Building a Network Marketing Business Foundation – Part 2

In part 1 of “Building a Network Marketing Business Foundation,” I discussed having a positive attitude, social and network marketing and offline networking groups.  In this post, I will share a few more proven methods to build your business foundation. 

Blogging is a great way to “expose yourself.”  You can write a blog about your business or nearly anything you wish.  I suggest you create your blog on a Word document first, and use “spell check” before posting it online.  You want to appear professional.

Over the past few years videos have become a very important part of the network marketing mix.  Do whatever you can to get past how you look on camera.  No one is critiquing your appearance, but they are hearing you talk about your business opportunity and the products you offer.  If you’re not telling them, someone else will, and they’ll be earning the money, not you.  If you have a web cam and a microphone, you can make videos.  They are simple to do; you just have to do them!  If you do not have a web cam and/or microphone, they are very inexpensive to buy.

Placing ads on Craigslist and other free classified ads can be an effective way to “expose” yourself to the public.  I personally have not found classified ad sites to be THE most effective way to promote an online business, but they have generated leads here and there.  So I usually have at least a few ads running.  Create a half a dozen or so ads, and then you can rotate and use them repeatedly.

To help you grow a local business, join your Chamber of Commerce and other business-related networks in your area, and participate in their events.  Once they get to know who you are and what you do, you’ll find people will refer others to you.

Finally, word of mouth.  Some network marketing companies encourage you to first approach your “warm” market.  I actually discourage you from trying to recruit or sell to your family and friends.   Instead, just like you know what most of your family and friends do for a living, be sure they know what you do.  You need not shove it down their throats.  In normal conversation you can mention what products you promote and that you are a recruiter for your company.  If they know someone who can use your product or service or someone who is seeking a business opportunity, they will send them your way.  Over the years, my family has referred several people to me.

There are other ways to promote your business and build the foundation to achieve success.  These are just a few to help you begin your growth or to kick-start a struggling business. 

To your success!

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

 

Please visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

How to Build Your Network Marketing Business Foundation – Part 1

Even if you have had your home business for months or years, it is not too late to build your foundation.  If your business has not yet “taken off,” it is not too late to start fresh. 

Tenacity is vital to growing your business.  When something works well for you, stick with it.  Discontinue any ineffective marketing.  If we decide that we are going to reach success in our endeavors, WE WILL!  If we believe in ourselves, our products or service and our companies, nothing is impossible.  There will be obstacles along the way, and our commitment may well be tested, however the power is within each of us to accomplish anything.

More often than not, those who are successful are the people who simply never give up!  Don’t quit!  Progress may be slow, but keep moving forward, you will get there.

Maintain a positive attitude.  Spend as little time as possible with those who discourage you, the dream stealers. Do your best to surround yourself with enthusiastic, encouraging, successful people.  Stay in close contact with your sponsor and anyone who inspires you. 

Entrepreneurship is very rewarding, even though there will be bumps on your journey.   In the beginning, we must do a lot of groundwork and foundation building.  If you have not yet done so, start today!  We may not make much money at all at first.  

If we view this time as a learning period, it makes sense.  We are attending “school” to learn the business and “brand” ourselves.  Instead of paying tuition, we can earn some money while we’re still learning.  The network marketing industry is growing dramatically, partially because of the residual income and the financial security it brings – eventually.

There are myriad ways to market and promote our businesses.   Our greatest efforts should be geared toward generating leads, either customers or team members.  One of the most effective ways to generate leads is by using social media and online networking.   It is unnecessary to spend much at all to promote your business.    

If you have not yet done so, set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WAHM.com and IBOToolbox.  Actively participate on each of these sites.  Connect with others and help them where you can.  They likely will reciprocate.  Feel free to explore and find other forums and networking sites, possibly those in your industry when you worked a job - or if you still work a job. 

When you join each of these networking sites: 

·        Complete your profile and include a photograph of yourself, not a logo or avatar, in your profile.  Post a photo with you smiling.  People will be more attracted to you if you appear friendly.  Use the same photo everywhere.  Your face will become familiar to other networkers, and you’ll make more connections. 

·        Include your bio on sites that offer the space, and use the same one everywhere. 

·        If you post a phone number and/or address, always use the same formatting.  For instance, if you put your area code in parenthesis, always put it in parenthesis.  Consistency can improve your search engine rankings.

The reason networkers participate in a variety of forums and social media networks is simple… to get our names and businesses “out there.”  If you were attending a Chamber of Commerce meeting, you would be handing out your cards, chatting with members and getting to know people.  Online networking works the same way.   

These totally free marketing platforms can be extremely powerful!  It requires time and serious participation, but you will see increased website traffic to your websites, leads will begin to come in and your search engine optimization will improve over time.

In my next post, I’ll provide a few other ways to promote yourself and build your network marketing business foundation.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

 

Please visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, http://joinxpresshealthcare.com. 

Does Hobby Lobby Discriminate?

Last year I wrote an entire blog about bigotry.  It is my belief that any person or group who believes they are better than any other group of people – including race, religion and gender – are bigots.   Anyone who looks down upon any group of people is a bigot and lacks intelligence. 

I’ve read in a variety of places on the internet that Hobby Lobby’s owners discriminate against Jews.  From what I have read, it is not totally clear whether this is true or not. 

The story began when a customer at a Hobby Lobby store in Marlboro, N.J., was supposedly told by a sales clerk that "We don't cater to you people," when she asked if the store would be stocking any Hanukkah merchandise.  The store apparently already had a large stock of Christmas items available. 

Ken Berwitz, a Jewish resident of Marlboro, N.J. followed up with Hobby Lobby's corporate headquarters and was told that the chain does not carry Hanukkah or Passover items "Because Mr. Green is the owner of the company, he's a Christian, and those are his values," he claims he was told.

When asked about the situation by Entrepreneur.com today, a Hobby Lobby spokesperson said,  

“Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. is currently working with our buyers over our merchandise selection. Due to multiple customer requests, we are currently evaluating our Holiday items and what we will carry in the future.” 

Before reading this last quote, I was thinking that since everything I’d read was hearsay, perhaps it was not true.  However, Marlboro, N.J. has a large Jewish population.  I have difficulty believing that inquiries about Jewish holiday items began only recently.  

My local Wal Mart carries no Chanukah or Passover items.  I’ve lived here for 18 years, and they never have carried them.  However, very few Jews live in the area.  I can understand that with limited shelf space, they cannot carry items that likely would have very low sales. 

Is it Hobby Lobby’s choice whether or not to stock Passover and Hanukkah items?  Absolutely!  I can even understand that in areas where there are few Jews, they may not want to carry them.  However, in the Marlboro, N.J. community, there are many Jews who would likely purchase these items. 

So, yes, it is Hobby Lobby’s choice what merchandise they offer in their stores.  It is also my choice to never shop at their stores.

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For affordable discount plans to reduce your Health and Dental expenses AND reduce costs on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and even more, visit: http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance).

 

Please visit my Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/XpressHealthcareTheWinnersCircle 

For Xpress Healthcare® business opportunity info, http://joinxpresshealthcare.com.