Selling vs SELLING

In the network marketing world, there is “selling,” and there is “selling.”

Although our approach must be persuasive, you actually don’t want to have to convince someone to buy your product or join your team.

Over the past several years, many people try to avoid using the word “sales” when trying to recruit a new team member.  But there is selling and there is SELLING. We can use the stereotypical used car salesman as an example.  (I say stereotypical, because most don’t truly fit the description of the derogatory manner in which they are described.)  We don’t want to be pushy or obnoxious, nor do we want to exaggerate what our product can do or how much a new recruit can earn. 

If you truly believe your product or service is great, you won’t need to convince a prospective client to purchase it.  All you need do is tell them about it, honestly, factually.  Don’t tell them it is a “cure-all” or that it will work miracles.  The facts will do the selling for you. 

Encourage your prospect to research it themselves.  If your product is as good as you believe it is, they won’t find negative information during their research, and that too will help to make a sale.

If your company is reputable and your compensation plan is competitive, when they do their “homework,” they will discover this on their own.

Everyone does not agree on which compensation plan is “the best.”  I hear people talk about their company providing “multiple streams of income.”  My personal interpretation of that is “confusing.”  Many people are seeking exactly that, just not me.  I like a simple to understand, straightforward comp plan.  That is one of the reasons I am with my company, Xpress Healthcare.  I totally understand our comp plan, and I can explain it easily to prospects.  That doesn’t make Xpress’ comp plan better than “multiple streams of income,” but for those who like simple like I do, it is better.  Those who prefer matrix and various other multi-level pay plans would select a different company with which to work.

My company, like some others, offers a variety of marketing tools that will make sales for me.  With my previous company, we were trained to do a full presentation of our products and business opportunity.  I was never very successful with that company, mainly because I am not great at doing presentations. 

Utilizing the marketing and lead capture websites and autoresponders provided to me, these tools often make sales for me.  Some people join my team or purchase our product without ever speaking to me beforehand.  Our websites and autoresponders do the work for me.

There are many people who are brilliant sales people.  They can give presentations without the prospect ever realizing they are being “sold.”  Of course, there are others who try forcing their product or business opportunity on their prospect, but they generally are not very effective.  Even if they initially make the sale or recruit the team member, their retention rate is generally lower than those who don’t make the “hard sell.”

When we’re trying to bring on new team members, a large part of our “job” is to show our prospects the “vision.”  Too many of those entering network marketing expect to earn a lot of money quickly, but although it happens occasionally, it is far from common.  If a team member joins with the wrong expectation – which you have sold them on – you will not retain that team member once “reality” sets in.

When prospects can see the vision, the big picture, they will join your team, knowing it will be a process of growth.  They will have to build their business, starting out slowly and gradually growing a larger and larger business.  We are not trying to sell our prospect a huge business.  We are selling them the opportunity to grow a huge business, which is very different.

In my opinion, if you are passionate about your product, your company and your business opportunity, when you “make a sale,” your prospect will never feel as though they have been “sold.”

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To learn aboutJulie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

Ya Gotta Wanna!

We all say we want to be successful.  Some are willing to work as hard as necessary for as long as necessary to do so, while others simply talk about it, maybe dream about it, but they are not patient enough and/or willing to put forth the effort.

I found a great collection of quotes about “just how much do you want success?”  Those not crediting an author are from Eric Thomas, aka ET, the Hip Hop Preacher.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did and feel the power of the messages.

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“When you want to succeed as bad as you want to breathe, then you’ll be successful.”

“Know what you want – and get it” Sushmita Sen, Miss Universe, 1994

“Take what you want, and pay for it” says God - Old Spanish proverb

"The closer I get to the ring, the more confident I get."  Mike Tyson

"Some succeed because they are destined to; most succeed because they are determined to."  Anatole France

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." Martin Luther King Jr.

"Maybe it's my fault that you didn't see that failure gave me strength; that my pain, was my motivation."  Michael Jordan

“P.U.S.H. = Push Until Something Happens!” (Author unknown)

 “Now. Or Never.  If now is not a good time to get it done, what makes you think tomorrow will be any better? Procrastination Kills Dreams”

"You have to realize you can't expect a full harvest when you are not willing to put your best effort forward."

"Surround yourself with positive people and look for people who are already where you want to be."

"When you get to a place where you don't go for what you can get, but you go for what you can give, you gonna see your life change tremendously." 

“Success is never on discount! Greatness is never on sale! Greatness is never half off! It's all or nothing! It's all day, every day! Greatness is never on discount!" 

“If you can remain hopeful during your darkest hour, keep striving disappointments after disappointment, there is nothing you can't achieve!”AV 

"You can change environments, but until you change yourself, nothing else will ever change." 

"And the difference between those of you who will succeed and those of you who will fail: you not taking advantage of your opportunities."  

"The first thing is, you gotta believe you deserve it."  

"Only those who risk going too far, can possible find out how far one can go." 

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

Like the Boyscouts, Be Prepared

When it comes to your home business, what does it mean to “be prepared?”   

LEARN & STUDY!!!  Know the basics of the products or services you sell and about the business opportunity you offer. 

Review any training videos your company provides.  Most companies have a “back office” that includes a training section.  You need not try to memorize everything in your back office, but learn how to navigate it and where to find everything when you need it.

Your company or sponsor may advise differently, but I tell my team members to learn the basics and then get to work!  You’ll learn everything else as you go along.  Earn while you learn.

Dial into every training call your business offers!  If they also offer recorded calls, review them for additional training.  Read over all material your company sends you by email or mail.  Read corporate emails or those sent by your sponsor right away.  Quick action may be required or important information included in them.

Prepare and rehearse your “elevator” speech.  If someone asks you what you do, in one sentence, how will you respond?  If you don’t know how you would answer, you may want to contact your sponsor or corporate office for assistance.  If you do not have your response at the “tip of your tongue,” you may lose a customer.

If your company offers services or products that may be sold locally, always have brochures, flyers or business cards pertaining to your business in your car wherever you go.  If you’re a woman who carries a large purse, keep them in your bag.  Some companies offer flyers, brochures and business cards free or to purchase, but if not, create your own if you plan to do local prospecting.  Again, if you do not have promotional material to hand someone when they ask about your business, you may lose a sale.

If you have a laptop, you can use a Power Point presentation to demonstrate your product or service.  Get one from your company or create your own.  

Be sure to check with our company to be sure they allow you to create your own Power Point presentations, flyers and/or business cards.  Some companies require approval by their corporate office.

Since every company is different, with your particular business, there may be additional knowledge or materials required to be prepared at all times.  The suggestions above, however, are a good start for most businesses.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

Millions of People are Struggling with their Work-at-Home Business

Tens of millions of people in the United States currently own home businesses. Although millions of people have successful businesses at home, far more are struggling to make even a part-time income at home. Those who are currently searching for a business are wondering which businesses are real, are they legal, what really works?

The choices are practically endless, but exactly how do you choose? What are the criteria for selecting a business that will be a good fit for you?

Many people are attracted to “start-up,” “pre-launch” or “ground-floor” opportunities. Every business was a start-up at some point, but how many are still around, and how many people lost money with those opportunities? If you find an opportunity that sounds great to you, if you can afford TO LOSE your investment to join the company, it may be worth a try. That is not to say the company will fail, but consider it a possibility. At the same time, a company that has been around for 20 years could fail in year 21. There are no guarantees, so be sure you can afford to lose money before spending it. 

Research, research, research! Do not just read the company’s own websites. Look at third party sites to see what those outside the company are saying about it. Membership with the Better Business Bureau doesn’t necessarily mean that is the best company from which to choose. Many companies simply choose not to join the BBB. It is expensive to join, and perhaps the company is doing so well it doesn’t believe it needs BBB backing. Use the BBB as one tool, not the only tool to prove legitimacy.

Does the company offer a trial period or money-back guarantee to provide you with the opportunity to test if the business is a good fit for you? My company, Xpress Healthcare, for instance offers a two-week trial for less than $10, and at the end of the trial, affiliates have a 30-day money-back guarantee. New reps have six weeks to get to know the company and products without risking a lot of money.

What products or services does the company offer? No matter how fabulous the product may be, if it is not affordable, you’ll likely make few sales. You’re also better off selecting a business whose product is needed by a large part of the population. Are you required to purchase products every month? If you wouldn’t use the product and don’t love it, you will be unable to promote it. If you feel passionate about the product, promoting and marketing it will be not be challenging. 

Be certain that you understand a business’ compensation plan. I have seen many that are terribly complicated. You’ll want to consider… If it is a matrix-type company, will you be penalized if you help someone start their business grows their business quicker than you? Is it possible for you to be more successful, earn more than those who joined before you? Is the comp plan reasonable? Will you be paid a percentage or a flat rate on the products you sell? 

Recognize hype when you see it. Many business opportunities say it is free to join, but they later charge you for training or websites. At some point, you will have to pay. If they tell you you’ll be earning a six-figure income in a short period of time, run the other way! If their ad says, “Let the computer do the work while you sleep,” it sounds too good to be true because it is! 

What type of training and support does the program offer? All companies say provide support, but once you join will you have personal access to someone or only have webinars or corporate training calls where you cannot ask questions?

Get a “feel” for the prospective sponsor. Do they appear honest and real? Do they respond to your phone calls or emails quickly? Do they offer one-on-one training or support? No matter how good a company may be, if you don’t like your sponsor, you will not succeed. There is nothing wrong with “sponsor shopping.” If you love a company, speak with two or three recruiters before you decide with whom to join.

If you find and join an honest, reputable company and sponsor with great products or services, the only way you’ll fail is if you quit or don’t work your business. 
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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit  joinxpresshealthcare.com . You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit  ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance) 

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States..."

"I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States..."

This is a slightly abbreviated version of the origin article that appears at http://www.Presidential-inauguration.com/a-brief-history-of-the-u-s-inauguration/, where you’ll also find hyperlinks and pictures as well.

The first President, George Washington, was inaugurated at Federal Hall in New York on April 30, 1789. Washington repeated the oath, read by Chancellor Robert Livingston of New York, with one hand on the Bible: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.” Establishing a custom that has been followed by all succeeding Presidents, Washington added, “So help me God” at the end. In eloquent Enlightenment form, Washington’s inaugural address spoke of “the Great Author of every public and private good,” “the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men”, and civic virtue required for successful government.

Washington needed only 135 words to complete the address at his second inauguration in 1793. Some 48 years later, President William Henry Harrison needed 8495 words to complete his address. During that address, which lasted some two hours in the cold weather, Harrison failed to wear a winter coat and developed pneumonia. He died a month later.

The tradition of Presidential procession of both the President-elect and soon-to-be-ex-President has its roots in the 1837 inauguration. On inauguration day that year, Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren met and traveled to the Capitol together in a wooden carriage built from the remains of the U.S.S. Constitution. This processional tradition has been followed by all Presidents with the exception of outgoing-President Andrew Johnson, who in 1869 remained in the Capitol signing legislation until the noon expiration of his term.

Thought to be the greatest of all addresses, Abraham Lincoln gave his second inaugural address in March, 1865. With the Union embroiled in civil war, Lincoln invoked God to bring a speedy end to the fighting. However, he went on to state his acceptance if God were to allow bloodshed to continue after hundreds of years of slavery, because “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

Under the Twentieth Amendment, the date of the Presidential Inauguration was moved from March to January 20, [a couple of weeks after] the certification of votes of the Electoral College. The last President to be inaugurated in March … was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933. After re-election in 1936, Roosevelt was the first President to be inaugurated under the new amendment on January 20, 1937.

Roosevelt’s 1933 inauguration is also noteworthy because of what he did before his swearing-in. FDR went with his wife to St. John’s Episcopal Church for a church service on the morning of March 4, setting a Presidential precedent of attending an inaugural-day worship event.

In 1961, John F. Kennedy became the United States’ youngest and first Catholic President. During his inaugural address on January 20, he delivered his now-famous words, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

Ronald Reagan broke with tradition in 1981 by having his Presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol’s west front, which could hold more visitors than the normally used east front.

On Monday the Presidential inauguration carried on the traditions of inaugurations past.   To learn more about Presidential inauguration history, visit the inauguration website at http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/days-events

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To learn about the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.

To learn how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and more, visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

My Parents Were TV Stars

Well, not really stars, but they were on TV many times.  You see my parents owned a well-known, successful Kosher-style deli in the Los Angeles area for about 25 years.

One day they received a phone call from an advertising representative of Vlasic Pickles.  They were invited to be part of a TV commercial for their products.  The commercial would include three different deli owners shown tasting Vlasic Pickles.  It didn’t take them long to decide to accept the offer.

The first thing they had to do was join the Screen Actors Guild in order for them to be paid royalties. They were sent first-class airline tickets to Manhattan and put up in a very high-class, expensive hotel with limousine service to and from the studio where the taping took place.

My father had to take a bite of a pickle and comment on it.  There were several “takes” before they got it exactly right.  I remember my dad telling me that he had a bucket on the floor next to him.  After taking a bite each time, he was told to “deposit” the bite in the bucket at the end of each “take.”  Taking bite after bite of a dill pickle can get pretty terrible, no matter how good the pickle might be.

In the completed commercial, my mother looked uncomfortable.  My dad, however, was a natural.  The entire commercial was about 31 seconds long, with my parents’ portion only 10 seconds. 

For a long time after filming the commercial, it aired on TV frequently. In fact after a long run on TV, it wasn’t aired for a while, and then Vlasic brought it back for another few months.  Every time the commercial was shown, my parents were paid a small residual, receiving a check every few weeks.

It was such fun for the family to yell out, “Quick, Mom & Dad’s commercial is on!” We also had it on video.  A couple years ago, I discovered it was on youtube.com.  (You can see it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbWQhuROXpA.)

My parents had a really good time in New York and earned a little money, but mostly they had the fun memories for the rest of their lives.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance) 

I had always heard about the perennial student, those who are in college for years upon years, but never reaching whatever goal they are seeking from their education.  They never begin a career.

Until I entered the world of network marketing, I never realized that the industry is full of perennial students.  As network marketers, we should constantly be learning – new ways to market our business, new ways to recruit, new ways to train team members, etc.  However, at the same time we are learning, we must be working our businesses.

I see way too many people in network marketing "preparing" to begin working their business.  Some believe they need to know everything before they can get started. Others do “busy work,” seeming to be working, but they are accomplishing nothing!

I believe that every company has their share of people who are “getting ready to work.”  I don’t believe that they even realize they are doing this.  Since they are busy all day, they believe they are “working,” and they wonder why their business isn't growing.

I have a few team members who behave in this manner.  I have used a variety of methods to help them.  What I believe is most effective is leading by example and hoping they’ll be inspired to follow.  This works with a few people, but not all.  With others I have tried motivating them, speaking frankly with them to explain their behavior.  Each method works with certain people, and none work for others, in which case, I simply stop trying.  As the saying goes, “You can lead a horse to water…” 

I have learned that some people will never actually work their business, no matter how I try to help them to do so.  So, I spend my training time with those who are “coachable” and eager to get their business up and running quickly so they can begin earning money.  I actually enjoy training team members, and I am more than willing to help anyone who requests it.

After years working in network marketing, I now know that team members who are forever “getting ready to work” do not really want my assistance, and I will not try to force it upon them.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

Are You Too Comfy?

Many people always live within their “comfort zone.”  They don’t take chances; they don’t risk a dime for fear that they will lose it.  These people will never achieve success in their careers or in their lives.   Their lives lack excitement and adventure.  They likely feel trapped, bored and overwhelmed.

What if these people decided it was time to stretch their limits, rev up their lives?  If they stop fearing failure, they’ll take risks that may change their entire life! Some of the most important people in history took great risks and failed.  Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." He started other businesses that failed, and he ended bankrupt before beginning his road to success. Henry Ford had five businesses that were complete failures before he created the first assembly line and American-made automobiles.  I could cite many more examples where people risked everything, failed, and started again before ever being successful. To achieve our goals in life and in our careers, we cannot be concerned about what other people may think of us.  We must take risks; dare to step out of our comfort zone.  If we are less than perfect, if we don’t succeed, we must try again and again. Risking something – time, money or our pride - can be frightening.  We may fail or lose. On the other hand, we may not. We may gain something, learn something or become an expert in something new and different. When was the last time you were really excited about NOT knowing what was going to happen? If we remain in our comfort zone, we likely don’t even remember that feeling of excitement and anticipation.  It is time to start feeling that again! Starting today, do something different, outside your “norm,” something challenging. Let’s all see how much more we can do than we believe we can. When I first joined Xpress Healthcare two years ago, I didn’t start out truly believing I would be successful. I’d been with other network marketing companies, and I certainly didn’t set the world on fire.  However, with the encouragement and training I received, I learned to step way out of my comfort zone. Before I knew it, I was hosting training calls (brand new to me), creating videos to post online (me, speaking on camera?), volunteering to do tasks I wasn’t sure I was capable of doing… I did these things.  My heart raced, my stomach seemed made of knots, but I challenged myself, not once or twice, but over and over again. Looking back at myself when I first joined Xpress, I am so glad that I was willing to risk embarrassment and I was open to learning new and different things.  I am not yet where I want to be, but I’m enjoying the ride! If you want to join me on my journey, please contact me at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

Team Work Makes the Dream Work

To succeed in network marketing, a strong sponsor is vital.  When anyone is ready to join a program, I highly recommend that they do lots of research to learn what team they want to join. Many people in the industry quit due to lack of support and training from their sponsor. More often than not, I believe it is the team member, not the sponsor’s fault. However, there are poor sponsors. I’ve worked with them myself. For those seeking a new business opportunity, before joining any organization, perform research on the company itself, their product or service, the management team and potential sponsors.  If there is any doubt about any of them after completing a thorough search, seek another company.  It is important that a rep has good “chemistry” with their sponsor or they will not work well together. When talking to a prospective sponsor, asking them a few questions may help to determine which team is the best fit. 1. What kind of support do you offer new team members? 2. Do you have successful team members now, or did you with other companies? 3. How is your team different from others in your company? 4. Do you host team training calls and/or offer one-on-one training? Some companies place emphasis on the team leaders and ignore those who are not top producers. I worked with a company like that myself. The team leaders paid attention to those who were doing really well, not those who actually needed guidance and training. The people who join strong teams within a company are generally the most successful. Without a sponsor with good leadership skills, reps may not receive the training and support necessary to reach their goals. No team leader wants someone to join their team who needs their hand held every step of the way. However, there is a difference between a free loader who is dragging the whole team down and someone who needs guidance and a couple one-on-one training sessions to get their business up and running. As a team leader myself, I know that “you can lead a horse to water…”  At the same time, I know that I must also provide my team with all the tools they need to succeed; I must spend some one-on-one time with them at the beginning and when changes take place within the company; and then I can leave it up to them to apply and put these tools and methods to good use. It is the nature of the business that not all team members will do well, and many will quit before ever putting in any effort.  Methods that work with one company may not necessarily work with another.  I use methods that actually work with our program, and I teach my downline how to replicate them. If I perform my job well, those team members who are dedicated to their business and determined to succeed will then teach their own teams to achieve even greater success for the team as a whole. ******************************* To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income. For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings(NOT insurance)

Network Marketing vs. a J-O-B

In today’s economy, people are looking for a way to supplement their income. Most people look for a part-time or second job.  For most, it is the only way they know how to bring in the additional income. Those who have never done so often believe that setting a home business is difficult, and they don’t know where to begin. The beauty of the network marketing industry is that the “setting up” the business has already been done for us. The company provides the websites, marketing tools and training.  Network Marketers definitely must work to earn money, but the “set-up” has been taken care of for us. People search for a job, apply, and hope they are selected for the position. With network marketing, people research and select a company they like; they join and pay whatever fee is required.  With my company, Xpress Healthcare, we have no initial registration fee or start-up fee. Companies have different fees, perhaps training costs, and some have start-up or registration fees.  From my own experience, at some point, every company will charge their reps for something, even those that advertise as “free.”  Of course, I haven’t tried all of them, so I could be mistaken about some of them. Virtually all network marketing companies will provide at least a website to their reps, sometimes more. With Xpress we receive several websites, family benefits and more. Network marketers are investing in themselves.  They are business owners. They are not paying for a job or the opportunity to work for someone else.  Those who work a job earn money for someone else. They receive an income, a salary or commission.  The likelihood of their income increasing within the first few months is slight.  The employer tells their employees what days and hours they must work. Network Marketers set their own hours, and if they work their business properly, they will be in control of their income. For those working a job, taxes are taken out of their paychecks, with little or no control over what is deducted. Network marketers have no taxes taken out of their checks. They keep all the money they’re paid, and pay their taxes at the end of the year. Because they work at home, however, their tax deductions are HUGE, and until they are earning a large income, they may be able to write off more than they pay in taxes! Employees can be fired or laid off a job. Network marketers have the opportunity to work hard and become one of the leaders of their company. The last point in this comparison is the best of all!  You can never leave a job and continue to receive pay checks.  With companies that pay residual commission, once reps build their income, they can continue receiving residuals whether or not they continue working their business.  Many network marketers start out slowly, making few or no sales.  They often become discouraged. But think of it this way… Could you buy a restaurant, a retail store or a nail salon for what we pay to own our own our network marketing business?  With any “storefront” business, it will likely take a year or more to get into profit mode. In network marketing, an affiliate can be in profit mode in weeks, or at least within a few months. We own our business. It is ours! If a network marketer sticks with it, works their business and attends training, they WILL be successful and meet their goals!  Can you say that about any j-o-b?  ******************************* To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income. For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance

Is Your Team Motivated?

There are many ways to keep your team motivated. Here are a few that I think can work effectively.

· It is important to keep your team members informed.
Be sure they are aware of everything that happens in the company that will affect them, directly or indirectly. Hold regular meetings and/or conference calls. We all feel more important if we feel like “insiders,” when we know about changes, improvements and news going on in the company. If they feel as though they are not “in the loop,” their performance may suffer.

· Acknowledge Accomplishments and Give Regular Feedback
Positive feedback is what keeps everyone moving forward. It’s essential to improve your team’s work. It’s not all about praises, but about objective and concrete information that helps them improve the performance of the team. Don’t criticize if someone makes a mistake. Instead, discuss ways they can improve their activities next time, asking for their input.

· Praise Generously
Acknowledge and recognize a job well done, or even a great effort that perhaps didn’t provide the results they’d hoped for. Don’t pass up an opportunity to make each person feel better about themselves and their work.

· Help Each Team Member to Build on their Leadership Skills

Leadership means learning to see the best in the others to empower their potential, which subsequently will help to fulfill the team’s goals. When we treat everyone with respect and show our approval, we’re creating a climate where the team’s assets will actually appreciate in value.

· Share the Vision
Create an exciting future by shaping a vision that it will compel your team to move toward it, to reach out and grab the prize. Visions are powerful, and when they are shared and understood by your team, it helps to overcome obstacles that may stand in the way. 

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, LifeLock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

I'd Like to Get to Know You

In order to get to know one another better, I created a new game to play on my team call last night.  Although each of us owns our own business, we also work as a team.  I believe that knowing one another makes for a more cohesive group.

So, prior to our team call, I sent an email to everyone asking them to send me one thing about themselves that no one on the team was likely to know.  Several people sent me their “secret,” and I presented them on our team call, without saying which belonged to whom.  I read them and asked the team who they thought each one belonged to.

The “secret” statements were really varied.  Here is a sampling of those submitted.

I have lived, worked or traveled in 14 countries with three mission agencies.

I am a certified Stock Broker and Commodity Analyst.

I love “beading.”

I am a HUGE Bugs Bunny fan.

I am Portuguese and was born in the Azores.

I love riding motorcycles.

I love gardening.

I have a 10 year old dog named Lola.

No one could positively identify which statement matched which team member.  I suggested that they take guesses.  By taking guesses, only three people were linked to their own statement. We laughed and chatted a bit about each person’s statement and were really surprised by a couple of them.  (A stay-at-home mom is the one who loves to ride motorcycles.)

This game only took about ten minutes, leaving plenty of time for our topic presentation for the night.  Everyone enjoyed it, and we now know one another just a little better.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

What Happened to Commitment?

Why do so many people today struggle with commitment? Maybe you are having difficulties yourself. This is happening with our personal and business relationships, careers, large and business small businesses and network marketing. It seems to span all age groups. For example, young children who don’t want to be bothered going to soccer practice after the novelty wears off. Another example is Baby Boomers who suddenly tire of and dump their spouses after 40 or more years. Why do so many people launch with great enthusiasm into new ventures, but then lose interest with the first obstacle? Why do so many people so easily abandon their goals. Many justify giving up by blaming the economy, the recession, the company with whom they are working, whatever excuse sounds good – even the weather. In most cases, in reality, the real reason is lack of commitment. Why are so many people lacking commitment? Some reasons are based on our background, our upbringing or lack of self-discipline. Some of the reasons related to a specific goal could be: The goal is too big and feels impossible to achieve. The goal is too small, so the reward is not worth the effort. The wrong goal … setting goals on others’ expectations, not your own. Is it too late to hope for improvement? No, the poor economy has brought many people face-to-face with a new reality. A new generation is learning that a college education is no longer a ticket to a job for life and a pension. Today financial security often depends more than ever on developing our own income. So what is your level of commitment?  ******************************* To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income. For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

You Are Related to Whom?

I have written before about my husband and my interest in genealogy.  We only research our own history as a hobby, not as a business.

Being of Eastern European Jewish descent, although I love finding new family links, there are no well-known, famous or infamous people in my family tree.

My husband’s family, on the other hand, is amazing.  We have known for a long time that he was distantly related to the actor James Dean, Daniel Boone, one of the “Manson” girls (if you are unfamiliar with the name, you are fortunate), Abraham Lincoln, American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman and Robert E. Lee.  It is exciting to make these discoveries.

Over this past week or so, we began tracing another of my husband’s family branches and found that he is related to far more prominent and legendary people.  It has been such fun!

Among the kin to my husband are the American actor Humphrey Bogart who was his 13^th cousin, once removed, privateer and pirate Sir Henry Morgan (his picture is on bottles of Morgan’s Rum), and the late Princess Diana Spencer and her sons Harry and William.  Diana was my husband’s 14^th cousin, once removed.  Other historic figures who are related are U.S. President Millard Fillmore, and Miles Morgan, a Pilgrim whose statue was erected (and still stands today) in Springfield, Massachusetts to honor his services in settling the town, governing the colony, and fighting the Native Americans during the King Phillip's War. 

On the subject of wars, John Hunt Morgan, a Confederate general and cavalry officer in the American Civil War.

Also related is J.P. Morgan, a powerful American banker who financed railroads and helped organize U.S. Steel and other major corporations.

Thomas Lanier "Tennessee" Williams III, the playwright who wrote “The Glass Menagerie,” “The Night of the Iguana” and many others, was a distant cousin as well.  “Speaking” of writers, the poets John Robbinson Jeffers and Archibald MacLeish were also cousins of some sort.

Genealogy is a fascinating, frustrating and amazing hobby.  Going back another generation is always exciting to me, and when we discover names we know from history, it adds to the excitement.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)

It is so cold… How cold is it?

When most people think of Arizona, they think about the hot desert.  While Phoenix and Tucson and a few other cities have extreme heat, such is not the case where I live.  My town is at 4900 feet elevation. The next town is a mile high.

This past Thursday, we woke up to lots of snow.  We only get snow here two or three times a year, and it is never so deep we have to shovel a drive way.  Even so, we got six inches of snow on Thursday, and it was beautiful to see – from inside my house!

My husband and I woke up this morning to find our house really cold!  We played with the heater, and it simply would not go on.  It was 26 degrees outside.  It was very early, so we planned to wait a couple hours before we called a plumber.

When we started to make oatmeal for breakfast , we discovered that the stove wouldn’t go on.  Light bulb moment!  There was nothing wrong with our stove or heater.  We were out of gas!

We must use propane gas where we live.  For convenience and financial purposes, we are on auto payment and a level pay plan all year.  We also are on auto fill, which means that the propane company tracks the level and fills the tank when necessary.  When we checked the tank, it was at ZERO!

Still very early in the morning, we called the propane company’s “emergency” line. We tried repeatedly and tried a couple other numbers for the company, but no one answered.  Great!

Finally at 8 AM, we made contact with our local propane office. A receptionist answered, but she was alone in the office and could do nothing.  She called their regional office and the General Manager called me. 

Apparently they use a formula of sorts to determine when we will need gas.  It is based on the size of the home (ours is 2250 square feet) and the number of gas appliances in the home.  Although we’ve been with the company for years, for some reason those numbers were not in their computer.  She informed me that we had no delivery since APRIL!

Within an hour, the manager had arranged for someone to deliver propane to our home and relight all the appliances.  She said we would get 50 gallons free due to the inconvenience.  Our tank took 212 gallons to fill. If we weren’t on the level pay plan, it would have cost $742.57!

So, here I sit in my home office wearing a jacket, a wool scarf around my neck with a blanket covering my legs.  I am drinking hot tea and holding the cup to warm my hands.  It will take a couple hours to warm the house up.  I realize that am fortunate compared to all the people who lived in much colder weather for a long time after Hurricane Sandy and other storms.

The moral of this story, we are looking for a new propane company.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  You can work from home and earn residual income.

For information about how you can Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)