Saturday, August 30, 2008

Focus like an Olympian

As I was watching the Olympics recently, I was thinking about how all the athletes had sacrificed much to make it to the Games.

That type of singular focus is admirable. I couldn’t help but think how each of them had discovered the sport they loved and worked at it until they became great at it.

It also reminded me of how important it is to have focus in our network marketing business. It’s easy to go from one idea to the next and the next while we seek success.

Many new networkers are just learning one technique when another one comes along that makes them leave the first one. Instead it’s better to find an approach that works and master it. Once you’ve got it under control, then you can try another.

In short, a narrower focus is almost always better than a broader effort.

That’s why many who are trying to develop “multiple streams of income” struggle. It sounds like a good idea, but in practice it usually doesn’t work.

Steve DeVane

Friday, August 29, 2008

Strong system sets up success

Volleyball season just started for my two daughters. My oldest daughter plays on the varsity team, while my younger daughter plays junior varsity.

I enjoy going to their games. The last couple of home games, I’ve been asked to run the scoreboard. It’s been a new perspective in a couple of ways.

For one, I can’t just watch what my daughters are doing. I have to keep an eye on the whole court so I can make sure to keep the score right.

But I also sit higher and closer to the court than I did when I was in the bleachers. The scorer’s table has a much better view.

My oldest daughter is the primary setter for her team. This means she’s the one usually responsible for putting the ball in a position for a teammate to spike it.

It occurred to me the other day that her role was similar to that of a sponsor in network marketing. When we sponsor someone into the business we want to “set” them up for success.

The easiest way to do this is to have a successful system that is easily teachable. Then, it’s just a matter of training the person to use the system.

If the system works, and the distributor takes the necessary action, success will naturally follow.

In the volleyball games, sometimes the ball will be so far away from my daughter that she can’t get to it. She immediately yells, “Help! Help!” One of her teammates nearly always manages to keep the ball in play.

Similarly, in network marketing, we need to realize that we sometimes need help. If we’re on a solid team, all we have to do is ask.

A good system run by a good team makes a great business.

Steve DeVane

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Network marketing that works

Many network marketers struggle early in their careers.

One reason they flounder is because they lack focus. Sometimes they don’t know what to do. Sometimes they don’t do what they know.

Network marketing is a business, but most networkers don’t treat it that way. One good way to start is to treat it like a job. Here’s some tips on how to do that.

Go to work like you’re getting a paycheck. Many networkers don’t take action. Even worse, when they act, they often take incorrect actions. It’s best to learn the right actions, and do them consistently.

Punch the clock. Decide when you can work, and work during that time.

Find a good sponsor and treat them like a boss. You need to learn the proper way to do the business. Find someone’s who is successful and learn from them. Tell them to tell you what to do. Then do it.

Don’t quit. You wouldn’t leave your job after a short amount of time, so don’t give up on networking so quickly. It takes time to be successful. Be patient. You’ll be rewarded.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Business building secrets - More than just one

Every once in a while you run across someone who says they have the secret to success.

The person may very well have something that will help you succeed, but in truth there is no one secret. There’s not a single thing that by itself will automatically grant you instant success. Instead there are many reasons for success. Here’s a few.

Do what you love. One of the most best things you can do for yourself and for your business is figure out why you’re doing what you're doing. And while you're thinking about it, understand that just making money isn't enough to motivate most people.

Give. Nearly everyone who's successful gives and gives and gives. You might be saying to yourself, "It's easy for them to give because of they have, so much." Instead, the opposite is true - they have much because they give much.

Find a system that works. Find something that’s proven to be successful and follow it.

Join a team. No one can build a business by themselves. You've got to have help.

Do it. Even the best plans are worthless without action. If you want the reward, do the work.

Steve DeVane

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Best home-based business — Examine your options

Have you ever made a mistake that you know you wouldn’t have made if you’d studied the issue more. Taking that extra effort to investigate your options can make a difference when you’re looking at network marketing companies.

When you’re looking for a way to make extra income from home, it pays to do some research.

Many people in network marketing are often behind from the very beginning because they didn’t take a good, long look at the opportunity they joined.

Here’s a pretty good rule of thumb. When someone is talking to you about their opportunity, ask for specifics.

For example if someone tells you that they can promise that you’ll be able to sign up 25 people in your first month, ask for the names and phone numbers of the 25 people he signed up in the last month. That’s fair, but it will probably end the conversation.

Perhaps, the person is just starting out. OK. Then ask for information about the 25 people that his upline sponsored last month.

It’s not outside the realm of possibility to sign-up 25 people in a month. Unfortunately, even if you pull it off, you’ll never be able to build strong relationships with all of them.

And if you can’t build relationships, you’re going to have a tough time succeeding in network marketing. The easiest way to succeed is to find a network marketing company with a proven system that helps you build relationships with your distributors.

Steve DeVane

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Surfing through some networking lessons

While doing some research for a writing project I’m working on, I came across this video about how to surf. It taught some lessons that are applicable to business and to life.

The pros on the video pointed out that while surfing you have to know your environment. Look out for yourself but keep and eye on everyone else, too.

In network marketing, we have to work our business, but also help out those we sponsor. Learn the skills to be successful and pass them on.

When you surf, you have to first paddle out through breaking waves. The surfing pros suggest paddling through the spot where the least amount of waves are breaking so the waves don’t keep pushing you back in.

In business, we often feel like there’s some hidden force keeping us from success. Often, we need to take a good look around, find out what’s holding us back and find a way to deal with it.

The surfers on the video gave some hints about catching a wave. It takes timing to judge the wave and start paddling so that you’re paddling at full speed and are going almost the speed of the wave by the time it gets to you.

While networking, we often miss opportunities because we’re not paying attention. When we see an opportunity approaching, start working. Get going. If we over-think it and try to wait for the opportunity to get to use, it’ll pass us by because we’re not ready for it.

Once the wave arrives, the surfer has to stand up. The pros said not to give it much thought. You find the point where the wave is pushing you and you have momentum, then you pop up. No fumbling around or you’ll get tossed off.

Network marketers often fumble around and overanalyze situations when the arise. Sadly, many waste precious time even when there’s nothing they can do about the situation. When you’ve got momentum, stand up and ride the wave.

The pros called riding the wave the fun part of surfing. Most of the work is done, so you find your balance and get on what they called “the face” of the wave where the energy is.

In business, when you’ve done the hard work, you enjoy the benefits. You find the thing that gives you energy and you do it.

But riding the waves can be scary. Everyone wipes out, the surfers said. If you don’t wipe out, you’re not having a good time, they said. When it happens, head back out and do it again.

Networkers often get discouraged at the first sign of failure. Think of these times as learning opportunities. When it happens, figure out why and try again.

The surfing pros said great surfers are the ones having the most fun. That’s a pretty good way to live.

Steve DeVane

Friday, August 8, 2008

A picture’s worth ... at least one post

I’ve written a couple of posts about my recent trip to Belize.

I’ve talked about running through the rainforest and swimming with the stingrays. I thought you might like to see some of the images from the trip so I uploaded them to flickr.

You can see them by clicking here.

Enjoy.

Steve DeVane

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Make a decision and stick with it

Last year, I got to coach my daughter’s recreation league basketball team.

I was really looking forward to it. I knew since I hadn’t coached that age level before that my team probably wouldn’t be as talented as many of the other teams, but I thought we’d be competitive.

I was wrong. We lost every game. There were only two games that we had any chance of winning. Most games we got our doors blown off.

By the end of the year, I was totally frustrated. To be honest, I felt like a failure. Looking back, I’ve tried to find lessons that I could learn from the season.

I think I made two big mistakes.

First, I overestimated what the girls could learn. I had in mind several plays and several defenses that I thought they could play.

We practiced our plays, and we practiced our defenses, but when we played our first game we looked lost. It seemed as if we’d never been on a basketball court before.

After a similar performance the next game, I decided we had to scale back on what we were doing. That was my second mistake.

When I tried to get back to more basic basketball, the girls got even more confused. It took me several more games before I realized that the shift had made things worse. By then, it was too late to do much about it. I tried several desperate moves, but nothing worked.

So what’s the lesson? Once you’ve decided on a strategy stick with it until you have to change.

Napoleon Hill analyzed hundreds of successful men for his book, “Think and Grow Rich.” He discovered “that every one of them had the habit of REACHING DECISIONS PROMPTLY, and of changing these decisions SLOWLY, if, and when they were changed.”

Sometimes adjustments are needed when things go wrong, but don’t be too hasty to change directions at the smallest bump in the road.

Steve DeVane

Monday, August 4, 2008

Learning the right lessons

When I was in college, I used to get really anxious before a test. Sometimes just as the professor was handing out the exams, this terrible thought would pop into my head — “What if I studied the wrong material?”

Fortunately, that never happened. And despite my anxiety, I usually did pretty well on tests.

Unfortunately, many people in network marketing make the mistake I feared — they study the wrong thing. They get into network marketing with the plan of learning everything they possibly can about their company's products or service. They dedicate themselves to becoming an expert. Problem is, it’s is a total waste of time.

If you were going to sell a product, that would make sense. But this profession is about building relationships rather than selling a product or service.

You are not a salesperson. If you have to convince people to buy your product, then you are dead before you begin. And even if you can pull it off, you won't be able to train anyone else to sell.

Selling just is not duplicatable.

Instead, you need to become an expert on people. In network marketing, people are your REAL product.

Your goal is to help people achieve their dreams in life. That means you must understand them, and you must build trust with them. Build the relationship. That is job number one.

Spend your time getting good at relationship-building skills. Train yourself to be a great listener.

When you understand exactly what the people you talk to want, focus on helping them get it. Then, in order to reach their dreams, they'll buy your products, but only if you have built that relationship with them.

Steve DeVane

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Innovative networking

I was in a doctor’s office the other day when I spotted a copy of the Fall 2007 issue of the Smithsonian Magazine that focused on “America’s Young Innovators in the Arts and Sciences.”

I was initially a bit bummed that I was more than 10 years past what the magazine called young (35 and younger), but immediately became fascinated with the stories inside. I even asked the receptionist if I could have the magazine and she said OK.

I haven’t read all of the stories yet, but I have noticed some traits of those great thinkers that apply to network marketing.

• Innovators tend to be people who recognize a problem and devote high amounts of energy to solving it.

In network marketing, we’re often too quick to offer our business as the solution before we find out if the person we’re talking to even has a problem. We should be willing to help people, even if it means telling them they’re better off pursuing something other than our opportunity.

• Innovators are committed people.

MLM tends to attract people who are looking for a “get rich quick” scheme. Those of us who are professional network marketers should make sure we don’t market our businesses in that manner and steer clear of anyone who’s looking for that.

• Innovators find their place and excel there.

Successful network marketers find a system that works and work that system.

Steve DeVane