Balance - Staying Sane Mastering Network Marketing

For three months now I have been completely immersed in learning the techniques of effective network marketing on the internet. For those months I have been on a real high that felt like nothing less than a honeymoon. I was so relieved to find the mentors who were giving me the knowledge needed for my goal, that I instantly manifested a one-pointed focus bordering on obsession. I was advised for my first task to pick one of the main big social media sites and put all my efforts there to build an internet presence, create relationships, and learn how to be of value to others. I had something to do that took me away from the endless thinking, thinking, thinking about my sorrows, and this was a welcome and much-needed medicine. I chose Facebook, and with guidance and advice, began the process of building the relationships there that would help me to branch out of what had become for me, due to the events of the past two years, a diminished life. Slowly I began to meet people who were on the same path. I connected with other network marketers on Facebook. We were all reaching out to each other to help and be helped, and this was a heady antidote to the social isolation that my time of grieving had fostered. New tasks would present, and new skills were needed, so I had to increase my research savvy. New terminology flooded in to be mastered, as well as a deeper understanding of social media and all the sites that facilitate this phenomena: Onlywire, Digg, Mixx, Tumbler, Twitter, and many, many more. I had never even heard of social bookmarking. Now I had to learn it and use it. Added to that was article marketing, and the intensive training that required. Many late nights found me doing keyword research and writing.About a week ago, I started to get irritable and feel tired, but just tried to ignore it. Still, I was up and at my keyboard every morning, most of the day, and into the night. It was do or die! Just at this time I received an email from my company, expressing concern and compassion for this time of feeling overwhelmed and confused, assuring me it happens to everyone who sticks with it, and to take a breather and relax and have patience along with persistence. Who me? Overwhelmed? Confused? Nooo....I was in the zone! I received an email from a fellow networker about going in circles and I gave him the advice I had gotten (for which he thanked me heartily), "This happens to everyone, take a breather and have faith, and hang in...it will pass." Yesterday morning I felt awful when I awoke, drank some coffee and took headache pills and plowed back in, neither listening to nor taking my own advice. Then the wall hit me square in the face last night and I had a good crying spell, put on my pj's and crawled into bed at 9 PM. I laid there letting it flood in...I was burned out. But, due to the wise counsel of the most excellent mentors in my company, I knew this was predictable enough for them to judge just when their letter should be sent. So I was able to take a deep breath and know, "This too shall pass."Today I awoke knowing that I had neglected an essential part of this process - balance! I had forgotten to feed my spirit. Things I used to do regularly to nurture my core had been a casualty of a myopic focus on the logistical aspects of learning this business. And I recalled again something the founders of my company said when talking about mindset - what they loved the most about their success was not the money but the people they had become in the process. It's all part of the process of change. Some of us are countering generations of poverty culture and this is not an easy thing we are doing. This is when persistence saves the day. The overwhelm, the mental exhaustion, are passed through with strength drawn from a commitment to see this journey through. Stepping back, but not giving up, knowing when to slow down and nurture the spirit, but not quit. The journey itself teaches a new delicacy of balance. I'm learning to ride this bike!So today I spent the day in meditation, and reading and listening to my spiritual teachers, refreshing my soul and reminding myself of why I am taking this journey in the first place...love and service to those precious young ones whom I promised a helping hand in starting their lives. I feel gratitude for the gift of finding this path, and the gift of the wisdom to choose it. I understand the pearl hidden in this struggle, and why I would never go for a "turnkey" operation, or why I would never seek get rich quick opportunities, and why lottery winners too often fail to hold onto their sudden wealth. If you choose this path, or are already on this path, perhaps you have reached that point of feeling overwhelmed, like there is simply too much to learn, and you feel impatient for results. I encourage you to look to the experiences of our mentors, those who like us, started from a humble place, yet built an empire. They will tell you this is a journey of personal growth which cannot be rushed, nor are there short cuts. This process transforms us at a depth and is of a quality and substance such that we expand into a genuine capacity to offer something from ourselves of real value to others. We are developing the millionaire mind, a benefit which will emerge in everyone who sticks with this process of internal transformation into a leader. The journey toward success develops persistence, staying on focus, self-reliance, ceaseless self-improvement and learning, true interest in the well-being of others, accepting and absorbing the wisdom of our mentors, and the wisdom to return to the Self to recharge - balance.

Residual Income Business Opportunity Litmus Test

With so many business opportunities available today on the Internet it's difficult to determine which ones are valid. A flashy website with pictures of money in fancy cars can be deceiving at best. Anyone with a little skill can throw together one of these websites, today's Internet game can also be outsourced very cheap. Read carefully and find out how to determine which ones are best for you and which ones are scams.Let's first begin with taking a look at the actual company itself. There is a clue, is it even a company at all? You should be able to do a little research using your favorite search engine and find out if there's any negative or legitimate problems with the company. There are plenty of websites out there like MLM watchdog that you can use for free. I would also research company owners and the management. What kind of experience, good or bad do they have in the industry. Be careful where you get your information from, because there are a lot of websites that are designed just to sell you something.Okay, let's assume you found a decent company now how about the product. In order for it to be a legitimate company there has to be a real product or service. This one is easy. A good rule of thumb to follow is, would you buy the product or service without the business opportunity attached? If the answer is no, then why would you ever consider the opportunity. Most MLM companies have great products, the problem is they are grossly overpriced. Value pricing is usually non-existent with a lot of companies. Now-a-days the company should be able to compete with traditional storefront businesses. If this is not the case then you will find yourself trying to sell your product.Compensation plans are usually so confusing that most people have no idea how they are getting paid. This is another red flag waving right in your face. Let's say you're looking for a part-time job, wouldn't you want to know how much you're going to get paid? If the manager came out and said congratulations you've got the job, then hand you a pay plan that you didn't understand. Wouldn't you want the pay plan explained? Of course you would, salaries are easy to explain and compensation plans should be too. The best compensation plan is the one that pays the most money with the least amount of people. Now I'm talking about average volume, not some cash gifting scam. The industry average of volume for a distributor product purchase is around $150 a month. If the company you're looking at requires more money than the industry average to qualify for the pay plan, this is another flag.You probably have noticed that I have not mentioned anything about fancy websites, piles of money or pictures of big houses within this article. They have nothing to do with your success or whether or not you're involved with a legitimate residual income business opportunity. Follow these simple steps and increase your chances for success by working with the right company.

How to Find a Top Online Business

There is an abundance of work from home opportunities on the internet so finding exactly the right one that will suite you is not easy. This is the method I used.1. Avoid any website that has outrageous income claims.2. Avoid sites with money flying around all over the place, this is just a visual ploy to suck you in.3. Try to stop yourself from going for the freebie they offer, although some free offers are very good, they are just another way of getting you to sign up.4. A website that contains multiple flashing banner ads and has different offers all over the page is definitely a red flag.5. Be careful of people making scam claims about other businesses, these are usually the people that are scamming you or trying to get you to join their business by defaming another.6.One thing I know for sure....."Get rich quick", "make money now" and "This opportunity will not last long" blatantly screams a scam!7. Most of the businesses that are not the real deal offer a mass produced website for a cheap price or even for free. The internet is full of opportunists just waiting to take your money. Not many provide training and you will soon realize you have been duped when you are not making the outrageous amounts of money they promised you.8. Look for details like, do they provide direct contact details, personal phone or mobile numbers a business address or Skype address or any way that you could contact them directly. Make contact with this person through Facebook or Twitter to get to know them, ask questions.9. Most people looking for an on line opportunity usually have not worked on line before or have a basic knowledge of the internet. So, a business with a great opportunity would be one that would teach you how the system works from beginning to end. An opportunity that makes you think... I can do this?10. You will need to know how to promote your business opportunity and how to generate leads etc. Ask yourself, will this business offer everything I will need to succeed?11. Will you have a sponsor to work with and support you with your home business.My Personal TipLook for a home business that gives you the opportunity to try out for a period of time (30 days) is enough time to see if the business will suit you.It is common place these days to be charged an application fee, which is fully refundable in most cases. Some of the top opportunities on the internet have set in place an application fee to sort out the serious from the curious.Last of all, look for transparency, trust you're built in instincts and then go with your gut feeling! Following this will certainly point you in the right direction.

Direct Marketing Offers Flexibility Plus Support

Hundreds of thousands of people in North America work either part or full time for some type of direct marketing company. "Direct marketing" refers to selling something, either a product or a service, directly to consumers. This kind of selling "by-passes" the typical retail venues, like a physical store. Direct marketing companies also rely most heavily on word-of-mouth to promote its products rather than commercials, newspaper/magazine ads, etc.These companies recruit independent sales representatives to promote and sell their products. This kind of selling typically occurs within the home of a customer who agrees to hold a "show" or a "party". The party host/hostess then invites a group of friends and acquaintances to hear about the product or service. The independent sales representative describes and demonstrates the product or service that he/she is trying to sell to guests.The independent sales representative usually earns a commission, or percentage of the total amount of sales for a show or shows. Every direct marketing company is different, but typically an independent sales representative earns somewhere between 15 and 25 percent of the total amount of sales that he/she generates.The goal of direct marketing, aside from making sales, is to keep the chain of sales going. Independent sales representatives try to generate new business during these in-home shows. They may offer the host/hostess a bonus product or a small commission for any new shows that are booked by guests at the party.The biggest benefit joining up with a direct marketing company is that independent sales representatives are able to choose their own work schedules. They are almost always free to sell as little or as much as they want to (although the parent company may offer strong incentives to reach certain sales targets). There may be a minimum monthly sales quota to meet in order to remain "active" with the company, though there are many companies that don't have a monthly quota.Direct marketing is one of the most popular and simplest ways to work at home. Independent sales representatives have the benefit of a parent company which offers training and sales advice. They also have opportunities to work for extra rewards over and above the commission check for meeting sales targets. Cruises, trips and cars are commonly offered to top sales representatives.You don't necessarily have to be the world's best sales person to be successful at direct marketing. You probably have what it takes if:* You enjoy socializing and meeting new people.* You are self-motivated.* You really like the product(s) or service(s) that a particular company offers. "Avid customers make the best sales representatives" is a very common mantra in direct marketing. If you already enjoy and believe in the product, you won't have to worry about sounding like you're making a phony or contrived sales pitch.* You like to challenge yourself.Direct marketing allows the independent sales representative to be his or her own boss, yet still have the support of more experienced mentors. Some people choose this kind of work as a part time or supplementary income. Others work it into a full time, sustainable and livable income. Either way, direct marketing is an excellent way to make money at home.

Make Easy and Quick Money at Home Working Online - Finding the Right Company

If you're tired of getting the same old results from your life or you want more money to do the things that you really enjoy doing with your family then you need to make a change! People all over the world are turning towards the internet for a solution to their problems. The internet is a great place to make money for people looking for part time or full time work. Starting your own business online is cheap and easy to do.The first thing you've got to do is to start looking for company; now there are thousands of companies out there but you need to find a few that interest you. Make sure you do your homework these companies and study their owners and leaders, training, mentoring program, products, compensation plan, and the overall reputation of the company.Creating success online doesn't have to be hard. Finding a great company is half the battle. The company should teach you everything you need to know to be a successful online marketer, so don't worry if you don't have any experience.The most successful online marketers are those people that work hard and consistently. You've got to know that success doesn't happen overnight. You've got first learn and apply multiple marketing methods and focus your time on drawing traffic and talking with prospects.Stay close to your mentor, especially in the beginning. They should help you decide which marketing methods to use and assist you with any difficulties that you have.

The 5 Major Challenges Faced by Network Marketers

You are reading this article because you want to overcome the 5 major challenges faced by network marketers and eventually make money on line. Let's get started...Challenge # 1: The Massive Increase in Social Media Marketing Outlets.This challenge doesn't have to do with social media directly but rather how it's being used inefficiently by most people. The medium itself is actually a dream come true for those of us building their network business around their names.The solution will be found in the disciplined application of these new tools, which we'll explore later.Challenge # 2: Increase in Competition and Information.Nowadays distributors and customers alike have instant access to an endless supply of tools systems leaders training, opinions and sales pitches which continuously plant seeds of doubt and distract them with promises of better, faster cheaper and easier.The only solution to this problem is you.Challenge # 3: Increase in Legal Oversight by Your Network Marketing Company.You might have noted that Federal regulatory agencies like the FTC continue to clamp down on product sand income claims made by distributors in the network marketing industry who do not know the law when it comes to advertising and marketing. Judging by what is happening today; this trend will only continue to increase in the coming years.Challenge # 4: Decrease in Attention Spans.We are the ADD generation and we have little tolerance for website, videos and information pieces that waste our time. As network marketers, the commodity we are after is attention... the eyeball time of our prospects.Challenge # 5 Lack of Real Security as a Network Marketing Distributor.As a network marketing distributor you don't own anything, and you don't have any rights. You don't own the product, the company, your down line, the domain name or the marketing pieces.You are an independent distributor, getting paid a commission for referring customers to the parent company.Which means your distributorship and your money can be taken away at any time, for any reason.The first thing we have to strive for is the ownership and control. You need a distributor channel as well, that you own.What can we do?So how can we conquer all the 5 major challenges? How do you immunize yourself against competition?How to do capture and hold the attention of your prospects?How to take advantage of social media, without losing focus on the tasks that actually make you money?How do you market your opportunity if you can't use your company's name?

Start a Home Business - Become an Entrepreneur

If you want to own a successful home business that generates a generous residual and passive income, first you must build it. The essential tools you will require for this is a personal computer, wireless phone or a land line, a high speed internet connection (DSL or Cable Modem), a few dollars (not allot) that you are willing to invest in small supplements until your business pays for itself, the willingness to work hard that few extra hours a week, a sustainable positive attitude, the patience to see your mission through until it is complete and a good network marketing home business opportunity. Once your business is able to profit you a livable wage, increase the hours you spend on it and the income streams you will be able to develop will be limitless, residual and passive. At this point it is all a matter of what degree of financial success you are willing to apply the efforts necessary to achieve. If you want to have the ability to become a millionaire from your home business you have to be able to dream that big, think that big, and back it by intense consistent actions. Do it and it will happen!The worst thing you can do, which will certainly insure failure is to fool yourself. Failure is easy, anyone can fail. Failure is a ticket back to what you where doing before. Success means taking responsibility. The journey to it will likely be a road around your comfort zone and not through it. The truth is most people fear success far more than they fear failure. They may have trouble admitting it or even seeing it to be true, but the majority fear it. They fear the responsibilities it takes to become successful. They fear the pitfalls along the road. They fear that they won't get return on their investment (however minimum it may be) and they fear how others will judge them during the difficult early months and first couple of years. The prior listed components are all essential. Removal of just one and you will fail. Exercise all and you are certain to succeed. An entrepreneur's goal is to succeed. Money is a byproduct of success. Reaching the destination justifies the length of the journey, but you can not get there if you do not start the travel.The wealthiest individuals in the world are entrepreneurs. The word entrepreneur is defined in the dictionary as "a person who operates and assumes the risk of a business venture". The wonderful part of living in the 21st century information age is that you can have the backing of a multi billion dollar company that utilizes network marketing for its product distribution, thereby not using their mass fortunes to directly compete against you. By being this type of entrepreneur you can operate your business from your home, and inexpensively market across the word wide web. The risk tolerance is virtually removed, and possibly best of all, people are ready, willing and able to help you, because the culture and structure of the industry is dependent upon people helping people.