Do You Have to Flash Checks to be Successful?

Do you have to flash checks to be Successful?

I just visited another new community website for network marketers. It's designed, they explain, to help you build your business. To encourage members to buy the programs of the site owner(s), they post the typical income testimonials from people who have "achieved financial independence when all else has failed."


Why use income testimonials (including attained 'financial freedom') to sell others, if those stories are really "not typical" and "not representative" and if the sellers of the business programs "have no idea how well you will do?"

Income statements have never done anything for me. I didn't see one when I joined my first company and in over 14 years, have never asked anyone upline from me what they are making.


Nor have I ever "flashed a check."


I didn't need anyone to show me a check to see the value in rolling up my sleeves and going to work in a Network Marketing business. I understood that it wasn't going to happen overnight, and that understanding probably was due to the fact that I entered into Network Marketing by taking a business approach.


I sought out material to study and read. I wanted to master the business skills of building the business and that ultimately led me to the relationship skills.
That's where I have spent all of my time ever since.


Keep your flashy cars, homes, vacations and the like. Give me credit for being able to figure out a viable opportunity without the flash and hype.


I would sign up ten times over with someone who looked me in the eyes, explained what it was going to take, both the good and the bad, and committed to work beside me. The person who flashes the check won't sign me up.


And, as was stated above, funny how when you say "Okay, I see the money, now show me the way to get there."


That's when the "oh it's easy, just talk to your friends and family." Or, "You only need a few people." lines show up.


The reality of finding those few people really means sorting through hundreds and thousands in most cases.


For me, the big money, free time of MLM is appealing enough that I am willing to sort through those numbers. But, I better know it going in!


EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer
http://www.mlm-success-training-tips.com

Your Worst Enemy - Comparing Yourself to Others

Yesterday, my daughter had some pictures taken for a project she is working on and had some fun with a make up artist who was also there. Quite a thrill for a 13 year old!


Iris, the make up artist had a recent copy of one of the fashion magazines, (I think it was Vanity Fair) and it featured Sharon Stone. Iris was laughing and commenting on the magic of "airbrushing" because in the photos, Sharon is flawless and well into her 50's. Wrinkle free, perfect in every way and drop dead gorgeous.


Iris recently saw her at some event and said she looks terrible in real life. Dark bags and circles under her eyes, a few age spots and lots of wrinkles. Now, I'm not dissing on Sharon by any means, but the discussion made me think about things we all do in real life and in business.


We compare ourselves to others, in many cases, comparing ourselves to others without even sort of knowing if it's apples to apples or apples to oranges.


I watch my daughter struggling with this with girls at school; I watch my friends struggle with it regarding weight, wrinkles and aging; and I see many network marketers struggle with it when they believe their business is growing more slowly than others; that others have it easier.


Comparison is always a dangerous thing. Most of the time, things are not quite what they seem, as we know from the covers of fashion magazines. Airbrushing goes on in real life and in business, too.


We see fast starters seemingly shoot to the top of companies; we see people rewarded with bonuses greater than ours; we see names grace the top sponsor lists; and we look at ourselves and ask "Why not me? What is wrong with me?"


Here is a survival tip for this business and life in general - Stop Comparing Yourself to ANYONE. Compete only with yourself and your own personal best.


It's easy to look at Sharon Stone on the cover of the magazine and think how nice for her that she has bypassed all aging that goes along with being 50 plus years old. We look at a fast starter and think that he/she must know some special skill or have some secret; his/her friends must like him/her better.


Here's the thing - there is most always a story behind the story; the one that you and I never see.


Models and actors have the benefit of airbrushing; and most fast starters have a success story from before, that we don't know about and don't take the time to research. Top income earners in Network Marketing pay their dues somewhere; ask any top income earner. And, everyone's life circumstances are different.


Some people have a $500 monthly budget with which to run their business, and assuming they invest is wisely and take action on it, they will likely have faster results than the person spending $25. The person who makes their list of everyone they know; send out the friends and family letter; drops off a packet and some products to sample; hosts a BOSS or networks the business in some way consistently will have better and faster results than the person who gets out into cold market right away.


We all have a learning curve and a process to go through in business success. Sharon Stone paid her dues as a starving actress for years and today is paid very well; and can afford to be airbrushed! We didn't see her in those early days, facing rejection after rejection. We look at her now and think - wow, what a life!


Listening to Jan Ruhe this morning reminded me about what it takes to pay one's dues. She did not have immediate success and yet is a millionaire today. Jordan Adler of Beach Money invested THOUSANDS of dollars and talked to lots of people for over TEN YEARS and had no success in Network Marketing. Today, he is a millionaire.


If you compare yourself to either of those two today, you might feel badly for the rest of the day; think it can't happen for you. However, if you can flash back and make that comparison to either of them in year one, year two, or in some cases, year ten, you might feel VERY good about yourself and where you are.


Compare yourself today to the action steps you took yesterday. How do you feel about that? What can you improve upon?


To quote Eleanor Roosevelt - "You must do the thing you think you cannot do." And, to add to it - "Over and Over again until your results shoot you to the moon!"


I'll see you there!


Expect Success!

Jackie Ulmer

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Results or Excuses in Your MLM Business

The Two Things That Speak Loud and Clear

There are two things that speak loud and clear – results and excuses.

Which do you produce more of on a daily basis?

When your business isn't moving forward the way you want it to, who do you blame?

When chaos consumes your life, who do you blame?

At the end of the day, when you are in a funk, who do you blame?

In my early days in my business, I lived with a lot of excuses –

Things will be better when the company does THIS.

Things will be better when my downline does THAT.

More people will be interested when THIS happens.

What a train wreck that kind of thinking was!

I have watched people spend thousands of dollars and thousands of hours building systems and the "perfect" mousetrap, and yet no more mice were caught.

Success in this business is NOT about systems; NOT about the next new product; NOT about the perfect script; NOT about what others can and should do for you.

Yes, systems can help; and new products are nice; and new scripts may feel more comfortable. But they are not what determine your success.

Success in this business, day in and day out, lies with YOU. Every day, success is a choice. Every step you take and every step you delay determines your success.

What steps will you take and what steps will you delay today? The answers will determine your success and the speed of it.

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

Do Your Prospects Know What to Expect From You?

When you are working with potential team partners for your business, do they know what to expect of you and from you if they decide to "sign on the dotted line?"


What type of training and support can they expect?

What will the next step be?

When will they hear from you?


You can increase your sign ups dramatically if you layout for them exactly what to expect and what will happen next.

This can be done in a few different ways -


1. In the phone conversation, ask the question - "Jim, do you want to know what to expect and what the next step will be when you do get signed up?"


(Jim ALWAYS answers yes!)


Here is my answer -


"You'll receive and email from our corporate office with away with your company ID and details for accessing the back office of your site. You'll also receive a welcome email along with your First Steps to Success outline and the Roadmap to Success. Those documents will get you into our team training site and discussion group. And, you'll know exactly what to do first to get your business started.


I would then like to schedule a phone call within 48 hours to go through this information, answer any questions and assist you in developing a business plan that will fit for you.


From there, we'll be working closely together to get your business going. How does that sound? Any questions?"


Now, you've gone a long way in furthering the relationship and the future is right out before your prospect.


My next step is then to give them my website where they can see a little of my training process and email them the signup link, unless they ask for it right then.


Give this a try and see what happens.


To see how I outline my training process, click My Training Information.


EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

What does it MEAN to Build a Business Online?

These are questions I am asked a lot -

What does it mean to build a business online?

What is your strategy for building online?

How much time does it take?

How do I find a business that is a fit with the internet?


All great questions, and let's go through each quickly.


Question 1 - What does it mean to build a business online?

For me, it's not buying leads; it's not placing lots of classified ads; web surfing, etc. It's putting myself out there to be found, noticed, to make contact, etc. How many people do you suppose are online any given day looking for a business? Tons! I've detailed some of my steps and my journey -

http://www.squidoo.com/mlm-online-business


Feel free to leave your comments and questions at the bottom. Let me know you were there and I'll answer any questions.


Question 2 - What is your strategy for building online?


Business building is about relationships, so I like to network with people. I'm not about blasting onto the scene and nauseating everyone with my pitch on how great my business is. Who likes that? Yuck! Instead, it's about connecting with people. One method I use is social networking. Have you tried MySpace? I know, I know -I thought it was just for teenagers, too, but boy was I wrong.

http://www.myspace.com/jackieulmer


Check it out and you'll get an idea of how the site works. If you have a page, request me as a friend and mention this blog soI know how you found me.


Another strategy I use online is creating content around things other than business that I have a passion about...such as cooking! Here is a page I created for Healthy Dinners. This is a great way to meet people outside of the business arena who might just be looking. (If you have a recipe request, leave it in the comments!)


http://www.squidoo.com/healthy-dinner-tonight


I have met some great people at Squidoo, learned a lot AND sponsored some new team partners.


Question 3 - How much time does it take? This all depends on you and your available time, but I believe 10 FOCUSED hours a week can build a solid online presence and then a solid team. Get disciplined though. You've got to be taking action steps.


Question 4 - How do I find a business that is a fit with the internet? This is a question I hear quite frequently. I recently put up a new site to teach people how to evaluate a business and how to factor in the 4 important pieces of choosing a business. Do you know what to look for in a business, once you move beyond the hype? Most people don't -


http://www.exploremybusiness.com

Have a great weekend!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer
The Street Smart Wealth Team