Why 95% of MLM or Network Marketing People Fail with Their Home Based Business
By Peter James
Every MLM or network marketing operation offers the same promises for their home based business of being easy to operate, no real skills required, huge earnings potential, retire on a rising passive income in as little as 5 years and have a greater quality of life with more time available for your family by having a home based business. Do the promises live up to the expectations? Yes but for only 5% of the candidates - 95% normally fail - WHY IS THIS? Here we debate some of the controversial reasons for this phenomenon.
Quite simply, the vast majority of people falling for the dream and take on an MLM business do not understand right from the start what is actually required of them in order to succeed. Who is to blame for this? - The recruiters or sponsors who fail to properly qualify the candidate. Most good recruiters are well crafted at the art of creating a vision based on most of our desires and dreams which are pretty universal for most of us. They manage to install visions of the benefit�s a successful MLM home based business will bring. It�s a bit like visualising your destination but forgetting about the difficult journey on how to get their. For many the journey is like the Paris to Dakar Rally rather than the 10p bus ride to the next stop they are anticipating.
Sure, there are promises of training, support from their up line etc. which is often great but the one thing that is often missing from all of this is the commitment and motivation from the new candidate where they simply fail to realise that its actually NOT easy at all to gather customers or to recruit others into the business. Most new MLM�ers brought in from the nine to five masses are also incapable of handling rejection and the egos take a real hammering for the first few months.
To be brutal for a moment, we must remember that the majority of people in PAYE work jobs simply do not have the characteristics or skill sets to actually run a home based business to begin with - otherwise they would already be operating something themselves based on their own assets, skills and ingenuity. Its not their fault, its just that the home based business person has a different mind set and motivations.
Fortunately, there are some well founded MLM businesses on the market that offer real and tangible training and support for the new candidate throughout their MLM business career. Telecom plus is one such UK plc company that has a superb level of FREE training and support for all new Independent Distributors joining the business with local training centres throughout the country. Combine this with Local Distributor meetings, forums and business opportunity meetings again all within your local area, really does help enormously for the inexperienced new MLM�er starting out on their own home based business.
And because of this early local training and support, the usual 5% success rate for people actually earning a solid monthly passive income for life is greatly expanded due to this nurturing of the remaining 95% of people who are normally destined to fail purely because they did not fully understand the detail and requirements of being well equipped and educated for the journey ahead for the realisation of their dreams.
Peter James is the Web Editor of http://www.workfromhome-uk.biz an article based web site exploring the human and practical side of working from home and running your own home based business. Not everyone is capable of operating a work at home business and many simply do not know where to begin. Our �Work From Home� web site will help you judge and value a very simple home business with a UK plc from Telecom plus that could allow you to retire on a growing residual or passive monthly income within 5 years. Hundreds of Independent Distributors have already achieved this - so can you.
Click here to learn more about our home based business
Pricing Mortgage Leads
By Jay Conners
If you are a loan officer or mortgage broker on the market for internet mortgage leads, than many things will be of importance to you, including the cost of the lead.
When researching mortgage lead companies, a clear indication of the quality of the lead you will be receiving should be in the pricing.
For instance, if you take $100.00 and invest it in a lead company in order to receive 50 leads, you can safely assume that the leads you receive will be very old and recycled time and time again to other lead companies and countless loan officers.
On the other hand, if you take that same $100.00 and invest it in a lead company in order to receive anywhere from three to six leads, you can than safely assume that the quality of these leads are very good. These types of leads are known as �real time,� or �fresh leads.�
When it comes to pricing and quality of leads, make sure you do your research. Be sure to speak with someone in the customer service department and find out the details of the type of leads they sell, and where they are obtaining these leads from.
If you decide to buy your leads in real time, and you are paying a good price for them, there really should be no reason as to why the lead would be any older than one day. In fact, if the lead is more than an hour old, it cannot be considered real time.
Remember, you work hard for your money, so the lead company you invest in should be delivering good quality leads if that is what they are claiming to sell.
If you choose to buy your leads cheap and in bulk, than you can expect the quality of the lead to be poor. You can also count on hearing things such as �I did that weeks ago,� or �I just closed on that loan last week.�
Keep in mind, when researching lead companies, do your home work, speak with someone in the customer service department. If the answers to your questions don�t meet your satisfaction, than the response to any future issues you may have, such as a refund, may not live up to your expectations either, so be careful.
Jay Conners has more than fifteen years of experience in the banking and Mortgage Industry, He is the owner of http://www.jconners.com, a mortgage resource site, he is also the owner of http://www.callprospect.com, a mortgage lead company.
Drop Shipping As A Business
By Ken Lee
Elaine has been a fan of eBay for a long time and has recently cleaned out her home thanks to them. She sold many of the things that she no longer needed (or wanted) and made a decent amount of money off of it. The process was simple and she enjoyed doing it. It just worked for her. Now, she has nothing more to sell. She has thought about starting to look at garage sales and selling things for friends, but she knows that if she wants to make good money, she'll need to find products to really sell.
This is where dropping shipping or wholesale purchasing come into play. For many individuals this is the ideal way to sell products. All you need to do is to purchase products that people want at low prices and then to sell them at a higher mark up. Sounds easy right? It really can be that easy, in fact.
For many individuals, selling on eBay is what draws them to drop shipping. This online auction site features hundreds of people looking to buy virtually anything you can imagine. This makes it the ideal place to go to find a deal too. Yet, for those that are looking to sell, it can be a way to make a solid income. While eBay is in itself an entirely different article, just know that many individuals that get into drop shipping do so to sell products through eBay.
Other avenues can be used to sell products to. For example, many individuals develop websites, promote them and drive traffic (customers) to them to sell their products. In fact, you can even use drop shipping to help you to sell products through mail order as well. All of this can be done right from your home. Nice and neatly too.
So, what is drop shipping or wholesaling? If you were to start a home based business today selling pens you would need to stock lots of pens to sell right? Not necessarily. In drop shipping, you can actually sell the product without having the product in front of you. This is done by simply working with a manufacturer who will put aside a lot of the product you wish to sell. They will take care of sending the product to the customer, once it is ordered while you handle the money. You will charge them more than you were charged which is what gives you the profit.
This is not always the case though. In some cases, individuals will actually purchase the products they plan to sell and stock them to send out as they are needed. In either case, the goal is to purchase and sell products at a higher cost than you bought it for.
The Pros And Cons
In order for you to make any money at wholesaling, you'll need to purchase and sell products that people want. To do this, you will need to do some basic research to help you. This is not that hard to do especially if you are using a program such as eBay. Next, you will need to track down distributors that will allow you to advertise and sell their product. This can be more challenging. One mistake that people make it to purchase lists of drop shippers from others. This can be a vital mistake. It is often wiser to do your research and find a more reliable way to go such as getting feedback from others.
If you find a product that is selling well, you can make a good amount of money off of it. You'll find that most people that work at promoting their products will do well at selling them. It really pays to take the time to research the right products out there. Of course, you can always make and sell your own product. This can actually be a great way to make even more money through selling products.
Ken Lee is a motivational speaker, a life coach and a fitness instructor for the past 10 yeras. He study and did research on the Internet Marketing Industry for years. Go to his webiste www.MyInternetMarketingSuccess.com for some superb tips.
How to Find A Group that Needs Speakers
By Bette Daoust, Ph.D.
How do you find groups that are in need of speakers
(at no charge)?
Finding groups that use speakers is not difficult. I find that most organized service groups use speakers for their regular meetings. I am a member of Rotary and have been for nearly fifteen years. In that period of time, the clubs use a speaker almost every week of the year. There are thousands of Rotary clubs all over the world. The most important thing to remember, especially for Rotary, is that the topic must be of interest to the members and that you cannot sell your services to the group. Many a good speakers have not been recommended to other clubs as they tried to sell attendance to their speeches or training sessions.
I find that other groups such as Lions, Kiwanis, churches, PTAs, etc., all want to hear good talks and they do not want to be sold a bill of goods. You need to remember that your goal is to get your name known, not to sell. If one group likes your speech, they may give you referrals to other groups that would like to hear what you have to say. Another great place to offer a talk is at the Chamber of Commerce. Almost every town in North America has a Chamber. You will need to find out the protocols for putting on a talk, but most are open to new ideas and fresh topics. More often than not, you will find out about groups through your own networking efforts.
Even though some groups are easy to get on the speakers list, others will make it more difficult. They will want to know more about who you are, why you want to talk to the group and how the topic fits for their members.
Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people�s attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the �Networking Queen�. Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com
Discover the Top 5 Reasons Why to Work From Home
By Harrold Swalve
Why work from home?? In the past year I have often been asked the same question over and over again. Even though I actually enjoy all the benefits of working at home and have more free time than most people, I still feel, it might be useful to give you my Top 5 reasons. This way when somebody asks me this same question again, I can just send this article and go straight back to being lazy.
1. Never again will somebody else tell you what to do. This truly is the biggest benefit of all. I am a person who has a hard time taking orders from anybody, I used to work as a Regional Manager setting up car- and motor bike workshops all over the world and although this was a job where I was on my own most of the time, there still was a board of directors telling me what to do. You will not know how good this feels till you experience it!!
2. You can start the day whenever You feel like it. Can you remember the last time you had a late night with friends? Perhaps had a bit to much to drink.. Then you can probably also remember how you felt when you had to get up early the next morning to go to work. Wasn't it awful? You could be doing what I do, sometimes I start at eight in the morning, sometimes I only work in the evening since I decided to spend the day with my two year old son. It is totally up to me.
3. Money keeps coming in, even if you don't work. This is also one which creates an amazing feeling, just try to imagine, you have been out and about enjoying a beautiful Sunday afternoon with friends or family and your money machine keeps working. You come back home and check your sales statistics and guess what.. You have made more money then you would have been able to spend that same day. Believe me, I am still checking my statistics every Sunday!!
4. There are no limits to what you can earn on line. Once you have discovered how to make something profitable on line, either through work at home offers or selling something through your own web site, you can do it over and over again. That is the beauty of the internet, you can make your work at home business almost fully automatic which means you can keep repeating. Like I said, No Limits.
5. You have the unique opportunity to help others. In the normal business making a good income often means thinking of yourself instead of helping other people. In the on line community the best way to making a good income is by helping others. The more ways you find to educate and stimulate people on how to become successful on line and help them along the way, the more you will be rewarded. That's the way I like to do business and it puts a smile on my face while thinking about it.
Well, there you have it, my personal top 5 on why you should start to work from home. I sincerely hope that these reasons will stimulate you to keep on searching for that one opportunity you need to become successful on line. Believe me, there are plenty off people out there capable of pointing you in the right direction.
Harrold Swalve is a published author and successful online entrepreneur. He owns the Home Business Resource Center http://www.pocketmoremoney.com To read more off his articles just visit his blog at make money online weblog
Would You Want to Call You?
By Julie Chance
What is your attitude towards a ringing telephone? Do you consider it an interruption of your busy day or the source of potential business? When the telephone rings do you think, �What do they want now?� or �I wonder what awesome opportunity awaits me at the other end of the line?�
For most of us our initial contact with prospective customers is via telephone. And it seems increasingly that we are answering our own phones � at all times of the day and night. So what message are you communicating when you answer the phone? Is the tone of your voice telling customers and prospective customers that they are the most important thing in your life at that moment? Or are you telling them � simply by your tone � that they are an unimportant interruption to your busy day? Does the way you answer the phone � and I�m not talking about what you say but how you say it � make people glad they called and cause them to want to develop an ongoing relationship with you and your business?
One of my college roommates used to insist that we let the phone ring twice before we answered it. After all, we didn�t want the guys to think we were sitting by the phone waiting for them to call. And this is good advice when answering your business phone as well. Not because you don�t want prospective customers to think you are sitting by the phone waiting for them to call � but because it will give you a moment to change your frame of mind � to shift your attention from what you are currently doing to the incredible opportunity that may be awaiting you when you pick-up the telephone.
Pausing a few seconds before you answer the phone will give you the opportunity to give the ringing phone your undivided attention and change your frame of mind from �What do they want now?� to �What fabulous opportunity awaits me?� If you can�t give the call your undivided attention, if you can�t muster the enthusiasm to greet the person on the other end of the line � regardless of who it is -- like you have just been waiting to talk to them, then don�t take the call. The caller doesn�t know they are intruding on your lunch meeting or that you have just started an important meeting, so if you choose to answer the call, be careful not to make them feel like an interruption.
Do you want to capture the power of the telephone as a sales tool? It doesn�t require hours of dreaded cold calling. It simply requires answering your phone each and every time regardless of what you are doing and regardless of what may appear on your caller ID like there is an amazing opportunity awaiting you on the other end of the line.
Next time your telephone rings stop what you are doing, say to yourself, �I wonder what tremendous opportunity this call is going to bring�, and answer the phone like you are expecting this to be the call that brings you the that big break � the big sale you�ve been dreaming of, or that contact who can put you in touch with the CEO you�ve been wanting to meet. Put a note on your phone if it helps that says �This call is bringing me a remarkable opportunity� and harness the power of the telephone as a sales tool.
ฉ Copyright 2007 STRATEGIES-BY-DESIGN. May be reprinted with credits and contact information.
Julie Chance is president of Strategies-by-Design, a Dallas-based marketing coaching, training and consulting firm that helps businesses from specialty retailers to professional service firms Map A Path to Success by implementing marketing programs that work. Interested in learning more? Sign-up for their Free Marketing Minute Series at http://www.strategies-by-design.com/contactvideo.html or explore teleseminars presented by Julie at http://www.success-strategies-u.com, the training division of Strategies-By-Design (http://www.strategies-by-design.com).
Reverse Marketing - Effective Or A Waste of Time?
By Willis Brown
Reverse marketing, also known as reverse advertising is thought by most internet marketing gurus to be a giant waste of time and resources. How could a method of online advertising that revolutionized the industry now be so totally useless? And if it is so obsolete why are so many people still utilizing it? Ah. So many questions.
So just what is reverse advertising? Reverse advertising is the technique used by people who own FFA (Free For All) pages to send the owner�s ads out to the people who post ads on the free sites. In a nutshell here is how it works. FFA pages are free to anyone who wants to post their link or short ad. In return for getting to post a free ad, the owner sends a confirmation link to the advertiser requiring that they agree to accept one ad from the owner of the site. So in essence the owner of the site gets to send out thousands of ads each day, depending on the number of people that �post� their ads to his/her site.
A few years ago, this was the advertising wave of the future. Thousands of these FFA sites popped up almost overnight saturating the internet marketing world. In the beginning they were very effective. An advertiser would gladly receive the email for the chance to get their ad out. And they read the email ads. Wow, what a concept. But then came spam, ISP filters, and automatic mailbox cleaners. A person now can post to the FFA page, confirm the link and then never have to deal with reading the ad that follows. There are also so many other types of free and low cost advertising available that a growing number of people are eliminating email as a way to deliver their ads.
But the number of people that keep posting to FFA pages remains high and auto submitters make it such an easy process that there is hardly any downside to the poster. If this method has become so ineffective, then why are there still thousands off FFA sites available? People like me continue to host these sites. I personally host 4 different FFA sites. The answer is simple. They do produce results. I will be the first to tell you that reverse advertising of this type is not nearly as effective as it was five years ago. But for the new internet marketer, there seems to be a natural inclination to post to these sites.
Whether or not it is the best form of return for your investment dollar can be debated. I certainly would never pin my entire advertising budget on this or any one type of advertising. But in my opinion as long as people are there to post, there will be a certain percentage of those people that will scan through the emails they receive in return. So most important is to have a subject line that catches the eye. I have also found it is best to set a delay between the time the link is confirmed and the time the reverse ad is sent out. I use a delay of 2 days and when the site allows it I set the delivery time for around 7:00 P.M.
Only you can decide what is right for your business but I have found that I do get a few customers from my reverse advertising efforts. Finding good quality FFA sites to host takes some research but can have some very pleasant results. Remember to test, test, test.
Willis Brown is an online marketer who specializes in helping the newcomer understand how to build an online business. Using a step-by step approach including finding a niche that suits the individual, list building, and teaching the tools necessary for success in this highly complex business. You will learn the same techniques used by Willis to grow his own business. Free and low cost advertising strategies are emphasized. Willis also conducts giveaways of valuable marketing gifts and tools. Visit http://www.reach4success.net and see what all the buzz is about. You can also read my online blog at http://www.reach-4-success.blogspot.com Follow my progress as I strive to make a living online in two years.
Internet Marketing Success with Ebooks
By Cliff Posey
Ebooks have become a very common commodity on the Internet. You can now download ebooks from many different websites and you can even visit an ebookstore to find these information products. Ebooks are hot sellers because today�s computer savvy generation spends a great deal of time reading ebooks for learning and enjoyment purposes. Some in the book industry have even begun to predict that ebooks may make traditional printed books obsolete within the next 20 years. If you have an online business or if your are thinking of starting one, you may want to consider creating and selling informational ebooks on your website. Sound intimidating? It�s really not. Ebooks are generally shorter and easier to create than the traditional book. They are also much less expensive to produce. You can create an entire ebookstore for only a fraction of the price that it would cost you to publish and print one traditional printed book. To write an ebook, all you need is a unique information p roduct, a target audience, and a computer. Ebooks can be created on a multitude of programs and easily turned into a reader friendly PDF document. If you don�t know how to do this, there are many different tutorials that can be viewed on the web free of charge. These tutorials offer step by step instructions to guide you through the entire process.
Once you have written several ebooks on different or similar topics, you can create an ebookstore. Those who visit your site will appreciate the different ebook options and the instant ability to download ebooks containing the information they want and need. Plus, with shipping costs on the rise, free downloads are a budget-friendly commodity. Studies have shown that online shoppers are more likely to buy something if they do not have to pay shipping costs. Almost everyone has some sort of knowledge that can help others, which is why anyone can create an ebook. The key is to come up with an in demand topic that uses your special knowledge. Once you have thought up a topic, you can develop an outline or a writing plan to guide you through the process of writing ebooks. If you need inspiration or help organizing your thoughts into ebooks, you may want to consider investing in a guide that teaches you how to market your knowledge. A good guide to try is Make Your Knowledge S ell. If you have a topic that you are passionate about, the best-selling Make Your Knowledge Sell ebook is the perfect place to start. This ebook can show you how to develop your unique knowledge into an online business. You will also learn how to target a customer base, create a website from the ground up, and make your business succeed.
If you have the knowledge, but are concerned with your ability to write ebooks and express your ideas, there are also tools on the market that can help fine-tune your writing skills. One example is the Make Your Words Sell ebook. Just about every aspect of copywriting is covered in this comprehensive guide, which includes information that you will not find in any other marketing book. No matter what kind of products you sell, you will learn how to sell more by using the right words. Ebooks are the future of publishing. With a small amount of knowledge and a large amount of determination, you can give your customers the ability to download ebooks that you created. And who knows, you may even make more money than you ever imagined by owning and marketing your own ebookstore.
Cliff Posey, owner of CRP Marketing, owns and operates http://web-business-tools.com. Posey has also operated several other successful web businesses including Love Song Cards and Radio Career Consultants. The content in this article was developed from his experience in these businesses and his continual research into further business improvements.
MLM Training Tip - Mentoring Leaders to Success
By Terry Montague
As network marketers, don't we all want a large organization made up of successful and productive team leaders? Mentoring our downline in order to effectively create leaders who can take care of their own groups is the only way to build a large, massive organization.
What is the difference between distributors and leaders?
Distributors are only temporary in any organization. Sometimes they work hard and build downlines, or they may chose to simply be a wholesale user of the product. Eventually, they may even quit. Distributors are going to take what they want and then get on with their lives, but leaders are going to stay with you and your business for a long time.
Having a lot of distributors may create a good bonus check, but they will have to continuously be replaced as time goes on. Over time, replacing these individuals could become a full time job, diverting you from your primary purpose of building a large, profitable, high retention organization.
Are you a leader?
Network marketing success is built on good relationships and leaders know that in order to be effective they must understand how to connect with people and get them to know and trust you. Leaders know that building relationships takes time and effort, but it's a worthwhile investment in the future of the entire team's success.
Regular communication with your team members is essential. A good upline leader knows that regular communication shows the commitment they have to their downline's success. It also shows and mentors them in how to effectively communicate and relate to their own downline.
Leaders listen to people and really hear what they say about what's important to them and what their goals are. They know that if they can discover what motivates their downline, they can help them to achieve their goals.
All of these qualities produce actions that are essential for creating a line of effective leadership in order to keep the process of duplication in motion.
What is duplication?
As any leader knows, any company is ultimately a reflection of its leadership, and network marketing is more about leadership than it is about anything else. Duplication is the ability to lead by example and teach your downline to replicate the same methods you use for success and, in turn, be able to pass that knowledge on to their own team.
It's really very simple - people, helping people, helping people. As a result, you will start to see growth in your group that you had absolutely nothing to do with.
Build People. People will build your business. Your first commitment must be to your people, not to personal profit. Network marketing is a teaching and mentoring business. The key is to work with your team and give them the training they need to become successful in order to keep from having to rebuild your downline time and time again.
Do you have a mentor?
You must have a mentor to be a mentor. Everyone in network marketing should have a mentor - someone who has already learned valuable lessons from trial and error and can pass that knowledge along to you. Someone who can say, "Been there, done that, got the t-shirt," without you having to do their laundry!
Duplicating a proven method for success is the only way to assure an organization that is made up of successful and productive team leaders, and it all starts with your own effective leadership. Be a mentor with a servant's heart!
Terry Montague is a successful network marketer and MLM mentor. Her objective is to provide as many people as possible with valuable information and equip them with skills for success in order for their dreams to become their reality. Download her Free eBook or visit "The Full Monte" for more tips and resources.
10 Business Card Basics: Does Yours Have Them?
By Debbie LaChusa
Do you consider your business card a marketing tool, or just a basic business necessity? If your answer is "a basic business necessity" you're missing out on an inexpensive, often overlooked, valuable marketing tool.
I think many small business owners miss the boat when it comes to their business card. I'm looking at a variety of cards right now that I've received over the past few months.
Most of them are missing at least one key element that could be helping them attract more clients and prospects.
Most business cards include the basic contact information, but that's where they stop.
Your business card is a marketing opportunity. Every time you hand one out, it's a chance to communicate something about your business. It's a chance to help establish your brand identity.
And, it's a chance to attract prospects and clients to your business.
But only if you include the proper information.
Following is my list of 10 things every business card should include, along with a few basic tips on creating a business card that works hard for your business. While some of it seems pretty basic, you'd be surprised what I see on some business cards!
Use it as a checklist to evaluate your business card to see how it measures up.
1. Your Name
Obvious I know, but please make it easy to find and read. No mouse-type and don't bury it among other information.
2. Your Title
You'd be surprised how many people leave this off. I recently received the business cards from two gentlemen who work for a major public relations firm. One is the founder and president, the other an assistant. Neither of their cards feature job titles. If time goes by and I forget who they are, or if I pass along their cards or contact info to someone else, they might not have any idea one of them is the owner of the company.
Too bad. It doesn't cost any more to print a title on the card.
3. Your Business Name
Most people get this one right. If, however, you don't have a business name, and you're operating as "Mary Smith, Accountant" you need to get one. Even if you're operating as a sole proprietor, a business name tells your prospects you're serious, that this is a business and not a hobby.
For tips on naming your business, you can read my article "Naming Your Business: 3 Tips to Ensure Success" at http://www.10stepmarketing.com/bizname.htm
4. Your Mailing Address
Make it easy for people to contact you. Five of the 20 business cards I just pulled out of my files do NOT include a mailing address. If you work out of your home and don't want to publish your home address, get a P.O. Box or Postal Mail Box.
This again will help establish yours as a bona fide business and not just a hobby.
5. Your Email Address
Most people are pretty good about including his, but many are still using personal email addresses instead of "yourname@yourbusinessname.com". Be professional and obtain and use an email address that features your web site domain name. It says you're a professional AND it reinforces your brand/business name.
I wrote an entire article about the importance of this; you can read it at http://www.10stepmarketing.com/free_easy.htm
6. Your Phone Number and Fax Number (if you have one)
You may also include your cell phone number if you choose to. Whatever phone numbers you include, make sure they are clearly marked. How many times have you picked up a card and dialed a fax number by mistake only to receive that lovely screeching sound in your ear!?!
Make sure the font size is readable. You want to make it easy for prospects and clients to call you.
7. Your Logo Mark
This is one of the items I often see missing from small business owners' cards. Probably because they don't have a logo mark. A logo mark is your opportunity to begin establishing your brand. It sets the tone and personality for your business. In my opinion, it is a business must-have.
If you think you're not big enough or can't afford a logo, think again. If you want to be taken seriously as a business you need one. You can learn why in my article on the importance of logos; you can read it at http://www.10stepmarketing.com/greatlogo.htm
8. Your Tagline
This is another one I scarcely see. What is a tagline? It is a short statement that sums up the solution you provide, or the key message or unique selling proposition for your business. When combined with your business name and logo, it communicates a lot about your business.
It's a huge missed opportunity when you leave it off your business card. This is another topic I've already devoted an entire article to, and you can read it at http://www.10stepmarketing.com/taglines.htm
9. Your Web Site Address
The most common reason for leaving this off a business card is not having a web site. I believe ALL businesses should have a web site. It gives your prospects and clients the opportunity to easily learn more about your business and the products or services you provide, if they're not yet ready to contact you directly.
It's not difficult or expensive to get a web site. Another topic I've written an entire article about, and you can read it http://www.10stepmarketing.com/QAwebsite.htm
10. A Call-to-Action
This is one that most people do NOT include, but one that can provide a huge opportunity. If you look at your business card as a promotional tool, why not include a call-to-action, such as "Visit our website at www.ourwebsite.com to get your Free Report, 10 Low-Cost Ways to Market Your Business."
Use it as a way to drive traffic to your web site and generate new leads or prospects. It costs next to nothing and can make a huge impact, especially if you hand out a lot of cards.
This is something that can easily be printed on the back side of your card and two-sided cards don't cost much more than one-sided cards to print.
Here are the call-to-action messages you'll find on two of my business cards:
On my 10stepmarketing Card:
"Listen to 'The Secrets to Successful Marketing' FREE Audio Class or Subscribe to the FREE 10stepmarketing Ezine to receive weekly marketing how-to articles tips and advice at www.10stepmarketing.com"
On my Twin Connections Card: "If you are a twin, or you know a twin, who would like to share the story of their unique and mysterious bond, please visit www.twinconnections.com"
It only cost me a few dollars more to print both sides of my cards and it allows me to make the cards work that much harder for my businesses.
Take a look at your business cards. Do they feature all 10 of these items? If not, you're probably missing out on a great, low-cost marketing opportunity.
And, if you'd like some help naming your business, developing a logo or tagline, creating a web site easily and inexpensively, or coming up with a call-to-action, The 10stepmarketing System is a great resource. It covers all of this and much more, in 10 simple steps that are easy to follow and implement yourself.
(C) Copyright 2005 Debbie LaChusa
Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to make marketing your own business as simple as answering 10 questions. Learn more about this unique, step-by-step system and get a free 10-week Marketing E-Course when you subscribe to the free, weekly 10stepmarketing Ezine at http://www.10stepmarketing.com
10 Ways to Market Your Website Offline!
By Lisa Schulte
So you want to market your website? First of all make sure that you have a good domain name. You want a name that is easy to remember and that says something to those who see it. It doesn�t have to be a full website; it can just be a name that redirects to your company site or any other site.
So now you have a name and you�re ready to market it. There are many ways to market online, however you can market offline with much success. Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Vehicles � Your vehicle is a billboard that you drive everyday! Have your site on your vehicle. You can do magnetic signs from your company or local print shop, or vinyl letters. Go a step further and leave cards on your own windshield when you park it! People will take them.
2. Mail & Packages - Stamp or write your website on all mail. My site is stamped on every bill or letter that I mail. I also sell on eBay occasionally and I always have my website in RED letters across the box. Many people see that box during the mail process. Be sure to include a business card inside the envelope or package for whoever is receiving it.
3. Clothing - Wear clothes with your website on them. Be a walking billboard for your company. People will ask you questions. Buttons work well too!
4. Flyers & Cards - Use your website on all marketing materials and leave them everywhere you go. I post them on bulletin boards, in laundry mats, grocery stores, and everywhere that I go throughout the day. Keep a roll of tape with you in case there are no push pins. Tape a card to the inside door of bathroom stalls. Sounds silly, but you can bet anyone who sits down will read it!!
5. Checks - Have your website printed on your personal and business checks. You never know who may see it.
6. Auctions - Donate items to auctions and use your website name instead of your name. It will say donated (Your Website) in the program for all to see.
7. Classified Ads - Small inexpensive classified newspaper ads work well, especially if you have a good domain name.
8. Signs - Road signs work well. Keep in mind they may not stay up long before they are taken down, but lots of people may see them while they are up. Just use a few words and your website. Simple is best.
9. Voicemail - Leave your website on your voicemail. If you�re not available to answer the phone, they�ll get a reminder to visit your website.
10. Out of the Box - Think out of the box! Bus benches, shopping carts, sides of barns, restaurant placemats, floats in parades, and anything you can think of that will get people�s attention! Go beyond the ordinary.
Lisa Schulte is a mom of 4 boys who all help with the family business. She loves helping others who wish to Work From Home! http://www.WorkFromHomeToday.com
New Ways To Generate Network Marketing Leads That Join Your Business On Auto Pilot
By Sherman Choo SG
These days everyone wants to make money and retire early. Everyone knows that Network Marketing can make one very rich. The secret to succeeding in this industry is to use the Internet and Emails to generate network marketing leads for you. Here are 3 things to look out for when utilizing this lead generation medium.
Question #1: Do you have a means of capturing prospect details?
An opt in form consists of a small box usually found at the bottom of a webpage where prospects can provide their name and email address. Upon opting in to the newsletter, they will be allowed access to the information you are offering. Opt in forms are generated by Auto Responders programs or services. Services cost $19.99 a month. Programs will cost a 1 time fee of $197 and are installed on your server.
Question #2: Do you have an appropriate auto responder followup email series?
The content on the lead capture page will decide the mindset of the audience when they provide their details. Because you are going to follow up with the prospect by email, its important that the email messages reflect the mood of the audience at the time they subscribe to the newsletter.
For example, if content on the Lead Capture Page shares an exciting image of a wildly profitable way to succeed in network marketing using the internet to generate network marketing leads, the email series can be somewhat upbeat. On the other hand, a lead capture page with a down to earth tone will attract a subscriber with a down to earth mindset. And such a subscriber could possibly find an upbeat email series hypey and a turn off.
Thus it's important to match the email series with the message on the lead capture page.
Question #3: Do you have a different lead capture page for different target groups? Because we now know how important it is to know the mindset of the prospect when they opt in to the form, we need to have different lead capture pages and separate auto responder email series for different people. This will increase the conversion rate of network marketing leads because the messages will address their concerns.
It is really amazingly simple how one can generate network marketing leads over the internet with just these tactics. Simply be following these ideas, I promise that you will finally get a taste of what it�s really like to succeed wildly in network marketing!
If the above mentioned sound a little complicated to set up, here's a powerful resource by the way. You can potentially build a huge database of network marketing leads based on the 3-question system revealed here.
Sherman Choo has just revealed his *secret formula* that will generate more Network Marketing Leads then you can handle...and generate an unlimited supply of network marketing prospects ready to join you with credit card in hand! http://www.creditstocash.com/r/shermanchoo
