They Don’t Make ‘em Like They Used To…

I bought a new printer in April.  It is a pretty basic multi-functional printer that does the things for which I need a printer.  Except when it doesn’t.  Three months!  I’ve had it only three months, and it stopped working.  I called their “tech support,” and the rep had me go through a couple tests.  Then, he tells me he’ll be sending me a replacement printer in three to five days!  Hey, I’m running a business here.  Three to five days!  The rep spoke to his supervisor, and then he told me they’d ship it overnight and I’d have it tomorrow.

So until I get a workable printer, I am emailing everything I need to print to my husband for him to print on his printer.

I never heard the announcement.  Exactly when did companies begin producing products that were not meant to last?  If the item is electronic, it is a good possibility that another product will be released soon after you purchase yours that is a better version.

Last year, 40 years after I purchased it (with Blue Chip Stamps), my Pressure Cooker broke.  I used it for 40 years! The one I purchased to replace it is not nearly as good.

I have a rice cooker that I purchased in 1970.  I still use it about once a week.  It looks and operates exactly the same as it did the day I bought it.

I bought my washing machine, clothes dryer and refrigerator about twenty years ago.  I am still using them all.

I believe the use of plastic instead of longer-lasting metal contributes to various products being built with no intention of them lasting very long.  Has quality control been reduced so much that companies no longer care whether or not their merchandise is durable?

Whatever the cause, it is a real shame.  Plastic will continue filling up our landfills until we’re buried in it.  Mind you, I don’t pretend to have the answer to this situation.  But I am seriously having difficulty adjusting to disposable everything!  How about you?

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

I am TRYING Not to Get Overwhelmed…

Those who have read my PR’s regularly know that my husband and I want to leave Arizona and move to Southern California where our family lives.  Our house has been on the market for 17 months.  Today the SECOND person looked at it.  (We don’t yet know what that person thought of the house.)  Two people in nearly a year-and-a-half!

Since we are already “Seasoned” Citizens, we know that moving will be physically tiring.  I have health issues that would make it even more challenging. If we wait much longer, it will be even more difficult.

I recently learned about Reverse Mortgage Purchase Loans.  I was familiar with Reverse Mortgages, but not for the purchase of a home.  From what I’ve learned, the borrower must put nearly ½ the cost of the home down.  Then, they have no mortgage as long as they live in the home.  There would still be the expense of taxes and homeowners insurance. Their heirs pay off any remaining portion of the loan upon the owner’s passing. 

What about our current house?  We still haven’t sold it, and we’ve seen many houses in our area trashed when they’ve been rented out.  My biggest concern is our floors.  We have beautiful wood laminate floors throughout our house.  If not maintained properly, they’ll be destroyed. 

I learned some others things that MAY help resolve that problem as well.  I am revealing my lack of knowledge in the area of real estate here, but it is a fact, so why hide it?  I learned that:

1) I can place restrictions on a rental agreement stating that only those older than 55 may rent the house, or that we will not rent to anyone with children… Whatever restrictions we wish (which would, of course limit the prospective renters);

2)  We can insist on a large security deposit to at least partially cover any damages caused by renters; and

3)  We can require that the renters have renters’ insurance so that, if they cause damage their insurance, not ours, would pay for repairs.

So, here we are today, trying to research how much we could pay for a house in California when we have to put ½ down.  We are researching to learn more about the Reverse Mortgage Purchase Loan.  Should we look locally, online or in California? 

Another HUGE decision is exactly where in California we want to move?  Southern California is a very large area, and our family lives in various cities throughout Los Angeles County.  The housing costs have begun to recover, so we could not afford to live in many areas, and I wouldn’t want to live in some others.

So, as you can see, I have a lot on my mind.  I am trying to work my business and still find time to do research to help us make these decisions.  As I mentioned, I am not knowledgeable in this area, but my husband is even less so. (I at least handled my mother’s finances the last few years of her life, and I was the executor of my parents’ estate.  I handled the sale of her home, fulfilling the conditions in their wills, etc.)

Our contract with our current real estate agent expires on July 24^th.  We have to know what we want and need to do by that time (assuming our house isn’t sold).  If any readers of this blog have knowledge in this area and care to offer suggestions, I’m open to them!  Meanwhile, I am trying very hard not to let all these thoughts racing around in my head overwhelm me. 

I think I’ll go try to get some work done now.

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

What Do You Know About Your Competition?

You could say that every network marketing company is competition to your network marketing company, but that would only be vaguely correct.  Every reputable company in the industry must offer a product or service.  Those that do not are illegal.  Therefore, your true competition is any other company that sells the same or a similar product or service that you promote.

Do you know which companies actually are your competitors?  We all should know this, because we want to be sure our marketing plans shows how your company is superior to your competitors.  We do NOT do this by “bashing” the competition, which is totally unprofessional. 

Instead, in our advertising, we must state something about our company that we know is better than our competition’s.

Here is an example of how I do this.  My company’s main competition has a very complicated compensation plan.  Each of their reps is paid differently based and receives different benefits based upon how much they pay their company each month.  Many prospects have told me how confusing they found that company’s policies.

My ads often say, “EVERYONE receives the same benefits, the same residual commission and pays the same low monthly fee.”

Our competitor also charges fees for various tools they offer their reps.  So, my ads may also include, “Websites, lead capture pages and autoresponders are all included in your one low monthly fee.  NO other fees are required to build your business.”

It was not necessary for me to say anything negative about our competitor, but if a prospect was researching both companies, my ad demonstrated why my company was the better choice.

To understand this part of my message, you must know that my company sells discount benefit plans that help people save money on health and dental care, roadside assistance, pet care, and much more.  My company’s competition sells many of the same services we offer, and they are good services.  However, their services are provided by a network of providers about which most people are unfamiliar.  My company’s provider networks are well-known, nationwide companies.  We even see one of our provider networks advertised on television!

So, my ads often name the well-known provider networks to make our products stand out from our competitors.

It is very important that we know how our competitors operate their business, how they resolve problems with their reps and how their products or services compare to your own.  Visit their websites.  Look on forums and perform a search engine inquiry to see if you find complaints against them. 

I repeat that you should NEVER say anything bad about your competitor or their products.  Instead, by showing how your company stands out from the crowd, the wise prospective customer will compare your company with your competitors and select yours because of how you presented it.

By always posting positively about your business and on forums, you will gain far more new reps and sell more products than your competition.

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

Adjusting to the New IBOToolbox

If you are not already an IBOToolbox member, you’ll want to check it out!  It is a FREE unique marketing platform. No upgrades are even available. Join, participate, enjoy.  http://www.ibotoolbox.com/invited.aspx?jid=11454

I have been an active IBOToolbox member since September 2011.  I love the many tools offered to us free and how, by participating on IBO, my business, my name -my brand are distributed widely by other members and IBO.

Although the new version of IBOToolbox looks dramatically different, I haven’t found much different about how to use it or the tools available. There is nothing wrong with the new version, it simply doesn’t seem that “new” to me.  I might be missing something. 

I have noticed a couple different things that are not, in my opinion, necessarily improvements.  Now, when we prepare a press release, depending upon what software you use to type your original text, when you copy/paste it into IBO, the formatting changes. Unfortunately, it appears that many IBO members do not look at their final product once published.  I have noticed that there are many PR’s with no paragraph breaks, and the title has no spaces.  If we look at the completed PR once published and discover these formatting errors, we can go back to IBOToolbox and revise the formatting. 

To create paragraph breaks, AFTER pasting the PR into IBO, put an extra space between each paragraph, and an extra space between each word on the title.  It only takes a couple seconds, and it solves the problem.  (I do not believe this formatting problem occurs if you type your PR in WordPad.  I personally prefer using MS Word although I realize IBO recommends that we not do so.)

Another change I have noticed is that individual folders within our associate lists are no longer available.  I contacted IBO, and I was informed that people found it too confusing.  I used those folders to categorize my associates.  For instance, I had a folder for my team members so I could be sure to read their posts each day.  Now, I have to look for them through the list of nearly 1000 associates I have.  I have discovered, however, that we can sort the list by "last post" date, which does narrow down the search a great deal.

One-thousand associates may not seem a lot for someone active on IBO for so long.  However, what I have always done is periodically review my list of associates.  Some with whom I have associated never complete their profile or have only one star after months as an IBO member. To keep my associate list more manageable, I un-associate with those people.

I have had some people new to IBO ask me how much time they should spend on IBO each day.  The answer varies, depending upon whether the member is working their business full or part-time.  I work my business full time, and I have been active long enough to have many people that I follow and many who follow my posts. Considering that a big part of IBO is to drive people to our company websites or our IBOSocial profile pages, I set a daily goal for myself.  When my daily IBO stats show at least 200 profile visits, I know I have put in a good amount of time and effort for that day.  For those who work fewer hours, they could set a goal of 25, 50 or 100.  It is, for me, a good way to measure my activity each day.

If anyone else has tips that make using IBO easier, it would be great if you shared them as well.

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  

Do You Have What it Takes?

A large percentage of the population would like a home business, but not all are qualified to do so.   Network Marketing, in particular, requires certain qualities/characteristics.

One characteristic I find missing with many network marketers is Self-Motivation.  When they have no boss assigning tasks, they cannot seem to get started on their own.

Passion is needed to be successful with any business.  We must love our product or service and use it ourselves.  Passion for our business, the company, helps us to sell the business opportunity to others.

Those with an Entrepreneurial Spirit are the most likely to achieve success.  This simply means they have focus and perseverance, and that they can be innovative. 

A network marketer must like people and enjoy socializing, or the industry is not a good match for them.  Even more than their products, they must be able to sell themselves. 

Network marketers must be willing and able to Step Out of Their Comfort Zone.  For example, I dislike being in front of a camera, but I know that videos sell.  So I create marketing videos periodically and have recorded about a dozen.  Viewers of my videos can see that I am nervous, even looking down at my notes while speaking.  As uncomfortable as I am, I force myself to create videos, because they work!

Be Coachable.  Some people don’t know what it means to be coachable.  “'Coachability’ is the willingness to be corrected and to act on that correction. When we are coachable, we are prepared to be wrong... We are willing to let others evaluate… even plumb the depths of our performance because we understand that the journey of personal development cannot be traveled alone.”  Timothy R. Clark, from the article, “On Leadership: Are you coachable?”

Those not yet in the industry should ask themselves whether they actually have what it takes.  If they do not, they will save themselves and others a great deal of time by seeking another type of work.

There is no test to give prospective team members to see if they qualify.   All we can do is interview them to get “a feel” for their background, experience and skills.  The attrition rate in network marketing reflects the fact that we can never be certain who does or does not qualify to be a network marketer.

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

Daily Planning and Execution = Success

Those of us in the network marketing industry generally have two main reasons for doing so.  The ability to earn money for ourselves, not an employer, with no limits on our income is a huge one.  Others like the idea of being able to stay home to work.  We have no commute; we can raise our own children (instead of a daycare doing so); and myriad other advantages of not having to leave our homes to work.

Those who are doing well with their home business realize that they are unlikely to grow a six-figure income in weeks or even months.  Our time frames may be different, but we all are striving to build successful businesses.

Successful home business owners also have a work schedule of some kind to help them complete all their required tasks each day. 

Our daily activities should include Revenue Generating Activities; Personal Branding; and Attraction Marketing Techniques.

In my mind there is one key to growing a business - consistency.  Whether you work two, four or seven days a week, you must consistently pursue the three activities above on those work days.

I tell my team members that they must start working immediately!  Lots of network marketers spend days – even weeks or months – setting up websites, creating lists of what then intend to do and setting up blogs.  The problem is they often never get around to any revenue generating activities.  We must perform specific tasks to earn money.  Having a plan is fine, but without executing it, it serves no purpose.

Marketing your product or service is considered a revenue generating activity.  Marketing can be either online or offline, depending upon your product or service and your location.  Participating on various forums and networking sites and posting videos and blogs will help to build your brand.  As you build your brand, prospects will be attracted to you.  When you generate your own leads, rather than using lead lists, you know your prospects are really interested in learning more.

Know what you plan to do as you begin each work day.  Focus is very important.  Your work schedule can be flexible to allow for family activities, but stay as close to your schedule as possible.  In the afternoons for instance, you can focus on personal branding, like writing a blog, creating videos, getting into forums and communicating with people in your niche.  Your schedule should also include training.   Set aside time to attend training calls or webinars that your company offers.  Ongoing training ensures that you will continue improving your business skills.

The consistent marketer wins. If you’re not consistent, you will not get the results you are seeking.

The sooner you implement a clear and consistent schedule, and execute the tasks on your schedule, the faster your business will grow. 

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.  

The Pros and Cons of Living in Southern California

I just returned from a trip to California.  I was born there and lived in Southern California most of my life.  I moved to Arizona about 18 years ago.  I now have my house for sale and hope to return to California in the not-too-distant future.

There are many wonderful things about living SoCal; and there are some powerful reasons to avoid doing so.

The California weather is a big plus, but the smog can be terrible. 

It is not far to go to the mountains, a forest, the ocean or the desert when you live in SoCal.  However, the traffic is nearly always terrible, so getting to those nice places can be challenging.

I can meet people of every race, nearly every nationality and religion since all are well represented in the area.  Unfortunately, all those people can create crowds, which can take some of the enjoyment out of places I visit.

Sadly, the huge population has led to a high crime rate in many cities throughout the region.  The jails are so full (as with most big cities) the courts cannot order jail time for some people who might otherwise be in custody.

Where I live now, there are only a limited number of ethnic restaurants, which I enjoy very much.  There are no “warehouse” stores or specialty stores.  I am not a “shopper,” but there are certain things I would like to buy that I now have to drive 90 miles to find.  In California, there are myriad ethnic restaurants, warehouse stores and shops that carry virtually anything I might ever want to purchase.

The most important reason I want to live in SoCal is family!  When we moved to Arizona, (obviously) we were much younger, working jobs and wanted to escape the chaos of the Los Angeles area. 

Now, I work at home and hardly see anyone besides my husband.  (Thank heavens for sites like IBO where I can communicate with others throughout the day.)  My husband is retired.  We had no grandchildren when we moved here, and one of my children moved to Arizona with us.  He married and has twin daughters who were born in Arizona.  He and his children have returned to his home state.  I miss them terribly.  My other son also is a daddy now too, and I barely know his daughter.

I also have a brother in SoCal with whom I am very close but see only once every few months.  I adore his wife who he married since I moved away.  My husband also has children, grandchildren and a sister in Southern California.  We are lonesome for them all!

So, in spite of the fact that we do not like traffic, smog or the high crime rate, as soon as we possibly can, we will return to California for the most important reason – our family is there!

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance). 

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

New Target for Identity Thieves

Most parents have never given it a thought.  They may be concerned that their child might become ill, be bullied or not do well in school.  Parents of young children should add to that list.

A report released in December 2012 by Identity Theft Assistance Center, a non-profit organization, stated that among children under 18 years of age, one in every 40 households have been effected by child identity fraud.

Among adult who have their identity stolen, it is difficult to track down the thief and repair the damage.  With children, however, it is even more difficult.

Cyberthieves use children’s Social Security numbers more than any other piece of information.  Most parents apply for Social Security cards for their children when they are born.  Then they file or lock away the card, never giving it another thought.

Unfortunately, thieves now often attach these freshly-issued Social Security numbers to a variety of names and birthdates and set up new identities.  They then use the fraudulent identifications to obtain credit, apply for driver’s licenses, apply for government benefits and even access medical care.

Because the parents haven’t looked at their children’s Social Security or credit rating, the illegal activity may not be discovered for years.  A study conducted in 2011 found that the Social Security numbers of 10.2% of children in the United States were used by someone, a far higher rate than those of adults at 0.2%.

The possibility of how the child’s future will be impacted is dreadful to think about.  The child’s application for student loans may be denied; they may not be able to get a job, a mobile phone or even a place to live.

Children should not have a credit record.  If they do, it is a “red flag” that someone has fraudulently used their identity.

There are a few steps parents can take to prevent their child’s ID from being used.  Shred any and all papers containing account or Social Security numbers for everyone in the family. Do not carry your child’s or your own Social Security number (SSN) with you.  If your child’s school asks for their SSN, ask it is optional. If not, find out from the school’s district office how the information is safeguarded.  Teach your children that it is dangerous to give out personal information over the phone or internet.  This also applies to adults.  Check with your child’s physician’s office to see what precautions they use to protect their records.

No matter how careful we are, we cannot possibly guarantee that our children or our own identity will not be stolen, but taking these steps can greatly reduce the possibility.

Finally EVERYONE should have Identity Theft Protection, no matter their age.  There are several companies that provide ID Theft Protection.  Among the best is Lifelock® ID Theft Protection. 

Xpress Healthcare offers Lifelock® for only $19.95 per month for your immediate family that lives with you.  With Xpress Healthcare, Lifelock® is included in a package of discount benefits that includes Pet Care, Roadside Assistance, Legal Services and a Cash Back Rewards mall. 

All five discount services in our Lifestyle Select plan will cost you and your immediate family less than $20 per month!  You can even take a 14-day trial to check out the benefits for only $4.95 (shipping & handling fee).  You can learn more about this discount plan at http://ibourl.net/EverydaySavings.

Where Are the Golden Years

I’m on the older end of the baby boomer generation. I am officially considered a senior citizen. I don’t think like I’m old. People tell me I don’t look that old. Unfortunately, my body won’t let me forget it.

I’d always heard that the Golden Years would be wonderful! Seniors are free to do whatever they want to do whenever they want to do it. They no longer have children to worry about, and money is no longer a problem.
Now that I’m in what was supposed to be “The Golden Years,” I realized that they lied to me. As my body creaks. cracks, and groans when I rise from the couch, it is definitely not cheering. As osteoarthritis takes over my fingers, I am beginning to wonder if I’ll be able to play the piano. Actually, I never have before, so it would be pretty miraculous if I could now. 

My husband and I still walk two miles every morning.  I couldn’t walk any distance at all without my hiking stick. I refuse to use a cane. That would make me officially old!  When I’m walking with my hiking stick, people laugh and ask if I use it to beat up my husband. See, that makes it funny, not pathetic.

It’s odd, I never had freckles as a child or young adults, but I do now. I much prefer calling all those “age spots” freckles, wouldn’t you?

The lives of my children and grandchildren is like watching a TV drama. My sons are responsible young men, but “stuff” keeps “happening” to them. Not worry about them? It’ll never happen.

Starting when I was very young, I was very responsible with money. I began investing and saving at an early age. I expected that, by this time, I’d have tons of money, so I could relax and enjoy life. It should have been that way.
Unfortunately, throughout the year of 2008, my investments went down about $5000 per month. During 2010, my investments began to increase again, but we’re still not back to where we were before the meltdown. So, vacations are on the back burner. We are fortunate that we have a few different means of income aside from our investments. So we have no problem paying our bills, but the luxury items will have to wait a while.

One thing that I do love about my age now is that I can still work my home business, sitting on my nice ergonomically correct office chair. As long as my mind stays sharp (which I sometimes wonder about even now… What was I looking for?), I can sit at my computer and work.

One more advantage of being a senior citizen is the discounts various stores, theaters and restaurants offer. You betcha!  I’ll admit I’m a senior to get a ½ of meal or free coffee. More and more businesses are offering discounts to seniors, so I’ll take advantage of them all!

The senior years don’t look Golden to me. Growing old is not for sissies or wimps. However, I’m facing them with head held high. I may have many more years remaining, so watch out! I’ll take advantage of every one of them to the best of my now limited somewhat abilities.

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Learn how to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more at http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

To learn about Julie Klein and how you can be successful in network marketing, look at the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity at http://joinxpresshealthcare.com