Tell the Universe What You Want

I am not a very spiritual person, although I am working on it.

My husband and I have had our house on the market, because we want to move to California to be near our family.  Our second six-month contract just ended with a realtor with exactly ONE person looking at the house in all that time.  Until a couple weeks ago, I was pretty down it.

I was talking with a friend – who also happens to be very spiritual and a therapist.  We were discussing the slow housing market, and I mentioned that when we do move to California, it will be more difficult for us financially.  California is more expensive in most things - food, real estate, gasoline – than in the area of Arizona in which I currently live.

For my friend, it was an “aha” moment.  She said, “Don’t you see?  That is why your house has not yet sold.  You are not yet prepared to live in California.  Once your business grows more, you will be able to afford it easier, and then your house will sell.”

Initially I just chuckled, but it did get me to thinking.  We’re making a decent living now, our bills are always paid on time, we always have food on the table, but we sometimes run a little short for “entertainment.”  Right now, it would be much more difficult to pay the higher cost of living in California.  I accepted that fact as true, and relaxed about our house not selling.  I decided at that moment that when the time is right, the house will sell.

It was only two days later that my business picked up - dramatically.  In fact, in the past two weeks, I have added more team members to my Xpress Healthcare business than I have in ages.  If I recruit only two more team members this month – with today being only the 10^th of the month – I will break my all-time record, possibly even a company record!  My team members have been signing new team members in higher numbers as well, which of course, increases my income.

I have put no more effort into my work than usual.  In fact, training all the new people has kept me from promoting my business hardly at all.  And yet, people are contacting me and joining my team.  I do not call prospects.  They call me.  I give no presentations, because my websites do it for me.

I can think of some logical reasons that new team members are joining at a record pace.  Prospects like some recent changes we’ve made in the company.  Kids are back in school.  Vacations are finished for the summer.  They all make sense and certainly may be contributing to my increased Xpress Healthcare business.  

However, it may well be more than a coincidence of timing.  It may be the knowledge that I want to move to California, but I cannot afford it right now; therefore, my mindset is different, influencing how I am working without even knowing I am doing so.  Yes, I choose the reason to be the latter, and I am excited to see how many new team members my colleagues and I can continue to bring onboard.  Maybe there is something to this “Tell the Universe What You Want” theory.

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

Let's All Grow Up!

In my area, like nearly every other city in the United States, political signs appear to be everywhere right now! It doesn’t seem to matter whether they are signs of Democrats or Republicans, here in Southeast Arizona, the signs are being vandalized and stolen.

Are we children? You don’t like the fact that John Smith is running against Bob Jones, so you’ll steal John’s sign? Really? Most cities these days we have to deal with graffiti. While I definitely dislike graffiti and disrespect those who put it there, for the most part, “taggers” are teenagers.

However, a neighborhood surveillance camera caught someone vandalizing a political sign a couple nights ago. He appeared to be a man in his 50’s. I was glad that the newspapers and radio did not announce to which party he belonged or whose sign he was vandalizing, because it doesn’t really matter. It is happening to signs from both parties. 

I attended a political event recently attended by both parties, and the speakers were from both parties. When someone asked why Susie School Board Member didn’t have any signs on the corner of X and Y, she responded that she has put several at that corner, but they kept disappearing.

In my city, there are the criminal codes associated with the damage to political signs, and they are being applied to anyone violating those codes. 

“16-1019. Political signs. It is a class 2 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign of any candidate for public office or knowingly remove, alter or deface any political mailers, handouts, fliers or other printed materials of a candidate that are delivered by hand to a residence for the period commencing forty-five days before a primary election and ending seven days after the general election.”

How childish to believe that destroying or stealing a political sign will help the opponent. I have never determined for whom I would vote because I was influenced by a sign. Intelligent adults will read about the candidates, online or in a newspaper, and/or watch them on television to learn more about them.

I will vote for the person with whom I agree on most issues affecting our country or my local area. I don’t want to vote for someone who tries to get my vote by bashing their opponents. (I know it is hard to avoid these days.) I will also vote for the person who puts our country, city or state first, not their political party.

In some ways, politics is not that different from competitors’ advertisements in business. Nearly every business has competition. I choose to sell my products and business opportunity by informing prospects how my company will benefit them, what we have to offer them. I do not speak ill of my opponent in the hopes that prospects will dislike the other company and come to me instead. 

I recently observed a representative of a company doing just that. In writing they were saying negative things about my company. Their negativity is actually backfiring on them. Prospects frequently call me after looking at the other company and tell me how they don’t like the negativity surrounding them.

So, after careful research and consideration, I will vote for the candidates who most reflect my views in a variety of areas. I will not vote for those who lie or spin the truth to make their opponent look less competent.

I will also continue to promote my Xpress Healthcare business in a manner that tells the public about the company’s integrity, our excellent products and our exceptional training program. 

C’mon folks, let’s all grow up!

http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

Characteristics of a Successful Entrepreneur

There are certain characteristics that all successful entrepreneurs share in common.  There are far more activities and behaviors that contribute to their success, but I am presenting a few of the most important.

Those with successful home businesses like what they are doing.  They like – and may even be passionate about – their product or service.  If they are not enjoying their work,  success is unlikely.

People who are doing well with their business work it AS a business. They don't treat it like a hobby.  Just because they don’t have a brick-and-mortar business, they are still serious about their goals, activities and training.

Success is largely based on money management - income and expenses. It is crucial to track exactly where money is going and from where it is coming.  Always record this information carefully and in an organized fashion for easy access and for tax purposes at the end of the year.

Successful business owners know that no matter what they do, everything comes down to their customers or clients.  Every aspect of their daily business activities are focused on them.

If no one knows who you are, what you are selling or about your company, a business cannot grow.

Effective business owners know that constantly promoting themselves, their product or service and their company is required if they expect to reach their goals.  It can be time consuming, but promoting their business is extremely important and can often be done at little or no cost.

Everywhere they go, online or offline, business leaders are aware that they have an audience.  Prospects may be anywhere, at the local supermarket or gas station, on any of thousands of online forums and blog sites.  They will not leave home wearing an “I’m with stupid” T-shirt.  They will be clean and neat anytime they leave home.  They need not dress in professional attire when going shopping, but also will not appear to be a slob or boor. 

Most professional business owners do not get involved in online public discussions about politics or religion. They don’t use filthy language or pictures on their posts. Those who do so will likely lose potential customers without being aware that they are doing so. They always maintain a professional image when posting online or commenting on others’ posts. Your reputation is easy to maintain, but once lost, it is nearly impossible to recover.

Successful entrepreneurs know their target market. Although there are some products that may be useful to anyone, the majority have a niche market. Know who they are.

Those who succeed in network marketing grow teams. All reputable companies have a service or product to sell to keep the company afloat and in profit mode. Their team members can help them sell those products and build their teams even further. 

Successful online marketers are aware of the importance of knowing their competition. They compare the costs of their products to their own.  They compare comp plans and costs to operate their own business to that of their competition. It comes in handy when speaking to a prospect trying to decide between two companies.

There is far more that those who are successful in the industry have in common. I have limited space to provide them, but this is a good start.

I personally strive to achieve each of these characteristics, and I also teach them to my Xpress Healthcare team members.  It is comforting to see that many of them naturally have these characteristics or they are developing them as they work toward their goals.

Life in the 1960's

I lived through the 1960’s.  I often hear people talk about that era as if it was all sunshine and flowers.  It was a decade of great change, horrible events and wonderful milestones.

The United States became a very different country during the sixties, differences that remain today.  Women began working outside the home in large numbers.  There were political movements, “love-ins,” “free love” and Woodstock. 

The sixties began with the election of John Kennedy, America's youngest President.  His death is one of those moments in my life that remember like it was yesterday, where I was and what I was doing.  Martin Luther King, a great leader during that time as well, inspired people and made them believe they could make a difference.  He and Robert Kennedy were assassinated in 1968. 

I lived in Los Angeles, and I remember the fear permeating the city during the “Watts Riots.”  There was a great deal of violence in the south during this era, as the end of segregation began to take hold.  The incident that stands out was the killing of four children inside a church in Alabama.

Drug use was no longer something done only by the very worst of society.  It became common among young people.  And, of course, there was the war in Vietnam. We were all horrified by the news coverage.  Protests and rallies because of that war stand out clearly in my mind. 

I was a teenager during most of the sixties.  I went to parties, dated and had many good times with my family.  I graduated high school and attended college.  There were bright moments that helped balance out that decade.  A man orbited the earth for the first time in Apollo 8 in 1968.  At the end of the sixties, Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, and I married my late husband in 1969. 

I mentioned earlier that during this time, women began working outside their homes in large numbers.  Fewer children were raised by their parents.  Through the next few decades, children spent the better part of their days with child care providers, and many parents missed their first steps, first words and other milestones in their lives.

Over the past few years, we have seen a shift back to the stay-at-home mom. More mothers – and fathers – are quitting their jobs to raise their children.  With the cost of living, it is more difficult than forty or fifty years ago, which has led to the huge growth of home businesses.  Stay-at-home parents now have myriad choices of businesses they can run from their homes.  Many parents today put their children before their second car or a bigger house.

There are young mothers on my Xpress Healthcare team.  As time goes on, I will be able to help even more parents to work from home.  It is wonderful to see that they can attend school plays, soccer practice and be there to help them with their homework after school.  Their children will have happier memories because their parents sacrificed and put their children first.    http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

Good Was Not Good Enough

I am a very fortunate woman.  And I am really excited to tell this little story.

A couple years ago, I was working with a network marketing company that suddenly decided to cut hundreds of reps.  I was one of them.  How is that lucky?  Exactly two weeks later, I found another company to join, Xpress Healthcare.  And, as they say, the rest is history!

I thank the other company every day, because I would not have been seeking another business had they not decided to terminate all those reps.  Within two months of joining Xpress, I was earning as much as I had in the six years with the previous company.  I had a very small team with the other company.  I have one of the largest teams in the company now.  With my old company, I was a speck of dust in a sand box.  With Xpress Healthcare, everyone matters.  We are all treated as an important part of the company.

For 20 months, I have been building my team and my residual income.  I slowly but surely have been growing my income.  I still am not earning a six-figure income.  I expect that it to take another couple years.

As a fairly new company, Xpress has periodically made changes, some rather large.  However, this week, the biggest and the best changes of all were launched.  On Tuesday, August 28^th, we received a fabulous new website, the company added a $30 recruiting bonus for each new team member, our comp plan was upgraded (and it was already great), and best of all, the Affiliate’s monthly fee was reduced to only $67!

Literally overnight we saw our business increase.  Between the launch on Tuesday and today, Thursday, we have had more new team members join than during all the rest of August!  My website visits more than doubled, and the amount of time people spend on the new website increased dramatically.

I have said many times before how innovative Xpress Healthcare is, but the results of these changes even surprised me!  This is especially interesting, because one of my team members and I worked with our founders to develop all these changes.  I knew they would help us, but I did not realize how much.

Xpress Healthcare is on the verge of exploding! We sell everybody-needs-it products at a very affordable price. We can grow our teams even larger with the new low monthly fee, and we even offer a two-week trial for our products and new affiliates for less than $10!  I see no way anyone willing to truly work their Xpress business would not be successful.

I am more excited than ever about my Xpress Healthcare business, and I would love to help each of you grow your own successful Xpress business.  http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

Commitment, Devotion and Passion

My parents are gone, but they left a lifetime of wonderful memories behind. 

My parents “courted” for a few months before deciding to get married in 1941.  My dad was in the Army.  On May 1^st, he went AWOL from his base, picked my mother up and they eloped.  When he returned to his base, he was demoted from a Private First Class to a Private. He obviously was not devoted to the Army.

My mother’s parents were Orthodox Jews, so they didn’t acknowledge my parents’ civil marriage, so they were remarried by a Rabbi on May 14^th.   

Dad was shipped overseas where he served in Africa and Sicily. Every single day he was gone, except when he was actually in a battle, he wrote my mother a letter.  (My mother saved those letters, and when she died, my siblings and I each took a portion to keep.) 

My mother worked at Lockheed as a “Rosie the Riveter” throughout the war.  When my dad came home after the War, they struggled financially for several years.  They worked and saved enough to buy their first house.  Within a six-year period, my sisters and I arrived on the scene.  My parents also bought their first restaurant and were fairly successful.

My brother came along several years later – an “oops” child, but my dad had the son he always wanted.  Upon my brother’s arrival, we moved to a larger house.  Soon after, my parents opened another, larger restaurant which they owned and operated together quite successfully for 25 years.  They took wonderful trips together – to the Orient, Mexico, Europe and Hawaii.  They had a good life. 

In their later years, as happens to most, they developed serious health issues.  During this period, we would often see my parents sitting side by side in their wheelchairs, holding hands while they watched TV. 

My father died in 2004, and the love affair of 63 years ended.  My mother died 3 years later in the home where she had lived for 49 years.  My parents were together again.

This is not a sad story.  It is a beautiful story of commitment, devotion and passion. A little side note… My father gave my mother two anniversary cards EVERY SINGLE MONTH for 63 years, one on the 1^st and one on the 14^th.  My mother saved those as well, and I have them.        

How many people today are so committed to one another – or even to a job, hobby or business? I had a good example to follow, and I learned well.  I am committed and devoted to my wonderful husband.  I am passionate about my Xpress Healthcare business.  I know what it takes to have a successful marriage and business, because my parents demonstrated it to me my entire life.

I have been able to apply the lessons I learned from my parents to my business.  I am doing my best to demonstrate these same lessons to my team members, and I am pleased that some have learned very well – perhaps from their parents.  I enjoy sharing my passion for my business with others and helping them strive to reach their goals.  Perhaps I can help you too.  http://julie.joinxpress.com/opportunity-launch.html

Why Should I Blog?

Blogs originated as a publishing system that allowed individuals to quickly and simply write, publish and distribute their opinions on the internet on whatever subject they wished.  They have now been converted into a hugely business marketing effective tool.

If you are not using blogging for marketing purposes for your business, you are missing out on an opportunity to attract prospects.  With your blog, you can target a particular subject matter or focus on a particular niche market.  There are several reasons why blogging can be beneficial to your business.

1.  You need no technical expertise to write a blog. You can add posts or pages with no need for a web designer; and you can update a blog page or add new blog posts yourself at any time.

2.  Those who read your blog posts can respond and you can see who shares interests with you.  Your blogs can open conversations with potential prospects. The perfect start to developing a relationship and a network!

3.  Blogs are automatically organized in chronological order and are structured in such a way to make them perfect for visitors and Search Engines alike.  Search Engines can find the type of content they love and improve your ranking on Google and other search engines.

4.  When we use the blog format on IBOToolbox, for instance, we need not be concerned about how our blogs are distributed.  IBOToolbox, and some other blogging sites, distributes them for us.  If you are not yet a member of IBOToolbox, you can join here: http://www.ibotoolbox.com/invited.aspx?jid=11454.  Then begin using it to promote your blogs and much more.

5.  Blogs thrive when we include links to our websites and refer to other articles so that conversations, ideas, relationships and networks can develop.  They can then spread throughout the internet, “go viral.”  Since I began writing blogs and included links to my Xpress Healthcare business (http://julie.joinxpress.com/business.html), they have driven far more visitors to my websites.  This in turn has provided better positioning and improved search engines ranking for my websites, resulting in increased lead generation.

6.  Every blog post has its own individual address.  So, you can refer to your blogs in forum posts and emails.  By using your blog website address on social networking sites, you are adding even more ways to promote your blog and your business.  In addition business blogs tend to rank higher than other types of websites on search engines, giving you more visibility. 

There are many blog sites available on which we can post blogs.  IBOToolbox is the best platform to distribute your blog.  However, the more places you post your blog, the more it will be distributed throughout the internet.  Blogs are very cost effective.  There are many free blog sites.  Again, IBOToolbox is among the best, but search to find other free well-read blogging sites.

Whether you blog about business-related subjects, your personal life,  a hobby, recipes or anything else you can think of, once you attract an audience, they will return and recommend your blog to others.  This in turn will build higher levels of trust in you and your business.  Your blog readers may become your most passionate word-of-mouth ambassadors. 

Blogs help people get to know you better, personalize you and your business.  Your blog posts should be an essential part of your online marketing toolkit, a powerful marketing and communications tool. 

If you are not yet using blogs to promote and market your business, I suggest you begin doing so today!  If you do not know how to blog, ask someone in your company or you can send me an email, and I’ll be glad to give you some tips on how to begin.