What Should You Look For in a Network Marketing Sponsor?
I often see people interested in starting a home based business spend an inordinate amount of time “sponsor shopping”. Surfing the Internet searching for the “perfect” sponsor can be both time consuming and very confusing.
It’s confusing because people don’t really know what or who they’re looking for.
Which brings me to the key point of this blog post —
What kind of sponsor should you be looking for?
Should you be looking for….
- the person who makes the most money in this company?
- the person with ties to the company leadership?
- the person newer to the industry who will be able to spend a lot of time holding your hand?
- the person who is most like you in temperament?
While all of these choices might, on the surface seem logical, these are not the characteristics or ingredients you should look for in a sponsor.
So what SHOULD you look for?
It’s very simple, but it took me a while to figure it out.
And before I did, I was exactly the WRONG kind of sponsor, not really helping my team or their businesses.
You want a sponsor with one key character trait —>
You want someone is going to TELL YOU THE TRUTH.
Tell it like it is. No sugar coating.
You want someone to tell you what you NEED to hear, not what you want to hear.
This is what Rosemary and I tell everyone who joins our team:
We’ll do what we can to help you make the kind of money you want, but it’s going to be one of the most challenging things you’ve done in your life. It will take work, money, time, and occasionally getting out of your comfort zone.
We will never do the work for you. We won’t give you all the answers. But we WILL show you where to look for the solutions to what’s holding you back.
In other words, we will help you become LEADERS, not someone just blindly following a system. There’s little doubt that you can make money following the Carbon Copy PRO system.
But you can make BIG MONEY by being a leader.
That’s where we come in.
So what kind of sponsor should you be looking for?
- Not the biggest money earner
- Not the easiest to get along with
- Not the one who will hold your hand
You want a person who will help you when you need it by showing you HOW TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM ON YOUR OWN.
You want a person who will STRATEGIZE with you, not do it for you.
You want a sponsor who will help you to develop your LEADERSHIP SKILLS.
You want a sponsor who will EMPOWER YOU TO LEAD, not enable you to follow.
You see the difference?
Is Your Mission Statement Holding You Back?
Every business, from the largest corporations to the smallest work-at-home business needs a Mission Statement. In other words,
Why Are You Doing What You’re Doing?
For what reason? What do you want to get out of your business venture?
When most people sit down and think about it, they start thinking about what THEY want out of their business.
A new car.
A Caribbean vacation.
A boat or new house.
Fire their boss. Freedom. Wealth.
But wait….
THIS IS A CRITICAL MISTAKE!
Now you’re probably saying something like, “What’s wrong with that?”
Nothing, and EVERYTHING.
Let me ask you a question. If I approached you to join my terrific business opportunity, and you asked me this very simple question…. “Why should I join you?”
How do you think you’d react if I responded,
“You should join my team because I want a new car, a new boat, a vacation, financial freedom.”
I’m sure you’d say, “Who give a s’&t!!”
And you’d be absolutely right.
People want to join a business, or buy a product, because there is some benefit to THEM, not the seller or the business owner.
And the sooner the business owner understands that, the better.
If your Mission is solely SELF DRIVEN, this will come across to your prospect and you will repel them.
However, if your Mission is to benefit others, then your prospect will be attracted.
Rosemary and I have a Mission Statement for our business. Here it is:
Our Mission Statement is to help as many people as possible live the life they desire.
NOTICE – There is….
No “US”
No “WE”
No “I” in our Mission Statement.
There is no room for these words in your mission statement.
It needs to be all about what’s best for your customer.
To your success!
Global Business Coach and Marketing Strategist
The Power of Many — Grow Your Home Business with a Mastermind Group
Merry Christmas, everyone! Today’s post focuses on the importance of working as part of a group to accomplish your goals and objectives. I am going to share with you an article I just published on the concept of a Mastermind Group and how it can help you grow your business exponentially.
Welcome to Day 25 of the “30 Tips in 30 Days” Holiday Blog Special, where you get one free business or marketing tip for every day in the month of December. If you’ve missed any of the previous posts simply click on the Business and Marketing Tips Category link on the right sidebar.
Here is the article I promised you:
Students of business, regardless of their level of formal education, seem to always be searching for the latest and greatest management fad to help achieve more profits—and more success. Frequently though, there is great wisdom to be found in less-contemporary teachings as well. Take for example the concept of the Mastermind Group, first introduced by Napoleon Hill in his timeless and classic work, Think and Grow Rich, first published in 1937. Describing the Mastermind concept, Hill writes, “The coordination of knowledge and effort of two or more people, who work toward a definite purpose, in the spirit of harmony…No two minds ever come together without thereby creating a third, invisible intangible force, which may be likened to a third mind.”
What is a Mastermind Group? It’s simply a group of people sharing a common goal, and sharing insight and wisdom in their pursuit of it. In the case of a home-based network marketing business, each person in the group will most likely be pursuing their own individual goals—and business—but will benefit from the shared experience and expertise of the others.
Starting a Mastermind Group to support your network marketing business is relatively straightforward. The group size can vary, but most experts agree that the optimum size should be between three and six people. The group should meet weekly, typically for an hour and a half or so. Obviously flexibility is the key, but these guidelines are fairly standard. Often the person who founded the group serves as the coordinator and arranges the logistical details of the meeting. Location and time would be up to the coordinator to manage.
But because all of the group members are considered equal, there is no appointed leader. The best approach is to rotate meeting leadership responsibilities to the various members each time the group meets. The weekly leader guides the agenda for each meeting, typically starting with each group member recounting their week’s goals, accomplishments and challenges. And this is where the synergies of the group come into play. In a situation where the whole is clearly more than the sum of its parts, the group brainstorming is where the magic occurs. Some Mastermind Group proponents suggest that the entire process of sharing and discussing should be carefully structured. Others feel that a more free-form approach is recommended. Regardless of how you choose to approach it, a Mastermind Group should unquestionably become a part of your overall home-based business success strategy.
To your prosperity!
Bob Clarke
December 25, 2008; Cresskill, NJCheck out which business I chose above all others
Marketing Lessons Learned During a Blizzard
Yesterday we received 8 inches of fresh snow, with more on the way tonight. What most of you don’t know about me is that I absolute HATE shoveling snow. Despise it. It puts me in a really bad mood. But as I was shoveling this morning, it occurred to me that there are some very strong parallels between snow shoveling and building a home based business.
Welcome to Day 20 of the “30 Tips in 30 Days” Holiday Blog Special — one business building tip for each day in the month of December. If you’ve missed any of the previous posts, be sure to click on the Business and Marketing Tips Category on the right sidebar.
So I’m out shoveling snow, feeling older than I already am and passing the time thinking about my next blog post. And then it hit me. There are a number of parallels between strategies for snow shoveling and how to build a home based business. Seems like a stretch?
Check it out.
1) When shoveling snow, you need the right equipment. We had more snow than usual yesterday, and my usual small shovel didn’t seem worthy of the job. So I searched my garage and found this old relic — a huge snow shovel that hadn’t been used in years. I pulled it out and gave it a try.
The surface had become so worn, that the snow just stuck to it like glue. Even though it looked impressively big, it was just the wrong tool for the job. What does this have to do with a home business?
Everything.
You absolutely need to start out with the right tools when building a business, first and foremost being a business opportunity that you are proud of, that pays well, and that offers you the support and training you’ll need when just beginning. Getting the right tools in place from the beginning will reduce your frustrations immeasurably when starting your home based business.
2) Break large tasks into smaller pieces. Most of you know about the end of the driveway. You know, the area where the snow plow piles all the snow from the street right in front of your driveway entrance, leaving a HUGE wall of snow blocking your way to the house. I walked out this morning faced with such a snow wall, and started out trying to lift it all at once. Big mistake.
I found it much easier to take it in small pieces, level by level. Much easier on the back, and the heart! It took me a little longer, but it got me there nonetheless. Another positive? I won’t be paralyzed again today.
When you are just starting out, building your home based business can seem an insurmountable task. But if you break it down into small tasks that can be accomplished in a shorter time, it all seems that much easier.
Let’s say you decide you want to do video marketing. It can seem a very daunting task, especially for those of us that are technically challenged. But if you break it into pieces, small attainable goals, you can be making your first video in no time. For example, your first goal might be to research and purchase the best video camera for your needs. The second goal might be to practice before the camera, not actually taping but going through the entire process and understanding how it will feel. The third step might be to complete some online training to become more proficient, like that offered at MLM Goldmine.
You get the idea. Break your large goals up in to smaller tasks. It may take longer to get to your ultimate goals, but you greatly reduce the risk of quitting from frustration!
3) Make it FUN! Finally, when shoveling snow, have some FUN! Take the snow you removed from your driveway or walkway and make a snowman! Make it about family time. When building your business, don’t forget to have fun! If you’re making a video, have a blast! Don’t focus so much on the quality of the video as the quality of the message. If you are talking to a prospect, LIGHTEN UP! Joke around with the person on the other end of the phone. Show them that having a home business can be alot of fun. After all, they are probably scared to death, too!
There you have it. Three very strong parallels between snow shoveling and building your business.
You can probably find similar parallels in all the jobs you do around the house or at your job. Leave a comment and add to the list.
Until next time,
Bob
December 20, 2008; Cresskill, NJWhy is the MLM Failure Rate so High?
Welcome to Day 8 of the “30 Tips in 30 Days Holiday Blog Special”.
Today’s post is about MLM and Network Marketing failure. Why?
Because at many points along the road to success in this industry, I can guarantee you one thing:
You will feel like quitting!
And it order for you to avoid becoming another MLM statistic, we need to arm you with some knowledge about why people quit. In tomorrow’s post, we will discuss what to do when you feel the urge to quit.
Here is the ugly truth in MLM:
Over 95% of MLM business ventures FAIL!
Why? Well, I had my own ideas but I decided to ask people in the industry what they thought the main reasons were for the high attrition rate. You can see all the results in my Squidoo lens.
Today I will talk about what I consider to be the top 3 reasons that people fail in Network Marketing.
REASON 1: UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
By far the biggest reason for people quitting network marketing is, paradoxically, their very high expectations of the kind of success they will have and the time it will take them to achieve it. People come into the industry thinking that it will be an easy way to make a lot of money. They start their business thinking that it will be only a matter of weeks, or months at the most, before they’ll start making the kind of money that will allow them to quit their current job.
The real truth? Unless you have prior networking or sales experience, it will take the normal person months, or even years before they start seeing the kind of results they are expecting. In fact, most successful network marketers failed at the first MLM business they started. And the second. In fact, for many of the top earners out there, there were quite a few failures before they finally learned how to be successful in network marketing.
Who is responsible for these unrealistic expectations? Sadly, most of it originates from all the hype you see out there. You’ve all seen the ads: “Easy Money”, “Make Huge Money Online”, and “Become Rich Online,” to name just a few.
Are these lies? No. There are definitely people out there who are making a lot of money online in network marketing. In fact, there are A LOT of people making big money.
But they are not generally the people who are starting out for the first time.
No, the ads are not lies. But they are misleading. At least in my opinion.
REASON #2: TREATING YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A HOBBY
This is your business. If you don’t treat it like a business, it will fail. It’s pretty much as simple as that.
What do I mean? I mean putting the time, energy, and money into your business that is necessary for you to see success. Let me give you an example.
This is how I treat my business. I have a full time job as a medical professional, and I have a successful network marketing business.
How do I do both?
- I work about 3 hours at night on my business after I come home from my job, at least 4 days a week.
- I work an average of 5-6 hours on my business on the days I am not working (except Sundays).
- I have put every cent I have made to this point BACK INTO MY BUSINESS to make it grow. I invest in myself by paying for additional training to acquire skills I will need to be even more successful.
You see a theme here? TIME and MONEY. That is how you “treat your business like a business”. I’ve never seen a new business thrive when someone spends a couple hours a week on it. And people who take their business profits and buy a big screen TV will soon be looking failure in the face.
There IS a time and a place for such behavior — after you’ve started making Big Money. But until then, put the time and money into your business on a consistent basis and you will see it grow.
Slowly at first, then faster, and even faster until, one day you’ll wake up and realize your are one of those “Network Marketing Success Stories” that you read about.
It can and will happen if you treat your business like a business.
REASON # 3: LACK OF SKILLS
If you are an auto mechanic, you need skills to fix cars. If you are a doctor, you need skills to fix people.
If you are a network marketer, you need to acquire the skills necessary to be successful.
What are these skills? I’m talking about communication skills, marketing skills, and networking skills. Skills like how to talk to a prospect, how to communicate and support your team members, and how to project yourself as a leader.
Not to mention marketing skills. Here, you need skills like copywriting, website design and development, and learning how to promote your business online and offline.
What I am getting at is that people starting a network marketing business often overlook the fact that you need to acquire skills to be successful, just as you would with any other occupation. Yes, network marketing IS AN OCCUPATION, although not in the traditional sense.
People get impatient because they want to run before they can walk. They get uncomfortable because, for most of us, change is uncomfortable.
But it’s imperative that you acquire these skills (or learn how to outsource them) in order to be successful as a network marketer.
There you have it. My 3 top reasons why 95% of people fail at network marketing.
Leave a comment and add some more!
Tomorrow we will arm you with some tools when YOU feel like quitting…. and you will!
Everyone does.
Until next time, be happy!
Bob
Learn how an automated marketing system can cut down your learning curve
30 Tips in 30 Days: Day 2 — Just Who Are Your Prospects?
IF YOU MISSED ANY OF THE PREVIOUS TIPS IN THIS SERIES, Go to the Business and Marketing Tips Category on the right side of the blog.
Hi again, everyone. Yesterday we discussed how to go about setting up your new home based business. So now you’re all set to go prospecting!
But who exactly ARE your prospects?
When I joined my first network marketing company a number of years ago, I was taught that…
EVERYONE WAS A PROSPECT. Anyone within a 3-foot radius was fair game.
This single piece of advice set me back at least 3 years in terms of network marketing success.
Why? Because, while it’s very nice to think that everyone wants to join your opportunity, the realistic fact is that network marketing is not for everyone…. in fact, it’s not the right fit for MOST people.
The first and most important fact that you’ll need to get in your head is that you are looking for that special person who understands the value of the network marketing industry AND who is at the right time in their life to go after their dreams. Not everyone is.
I’ve talked to many great prospects who were fully qualified to join my team but, after discussing their current circumstances, realized that the timing was just not right for them to give the time and dedication necessary to be successful in this industry.
I’ve gotten to the point where I am fairly exclusive in who I choose to work with in my business. I don’t take just anyone. This may sound a little arrogant, but it’s as far from arrogance as you can get.
I’ve realized over the years that people who join network marketing for the wrong reasons or having unrealistic expectations will LIKELY FAIL. I feel that by choosing not to work with them at the beginning, I am actually doing them a favor.
I am saving them a lot of frustration and, more importantly, a lot of money.
So who do I work with?
I am looking for the following qualities in a prospect:
- Someone who understands that this is a BUSINESS, and businesses cost money when first starting up. It will take people with NO CASH a lot longer to turn a profit in their business, and 99% of them will quit before they see that profit.
- Someone who understands that building a business is a PROCESS, and it is not a get rich quick scenario. In fact, unless you’ve got prior network marketing experience and have already learned the skills necessary to make money online, it will likely TAKE A WHILE TO TURN A PROFIT. I see many people looking for a home business opportunity who are doing so because they NEED A JOB. They have no money and need to make some quickly to pay their bills. These people are NOT your prospects.
- Someone who is coach-able, will listen and follow directions, then take what they’ve learned and apply it to their businesses in an independent manner. In other words, people who take responsibility for seeking out the information they need, and then applying that knowledge to grow their business. Coach-ability and independence are key traits in a network marketer.
- Finally, I am looking for that person who is NOT AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS. For most people starting out in network marketing, the skills they will need to acquire are much different than anything they’ve done before. They need to understand that growing their business will involve getting out of their comfort zone. For me, making videos was a huge challenge. I disliked even the thought of making a video and having it splashed on YouTube for everyone to see. But I knew that video marketing is a very powerful way to get your message out, so I took a course, got the knowledge I needed to make videos and understand how to promote them, and then I made the videos. They were terrible at first, downright awful. But I kept doing them until I got more comfortable. This is still a skills set that I am working to improve, but I’ve come a long way and gotten past the discomfort. This is a very important quality in a potential prospect, and one I value highly when determining if I want to work with that person.
So there you have it. The traits and qualities I look for when deciding if I want to add someone to my network marketing team.
If you are just starting out, you will probably be saying to yourself, “But I haven’t sponsored anyone. I can’t afford to be choosy.”
The fact is, you can’t afford NOT to be choosy. Take it from personal experience. If you sponsor people who are not the right fit for network marketing, you and your new team member will have a miserable experience.
Worse, you may even feel as if you are to blame for getting them involved in the first place.
Set your standards now. Think of the kinds of people YOU WANT TO WORK WITH.
And then prospect.
Now prospecting is not just a process of reaching out to anyone who will listen and trying to convince them of your great business opportunity.
Now you are the one in control. You are talking to people, getting to know them and understand them. And as you do that, you will know if they are right for YOUR opportunity.
This is YOUR BUSINESS. You are the CEO. You make the decisions.
Decide early on who your prospects are, and you will save yourself a lot of time, money, and stress.
For my more experienced readers, can you add to this list? Leave a comment.
Til tomorrow,
Bob Clarke
December 2, 2008; Cresskill, NJSee what business Dr. Clarke has chosen above all others
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