Leaving California

I was born in Los Angeles, California.  I worked for many years in the administrative end of law enforcement, so I was acutely aware of the rising crime around me.  Add to that the traffic everywhere in Southern California, and smog.  And then, there were earthquakes.  One day, my husband and I began to discuss escaping.

We took a driving trip to Arizona, traveling throughout the state for two weeks.  We came across a small city in a rural area that we liked immediately.  It was really pretty, low crime, no smog, no traffic.  Everything that we disliked about California was absent in this city.

We put our California house on the market and moved to Arizona.  It’s a beautiful area, totally black skies at night.  Our Arizona house sits at the base of some beautiful mountains, often covered in snow in the winter.  Ideal temperature, with a light dusting of snow each winter.  Our house is fabulous, much bigger than the two I’d owned in California. 

Then, our children, who were just out of their teens when we left California, grew up.  They had children.  We were grandparents!  We loved it, except, by then all the kids and grandkids were living in California.  It didn’t happen suddenly, but over a period of a couple years, we began to really miss our family.  As we’ve gotten older, we cannot travel as easily or frequently to see them as we did when we first moved to Arizona.

So, now our house in Arizona is on the market.  The housing market is not good.  We began trying to sell our house last July, and here we are in April, with our house unsold.

My dream would be to pick up our house and move it to California near our family.  Whatever house we buy in California – whenever that may be – will be much smaller.  We’ll have to adjust.

It is funny how our priorities change throughout our lives.  I’m not looking forward to living in California, with the even worse traffic and crime, but my desire to spend more time with my family outweighs what I dislike about it.

I am so fortunate to have my home business.  I can work here in Arizona and just as easily in California.  There will be nothing different about that aspect of my life.  And since I work primarily online, I don’t have to move much more than my desk. 

So, I’ll happily continue working my business while I await the sale of my house and another new chapter of my life.


http://joinxpresshealthcare.net

The Big Picture

When speaking to one of my team members today, we were discussing how, in network marketing, people often are unable to see “the big picture.”

As most people know, in network marketing a large percentage of those who join quit before they’ve put any real effort into their business.  I believe that is because they don’t have the right perspective, their overall view of what can be achieved is beyond them.

Those who can see "the big picture" are able to look beyond the immediate future, seeing in their mind through a wider lens that displays the true possibilities that lie before them.

There are network marketing companies that promise almost immediate success.  Although on rare occasions, someone’s business does take immediately, but it is bar far the exception, rather than the rule.

Network marketing companies that pay residual income do not pay a large amount for every sale an associate makes.  Rather, they will earn a small amount, but they’ll be paid that amount month after month, year after year, rather than being paid only once.  With residual income, once an associate builds a good income, even if they stop working their business, as long as they remain with the company, their residual income continues to come in.

I’ll use my own company as an example.  Xpress Healthcare sells discount health and dental plans and benefit plans that reduce our members’ costs in many other areas of their lives.  For instance, if I sell our top plan, I will be paid $15, which by itself may seem a rather small amount, not much at all.  However, I will be paid $15 every single month for every active account I sell.  Let’s say I sell our plans to a business with 100 employees.  

From that one sale, I’ll be earning $1500 month after month.

In the grand scheme of things, $15 is looking better.  PLUS, I’ll be paid a percentage of the sales people on my team down two levels are paid.  So, in addition to the $15 I’m paid for my personal sales, I’ll be paid $2.50 each month for all of the top plans my team members sell.  Again, using that company with 100  

employees example, if my team member made the sale, I’d be earning $250 per month, and I did no work for it!

Of course, anyone who “sticks it out” continues to make additional sales that begin stacking up, growing a larger and larger residual income.  Is that “big picture” beginning to look better? 

I personally believe that those who are unable to see “the big picture” should not work with a company that pays residual commission.  They should select a company that pays larger, one-time commissions.  If they are wise, they’ll invest it well.  If they are not, they may end up with nothing in the end.

With my own company, as with many others, the possibility of earning the “magical” six-figure income is very real for anyone willing to work for it and not quit.  I personally never worked a j-o-b where I came anywhere close to earning that much money, and if I quit that job, I received no additional paychecks.  So, what if you had to work two years, or three, or five?  Seeing that “big picture” up the road should keep you staying the course until you reach it.

http://joinxpresshealthcare.ORG

Building Your Online Business Foundation

Tenacity is vital to growing your business.  Stick firmly to what works well for you.  Discard anything that does not.  Make the decision to reach success in your endeavors, and YOU WILL. Nothing is impossible to you, if you believe.

Most of the time, the people who are successful are simply the ones who didn’t quit. Don’t quit. Don’t sell yourself short. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and you will get there.

Work your business like you mean it.  If you treat it like a hobby, if you’re not making it a priority in your life, the results will be minimal. 

There are a variety of ways to market and promote your business, but doing so is your primary job.  There are myriad ways to do so, and I’m going to share with you what I have found to be the most successful methods. 

I have found – first and foremost, that using social media and online networking provides the most bang for your buck.  The buck being time, not money. 

So, start with Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, IBOToolbox, for instance.  And feel free to find your own, possibly those in the industry in which you work when you had a job, or if you still work a job.

Once you get to the forum you wish to join. Create an account.  Be sure to use a photograph of yourself, not a logo or avatar, in your profile.  And when the profile includes space for a bio, use the same one wherever you register.

OK, your accounts are set up.  Now what?  PARTICIPATION!  The reason we all want to be participating in a variety of forums and social media networking is simple, to get our names and businesses “out there.” The more you participate, the more people get familiar with your name and your business.  As you participate in these various forums, you’ll find you’ll get to know people, see that you have things in common, and may actually become internet friends. Think of it like you’re attending a Chamber of Commerce meeting.  You’d be handing out your cards, chatting with Chamber members and getting to know a few of them.   Participation on forums can and should be fun. 

Blogging is another powerful method of getting your name and your business “out there.”  I’m pretty new to blogging, but I have found it to be very effective. I recommend you type your blog in a word document or on a site that allows spell check so your blog will look professional.

Creating your own videos can also be of tremendous help to your business.  Get past how you look on camera.  No one is critiquing your appearance, but they are hearing you talk about your business opportunity and products.  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. 

To help you grow a local business, join your local Chamber of Commerce and other business-related networks, 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 companies encourage their reps to approach their “warm” market.  I discourage my team members from trying to recruit or sell to family and friends.  You know what most of your family and friends do for a living.  Be sure they know what you do too.  In normal conversation, just mention your business.  If they know someone who can use your products or are looking for a business opportunity, they’ll send them your way.


http://julie.xpressabo.com/flash1.php?=blogger

I Got a "Code" in My Nose

For the first time in, I can’t remember how long, I’m ill.  It’s just a cold, nothing horrible, but you know colds can make you fell blah!  Anyway, it got me to thinking.

If I was working a j-o-b, I’d be staying home, using up my sick time or losing money.  It disturbs me when people go out spreading their viruses, so I try not to expose people unless I absolutely must.

With my own home business, I need not be concerned about missing work.  As long as I’m capable of sitting at my computer, I can work. In fact, a while back, after surgery, I was working from my bed for nearly a week.

That is one of the many benefits of having a home business.  Nearly anyone can do it.  I have two people on my team who are disabled, unable to work a regular job.  They can work on their computers though.  Mobility isn’t required. 

Someone unable to hear can work many home businesses.  With the right equipment, those who are blind can work from home on their computers.  With the technology we have today, there is almost no disability preventing someone from working at home on a computer.

We live in a very interesting time.  Our grandparents couldn’t have imagined all the machines, gadgets and equipment that we now find commonplace.  As I sit here sniffling and sneezing, I am so grateful for my Xpress Healthcare business.  I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.  (Please visit my website if you’d like to join my team… I won’t share my cold, I promise.) http://julie.xpressabo.com/xhc1?blogger

Julie Klein just posted a new blog titled I’m Ready to Throw a Shoe Through My Computer!.

Julie Klein just posted a new blog titled I’m Ready to Throw a Shoe Through My Computer!.

No Man (or Woman) is an Island

Teamwork is vital to the success of virtually any business – a restaurant, retail store, huge corporation or a network marketing business.  No one stands alone and expects to accomplish all that needs to be done.  In retail and corporations, each person serves a specific purpose, and if one person is not holding up their end, the remaining people must pick up the slack.  In most situations, the “slacker” would not last very long with their company.  They would be fired.

In network marketing, teamwork is a bit different.  Unless a team member violates company rules, they generally cannot be “fired.”  There are a few elements that are needed to keep a team running smoothly. 

·         A common purpose.  With network marketing, each individual in a team is an independent business owner, but each joined the network to achieve success.  Yes, I know that not all the team members will ever be successful, but I’m talking common purpose.

·         Interdependence.  Each member of a network marketing team depends on at least one other person to reach their goals.  They depend on their sponsor to train them and support them along their path.  Team leaders depend on each of their members to work their business, thus helping both the member and leader to grow their businesses.

·         Roles and contributions.  Each person can play more than one role in network marketing.  If they are recruiting a team, they are a team leader.  However, that leader also has their own sponsor, and they are a member of that person’s team, helping their own sponsor by making sales.  How much each individual contributes to the team can greatly effect the success of many.

·         Accountability, both individual and mutual.  Each individual within a team is responsible to themselves to grow their personal business.  At the same time, they are also accountable to the team as a whole.  It is true that, in network marketing, there are always going to be those who do not take this responsibility seriously, either to themselves or their team.  These people never succeed.

·         Empowerment.  Independent business owners have the power to create an empire, make a decent living or supplement their income.  They are empowered to make their choices and work their businesses accordingly.  There is both freedom and challenges that come with empowerment.

Those individuals in network marketing who do not consider themselves part of a team are rarely successful.  Working together to achieve that common purpose drives each individual to work harder to help themselves and the team. 

·         Team meetings, Webinars and conference calls can help members of a team to see how important they are to the team as a whole. 

·         Competition between different teams can inspire team members to work harder to earn the prize and to help the team at the same time. 

·         For those who have team members residing in the same area, having local team events can help to strengthen a team. 

No matter how we do it, those leading a team must encourage their teams to work for the benefit of the company as a whole, for the team and for themselves.  They are all intertwined, and when everyone on a team works for the same common purpose, they are helping to create and maintain both a strong team and a successful business.

http://julie.xpressabo.com/xhc1?=blogger 

Quitters Never Prosper

During the several years I have been in the network marketing industry, I have seen far more people quit than succeed.  They did not fail.  They quit without ever putting any real effort into their business. 

Far too many people are MLM hoppers.  They hop from one MLM to another, thinking they’ll do better at the next one.  Why they ever expect to be successful, I do not understand. 

>>  They put out a few flyers and were disappointed, because their phone didn’t ring off the hook.

>>  They placed a few online ads, but no one ever joined their team. 

>>  They didn’t attend training calls or Webinars, because they thought they knew how to work an MLM business.  After all, they had worked in the industry before. 

>>  They didn’t work with their sponsor who may have actually been able to teach them something. 

>>  They quit after a couple weeks, or maybe even stuck it out for a few months, and they blamed the company or the product or their sponsor for their lack of success.

>>  They carried their negative attitude with them to the next business.

Then there are the network marketing stars.  Those are the people who dive head first into their business. 

>>  They know from the beginning that they will be successful.  Their positive attitude is contagious.

>>  Some of them – maybe even the majority – don’t make many sales right away, but they are not discouraged, because they realize it will take time and effort.

>>  These people attend every training call or Webinar offered by their company.  If they have to miss one, they’ll listen to the recorded version.

>>  The network marketing stars know that staying in contact with their sponsor is vital to their success.

>>  The stars participate in as many online forums as possible, soaking up knowledge from their online connections.

>>  It may actually take them a while, perhaps as long as a year, before they are earning a full-time living with their business.  Two, three, or even five years before they earn the “six figure” income everyone talks about.

>>  The stars carry their positive attitude everywhere they go, and they eventually achieve their goals and set new ones.

The quitters never achieve success, no matter how many companies they join. 

The network marketing stars soar and set an example for everyone else.

http://julie.xpressabo.com/xhc1?=blogger