If I Knew Then what I Know Now!


Boy, can we talk! this topic is a favorite of mine because it is TRUE and it is my story. And, most of all, it's my gift to offer you to save you from wasting time, energy, getting frustrated and the works!

PLEASE take note, even if you find yourself shaking your head and saying to yourself "I don't need that. I won’t do that, etc."

I learned to pay attention to those things I resisted. And, I learned to turn resistance into a positive and fine tune things to suit me. I warn you, this is going to be a coaching filled with "I's" and it is only meant to share what I have experienced and what I would truly do differently.

My Story, in a nutshell (click to read it all!) -

Stay Home Mom - Extrovert, but not when it comes to business
Didn't want people to think badly of me (Network Marketing Business)
Didn't want to spend money
Didn't want to use my credit card to finance

Does this sound familiar to you at all?

Success leaves clues. I always loved listening to the stories of others who I felt were just like me, or had similar qualities. It gave me hope.

Follow success and be willing to adapt and let go of what is holding you back. It doesn't serve you.

I'm going to start with mistakes I made. See if any of these sound like you -

I didn't start with a budget
Lack of consistency in my action steps - 1 week on, 1 week off
Tried too many different things at once, didn't get into a groove
Lack of self-development
Used challenges as a distraction and an excuse
Short Term Motivation - events
Didn't understand the learning process
Not listening to anyone - upline, prospects
No business plan
No single daily actions
Lack of Organization
Excuses, did I mention that already?


Does any of this ring a bell with you?

My goal is not to make you squirm or feel badly, or anything like that. More than anything, I want you to know that you are not alone in feeling these things, and they can be overcome.


What I wanted -

Travel - I was fortunate to travel on an expense account and see the world
Spontaneity
Life Style
Private School for my kids
Order and make purchases without being price conscious
To feel successful in business
Peace of Mind

Does any of this ring a bell with you?

So, what changed for me to really turn things around?

I don’t believe in coincidences. I believe things happen for a reason. I also believe that some people are spurred along by negative motivation. I know that negative motivation can really work for me.

First, through a series of events, I spent the $80 that I felt I didn’t have budgeted for this endeavor and signed up for Upline Magazine. One the one hand, I was interested in reading it. On the other hand, it would at least LOOK like I was taking action in my business, even if it was just reading.


And, again, what changed to really turn things around?

I did. My thinking, My reading, My outside influences -

TV, newspapers, friends who did not support me in my goal - not financially, but even subconsciously.

My mind pictures

My thought processes

I became aware

Have you ever become truly aware and paid attention to how you feel at each hour in your day?

Here is something to keep in mind though- don't share your transition with everyone. You don't need any negative influences. Let go of your need to share everything and let go of your need to be right about what you are doing. Get clear on what's right for you in your own mind and let go of the other.

Over time, and reading stories, I began to see myself in those stories. Those stories began to inspire me to take some steps I had not been WILLING to take before. Notice I said had not been WILLING. Only I was stopping me.

Frustration became inspiration.

I would make one call and instantly feel better about my day, and myself, even if no one answered.

Little Steps, measured only by me.

I turned my vehicle into a mobile library and lifetime learner, even today. I am always in learner mode.

I accepted slow and steady as my progress rate.

I stopped comparing myself

I began to find ways of doing the same things that others were doing that worked for me.

I had to find my own way.

I sought out female role models - Jan Ruhe, Venus Andrecht, Sandy Elsberg, Rita Davenport. I bought the Women's Tapes on MLM.

I read as much as possible. I found Kim Klaver, who I closely aligned with in ways of speaking to people and doing the business

I trusted myself to adapt my own style, as long as I was taking action steps.

I made sacrifices. I had to find business time in the midst of baby time and friend time.

Things began to change and success began to show up. First, it was success in attitude, then in my paycheck.


So, what would I do different today. Starting right where I am, with my business, the first steps I would take to get my business started would be to go through the Partnership Agreement and take it seriously. For myself, more than anyone.


I would set up a weekly and monthly business plan. I would know each day what my steps are going to be and where my focus is. And, I would know how that is going to build for the week.


I would make sure I truly understand the power in team building and what residual income can provide. I would make sure that recruiting is one of my preferred methods of making money and I would do whatever secondary method needed to develop that marketing budget to move me forward.


I would set a true business budget. I would find ways to have marketing money and I would retail the heck out of my products to get that budget. I would look at EVERYTHING I spend money on and cut back where I could to develop that budget, too.


I would invest every cent back into my business until I had a successline growing under me and my paycheck is steadily growing each month, without me doing all of the work.


I would start out each day doing those action steps that move me forward in the business. Not lost in email.


I would DECIDE to make time to read 20-30 minutes each day. Even if that meant going to my car during my lunch break and reading.


I would insist on my family giving me at least 30 minutes a day to put into the productive end of the business. I would have a heart to heart with them all and explain my goal.


I would attend every event available to further my growth and development. Nothing beats face to face.


I would be coachable and listen to my upline and others experiencing success. I wouldn't waste time trying to reinvent the wheel.


I would spend time day dreaming each day about what I BELIEVE this business will provide for me and my family.

I wouldn't sponsor someone and then sit back and wait to see what he/she was going to do. I would focus on being there, coaching and training, and also finding more people who want to jump on.


I would do whatever it takes to make success in this business a reality.

More than anything, I would understand the process. I would understand that you have to be bad, before you can be good, and good before you can be great. One step builds on the next. Know and understand this now and get the "bad" out of the way. We have so many tools, trainings, scripts and so on to support you in this. Understand the process in growing yourself into the leader you'll become as your organization grows.

Don't worry about the "what if's." How many what ifs have come true in your life?

What if a prospect hangs up on you? Will you die immediately? So what if your best friends says she likes a competing product better? Will that stop you from being the best?

Surround yourself with positive people on our team to support you and affirm your belief in what you are doing.

Believe in the process and believe in yourself.

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Commute

I don’t know where you live, but I’m in Southern California and the morning/evening commute to work has always been a nightmare and it’s a nightmare that is getting worse.

It appears that the trend is moving to all parts of the country, according to recent news reports.

The Texas Transportation Institute (a Texas A & M based organization) released a report on Tuesday indicating that nationwide congestion on freeways and roadways is a $78 billion problem, with 4.2 billion hours in lost productivity and 2.9 billion gallons of wasted fuel.

In my local area, commuters are averaging an annual loss of 49 hours due to traffic, accidents and commuting circumstances. Yikes, that is 2 full days a year!

Which two days of your life last year would you be willing to part with? If you are 25, and retire at age 65, that is over 80 days you are cutting off of your life.

Who has that kind of time to waste?

Imagine a morning commute that involves rolling out of bed and sauntering down the hall for all of ten seconds to your computer, phone and home office. What kind of difference would this make in your life?

What kind of time would you be willing to put into developing your MLM business to the point that it would allow you to walk away from that job and that commute? What would an extra 2 days of time mean in your life each year?

So what will it take to get your business rolling to the point that you can walk away?

First, it takes a decision. Decide to decide that you’ve had enough; that you are willing to roll up your sleeves and get to work; that you are willing to give up some things and rearrange others to provide you with the time you need to invest in your business.

Ten to twenty hours a week of focused business building time can create an amazing business and lifestyle for you and your family. The key word if FOCUSED. This isn’t time surfing email, or reading anyone else gripes and soap operas online.

This is time spent promoting yourself; your business; contacting prospects; providing information; following up; sponsoring; training and duplicating.

It does not have to be complex.

MLM is a business system of – Use your products; introduce your products and business to others; sell (yes, I did use the “s” word) products to those who are interested in products alone and not the business; and sponsor those who want to earn a side income as well and beat the morning commute.

There are dozens of ways to do both of these. You don’t have to do them all. Just pick two or three methods that work for you and work them tirelessly.

You’ll create a business that will get you out of that wasted commute and you’ll assist others in realizing that dream as well.

Where do you find people who are also interested in leaving behind that morning commute?

Well, how about at the workplace water cooler. Start a conversation about traffic and commuting. Many will complain as well. Some will just be interested in complaining and some will be interested in doing something about it.

Many of those people are on the internet at night, searching for an alternative. Be prepared to be the one to offer that alternative.

We aren’t talking hard sell here. We are talking about sorting and sifting; providing information to those who want it and moving on from those who do not.

I left behind my morning commute 15 years ago. I can not imagine going back. I am only interested in going forward and assisting those who want to leave it behind as well.

Know anyone who might also be interested in something like that? Send them my way!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Duplication

Is your MLM Business Duplicable? Good question to ponder, huh? And, one I have pondered many times.

What is the definition of duplicable? Well, it starts with "duplicate", which means an EXACT copy of the original. Hmmm. Well then, can any of us truly duplicate another's business, or rather style of doing the business?

My belief is that we can duplicate the concept, and the more we are able to make the process our own, wiht our personality and what feels good to us, the more likely we are to duplicate the outcome.

The process behind a successful MLM Business involves a few key components -

Contact or Invite
Present
Sponsor
Train and Duplicate

(Oh, if only it was this simple, eh?)

Each person in your MLM business is likely going to go about doing each of these slightly different. And, that is okay, as long as the outcome is the same and the last two components HAPPEN!

Let's take these each one at a time.

Contact or Invite

This is simply the process if letting others know about your business. This is not the phase where you show them how it works, or explain the details of the comp plan, etc. This can be done with warm market (people you know); leads, advertising and cold market; lifestyling (talking to others while you are out and about in your daily life); asking for referrals; or any other way you go about CONTACTING AND INVITING to know more about your business. This is the most important FIRST STEP in your business because as far as the "team building, recruiting" aspect of things, nothing happens without this.

Present

This is the phase where you actually show and explain how the business works. There are many ways to do this - one on one, face to face; video; conference call; information packet; web site; any way and every way that you can go about explaining to people how it works. I also consider follow up part of the presentation phase as you are still in the presenting mode when answering questions, and before they actually join you in the business.

Using the tools of your business is an important part of this process because you are always modeling for your prospect (or potential business partner) what he/she will be doing if the decision is made to join you. Make this as simple and streamlined as possible.

And, detach from the outcome. This can be tough, but it is important. Their decision has nothing to do with you. It is all about that person and not you. People do things for their reasons not yours, so you want to get yourself out of the equation right off the bat. Their own personal reasons, issues and life situations are what determine when and what they will do.

Even if you are very successful in your business. Most people have the ability to look at that and know that if the time is not right for them, your level of success won't equal the same for them.

And, people resist being told what to do, and what they "should do." Never "Should" on somebody. I don't know about you, but that gets my hackles up. The more information you can provide them with to understand more fully what they will be doing; how they will be doing it; and where you will be in the support process, the better.

Sponsor

Some people think this is where the process ends but it is really just where it begins, or at least it should be! The sponsoring part is simple once you have contacted, presented and followed up, answering questions and allowing your prospect to sell him or herself!

You can present your reasons all you want about how and why the business would be perfect, but in the end, your prospect will decide based on his/her own experiences.

So, sponsoring means getting your new partner signed up into the business, and then taking on your role as sponsor very seriously. Your next step is to provide training, support and resources for success in the business. Even if you are very new, someone upline from you will have these items in place and ready for you to pass on.

A sponsor is one who "assumes responsibility for another during a period of apprenticeship." Be sure you are fulfilling your role in this partnership.

Train and Duplicate

Finally, we come to the real nuts and bolts of what will make your MLM Business a success, and that is the training and duplication.

Training is almost part of the sponsoring process, since you are "assuming responsibility." And, it's a separate part to me because it is so very important.

For me, even though I do 99.9% of my sponsoring through the Internet, I take the training part of if offline, in terms if follow up and communication. Yes, the training does come to them through the internet, but weekly phone calls and conversations are the key to establishing and bonding that relationship.

And, it's key to me in knowing that I am taking my responsibility seriously and upholding my end of the partnership.

Email is great, but nothing beats the live interaction where clarity in communication is more assured.

And, as this is modeled, the hope is that it will be duplicated on down the line. It will provide confidence in beginning the process of contact/invite, present, sponsor, train and duplicate for the new partner.

And, while I always share my way of working these 4 items in the business, each person will adjust these components, even if slightly, to fit their own style and way of doing the business.

Really, we are not a "one size fits all" business. Because we are all unique and our reasons for doing the business are unique, our own personal style will reflect these.

So, MLM Business Duplication is possible, and it does exist. Just perhaps not as an exact copy!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Phone Skills

Great phone skills are important to your MLM Business and here is some good news - These skills can be developed.

Do you ever worry that you are stumbling over your words when you talk to someone on the phone about your business?

Do you ever listen to leaders on the business calls or the training calls and wonder how they are so smooth, polished and always seem to know exactly what to say?

This is a skill that can be DEVELOPED - isn't that great news?

And, in our business, the telephone is your most important tool!

Here are some tips to assist you in developing your phone skills and learning to relax and have fun during the process!

Yes, it CAN be fun!

1. Have a separate phone line for your business and have a professional greeting on the answering machine.

2. Put a smile on your face, and in your voice when you talk with people. Happiness and enthusiasm shines through!

3. Paint word pictures when you speak.

4. Ask for clarity if you are unsure what the person means by a question or statement they make.

5. Return calls promptly.

6. Listen and ask questions. Relax, you are NOT trying to sell ANYONE ANYTHING. Your goal is to share information and allow your prospect to sell him/herself! That creates a win-win.

7. Be clear on your why and your purpose. Be solid in your belief and conviction.

8. Detach from the outcome. Don't worry about what the other person says. There are TONS of people out there waiting foryour call!

9. Have a 3 step process to lead your prospect through in looking at the business, or evaluating a retail sale or fundraiser. Always know what you are going to say and what the next step should be for your prospect.

10. Follow up and let people know you are interested in having them join you as a customer or team member!

Practice,practice, practice! After I finally mastered the art of phone calls, communication and how to let my prospect sell themselves, I developed an e-book of Scripts. You can get that at - http://www.StreetSmartCoach.com

Make it a GREAT week and let me know how you are doing with it!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Slight Edge



In any pursuit, it is often the “slight edge” that separates the extraordinary from the ordinary, and the successful from the not-so-successful.

This is certainly the case in Network Marketing. If one observes the ongoing, steady actions of the top income earners, it can often be noted that it is only a slight difference that separates the two.

The “Slight Edge” advantage can be defined as going the extra distance.

In your MLM business that could be just a few minor things that will make all of the difference –

5 extra contacts a week
5 extra minutes calling leads
5 extra follow ups to prospects
5 extra potential customers contacted
5 extra calls to downline team members
5 extra minutes spent on personal development

Imagine what doing these things on a daily or even weekly basis would mean for your business. Imagine if you had a team of 10 people taking advantage of the “slight edge” challenge in each one’s business. What if that team grew to 100 duplicating this process? 1000?

The slight edge starts with you, and it starts in your mind. It starts with your MLM mindset and your willingness t push yourself to go that extra distance when you don’t feel like it; when Gray’s Anatomy is about to start and that 5 minutes extra will roll into the hour; when the neighbors are going for happy hour right now; when you’ve been told no and hung up on for the last 30 minutes.

What might happen if you shrug it off and dive into that extra 5 minutes, knowing that deep within, these are the 5 minutes that make all of the difference? What if this 5 minutes inspires you on to 10 minutes tomorrow?

The Slight Edge starts today. It starts right now!

I encourage you to start a slight edge notebook and detail your daily actions in your MLM Business Opportunity.

Then, make a note of each time you push yourself into the Slight Edge Zone and go that extra distance. Make detailed notes of who you speak with and track the outcome of these extra steps over time.

My guess is you’ll begin to find that it is these “slight edge” moments that make the biggest difference in your MLM Business.

And, when the going is rough and your mental troll tries to talk you out of pushing yourself forward, push ahead anyway and get into that euphoric zone where nothing can stop you.

Get your MLM “slight edge” on and let’s take it to the limit!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Fitness

How’s your MLM Fitness Level?

Does it match your physical fitness level? I don’t really like to run (or at least I didn’t) but I do like staying fit and healthy. And, nothing beats the healthy high I feel after I finish a good run.

Same in my MLM Business. Nothing beats the business high I feel when I finish a few hours of solid business building activities.

Taking Single Daily Actions in your MLM Business is key to improving your MLM Fitness Level. Think about the time you spend each day working your business.

Grab a piece of paper and write down what those activities consist of.

How does it look? How much of that time is devoted to actual MLM Business Building Activities?

This would include calling new prospects; gathering new customers; following up with business prospects, etc. These daily actions are the lifeblood of having a very fit, healthy MLM business.

There will always be time for getting bogged down in email after these activities are completed.

About a month ago, I decided to take up running again. This is after about a 20 year hiatus. And, I was not feeling very motivated about getting it started.

What I was and am motivated about is decreasing body fat, increasing lung capacity and feeing good about accomplishing my goal.

Same in my MLM Business. I don’t always feel motivated about calling leads, or answering many of the same questions that prospects have. However, those are all part of the price for keeping my business, healthy, fit and growing.

And, like my motivation for keeping fit, I am motivated to continue moving my MLM business forward. And coaching others to do the same along the way.

So, I encourage you to do a fitness check on your business.

Here’s your fitness test –

How much time per day are you putting into your MLM Business?
How many new business partner prospects are you introducing to your business each day? Week? Month?
How many new customers do you introduce your products to daily? Weekly? Monthly?
How many calls do you make weekly to your MLM Downline?
How many training calls do you get on?
How much time do you waste, I mean SPEND on email daily?
How do you feel each day, about your business actions, at the end of each day?
Do you feel healthy and fit, knowing that your business is moving forward? Or do you feel guilty, disappointed and regretful about what you didn’t do?

Today is a new day. Dust off those running shoes and run a mile! Dust off that telephone and that script and make a few MLM Business calls. You’ll make some major advancements in your business and your physical fitness!

Today is the day to take your MLM Business to the next level. Today is the day to run that MLM Marathon! I’ll see you as we both cross the finish line!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer