Circle of Life

Two of the most powerful benefits to the Network Marketing Professional:

• Life’s Circumstances
• Circle of Life

Many would consider these two things a business “killer.” In fact, it’s just the opposite for the person who is “driven” and has a “purpose” and a “passion” for the business.

Let’s look first at the circumstances of life. Because of “circumstances” we do many things in life that we don’t want to do. Perhaps we married young and have several children. Unless we are poor parents we will do the best we can to see that those children have the best in life we can give them.

Unfortunately, for many, that’s not too much.

If life were easy there would be no need to work hard and become very successful in something like Network Marketing. We may be tied to a small community and responsibilities feeling locked in and tied down. We may have no hope and can’t see how to overcome our circumstances.

Thankfully, Network Marketing can break boundaries (geographically and monetarily) and can be worked on a part-time basis. Because of this a “few” people will grasp and take hold of the opportunity and “make” it work for them. Life’s “circumstances” don’t matter to them!

Let’s look next at the circle of life. Life runs in a circle (much like the four seasons). For many, life goes in a certain “circle” because they haven’t planned anything. Things just happen. Many will let this circle of life keep them from persistently and consistently doing the business but a “few” won’t.

The truth is, we can begin to control our lives. That’s a huge discovery for some people. The fact that they can actually control something in their lives.

Our boss (whoever that is) doesn’t need to control our life. Network marketing gives us the opportunity to take back control. The circle of life goes something like this:

• It’s Christmas and we’ve just spent way more than we should and it’s time for the New Year’s resolution—things have to change!
• It’s Memorial Day and time for that summer vacation. I can’t afford the vacation—things have to change!
• It’s Labor Day and I can’t afford to send my kids to that private school—things have to change!
• Guess what? It’s the Holiday season again and I need to buy some more presents and get more in debt—things have to change!
• A New Year and it’s the same thing—again!

Will you change your circle of life? By joining a quality Network Marketing company we can change our circle of life. We just need to decide. Do you want to slow down or even get off the wheel?

If people didn’t realize they were like a hamster running inside a wheel (going nowhere fast) they wouldn’t see Network Marketing for the tremendous opportunity that it is! That’s what makes this business work. A chance to make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.

Be thankful for the circumstances and circle of life because a “few” people will figure out how to overcome.

When you understand the reason “why” the “how” will come!

Big as a Barn

This article doesn’t relate to your physical size just your “fixed cost” as you begin your Network Marketing Business.

One reason that people often do not make it in business is because they don’t understand how to control costs. Therefore, instead of being as sleek as an arrow they are as big as a barn when it comes to overhead. Yes, you do have to “spend” money to “make” money in any business and you do have to spend time with your business. Just picture a barn flying through the air at the target instead of a sleek black arrow.

BARN ARROW

If you decide to eliminate your salary, instead of doing the business part-time, look at the sales dollars you will need to bring in to cover that reduction in salary. For example, if your salary income nets you $50,000 per year and you can make a gross profit of 40% (Net Sales less variable or out-of-pocket costs), you will need $50,000 divided by a .40 gross profit ratio or $125,000 in net sales to cover the loss of your salary. Also, it is often not just a salary that you need to replace. What about social security and health insurance? A good rule of thumb for businesses adding employees (you are one even in your own business) is to double the salary. In other words, divide $100,000 by .40 gross profit ratio or $250,000 in net sales is needed. Please note: if you don’t make the net sales you haven’t covered the money you lost by quitting your job!

That’s why the founder of our company gave us a rule of thumb before going full-time in the business. Consistently make (3) times your current salary before going full-time.

Also, if you are debt free, look at the opportunities you have compared to your neighbor who is drowning in debt. If you have a $1,000 per month house payment then you will need $30,000 per year in net sales to cover the payments on your house ($1,000 times 12 divided by .40 gross profit ratio).

Don’t get discouraged by reading this and look at the opportunity you have in starting your own business. If you understand the fundamentals in controlling fixed costs you can become as “sleek as an arrow” and run over competition that is “as big as a barn.” Often, companies encounter competition because they don’t understand how to control their costs.

The great thing about starting a Network Marketing business (unlike many other businesses) is that you can start it on a part-time basis so be as “sleek as an arrow.”

And so, if you’re tired of working for a Corp. where the top people are taking the company down, and you get a pay decrease or pitiful increase while they continue to get their pay and perks you can do something about it. Is it fair for them not to perform and get a company paid vacation (on your efforts) while you get to work harder?  Are you just ineffective at sucking up to management? Be the boss and go into business for yourself!

Women Have the Power

Several marketing books, and gurus, tell us that we spend way too much emphasis on demographics in marketing. In my opinion, some companies will shortly begin waking up to a new reality (demographically speaking). Also, I suspect they will not be prepared for this new reality because you can turn on the box, or look at the marketing departments across America, and still see their focus. Yeah, the men like to look but who controls the check book?

Many companies spend their time trying to reach the younger looking person because their management has grown up in an age where women models (in their size 2) and macho men have been the center of attention. That’s all about to change!

I intend to write several articles on this subject but for now I will quote from Mary Brown & Carol Orsborn, Ph.D., BOOM:

“A number of our contributing authors attribute this fascination with the younger age group as a reflection of the fact that in many companies, the marketers themselves are Gen X or younger. Their perception of the size and influence of the percentage of female demographic dealing with changing diapers and serving up alphabet soup is skewed by their own experiences and interests. This bias is giving way, however, bowing under the sheer weight of the statistical evidence as to where the real economic clout lies: Baby Boomer women…

Imagine walking into your local newsstand and seeing the majority of magazines featuring women 40+ on the cover in their ads. In a world of marketing and media that has spent decades courting the 18-to-34-year-old male consumer as the demographic of choice, this may strike you as a far-fetched notion. But the truth is that it is the woman 40+ who is increasingly establishing herself as the power consumer of today. She is already making the majority of household purchases, spending well over a trillion dollars a year on consumer goods and services. And now, as both her numbers and dollars continue to dominate the consumer marketplace, she’s poised to turn the marketing world upside down…

Dove Soap Ad

We listened intently as the marketing research director of the major cruise line described his demographic focus to us for the coming year. ‘We recognized that 80 percent of the time, it’s the woman who is making the major travel decisions for the family. As a result, we’ve decided to target women age 40 and under.’

‘Targeting women is a smart move,’ we said. ‘Women are going to control two-thirds of the consumer wealth in the United States over the coming decade. But is there any particular reason why you are targeting the age segment of the population that will see a 0 percent increase over the next few years while during the same period of time, the number of people age 45 to 64 will grow 30 percent?’

The room suddenly grew quiet. After a brief pause, he shrugged his shoulders and smiled, ‘Perhaps we should revisit this.’“

And so, you ask me why we are into Health and Wellness products?

Demographics

The study of demographics is not theory because (aside from catastrophic events that might change the population numbers) the numbers are known. Many marketing and economic majors have studied demographics to try and determine how it will impact our future and how to best take advantage of the aging population. A really good study of the demographic reality and aging population was presented by Peter G. Peterson in his book Grey Dawn. Based on his book, I suspect we could use many younger immigrants because on page 52 in his book he makes this observation: “The U.S. working population will begin to decline in the year 2019.”

In the year 2000, when Peterson wrote his book, the percentage of people in Florida over the age of 65 was 19%. Here are the years that some major countries will reach that same ratio:

• 2003 - Italy
• 2006 - Japan
• 2006 - Germany
• 2016 - UK
• 2016 - France
• 2021 - Canada
• 2023 - US

Have you ever been to Florida? If you have you can begin to realize how different the world will be.

“Though the most rapid growth of the elderly population has yet to happen, the steadily rising profile of the elder consumer is already visible to most retail shoppers–with hair dye outselling baby formula, with diapers for all age groups stocked in drugstores, and with senior-cruise brochures replacing the ads for kids’ summer camps.”

“Just as boomers once overwhelmed the schools as children, the job market as they came of age, and the housing markets as mature adults, so too are they on track to overwhelm America’s retirement systems as they enter elderhood.”

However, as to retirement, taxes, illegal immigration, health care costs, etc. we will have a solution for those issues by default.

In fact, the “income tax system” has exactly the same demographic problems as social security but the solution is in the wings (FairTax). It will just be a matter of some time before the solution becomes very clear to enough people.

Also, if you want to watch an interesting video about money = debt and the banking system go to http://moneyasdebt.net/.

One of the major opportunities will be with the Health Care Industry (the next Trillion Dollar Industry). Read The Wellness Revolution by Paul Zane Pilzer (economist). That’s why the Nutrition Supplement industry is so good!

Market Fixation

Market fixation is an unhealthy or obsessive preoccupation with addressing the marketplace in the wrong or a limited way.

For example, I may think of the company, or products, in ways that are dated and overlook new markets for the products. This is part of the maturing process that takes place in any Company or Distributorship. My focus may be on a much smaller market than the products can actually reach.

Here’s an example by Lois Kelly, “Procter & Gamble originally thought that its Febreze brand, which removes odors from fabrics, would be most relevant to people who wanted to remove smoke from their cloths. But by asking, ‘Who is this relevant to?‘ the marketers found that the brand was meaningful to people who wanted to remove odors from other places–smelly gym bags, teenagers’ closets, and the backseats of cars. After P&G changed the way it promoted Febreze–from odor remover to frabric refresher–the business grew by about 50 percent over the past three years. People other than smokers want to know how to make things smell good.”

Don’t lock into one market if your product can reach a larger market. Keep you mind and ears open.

Customers need Context and Meaning

Connect the dots…Have you ever been involved in a Corp. campaign that had absolutely zero meaning to you or your customers?

Perhaps the campaign has a lot of meaning as an objective or goal for the company but zero meaning for Your Goals or Your Customer’s Goals…meaningless and irrelevant.

Lois Kelly wrote this in her book Beyond Buzz about context and meaning:

“Examples of companies trying to fit themselves into a broader context include fast-food companies talking about their products and values in the context of healthy eating, car makers talking about hybrid vehicles in the context of being less dependent on gas and being better stewards of the environment, and insurance providers talking about long-term care in the context of aging and health care policy. Today, public policy is framed in the context of security and the war against global terrorism.

As you can see, marketing anything requires explaining ideas within people’s existing frames of reference–that is, in a context they already understand.”

Your need for $100,000 in income over the next year has little meaning for me. My need for you to recognize me as smart, worthy of following, and a great leader is completely irrelevant to Your needs.

If you can’t connect the dots for the customer (as a Network Marketer) your message will fail so don’t start with a message that gets you way off “their” track. Don’t get out of touch with your customers!

How to talk to a stranger

James K. Van Fleet in his book, Success with People, gives these suggestions in talking to a stranger:

• Pay them some sort of compliment.
• Get a stranger to help you and let them know you recognize their superiority.

1. Can you help me out with this, please?
2. Could I ask for your advise?
3. What is your opinion on this?
4. I value your judgment on this matter.
5. Could you please show me how to do this?
6. I would much appreciate your telling me how to do this.
7. I know you’re an expert in this field. Could you give me a few tips on how to handle it?

Three ways to form a friendship right away:

• Ask about a person’s name.
• Every person likes to tell you what he does for a living.
• Ask a person to tell you about his hobby.

How to talk to the opposite sex:

Some men find it extremely difficult to talk to a woman. They are overly worried about saying the wrong thing and having it misinterpreted as either a chauvinistic remark or a pass. Married men are often uncomfortable talking to a single woman, especially if their wives are present.

Stay on safe ground by avoiding controversial subjects. Surveys of over 1,000 women about their favorite topics for discussion revealed that the following subjects were at the top:

1. Family and home (including children and grandchildren).
2. Good Health
3. Work or job (if a working woman)
4. Promotion and advancement (if employed)
5. Personal Growth
6. Clothes and shopping
7. Recreation
8. Travel
9. Men (especially single women)

Subjects that were least liked by women were sports, politics, and religion.

The topics men most like to talk about are strikingly similar to those women like, according to surveys of 1,000 men.

1. Family and home (including children and grandchildren)
2. Good Health
3. Work or job
4. Promotion and advancement
5. Personal growth
6. Recreation
7. Travel
8. The opposite sex (especially young single men)

The men surveyed also enjoyed talking about sports and politics. They disliked discussions of religion, clothes, fashions, or shopping.

I would just add this to his comments, “Don’t forget to make eye contact and smile.”

Starve Problems and Feed Opportunities

“Starve Problems and Feed Opportunities” is a well known phrase used by Peter Drucker the recognized father of management science.

Perhaps this is one of the most important subjects in Network Marketing, that I could cover, yet it won’t be recognized as such because people never seem to learn from experience. Do you focus on your problems or your opportunities in life?

Often, focusing on your problems is kindred to focusing upon your past and there is not much that can be gained from looking backwards instead of forwards. Of course, I am not trying to discount learning from history or past mistakes but it’s time to move on.

I like various verses in the book of Proverbs because they paint pictures to make the point. Here is a good one in Proverbs 26, verses 20 and 21: “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.”

Do you feed your problems in life? Do you continually pour lighter fluid on the flames and keep stirring the fire to give it life? That’s how a lot of people deal with life. They focus on their problems and stir the coals over, and over, and over.

Here’s another great passage in Proverbs 26:17, “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.”

You will quickly learn in Network Marketing that you aren’t a Professional Psychologist (unless you are one) and there are many subjects that should just be avoided. If there is contention and strife then quit adding wood to the fire or stirring the coals. Life has a lot of issues that are just not worth dealing with and it’s like grabbing a dog by the ears–expect the consequences!

The largest problem with focusing on problems is the distraction from concentrating on the current opportunities.

Successful people and companies focus on opportunities!

What are you good at and what do you want?

People can be good at a lot of different things and you really know best about what you are good at. Often we see parents with visions about their kids being Doctors, etc. and push them in a direction they shouldn’t go.

A lot of kids get to college with little thought about why they are there (except that’s what they should do to be successful–whatever that means). I certainly don’t want to discourage the idea of college. Unfortunately, much of what you will learn has nothing to do with the skills you will need in many areas of endeavor because “knowledge” is a small part. It’s interesting to me that you hear a lot from politicians talk about education in math and science. Over the years, I have known a host of Engineers who’s job had nothing to do with engineering at all. I suspect they have forgotten much of what they learned in school. Don’t assume they weren’t good students. One company required a 3.9-4.0 GPA to be considered as a candidate for employment in their fast track program (if they were smart enough to work 100 hours a week). I suspect the VP Engineering laughed hard and often about that. It’s amazing to me what people will do for you if you tell them they are part of an elite group of people.

Do you have a strong (overpowering) desire to be the President of a Company? Will you be the President of a Company? The answer is “statistically” no. Also, you may not have the political savvy, the will to survive the bureaucrats or acquire the mentors and contacts you will need, and the “many” years of effort it may take climbing the ladder. After all, only one person in the company achieves that status at a time and the competition is great. You may be the most qualified but the CEO’s brat has a significant advantage over you.

Don’t become disillusioned because you can step outside the formula prescribed by others (making their living telling you how to make it) and still become the CEO of your own company. Please don’t get discouraged when you realize, through experience, they were feeding you bull for their own gain. Look realistically at what you really want, need, and what you are good at doing as soon as possible.

Here’s a story from Annette Simmons about Steven Levitt who wrote the book Freakonomics:

“A recent survey of economists asks ‘what is the most important skill for an economist?’ Seventy percent answered ‘a proficiency in math,’ and only 2 percent answered ‘a good working knowledge of the economy.’

I am not good at math. I recently went to my high school reunion and my math teacher, Mr. Drexel, remembered my name. He said ‘Aren’t you the one who got 2 out of 5 in calculus?’ I had to answer ‘yes.’ Apparently I got the lowest score of any of his students…ever. That’s why he remembered me. My first math class at MIT, I turned to a classmate and asked, ‘Hey, is there a difference between the curly d and the straight d?’ The guy just looked at me with pity and said, ‘You are in SO much trouble.’

I was so far behind my peers there was no way I could catch up. I wondered what to do then I remembered a story my father told me. When he was in medical school, his mentor took him aside. Apparently his aptitude wasn’t so stunning either. His mentor told him, “Levitt, you don’t have much talent for medical research. There are two ways you can go here. You could fight your way among the crowds of people who choose the most popular areas to research, or yo can find an area where NO ONE is researching and own it.’ That is how my father decided to specialize in intestinal gas. In fact, he eventually became known as the ‘King of Farts.’ I took his words to heart and looked for my niche. Freakonomics is to traditional economics what intestinal gas is to traditional medicine.”

Network Marketing may or may not be for you. We picked it because my wife is really good at building relationships (people person) and this is the simple way to start your own business on a part-time basis. The risk is not great and the rewards can be great–if you become good at it. It’s certainly not for everyone and a lot of people can’t (won’t) do it.

What are you good at and what do you want? You are the best judge (even a trusted mentor may be wrong).

“I always wanted to be somebody.  Now I know I should have been more specific.”  Lily Tomlin 

Ground Zero

Here’s a picture of Ground Zero my wife took on the trip we won to NY during last Christmas Season:

The High Rise Building that will replace the WTC buildings will be built on Bedrock to support what you can see rising up out of the ground.

Building a solid foundation in Network Marketing requires that you start from ground zero, just like everyone else, and begin to dig down. How big of a vision do you have about the building you want to build?

Do you want a Beach Hut, nice Home, or a High Rise Building? If you want a High Rise Building, that will be a part of the sky line for a long time, then go down to Bedrock using the multi-level principles of multiplication (3×3=9×3=27) = 39 Bedrock. Dig down in order to go up!

Build a Freedom Tower by Networking to Freedom!