Nature Gives Us CluesIf you were going to pick a model from nature for how to create and operate as a great team, which animal would you pick?
How about lions, tigers, hippos or bears?
Those species are known to eat their young, or the new guy or gal on the team, in our analogy. That doesn’t make for good team building!
How about wolves or hyenas?
These animals are known to constantly have ego fights for dominance—definitely not good for trust and the morale of a team.
How about salmon?
Certainly their long struggle to swim upstream in dedication to duplicate (procreate) the team has to be a good role model, right? Yeah, well, the only problem is, once they have finally done the quiver (seriously, that’s what they do—they align themselves next to each other and “quiver” while they each do their part of the act), they die. That can’t be good if every time new people are brought into your team the leaders die. So salmon are out.
I know what you are thinking… eagles, right?
Eagles are good role models for soaring to individual heights, but they are poor team players. They are known to be territorial, pretty hostile toward one another and constantly stealing prey from one another.
Get this… momma eagle usually lays two eggs and most often the bigger of the two siblings (which is usually the female, as they come out bigger) kills the other sibling while mom looking on (harsh, right?). No, you don’t want the new recruits killing each other or the leaders stealing sales and clients from each other. Eagles, team players? Not so much.
No, the animal species you want to learn from and emulate in working together as a team are… ducks.
Ducks, because they work together to accomplish feats that seem unimaginable and impossible for most any other animal.
Ducks fly distances of hundreds or even thousands of miles, a distance almost no other animal can travel and it’s possible only because they do it as a team.
As you know, ducks fly together in formation. As each duck flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the bird following and that is perpetuated throughout their V formation. Each duck takes its turn leading the flock in flight. When the lead duck gets tired, it fades from the front and is enveloped back into the fold of the flock and naturally another bird takes the lead. By working together, the whole flock adds 71% more flying range than if each bird flew alone.
Like ducks, people naturally gravitate toward organizations that will shelter and protect them and make their life easier than if they were left to fend for themselves. I have found that people want to belong; they want to be a part of a team. It gives them a sense of purpose, where they can be a part of something bigger than themselves.
I also find that most people perform to their greater potential when on a team than when on their own. They rise to meet the expectations of the team; if left alone to their own motivations, they wouldn’t push themselves nearly as hard.
I find that lots of people do more for the recognition of others than for their own satisfaction. Thus, team environments are a powerful force for drawing out the best within our individual potentials for achievement.
Amazing feats are created when the collective whole becomes greater than the sum of the individual parts. That occurs when teamwork is working well.
So in business, people who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier when they travel on the thrust of one another.
As leaders, it is our job to cast the vision and enroll others to share in that vision. As teams, we need to help one another and to offer encouragement and support as the success of the individual creates uplift for the rest of the flock… or team.
Over the next few posts I will reveal the single most sabotaging factor of why teams even made up of great people will fail, and the two most important ingredients for building great teams who perform way beyond their individual capabilities.
-Darren Hardy]]>
Habit 1: Network Marketers Are Prepared
They are mentally prepared.
They walk closely with their sponsors or mentors and maintain a consistent and focused life.
They are active in their primary Business and are members in good standing.
They attend Live events and members meeting of their primary business regularly.
They are trained.
Network Marketers have been trained in one or more presentation strategies such as online and offline.
They serve as trainers or mentors and model network marketing before others.
They are able to express the central truths and benefits of their primary business in simple and understandable fashion.
They use flyers and other printed MLM materials to enhance their presentation.
Habit 2: Network Marketers Share Their Opportunity Anytime/Anywhere
Network marketers are open to share their primary Business
At the office
In a restaurant
On a plane
Over the phone
Anywhere the opportunity exists.
Habit 3: Network Marketers Are Adaptable in Their Presentation of the opportunity
Most do not rely on mechanical or canned MLM presentations. They each have developed their own particular style which:
Becomes personal and conversational
Uses their own language and illustrations
Each presentation experience will be unique and different.
Habit 4: Network Marketers See Their Interactions with Other People as Divine Appointments
They begin each day with a sense of expectation.
They feel a divine sense of mission.
They see themselves as instruments of God’s grace to help others.
They seek to make the most of their encounter with others by purposely initiating and leading the conversation into the area of the prospects dream if they identify any.
Habit 5: Network Marketers Do Not Worry About the Results
Network Marketers realize that they cannot close every sale. You win some, you lose some, so what, whose next?
Its all about the law of averages, understand yours.
Habit 6: Network Marketers Are Involved in online marketing Programs but Are Not Limited by Them
Network Marketers are active in their local meetings if there is one. Most are involved in their primary business training and prospect programs. But they do not limit themselves to sharing it only during such sponsored activities.
They see every moment of every day as an "evangelistic" opportunity.
Network Marketers also seek to reproduce themselves in others. Most mentor or train others in other to duplicate themselves.
Habit 7: Network Marketers Pray Consistently for Opportunities to Share their business opportunity with Others
Network marketers pray for those with whom they have shared with.
They pray for those with whom they have not yet shared the opportunity with.
They pray for divine appointments and presentation opportunities.
I believe in God and so believe in praying also, "for by strength shall no man prevail".
And don't forget to put a very good follow-up strategy in place.
Talk soon!
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1. Credentials or Degrees
Thousands of people have been successful in networking without the benefit of college degrees and the like. Since networking is so unlike other businesses, the rules are different here. It’s quite possible, actually quite common, to build
a large successful organization without having any credentials or degrees. An argument could almost be made against having diplomas in this business, for people may feel that because their sponsor has an advanced business degree —
they need one too. This is unduplicatable and entirely unnecessary. If you or your sponsor has a degree, great. It’s just not necessary for success in network marketing.
2. Approval
Of anyone, except yourself. Sometimes even your spouse may not approve of your network marketing business. This is actually a frequent initial response, but we’ve seen thousands of people who have built huge businesses without the help of their spouse. Of course, after that, the spouse usually comes on board enthusiastically and things really take off.
One of the hardest facts of business to face is that not everybody is ready for success, or is as enlightened as you. Don’t be at all surprised to find that some of your closest friends and family members will ridicule you; not join your organization and/or even listen to a presentation; question your sanity; ask why someone with a “real” job would “mess around with one of those multi-level deals”; or all of the above. Then they will feel obligated to regale you with horror stories of people who “got a horrible rash just drinking that stuff,” or have “a garage full of that stuff they can’t get rid of.” It’s best to give these “well-meaning” souls a wry smile, thank them for their input and get away from them as quickly as possible.
3. Friends & Family in Your Network
Now please don’t misunderstand; if you get them in your group, great! I know families with three generations in their networking business and it’s a beautiful thing to behold. Other times, the hardest presentation you ever give might be to
a family member or best friend. Sometimes you just can’t be a prophet in your own hometown.
Direct selling is full of individuals who have built networks in the thousands without having a single member of their family, or so-called best friends, in their group. I know, because I’m one of them.
4. Cheap Advice
Oftentimes a new distributor will get involved with network marketing and get all kinds of well meaning advice from friends who have never built a networking business. If you want to know how to fly airplanes, you must get advice from an expert pilot. If you want to build a network, look at your sponsorship line and find someone who has already built a large network. Those are the people to seek out for advice.
5. Perfection
The perfect company, product line, or compensation plan hasn’t been invented yet. Like everything in nature, it must evolve. Your job is to look at the whole picture — and if the pluses outweigh the minuses — get started. If you sit around waiting for perfection — you’ll be waiting forever.
Don’t make the mistake many novices make which is to think that they can’t do anything until they have tried every single product, read every scrap of literature and completely understood every minute detail of the compensation plan.
The important thing is to get started and learn as you go.
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Everyone in life starts out with great intentions to make a success of their life. A baby fails on average 10,000 times before successfully walking without falling. That’s how determined we were when we started life. Imagine if a baby tried to walk, fell over a few times and thought, “this is too hard. . . I am just going to take the easy option and crawl the rest of my life!”By our teenage years we have been told an average of 100,000 times that we are NOT good at lots of things, that we won’t be successful, that we can’t do this and can’t do that. Many people have already built an identity by their teenage years where they are full of doubt and fear.
We start out working life with aspirations of success yet 95% of people retire dead, dead broke, or living off social security or family. 100% of people intended to be successful but only 5% actually achieved a life where money and time do not control their retirement years.
80% of people who start up a new business fail in the first 12 months. 80% of those still in business after year 1 will fail in the next 4 years. That means only 4% of people who start a business survive the first 5 years, even after investing significant amounts of money, time and effort.
Everyone who says their wedding vows intends to live happily ever after however more than 30% of marriages do not survive the first 5 years and around 50% of marriages end up in divorce.
The point is 100% of people start out with an INTENTION to be successful in life, in business, in their marriages and yet the majority do not achieve the life they desired.
How do you avoid being another statistic?
“Look at what everyone else in doing and head in the opposite direction as fast as you can” was the advice given to me by one of my mentors and I believe there is alot of wisdom in that statement.
If the majority of people are NOT living the life they desired WHY would you do what the majority of people are doing? You need to STEP OUT of your comfort zone, do things differently and take different actions to everyone else.
However be aware that when you do not follow society you will also have your critics. People may judge you, criticise you and not support your decision. Often the biggest critics will be family, friends and those closest to you.
Remember though, critics do not put your children in private school, pay for your dream car, home and holidays, and will not fund your retirement.
It is the decisions and actions you take NOW that will decide your future. Your current life situation, good or bad, is a result of our past decisions and actions. What are you doing in 2011 to make sure the next 5 years is NOT a repeat of the past 5 years?
Avenues to Wealth is not the only plan for success but it is a PLAN. It does offer a legitimate and credible way to change your life for the better. Join me in changing the world one leader at a time, one success story at a time, and living a life where money and time do not rule your daily life decisions.
Interested in knowing more, click here]]>
Politicians use it. Newscasters use it. Advertisers use it. Shouldn't you?
What am I talking about? I'm talking about "sound bites."
What are sound bites? They are just little bits of the conversation that stand out in the prospects' minds -- and these bits of information are the only things prospects remember.
Here is an example of a [...]]]>Politicians use it. Newscasters use it. Advertisers use it. Shouldn't you?
What am I talking about? I'm talking about "sound bites."
What are sound bites? They are just little bits of the conversation that stand out in the prospects' minds -- and these bits of information are the only things prospects remember.
Here is an example of a sound bite.
When George H. Bush was running for president a few years ago, he made a long campaign speech to a group. One of the things he said was:
"Read my lips. No new taxes!"
This small part of the speech was reported in the news for several days. Everyone knew the phrase, "Read my lips. No new taxes!"
Can you remember anything else from that long speech? No. All you can remember was the sound bite, "Read my lips. No new taxes!"
Commercial advertisers know the power of sound bites. They work hard on catchy phrases, repeat them often, and then hope that sound bite will stick in your mind. Some examples?
"Winston tastes good like a cigarette should."
"Things go better with Coke."
"Burger King: Home of the Whopper."
"You deserve a break today."
What is interesting about the above examples is that all of them were created over 20 years ago! We still remember them.
Sound bites are a great way to communicate. Prospects will choose to remember only bits of our presentation. Make it easy for your prospects. Give them catchy, easy-to-remember sound bites that create a desire to purchase your products or to join your opportunity.
Let's get started with some real life examples of sound bites that I enjoy. It's easier to get the feel for sound bites by experiencing them.
Weight-loss tablets.
1. Use these tablets to lose weight while you sit. Enjoy watching your favorite television program while excess pounds are just melting away.
2. These herbal fat burner tablets will burn away excess pounds -- even while you're eating!
3. If you want to lose those extra pounds, don't spend your day suffering and being hungry. Instead, use Product X. It's like having willpower in a tablet.
4. Why not lose weight while you sleep? Enjoy a good night's sleep while your body dreams away those excess pounds.
5. Try our calorie-killer weight-loss tablets now.
Chocolate Breakfast Drink.
1. Instead of cooking and cleaning breakfast dishes, why not have a delicious breakfast shake? It only takes 20 seconds to mix and you'll only have one dirty glass and one dirty spoon!
2. How about breakfast for only 80 cents? And you'll be getting thin on chocolate!
3. Instant breakfast that's faster than a microwave.
Long Distance Telephone Service.
1. Make money every time you make a long distance call.
2. Make money every time your neighbor picks up the telephone.
3. Earn money while you sleep when other people are talking on their telephones.
Nutritional Product.
1. You will be the only person awake and happy at 9:00 a.m. on Monday mornings.
2. This product will make you feel like you are 16 years old all over again -- but with better judgment!
3. You will be the only person at work who doesn't have to take a nap at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon.
4. When you come home from work, you won't feel like watching television. You'll feel like dancing!
5. We call this the "nap buster."
6. Instant energy in a capsule.
7. Attitude in a bottle.
Water Filters.
1. All water is recycled. This unit just takes out other people's contributions.
2. Chlorine is great for bleaching clothes, but not for our stomachs.
3. Great-tasting water for just three cents a gallon!
4. Now you can taste clean, clear water. You won't have to worry about those little unidentified objects floating around in your glass.
Fiber Product.
1. This is perfect for pizza lovers who hate eating rabbit food to get their daily fiber.
2. Results you can experience in just 24 hours.
3. For hemorrhoid sufferers. You'll never have to say "Ouch" again.
4. The perfect diet supplement. Just take it 15 minutes before you eat and stop worrying about weight problems.
Skin Care.
1. Makes your skin look so good, you'll never have to wear makeup again.
2. Will make your skin look like it is 16 years old all over again, but without the acne.
3. Your skin will look so smooth, everyone will want to touch it.
Are you getting the feeling of how sound bites can work for your business?
All of the above examples were for products. It's easy to come up with three or four great sound bites for every one of your products or services, right? Simply pass on these sound bites to your distributors and watch your retail sales increase.
But what about opportunity sound bites? Wouldn't it be great to have plenty of opportunity sound bites for prospecting and presentations?
Let's try a few.
- It's like getting an extra paycheck in your mailbox once a week.
- It's like having a paycheck from a part-time job, but you don't have to go to work.
- We call this the "boss silencer."
- This plan is called "winning the lottery."
- You won't have to plead and beg for a day-off from the "almighty boss." Now you can take off any day you choose.
- You work 50 weeks a year for the company -- and you get only two weeks a year for yourself. Does that seem fair?
- How much time do you get to spend with your spouse and children after work?
- You got married to have a family. Wouldn't it be nice to get more time to visit them?
- Now you can get a $300 raise and you don't even have to ask your boss.
- Does your boss laugh every time you ask for a raise?
- Can you talk to your boss tomorrow and get a $300 raise?
- Can you imagine no bills to pay and still having money in your checking account?
- Here is your chance to send your mother-in-law a postcard from Bali.
- If you were your own boss, how much vacation time would you choose to take?
- Who makes more money, the employee or the boss?
- Who has more fun, the employee or the boss?
- Every day while you sit in commuter traffic, I bet you say to yourself, "Wow! This is fun!"
- Our parents told us what to do. Our teachers told us what to do. Now our bosses are telling us what to do. When is it our turn to choose what we want to do?
- It's just like being a rock star. You write a hit song and collect royalties for life. Now you can sponsor some people and collect bonuses for life.
- There are two groups of people in the world: those who get a word-of-mouth advertising bonus check in their mailbox once a month -- and those who don't. Which group would you like to be in?
Now it's your turn. Why not come up with some great sound bites for your next presentation or meeting?
Your downline is waiting for your tested, winning sound bites.
To Your Success!
John Wann
skype: john_wann2
PS: Together we can make a difference.
http://yourfreemlmcoach.info/
http://yourfreemlmcoach.com/]]>
It is said that Bill Gates’ rise to the top may have resulted from an act of networking. Apparently his mother sat on the same Board of Directors as an IBM president, and that contact led to IBM purchasing the MS DOS operating system from Bill. Think about that!
As timeworn as the word networking is, [...]]]>
It is said that Bill Gates’ rise to the top may have resulted from an act of networking. Apparently his mother sat on the same Board of Directors as an IBM president, and that contact led to IBM purchasing the MS DOS operating system from Bill. Think about that!As timeworn as the word networking is, it is through this process that approximately 65% to 80% of available jobs or opportunities are discovered. Networking opens the doors to the hidden job market, and if you’ve not learned this art, many opportunities may be passing you by.
Here is my ABC list of networking tips that I have put together to help you move your four-year career forward.
Attend as many networking events as often as you can. It’s a number’s game. The more events you attend, the more people you’ll meet.
Business Cards. Have adequate supply on hand and give them out to new contacts before you end your conversation with them.
Contact or follow-up all leads. You never know which one will produce results.
Dress appropriately for the event. If you are unsure about the dress code that’s in effect, call ahead to find out.
Explain who you are and what you do in 30 seconds or less. Give people enough interesting and relevant information that they will want to contact you for details.
Find opportunities. Always be on the lookout for new opportunities. They have a way of springing up when you least expect.
Go for it! Determine beforehand how many people you would like to meet at the event and just go for it!
Help others. Networking is a two-way street, and it’s in helping others that you’ll be helped.
Identify a person you would like to meet and have someone you know and who knows the person make the introduction. Remember the Bill Gates’ connection.
Join other networks or associations that meet your personal and professional needs.
Keep focused. Concentrate on the person who is speaking. It’s in poor taste for your eyes to be searching the room while you are in discussion with someone.
Learn to listen. You need sharp listening skills to interpret and analyze what’s being said.
Mingle. That’s the whole purpose for being there. Many of us tend to latch on to the people we already know and lose out on many networking opportunities.
Never use someone’s business card as a notepad (especially in front of them). If you have to, wait until the person leaves, or ask for permission.
Objectives. To motivate you to action, develop a set of networking objectives or goals that tell you what direction to take.
Prepare to give. Some people think only of what they can get, but giving can be equally rewarding.
Quickly end the conversation and walk away if you encounter a rude or abusive person. You are in search of positive and uplifting experiences.
Relax. Almost everyone in the room is as nervous as you are. Take a deep breath, go over to someone and introduce yourself.
Share any information that you think will benefit your network, without asking "What’s in it for me?"
Treat everyone you meet with respect. The decision-maker is not always the CEO.
Understand and appreciate peoples’ differences. You will have taken the first step towards breaking down barriers.
Volunteer your services. It provides an opportunity to showcase your skills. Many people have obtained jobs or business opportunities through volunteering.
Work hard at networking. If you replace the ‘E’ in networking with an ‘O’ it spells ‘Notworking’.
X-ray. Develop your x-ray vision. This is a networking technique where you target several companies you’d like to work for, find someone who currently works for the company then begin to cultivate a relationship with that individual. If an opportunity exists in the organization, you’ll be the first to know.
You have the skills and abilities to develop effective networking strategies. Believe in yourself!
Zealously nurture your network. Keep in touch with those who have helped you find success and remember those you’ve left behind.
Now you know your ABCs, you’re one step closer to moving your four-year career forward IF you put them to work.]]>