Does it ever seem like you could be so much more successful if only you had a crystal ball to show you everything you needed to know?

There is so much to know when you are building an MLM business from home, especially when you are using the internet.

These days, technology and the web are changing almost every day.  Just look at how Facebook changes its platform so often.

Most people don’t have the money to invest in costly programs or high fee mentors.

The Mentoring For Free program offers fresh and updated training on how to build your Network Marketing business from home using no or low cost methods.

Your Mentors serve you for free with no agenda.

But WHY do Network Marketers need to align themselves with a MasterMind group in order to be successful?

We have been discussing this very issue on our Mental Cleanse calls, most recently with Chapter 5, Specialized Knowledge, in Think and Grow Rich. 

My fellow mentor, Ken Klemm,  submitted a brilliant lesson to explain this principle using a fabulous Apple Orchard story.

Enjoy!

“So, You want to go into the apple business?

 
GREAT! Where will you go to learn all about apples, how
to plan an orchard, the tools You will need, and where
to get them and how to use them, etc?Is there an Apple University? Well, there are many fine
schools who have an agriculture department – and lots
of books available.

Maybe You already have an apple orchard, but You’re
having some challenges.

Where will You turn for help? Visit some orange groves
in Florida? Nice vacation maybe, but it’s apples and
oranges!

What about pineapples? Kind of SOUNDS like apples…
No?

How about the U.S. Apple Association? …Better.

Maybe You should look to Your local state apple growers
association. After all, growing apples in Washington is
probably a little different than growing them in
Wisconsin or Virginia.

But why would other apple growers share their tips and
SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE with You? Why would they
cooperate with a competitor?

Because there is a big demand for apples and the things
people make with them. Helping You with Your orchard
makes the apple industry stronger.

If something goes really wrong at Your orchard, it
could adversely affect the industry in the entire
region, possibly even nationwide. Consumer health,
confidence, etc.

So, these folks are Your BEST source for help. Not only
are they actually DOING what You want to do, they also
have a vested INTEREST in Your SUCCESS.

The only place apple growers compete is at local,
county, and state fairs.

Mentoring For Free is the MLM growers association.

Don’t want a big, massive orchard? Just a few trees?
GREAT! We will help You too – ESPECIALLY You. Because,
actually, YOU ARE THE HOPE FOR THE WORLD!

Your Friend and Servant,
Ken Klemm – Florida, USA

P.S. By now You may think I have a passion for
apples… Not really, but I SAW an orchard once. I even
had a wild apple tree in my backyard.”

 

 

Get it?  If you do, you can download my free ebook, Success In 10 Steps, and start finding out what you can learn from the MLM Growers Association.

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

Sometimes I just need to speak up about something I think can cause a lot of grief for my fellow network marketers.

Every time I see someone shouting out about some famous superstar endorsing their MLM company’s product, and how THAT PROVES how wonderful their business opportunity is I just want to scream!

STOP!  STOP!  STOP!  DON’T GO THERE!

Companies who seek to put their credibility on the value of a famous star’s endorsement are more about hype and distracting prospect’s attention to glitz than the real business opportunity.

My friends, the ONLY WAY to evaluate an MLM business opportunity is to measure it up against the 5 Pillars.

Does the Company Management have Experience and Integrity?

Has the Company passed the “early failure” Time Line?

Is there a Reasonably Priced Remarkable Product?

Compensation Plan & Part-Timers?

Is there a System for Success?

Whenever someone presents me with an opportunity, I always ask for the Contract and Policies and Procedures.

Fully understanding these two documents is where your Network Marketing business is going to be built.

It has absolutely NOTHING to do with Mr. or Ms. Famous Superstar.

They know nothing about how the average network marketer builds a business or networks…it sure isn’t by schmoozing!

Famous endorsers have their Business Agents make these deals for them based on how profitable the deal will be for the Super Star, NOT the network marketers who will be building the business.

Think about it…where do you think the company is getting the money to pay for the endorsement?

Do you think it is going to come out of corporate’s budget or out of the pay plan?

Hmmmm….

OK, I’m climbing down now.

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

ps…

I’d love for you to leave a comment, like or tweet.

I have never gone to my MLM Company’s annual convention in the almost 3 years that I have been with them.

Excuses abound…usually the one that “I can’t afford it.”  After all, what would I do with my kids?  I can’t take them all with me.  I certainly can’t take the foster children in my care with me, and I have to pay to have them in respite.

More “I can’t afford it.”

Well, this year I am going through a transformation.

I decided to make a New Years Resolution early and start living it NOW.

I have made a choice to Live in Abundance, and not in Poverty.

Living in Poverty means coming from a mindset of lack.  When you come from lack, there never is enough money and there never will be, so you never go anywhere or do anything.

Living in Abundance means coming from a mindset of prosperity.  You recognize what you have and are thankful for the blessing of having it.

You know that God (or the Universe, or whatever your spiritual belief is) will provide you with your heart’s desires and everything that you need.

This week, I registered for my MLM company’s convention. 
I paid the $25 deposit with a payment plan of paying $50 June 1st and the remaining $50 July 1st.

January 1st, I will pay the $50 deposit to reserve my cabin on the Cruise ship.  (Yes, my company is holding convention on a cruise ship!).  This will leave 7 payments of $103 a month, which includes airfare.

I made a commitment to myself that I am going and that my business will grow and produce the needed funds to pay for my trip.

I expect it to happen.  I expect the money to come.

This is in sharp contrast to saying “I’ll go to convention when I can afford it.”  With that kind of poverty mindset, it will never happen because there is no expectation of the money coming.

When you want something that before you thought was unattainable or unaffordable, you need to write it down.

But speaking your desire and writing it down isn’t enough.

You have to write down your plan on how you will pay for your trip & expenses and how you will pay to have the kids and household taken care of while you are gone. 

Make sure to cover every expense you can think of and include it into your budget.

Figure when you need to pay your deposits, when installments or final payments are due, and how much you need to save each month.

Start making arrangements for childcare, pet care, and housesitting now and plan for at least one backup plan!

Again, figure when you may have to pay deposits to secure services and how much you will need to put away each month to pay the final bills.

When budgeting total amounts for your trip to convention, be sure to add in airfare, transport to & from the hotel, hotel room, food, tips, taxes not already added to rates, and any extra entertainment or events you might take advantage of.

Start now! 

Don’t wait until January 1st or until your team leaders start talking about your company’s convention coming up in a few short months.

Make your plans to attend the very next convention. 

If your company’s convention is right around the corner, and you don’t have enough time to budget your money, then start planning for the next year’s convention. 

It is never too early to start saving money…$50—$100 a month seems much more doable than looking at the total cost.

I have always heard that after a person attends convention, they come home and work their business with such enthusiasm, drive and focus, that their business booms.

So, get crackin’ and I’ll see you there on deck!

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com 

I am getting back in the saddle and returning to the blogging I love so much!

I watched a great inspiration video on the mindset a business builder must have when looking for business partners.

Here is is…Enjoy!

Click Here for video You Can’t Send a Duck to Eagle School

Believe In Your Success, I Do!

Karen

mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

The great inspirational leader, Zig Ziglar, once said, “Many people spend more time in planning the wedding than they do in planning the marriage.”

What does planning a wedding have to do with building your Network Marketing business?

Everybody knows how much time and money a bride-to-be invests in her wedding. It is very easy to get caught up in the hype and be seduced by the glittery gowns, shiny limos, and fine foods to be served at the reception.

Before she knows it, the bill is $10K or more, and sadly…50% of marriages end in divorce.

If only the couple had put as much planning and effort into building a strong foundation and having support systems in place for the bumpy times.

Starting a Network Marketing business is a lot like planning a wedding.

We get starry eyed and hooked on focusing on our dreams. It is easy to get sidetracked with all of the glitter and hype.

We think we are prepared and have the guidance we need to succeed, but so often, many of us find achieving our goals and reaching our dreams far out of reach.

Then we quit.

Wouldn’t it be better to know there was a way to plan for building a strong foundation and have the support systems in place for the bumpy times in our business building?

Wouldn’t it be better to know how to succeed at being the 3% who actually make it in MLM?

There’s no great secret to this…no special person you have to become.

Be Yourself.

Be Committed.

Be Persistent.

Be Focused.

Be Informed.

Learn how to ask the 5 Critical Questions to your Success and Know How to Get the Answers.

Send me an email to mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com requesting an audio training of the Five Pillars to Success.

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
email: mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

“The Future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their Dreams.” ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

PS: Be sure to check read our FREE eBook which shows you step-by-step how to reach your dreams.
http://mlmsuccess4u.successin10steps.com

When approached with an opportunity to join a Network Marketing Business, you are often presented with a Compensation Plan.

Usually someone in your prospective sponsor’s upline who has reached a high leadership level will explain it.

There are usually graphs, diagrams, and examples illustrated.

The presentation most likely focuses on what you could potentially earn if you build big.

This often leaves the prospect…you…starry eyed and quivering with the anticipation of making enough money to pay off your debts and house, retire early, and buy your own private paradise island complete with a yacht.

One of the tables that might be overlooked in the presentation is the disclosure of Distributor Statistics.

These statistics may tell you the percentage of distributor retention, average earnings, and rate of advancement. 

Additional Distributor Statistics

51% of our distributors earn between $126.00 and $646.00 annually.

2% of distributors advance from a development level to a leadership level.

47% of distributors advance beyond the basic rank.

The above numbers tell us important realities.

1.  Just over half of the distributors make on average $126 to $646 annually. 

That means per year! 
That works out to an average of $10.50 to $54 per month.
Most would agree those figures are a far cry from the 5 figure per month incomes we are shown during presentations!  

2.  Only 2% of all distributors advance to leadership positions.

That is likely the level one has to achieve in order to make those 5 figure incomes.

3.  Almost half of all distributors advance beyond the basic level.

This could mean any level of advancement.
It at least indicates that almost half of the people putting in an effort to build a business actually do make some progress.

It is important to pay attention to these figures for one reason.

It helps to get your feet planted firmly on the ground!

The people presenting the comp plan and other aspects of the business opportunity are not intentionally misleading you.

But the fact remains that part of your success in a Network Marketing business is in sponsoring new distributors.

To maximize distributor satisfaction and create a feeling that each person is successful and building their business, you need to sponsor people relatively quickly.

Therefore, business presentations are designed to dangle a shinny object in front of a prospect who is hungry for extra money.

Key elements are presented in writing right in front of your face, but not directly explained in the presentation.

Often these items are not seen or read until after signing on the dotted line…if at all.

Make a point of reading everything before you sign!  At least you will be entering your new opportunity with your eyes wide open.

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

We are taught many different ways to talk to prospects in the hopes of bringing people into our business opportunity.

Many times we are told to be enthusiastic.

I remember being told once that if I wasn’t having success, I wasn’t enthusiastic enough or I didn’t have a strong enough belief.

A lot of people are taught the method of Firehosing.

Firehosing is when you spray your prospect with an enormous amount of facts and enthusiasm for your opportunity.

This approach is so forceful, that you drive more people away than you attract. 

Even though you see this happening, you have probably been told that the ones fleeing the scene just weren’t interested and you need to keep finding more people.

There is limited truth in that.  Of course, not everyone you speak to will be a prospect for your opportunity.

But you should be having some success in what you are doing.  If you feel like you are turning people off, you probably are.

When Lee Iacocca became President of Chrysler, he asked an important question:

“What does the customer want?” 

This principle is easily applied to Network Marketing.

When we approach a lead about our opportunity, it is important to find out what they want!

The big mistake is being so arrogant in thinking that your lead wants or needs what you have.

No one likes to have things pushed down their throats.

Not politics.
Not religion.
Not parenting techniques.
And certainly not business decisions.

How do you know what your prospect wants or needs?

In Harry Browne’s The Secret of Selling Anything, he tells you.

Ask!

Learn the skill of asking the right questions and then listen to what your prospect has to say.

Once you know what your prospect wants you will be able to tailor your presentation and services accordingly.

Be careful not to give too much information all at once.  You will be confusing your prospect and you will create doubt in his mind.

Answer the first question or need.

Then, ask again, Is there anything else you want to know?

Creating a two way dialogue is more natural and feels more relaxed for your prospect.  People often take months to make a decision to join an opportunity.

Be patient, communicate, and turn off the hose.

Believe in Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

There is always a lot of hype about the big money that can be made in MLM.

Presentations showcase income potentials by creating examples of checks that “could” be earned.  They usually have very high $ amounts that get the prospect starry-eyed.

Some examples take a sampling of a downline’s highest monthly earnings and combine them into one hypothetical month. 

Another example is to show a possible 4 or 5 level downline with 2 or 3 superstar builders.

Then the potential commission that could be earned by You, the potential upline sponsor, is shown.

The problem with these kinds of examples is that they do not accurately represent reality for the average person who joins an MLM.

Very few distributors ever create a lucrative downline with a handful of superstar builders, or distributors who make top commissions every month.

Additionally, no one ever mentions to the new prospect that to make a consistent 5 figure income takes several years of dedicated work.

A more accurate example of earning potential is to answer the 10K question. 

How many people (distributors and retail customers) does a distributor need in his/her downline to make $10,000 a month in residual income?

Residual income does not count one time bonuses or superstar 1% payouts.  
Residual income is only the commissions paid on group volume from product sales.

The 10K question also gets prospects starry-eyed since so few people can actually envision making that kind of monthly recurring income.

The demonstration that needs to be made to answer a more realistic question is to show how to make new distributors financially successful in the first 2 –3 months.

Most new distributors walk away from their MLM business because there is no financial reward.

A pay plan has to be structured so a new person working part time can start making a few hundred dollars a month within the first couple of months.

My fellow mentors, Bob and Anna Bassett        , have called this the Half-K Question.

Their example asks how much money will a distributor make if he/she generates $500 a month in sales.

This could mean having one distributor in the downline and a handful of retail customers.

Find the commission the company pays for volume.  It could be 5%, 10%, or up to 40%. 

Commissions are figured counting volume points, but the percentage is paid on the dollar amount of sales.

If the commission is 5%, then multiply 500 by .05 to get your commission $ amount of $25.

A commission of 10% on $500 is $50.

A commission of 20% on $500 is $100.

This isn’t going to buy anybody a yacht just yet.  But it does give a prospect a realistic idea of how hard he/she has to work to make a hundred bucks.

The first $100 is just the first step to achieving the $10,000 a month income.  The next $100 is the next step and so on.

Know your compensation pay plan so you can figure out the Half-K Question.

Know how you will make your first $100 and know how easy or hard it will be for the people you sponsor into the business to make their first $100.

If you need help figuring it out, just ask!

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen
mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com

Whenever something like this happens, it sends shockwaves through the Network Marketing community.

Hundreds of thousands of people depend on operating a low start up home based business, like those found with a multi level marketing or direct sales business.

We are single mothers, stay at home moms, working dads trying to make ends meet, students, retirees, anybody going after the American Dream.

It is frightening for us when an MLM company shuts down or ends their MLM program.  Overnight thousands of people can lose their checks, whether they were making a couple hundred a month or 10s of thousands a month.

It is tragic for everyone.

Network Marketing is still a sound industry.  There is a lot of money to be made by anyone willing to be educated, coached and committed enough to put forth the effort and time required to succeed. 

Part of the learning curve can be shortened in respect to learning how to evaluate an MLM opportunity.

If you’re in MLM, you need to be willing to treat it like a serious business opportunity.  This means learning skills like the 5 Pillars to Success. 

The 5 Pillars are tools you can use to evaluate the stability of an MLM company. 

• Learn how hard you will have to work with a company’s pay plan.  Can a part-timer make satisfactory income?
• Learn what clauses to look for in the Policy and Procedures that do not have the distributor’s’ best interest at heart.
• Learn what else to look for in the company’s management experience and product.

In just a few short hours, Mentoring For Free will be having a free teleseminar on the 5 Pillars.

For access information for the 9 pm EST call tonight, March 20th, please email mentorkaren.freetrainingoffer@gmail.com .

If you miss the live call, send me an email requesting the link to the recording of the call to mentor.karen.j.miller@gmail.com .

Believe in Your Success, I Do!
Karen

Recently I have been getting a ton of calls—recorded calls, no less!—offering to sell me endless prequalified leads for my MLM home based business.

They are using web harvesters to pick my phone number and other contact information off of my website.

I don’t mind being called by people.  After all, that is why my number is posted here.

But I do want to talk to real live people and I do not like being pitched.

Believe me, once I hear it is a pitch, I hang up!  If you are a real person calling with a pitch and expect me to return your call, I won’t.

It is best to generate your own leads. 

1. Network with like minded people who are already interested in MLM. 
2. Offer something of value for free that will help your contacts in building their businesses.
3. Build relationships with your network.

Of the people you help, a handful will likely want to join you in your business.

1. These people know, like, and trust you.
2. They are motivated and coachable.
3. You know they will be committed business builders.

This is the essence of
“Work Smarter, Not Harder.”

Build your business with these people and you will have a low attrition rate, a smaller group of people to train and support, and a group of people making good income for themselves and You.

If you think buying leads is a good way to build your business, listen to this recording from my mentor, Michael Dlouhy.

Selling Leads Is a Scam.

Believe In Your Success, I Do!
Karen