MLM Companies : Changing Companies

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There is an amazing learning forum there for building your network marketing business; and building it online, and that forum prompted this discussion.

Choosing the right company the first time around can be a very challenging proposition. We often come into this industry un-educated, un-informed and only looking at some exciting comp plan that we don't even understand.

There is a common issue that goes on with Network Marketers in that sometimes we don't always choose the company that is best for us on the first try.

Actually, this is pretty common in the JOB world too, but it is handled differently when we leave.

In the JOB world, when one decides to move on for personal reasons, there are typically well wishes and no one gets their feelings hurt or gets bent out of shape over it.

In Network Marketing, however, one is quickly labeled a QUITTER for making a decision to move to another company.

I was with my first company for 6 1/2 years. I had built a successful business but found that my idea of ethics was at odds with the company's and I no longer wanted to be associated. That company went bankrupt and hung their distributors out to dry a few years later. Glad I got out when I did.

I handled my departure very ethically, and never contacted any of my downline, upline, or crossline to prospect them for my new venture.

I was well into internet marketing and focused on attraction marketing. I didn't need to seek out people as the internet allowed them to seek me out.

I also felt it was out of integrity to take advantage of all of the work my upline and others had done on my behalf.

That didn't stop my "friends" in that company from turning on me and calling me a traitor, quitter, and some other unmentionables, ha!

The point of this is that we often DON'T make the right choice the first time around in MLM. We get excited about something and don't always know how to choose wisely, evaluate comp plans, hidden elements of comp plans and company policy.

There is NOTHING wrong with making a decision to change companies when you find that you didn't choose wisely and that there really is not a fit. And, it's important not to let anyone (especially yourself!) beat you up for making a business decision.

As you become educated in the process of choosing a company, an upline, a product line, a sponsor, etc, you may decide you want to do something different.

It's okay, and it's often part of the process.

This does NOT make you an MLM junkie! It makes you an informed business owner.

And, in the reverse case, if someone on your team decides to make a move, handle it with grace and dignity. Respect each person's right to choose what is best for him/her. Shake hands (even through email) and wish them well.

Never burn a bridge and you will find some will return.

As I see some people struggling in this forum and on other forums about whether they are crazy for considering a change, I thought it might be a good time to let people know that it is okay to make a change and you can go on to HUGE success.

Educate yourself at every turn and make sure you are SOLID in your choice. This allows your authenticity in working with your prospects and downline shine through.

Any doubt, even the slightest, shows up!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Fears: Be Empowered

By What You Do NOT KNOW

So often, we come into this business of MLM and we are afraid.

Many of us don't know how to -

Run a business.

Set prices for our products.

Handle taxes.

Talk to people.

Build a team.

Work the Internet.

And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately, in my business, everyone knows how to light a candle; open a lid and put it under a nose, and express your own enthusiasm.

Be empowered to find those answers to what you DON'T know and allow NOTHING to stop you.

I'm cleaning and organizing my office and files today (yuck) as family is coming in for the holidays and we have a big party here Sunday and my office is a wreck. And, I almost ALWAYS sell candles, so I want to be able to bring people into my office, ha!

As I was sorting, I came across the notes that I took on my very first internet marketing tele-conference in October, 1999. That day clinched my decision to take my business online and NEVER look back, except to gloat!

That was back when the issues about Y2K were such a big deal and everyone was warning me to be careful. Man, can that be 8 years ago?

Anyway, I took notes on as much as I could because the entire call was GREEK to me. It was like he was speaking a foreign language.

These were terms that I did not recognize and had no idea what they meant -

Domain Name

URL

Auto responder

Search Engines (I knew that Yahoo was a way to find things but didn't know how or why!)

S PAM

Online Newsletter

Newsgroups

Viral Marketing

Auto Contactor

Goto.com

Message Forum

Those were only the ones that I had time to write down. I am sure there were more.

I was a full 6 months online before I figured out what an autoresponder was and how it worked. I was AMAZED at how quickly people would respond when I would ask for information off of someone's website. Man, they had FAST fingers!!!

There were MANY days I really wondered what I was doing, and wondered if I had lost my mind. There were many days I wanted to give up. I built my first website on a laptop that is 15 inches long. Imagine the size of the keyboard. My back ached from being hunched over it. My mind was exhausted from lack of sleep and information overload. But my stomach and heart had a fire in them.

I spent over $1000 on eBooks and manuals to teach me what to do. These were all by online marketers, not network marketers. I couldn't find anyone in M L M doing what I was doing. I am sure they were there, I just had no idea how to find them.

I had two hours during the day to work on things. I would drop my son at school and my daughter at preschool and race home to get to work. I thanked the other moms who invited me to bagels and coffee, and declined. I wanted to go, but I wanted a successful business online MORE!

When I would get home to the quiet house, I would sit for 5 minutes and gather my thoughts. I would visualize myself building a HUGE organization of people who found me online. I visualized publishing my OWN eBooks to teach people what to do. I visualized being on stage and empowering and inspiring others.

I had not made ONE DIME online at that point. But I KNEW I had a goldmine and NOTHING was going to hold me back.

Today, all of those things I visualized have come to pass. Today, there are more visualizations in my mind. I expect those to come to pass as well.

What things are YOU visualizing for your future and in your business? What pieces of knowledge are you lacking that will give you the posture to move forward?

Keep those pictures in your mind and do whatever research you must to get the answers you need. There is not one question that cannot be answered if you ask, seek and knock!

MANY doors will open to you if you do!

I love you all, and I wish you an AMAZING holiday season and Merry Christmas!

-----===(*)===-----

Expect Success!

Jackie Ulmer -----===(*)===-----

MLM Success Tip: Stay In The Game

One of the keys to success in this business is to just stay in the game. Be there once the dust settles and your competition fades away.Longevity in this business and on the internet are imperative. Many times, I have signed up new distributors who originally heard about the business from someone else, and when the time came that the person was ready to get started, the original distributor had quit the business.

My good friend was scheduled to have a clothing party for a direct sales clothing line in October, during the California wildfires. The party was cancelled. She called this week to reschedule and the woman has already quit the business.

What if she had stayed in and someone from the party would have signed up to be a distributor? What if that person had gone on to build a goldmine?

She'll never know what might have been.

My 12 year old daughter is taking an acting class with a professional actor and a casting director who live here locally, and work out of Hollywood. These are people who know that business and have been involved for over 25 years. They have seen actors come and go.

Her acting coach gave some amazing advice to the class the other day and I thought how appropriate for this business -

"Success in this business can be elusive and frustrating. You think you are going to get a call back, and then you don't. Someone else gets the part.

But always remember that your competition is frustrated as well and just days away from quitting; moving on to something else; throwing in the towel. Be the one who is left standing! Always be fine tuning your craft and always be learning something new. Never stop training and never think you've learned all there is to learn."

Sound like our business?Most people give up when they don't have the results they desire after a few days. Maybe they run an ad once and don't get a ton of calls. Or, they work 5 Team Coop leads a month for 2 months and then decide it doesn't work, the leads are bad. They ask 3 friends to host a party and no one says okay.

They are missing the power of longevity and consistency.Decide what it is you want for 2008 and decide on a monthly business plan to get you there. From that, set daily plans and goals and then see the job through. Commit to this action for a 90 day cycle and see it through. The results will show up! You can't possibly know the success of anything after only a few days or a few weeks.


Keep track of your results. Get signed up for the weekly accountability series. Tracking forms are part of this series. Send an email to accountable@aweber.com

This is open to anyone, and does contain some of my company specific information, but can easily be adapted.

Let nothing and no one stand in your way, or knock you down and out of the game. Be the one who is still standing this time next year, only much further up the mountain.

I don't care what anyone says, the view from the top IS better! See you there!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

What is the BEST Way to Build an MLM Business?

In October of 1999, I attended an internet seminar that changed my life. I was a struggling network marketer trying to do things like my sponsor was doing and had long ago used up my family, friends, neighbors and warm market.

I was tired, had toddlers at home, and had no idea how I was going to make my business successful given my time, money, and mind set constraints.

Then, along came the seminar and although most of it was a gimmick and a waste of my time, I got totally turned on at the thought of developing my MLM business ONLINE and having people come to me.

Well, the first thing I did was build a personal website, because the internet gurus were telling me that is what I needed to do, and I needed to get traffic to my website and start writing a newsletter. These were NOT MLM guru's, by the way, but people making MILLIONS online annually all while home in their PJ's.

The second thing I did was tell my upline, who promptly dumped on my dream of building my business online, from home, without friends, family and the like. So much for the positive mindset of the networker! He told me I was going to lose my downline and that it would NEVER work because this is a belly to belly business.

It didn't matter. I refused to be deterred and was steadfast that I was going to do this thing and do it amazingly well!

8 years and 3 companies later, it has been the best business decision I have EVER made. And yet everyone told me I couldn't do it. After all, the odds were against me. I knew virtually nothing about the internet and had no clue what a "domain name" was; a URL was Greek to me and whatever an autoresponder might be was of no concern to me. It sounded too scary.

The best way to go about building ANY business is the way that just blows your socks off when you think about it; it’s building in the way that resonates with you when you think about it, and what gets you out of bed raring to go.

Making more lists; talking to more friends and family; and chatting it up with unsuspecting people in malls was a total turn off to me and did NOT get me out of bed.

Connecting with people online and finding those who are looking did and does still get me out of bed.

I am not saying that the internet is the ONLY way to go; or that the methods named above are wrong. It isn't and they aren't.

But, it's GOT to fit you. It's GOT to be right for you so you'll actually DO it!

Educate yourself on the process and get very good at it.

Be willing to practice; try; be bad; get better; and get embarrassed every once in awhile. It's all part of the learning process. It's all part of what gets you there on your journey!

BELIEVE, Have faith and hope and keep turning over stones until you find what is right for you!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Duplication

What is duplication and what can and can't be duplicated among your team?

This is an issue have pondered over and over for 14 years and have come to one conclusion - duplication is a choice.

Network Marketing statistics have shown that around 80% of those who come into your business will not duplicate ANYTHING that you offer to them.

That good old 80/20 rule applies all the way through, eh?

Duplication is defined by Michael Clouse as - "Duplication is what I am about to do with you, you must be able to immediately do with the next person you meet, with or without my help, whether that person lives across the street, across the town or across the country."

The basics of our business CAN be duplicated by anyone willing to DO the duplication.

Make the list, contact, invite, present.

As we all grow in the business, however, new ways of developing the business will evolve. ALL are duplicable to someone somewhere, if he/she chooses to.

I write articles; ebooks and build almost exclusively online by getting involved in communities of some type.

And, I enjoy writing so it comes naturally for me.

For some, they will see this process as not easily duplicated. Can it be? Yes! Will it be? Only by some.

Some people like to buld their business through buying leads and calling. It's a process, if you've ever done it, you know. It takes a pretty thick skin. Can it be duplicated? YES! Will it be? Only by some.

Mark Yarnell has shared on his early taped trainings that he used to dress in a suit, go down to the business district and stand on the corner approaching people about his business. He would collect cards of those who said yes or maybe, and then st up in home meetings at his home to show the business.

Can it be duplicates? Sure, you bet! Will it be duplicated? Only by some. (And certainly not me, although I would never argue with his success!)

So, is duplication a myth? Do we need to worry about every method we use to build or business being duplicated by the masses?

My thought is train on the basics, and train on other methods as well. It's like offering a buffet, so to speak.

Making the warm list and going that route can provide the fastest growth, if done right. And, there are also those stories of that creating the fastest route out of the business due to rejection.

So, how do YOU get your business duplicated? What steps do YOU take a new person through?

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM is YOUR Insurance Policy

Network Marketing is Like Buying Insurance

When I started my network marketing career, nearly 14 years ago, I viewed it very much like buying an insurance policy. It was insurance against pay cuts; downsizing; pension cuts; and anyone else controlling my financial destiny.

Insurance is one of those things you must buy BEFORE you need it. Building your network marketing business is the same.

You don’t want to wait until you need it to begin thinking about it.

Because we are a “volunteer business” it can be very tempting to procrastinate taking the action steps necessary to create a true business and income. When you begin your business, it is a lot of time for very little pay. This is normal and the same is true for everyone who starts a business of this type.

Some people will take massive action (meaning lots of time and activity put into their business) and it will create a faster growing business and a faster growing paycheck. Others will take the slow route.

Whatever your situation is, I would encourage you to MAKE time (you’ll never find it) to take action in your business every day. Squeeze in that quick conversation about our products and our business as many times a day as you can. Get committed and go through your calendar and carve out pieces of time to work your business. If you work full time, “life style” your business as you take breaks; go to lunch, etc.

Taking those steady, consistent action steps will begin to pad that insurance policy that you are building. Your business and income will grow, and you’ll begin to find more time to put into your business.

You never know when you are going to need to cash in on that insurance policy, so it’s best to have it ready and available for when you need it.

As I write this, we are evacuated from our home for the second time in four years due to wildfires in our California Mountains. Four years ago, I was just beginning my journey with Scent-Sations and had not yet made the full out commitment to build it to the top. While I was wondering whether or not I would have a home to return to, I made the decision that when I did get home, and if I did have a home still, I was going to put my blinders on and build this business as fast as I could.

That is exactly what I did and have not hesitated once in that four years. With the exception of vacations and fun days off, I have taken action daily and had faith that the rewards of that action would follow.

Today, those efforts have produced a business (insurance policy) that I can cash in on. The income it produces is solid, steady and at this point, requires very little of my time to produce.

This is a record breaking month and will finish as the biggest month so far in the journey.

While I really didn’t think we would be faced with this situation again, out of our home and wondering if it would still be there when we return, I can’t even begin to describe the freedom that comes from knowing that in the midst of worrying about many other things, money and finances is one that we simply don’t need to stress over. The gift that this type of freedom provides is priceless because it allows me the opportunity to be there for my children in a way that I might not if I was stressed over money, and creating income to continue living.

I think of our many friends who not only have homes threatened in the area, but businesses and jobs that are suffering because they can not be there, trading time for dollars. I think of the added stress and strain that this type of worry puts on relationships and I am so grateful not to have this added to our list of challenges.

Take out that insurance policy NOW, before you need it. Decide what it is going to take for you to have the income from your business that will give you the freedom of peace of mind.

Determine what action steps you will take daily to make that a reality in your life. Get committed and do it!

Money can’t buy happiness, but lack of it can certainly create unhappiness. You’ll never regret having that insurance policy when you need it.

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 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 Business Opportunities Go Mainstream!

Well, not exactly, and what I mean by that is, as an MLM professional of nearly 14 years, it has been mainstream in my life for a long time.

It's nice to see new and positive press constantly making its way out into the public sector, though.

Good Morning America recently ran a segment on the more positive aspects of a Direct Sales, MLM type of business. Details here!

As someone who has used the internet for almost 8 years to build my MLM, it is nice to have some online positive press amidst so much of the "hypey, scammy" looking stuff that shows up regularly in my email inbox. KnowwhatImean?

So, I started thinking about ways that we can promote our businesses, both online and offline, that create a positive feel among those not in our industry. I came up with these "10 Commandments of Professional MLM", if you will!

1. Thou Shalt Not SPAM thy opportunity to others. (Pretty self explanatory, I would say!)

2. Thou Shalt Not Use Hype and Exaggerated Product Claims to promote your MLM Business. (Again, pretty self explanatory!)

3. Thou Shalt Not Make False or Exaggerated Income Claims about Your MLM Opportunity. (People are going to find out sooner, rather than later, that the big bucks don't usually come in the first 90 days. We are a 2-5 year business plan!)

4. Thou Shalt Not Chase Your Friends and Family Into Your Business (Hey, we are looking for the willing here, not someone who feels a gun is to his/her head!)

5. Thou Shalt Not Tell ANYONE - "You would be great at this!" (How do you know, really? One has to WANNA first, and only he/she knows that. Instead, let people know the TYPE of person and character traits you are looking for and see if HE/SHE thinks it's a fit!)

6. Thou Shalt Not Fool People Into Looking At Your Business - (No Backyard BBQ's, only to pull out the white board before dessert!)

7. Thou Shalt Not Bash Other Companies - (You picked a great company, right. Guess what? There are other great companies out there besides yours! Telling someone that they have a "dog company" does not make you or your company look better in their eyes. It only makes you look unprofessional!)

8. Thou Shalt Not Bash Other Distributors, including your Upline - (As my mom always says, and straight from Thumper's mouth on Bambi - if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all.)

9. Thou Shalt Not Talk Badly About All MLM's if Yours Doesn't Work Out - (There are millionaires today thanks to MLM, so it obviously works, right? The fact that yours did not work for you does not mean it won't for you in the future, or for others. Give others the freedom to decide for themselves!)

10. Thou Shalt Not Quit! (Even if you find that the first opportunity you join is not a solid fit for you, that doesn't mean throw in the towel. You are now more seasoned and have a better idea what you might be looking for and what is important to you. Research and get started soon in something that will be a fit! And good luck!)

Now, let's see what we can all do as a community to keep the positive MLM feedback coming our way. After all, Rich Dad, Poor Dad and others can't be wrong....right?

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer