company marketing liquid nutritionals (or any nutritional supplements for that matter) then you better read this article.

Senator John McCain is attacking the MLM nutritional industry with a stupid bill.  The “Dietary Supplement Safety Act” threatens to dramatically change this industry.

If this bill becomes law it will require you to register your nutritional supplement business. Yes, you read that right, you as a distributor of liquid dietary supplements will have to register as well, not just the company you work with.

Read more here.

Wow!  What will they think of next to make life difficult for us network marketers?

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Build Your Business with Rapport

“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Building rapport is the first step in building a relationship with your customers, clients or future business partners. It’s a skill anyone can learn and like anything else, it takes practice. The more we practice, the better we get at it. Eventually it comes naturally. My husband is great at this. He has a unique gift to make the person he talks to laugh within the first 30 seconds. Humor is a great ice-breaker.

Here are 3 important points that will help you become a great rapport builder:

1) Ask questions. You can find out a lot about a person by asking questions. Listen to the answers they give you and you will find out what their needs are. People love to talk about themselves.

2) Listen. I mean really listen to what they are telling you. Keep eye contact and give them your full attention. Looking around while listening is not only rude, but it will give them the impression that you are distracted or don’t really care. Make them your total focus and show genuine interest. Let them have the feeling that there is nothing else more important at that moment than they are. Do participate in the conversation but listen more than you talk.

3) Compliment. There is nothing that will give you faster or stronger rapport than a genuine compliment. Emphasis is on ‘genuine.’ Really mean what you say. People will see straight through a fake or insincere compliment and that would only hurt your trying to build that relationship. So be totally sincere. It makes us feel good when we get a sincere compliment and we open up. If you don’t know the person very well or you have just met, compliment them on their smile, their outfit or anything else that strikes you at first glance.

Building rapport can be a lot of fun and it’s different with every person you meet. The more you practice, the better you get.

How do YOU build rapport? I’d love to hear your comments on this.

Related posts:

1. How Do You Build “Trust” With Your Prospect?
2. 22 Tips to help your business grow this year
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I’m sure, if you’re a network marketer, you’ve all heard the following comments made about our industry…

“Those at the top are making the most money.”

“You’ve got to join a company in the very beginning in order to make any money or be successful.”

True or false?

“It’s unfair and biased to look at the MLM or Network Marketing industry and claim it’s flawed because the people at the top make most of the money, when the same can be proven in every industry.” _Tim Sales

Watch the video below:

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1. Focus on what the prospect wants not what you want.
2. Recruit through their eyes not yours.
3. Use the word “you” at least 4 times. Use it more than you use me or I.
4. Paint word pictures. Use phrases like…”What would it be like if…
5. Don’t use Network Marketing Lingo.
6. Double the size of your Warm Market.
7. Listen closely to what your prospect is saying.
8. Always tell the prospect why you are calling. You need to be real.
9. Bring value to your opportunity. Let them know the reasons why you joined.
10. Don’t recruit. Connect their hearts to the hope and possibilities. Hype comes from the head. Hope comes from the heart.
11. It’s not about hype it’s about hope. Hope for a better future. Enlighten their lives. WIFM (What’s in it for me) the radio station everyone is tuned in to.
12. Be in the presentation not just at the presentation. Be sincere.
13. Let the prospect ask questions.
14. Be focused.
15. Use their name at least 3 times in the first 3 minutes. People love to hear their name. People need to know you have taken an interest in them.
16. Follow up. Don’t chase your prospect. You’re not a dog. Show your leadership by following up with them, but don’t chase them. Get them talking again. Make a friend. Ask them what they like so far. Ask if they have any questions about your opportunity.
17. Don’t lose your old contacts. Keep in touch with them. Timing may not be right for them right now.A great system to keep in touch with your prospects and customers. It is also a powerful system to get referrals.
18. Use the phrase…”If this is righ for you…”
19. Be forward focused. Use phrases like…”This is a new year. Have you ever thought of having your own home business?”
20. Always setting the next steps. What do you do next? Show them their next move. Be the Pied Piper.
21. People don’t follow what you say or do but who you are. Be genuine. Stay in your confidence level.
22. Always thank your prospect for their time. No matter what. Always ask for a referral.

Related posts:

1. The Importance of Qualifying Your MLM Prospects | Network Marketing Tips For Beginners
2. How To Win Your Prospects Over
3. Don’t Assume Anything About Your Prospect – Ask Questions Instead