Monday, November 30, 2009

How To Convert Internet Marketing Leads Into Sales

You're out doing a great job of generating leads. You're beginning to see the fruits of your labors. Now you're wondering why your leads are not turning into sales or recruits. There could be a number of things that are taking place for there to be a break down. I am going to give you a few tips to convert internet marketing leads into sales.

1) Sales Copy: The first thing I think about when the sales from a new campaign are weak is my sales copy. What am I saying, or in many cases, what am I not saying? You have to understand that in the world of internet marketing, you have about 5 seconds to grab the attention of your prospect. I know you want to thank them and make them feel good, etc. but the truth is your prospect wants to know 3 things and they want to know them NOW!! What are you offering? What can it do for me? How do I get it? These are the questions your prospect wants answered and they want it quickly. You have to understand that your prospect has already found themselves on your Landing Page. This means you have already given them enough information to get them there. Now it is time to make the sale. If sales copy is not your thing, work on it! Yes, you can outsource, but how will you ever know if what you're buying is good work? You could spend months testing and tens of thousands of dollars lost by not having good sales copy. Refine your sales copy and give your prospect what they are looking for. You already have them there, now give it to them!

2) Clear Message: If your Marketing or Advertising talks about being about being able to help you grow world class tomatoes in 2 weeks and I end up at your Landing Page and you're trying to sell me watermelons, I'm gonna leave. I know this may seem like a no-brainer, however, most people are not giving clear messages on their landing pages. If you are running multiple different marketing strategies and advertising messages, you need to have multiple different Landing Pages with correlating messages. If you do this not only will the search engines like you a whole lot more, you will conversions will sky rocket. Each piece of marketing needs to act like a map for your prospect. Start here, take these directions and end here. We're talking about being able to convert internet marketing leads into sales, not just having a blog and landing page up and hoping for the best. You must plan, test, reevaluate and make changes constantly.

3) Offer: If you've worked on your sales copy and you have a clear message on your landing page that corresponds with all of your marketing and you still can't convert internet marketing leads into traffic, your offer sucks. I don't say this to be rude, it simply is what it is. There is a possibility that there simply isn't a market for what you are selling. If this is the case your problem is much greater than simply conversions. Go back through your entire process as if you were a prospect. What are you looking for? Do you have what I want? Have you given me enough previous information? What will it do for me? Does the offer make me reach for my Credit Card? Put yourself in the shoes of your prospects. We are all consumers. We all have some of the same most very basic needs that we feel need to be met. Make sure you are giving your prospect the same in terms of your offer.

Being able to convert internet marketing leads into sales is a science. There is most definitely a method to the madness. In order for you to be able to convert like the big boys, you need to be able to understand how it all works together. The sooner you can pick apart your own marketing and sales system the sooner you'll be converting internet marketing leads into sales. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Make sure to check back often for more info. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

How To Succeed With An Internet Marketing Blueprint

Everyone is looking for that one final piece to the puzzle. That one crucial item that they are leaving out. You know, that secret that the pros use and don't tell anybody about. Well, I can tell you that it's not one piece, item or special secret that produce top earner results. It is, however, a winning internet marketing blueprint. So, my goal today is to give you some information about the different pieces that come together to give you a successful internet marketing blueprint.

1) Blog: First and foremost you are going to need a blog. Let me explain why this is such an important piece of the puzzle. A blog serves as your HUB. This is where everything comes to and flows from. So, if you have an article, video or any other type of CONTENT RICH marketing out there, it will bring you back to your blog. Take for instance, an individual does a Google search and comes across your article. This prospect reads your article, is impressed and follows the link to your blog. Up until the point of them going to your blog, you were just some person with a nice article. Now that they are on your blog, they are introduced to EVERYTHING related to your particular market/industry. Thus, positioning yourself as an expert in this field. Now, on the other side of the Marketing coin. Let's say a prospect clicks on one of your ads of a PPC (Pay Per Click) campaign and is taken directly to Landing Page. After your prospect is done with your Landing Page, I promise you that prospect is going to Google your name to find out who you are. Are they going to find anything? If you have a blog with lots of CONTENT RICH information they will. If not, you are just another talking head trying to take someone's money. Be an expert and get a blog!

2) Landing Page: This is also known as a Capture Page or a Squeeze Page. This is basically your sales page. A prospect can find themselves on this page through multiple different avenues. Take for instance this blog, when you click on this link you'll be taken to my Landing Page for an opportunity to work directly with me. Some marketers will have you link directly to their landing page from an article, video or other form of Marketing. This is completely up to you and depends on where you are trying to drive traffic and what you are trying to sell. Your Landing Page is not a blog! Your Landing Page does not have to be pretty. Your Landing Page does need to be a great piece of Sales writing. Let's not mix words here, your Landing page and all of your marketing is sales! If it's not it's a waste of time. Your not in Marketing as a hobby, you're in marketing to sell a product or help others sell a product. So understanding it is a sales process, your Landing page needs to entice your prospect to BUY NOW.

3) Auto Responders: Although we would all like to think everyone who goes to the landing page is going to buy, the truth is the vast majority will not. Somewhere along the way you have done a good enough job to actually get them to your landing page, so there is a certain amount of interest. It has been researched that most people need to see something up to 7 times before they make a purchase. So, since none of us are good with follow up, we need auto responders. And I can hear you now, "I pride myself on following up with everyone, I don't need auto responders." Really, these are the words of someone who doesn't get 300-500 leads per week. If you're keeping up with the follow up with all of those people, that has become your full time job. Go to http://www.aweber.com and set up an account and get your auto responders in place. There's nothing like making money in the middle of the night due to the work of the auto responders and the system.

Obviously with limited space I can't go into great detail about a successful internet marketing blueprint. These are, however, some of the basics that ALL top producers have in place. Each one of these pieces serves a purpose of a larger goal. Use each of these pieces as they are meant to be used and you'll be designing your own internet marketing blueprint. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Make sure to check back often to get more information. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Monday, November 23, 2009

How To Dominate Your Online Market

Online Business is more competitive now than ever before. And, I've got news for you, I don't see it slowing down anytime soon. So, if you want to dominate your online market, there are a few things you are going to need to do on a consistent basis. While it is true that you can have a great Marketing and Sales system in place that requires little involvement of you, truly dominating your online market is going to require some hands on work. Let's get started!

1) Content: This is so important it's ridiculous. I don't care what industry, market or line of work you're in, if you want good rankings and quality traffic to your business, you need to produce good quality content. I spent some time over the weekend with a friend of mine in the insurance business. We got to talking about manufacturing leads, driving traffic and all the other good stuff I love to talk about. I took a look at his site and immediately saw a few mistakes. The first being content. Look, nobody cares how nice your office, how long the company has been around, what part of town your located, etc. You know what people want? They want FREE content that they can actually use. Now, the better the content, the more information you should get. In the case of my insurance buddy, why not give out the 10 most commonly asked questions about buying Health insurance, or the 10 most common questions that SHOULD be asked. Or, a report on how new Government guidelines can and will effect your insurance policies. I have no idea what it is for your business, but what ever it is, make it relevant to your industry and make it so that it helps people make a decision to buy. When you have given them enough information to buy, they will buy from you.

2) SPECIFIC Keywords: Keywords are great, but specific keywords are even better. Some call these long tailed keywords. I like to just say specific. So, if you're a mechanic that specializes in the restoration of '65 Mustangs and you live and work in Orlando, FL, you should be HAMMERING those specific keywords. "Orlando, FL '65 Mustang restoration." Get creative with this. Add words like "how to" or "did you know" maybe "you'll never believe." Again, whatever it is, make it as specific and as relevant to you and your business as possible. The previously mentioned keywords would get you much better results that simply "Mustang restoration." You may get more traffic with the broad keyword, but it won't turn into more revenue for you. So what do you want, a lot of traffic or a lot of money?

3) Media: You have multiple outlets to distribute your content and you should take advantage of all of them. Currently the most effective medias to get your message out to your market are: Articles, Blogs, Videos, Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and of course PPC (Pay Per Click). 4 of the 5 of these are free by the way. It doesn't take a genius to dominate your online market, it just takes a little work. And when I say a little work, I'm serious. You should be able to do all of your Marketing work in less than 2-3 hours. If your best skill set is not marketing, outsource. I don't care how you do it, just make sure you do it. Like I said before, anyone can put together a great Marketing and Sales system and generate a good revenue. However, if you're a business owner who wants to dominate your online market, you will have your message out on as many medias as possible.

Online Marketing is a lot like the news. Messages change, offers come and go and tools soon become out dated. Make sure this is something that is done regularly. I'm not telling you that you've got to do these things 4-5 hours a day every day, but it should be done minimum 3 times a week. Yesterday's news is old news and with the speed of information these days, it truly pays to be in front of the curve. I hope these tips help you dominate your online market. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Holy Cow..I Just Won The Lottery!!

"The odds of a "Lotto" style lottery can be found with the formula: n! / (n - r)! r! where n is the highest numbered ball and r is the number of balls chosen. This is called in math a combination. An easier way to think about it is if there are 40 balls and 6 are chosen, there are 40 possible numbers that can come up first, leaving 39 that can come up second, then 38, 37, 36, and finally 35 on the final number. To find out how many numbers that is you multiply 40 ×39 ×38 ×37 ×36 × 35 = 2,763,633,600 making the odds 2 and a half billion to one."

So, would you rather play the Lotto or systematically build your Online Business? I can tell you if you are diligent about building your Online Business and have put together enough capital to do it right your chances of winning are almost set in stone for you. the greatest part about generating revenue in Direct Sales is that you don't have to re-create the wheel. All you have to do is get out of your own way, follow the system, put in the work and cash the checks. This is not rocket science and it is not the Lotto mentality. We aren't gambling here, we're winning!

Ask yourself how much better you'd feel if you could bank on an extra $10k per month. No wondering, no stressing, no doubting. You KNOW that you have done the necessary work to be able to produce $10k per month income from your business. A lot of you right now are thinking there is no way to do that. I'm here to tell you that not only is there a way, but $10k per month is just getting started.

Do you think McDonalds stresses about whether or not they are going to sell more cheeseburgers? do you think they sit around and doubt that the Big Mac is going to sell? The answer to both of these are an emphatic NO!! This company, as yours should, has marketing and sales systems in place. When you have implemented the correct marketing and sales systems it becomes a matter of fine tuning to get better, not wondering if you're going to succeed. When you've become proficient with your marketing and sales systems you think about how you can increase profits, not how your going to get your neighbor to join your business.

Now you see why I said I've won the lottery. In the formula above the average pay out is a NEGATIVE 74 cents. With a proven Marketing and Sales system paired with a great product and comp plan, your profit margin should be no less than 75%. What sounds better, losing money or making money?

Treat your business like a business and it will pay you like the lottery. There are thousands of people in the Direct Sales industry who make money like clock work. I guarantee all of these people have a repeatable sales and marketing system. Do you? And if you do, are you maximizing the system or are you trying to punch holes in it? What I'm trying to get across to you is that there is a TON of abundance out there waiting for you. Unfortunately, most would rather do something like play the Lotto. My guess is most would rather play the Lotto because it's a dream and deep down they know they aren't going to win.

Building a massively successful Online Business, on the other hand is real. Along with having something real comes responsibility to make it work. I know you've got what it takes. The great part about it is your Online Business can be far more reliable than the Lotto. Take a look at this example. You have an Online Business that generates $100k per year. You see an investment property you can pick up for pennies on the dollar. This investment will double your net worth and give you a positive cash flow starting the first month. The only problem is you don't have the money to put it together.

No worries, you simply go to the bank and show them how stable and repeatable your business is and you are awarded with favorable financing to make your deal work. Try this with a Lotto ticket. Seriously, walk into your bank, explain to them the deal you want to put together and when they ask about your financing simply show them the Lotto ticket!

So what are you going to do? Are you going to play the Lotto or become the Lotto? My money is on becoming the Lotto and securing your future forever. Plug into a proven Sales and Marketing System and watch your Online Business explode. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Loving The Frustration of Building An Online Business

That's right, I love the frustration! If you are doing everything you can to stay away from frustration, you are staying away from the things that are going to take you to the next level. There are no if's ands or buts about it.

Tell me if this sounds familiar. "I'm getting involved with company X. Yeah, there's this guy who has a system and he says you only need two! This guy's making like $50k per month and I'll I've got to do is get my 2 and use the system."

Is this true? Sure, if you're experienced in building a business, recruiting, communication (let me say that one more time) communication, and taking on a leadership role to continue the success of your team. It's no secret that the success rate in Direct Sales, or any business for that matter, is relatively small. This is not because the company isn't real, the system doesn't work or your upline is a liar. It's because you are spending your time doing the things you WANT to do instead of the things that drive you crazy and frustrate you. Fact is, most people are simply afraid of doing something they are unfamiliar with because they are unsure of the outcome. This is when you hear things like, "I'm not sure I'm doing it right, so I'm gonna wait." That's the kiss of death. Of course you're not going to do it right the first time, but you'll never be able to do it right until you DO IT!!

Frustration is just like any other emotion. It is giving you feedback. In the case of frustration, it is simply telling you that what you're doing isn't working. This is usually the point when most give up. Further, if they don't give up, they usually tend to just get angry and possibly throw a fit. Both of these behaviors are counter productive to you accomplishing your goal. I can tell you personally that it took me close to 4 hours to get a website up and functional. I'm not talking about actually building the site and doing all the HTML, coding and fun stuff I still have a hard time with. No, I was just simply trying to get it to go live. This is a task that takes people "in the know" about 20 minutes.

I can tell you that I was VERY frustrated. However, the site is up, running and producing revenue. Better yet, I now have a skill set that I can relate to the rest of my organization as well as a better understanding of what it's going to take for all of us to truly succeed with our businesses. So now I love the frustration. The more frustration the better. Those who know me, know that I like to have results quickly. So, anything that slows that process down is frustrating. On the flip side of that, frustration in my online business simply means I'm growing as a Biz Builder and an organizational leader.

I can now help my team through certain things because I have been there and I can tell them what to do and what not to do. Just like most of you, there is someone trying to help you reach your goals. Chances are, that person has given you a list of things to do. And, just like most people, you stray from the tasks that frustrate you or "you aren't good at." This isn't up for debate, you must do all aspects of the game if you want to be like the guy in the previous example who is making $50k per month.

Embrace what you don't know because what you don't know will take you to where you currently are not. Building an Online Business is just as much, or more, about personal growth as it is about bottom line growth. Understand frustration is going to happen. Learn to manage your emotions, stay on point and continue towards your goal. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Winners Never Cheat & Cheaters Never Win...Bull@#*!

Okay, the headline was simply meant to get your attention. I do, however, have an interesting theory. You hear whispers in the wind of this person or that person who wins big and..."Has to Be Cheating" or "Taking advantage of someone" and my personal favorite..."Yeah but...anything including luck." The real fact of the matter is most people who win big, and do so on a regular basis, simply understand the rules of the game as a whole far better than most.

Every winner in any industry is an absolute Master of their craft. Think of any outstanding basketball player you can think of. Chances are that person is a professional basketball player. I want you to think of that person as a middle school basketball player. At some point between the beginning and landing them as a Pro, this person has come to understand ALL facets of the game. It starts from developing one skill after another. All "good" young players can shoot. Well, at the next level they can also pass. Even further still, all players at the next level can shoot, pass and play defense...etc until the professional level.

As someone gets better at their craft, the more effective they become with producing results. Trust me, nothing ever comes without giving something. In our little example the athlete gave time, practice and focus to continue to become a Master. There is no difference between the winning athlete, entrepreneur or architect. The traits and habits of a winner don't differ, the rules of the game are simply different.

Let's look at the Direct Sales industry or building your Online Business. Again, I want you to think of an individual in your market or your company who is just killin' it. You hear about them all the time, they are always on stage of your regional meetings...you know who they are! I promise you that person has a VERY good understanding of the ENTIRE process of winning in their industry. Please note I said industry. I don't simply mean your particular MLM business of selling lotions and potions, I mean the entire Direct Sales industry. You could put this person in ANY company and they would be a Top Producer. This is not because this person cheats, takes advantage of anyone, or has anything to do with luck. They are Masters of some basic fundamentals of EACH facet of the game, such as:

Lead Manufacturing

Sales & Marketing System

Recruiting

Duplication

Leadership

Mentor

Consistent Action

The list can keep going and going but I think you see my point.

It's time for you to take a step back and evaluate where you are inside your business. Are you utilizing everything that is offered? Do you learn as much as you can about everything you can? Then, the next time one of these Masters comes to you with an offer, you'll understand exactly what it's going to take. Is the end result possible? Of course it is, but you have to understand the rules of the game to win. Go out there and continue to learn. Listen to your Mentors and become the best all around player in the Game! I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Leadership Equals Success For Your Online Business

I want you to stop right now and think of some people in your company who are successful leaders. Did you think of yourself? If so, congratulations. If not, why? This is a HUGE hurdle most people face when they begin to develop their careers in Direct Sales. It is what I call the..."When it happens, then I will" syndrome. I've got news for you if this is your mindset, you're always going to be waiting! The time is NOW and the person is YOU! The only thing standing in your way are the decisions you make and the actions you take. When it comes time for you to make a decision based on the growth of your company, make that decision as the successful leader that you ARE. The biggest mistake you can make is to wait until something happens first and then act. I promise you, the latter process will get you to where you are and where you have always been...looking to others as the successful leader. I'm going to give you a few tips to help get you on the right track.

1) Team Training: When some of you read that you immediately thought, "I already attend team trainings." That is not what I'm getting at. I want YOU to start holding team trainings for YOUR team. Don't sit back and simply invite your team to join a team training done by someone else, get your team together and start to rally the troops on your own! This one move will immediately position you as a leader. You will breath an air of confidence into your entire team and results will start to happen. This is something that should be scheduled every week. Same time same place every week. This will make you prepare and hold your entire team accountable. Imagine a new individual coming into your team and they immediately have a training schedule laid out in front of them. I promise your new individual stands a much greater chance of success this way. Don't wait, do it now! I don't care if you have to do this by yourself, DO IT!

2) Assertive: How many times have you been on the phone or in email conversation with a new prospect and you're trying to nail down a time to follow up? Conversations tend to go back and forth with no clear cut time or definitive answer. Those days are over! Along with your team training, you also have overview times and follow up schedules. Instead of saying weak statements like, "What time works best for you"...or "Whenever you're available I'll be there." Don't act like you haven't used one or both of these statements. Do yourself and your business a favor and take control. When scheduling a follow up or some sort of overview, your response is something like this, "I have time at 4:00 on Tuesday and noon on Thursday. Am I going to talk to you Tuesday at 4:00 or Thursday at noon?" That's it. No hemming or hawing. Your time is valuable. If you just tell people you'll be at their beckon call, you lose all control of the situation and have given up any leadership. Not to mention the fact you look like you have nothing else going on.

It's often said that people don't join companies, opportunities or products. People join people. So while your establishing yourself in Direct Sales and building your online business, make sure you are the person everyone wants to join in business. Take initiative to help others succeed and your success will simply be a bi-product of your efforts. You can begin to be the successful leader in your business today! I hope this helps you on your journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Friday, November 13, 2009

Why Do You Want To Build an Online Business?

Why Do You Want to Build an Online Business? Or any business for that matter. I simply ask because it's important to be able to evaluate what you want out of it to be able to evaluate if you're on the right track. I think far too many people get involved in some sort of business activity for some obscure reason and no real clear path of where they're going or, more importantly, why.

I would say that first and foremost you must figure out what your contribution is going to be out of all of this. That's right, what are you going to give in return for building your successful Online Business? If you haven't thought of this, you should stop right now and dig a little deeper. If your only focus is to make more money, you're in for a long trip. Money will not do it. At some point the overall goal needs to become larger than just the money and larger than any of your own particular goals. Unfortunately, 97%+ of the people who begin a business simply want to make more money. I guess it's no question why in 5 years 95% of businesses fail. So what are you going to do? Better yet, what are you going to contribute?

Most people view Warren Buffet and Bill Gates as extremely wealthy and successful people. Obviously, these are two of the wealthiest individuals on the face of the planet. Did you know they are also two of the largest philanthropists on the face of the planet? That's right, they give away more money than most of us will see in a lifetime. Not to mention the fact that both of these individuals run companies that better millions of peoples lives. So, do you think it is just about the money for these two, or do you think the money is just a bi-product of what they have created. And now, what they have created has enabled them to be able to help even more people through their giving.

So, if you start with a goal in mind of wanting to help 100,000 people, you will attain success with 1,000 people relatively easy. However, if you set out to make $100,000.00, you will always wonder what's taking so long to get to dollar amount. First, set bigger goals, second make your goals larger than just the money. Be a creator for other people to begin to prosper and you will prosper in the process.

If we took 2 people of the same physical stature and began them on a training regimen, one would out-perform the other simply based on expectation. Let me explain:

We take one individual and tell them there goal is to be able to do one pull up in 2 weeks. This individual IMMEDIATELY assumes one pull up is a HUGE task. So, they go about doing all the necessary strength work to build up to that one pull up and they may or may not accomplish their goal.

The second individual is told that their goal is to do 10 pull ups in two weeks. Again, this individual IMMEDIATELY assumes 10 pull ups is a HUGE task. However, this individual (with the same physical stature) does two pull ups the second day.

Do you see how increasing your goals can literally place you light years ahead of where you currently think you can be. This is the only difference between you and the Top Earners in Online Business. They EXPECT to make millions and help others achieve the same success. While most everyone else just waits to hear what they have to say and then HOPE to make an extra thousand bucks. Do yourself a favor and EXPECT to make millions and if you come up half short, you still just made $500k!!! Take it up a notch and start thinking on a larger scale. The only thing separating you from them is you. I hope this helps you on your journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Who Wants a Million Dollar Online Business?

Who doesn't want a million dollar online business would be a better question. Everyone seems to think that as long as they set up a website, maybe a blog, do some advertising and do a couple videos that the money is going to come rolling in. I'm going to give you a heads up of what it really takes to have a Million Dollar Online Business.

Market: Is there a big enough market for you to earn a million dollars online? For instance, if you sell a specialized food to a specialized animal, chances are you won't do a ton of volume. You may be the best in that particular market, but when you have your market share how many customers do you really have? So when starting an online business you need to make sure you are in a market that will produce the amount of volume it's going to take for you to earn the amount of revenue you want. Do a little research and find one that can provide for you.

Systems: Okay, now you've found the perfect market for all of your dreams to come true. Do you have the proper systems in place? When I say systems I mean a sales process that takes someone from prospect, to customer, to repeat customer virtually without you being a part of the equation. Now, if you're in Networking and/or MLM you would want that person to go from prospect to customer to distributor to taking some sort of promotional action without you being a part of the equation. If you're confused right now it's okay, it just means you need to do a little more homework or find someone to teach you these details. Trust me, when running a Million Dollar Online Business you simply don't have the time to talk to the amount of prospects that will be coming. Your job is to develop leaders and have them duplicate your systems for a successful business.

Focus: This should actually be the first thing on the list. Especially in the Direct Sales industry. You are bombarded with opportunity after opportunity claiming you can go to sleep tonight and wake up tomorrow rich! I know you know what I'm talking about and I know you've been involved with at least one of these opportunities. I want you to, right now, think of someone in your market who is having the results you want. Do you ever see them doing anything else other than what they do? No, they are focused on building that one business and have become successful in doing so because of their focus. You need to be in control of your time and focus or it will control you.

Marketing/Advertising: Yup, here we go again. You must always be Marketing and/or Advertising your business. Yes, there is a difference. Advertising is just that, an ad for your business. Marketing can be a number of different mediums from an article about your industry, product or service or videos teaching people how to become proficient at something you teach. However you look at it, Marketing is not a blatant sales pitch, it is always more informative. I'll also tell you right now that ALL of the Top Earners online use paid advertising such as Google Adwords or other forms of PPC (Pay Per Click) Can you manufacture 15-20 FREE leads a day with consistent marketing...Yup, but you can manufacture 100+ leads a day with paid advertising. Remember, we're talking about a Million Dollar Online Business, not a part time hobby. You're going to need that type of volume.

Consistency: You are going to have to do something everyday in your business if you expect it to continue to produce results. Now, you don't have to work 10-12 hrs a day, but you need to make sure something is always getting done to promote the growth of your business. Your time should be focused on the 20% of the activities that account for 80% of your results. The 80/20 rule exists everywhere in all instances of any business. It happens in your life too, but that's for another topic all together. As an Online Business owner, if it doesn't pertain to that 20%, outsource it to someone else because it is a waste of your time. This was hard for me to do at first because I thought I had to control everything. The best thing to ever happen to me personally and professionally was to outsource.

Keep these things in mind when you're building your business. This is not Rocket Science, it's just volume of qualified prospects, that's it. The more qualified prospects who go through your system the better. At the end of the day it's all about sales and sales is simply a numbers game. As your numbers grow you will understand the importance of systems and outsourcing. So get out there and start building your Million Dollar Online Business. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

How Do You Generate Your Leads?

I'd like to hear from some other people about the topic of lead generation.

Do you use FREE methods of generating leads like articles, videos, press releases, etc? Do you get in to the paid advertising with Google, Yahoo, Bing and any other PPC? Do you use offline approaches like Direct Mail postcards?

I'm curious to know what others are doing, how they are tracking and what seems to be working the best for you and your business.

This day and age it's crucially important to have a sales system and process in place. I have been a part of companies in the past that had entire departments that would simply field calls or make calls to and from prospects. With the internet, you should be utilizing these very same tools without all of the employees.

You, as the owner, have better things to do. Marketing and lead generation should be the #1 focus. After Marketing, leadership development of your team is the next most important tool in your arsenal. So, the question remains the same...How Do You Generate Your Leads? I'm curious to see the responses. Feel free to leave them in the comments or shoot me an email. Also, if you have any questions that you would like to have answered, feel free to ask.

I promise if you have a question, you aren't the only one who has that question. By you asking, you have helped everyone else learn as well. I look forward to your questions and will answer some of the best questions in the coming posts.

Top Tier Direct Sales vs. MLM

Top Tier Direct Sales or MLM, what's it gonna be? While both fall in the category of the Direct Sales industry, they are very different business models that both carry advantages and disadvantages. So, for the purpose of this little piece, I'm going to help clarify a few things for you. Maybe after this you will be able to decide which is the best direction for you.

Top Tier Direct Sales: If you're simply a sales person, this is for you. If you're used to being paid commission only and your income is determined on your production only, this is for you. Do keep in mind, however, that a good majority of Top Tier Direct Sales companies do offer a residual incentive. The residual incentive is not going to be the bulk of your income, your straight sales volume and commission will be the determining factor of your success. The reason it is called Top Tier is simply because of the price of your item. This ranges from anywhere on the low end of $2,000 up to, and possibly over, $20,000. If you are someone who is involved in MLM this may seem like a very high price to get involved with an opportunity, especially if you're having difficulties selling $40 bottles of vitamins. I want you to keep in mind that it is just as easy, if not easier, to sell a $20,000 item as it is a $20 item. I'm serious! You've already done all of the Marketing and Advertising. If your sales process is well thought out and effective, it becomes the same game only with more zeros!! Also, most Top Tier Direct Sales companies pay great commissions. For instance, if I sell a $20,000 item, I have the opportunity to walk away with over $10k. Not bad for one sale. Now, think about turning up the advertising and Marketing and averaging one or two of those a week and you begin to see the draw towards this business model.

MLM: Now, with this business model, the payouts are practically complete opposites. Your largest up front pay day might be $50. And let's face it, that's pretty much paid out to gain enthusiasm and recoup some up front costs. Your residual on the other hand can grow to be an absolutely staggering amount of money. It is not uncommon in this industry to see Top Earners in MLM companies making 6 figures a month from residuals. If you're planning to go this route and have your dreams set on this type of business model, you are going to need to have a system in place that duplicates your success. The fact is 80% or more of your team will do little to nothing. So, you have to be an extremely good leader and motivator to enable your teams success. Get yourself 5-10 great leaders on your team and you'll have yourself one heck of an organization. Simply do the math...If each of you can personally sponsor 50 people per year, your business grows to 250-500 people based on the amount of leaders you have. If you sponsor this many people and have that many leaders, I promise you your organization will be much larger than just 500, it would probably be closer to 5,000 or more. At this point you're walking on stage and becoming a star in your company.

So, the decision is yours. What sounds better to you? Making huge up front commissions and smaller residuals, or making small up front commissions and huge residuals? There are many factors to think about when deciding which direction to head with your Direct Sales career. Keep in mind, whether it's Top Tier Direct Sales or MLM, this industry always rewards leaders and those wanting to work to build a big business that generates a lot of Volume. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Monday, November 2, 2009

Think And Grow Rich Persistence

In the timeless classic "Think and Grow Rich" you are given a story called A Fifty Cent Lesson in Persistence. In this story, which takes place in the early 1900's, a young female tenant uses the Power of Persistence to get what she wants from the owner of the Sharecrop for which her family worked and lived.

The story goes on to tell how the young child insisted on getting 50 cents from the Older Gentleman. Even after he had said no multiple times and had even threatened to take a switch to her. The whole time she stood and said, "Yes sir," but never moved and ultimately came away with the Half Dollar.

How in the world, in that day and age, could a young girl completely conquer an older gentlemen? This is a similar question you may be having with your business right now. Or possibly a question that arises from you when you see other people's success. It is no different now as it was in the story. The girl knew what she wanted, made it very clear and was willing to stand there and receive punishment in the process.

Success in anything ultimately comes down to your persistence. Nobody ever achieves their greatest rewards the first time they try. I actually watched a story about Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream last night that was full of persistence. If it wasn't the financing it was the competition. If it wasn't the competition it was themselves, etc, etc. Everyone is faced with adversity and difficult times. Only after realizing your rewards do you reflect back on how easy it would be to do again.

Why do you think roughly 98% of the wealth is controlled by less than 3% of the population? You can't tell me it's all because someone was born into wealth. That may attribute for a small percentage, but there is a new millionaire created online everyday!! It's probably far more often than that, I just can't remember the actual statistic. What is it then? It's simply because those at the top understand that when other people say no, it's usually out of their own fears and/or lack of understanding. And, for some, hearing no enough will lead you to a place where you don't even bother.

So, today is the day!! Get your dreams out of the closet, dust them off and make just ONE action towards it's attainment...TODAY!!! Is someone going to tell you no, of course because that person is a sissy who still lives in their mothers basement (by choice). The only thing that matters is your persistence to never be denied. The only thing that can stop you is you.

It's amazing to hear people after only one attempt at something that doesn't go there way. The next few phrases out of their mouth are filled with excuses..."I'm not strong enough anyway," "It wasn't that good of an idea" "You're better at this sort of thing" "Well, he said he MIGHT call and I don't want to bug him" etc, etc, etc. Unless it is an action towards your attainment of that goal or intention, it's an excuse or a story, and neither one of those has ever paid the bills. Stop making excuses and start making money.

So, you have a choice right now! Will you keep going towards the attainment of your Dreams or are you going to look at your dreams and tell them, "It wasn't really that important." What's it gonna be, persistence and achievement or another good story at the bar with your buddy who lives in his Mom's basement (by choice)? Only you can decide and you only have you to blame or you to thank. I hope this helps you on your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!

Network Marketing Online Training Simplified

The internet has changed the way we do everything. You can buy movie tickets, rent cars, pay bills, get bills and even have your dinner delivered online. So, you, as a Network Marketer need to be right on top of the curve with your marketing efforts and building your business Online. I must admit that after spending time training people who are new to the internet in general, there are a few things that get taken for granted. So I'm going to try and break this down to it's most simple and give you an overview of HOW it all pieces together and HOW it positions you in front of every prospect you could possibly want. So sit back, relax and enjoy Network Marketing Online Training Simplified.

First and foremost, don't fight it. It's here and it's here to stay. Yes, there may be certain tools on the internet that may prove themselves to be a flash in the pan, but how someone gets information and ultimately makes a decision has changed and is never going back. It has been said that over 500,000 people per month look for other ways to earn income online. That's quite a staggering amount of people. Not to mention there are over a Billion people doing basic searches daily. So, even if you don't attract all of the opportunity seekers, you still have a HUGE pool to choose from in terms of your product. Too often your product and your retail sales get overlooked. I consider this a HUGE mistake. 80% of your team will drop out. That's just something you have to come to grips with. However, people will stick with the product forever if they love it and have loyalty towards it. DO NOT overlook this aspect of your business and realize WHERE these people will be doing searches to either find your product or one similar to it. So set up your Real Estate

Your Real Estate online can be Times Square or Mexico, MO. The decision is completely up to you. Yes, there are some expensive pieces of Real Estate online, but there are also areas of high traffic that you can obtain for free. The more people who are attracted to your "Store Front" the better. So, when someone does a search for either your particular product/service or your opportunity, are they going to see you or are they going to see the other guy? Again, the choice is completely up to you. Paid advertising gives you immediate results in terms of landing on that piece of Real Estate. However, it's not the easiest matrix to figure out and could cost you an entire years worth of Marketing budget if not done correctly. The bottom line is this, do you want people to find you or not? If you do, make it your intention to Dominate certain Keywords and Keyword Phrases. Then give a TON of content related to those particular Keywords and Phrases. As you progress you will gain a better feel fro what you're doing, but right now, just find your areas of expertise and give valuable content

You don't need to speak to everyone in a 3 Foot circle. As a matter of fact, online you will only be speaking with people who are interested. That was a paradigm shift in and of itself for me when I got started. You see, your message and/or your content may differ from the next person. This means your prospect has a choice. This also means if your prospect does choose you, they have done so because they already like what you have to say or what you're about. This is great for your conversion rates and ultimately your business as a whole. Trust me, you can do some pretty amazing things with a small group of dedicated people. Think about the numbers again from the beginning...500,000/month and over a Billion daily. You don't have to get them all, just a very small percentage will help you retire on your terms!!

So, for you newbies out there, take time to learn the entire process. Sometimes we have a tendency to throw out terms and resources expecting them to be everyday uses without taking into account the amount of overall knowledge. Network Marketing Online is here and is here to stay. There is no other place on the planet to get as much highly targeted traffic. Learn from it, don't be afraid of it. You never know, it could turn out to be your best tool. I hope this helps you on Your Journey. Until next time, Happy Marketing!