Starting a Home Based Internet Business — Which Products Should I Market?
Congratulations! You’ve decided to make starting a home based internet business a priority in your life. It may be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make in your life.
Or it could be one of the worst. It depends on how well you do your homework.
Over the next week, I will be outlining and discussing the most important questions to ask BEFORE taking the internet marketing plunge. Because if you don’t get it right in the beginning, you could be in for a bucket load of frustration and misery.
Worse, the experience may cause you to think that ALL internet marketing businesses are the same.
Believe me, they’re not.
The first questions to ask yourself regards WHAT you want to market?
FIRST QUESTION: Do you want to market your OWN products or get paid to market someone else’s?
Answer: Unless you are prepared for the financial outlay involved with creating, testing, producing, and keeping an inventory of your own product, I STRONGLY advise you to market other people’s products.
How does this work? Typically, you advertise and market someone else’s products and get a percentage of the purchase price when someone buys from you. This is a typical MLM model, but can also be found in direct sales and informational marketing. Sometimes this is called Affiliate Marketing.
It’s a great deal, done right. I mean, no inventory, no stocking, no merchant accounts, no worrying about guarantees. All this is typically done by the company that owns the products. You sole responsibility is to market the products.
NEXT QUESTION: What products should you market?
There are a couple of factors to take into consideration. First and foremost, the products you sell should be products that resonate with you, products that you believe in, and preferably products that you use on a routine basis. Your customers will smell it from mile away if you are not 100% sold on your own products, and you’ll repel people like rotten fish on a hot summer day.
What else should you consider? Consider the product saturation in the marketplace. Are you looking to sell products where the market is so saturated that it will be near impossible for you to get your foot in the door. One example is vitamins. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of companies that market vitamins, nutritional supplements, lotions and potions. I should know, I used to market them.
There were 2 problems with it. First, it was hard to convince potential customers that your vitamins or supplements were that much better than your competitors, so we ended up selling the vitamins at deep discounts to gain customers. The result was NEGATIVE CASH FLOW, a huge problem with low cost, saturated products.
The other problem is the low cost of most of these types of products. Low cost equals low commissions (which typically only run as high as 20% of retail. It’s hard to make alot of money when you are only making $10-25 dollars per sale, especially when trying to compete again hundreds selling the same thing.
I typically only get involved in opportunities that offer high end direct sales, where commissions start at $1000 and go as high as $7500 PER SALE. It’s the only way to make money quickly in an internet business, and when you’re just starting out, CASH flow is a major concern for most people.
Next time I will continue to discuss the very important questions you MUST ask yourself before you consider starting a home based internet business.
To your success!
See which direct sales opportunity Dr. Clarke chose above all others
You Never Know Where You’ll Find a Sales Guru…. at the Atlantis!
I am not a salesperson. Never have been. But when I started doing network marketing, I began studying sales marketing strategies to improve my skills in this area. And there’s one thing I’ve learned.
You NEVER know where you’ll run in to a SALES GURU. You know what I mean… the guy who is SO GOOD at selling that you find yourself mesmerized by his technique, and get drawn in to his product…
EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT HE IS DOING.
Bob and Rosemary at the Atlantis Resort, Bahamas
Rosemary and I experienced such a lesson last week…. at the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, no less.
It started when we first checked in. We were asked if we were interested in taking a tour of the brand new timeshares being offered at the Atlantis. There were plenty of ‘incentives’ to do so and only an hour involved, so we said…
“What the hell?”
What we got was much more than we bargained for. We got a lesson in sales techniques from a true sales guru.
I mean, this guy did EVERYTHING right.
- First, he bought us breakfast, and talked with us as if we were good friends. Talked about our family and his, our vacation, our time at the Atlantis, everything and anything EXCEPT what he was selling.
- He remembered our first names and used them often. I mean, we felt like we’d known this guy for years!
- He used NO PRESSURE. NONE. I love that!
- Based on what we told him about our desires for the perfect vacation, he first wove a story telling of the problems that most people face when taking a vacation … especially being surprised at the quality of your destination when you get there.
- He then painted a beautiful solution to these problems... showing us a better way to vacation when we want, and where we want.
- He created SCARCITY, by letting us know that the time share slots were going fast (not sure if it was true, but he did a good job at selling the point).
- He told us of all the celebrities who routinely stay at the same properties, including one of my idols, Michael Jordon. Great example of using SOCIAL PROOF. After all, if the best basketball player of all time stays there on vacation, that’s good enough for me.
- Finally, he didn’t take NO as a rejection, just an opportunity delayed. We promised to tell our friends who may be interested, and we will! Thus, even with a rejection to his sales opportunity, he received countless other possible contacts just by being professional, gracious, and a damn nice person.
Oh — one more thing — he took an immediate and sincere interest in our home business opportunity. He got on his computer right on the spot and we went to our website and I showed him OUR opportunity. He asked intelligent questions and promised to take a closer look.
Even if he had no interest at all, his strategy was PERFECT in that he made us feel like we were not being pitched, but actually partners in a decision.
My point to all this?
KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN! You never know when and where you’ll get a sales and marketing education that will help take YOUR business to the next level.
I learned a lot from this guy. Not what I expected on a vacation.
But I was smart enough to see a great sales lesson when it hit me between the eyes!.
Be alert!
To your success!
http://carbon-copy-professional.com
Who Do YOU Look To For Inspiration in Your Life?
Everyone knows someone who have been faced with terrible obstacles (health, financial, personal) and come out the other side to find tremendous success. You read in the paper or on the Internet on a daily basis of such inspirational stories.
Lucky for me, I don’t have to look too far. Just across the breakfast table.
I have told this story before, but for new readers, a brief summary.
Rosemary in the Bahamas
A little more than 1 year ago, my wife Rosemary was diagnosed with breast cancer. Further, they tested her for a genetic mutation that would increase dramatically her chance of getting recurring cancers in her breasts or ovaries in the future. She tested positive for this mutation.
It was also at this time when we were launching a couple of new home business ventures.
My reaction was to put everything on hold and focus on Rosemary’s health.
Rosemary’s reaction was that NOTHING was going to stop her, and we should move forward with everything.
She is a very brave and courageous gal.
Today, we got back from the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. In between, Rosemary endured 4 operations and various setbacks, and I am so happy to announce, cancer-free.
It was not just a week of vacation. It was a celebration of life.
And a celebration of our perseverence. Neither of us ever thought for one moment that Rosemary would not be cured. And neither of us would let her illness stop the progress we were realizing in our business.
Check out the new video we just posted on this subject:
Now, I’m no fool, and neither is Rosemary. Both of us realize that, if it were not for very early detection of her cancer things could have turned out a lot different. But we also believe with all our hearts that mindset and a positive attitude is extremely important when trying to attain anything in life, whether it be recovering from an illness or trying to attain a seemingly unreachable personal or financial goal.
Mindset is very powerful. It should never be underestimated.
I’ve seen it time and gain in members of my business team. There are those that have everything going for them — the knowledge, the brains, the finances– but they fail.
In comparison, I’ve seen team members who I doubted would be able to make their business work — no money, no prior experience — but they flourished and grew their business exponentially.
The difference? MINDSET.
The group with seemingly little or no chance spent a lot of time developing their mindset. At least an hour each day of learning techniques to stay positive, visualize their goals, and to make smart uses of their time.
My advice for everyone is find someone inspirational to you and pay close attention to their mindset. My bet is that they are positive, upbeat people who pay close attention to what goes on between their ears.
Stay positive, folks!
Do You Overcome Obstacles or Let Them Stop You?
A quick post because I am writing this from the incredibly beautiful Atlantis resort at Paradise Island in the Bahamas. Rosemary and I are spending our belated honeymoon here, and it is as close to heaven as I have been!
But it didn’t start out that way. Rosemary and I booked a cheaper package online at another ‘resort’, all inclusive and seemingly a much better deal than Atlantis.
I put ‘resort’ in quotation marks because it was a PIT. I mean, words cannot describe it.
Let’s just say their picturesque beach property was nothing more than a bunch of sand dumped on the shore of a small lagoon separated by railroad ties or some such thing…. about the size of a small bedroom. Unbelievable!
And the place was dirty, furniture ripped, fixtures coming off the walls…. you get the picture.
So we called Travelocity who first said they couldn’t (or wouldn’t) help us. Arranged to have a supervisor call us back.
Never did.
Kept trying Travelocity and getting different answers each time.
We wouldn’t be denied.
Finally, we took matters in our own hands. We checked out of the ‘resort’ after 2 hours and booked a beautiful room at the Atlantis.
Now THIS is a honeymoon.
And I just called Travelocity and let them know that I expect a refund of 3 nights to my Visa card immediately, or I will challenge the payment on my credit card.
Boy, did I feel empowered.
The point of all this?
OBSTACLES. OBSTACLES. OBSTACLES.
You’ll always be faced with them. It’s what you do about them that makes all the difference, in your personal life and in business.
Don’t allow obstacles to stop you.
It’s the people who continually overcome obstacles that make it big in life — personally, spiritually, and yes, financially.
I’ll let you know how the trip comes out.
Til next time,
Bob
Network Marketing Success — Don’t Forget to Smell the Roses
Network marketing can be addicting. The thrill of competition and learning new skills, the high one gets after successfully completing a sale, or reaching that income or recruitment goal you set at the beginning of the month.
It can all be very addicting.
A word of warning here, folks…
Don’t forget to take time out for the really important things in your life.
I’m talking about your wife, your kids, your girlfriend, your parents, other family members, and of course, your friends.
It is very easy to go overboard with your new found success in network marketing. Or even if you’ve not had success but can sense it inching closer.
But remember that any success you have in your life, whether it be in network marketing or anything else, will mean NOTHING without people in your life to share it with.
NOTHING.
On Friday, my wife Rosemary and I are jetting off to the Bahamas for 5 days.
Many in the network marketing community would say I’m crazy. After all, January is a killer month for marketers, especially with the job loss rate climbing and prices soaring. People need some strategies to get through this, right? And what we have to offer in network marketing is perfect for many of these people.
I know this.
I don’t care.
I’m going to the Bahamas on Friday for 5 days.
What many of you don’t know is that, at this time last year, Rosemary had just been diagnosed with breast cancer, and was later found to test positive for the breast cancer gene (making it much more likely for her to get breast cancer again and again).
Four surgeries and countless doctor visits later, Rosemary today can proudly say she is cancer free. But I will never forget that initial feeling on December 26, 2007 when the doctor spoke the 3 words that change your world forever….
“You have cancer”.
So what did Rosemary and I do (besides pray and seek out the best doctors we could find)?
We got married. It was the second marriage for both of us, and prior to this we were just taking a kind of “wait and see’ attitude about marriage. But we considered her diagnosis a wakeup call.
Someone upstairs telling us that ‘life is precious and what the hell are you waiting for‘?
So we got married, but with the cancer treatments and surgeries that Rosemary was undergoing at the time, we had no time for a honeymoon. We made a promise to each other that, when all this was over, we would take our long awaited vacation away from everything, just she and I.
So Friday we leave for the Bahamas, and for all the people out there who are looking for a way out of this economic mess, for all the poor souls who lost their job and need another way out, I’m sorry.
You’ll have to wait until we return.
For the next 5 days, it’s just Rosie and I and nothing else.
The successes will still be there when we return. So will the failures.
It doesn’t matter.
What REALLY matters is that we have each other.
Remember, everyone…. take the time to smell the roses in YOUR life.
I’ll post some pictures upon our return. Peace everyone.
To your profound happiness,
Using an Accountability Partner to Achieve Your Goals
Yesterday I wrote about specific goal setting strategies you can use to meet those New Year’s resolutions. Today, I want to talk about using accountability to achieve your goals.
What exactly is Accountability?
Accountability is defined as the willingness to take responsibility for one’s actions or results.
The key here is YOU. You take responsibility for meeting your goals or not. You take responsibility for taking the steps necessary to achieve your goals.
But sometimes we all need help.
That’s where an Accountability Partner comes in.
The concept of Accountability Partners was first introduced to me by Dennis Karganilla during the first 90 Day Challenge Social Media training course offered by MLM Goldmine. DK called it a Running Buddy, but the name doesn’t matter. The concept is the same.
Basically, an Accountability Partner is someone who keeps you on track towards achieving your goals. He or she is the person who applauds your successes, commiserates with your failures, and kicks you in the butt when you aren’t doing anything.
My personal running buddy is Curt Frieden, AKA The Mac Marketer. I met Curt during the 90 Day Challenge, and my wife Rosemary and I have teamed with Curt as Accountability Partners for over a year.
How do we act as each others Accountability Partners? We tried several ways, including phone calls and daily emails, but it became to labor intensive and was destined to fail.
So we turned to Google Documents. We each opened up a Google Doc and began posting daily entries documenting what we did that day that moved us closer to our goals. We then allowed each other access (called “sharing”) to our respective Google Documents and, in doing so, we were able to comment on the progress being made.
It is a great motivational tool. Rosemary and I know that if we don’t keep working our business and moving towards our ultimate goals, we will be getting emails and phone calls from Curt wanting to know what the hell is going on. And vice versa, of course.
Accountability partners or running buddies are not new concepts. People use them in all walks of life, sometimes unknowingly. Think of long distance runners. Many of them routinely run with a partner to push them to new heights. Or the person trying to lose weight, doing a diet program with someone else to keep them accountable.
Another example, perhaps more extreme, is the concept of a diving buddy — two people who dive together to ensure each other’s safety. Here, not having a buddy can mean life or death.
One thing is a virtual certainty. If you lack accountability in your life, you will almost certainly fail to achieve your goals, whatever they may be.
Some people think they can be accountable to themselves. In my experience, I can count on one hand the number of people who can actually achieve their goals without support or accountability to others.
Why risk it?
Get an Accountability Partner, work out a system of accountability that works best for both of you, and then stick to it.
It’s the very best strategy I know to achieve both short-term and long-term goals.
To your success!
The “Secret” Goal Setting Strategy that All Marketing Leaders Use
It’s January 4, 2009… time for New Year’s resolutions and soul searching, looking to achieve bigger and better things in the coming year. But how many of us actually achieve our resolutions each year?
According to surveys, only 8 percent of Americans successfully achieve their New Year’s resolutions. A whopping 45 percent fail by the end of January
Why? Are the majority of us simply unable to curb our desires long enough to make real changes in our lives?
I don’t think so. But I think there IS a problem.
I believe the problem resides in the TIME FRAME in which goals or resolutions are made each January.
It’s a simple trick that most successful people understand, whether it be personal, spiritual, or professional goals. Rather than make huge yearly goals that seem insurmountable on any given day, there is a better way….
The leaders, the people “in the know” understand this all too well. They know that setting lofty YEARLY goals is a setup for failure.
That’s why all the leaders choose to make WEEKLY GOALS, rather than YEARLY RESOLUTIONS.
What’s the difference? EVERYTHING.
Think of it in these terms… compare these 2 phrases:
***************
“I want to lose 50 pounds by this time next year” versus “I will lose 1 pound this week.”
Or this….
“I want to make $100,000 in my home business this year” versus “I will make $2000 this week in my home business.”
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The yearly goals seem enormous, but somehow the weekly goals seem more in line with our perception of what is “do-able”.
Almost every leader in the network marketing industry that I have spoken to set goals WEEKLY, rather than monthly, and certainly NOT yearly.
It’s in the constant repetition of setting weekly goals, reviewing these goals on a daily basis, assessing progress towards the goals, and re-setting goals the following week that keep leaders ACCOUNTABLE and is a key for their long-term success.
GOAL SETTING done correctly is VERY powerful. Goal setting done incorrectly sets people up for failure and feeling worthless.
How is goal setting done correctly? By creating goals in a shorter time frame, making them more manageable and more easily attained. And as you attain your goals each week, you gain confidence in yourself that you CAN meet your goals.
And mindset in goal setting is EVERYTHING.
And what if you DON’T meet your weekly goals? It’s much simpler to access where your goal setting has gone awry and to correct your original premise to a more reasonable set of goals that CAN be met on a weekly basis.
Weekly Goal Setting — the secret goal setting strategy that all the TOP LEADERS use to make 5-6 figures in network marketing each year.
Here’s to meeting your goals each week!
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