Shiny Happy MLM Distributors

Thank you all for the extremely kind response I received from so many after my last post about my near death experience.

I received pages and pages of emails, and even flowers and gifts in the mail! Way beyond what I expected.

I'm humbled and grateful to have so many people caring for me.

Then there were a couple of letters that said something similar to this:

"Gosh, Barry, I can't believe you admitted that you had a health problem. Aren't you concerned that this will make people think your MLM company's products don't work?"

It's an honest question, so I don't want to be too harsh on those who asked it. But it really does point to something that has been, and continues to periodically raise it's head as a problem in our industry:

HYPE!

Do you really think that there is any nutritional network marketing company where EVERYONE who takes their super miracle juice has been able to avoid having a heart condition, or cancer or diabetes or a stroke or ...?

Obviously the truth is quite the opposite: Every nutrition company has people taking their products who have those conditions.

There's a reason that nutrition company's have to put disclaimers on their products, and it's a good reason: Nutrition is not medicine.

Distributors sometimes treat those disclaimers as annoying big-brother controls imposed by an evil coalition of the government, the AMA and the "money-hungry" drug companies.

It's convenient to have such an enemy, and it makes for a great story. And there may be just enough of a partial truth to it to make it believable. I acknowledge that.

But there have been times when our industry brought some of this on ourselves by making inappropriate claims for the products we market.

The best way to keep the government from over-regulating our industry is for us to self-regulate and stop making outlandish medical claims.

Look at the history of network marketing. There have been some exciting new product launches promoted with tremendous enthusiasm as an incredible product that was going to change the world.

Where are those products now?

They're still on the market. But the initial excitement isn't there any more for any of them.

Why?

Perhaps after people took them for awhile they found that they still got sick, had some health problems, and they weren't the "cure-all" promised.

This doesn't mean they weren't good products with excellent benefits that could be promoted with enthusiasm. It just means that they were sometimes hyped beyond reason.

In fact, if you look at some of the companies that hyped those "sizzle" products, you'll find that most of them have sizzled out. They're out of business, have shrunk dramatically in size, or have switched their product focus.

Why?

Because you can't sustain a business on hype. It's a self-defeating business model.

I'm of the opinion that most legitimate MLM companies have good products. We can share the legitimate benefits of them without having to make medical claims, and without having to pretend that they are cure-alls.

By promoting our products enthusiastically, but without hype, we can build long-term businesses without fear of government intervention or dramatic customer attrition.

The power to give our industry a bad name, or to repair it's reputation, is largely in our hands.

How To Get New Distributors Started on the Right Foot

Here's a question that came in through my "Ask Barry" service - where you can ask me any question you want about how to succeed in MLM and I give you my proven insights:

"Exactly what activities do you hold your distributors to? Such as Reading 20 minutes a day, taking a SPECIFIC amount of "action" each day, tracking results etc. What do YOU do with your new reps when they first get started, so they will be dependent upon the system instead of being dependent on YOU?"

I get a lot of great questions coming in and this is another example. It addresses a critical issue that all of us must deal with.

We'd like to think that when we enroll a new person, they are going to be a business builder in our downline.

The truth is that most of them will not be, because they will never actually follow through and build a business.

First thing to come to terms with is this - It's not YOUR fault when they don't. It's theirs.

Anyone who joins a company to build a business is defining themselves as an entrepreneur. And the cardinal characteristics of an entrepreneur is an individual who is self-motivated and self-disciplined.

Anyone who starts a new business can succeed. The resources are plentiful from their own company, other upline members and in the educational community at large.

Many distributors blame their sponsor for their lack of success.

That's a cop-out.

Such "passing the buck" is a clear signal that the person does not have the entrepreneurial spirit, for a true entrepreneur takes responsibility for her or his own results.

Having said that, it IS still our responsibility as sponsors to provide leadership and support to our new distributors.

The very first thing I do with my new distributors is to have them go through a 10-Step Training during which they will get educated regarding the company, products, compensation and support system. In addition they will get access to all the resources they need (conference calls, web sites, marketing systems, contact info for multiple upline members), and they will also be setting up the logistics and office organization for doing business.

As they're going through that 10-Step Training, which takes 10 days, they will also be creating their business plan, which has 10 parts. Each day of the training there's a very short homework assignment. At the end of the 10 days they will have completed a simple, but powerful, written business plan that will serve them for their entire career.

After those 10 days, they then begin their "Specialization Training."

While creating their business plan, they chose one or more marketing methods they wanted to use: Internet, direct mail, phone, local meetings, etc.

Over the years I've assembled a team of leaders that are Experts in all the various marketing methods. I connect the new member with the expert of the marketing system he or she has chosen. And they receive "on-the-job," "earn-while-you-learn" training from that expert.

This provides the new distributor with not only the cutting-edge skills to build a huge network marketing business using a marketing method that fits their personality and interests, but it also gives them a new skill set that they'll be able to use to make money in or outside of MLM for the rest of their life!

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If you have a question for me, complete the simple "Ask Barry" form. I personally answer everyone who completes the form, and if I think the question will appeal to a lot of people, I'll post it (anonymously) in my blog.

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How To Get Prospects To Enroll With You, Part 2

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and holiday, didn't party too much on New Years Eve, and is looking forward to a wonderful 2008.

2 posts ago I started with Part 1 of this article. Then I wrote about the new contest that I invited you all to join. It came up all of a sudden, and I think it's such a great opportunity that I didn't want to wait to tell you about it. As a result it landed between part 1 and part 2 of this series.

So let's get on with: "How To Get Prospects To Enroll With You, Part 2."

There is no one "right way" to build your MLM organization.

Many people will tell you there is. In fact now that I'm focusing my downline-building efforts on the Internet, I have had people (many of them leaders) tell me, "I wish you'd build your business the right way."

That peeves me!

But I keep my cool and ask them, "Oh, please enlighten me, what is the 'right way?'"

Predictably they tell me it's to approach your warm market and after you've exhausted that, use some variation of the 3-foot rule.

To which I respond:

"You know, I did that for 3 years and failed miserably! When I abandoned that completely and started using what you call 'cold market' approaches, I started making thousands of dollars. And since then I've made MILLIONS of dollars in network marketing. So please tell me, why is your way right and my way wrong, when your way made me lose money and my way has made me literally millions?"

Of course they don't like to hear that. None of those people have changed their minds when I share this with them.

I think they're very narrow-minded.

You see I'm not against their approach. If approaching your friends and family and using the 3-foot rule works for you, then I'm all for it. In fact I include it as an option for people when they join my business because for some people it does work.

But for me, it never did.

I can't figure out why they're so dogmatic about their approach.

I'm totally pragmatic. Whatever is ethical and makes money is the "right way."

I've marketed through magazines, newspapers, telemarketing, card decks, large meetings, home parties, radio ...

... but the best marketing approach for me EVER is what I'm doing right now, and that is marketing on the Internet.

I've been successful with the other methods over the years, but none of them have been even remotely as effective as Internet marketing.

But, like most things, you have to know HOW TO do it "right."

Just marketing on the Internet is not the key. It's how you do it. And most people do it wrong. Completely wrong!

Here's the wrong way:

Put up a web site about your company, products, compensation plan and support system.

Here's the right way:

Establish a valuable relationship with other people online by providing them a lot of value. But it must be REAL value, and you must be very generous, and you must give to them without requiring anything in return from them.

It's actually a very spiritual approach: Be a giver without demanding anything in return.

People who are desperate to enroll others cannot find it within themselves psychologically to do this. They are too needy. They don't think they have anything of value to offer. They just want some people to sign up. They're too focused on the money. And for all these reasons they will continue to fail until they change their entire approach.

This approach requires commitment, unselfish giving, confidence, and an unwavering decision to serve others.

Ironically, putting your focus on benefiting others (even if it isn't profitable for you) turns out to be the most profitable thing you can do!

In that spirit, allow me to share a little something with you:

You can get a free web site builder at www.weebly.com

This is an absolutely fantastic service and I give it to you freely (this is not an affiliate link and I' don't receive any benefit from you signing up for the service).

It gives you a:

• Free web site that is unburdened with advertising!
  
• Free hosting
• Super easy web site builder and designer
• Free Blog
• Templates you can use to be online today!

How would you use this?

Remember in Part 1 of this article I referred to the survey that asked why distributors signed up with their particular sponsor ... and the answer was that they "liked their sponsor." That's where your personal web site comes in.

You use it to create a site that introduces YOU. Of course you can add information about your company, products, etc. (check your company's policies first), but the focus should be on you and your story.

You don't have to be a heavy-hitter. The purpose of the site is not to impress people with how successful you are.

• The purpose is to help them get to know you. People want to be sponsored by people they know.
• The purpose is to help them get to like you. People want to be sponsored by people they like.

Your personal web site serves to warm up your prospect to you. It's to begin the development of your friendship with your prospects.

More on this "how to" in the future.

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YOU WILL WIN THIS MLM CONTEST FOR SURE!

Earlier this year I entered a contest for home-business owners that was sponsored by Robert Allen ("Multiple Streams of Income") and Prosper Learning.

I won!

See award at left. It was for building a $2.5 million network marketing business.

Why did I do it?

First of all, it was FUN. Building my business in the context of a contest against other business builders made the entire process more enjoyable.

Second, it helped me FOCUS my efforts. There was a goal, a time limit, and lots of support and training. This really helped me build faster and in a more concentrated manner than I would have otherwise.

The entire experience was very positive and I encourage you to check out Prosper Learning for all of their programs including the contest.

Now there's a new contest, held by another group that I encourage you to join because you will all be winners!

This is a pivotal moment in the history of Network Marketing, much more than "a contest"...

As Ken Evoy says:

"The $20,000 World Championship InterNETwork Marketing Contest" is actually a one-year coaching/ training/ forums/ collaboration 'CO-OPETITION.' It's the most revolutionary event that the Network Marketing world has ever seen online."

Anywhere else you'd pay big money to receive this kind of serious training and growth for your business..

They're not only giving you tremendous personal training and support, they're adding some serious cash prizes to add some spark and fun.

As Ken continues:

"And that's exactly what you should expect. Sparks. Fun. Banter and commentary and feedback in the forums, everyone pushing each other to be better. And there's a special coaching bonus from Ann Sieg, the Renegade Network Marketer."

Everyone's a winner because not only do you have the possibility to win cash prizes, but even if you don't, you will still receive an entire year of free mentoring from some of the best people in network marketing and Internet marketing: Ann Sieg and Ken Evoy.

There's a small window of time in which you can enroll, so you better check it out now here:

"The $20,000 World Championship
InterNETwork Marketing Contest"

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How To Get Prospects To Enroll With You, Part 1

Thank you everyone for the supportive comments and letters (see blog post below). It's been a difficult time for me and my family, but I'm glad to be back to work and plan on bringing you lots of value to your MLM business.

So, let's get started off on the right foot.

I've used every form of marketing possible over the years:

• Home product parties
• Hotel meetings
• 1-on-1
• 2-on-1
• Newspaper ads
• Magazines ads
• Card decks
• Radio
• TV
• Telemarketing
• Direct mail

But my favorite approach of all has clearly been Internet marketing.

It has so many advantages to every other type of marketing that I can't even begin to list them here.

There is a bit of a learning curve. But it's a fun process and well worth going through.

But it all starts with having a web site.

You can use your company's site, and that's fine.

You can use a replicating web site provided by a recruiting system, and that can be very good.

But there's nothing as good as having your own PERSONAL web site.

Prospects don't just enroll with your company or your product. They enroll with YOU. They want to know who their sponsor will be.

• You don't have to be the #1 income-earner
• You don't have to be the smartest marketer.
• You DO have to be likable!

I heard (this goes back a number of years) that a survey was taken among new distributors of various companies asking them, "Why did you decide to join your company?"

• The #2 answer was that they liked the products.
• The #1 answer was that they liked their sponsor!

Notice they didn't say "Because my sponsor is making a lot of money."

They said they LIKED their sponsor!

So create a simple web site that highlights YOU and demonstrates why you're so darn likable!

Here's a clue -

"People like people who are like them."

So on your web page, you should share as many things about yourself as possible where people could find a common bond with you.

Share your favorite hobbies, music, movies, sports, etc.

Share your interests that would be the most popular, not your obscure interests. Better to share your love for the Beatles than for the start-up garage band down the street.

The same rule applies when you talk with prospects on phone or in person.

It's absolutely amazing - but you'll enroll people who otherwise would not have enrolled by simply sharing more of yourself and finding a common connection with your prospects.

Most distributors think they have to be talking about their company, products, compensation plan and support systems all the time.

I use the 80/20 rule:

• 80% of the time I talk with prospects about their family, pets, sports, job, hobbies and interests. We spend time looking for a common bond and then chat about that for the bulk of the time.
  
• 20% of the time we discuss my networking marketing company and products.
  

Why?

Because it's more fun, it's easier and I get more sign-ups that way!

More of this in Part 2, including where to get an absolutely free web site that doesn't attach a bunch of other advertising to it.

The 7 Great Lies of Network Marketing

I haven't been able to update my blog as much as I'd like. I've been busy working on a new project which ran into some technical glitches (still being worked on) and then we had a death in the family which required travel and took a tremendous emotional toll on us.

Life is starting to get back to a routine now and if we can get our I.T. people to work out the technical kinks (fingers crossed), I'll have some new things to share with you (including the new series of 5 videos I mentioned last month).

Until then, here's a free e-book for you.

Ann Sieg wrote this and it's the second-best book on MLM I've read in years. The first best book is her other one, "The Renegade Network Marketer, but that one isn't free.

The message of this book is very refreshing. She's saying a lot of the same things I've been saying for several years now so I really appreciate having another voice standing against the old wore-out and out-dated network marketing traditional training philosophy (that never actually worked to begin with!).

Ann Sieg exposes them to the wind in this new and fresh look at our industry, and most importantly, how the average person can find real success by bucking traditional approaches.

Click on the book cover to get the free report now (there's a free video with it too):

Here's Why Your Downline Members Aren't Working.

The first 15 years of my network marketing career were very frustrating.

Yes, that's all, just the first 15 years. After that it got much easier!

So why the frustration? The same reason you're probably frustrated:

I sponsored people who said they were going to work the business, but they never did. The vast majority of them never really followed through. They failed to do the work required to succeed.

• Why weren't my people duplicating?
• How could I get them up off their lazy butts?
• Was I a bad leader?
• Did I attract the wrong people?
• Was this normal?

This is one of the most common complaints about MLM. And, for those in the know, it's one of the most common objections that former networkers have to trying the business again.

And so people who have been in our business in the past, often look for greener pastures in another type of business saying that "MLM doesn't work."

I'm a slow learner, so it took me a while before a startling realization dawned on me:

Running a business (traditional or home-based) requires a level of discipline that most fail to achieve in the rest of their lives. So why should it be any different with MLM?

The masses are famous for starting and failing at their efforts to lose weight, quit smoking, and exercise regularly.

People do NOT fail to follow through on their MLM business because there's something about MLM that's hard for people to do.

People fail to follow through on their network marketing business because they fail to follow through on most areas of their lives!

It's not a problem with MLM, it's a problem with people!

So that leaves you with 2 options:

1. You can start a business that doesn't depend on other people.
2. You can focus your efforts on the minority of the population that actually DOES have the discipline to follow-through on their promises to themselves.
   

Self-disciplined go-getters are out there, and they are obvious. They are the ones who are being successful in other areas of life whether it be academics, sports, the arts, business or a job. They have already demonstrated that they are disciplined people who are willing to put forth the effort and make sacrifices to get what they want.

It's not about the character of the business; it's about the character of your prospect.

It's been said: "If you want something done, give it to a busy person."

You could also say, "If you want a successful networker in your downline, sponsor a successful person."

Focus your efforts and target successful people, and you'll be very happy with the results!

Selfish MLM

Network Marketing is a great avenue, not only for making money, but also for getting free personal growth training.

In fact, that may be its biggest benefit.

One of the key tenets of personal growth, and of achieving any big goal in life, is that you must have a "Mission bigger than yourself."

Success tends to allude you when you focus on:

• Making enough to cover next month's rent.
• Getting that Mercedes.
• Quitting your "#%?!" job and telling off your "##!?%#" boss.

Thankfully, there's something built into our human psyche that resists selfishness and rewards altruism.

Everyone, deep down, wants to be part of something bigger than themselves.

There's a sense in us that we are in reality part of a big family, that none of us is an island, and that we all have an obligation to each other and to the global community.

The more you tap into that truth, the more your conscious and subconscious mind will support your efforts toward success in MLM and every other endeavor.

Also, the more you tap into that, the more OTHER people will respond to you positively (read: "less rejection") because you'll be accessing the same deep-rooted feelings in them.

Goal setting is standard procedure in every network marketing company's "Fast Start Pack" as it should be.

But those goals should also be revisited and revised every so often - quarterly in my opinion.

I encourage you to move toward the top of your goals - above the new job, new car, new house - how you're going to use your extra money to help someone other than yourself.

As you find new FORTUNE coming your way, how will you share that with those who are less FORTUN-ate than you?

Make it a core principle of your business and start right away. If you get a check for $5, give your designated percentage of that to your charity of choice.

But remember, it's not just about money.

The biggest advantage of MLM is that it gives you time freedom. So as you get more time freedom, give away a percentage of that too.

The irony is, that not only will you:

• help someone who needs your help.
• feel better about yourself and life in general.

... but you're likely to find that the success you were chasing, will start to follow you!

If you have a favorite cause, or charity, then by all means contribute there.

If you're looking for a new one, I invite you to consider "SAVE THE CHILDREN."

I like them because they do things about which I'm very passionate.

You also have many options as to how your donations are used. You can designate that your contributions be used to help people in the United States or abroad.

You can sponsor individual children, get their name and photograph (International only for privacy reasons) and write letters to them online. I love this aspect of it as I can communicate back and forth the the children I've sponsored (free translation services provided!). It makes it so much more personal than simply sending a check to an institution.

They're also financially responsible. 90% of their funds go to program services. Only 4% are spent on Management and General, and only 6% are spent on fund raising.

Their level of financial responsibility is very high as acknowledged by:

• Charity Navigator
• Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance
• InterAction

You can click on the links above to see each of these organization's review of Save the Children.

Whatever non-profit you're considering, or already participating in, I encourage you to check them out at Charity Navigator to make sure they're spending your contributions wisely!

Most important of all - Choose a cause that aligns with your beliefs, passions and your heart. And then don't put it off another minute.

Do something NOW!

"Take the Bull by the Horns"

I just returned from my trip to my favorite city in the world: New York City.

A lot has changed in the past 10 years.

There are signs all over the streets that threaten a fine of $350 for honking your horn! I barely recognized the city without all of the blaring car horns ... but it was nice.

Another thing that shocked me was that smoking is outlawed in all restaurants. In my home of California I can accept that, but no smoking in NYC? Never thought I'd see the day. But not being a smoker, it was nice.

Yes, New York has changed a lot, and mostly for the better.

One thing I still love about the city, that hasn't changed, is the aggressive attitude of the people. The former infamous rudeness has had the edges taken off, but the aggression is still there.

That's one of the things I always like most about the Big Apple.

I feel invigorated when I go there and mix with the people. It's contagious, and I find that when I step out on the street, the energy fills my mind and body and I'm ready to make things happen.

It's fun.

Quite a contrast to the average prospect who responds to an ad for a MLM opportunity. And that brings us to the lesson for today.

People in network marketing always ask me what "words" they should say to prospects. How to present, how to answer objections, how to "close."

Important stuff you need to know.

What if a prospect says, "I don't have much money right now to invest in a business."

You can tell them that is one of the biggest benefits of MLM. It doesn't take a large investment like traditional business does. What they lack in funds, can be compensated for by investing more time in their business.

What if a prospect says, "I don't have any time to invest in a business?"

You can tell them that unlike traditional business where you have to quit your job and do your business full-time, network marketing allows you to keep your job and work your business part-time until you feel comfortable quiting your job (when you're making more than your boss is paying you).

What if a prospect says, "I don't have any time or money?"

You can tell them to take a hike!

Seriously. For some reason most MLM distributors think they always have to come up with a way to answer every "objection" in a way that convinces the prospect to join their business.

Bull!

Exactly the opposite is true. Most prospects are NOT going to be right for your business (or any business) because they don't have an entrepreneurial attitude. So let them go ... Far away!

If someone doesn't have any time or money to do a business, why would you try to convince them to find a way to do the business anyway?

Loco!

You don't even want that person in your downline. They will drain you of all your emotional energy, fail, and then blame you, your company, and the industry ... spreading negativity and giving you all a bad name.

Spare yourself and them.

You only want people who are genuinely interested in your products and/or business opportunity. If you have to try too hard to convince them, then they won't be SELF-motivated ... and therefore they won't last.

An entrepreneur is someone who doesn't make excuses as to why they "can't" do this or that. They are people who TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS AND MAKE IT WORK!

Sort through everyone else and let them go as fast as possible until you find the person who has the resources to build a business:

• Time
• Money
• Entrepreneurial Attitude

What To Do When Your Upline Won't Do "Jack" For You!

I'm back from the "Big Apple" and ready to get to work. It's great when you love what you do to make money (I can't say "when you love your job," since I don't have a job!).

Here's a question that came in through the "Ask Barry" service. By the way, this is a service any reader of my blog (you) can take advantage of. Ask me any question you'd like about MLM and I will personally respond via email ... I respond to every one of them.

OK, here's the question:

"I joined [his company] about a year ago, and got pretty tired pretty quick of using the "3 foot warm market" rule.

I haven't built a major business yet, however I'm proud of what I've accomplished thus far. I have been researching other ways to build it online, however I'm finding it difficult to build it using the traditional business model, building it the old fashioned way. It is NOT fun for me, and I'm fully aware that in order to do something great...it has to be fun.

Have told all my upline that I want to build this online...and they give me the old...."come back to the 'right' way of doing things after it doesn't work out for you." I am somewhat of an Internet novice however I believe I'm following a path that I find fun, and that's what I need to pursue ...

What can you suggest I tell them in order to get a little more support from them...'cause at the moment...I get JACK!

I really have a keen interest in this business...it gets hard when you feel alienated by your own upline...it's hard enough doing it with their help.

What do you suggest?"

That's a great question, and a big problem.

I decided to post this "Ask Barry" question here in the blog because I've received similar questions from several people. It seems to be a rather pervasive problem. How sad.

I can't be of much help trying to change your upline's mind. Once people get set on certain ideas about the "right" and "wrong" way to build, they usually stick to it ... until it stops working for them.

For many of these leaders, the way they build will continue to work for them forever because they have the skills and personality types that fit their marketing approach. So they may never come to understand that just because it fits them, doesn't mean it's a good fit for others with different skills, interests and personality types.

I gave up a long time ago trying to change any one's mind. I share my ideas and people either take it or leave it .. and then I go on and follow my bliss!

But currently you have a reality to wrestle with: You deserve and need an upline that will help you in your business. You don't have that. So what are your options now?

• You can get training and support from a leader cross-line in your company who markets the way you want to market. Most leaders won't work cross-line, but if your compensation plan pays out bonuses to leaders with company-wide volume "pools," then the leaders are often more willing to work cross-line because they get paid on the entire company.
  
• You can get training and support from network marketing leaders outside of your company. The downside is you'll usually have to pay for this and won't get training that applies to your specific company.
  
• You can switch to a different MLM company and shop uplines for one that specializes in marketing the way you want to. Of course this involves starting all over again. You don't have to quit your current company and can remain a customer if you really like the product. I'm not recommending you do this, and even hate to suggest it, but it's an obvious choice since we're simply listing options here.
  

It's not my place to tell you what to do, but those are the options that come to mind. Perhaps other readers will post comments with more ideas than I've come up with.

Wish I had a better answer for you, but we don't have any control over other people, so that's the best we can do.

This whole issue, and it's a very, very common problem, highlights the problem with the worn-out idea that success depends on everyone following "one simple duplicatable system."

This idea was never true, but it somehow gained a foothold in the MLM world and remains one of the "cornerstones" of MLM training to this day. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that so many network marketing organizations crumble.

I'm a huge proponent of the exact opposite idea.

Leaders should offer a "portfolio" of widely varied marketing models from which their new members can choose the one(s) that fits them perfectly.

Of course this is "harder" for the upline. They would actually have to be experts in all of the marketing methods and have the tools available for their downlines.

Yes, it's more demanding for the upline, but it will make them more attractive to prospects, create more success for their distributors and help stabilize their organizations, thus reducing attrition.

Usually one leader can't provide expertise on all of the marketing methods, but that isn't really necessary. A team of leaders, each with their own specialty, can fulfill the need.

MLM in the Big Apple!

Greetings Networkers!

Just a quick note to let you know that I'm going to be in New York City next week (July 2-6).

While I'm there I'm going to have a few extra hours to spare, so if you live in the area and would like some help with your Network Marketing business ...

I'm offering a few private sessions in the great NYC to any MLMers who would like to get together with me. These are designed to be one-on-one sessions (though I'll meet with small groups as well) during which we can discuss anything you want:

• Leads
• How to do a great presentation
• How to talk to prospects
• How to market on the Internet
• Learn something new!

It's wide open - anything you want - as long as it's something I feel I can really help you with.

If interested, send me an email at: barry@mademillionsinmlm.com

Be sure to include your name and phone number and the best time to reach you. I'll call you, we'll talk about what you want to discuss, and then set a time and place to meet in the city that never sleeps!

Keep on leveraging,

Barry Burns
Made Millions In MLM

Ask Barry: "Is there anything I should worry about when prospecting: Can you lose a friendship?"

The new "Ask Barry" feature has been a huge success. I'm getting many people sending me questions ... and I answer every single one of them personally!

If you have a question for a MLM mentor, use the form and send me your question.

You can access the form from the "ASK BARRY" box on this page (5th box from the top in the right column).


Here's a question that recently came in:

"Is there anything I should worry about when prospecting: Can you lose a friendship?"

The answer I'm "supposed" to give you is, "Don't worry about it. If you really believe in your business, then you should want to share it with your friends and family first."

That's the "company line." And there actually is a lot of truth to it. However in real life it's not that simple.

There IS a danger of hurting friendships by approaching them with your business.

Many people do not like to mix business and friendships.

Money issues have broken many great friendships, and have even been cited as the #1 cause for divorce.

When you go into business with a friend or family member you are essentially becoming business partners. And everyone in traditional business knows that becoming a business partner with a friend is a very risky venture.

This doesn't mean that you should never do it.

It does mean that you should think about it carefully before you do.

It depends on the nature of your friendship and the other person's personality.

The best way to evaluate it is this: Imagine the worse case scenario - they join with you and they lose a TON of money! Now, can your friendship survive that?

Having said that, I have gone into business with a friend and our friendship survived just fine (though it was strained at times). But that friend and I are both extremely entrepreneurial ... in fact that's what brought us together. So it was already at the heart of our relationship. Plus there's a tremendous amount of trust between us, and I know my friend always takes full responsibility for everything in his life, and would never feel bad about losing money on something I told him about, because he knows he didn't have to do it. But I knew that about him before we started.

So take it on a case-by-case basis. I would certainly encourage you to approach your entrepreneurial friends if you know that your friendship could weather their failure in the business.

Again, you won't hear this from most Network Marketing trainers ... except me!

So congratulations to you for thinking about this and for valuing your friendships. A great friendship is invaluable. I'm so happy to see that you're treating it with care and sensitivity and not just blindly following what someone else tells you to do.

Keep thinking for yourself. Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders and a good heart too.

To your success,

Barry Burns

Lead, Follow or Get Out of the Way

The MLM industry is an extremely young industry. Yet in a very short period of time, many companies have become entrenched in "tradition."

Usually this takes the form of: "The only way you should build your business is by talking with other people face-to-face."

After all, that's what "Network Marketing" is right?

Wrong!

That has always been too limiting of a view, and is becoming more and more anachronistic with each passing year.

As I look at all the companies I've been a part of, and those I have friends in, I can honestly say that MANY of the top distributors got to the top by using marketing techniques that did not involve making a list of their closest 2,000 friends or with the "3-foot rule."

Many who hold to the sanctity of the so-called (and misnamed) warm market approaches are extremely intolerant and dogmatic (the first clues that they might be off base).

I'm not dogmatic in my view. In fact, I know many people who have done very well with the "warm market" approach.

So, yes, the "warm market" approach is viable and can be a great way to build your business. Just don't limit your people to that.

I know several companies who have chased away their top distributors because they didn't build their business the way "you're supposed to."

Well, they were the top recruiters, so they must have been doing something right!

My friend Kim Klaver wrote about this in one of her recent Blog entries where she quotes Rupert Murdock on this general issue and how it applies to his industry. Listen to him and learn to apply the same lesson to our industry by reading her article:

New School of Network Marketing by Kim Klaver: Traditional companies are feeling threatened...

Your Check Will Be As Big As You Are

Most people join an MLM Network Marketing company for one of 2 things:

1. To make more money.
2. To enjoy a wonderful product.

While both of these are excellent reasons for joining your MLM company, neither of them are the biggest benefit you'll receive ... if you're successful.

No, the biggest benefit you'll receive is your personal growth.

People buy books, go to seminars, listen to tapes (oops, I mean CDs) in order to achieve personal growth.

These can all be good. You need the right information to be successful.

But they are only "assistants" in your journey.

The only thing that will create real and lasting change (success) is actively working your business. This is where your real growth will come.

In fact, your business is the ultimate personal growth laboratory.

You can read all you want about prospecting, managing your time, training, lead generation, follow-up, "closing," etc., but until you start DOING these things, you won't get any real benefit.

When you DO start doing these things, you'll find they're harder than you imagined ... and now the real personal growth challenge comes:

Will you keep going even though it's hard, you don't have all the answers, and you're not sure you're doing it right?

Or will you put things on hold and go read a book, listen to a training, or go to a seminar so you can "figure out how to do this better before I go any further?"

I just finished a 3 month coaching program with the ultimate Google Adwords Guru, Perry Marshall. Although he's famous for writing "The Definitive Guide to Google Adwords," he's now built an entire team (more like "army!") around him to cover every cutting-edge aspect of Internet Marketing. It was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it if you're ready to work hard.

Anyway ...

At the end of the 90 day coaching program, he sent out an email that absolutely nailed what I'm talking about. Here's some samples from it:

Wanna-be's obsess about ideas.
Entrepreneurs obsess about implementation

Wanna-be's seek a perfect plan.
Entrepreneurs execute and adjust the plan later.

Wanna-be's put off practicing basketball until they've got Air Jordans.
Entrepreneurs practice barefoot behind the garage.

That's exactly right!

You'll never have it all figured out, develop your skills and become an expert BEFORE you start DOING your business.

It's the doing, getting feedback, making adjustments, and trying again ... that is the "magical" process that creates both personal growth and business growth.

In short, we succeed when we're willing to "fail forward!"

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Your Sponsor is going to hate me!

... but here goes anyway.

What has your sponsor done for you lately ... in concrete terms? In other words, what are they doing to help build your business in a very practical way?

It's sad, but many people join an MLM company, looking for Network Marketing Success, only to be let down.

They expect their sponsor to be a Network Marketing Coach and provide them with excellent MLM training. But this rarely happens for several reasons:

• Your sponsor is also new to the business and still inexperienced.
• Your sponsor believes in the principle: "Throw them all against the wall and see who sticks."
• Your sponsor has no skills.
• Your sponsor has no money.
• You joined a program where "they" do it all for you ... and so got placed under someone who is also waiting for the mysterious "they" to do everything for them too.
• Your sponsor is a total loser.

None of the above is great ... but it's a common occurrence for a person's sponsor to be new and still inexperienced. Not many people are personally sponsored by winners.

But that's not a real problem. You simply research upline until you find the first leader.

Call them and ask for their assistance. More than that. Ask for their mentoring.

Why? Because you NEED it, deserve it, and it's their RESPONSIBILITY to give it to you.

Look at that word, "re-spons-ibility."

The word "Sponsor" is in the middle of it!

Your sponsor (or immediate upline leader) is partially responsible for your success.

The only way you're likely to succeed in MLM Network Marketing is to get on-the-job, earn-while-you-learn training from someone who is already making the type of money you want to make.

It's that simple.

2 days ago I received a phone call from a man in my downline. I had never heard of him before and he was very deep in my organization ... at least 10 levels under me. Maybe more. I gave him a 1-on-1 personalized training for an entire hour, customized just for him.

Then I offered to talk to all of his prospects for him the first few weeks, while he listened on the phone.

If he follows through, I'll also help pay for his advertising so he can get double or triple the number of leads he can afford on his own!

Gosh I'm a great guy!

Actually it's got nothing to do with me being a nice guy (although I am anyway!). It's simply a smart business decision. If he succeeds, it helps me. So I'm happy to bend over backwards, give him my personal time and even help fund his business. Because it will pay me back many fold in years to come.

So why aren't all leaders so generous?

Even leaders make mistakes. Many of them are highly ambitious, aggressive and skilled people, but they could do even better if they understood how MLM works better than they do.

The 2 most common reasons they don't do this are:

1. They think they're too "busy." I say they "think" they are because they really aren't. They're usually spending too much time doing the wrong things. There's nothing more important than helping an ambitious new distributor. It's more important to spend an hour with one highly-motivated go-getter, than it is with 100 people on a conference call.
   
2. They think they can't do it for everyone. This is true, but what they fail to realize is that they don't have to.

That second reason is the most interesting. While it's true that leaders can't give personal attention to everyone in their large organizations, it isn't necessary, and therefore needn't be a concern.

First, we refer people to the upline leader most immediate to them. I designed my business from the beginning to have leaders at the top of each leg, and I taught them to do the same. Therefore each leader has a manageable number of distributors that are "unencumbered" by other leaders. Sure, sometimes things change and people become "orphaned," but you just search for the few go-getters in that group and create new leaders.

Second, you won't have many distributors that have enough self-motivation, self-discipline and drive that want your mentoring.

Most distributors are still seeking the Holy Grail of MLM, which is make money by doing nothing. Those people don't want mentoring. They don't want empowerment. They don't want to work.

The few who truly have the entrepreneurial spirit, - who have the drive and self-discipline, they are true gems that you should cherish and work with closely. These people are rare so you'll never have to worry about having too many of them in your downline to handle (we should all have such problems!).

So ...

If you are one of those gems, and you're not getting the support you deserve, call everyone in your upline until you find the first leader. Explain to them your unbridled commitment to your business and ask for their mentoring.

If they have 2 brain cells to rub together, they'll be thrilled to hear from you, and your call will be the best thing that happened to them all day!

Prospects Say The Darnest Things!

Sometimes prospects can be very frustrating can't they?

It's uncanny how so many of them seem to have acquired the unabridged "Encyclopedia of Excuses."

I've never seen it, but I'm sure it exists because prospects seem to all tap into the same resource for coming up with reasons they can't join our business.

My car broke down.
I'm sick
My spouse is sick
My kid is sick
I don't have any money
I'm too busy

Yep, they can come up with every excuse in "the book."

Let me translate those excuses into "Entrepreneurese."

They all actually mean the same thing:

"I don't believe I'll be successful."

It's not that your prospects are always lying. The objections they raise may be real.

But that's not the point.

If they believed they'd make a lot of money with our business ... they would join despite the obstacles.

So our job is to bolster their faith.

So how do we help them overcome their doubt? We don't.

Doubt is not the opposite of faith.

Fear is the opposite of faith.

So we need to identify their fears and help them overcome them.

Fear is a matter of focus. There are definitely risks in starting a new business, and those risks are not going to go away whether they join or not. But fear is alleviated when they focus on success rather than failure.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to refocus your prospect's mind and emotions on their dreams and aspirations, rather than on "what if I don't succeed."

You need to also control your focus when talking with prospects. Don't get distracted by the excuse of the moment. Remember there is almost always a deeper fear underneath it that is causing the prospect to delay or withdraw.

Also don't get too frustrated with them. They're simply expressing their honest feelings, and a person's feelings are never "wrong."

Many years ago I was working a MLM company that was located in Florida.

I'll never forget one prospect. He loved our compensation plan and products. He was very excited about our marketing tools. But when I followed up to enroll him, he said ...

"I'd never join any company that's located in Florida!"

I couldn't believe my ears. I'd heard a lot crazy excuses in my life, but this was a first. Of course I asked him why in the world he wouldn't join a company just because they happened to be located in the beautiful state of Florida.

He said that he didn't know what it was, but he'd never had a good experience with any Florida company.

I told him that was crazy, but he didn't join.

A few months went by and then he called me, admitting that it was kind of nutso to think that every company was bad just because they happened to reside in a particular state. So he joined with me.

The ironic thing is:

That year the company was hit by a hurricane and put out of business!

Are You Changing With The Times?

"The times, they are a-changin.'"

The old fashioned way of doing things is not working as well any more.

In fact, anything "old" is growing older faster now than ever. Meaning, things are changing faster than ever.

Are you keeping up?

This video is VERY enlightening. It's not specifically about MLM, but it is about the world in which we conduct our business.

Watch it!

glumbert.com - Shift Happens

You're a Genius!

I saw Robert Kiyosaki on PBS today. He's the author of the best-selling book Rich Dad, Poor Dad.

By the way, if you don't have the book, get it now. It is financial genius!

... and speaking of "genius," Robert was talking about how EVERYONE IS A GENIUS.

He's right.

I love how he explained it. He used a play on words, and said that being a genius is about the "Genie-in-us." Cute, but right on.

You may not be a rocket scientist.

You may not be a brain surgeon.

But you have a NATURAL talent or inclination toward something.

It may not be academic, but you're a genius, you're a "natural" at something. Whatever it is ... that is magic. That's your "genie" that can perform miracles. Wishes you make around that natural talent will come true!

So when it comes to your Network Marketing business, don't be locked in to what your upline says, or your company says, or the latest book in MLM says, or even what I say.

Ask yourself, "How can I use my genius, my natural talents, toward my business?"

One man in my downline is a direct mail genius. But he never does Internet sponsoring, phone sponsoring and he never, ever goes to meetings. But he's in the top 2% of all networkers. Why? because he's using his genius.

A woman in my organization has a passion for our products because they changed her life after suffering extreme health challenges. She's a natural at talking about the product, and she does it face-to-face. She's reached the top of our compensation plan. But if you asked her to do it using direct mail, she probably couldn't.

Human beings are individuals, each person is different and unique. MLM is not "one size fits all." The old wisdom of you need "one simple duplicatable system that everyone does" isn't true and NEVER was!

If you try to fit everyone into the same mold, you violate human nature itself. You're saying the system is more important than the person.

No matter what your "philosophy," you will lose top leaders from joining you, or being successful with you, if you don't allow them to approach the business in a way that fits them best.

In fact, not only "allow" them to do it, but ENCOURAGE them to do it. This needs to be built right into your training.

If you say, "Well, I'm not a genius at anything," I have 2 harsh words to way to you:

YOU'RE WRONG!

... and understand that's a compliment!

You ARE a genius at something, whether you know it or not. A skilled upline leader can help you discover what it is, and then help you apply that genius to your MLM business.

Sometimes it takes guts to follow your genius because it may not fall into a traditional role. That's when things are the most exciting! It means you have something new and original to contribute.

By the way ...

Mick Jagger went to school to become an accountant! Can you imagine?

"Moderation in All Things" ... is Boring!

Many people believe that BALANCE is the key to a healthy life.

• St. Paul admonished people to practice "moderation in all things."
• Buddha's teachings are summarized in the "middle way."
• When when it comes to our health, we're advised to eat a "balanced diet."
  

Balance is definitely a critically important key to healthy living: spiritually, mentally and physically.

But what about business?

My experience over the last 30+ years of being in business is that not much has come easy. Success has come from living an UNbalanced life and bustin' my butt!

Success has come from the 110% Solution - doing more than the next guy, and then just another pinch more beyond what I planned to do. I'm in agreement with Zig Ziglar who says that when you want something out of life, you have to decide what you're willing to SACRIFICE to get it.

Hard work and sacrifice has paid off more than anything else.

So for a long time I struggled with this concept. For while philosophically I agreed with the ideal of leading a balanced life, my experience was that it lead to a very bland, boring existence.

If that's what you want, fine. But I've never been that way. I've always envisioned myself accomplishing things beyond the ordinary.

Then one day many years ago it dawned on me ...

It happened when I was destitute. I had not accomplished the great wealth I "knew" I would. In fact I was facing bankruptcy.

My financial life wasn't balanced at all. It was tilting toward poverty and disaster.

To bring things back to a healthy balance, would require going to an extreme for a short period of time.

When on a high beam, if you start tilting to the left, you don't put your weight to the MIDDLE, you put it to the EXTREME RIGHT, but only until you get back to equilibrium. Then you go back to a balanced state.

So it is in life and in business. When we get out of balance, we actually must do something EXTREME in order to get back to the middle way.

For me, it was 9 months of working day and night ... and but since then I've never had to worry about money again.

It was a short-term sacrifice for a long-term gain. And it was totally worth it!

Get with a company of integrity like I did so you can count on that residual income. And then go to work ... harder than you thought you could. Do MORE than other people are willing to do. And the reap the rewards of the life you always dreamed of.

Any Given Sunday

The Super Bowl is 4 days old, so this is my last chance to give a football analogy.

There's an old Chinese saying about football that goes like this:

"Any Given Sunday."

It basically means that there are many things out of a team's control, and anything can happen on any given Sunday.

In the movie by the same name, Al Pacino delivers the powerful "inches" speech. In it he tells his men that the entire game of football, moving up and down that 100 yard gridiron, comes down to fighting over any given inch.

Football, he says, "a game of inches."

Network marketing, and life itself, is like that too.

There is a lot of things beyond our control.

• Who happens to be on our prospecting list today
• Who happens to come within our "3 foot" zone
• What decisions our company happens to make
• Whether technology happens to cooperate with us today

But that which is in our control ... we fight for. Every inch of it.

• We work and rework every line in our emails and on our web site.
• Our plan says to call 5 prospects today, but we call 6 instead.
• The magazine says our ad will cost $$500, but we negotiate them down to $450.
• We make 5 follow-up calls when our competition only makes 4.

At one time early in my networking career my goal was to make phone calls for 2 hours every night after work.

Whenever I reached a live prospect, I would be on the phone with them for 15 to 20 minutes. So if it was 5 or 10 minutes before the end of my 2 hours, and I was off the phone, I would just quit reasoning that there wasn't enough time to make another call and be finished before my 2 hour limit was up.

I'd been doing this for months, and not making much money.

Then I read that the difference between success and failure was actually a very little bit of effort. That quite often those working hard, but not succeeding were very close to success and just needed to add an extra 5 or 10%.

So I decided to make one small change. Instead of STOPPING at the end of 2 hours, I would DIAL my last CALL at the end of 2 hours. That normally gave me just one extra call per day.

But that one single extra call per day was the extra "inch" I needed to begin seeing my checks go up, and up, and up!

The Bears are Winners!

Well, the Super Bowl is 4 hours old and the results are in. And the Chicago Bears are ...

Winners!

"Yo, Barry, what are ya? ... Nuts?"

Yes, I saw the same game you did. And sure, I know, the Colts had the higher score.

Congratulations to the Colts. They played a great game and looked like true champions.

But I still can't bring myself to say that the Bears are "Losers."

Seriously - have you done anything as great as playing your best, all out, month after month to get to the point where you would achieve the level of being broadcast on one of the most watched TV shows ever?

No one who gets to that level of "play" at anything is a "loser," even if they didn't win the last important game.

Our culture favors the winner. We think you have to be #1, because "nobody remembers #2."

Or, as the song goes: For me, it's all or nothing. Is it all or nothing for you?"

Forget what other people think. Design the life you want, and then make it happen. Not everyone can be #1, and here's a secret: You don't have to be #1 to be crazy happy!

#1 people are great. But the person who is #1 now, will be replaced by a different #1 next time.

And they rotate year after year.

Instead, focus on consistency. Work toward being at the top of your game every day, every week and every month ... whether you're #1 or #3 or whatever.

You can't control being the best of the best every time. You can control DOING your best.

Don't focus on your position. That takes all the fun out of it and leads to stress.

Instead, focus on serving other people and giving them your best. And enjoy the process. Then not only will you enjoy life, but you'll find yourself rising to the top of the heap ... naturally.