Tomorrow, May 8th is my birthday…every
year my birthday falls during the same
week as Mothers Day so like those of you with birthdays on or near Christmas you may be thinking I feel short changed. 

Actually, I am grateful because as you get older birthdays like other holiday’s that are supposed to be filled with so much joy and happiness can really be a time of sadness, emptiness and loneliness for so many people.

I know I have felt like this at times, so the fact that Mothers Day and my birthday are often wrapped into one I see as a blessing, I only have to ride the rollercoaster of emotions once per year instead of twice.

Now before you start thinking this is a sappy, pitiful, woe-is-me article, I assure you it is not.

The weekend ahead sparked a conversation this morning with my oldest daughter. And that conversation got me thinking about a lot of things which I want to share because I am certain many other mothers feel the same way when Mothers Day and/our birthdays come around.

Children have absolutely no problem telling us what they want for their birthdays, or any other holiday. For that matter it doesn’t even have to be a holiday, our children are constantly telling us what they want.

As we become adults however, we turn silent. We don’t feel it is appropriate to tell others what we want and/or need. Maybe we have become so independent that we just take care of our needs ourselves.

Maybe with think others should just know what we want and need.

After pondering this for awhile I realized this is completely unfair to those close to us. It puts an unrealistic expectation on them to meet our needs by essentially reading our minds and it sets us up for disappointment.

So what is it that Mothers really want on Mother’s Day or on their birthday?

The same thing all people want….To be made to feel special.

And no one deserves it more than mothers.

Now I can’t speak for all mothers out there, but think about all of the things a mother does for their child. The countless sleepless nights, the time given to caring for and keeping you safe.

You may never fully know the sacrifices your mother made to invest in you but now that I am a mother I know how much of my life revolves around my children. They are my number one priority! I would give anything including my very life for them and I bet your mother would for you too.

So thinking about your mom and all she has done and continues to do for you, you have to ask yourself. What am I doing to make my mom feel special? To communicate to her how much I appreciate the sacrifices she has made and is making for me.

Is a cake, candy and a card what she really wants and needs from me?

Maybe your mom is trying to lose weight and or eat healthier and cake is the last thing she wants. Maybe she would prefer a small slice of key lime pie, a hand written note and a foot rub.

Maybe she just wants some of your undivided attention and time.

Point is you need to find out what will make your mom feel special. What can you do to pro-actively communicate to her that she IS important and that you appreciate her and all she has done for you.

And moms this is where we need to be more forthright and clear and express our needs. Don’t expect those in your life to be mind readers…lets be like children again and tell our children and spouses what we want and need from them!

We should not be embarrassed or afraid to speak up. Good grief…we give so much to those we love it is NOT too much to ask for them to put us on a pedestal 2 days out of the year!

Moms don’t let another Mother’s Day go by and end up disappointed because you failed to ask for what you wanted.

And for all of us with mothers still alive let’s be sure to do something this year to make them feel special.

If you have made it to the end of this post then you may be thinking (and I hope you are) “what can I do to make my mom feel special?” I have a suggestion to help get you started.

Here are a few questions that I PROMISE any mother would love to hear from her child. You are her baby, I can’t imagine a mother who doesn’t want to have a special relationship with her children but it goes two ways, we must be willing to put in the time to really know our moms.

Mom…what can I do to make you feel really special on this Mothers Day? (This works for birthday’s too.)
What makes you happy?
What dreams do you have for the future?
Do you like cake? what kind?
What would be your perfect day?

Thanks for reading…

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

Are you spending time sharing your business, presenting information to lots of people but you can’t understand why they are not joining you?

Have you even bothered to find out if your prospect really has a need or a want for your business?

I know YOU love your business and are eager to share the light with everyone but unfortunately not everyone is looking. Many are but you must find them and not try to create them.

So how do we find the ones who are looking? Unfortunately they are not wearing a sign around their neck that says please tell me about your business opportunity.

We must start by learning to ask good questions!

By asking good questions you can stop wasting time with people who really are not interested and start listening for those that are.

Questions are a listening skill, yes a listening skill…you must hear what a person is saying in order to ask the right questions.

Asking questions can transform your relationships, give you instant appeal and help you sponsor more business partners.

Asking questions will help you gain the information you need to help move your prospects along.

Stages of Growth in a Prospecting Relationship or any relationship for that matter

• Information gathering
• Awkward, (easiest to quit, still trying to figure out what to do)
• Intentional, longest stage
• Integrated, comes natural

Asking creative questions is a learned skill. By developing this skill you will have the ability to gain free information. Information that will help you guide the conversation to the next level.

By listening carefully you will hear (ideas or feeling) deleated information (incomplete thoughts) and responses to other questions you have asked.

By being able to ask good question you will be able to have control over the course of the conversation.

Questions Are…

• The fuel that perpetuates the conversation
• The way to let your prospect know they are being heard
• They prompt the prospect to tell their story
• Productive and facilitating
• The best way to gather data

If you will discipline yourself to listen to the very first sentence your prospect says when you first sit down with them you will get an immediate glimpse into the hot topics or issues they are dealing with in life or business.

By listening first then asking great questions you are able to gain a ton of free information

Depending on your prospect sometimes you may experience a deletion.
A deletion occurs when certain ideas or words are left out of the message the prospect is trying to say. In other words there is a void in the message.

A deletion is always a cry for help! They may not feel free emotionally to share or they may have an objection already in their mind such as…

“Is this one of those things?” Instead of answering and defending your opportunity, ask more questions… what do you mean by one of those things? or do you have experience with one of those things?

Skilled questioning will gently lead your prospect in the direction you want to go. Your questions must be congruent, they must lead a single thought to a conclusion.

Negative use of questions…

• Asking questions that break the flow of the conversation
  changing the subject
• Asking questions that are too intimate
• Asking “why” questions
• Asking questions that can be answered with yes or no, these should only be used when you are trying to close them
• Interrogation questioning
• Loaded questions, a statement that is in the form of a question
• Replying to a loaded question. Instead say, I’m not really sure if you are asking me a question or making a statement

Be careful in your use of questions, if you use any skill past the 100% point it will turn into suspicion. You must use them in a natural blend to be effective.

Paraphrasing can be a very effective way to help your prospect know they are heard. Paraphrasing must begin with a stem

What I hear you saying…
Youre telling me that…
I understand you to say that….

Home Run Skill….The Preception Check
Checking out your perception (best guess) about what the prospect is experiencing (feeling/emotion) by responding to the message they are sending.

Note: these include tone of voice and body language
This can be a great skill to use when making up after a fight with someone too…

Example: Listen I get the feeling that when I said what I said to you, it hurt your feelings….

Identify with what you you think your prospect is experiencing…
I get the impression that…
It appears to me that….
It seems to me that….
I’m wondering if…
It sounds to me as if…
Is it possible that…
I sense that…

Examples:
“I get the feeling that….no matter what I say you are going to have an objection is that right? what would it take for us to move forward, what is the one question you have that can help us move forward.
“I’m wondering if you are thinking this is a pyramid, is that correct?
“It sounds to me that you are excited but something is holding you back. right?
“I have a hunch that you are pleasantly surprised by the support you will receive in this business, am I right?”

Move in and out of questions, paraprhasing and the use of a perception check can help you move your prospect forward

Beware of Blocking Statements
Responding to your prospects statements with your own issues shows you are insensitive and have your own agenda.
Avoid taking a phone call if you can, breaking the flow of the conversation with incongruent thoughts and comments will set you back.

In Conclusion…

By becoming  skilled at asking creative question you will…

• Gain tons of free information
• Be able to quickly determine who is looking and who isn’t
• Increase your confidence and reduce your frustration
• Become instantly appealing
• Make friends
• Move forward more quickly and with confidence

Always leave a meeting knowing more about your prospect than they know about you.

We have all done “it” at one time or another when we first started out in NetWork Marketing but it needs to be addressed so we can grow and improve.

A fellow Better Networker reached out to connect with me. When I visited his profile I found the post below in his guest book and was stunned. I think it is a text book example of what NOT to do and we can all learn from it.

The post was a woman’s first response to the guy who sent a friend request. I have blanked out the names but wish I could have seen his face when reading it.

“Hi Blank! Thanks for reaching out how nice of you! I have been so busy setting up some real money making businesses. So you are into the Blank! I am too. Yes I just happen to belong to one of the Worlds best Companies when it comes to that. Weight loss you say. I sell an Enzyme Based Diet Product that will Blow your mind. It is FIRST IN CLASS! check out http:// http://www.Blank. All my products are enzyme based & do exactly what they say they will do. Coming the first of Feb. watch your TV. We are starting an Ad Campaign on 6 Continents in 6 months! I also have a wonderful Grape Juice that has an ORAC Value of 3764 in 2 oz. The Grapes are ONLY GROWN IN AMERICA! I have watched Disease after Disease cured! All of our products are in the “Cancer Treatment Centers Of America!” I could go on & on but try it out.Give me a cal & sign up under me and get in on the Ground floor or this Company that has been around for over 30 years. But I must tell you this, YOU HAVE TO WORK! If you wish for some info I would be very happy to send some to you. Let me know! Thanks a bunch for reaching out, it is returned! Sunshine Above is an entry by Danny Johnson, not the same one spelled Dani, but she probably wrote what these people are talking about. She is awesome! Look up the real one you will find that you have found a treasure!”

As you can see this response was over-the-top all about her. I decided to respond to his friend request in a totally different way, not only from the lady who vomited on him, but from the other replies most of which pitched their own business and none of them mentioned looking at his.

In her defense I have no idea if she visited his site or not but she certainly did not mention anything about it in her post.

I took the time to check out his profile, view his website and learn something about him. I wanted to get into his world so I could reply with a compliment or ask a qualified question. Much as if I were invited into his office and saw a book or picture that I could connect with and build repore.

This took some time of course but isn’t social networking all about building relationships, not vomiting everything about US onto someone as soon as they say hi.

So I visited his website and watched his video and discovered I really liked what he was doing and thought it could compliment my business. I then replied to his friend request with the following.

“Hi Blank…thank you for connecting with me. I visited your website and watched your video on Unusual Tips to Lose Body Fat and Get a Flat Stomach. That was so interesting! Who doesn’t what better abs. I look forward to learning more about you and your program; send me a note as I would love to hear your personal testimonial”.

This response was about him, not me and I truly hope to build a mutually beneficial relationship here.

I learned something from this today and hope you did too. If someone reaches out to you, do your best to take the time to visit their profile and website then reply much as you would in person. If you don’t have time at least don’t puke YOU on them.

Education is essential and it can produce well rounded, productive citizens, but is that all there is to it?
What do we want for all our hard work and all those thousands spent on education?

The truth is we all want to make good money and live a good life.

Why are we so ashamed to admit the money part? Money is an essential ingredient of life. Just look at our economy today. The lack of cash flow hurts families, tears apart industries and can collapse a society!

So if money is so essential why isn’t learning about it part of the required curriculum in our schools? With soaring foreclosure rates and $900 billion in credit card debt suffocating our economy – personal finance classes should be required to receive a diploma.

The time has come for a paradigm shift in this country.

Imagine what our country could be like when we, ourselves, learn how to make money and be entrepreneurs. And then teach our children how to do the same…instead of teaching the same old routine. You know, the one that says, “Go to school, get good grades, go college, get a good job working for “the man” and try to save money so you can hopefully retire in about 45 years.”

According to Seth Godin, founder of the online community Squiddo.com; “Fewer college grads have jobs than at any other time in recent memory. A report by the National Association of Colleges and Employers annual student survey said that 20 % of 2009 college graduates who applied for a job actually have one. So, what should the unfortunate 80% do?”

Those who eventually do become employed face a whole host of other problems. Many feel trapped and controlled by a boss who dictates their life. Often pressured to choose work over family

They face layoffs, downsizing, or pay cuts and as a result are forced to start the whole job search process all over again.

All of this takes an enormous toll on us. We as a society are stressed out and BROKE.

So what to do? Continue on the broken path we have been on for the past several decades? To get a job or become an entrepreneur? Is it more important to get good grades or learn how to make money?

The enactment of ERISA broke our system over 30 years ago. This gave birth to the 401K. As a result, businesses are no longer required to take care of their employees with a pension plan… passing the full responsibility to individual’s to secure their own futures.

Plus many businesses don’t even provide a retirement plan like a 401K to invest in.

As a result, we have been struggling with how best to secure our futures. Invest in stocks? Buy real estate? Contribute the maximum to our 401K? Very few of us have developed the discipline to do any of these, and even for those who have none of this has enabled us as a society to successfully fund our futures, let alone our present.

Yet, we continue to push our youth down this same broken path. And with high hopes that somehow…somehow their outcome will be different

Now I am in no way suggesting that our children should not pursue a solid education. I too want my children to go to school, do their very best, get good grades and pursue higher education. But while we spend so much emphasis on “education”, we are leaving out a very essential piece of the puzzle. How to make money.

There is a better way.

Our children could have both: An excellent education and the necessary skills and knowledge to make money

Don’t we all truly want that for them and ourselves?

As adults and parents we can make a difference in our families and our economy by finally equipping ourselves with the knowledge necessary on how to make money. The only reason our children are continuing down this broken path ill equipped to make money is because as parents too many of us are still trying to figure it out for ourselves.

By learning how to be an entrepreneur ourselves, we can model a better way for our children.

Imagine the advantage we could give our children if instead of encouraging our teenager to get a job at the local grocery store, we taught them how to start their own business.

You might be thinking this seems like a lot of work. And while it all sounds good, how could you possibly pull this off?

Fortunately, there is a program geared exactly towards this goal.

When teens turn 17 they can participate in a Passive Income Apprenticeship Program. The program teaches them how to make money, how to be their own boss, to be a self-starter and the power of leverage. In essence, it teaches them to become an Entrepreneur.

By the time they turn 18 they can go off to college while legally owning their own company and earning substantial retail and residual income.

This can help fund the tremendous expense of a college education while avoiding draining retirement funds or racking up enormous student loan debt.

So when your child graduates from college, he or she has a college degree, a solid income stream, a full bank account…plus the skills and experience of how to make money!

Let me ask you something. Do you think this would change their lives? What about the economy?

If you’re like me, you know all too well that this would make a huge difference.

Where does such a program exist? With a company called Market America. Their mission is to give an education in empowerment, self-sufficiency, teamwork and positive energy. Their ultimate goal? To create entrepreneurs and enable them to earn a residual income, one that can lead toward financial security.

Isn’t that what you really want for your children?

By learning a new, better way instead of continuing down the same broken path, we will create a much better future for our children, and a new economy.

And now that you know there is an alternative to our current broken system, you can take that first step towards securing your child’s future.

For more information on how to get your child involved in the Passive Income Apprenticeship Program through Market America, call 904-425-0529

You and your teenager will spend many hours preparing for college and how to get into college. Doesn’t it make sense to take a few hours now to explore how both you and your child can make money? By doing so, you’ll provide a skill that will last a lifetime.

Today is August 1st, 2009. I have been an UnFranchsie Owner with Market America for approximately 8 months. Although Market America has amazing training and a proven business plan it took me several months just to get comfortable with this new business, and settle into what I needed to do to create my success.

My specialty is Website sales and I absolutely love helping small and medium size businesses get established with our complete website solutions. Market America Web Center has given me an unbeatable website platform through which I can serve my clients.

Market America is a product brokerage company specializing in Internet Marketing. We have over 2500 exclusive products and thousands of partner stores. Our Mission is to provide the entrepreneur with an unbeatable income opportunity and consumers with the ability to shop online.

However, Market America is SO much more. Trying to put it into words, Market America is an amazing business providing an unparalleled opportunity for the average person to create an above average income. It is Hope. It is Leverage. It is A Family. It is Fun. It is Residual Income And it is a Blessing!

Market America teaches that it is extremely important to create goals, to have a written goal statement and read it every day. It is one of the first things a new business owner needs to do.

In the past I have written my goals down but mostly long term goals. So it was time to get serious and break down these “dreams” into goals by being specific and descriptive. Goals must have a date attached, they must realistic and measureable or they are just dreams.

So several months ago I got serious about my goals. I decided to focus on growing my business and what that looked like instead of the new car or dream vacation. If I could achieve my business goals the other would come.

I wrote out my goal statement as though it had already happened and I read it aloud every day for three months. I pasted this statement to a poster board and included images of people to represent my future business partners. I hung this dream board on the wall in my bedroom where I would pass by it multiple times every day.

In order to achieve my goals I would need to activate my business by expanding my sales and distribution team with 2 new personally selected distributors. Once activated I would become eligible to earn commissions and bonuses within the MPCP, Management Performance Compensation Plan.

On my dream board I wrote the date of August 1st 2009 as my Activation Date. The date that I would have 2 new business partners and thus be eligible to begin receiving residual income. This date was not written in the goal statement mentioned above, so I did not read this date every day, however, it was there on the dream board.

Today is August 1st 2009 and at 12 noon today my second business partner signed on to begin their own UnFranchise business. It was a great day. When I got home and went to replace the generic image with a picture of my new team members I saw the date I had written for Activation and about dropped my gum! I got chills and immediately called my senior business partner.

If you have dreams, turn them into goals. Take the time to write them down being as specific as you can. Write out a goal statement as though you are already there experiencing it. Include dates and images then place it where you will see it every day. And be sure to read it every day. This is Powerful!

This is how you turn those Dreams into Reality!

If you have been involved in Network Marketing for any length of time you have probably heard of N.B.T. Syndrome and even if you haven’t heard the name I’m certain you have experienced the lure, the pull, the lustful desire it creates in the mind of Networkers until they start making money in their business.

What is N.B.T Syndrome? It stands for the “Next Big Thing” and it is a DISEASE! Unless you deal with your NBT, you end up looking like this guy.

Unfortunately, N.B.T infects most networkers until they join about 5 different companies and spend more money than they ever make. For some it will continue to cripple them for their entire career, killing their chance of ever experiencing success.

Fortunately there is a company that has solved the N.B.T. Syndrome and it is Market America.

Market America is a product Brokerage and Internet Marketing Company with over 2500 exclusive products and thousands of partner stores. Through their online mall without walls one can find just about anything they are in the market for with the help of a Customer Manager.

Market America solves the N.B.T. Syndrome with their diversification and an amazing compensation plan. It’s known as MAUniversity where distributors specialize in a number of different Million Billion Dollar industries.

Whether you are interested in Health and Wellness, Weight Loss, Cosmetics, Skincare, Tele-communications, Website Sales, or Internet Marketing you can specialize in that field.

Through the University System you have the ability to build a business in million dollar industries, with access to unprecedented training, products and support. You can even major in one industry and minor in another.

And if you tire of that business or become interested in another you can change industries. No need to leave the company destroying the entire organization you have built. Your organization remains intact while you begin a new career in another field!

That’s Huge! And it’s not possible with any other company.

Many in Market America have started their businesses in one field and after several years moved into a different specialty all without disrupting their organization or their income.

This program together with our amazing compensation plan literally solves the N.B.T. Syndrome. Market America has taken all of the great things from Network Marketing and removed all the negatives creating the Unfranchise Business Opportunity.

I confess, I too was a victim of N.B.T Syndrome, having tried about 6 different opportunities before finding Market America. I have NEVER been infected with the lure of the N.B.T. Syndrome since.

In fact many within our organization have tried other opportunities until finding the Unfranchise and setteling into the 2-3 year plan for financial freedom.

If you are a tired and worn out victim of N.B.T. Syndrome, if you have a burning desire to succeed and know that there is something out there you just haven’t found it yet, My advice to you is lose the emotions. Lose the lottery dreams of the Next Big Thing. STOP looking for greener grass, if you are not getting the results you want out of your business today, first look at you, are you treating your business like a business?

Then look at your company, is their business model and compensation plan one that can hold your interest for the long term? Can it provide you and your family with long term Residual Income? If you have experienced the N.B.T. Syndrome odds are the answer to those questions is NO.

Don’t give up, this is BIZ-NESS where only the fittest and smartest and most determined survive. You can achieve your dreams and Market America can help you faster than any other company out there.

I encourage you to watch the following videos.

Consider your future, Watch the videos, you decide.

Market America Overview

Are YOU Earning Residual Income?

Save BIG When Eating Out

Ease of Shopping

Motives by Lauren Ridinger; The Hottest Cosmetics on the Market

Health & Wellness is a Multi-Billion Dollar Industry

Market America Web Center

Transitions Weight Lose Program

Success Working From Home!

I just had to share this exciting news! For those of you who do not know; My parent company and passive income vehicle Market America, was recently named in the Top 500 Guide® published by Internet Retailer. Internet Retailer’s Top 500 Guide® is a comprehensive guide to America’s 500 largest e-retailers based on annual sales on the web.

According to Internet Retailer’s website, ‘The Top 500 Guide® is the only authoritative ranking and the most comprehensive analysis of America’s 500 largest e-retailers based on annual sales on the web…the Top 500 Guide® contains the very latest competitive data on the leaders of web-based retailing, the industry’s sales growth driver.’

Market America debuted at No. 66 on list. Market America’s Web sales in 2008 were $238 million, up 3 percent from 2007. Internet Retailer also listed Market America’s launch of its entertainment site ma My World, improved site search and launch of social networking site ma Chatterbox among its achievements. In the mass merchants category, Market America was ranked No. 13 based on last year’s web sales.

It’s a great time to be part of a very successful, positive and growing company, how many out there can say that in today’s economy? If you can’t and you want to change that you need to contact me! Sign up as a preferred shopper today and start earning reward points.

For more info about how you can partner with Market America leave a comment with your contact info.

As a business owner you have heard it a million times, if you don’t follow up with your prospects and customers you are giving your business away to your competitors!

This is not another article that touts the importance of follow-up to your business. No, I don’t think you need to be convinced of that. This article is a step-by-step how-to Follow-up System that has transformed my business!

So what does your follow up plan currently look like? Is your desk over flowing with business cards that you have to search through every time you need someone’s phone number? Maybe you have graduated to a day timer or online calendar. Maybe you are a real pro and have a contact manger. These are all great tools but they’re only that, tools, what is your strategy for implementation?

Without a plan or a strategy the above tools are no better than if you said “I want to build a house, I have my new hammer, some great nails and a truck load of wood. Well, now what? You must have a plan, a blue print or strategy.

Not long ago my own follow up system consisted of a box (really several boxes) of business cards. Oh and I also had a fancy business card holder for my more prominent contacts. I also had several legal pads on which I would record the name and number of a prospect or client I needed to follow up with. In addition, I had a contact manager and e-mail autoresponder. Everything was scattered about and, I admit, very unprofessional. If I were interviewing an employee to fulfill the job of “follow-up” in my business would I hire me? The answer was an obvious no.

So after some thought and research I came up with a system that has been working fantastic for me and I want to share it with you in a step by step How-to-Create-A-Customer-Follow-Up-System

Step One: Selecting Your Follow up Tools
What does it really mean to follow-up with someone? Does it mean to call them every day or follow them on twitter? No, as a professional you will need to select several medium or marketing tools to reach out and touch your prospects or customers on a regular yet professional time frame. You do not want to become a stalker as you risk looking desperate for the sale and completely turning off your potential customer. On the other hand you do not want to appear too casual thinking they will just call you when they are ready. Chances are they will have forgotten all about you and moved on to your competitor.

So here several tools that you should be using to stay in touch with your prospects and customers.

1. Phone
2. E-mail with auto responder
3. Newsletter
4. Post card, Thanks cards and Birthday cards

I strongly recommend that you use several automated tools in your follow up system. Take time to write out several email messages and put them into your autoresponder, I use AWeber. That way you do not have to write out a message from scratch each time you need to send an email. Also, try a card service like Send Out Cards for your thankyou’s. If not what are the odds that this step will get done if you have to go to the store for a card, get a stamp and write the card. Is it any wonder few businesses send cards? It’s time consuming, so automate it and you will be doing something your competitors are not.

In addition to the above tools you will need to acquire a file folder crate, hanging file folders and regular file folders. This ideally needs to be an external type filing crate because it is a visual reminder that you have work to do. It is not out-of-site and thus out-of-mind and forgotten.

Step Two: Putting Your System Together

Divide your filing crate into2 or 3 sections depending on the typical sales cycle of your business. I begin with
1. Prospects, then move to
2. Consultations, and finally
3. Customers
You could combine the first 2 if you prefer.
Now in each of your sections you will hang several folders for each stage of contact or follow up.

Prospects
• Phone Call
• Email Newsletter
• Phone Call
Consultations
• Product Demo
• Call Back
• Thank you E-mail
• Email Newsletter
• Phone Call
Customers
• Thank you card
• Research
• Phone call
• Consultation
• Optimization
• Referral
• Email List

The obvious idea here is to move your prospect through your sales funnel in a professional and systemized sequence of events. So each hanging file should represent one follow-up event in your sales cycle.

Step Three: Adding Your Contacts

Here I have taken a normal business folder with tab on top. I prefer the right tab as my hanging folder tabs start top left. To each tab I staple my prospects business card. If I don’t have a card I create a label. The folder is great as now I have their contact information in a visible place and I can write notes on the folder and put additional items inside like sales slips, research records, anything pertaining to that customer.

Now each folder goes in the corresponding file for the stage of contact you are on.

Example: If I have already completed a product demo with a prospect then I move them to my call back file, they will remain there until I actually call them back. Once I satisfy that event I move them to the next step, if they become a customer I skip the prospect e-mail list and go straight to the Thank you card file.

Keep your file crate in your office and schedule time each day to go through it. Persistence coupled with a clear follow up plan is absolutely necessary and this system is an excellent, organized visual Follow-Up System that will help you improve your follow-up, if you implement and use it. It pays off!

To Your Success!
Cindy Youngblood
www.Magnetic-Web-Marketing.com
Online Solutions for Real World Results!

This is YOUR business – Treat it like one.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, over 50% of small businesses fail in the first year and 95% fail within the first five years. Unfortunaltey, many people jumping into business have no real business training or skills which results in the very high failure rate. Below are several rules to follow if you want to be amoungst the 5% who succeed.

Working at home is not as easy as many want it to be. To be successful you must have a plan and schedule.
When organized you feel more successful, you will be more productive and reduce stress.

Communication – IN COMING CALLS
Have a separate phone line just for your business – it makes you look more professional. If you don’t want a seperate line at least get a seperate ring tone so you can identify work calls verses personal calls.

Set regular business hours – at the time you decide to “close for the day” you no longer answer your business line. All “Real” businesses have scheduled office hours – so should you.

Don’t take personal calls during scheduled “working hours”, Only take business calls in your “office” so you don’t have messages left all over the house on napkins and sticky notes. They are too easy to lose and then no follow-up because you can’t find them.

Voice mail – helps us manage our time, manage our customers, and service them better. Be sure to keep a phone log or note book to record calls so you can retrieve them quickly later. Keep this log with you so when you need to write something down you can and then have a safe place to find your notes. Again NO napkins and lose pieces of paper

Suggestion – when you are out and about and you think of something you want to remember – simply call your office and leave a voice mail for yourself. Then when you get home you can record it on your log.

OUTBOUND CALLS – make a list of calls you need to make so you are organized, this keeps you on track and saves follow-up

Mail – Keep personal and business mail separate – use a wicker basket or in box. Where ever you sort your mail have both a Paper shredder and waste basket close by so you can get rid of un-wanted /needed mail immediately to keep down clutter and protect yourself against Identity Theft.

Put all out going mail in one place so it is easy to find and less searching, NO PILES ALL OVER THE HOUSE.

Keep personal life and business life SEPARATE – you have a home business so you can spend time with family. By making a clear separation of the two – you can do just that!! You are setting a good example for your family that you can do both – AND be successful!

WORK SPACE – Does not have to be fancy – a card table will do but it DOES NEED to be efficient! A separate space JUST for your business – not the kitchen table!

Mentally it needs to be the place you conduct your business
Sort and purge. – What is the purpose of the space?
Filling system – File cabinets – Out of site out of mind
Milk crate / open filing box – easy to visualize what needs to be done
Straight line filing – easier the process
Filing is to retrieve – not store
80 /20 rule Reach shows we use 20% of our possessions 80% of the time– is this something I really need to save and retrieve again – can I throw this away?
Step file – the more important files that you need to be able to see – NO Piling
If it is on your desk – needs to be the MOST used items – Needs to be within reach
Bulletin board and dry erase boards – help keep things visualized and more usable

Keep your office space organized – and dedicated for work so your home stays your home and your office stays your business.

To be continued…

Curtosy of Corina Danielson ~ Senior Team Manager with
Tastefully Simple

I think entrepreneurs are born and everyone is born an entrepreneur. The problem is our society screws us up by grooming us to be employees. So although we are all born with an entrepreneurial spirit that spirit must be inspired, groomed and guided. In a sense this means entrepreneurs must also be made.

I have never seen this truth better than today when my 4-year old son started his first business and is now my best business partner.

Ever since we traded cable TV for the Dish network my son Jace has been driving me crazy asking for every toy he sees on a commercial. Instead of constantly being annoyed and frustrated I decided to turn it into a learning opportunity. We discussed how he needed to earn money to make the purchases he wanted. It didn’t take long for him to start saying “I want to make money so I can buy that” instead of the previous “I want that, I want that”.

I then taught him that the essence of business is to buy something at one price, increase its value and sell it at a higher price. We began brainstorming ways he could go into business to earn money.

With Mother’s Day approaching we decided to buy 10 small clay pots, decorate them, plant sun flowers and sell them at a garage sale. He diligently did the work watering them for about 10 days and watching them grow in anticipation of his business début.

Today was our garage sale and the day my little entrepreneur was born (and made).
It took a couple of hours to make his first sale but as I watched he soon courageously began to approach our shoppers and ask if they would like to buy a sunflower. If they said no he kindly walked away and waited for another shopper.

I was so proud to watch him as he uninhibitedly approached each person showing his beautiful flower pots and asking if they would like one for $5 dollars. With each sale his courage and enthusiasm doubled and tripled.

Today he sold 7 of his 10 flowers earning $40 which he then got to take to Toy’s R Us to buy one of the toys he had his eye on. Today will be the day I remember as the day my son started his first of what I hope will be many successful businesses!