The Enlightened Networker » Home-based Business

Don’t Assume Anything About Your Prospect – Ask Questions Instead

Ilka Flood — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:10:46 +0000

Don't Assume Anything About Your Propect

Have you ever totally ‘messed up’ a meeting or conversation with a prospect? I mean, it seemed so promising. And then you got into your car to drive home (or you hung up the phone) and you thought to yourself, “man, I totally messed this one up”. What the heck happened?”

Could it have been that you have been “assuming” things about your prospect?

Someone once gave me the definition of “assume” and it’s not the one found in the dictionary or Wikipedia. It goes like this …

ASS-U-ME = When you assume something you are making an ASS out of U and ME.

Yes, it’s a bit strong language and I normally don’t talk that way but … it hits the point spot on. Don’t assume things about people. Especially those you don’t know or have just met.

When we assume something about our prospects we come to false conclusions which can lead to misunderstandings, non-understanding and mis-communication. And that messes everything up.

Also, how often do we say to people, “I know exactly what you’re thinking?”

How can we know what someone is thinking? We only know what we ourselves are thinking. We could assume (there’s that word again) what someone may be thinking based on certain circumstances or our own experiences, but then again, that would get us exactly to what I mentioned above.

So the best thing to do when meeting a prospect for the first time, either in person or on the phone is to ASK QUESTIONS. Ask lots of questions.

The more questions we ask the better we get to know our prospect and the better we can assess what his or her needs are.

That’s what we’re there for. That’s our job. To find out what our prospects problems are and then find a solution to fix them. We can’t do that by assuming but only by asking questions.

So do yourself a favor, don’t assume anything.

To your success,

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. You don’t have to share this on Twitter, Facebook or Digg, but if you do, I surely appreciate it. Thank you!

7 Reasons Why Women Make Natural Network Marketers

Ilka Flood — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:06:44 +0000

What Advantages Do Women in Network Marketing Have?

Why are there so many women in network marketing?

Good question! According to the Direct Selling Association about 82% of network marketers are women.

Is that surprising? No, not really. When you really think about it then it actually makes a lot of sense. Why is that?

Are women just better networkers?

Well, they do have some advantages over their male counterparts.

Here are just 7 advantages women have over men in network marketing. I’m sure there are quite a few more…

1) Women want to stay home with their kids

This is probably the number one reason why there are so many women in network marketing. Moms want to stay home with their kids. They don’t want them to be raised by nannies or grow up in day care. They don’t want to miss out on those all important ‘firsts’ in their children’s lives. At the same time, stay-at-home moms want to contribute to the family finances.

2) Nurturing instinct

Women are natural nurturers. They want the best for their families. They make the purchasing decisions in their household and know quality whey they see it. They are also very community oriented.

3) Better Networkers

Network marketing is a people business. It’s based on building strong customer relationships. Women know the importance of relationship building in business. They are great listeners and have a natural ability to relate to other women’s situations which helps them to understand and meet their customers’ needs.

4) Better Communicators

Women share information all the time. Think about it? What group of population talks more to each other. There are school get-togethers, kids sporting events, scout meetings, birthday parties, luncheons. There’s always an opportunity to talk and build new business relationships.

5) Equal Playing Field

Network marketing offers and equal playing field for men and women. Equal pay for equal work and no glass ceiling. It’s not like that in the corporate world. Women are still at a disadvantage in the corporate world. They are neither treated the same nor is there equal pay for men and women .

6) Multi-Tasking

Women are great multi-taskers. They have the ability to focus on more than one task which is a great skill to have running a busy network marketing business.

7) Security

Women want security for their families. There has been no such thing as job security for quite some time now and women are usually the first to lose their jobs. Network marketing offers a “Plan B”, a security blanket for if the unthinkable should happen. A home business can be started part-time while still being employed.

So, there you have them, the 7 advantages women in network marketing have over men.

If you can think of any more, please share them with us below in the comment box.

To your success,

Ilka Flood
The Enlightened Networker

P.S. Go ahead, I dare you to share this post on Twitter, Facebook or Digg it! And if you do, I sure appreciate it. Thank you!

3 Costly Mistakes To Avoid If You Are Blogging For Business

Ilka Flood — Mon, 24 May 2010 23:52:22 +0000

Start a Business Blog

First off, if you haven’t yet, start a business blog asap.

Especially if you have a MLM or network marketing business it is essential to have a nerve center or some sort of a ‘home base’ online. The reason behind this is, that you want to brand yourself instead of promoting your opportunity.

When I first started blogging I made all three of the mistakes below (and then some) and they cost me a lot of money.

Well, I didn’t know that when I first started, but by hanging around the right people I found out what I did wrong and corrected my mistakes very quickly.

So here they are … the 3 Costly Mistakes To Avoid If You Are Blogging for Business

1) Wrong Blogging Platform

When I started blogging two years ago I set up my blog on Blogger.com. But as I found out, if you want to blog for business then Blogger isn’t where you want to be. You want your blog to convey a professional image and the best blogging platform to accomplish this is to set up a WordPress blog.

2) Not Having Your Own Domain

I said earlier that you want to brand yourself. The best way to do that is to get your own domain name. (You can get your own domain name for very little cost at GoDaddy.com) If you don’t want to use your own name, then pick something that best reflects your business. For example, I picked “Enlightened Networker” because that best reflects me and what I do.

By the way, the best hosting service (in my opinion) is HostGator. I have a “Baby” account there which lets me host unlimited websites for under $10/a month. (You can set up your WordPress blog with just a few clicks in your HostGator back office once you get your account.)

3) The Missing Opt-in Form

This is a BIG one. Remember, you are blogging for business. So you need a way to build a list and build a relationship with that list. As we all know, people only buy from those they know, like and trust. And they don’t buy the first time they see our product either. It will take some time.

Once you have decided which autoresponder service you want to use, (I am very happy with Aweber) create an opt-in form and place it at a strategic place on your blog. The best place would be above the fold (top right or top left) so your visitors can see it and don’t have to scroll down for it.

(And yes, those links above are my affiliate links. So if you click on them and decide to use the service I will get some pocket change.)

Now the only thing left to do is write some eye-catching, attention-getting and money-pulling emails.

By the way, my friend Jason Better just happened to write a post about this subject today. Go over and visit his blog and click on “3 Surprisingly Simple Ways To Write “Better” E-mails”

So, there you have them, the 3 mistakes to avoid if you are blogging for business.

To your success,

Ilka Flood

P.S. If you enjoyed this post why not share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook? It’s truly appreciated.

Oh, and please make some noise and leave your feedback in the comment box below. Thank you!

7 Common But Deadly Mistakes of New Network Marketers

Ilka Flood — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:30:10 +0000

Or …What not to do when you first start out in network marketing.

Let’s be totally honest here. As new network marketers just starting out in the industry we all have made some mistakes. I know I certainly have made my share. That’s just part of the learning curve. As long as we learn from our mistakes and fail forward, we’ll be alright.

So, here are probably the 7 most common mistakes we make as brand new network marketers…

1) Don’t have a Part-time Attitude

It’s certainly okay to build your network marketing business part-time and alongside your regular job in the beginning. What’s not okay, is having a part-time attitude about it. Many new networkers fail because they treat their business like a hobby. This will reflect in your commission check. So, don’t dabble in your business… Commit to it! It is YOUR future that you are building.

2) Don’t Make Yourself the Issue

When you first start out in network marketing you know absolutely nothing. Nothing about the company and nothing about the products you are selling. You are brand spanking new. So how are you supposed to grow your business? You haven’t even earned a penny in commission yet. Many new networkers feel very uneasy because they don’t know what to say to their prospects.

Don’t worry. Just take yourself out of the equation. Find either your sponsor or somebody in the levels above you who is willing to help you. Use that person as an expert to do 3-way calls with your prospects.

Don’t interrupt them while they are talking, listen carefully and take good notes on what they say and how they say it. Learn from them so eventually you can do this yourself.

3) Don’t Take Rejection Personally

New network marketers are often afraid to talk to people about their new business opportunity because they are afraid of getting rejected. What they must realize is that, it is not them getting rejected, but the opportunity might not be right for the person they are talking to. Or the timing may just not be right.

When I started out in this industry, rejection was a biggie for me. I was afraid of picking up the phone and calling my leads, because I was afraid of them telling me “NO.”

Until someone put it to me this way… “Look, when you order a Bic Mac at McDonalds and the clerk asks you if you would like fries with that, he’s not going to break out in tears if you tell him, ‘NO’, or is he?”

Well, of course not. That would be silly. Fries are not for everyone …and neither is your business opportunity. You just have to find the right people. ..Hint: Those who like fries.

4) Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

Someone has always walked the path before you. So don’t make things harder for yourself by trying to reinvent the wheel. If your sponsor or team has a system that has worked for them, by all means use it. Keep it simple! Don’t make this business more difficult than it really is.

5) Don’t Forget the Power of Customers

Often new networkers are so focused on recruiting new team members that they totally forget about customers. Retail sales count for part of your income in network marketing. Customers are the back bone of your business. They join because they fell in love with your products, and they stay because of it.

6) Don’t Alienate Your Sponsor

Your sponsor is your most valuable resource. Your ‘go to person’ who is there to train and guide you, to support and encourage you. Don’t alienate him or her by constantly whining or being negative or hanging on their shirt tails.

Don’t expect him or her to hold your hand the whole way through. I have had sponsors who were there for me for my first week …and then cut me lose. From then on I was on my own, but I knew if I needed something they were just a phone call away. I was expected to call THEM …not the other way around.

7) Don’t Let Anyone Steal Your Dream

There is a reason why you started your network marketing business. It may be to stay home with your kids. Or to bring your husband home. It may be to buy a bigger house. A new car. It may be that you are getting close to retirement and want to make sure you can live comfortably after you no longer work. Or you might want to go on that long overdue family vacation. Whatever your “WHY” don’t let anyone come along and steal it. Hang on to it!

And number 8…

If you like this article don’t let it go to waste by not sharing it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook. Thank you!

To Your Success,

Ilka Flood

Just Starting Out In Network Marketing And Looking For Advice?

Ilka Flood — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:52:41 +0000

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!

How To Win Your Prospects Over

Ilka Flood — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 21:14:55 +0000

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!

Being A Parent Can Be A Huge Advantage In Network Marketing

Ilka Flood — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 18:41:04 +0000

I actually had a different topic planed for today. But decided to piggyback on Jason Better’s post from yesterday. His post yesterday was about “Multi-Level Moms and Dads.” What a great topic and definitely some incredible food for thought.

Some may find that having children might hinder them in their home business. I find it quite the opposite. It can be a HUGE advantage single network marketers don’t have. We parents have a lot of opportunities for networking other people wouldn’t even get.

Just think about it…

When you are bringing your toddler to preschool you meet other preschool parents to hook up and go out for coffee with. Btw, that’s how I got introduced to Tupperware, taking our oldest son to a German Kindergarten and meeting a Tupperware rep there. I’m still buying Tupperware today, because I fell in love with the products. Later when our boys were playing sports, there were always moms and dads around to network with.

The $64,000 Question…

When you meet other parents on the football field or at the hockey rink it’s inevitable that the question comes up, … so, what do you do? And that is your invitation to tell them about your business. Now be careful not to ‘throw up’ on them or they will run the other way and you’ll be forever labeled as “one of those people”. But in a few words just let them know what you do and then kindly ask for referrals. That takes the pressure off of the person you talk to and they don’t feel like you are directly talking to them and trying to recruit them or sell your product to them.

For example, if you market an energy product the conversation could go something like this…

_ So, what do you do?

_ I market a product for people who are always tired and have no energy like I used to. I didn’t want to use prescription drugs but was looking for something natural to boost my energy. Then one day I found this product and within a month my energy level was up and I was no longer tired. I felt ten years younger. Do you know anyone who might want to know about a product like that?

You would be surprised to see how many hands go up of people saying,… “Oh me. I could use a product like that. Tell me more.” And there’s absolute no pressure. You are just asking for referrals. (By the way, I learned this technique from Kim Klaver.)

Go ahead, try it next time you’re out and about with your kids. Oh, and by the way, if you don’t have kids yet, borrow your neighbor’s or get a puppy. It works the same way. You just need a conversation starter. Our oldest once thought it was a great idea to take our Boxer puppy to the mall to “meet chicks.” Well, it worked.

If you liked this post, please don’t forget to re-tweet it or share it on Facebook. Thanks!

The Internet Can Be A Very Unforgiving Place

Ilka Flood — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 02:16:02 +0000

Common Sense Rules To Protect You From Tarnishing Your Reputation

A couple of days ago I added a comment to a post on Jason Better’s blog that left me with egg on my face. Or so I thought. (By the way, if you haven’t visited and bookmarked his blog yet, I would suggest you do so immediately. You will find great information there as well as a community of very experienced online marketers.)

But anyway, back to my story…

I posted a comment and thought I made a mistake and gave credit to the wrong person. (You always want to make sure you give credit where credit is deserved when you leave a comment.)

As it turned out, I had been correct in the first place and had given credit to the right person. But I didn’t know that for about two hours. I was totally miserable. I was so embarrassed.

In a way, I am glad now that this happened because it gave me a topic for this post and it reminded me how public a place the internet really is. Once you hit that “submit” button, whatever you say is out there for the whole world to see. There’s no taking it back.

What happened to me was just an honest mistake, a little blunder. But nonetheless, it’s ‘out there.’ And it taught me a great lesson. I will be much more careful next time before I hit “submit.”

Just remember these ground rules…

Always be polite.

Always be honest.

Always be kind.

If you made a mistake, fess up and try to correct it immediately.

Don’t say anything you could regret later. Because, whatever it is, it WILL come back to haunt you.

Be like “Thumper” … “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say nothing at all.”

Especially as a professional, marketing and growing your business on the internet the last thing you want to do is tarnish your reputation.

Oh, and if you ever had “egg on your face” I’d love for you to share your story in the comments below … IF you dare =)

The Magic Behind A Good Home Based Business – For YOU

Ilka Flood — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:52:44 +0000

“What is a good home based business?”

This question was asked in one of the social networks I am a member of. A great question. Especially for someone new to the industry.

As you can imagine, dozens of replies came in from other members offering information on the home based business they are promoting. Of course everyone thinks their opportunity is the best. That’s only natural. But, what is a good fit or me might not be a good fit for you.

When you are looking for a good home based business … for YOU … your first question should be, …“What am I passionate about?”

What do you like to do for fun? What hobbies or interests do you have? What makes you tick? If money were no object, what would you do with the rest of your life?

That’s the answer I gave …. and I have been saying that over and over lately …

“Find your passion and then find a way to make money with it.”

If you are truly passionate about what you do, you’ll be having so much fun that it won’t seem like work. And … the money WILL follow eventually.

For example, if you are into health and fitness choose a home business to match that interest. Or, if you are the creative type, find something that matches up with that. And so on. Never join a home based business only because a friend or family member wants you to join up with them. You’ll be miseable and you won’t do anyone a favor when you quit a couple of months into it.

Interesting what a recent Yahoo survey revealed about what kind of work U.S adults would prefer to do late in life. Read Kim Klaver’s post about it here.

Let me know what you are passionate about in your comments below. Is your business connected to your passion and vise versa?

Is Your Nutritional Supplement Business At Risk?

Ilka Flood — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:00:56 +0000

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.