Taking Control, My Three Step Business Evolution

My business came to a stalemate in January of 07. After two years of trying very hard to do what everyone else was doing I came to realization that my instincts (that small voice you hear in your head) about carving my own path to success was something I should have followed from the beginning.

I have always worked on personal growth, it has been something consistent throughout my life. What I do and how I do it has never been something that I shared openly with others. I have always believed this is something very personal, and I still believe this.


I have made many mistakes throughout the course of building a home business. One of the biggest mistakes was sharing my "Why". What drives a person to achieve is so personal and if shared can show vunerablities that you would never show strangers. Its important to note that everyone in business needs to understand their why, I just don't think its anyone else's business what your why is.


My ability to always find something good in every experience is one of my strongest assets in my personal life, and now in my business life.


In early 2007, I was unceremoniously removed from a leaders board and had my moderator privileges taken away from a team board. Both of these events occurred without explanation and to this day I don’t know the reason why these decisions were made.


My attempts to find out why failed as the person who made the decision refused to tell me via email and I was not going to be manipulated into a phone conversation. In the end it didn't matter why because I realized that my knowing why was not going to change what had been done. This was the beginning of my taking control of my business.


I decided to evaluate the course of my business over the previous two years and this opened up a Pandora’s box that I was ill equipped to handle on my own. I credit the friendship of a single person with guiding me and helping me to keep my focus where it belonged as I evolved.


The first thing I realized while doing my business evaluation was that I had fallen into the herd. This was a shocking realization because I had always prided myself on not being a “follower”. Step One of my evolution was to stand up and take responsibility for my business as an individual.


Step one was huge because it meant that I couldn’t assign blame to anyone but had to hold myself responsible for straying from my own personal belief’s and making poor choices in regard to my business.


This is not to say that I did anything wrong only that I should have listened to my little voice who kept telling me that there was a better way. I also firmly believe that the people guiding me the first two years really belive that what they are doing is the correct path to follow. Ignorance can be bliss.


Step Two was the realization that the foundation of my business was not built on what I wanted or believed in. I kept a positive attitude as I tore down everything I had built the two years before by constantly telling myself that a successful business had to have a firm foundation.


As I rebuilt my business foundation, it was difficult for me not to be angry at what had led me to this point. This is where my friend played a key role in teaching me how to turn those bad feelings into something good.


Up until January, the foundation of my business had been built on old school methods of marketing like the three foot rule, working your warm market and some very long and boring training documents that were just tired and lacked any real substance. These were the tools I was given and I was told if I used these tools and didn't try to reinvent the wheel I too would be successful. Hogwash!


My process of rebuilding my foundation meant that I needed to learn how to market not only my product, but myself. It was silly of me to think that people with no formal training in marketing could ever teach me how to be a successful marketer. And it was stupid of me to not use my own common sense when making decisions about my business and business tools.


Step Three was a grueling process. It wasn’t enough to take responsibility and rebuild my foundation, the tools I had been given and in turn provided my team members simply did not work for the majority of people in our company. This conclusion is based on the number of people who actually promote to the higher levels within the company structure.


I had to look at what I had, and evaluate what really would be beneficial for my team members based on what worked for me and what my team members asked for. The actual process of building usable tools and putting training programs in place for my team was exhausting, frustrating but one of the most rewarding things I have done in my business.


I put my new marketing education to work and kept my focus where it needed to be and started working with my partner to produce quality tools that were simple and filled the need of my team.


In the beginning of the tool development, I struggled with each and every aspect of what I was doing. After the first tools were complete, things just started to flow like honey. I went against the old school rule and I reinvented the wheel.


My evolution is not yet complete. It will be an ongoing process as I learn more not only about myself, but about business and marketing. I am no longer angry or bitter over the culmination of events (not just the two I mentioned) that led me to this evolution, but look at them as part of my growth process.


I've learned that my responsibility as a Team Leader means that I lead my team and support my team. It is not my responsibility to lead and support someone else's team which is what I was doing prior to being tossed out of those two groups.


I have a firm grasp of why I got into this business and what I want to achieve within my business. I have also drawn my line in the sand and will continue to trust myself and believe in my own ability to be a leader and a moral and ethical business person.

When to NOT Work Your Warm Market

Warm Market

Whether you are new to Network Marketing or a Veteran, one of the first things your sponsor or upline told you to do was to make a list of your friends, family and the people you know and start sharing your new business with them. This list is called your “Warm Market”.
When I started my business back in January 2005 I was told to do just that. It didn’t make sense to me at the time, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on why. Now with a little time and a lot of experience under my belt, I know why being told to work my “warm market” put a knot in the pit of my stomach.

Working your Warm Market

If you have a product or service that is of interest to those on your warm market list then it is certainly OK to share the product or service with them. Your warm market can help you to create “Buzz” surrounding your new business and what you offer. This is also an excellent way to get you into profit quickly.

I would encourage you to use your warm market for retailing your product or service. However in Network Marketing, there is a time and place for everything and attempts to prospect your warm market for your business opportunity is a mistake!

When NOT to work your Warm Market

Sharing the “Business Opportunity” part of your business with your warm market can create a situation that can leave you without friends and the brunt of family jokes.

Beware of using your warm market to prospect for your business opportunity. If you do you could set yourself up for some unexpected pitfalls in your business. Because your warm market is your first affordable choice for marketing your product or service, you want to ensure that they are comfortable calling you or having you call them when they make a retail purchase or contract for your service.

If your warm market feels like they will be “attacked” by a sales pitch each time you call or come around, you risk alienating them from your products, services and personal life. If they expect that each time you call you are going to try and “get them onboard” with your business opportunity, they will just avoid you and that will not put money in your pocket.

Stay on the invitation list of your friends and family by providing them only with your high quality product or service. They will see your success over time and the enjoyment you are experiencing and will want to be a part of it…IF they are interested. Your success through action speaks much louder than words. Get out there and Share your Passion!

Mindset is Nothing without Action!

Cherrie

How to Build a Business on a Budget

Getting a new business started can be exciting and a little scary. This can be compounded if you have limited funds, (and who doesn’t?) to expend towards marketing and advertising. If you want to earn money quickly, retailing is your best option. This is where you make your list and work your warm market.

If you are in a network marking type of business, then you know what your warm market it. You were probably told to make a list of all the friends, family and people you know when you were just getting started in your business. This is your warm market.

Make your warm market list and start to introduce your them to your product line. When they fall in love with your products they will start to share information about you and your business with their warm market and so on, and so on. Using your warm market has the potential to double your amount of “Free Advertising”.

Word of mouth is a great affordable way to advertise any product of service and its free. Make phone calls to your warm market, send them an email and share with them in person.
Depending on what type of product you are marketing, you could suggest your product line for personal use or as a gift giving item. Its possible that your product line could be used in a fund raising effort. You will want to make sure this is ok with your company first. Fund raising is an excellent avenue for retailing your product and generating income. You can quickly get your business into profit without expending a large amount of money.

Visit local shops, car washes, veterinary clinics (anywhere people mill around and wait) and inquire with the owner or manager if they would be interested in carrying your product line on consignment (where you split the profit). You can ask that they pay for the product up front for sale in their store and you’re into instant profit. Some stores will only want to pay you once the product sells which means you have inventory sitting on the shelf before it sells. Long-term income will come with repeat retail customers.

You may want to consider offering a discount for those ordering in multiples. Your buyers may opt for the discount which will round out your required order more quickly and possibly result in more sales overall.

The key to selling a large variety of products when you have limited funds to purchase stock up front is to conduct “Pre-Sales”. With pre-sales you take orders and collect the money at the time the buyer places the order. With this method you collect the cost of purchasing the product and your profit up front. You will have to actively workto sell the required minimum order in a relatively short amount of time so tht your customers don’t have to wait too long. If your customers have to wait longer than 7 to 10 days, they may not order from you again.
If your company offers a product catalog this would be a good investment when your funds are tight. Working a business on a budget is something that anyone can do and everyone should do. Get out there and Share your Passion!

Mindset is Nothing without Action!

Cherrie