You Didn't Fall For "The Next Big Thing" Did You?

If you've been on the Internet (and you have since you are reading this) you may have fallen prey to "The Next Big Thing" syndrome that is out there. It's rampant on the Internet, and if you are signed up on very many newsletters or notification lists, you are likely seeing it regularly.

You're cruising through email and BAM – an email drops into your box with a screaming headline about how great this new opportunity is; and how much money you are going to make with this new opportunity; and how so-and-so-big-name is getting involved with this big opportunity and this opportunity is going to help you dump your mediocre status that you've had so far in M.L.M. and you are going to finally make some REAL money!

Question for you – how many opportunities are you going to join before you realize that none of this has anything at all to do with your success? New; better; best; big name; matching bonus, blah, blah, blah. This is not what true success is about.

It's not the company; it's not the big name; it's not the products; it's not the pay plan; it's not your upline; it's not the "turnkey, duplication system"; it's not any of these things that determine your success in Network Marketing. These are just things sold to you by slick marketers who know how to invoke your emotions and make you think you are going to win the lottery if you just join "their deal."

The opportunity you have in front of you most likely has all of the components to allow you to create the business and lifestyle of your dreams. If anyone in your company has done it, so can you.

The only thing that is missing for you, if you aren't getting what you want from it, is your belief; your commitment and your focus. The success you desire is all about you, and your ability to get it lies within you.

You just have to decide to stop looking around; procrastinating; making excuses; and thinking that it can't happen for you. You have to decide that every day, you are going to put one foot in front of the other and BE the success story you desire.

No one gets lucky in this profession and no one gets a free ride. The top distributors get to the top by developing a business action plan and taking action. Simple as that. In the beginning, they work hard to lay the foundation. Sometimes, it seems like there is no progress. They certainly work harder than the ones standing on the sideline saying "It's easy for so-and-so. He/she has ______ and I don't."

In the beginning, you must treat your business like a JOB if you want to create the benefits it offers. It's not the lottery; it's not get rich quick; and everyone pays a price to be successful. It's a high price, too, but it is so worth it.

The average networker, however, does not treat the business like a JOB. They don't make a commitment; and they aren't willing to pay the price. They think that when they order their starter pack, they are buying a lottery ticket guaranteed to win. Or, pulling the arm on a slot machine.

Knowing this, what steps will you take today to get your business into the race? How will you develop a disciplined work ethic so you can begin to see the results that you want? The grass really is not greener anywhere else. It's thick, rich and fertilized right here, right now. If you aren't getting the results you want out of your business today, who is going to change that? It's not your sponsor, and it's not the company. It's you.

Cruising the Internet looking for something easier; more this or more that isn't going to change your results. You will face the same problems there and have to overcome the same challenges.

You have to be willing to decide what it is you really want; decide what price you are willing to pay to get it; decide what you must and will overcome to get there; and decide to take action starting right now and every day.

It's that simple. I remember the day I made that decision. I remember the price I was willing to pay. I remember my challenges and what I had to do to "get over myself" essentially. And, I remember every day how glad I am I had "that day."

Let today be YOUR day!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

If Only MLM Had a REAL Instruction Manual

Have you ever felt this way? You see an opportunity; you get signed up; you start going through the back office information; the information provided by your sponsor; and all of a sudden you feel overwhelmed and paralyzed by what to do.

It's almost like there are a few parts missing. How do you get from point A to point Z, where the big bucks are?

Do you lead with product; do you lead with opportunity; just what do you do first?

Have you ever heard Network Marketing compared to franchising? It happens all of the time. And here is the important thing to remember about how franchising REALLY works and how your Network Marketing business will really work.

The job of the franchise company is to sell more franchises; and open more outlets. These outlets sell the company products and market for the company. McDonald's didn't get to the point of selling billions of burgers through one single store, right? They have thousands and thousands.

Your job as a networker is the same, essentially. The more outlets you open, the more products can be sold. You open outlets when you sponsor new distributors into your business and teach them the simple principles of the business.

Here is a point to keep in mind –

Does McDonald's have the best hamburgers in the restaurant business? The best packaging? Are their stores the fanciest? Do you think someone buys a McDonald's franchise and then calls corporate complaining about the way things are done?

Wouldn't you agree that McDonald's is currently the most successful franchise in history? And imagine this – they did it with sub-par food; plastic booths and teenagers.

What does this mean for you? What this means is that your product does not need to be "the best in the world" in order for you to be successful. Your product doesn't have to look the best in order for you to create gangster income. As long as you have a good product, that performs well, that you believe in, you are set for life!

When you sponsor people into your business, you are selling them a system for success. The system is simple – talk to 2 people a day; find those who have a need; fill the need with the solution that your business offers.

And, if teenagers can make McDonald's into what it is today, don't you think you can easily do the same in your own business?

The biggest mistake most networkers make is that they lead with their company name; the products; and the "best blah-blah-blah" out there.

Who believes that in today's world, when we are mass marketed to on a minute by minute basis?

Offer people a solution to their greatest problem and then show them what it's going to take to get the results they want and you will have people lining up at your door (or website) to join your opportunity. Find the system that fits for you and then develop a plan to teach others how to do it to.

Contact, invite, present, follow up, sponsor, train and duplicate with the willing.

Contact and invite are the only two areas that will differ in your system, depending on how you approach this. Present, follow up, sponsor, train and duplicate will be the same.

Define the methods that get you excited for contacting and inviting. This could be warm market; running ads; walking and talking; buying leads; or internet marketing. Once you have the prospects, take them through the rest of the process.

Find a mentor to teach you how to master the skills of the methods you want to use and let nothing stand in your way.

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

Attraction Marketing Explained

Attraction Marketing is sure the buzz word these days! And, it's something I've been practicing online for the past nine and a half years! Believe me, it works! My MLM Business exploded once I learned how to attract prospects to me, who are already interested in a business; interested in network marketing and ready to learn more.

Wow! What a difference from what I used to do!


So, how does it work and what do YOU need to know to make it happen?

I've created a short video outline to explain what tools you'll want to have and steps you'll want to take! Have fun and get those business prospects coming to you -





The biggest key - provide value and content and don't be a spammer of your MLM Opportunity. No one wants that; no one likes that!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Advertising on a Budget

I was just asked by a new team member how to build a business on little to no budget. Here are ten ideas I offered.


Many people who start a home based business have a limited advertising budget However for the life of your business it is important that you get the word out as quickly as possible. These tips will help you do just that without breaking the bank.


1. Word of Mouth is one of the best forms of advertising. It is absolutely free and if done correctly, you will get a great response. Talk to everyone you know about your business, Ask your family and friends for referrals. Make an effort to meet new people while you are out and about. If the internet is a tool that you use to grow your business visit message boards, you can meet a lot of people who will be interested in what you have to offer.


2. Go to trade shows and expos. Start conversations and pass out and collect cards as appropriate. Be respectful of others who have paid to be there and be subtle. Save prospecting conversations for a phone call later. Plant lots of seeds.


3. Join a networking group. There are many great sites on the internet that you can join that are absolutely Free. You can meet people that can possibly be interested in your business. If you prefer networking offline, contact your local chamber of commerce. Most hold monthly mixers that you can attend for a nominal fee. This will give you the opportunity to meet local business owners in your community.


4. Make use of your email. Be sure that every email that you send out includes your signature tag. Make it short and catchy so that it will arouse people’s curiosity.


5. Hand out your business cards. Include one in every piece of mail that you send out, give one to everyone you exchange money with, leave them at restaurants with your tip, and any where else that you can think of.


6. Get a web decal. These are great advertising tools and they're very inexpensive. Just come up with a catchy slogan and your url address. Every time that you drive, you will be advertising your business.


7. Wear your business. Get t-shirt, hats or pins that promote your business. This will promote interest and curiosity.


8. Write articles. Articles are a great form of advertising. Your articles do not have to be business related. Write about topics that you are very familiar with and passionate about. Attach a resource box to every article that you write. A resource box tells the reader a little about you and your business. Many websites and e zines are looking for quality articles to reprint.


9. Start your own online newsletter. Newsletters are a great tool to help you build your business. You are able to stay in touch with people who have opted in to receive information from you. Make your newsletter informative and enjoyable to read. There are a lot of newsletters out there so you must distinguish yourself from the crowd. Have Fun and be creative when creating your newsletter.


10. Use postcards to market your business. Postcards are inexpensive to mail and most importantly they get read. With postcard you only have a small amount of space to write, so you want to make sure that you have a catchy headline and an ad that propels people to act. Offer a FREE gift or a discount.


Just do it and you'll succeed!


EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

Working With MLM Leads and Increasing Your Odds

Working with leads for your MLM business is a great way to get solid training on your business and how to work it effectively; as well as sponsoring people into your business. It can also be a very discouraging activity. Here are a few key things to keep in mind as you work through the process. This will help you avoid those feeling of despair and help you understand your prospects better.

First, think about your own journey into your business. Here are some questions to ask and answer about yourself. This may help you understand and accept the journey that others might be going through in their own decision making process. When you are working in an environment where the people who you are calling don't know you, ask questions to put yourself in his/her shoes.

How long after your initial inquiry did you sign up?
How many phone calls did it take?
Did you need/want to be chased?
What information was important for you to know before signing up?
What is your reason for doing this business?
If you waited awhile before joining, what was it that finally prompted you to join?

Any time you are working with people, human factors are going to come into play as each person sorts through business information; his/her own objections and concerns about a business; finances and timing. These are all important points to ponder when you think about your own process of working with leads. People are basically the same, no matter where we live. Some may join right away and many will not.

Here is the journey I went through while trying to decide about a Network Marketing business. See if you see some of your own story in mine. And, even if you don't, perhaps having this information may help you see each situation through the eyes of your prospect.

I first looked at Network Marketing when I was 19. It was the case of someone springing it on a group of us at a party. I didn't understand it at all, and was not interested, but those circles and the lifestyles of the rich and famous did intrigue me.

Fast forward ten years later. We are about to start a family and I know I will be leaving my job to be home. Again, I am approached about a MLM business, but I am still not interested. The timing is not right and I am skeptical about Network Marketing.

Another year goes by, I am home with a baby and finances are very tight. Now, I am actively searching for a business from home. I am still skeptical about MLM, but much of my research is pointing me in that direction. The friend who approached me last year stops by over the holidays. He doesn't say a word about his business, but his whole demeanor is different. He's driving a fancy sports car, and I am now extremely interested and asking him questions.

It is still another three weeks before I sign up and even longer before I actually get going. I am nervous, unsure and feel I must know everything possible there is to know before I speak to someone. I want it to just "happen" without me actually having to take any action steps. Sound familiar? It was a full three years before I really started to take action in my business.

How many times have you spoken with someone who seems very interested and then they just vaporize? How many times have you heard "I'll sign up tomorrow" and then nothing happens? How many times have you wondered if it was something about you that caused this?

Sometimes, real life does get in the way. And, it's important to always remember that another person's decision has nothing in the world to do with you. It is purely about each person individually, and his/her situation in life right then.

I repeated this same exact process with my current company, although the reasons were different. This time it was 9/11 and a move to another state prompted by those events that delayed things. Chances are, had I signed up when I first considered it, I might have quit. Timing truly does have to be right to effectively work a business.

Think about your own experiences. Perhaps you have never been "chased" by an overzealous Networker who calls you day and night practically begging you to sign up. For me, nothing makes me less interested. It causes me to think the person is desperate.

This is where the art of asking good, probing questions when you are speaking with a prospect can make all of the difference for both of you. Spend a little time in the relationship process with those to whom you speak to about the business. They will remember you for this and you will stand apart from others to whom they might also be speaking to about business.

Find out their reason why and find a way to meet that need. Show them what is in it for them. Provide a benefit statement of what he/she can expect of you as their sponsor. Assure them that they won't be signed up and abandoned. Allow each person time and space to ask questions and make decisions

Understand the two to five year plan of consistent action that is typically required for Network Marketing business success. Continue to invest in your own growth and education as you work with leads and become a more effective communicator. Follow up consistently but not desperately.

Ask yourself these questions daily –

Am I in this for the long haul? Am I willing to wait a year and a half, maybe more, to grow a dynamic team? Am I willing to continue to invest in my own learning, education and growing pains so I can reach the pot of gold? Will I be here when my previous leads are ready to get started?

Timing is everything. And, it is ALWAYS about the prospects timing and not the potential sponsor. NEVER let a "No" steal your dream. Often, you hear no when what is really being said is "not now, but later." Be HERE when later comes.

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer

MLM Regional Events Create Synergy

MLM Company Events

I don't often post about my own company events. This seems like a good time to make a point about the value in regional and company conventions, even though many of us are largely internet based in building our businesses.

For me, these events have always offered the opportunity to connect with, and bond with those on my team, as well as others within the company. Because I do all of my team building online, I only get the chance to meet my personally sponsored team members and others at events such as these.

In looking back at my team over the last 5 years, my strongest relationships have come from those team members who I have met face to face and spent time with at events. The relationship begins online, and moves to a new level with the face to face meeting.

I hope you'll consider this when deciding about attending your company sponsored events. Read on for my recap of my company's latest event.


Wow! Seems like a pretty lame word to sum up the experience of the 2008 Las Vegas Company Regional Conference, but I did come away a bit speechless. Perhaps "Explosive" "Awe-Inspiring" "Unbelievable" would better describe it.

We are poised to enter a new era in our company and be advised – get ready!

The success of any network marketing company really begins to show up when key leaders and visionary's begin showing up among the ranks. Some of them may have been in the company for awhile, just incubating, and some may come in and roll up the sleeves, getting to work right away. We have reached that point where we have the team in place to assist everyone in growing a long term, stable, successful business. There was an energy in the room among the speakers and it was electric!

Just decide what you want and plug into the tools and resources already in place and those that are on the way. More is coming. It just gets better and better!

It was such a personal thrill and so gratifying to have spent such quality time with so many of you there, sharing in your story and your goals. From those conversations, some very sleepless nights and busy days have followed as I have brainstormed and planned out some focus groups with many of you for moving us forward as a company and carving out our very solid niche in this industry.

Some of the focus groups we are working to target include burned out professionals, both men and women; Generation X and Y, and preparing for Generation Z, as they enter the fold. And, we certainly have the internet focus and the traditional offline focus. We are so young as a company and there is so much untilled soil out there. Opportunity is ripe for anyone who wants to grasp it and now is the time.

The first 5 years of a company are pivotal in laying the foundation and building upon that. We've poured the concrete; smoothed and shaped it and now is the time to invest in the best building blocks to build our company strong.

Make plans now to attend Summer Fling the last week of July. Focus on reasons to attend and not excuses for not being there. I learn something new from every event I attend. What important information are you missing out on by not being there? How is this slowing you down in your business? What might happen to your business if you get involved and surround yourself with successful ideas and people?

Set some goals now for "where" you will be when you attend Fling. Maybe your goal is to have your business pay for your trip (great goal!) Maybe it is to bring a team of 10, 20, 30 or more people with you from your organization (another great goal!) And, perhaps it is to move up a pay rank in the compensation plan. Whatever it is, know this – you have everything external in place to achieve it. Work on developing your internal belief and motivation and you'll achieve everything you want and more!

I look forward to seeing you up on that stage!

EXPECT Success!
Jackie Ulmer

MLM Warm Market

Have you ever worked your warm market list looking for MLM leads and prospects for your business? You know the drill - make a list of everyone you know and ask them -

"Do you keep your business options open?"
"Are you interested in diversifying your income?"
"Do you want to work from home?"
"Are you happy with that you do?"

And so on. The hope is that a percentage of those will be interested right away; and a percentage of those will take pity on you, check out your business and get excited by what they see.

And, you know what? It can and does happen like this in some cases.

The challenge for me is that I felt like I was bothering people. I felt like my friends would think I was trying to make a profit off of them. I knew that it was different than recommending a great movie.

So, I decided to make my MLM Business an Online MLM Business.

That meant that I was no longer going to work warm market; no longer going to work offline; and no longer going to boring hotel meetings weekly.

Yippee! Inside, I was thrilled. Outside, I was euphoric!

And, my offline MLM business partners told me I was crazy.

8 years and nearly $1 million later, I am sure that I was/am NOT crazy.

Recently, my company's VP of Marketing said this to me -

"Jackie, you still work your warm market. You just work a different warm market. You don't work your local warm market of your friends, family and people with whom you socialize. You work a warm market of people who find you online and come to you asking about your MLM Opportunity."

Wow! I like the way that sounds.

How about you? Are you ready to take on a new MLM Warm Market? Ready to ditch that list and get your prospects coming to you?

I'm working with a Mastermind group now of people who want to take their business to a new level.

Get signed up for my Internet Marketing Newsletter and let's work together to make this happen for you.

Email:
Name:

Let me know your goals! And let me know you are ready to get those prospects who interested coming to you!

EXPECT Success!

Jackie Ulmer