Keeping it Simple

Why I Chose the MLM Companies I Work With

Carl Willis — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 06:33:00 GMT

My decision to enter the network marketing arena was not a decision I took lightly. I wanted to make sure that I chose MLM companies that fit my long range goals for my business. When I began my network marketing journey, it began with hours of research studying various MLM companies.

Over the years I have watched many MLM companies fold and others have suffered severe black eyes in the courtroom of public opinion. It was important for me to find companies that seemed to rise above the others. I view myself as a professional, and it was equally important that the companies I represent did the same.

Before I go any further it is important that I give an overview of my business plan, so that my decisions are more easily understand. As you already know, I am a church planter by profession. I started a ministry in 2008 called Simplicity Church Network, that plants simple modeled churches. In our model, all of the pastors are bi-vocational or self supporting. In addition to our church planting work, we are also the overseeing ministry for Redeemer Bible College in Kenya and Uganda.

I quickly realized that I needed a funding mechanism for our ministry. It was important that I develop a business model that met some key criteria:

It must be able to generate sufficient income to support a church planter and his family
It must be teachable to anyone, anywhere
It must require a low start up cost
It must be marketable online and offline

There are 4 key objectives of this business model:

Create small businesses to support church planters and their families
Create funding for new church and Bible college plants
Create funding for missionary work
Create job opportunities for people who are rebuilding their lives or have no skill sets

When it was all said and done I chose 6 MLM companies to work with, 3 offline and 3 online. 2 of these companies have been around for over 100 years. The shortest tenure is 10 years. It was important that these companies have something that people are looking for. My 3 offline MLM companies are so much in demand that customers search us out. Several times per week we are asked for product catalogs and our customers refer others to us.

It was important that my team members not have to convince someone that they "need" our products. Our customers convince themselves. 2 of my 3 offline companies also actively pursue commercial accounts and retail on the shelf accounts. This allows my team members to tap into market places that are off limits in most MLM companies.

My 3 online companies were chosen based on the following criteria:

The company allowed persons outside of North America to join the company
The company's primary product needed to be a fundamental tool of online marketing

I did make one exception in my online choices. I do utilize one health & wellness related company in this arena, because many experienced marketers are comfortable in this niche market.

So why am I telling you this? Pretty simple really. Your choice of company needs to always be grounded in the big picture objectives of your business. The "why" of your business needs to determine the choices of company and product that you make. Not every MLM company is going to be a perfect fit for your long term goals. Always let the "why" of your business determine the "who" you are going to represent.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Can You Afford to Be Selective When Building Your MLM Downline?

Carl Willis — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:49:00 GMT

For anyone actively involved in network marketing, building your MLM downline is a top priority.   We are constantly looking to add new people to our organization in hopes of achieving greater success.   Unfortunately too many network marketers are haphazard in their approach to building downlines, taking anyone and everyone that will sign up for their program.

I have met network marketers who quickly boast of the 50, 100 or more people in their downline, but when you get to know what's really happening in their business you find they aren't making a dime.   Let me say something important here...we'll call it a "Carlism":

100 inactive people in an MLM downline will always produce no more result than you are producing on your own.

When it comes to building your MLM downline, it is important that you examine the DNA of your team members. If they do not share your passion, your values and your commitment they will become a drag on your business.   5 team members who share your convictions, values and drive will outproduce 100 who require constant prodding and poking.   Even in ministry I see this principle.   In a typical church 20% do 80% of the work and give 80% of the finances.

So what does this selectivity look like?   As you are networking and building relationships, take note of those who share your passions, your interests and values.   When you find people like this, invest even more time into your relationship with them.   Let them see more of your life and give them greater access to you than you would to the average joe off of the street. Let this person begin to walk with you in your business. Invite them sit in on your trainings, team meetings and other "insider" places.   The real objective is to reproduce yourself in others, creating synergy and leverage within your business.

These activities will instill your business DNA into your prospective downline member.   When they are ready to join your team, they will already be walking and talking like you do.   More importantly you will have already by experience, trained them to reproduce these same results in others.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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MLM Advertising Does Not Mean Spamming Your Link

Carl Willis — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:07:00 GMT

MLM Advertising needs a good kick to the seat of the pants. You've seen it...your new Facebook friend sends you a message: "Earn $10,000 a month with only a two dollar investment...www.spammylinkeverywhere.com".   If that wasn't bad enough this same "friend" posts the same stupid message on your wall.   My personal favorite is the guy that keeps asking to be my wife's friend, because she's listed in my "married to" information, so he can send her some links as well.   It seems that most network marketers don't have the first clue about MLM advertising that doesn't drive people away. This daily spamfest is the online equivalent to the guy you've talked to twice in 10 years, who calls you because he was thinking about you for a new business he's come across. Get real!!!!

How can those in the network marketing industry, ever expect to be taken seriously when their MLM advertising settles for such low standards.    Let me be among the voices that are asking network marketers everywhere to raise the level of their game to the professional ranks.   Professionals don't have to chase down leads, in fact the opposite is true. Professionals not only have others pursuing them, but they can even be selective in whom they choose to do business with.

It is time to remember the second word in our chosen field..."marketing." If your MLM advertising consists of anything other than selling yourself and branding you as a leader that people want to draw near to, you are missing the mark.   People don't buy because you continue to barrage them with your daily spam....they buy, because they like what you bring to the table. It is the added value of you the person that makes the product, company or team desirable.

If you are guilty of link spamming in your MLM advertising efforts I forgive you.   At the same time I want to make you an offer.   Spend some time reading my writings and the writings of others who treat their business as a business.   These professionals will not only teach you how to make money, but they will teach you something even more important...how connect with others in meaningful relationships.   This is the solid foundation on which businesses are built.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Paul Kinder and His Team Acquire Traffic Dealer

Carl Willis — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:24:00 GMT

I received word yesterday morning that Paul Kinder and his successful marketing team have acquired Traffic Dealer. Traffic Dealer is a traffic generation and list building system that is cutting edge. With Paul Kinder and his team at the helm, this is sure to be virtual goldmine to online marketers everywhere.

For those of you not familiar with Paul Kinder. He is the owner and/or co-owner of several highly successful traffic generation and list building programs including Traffic-Splash, Affiliate Funnel, TE Toolbox, Fast Easy Traffic, Reactive Adz, Viral Mail Profits and many others. Paul himself is an online marketer who just entered this arena a mere 4 years ago and established himself as a powerhouse.

Any time Paul Kinder launches something new, I generally pay attention to it, and I have always found tremendous value and results when using his marketing tools.

I would encourage you to take a look at Traffic Dealer. You can access it through the banner link below:

Banner Advertising is Very Much Alive

Carl Willis — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 16:05:00 GMT

Contrary to popular belief, banner advertising is NOT dead. I continue to get some great click throughs utilizing banner ads. This week I was introduced to a new banner rotation website called Buckets of Banners. I believe Buckets of Banners is another valuable tool in your arsenal if you use it effectively.

The greatest reason for using banner ads is simple...Branding Branding Branding. Banner ads allow you to get your logo, site name,
and site colors in front of people on a continual basis. People really do remember things as they see them over and over again. The more they notice your banner ads, the greater their awareness of you.

When you are surfing traffic exchanges you can find, win and accumulate some significant amounts of banner impressions. Sadly, many people do not use them. Why? One common reason is they don't have a banner advertisement of their own. That is no
longer a problem because you can use one of their ready made banners and link it to whatever site you like.

If you are tired of having to change out your banners everywhere that you promote, they've solved that too. By adding your Buckets of Banners URL in all the sites/exchanges you utilize, you can simply change your banner ads in one place. This is mean to make your banner advertising much more efficient.

Maybe you have lots of banner displays in a few places, but want to show your banner ads all over the internet, without creating additional work. Simply add the Buckets of Banners code where you have banner impressions and get your banners shown in multiple places.

If you have a busy website, you can add the Bucket of Banners code and display banners on your site in exchange for others showing your banner ads on their sites.

You have heard of banner exchanges but none have taken it to anywhere near this level before, Click below to see more

Can an MLM be a Legitimate Home Based Business?

Carl Willis — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:27:00 GMT

In today's economic uncertainty, many are looking for a legitimate home based business.   Unfortunately in the field of opportunities there are both good and bad companies.   This has caused many to look on the MLM industry with suspicion.   So the question becomes: Can an MLM company truly provide a legitimate home based business?

The answer is not only yes, but a resounding yes.

MLM is in itself a great business building strategy that puts small business ownership into reach for the average individual. The concept of developing relationships for business purposes has fueled the engines of business for centuries. The concepts of team building and synergy are taught in business schools throughout the world.   MLM in itself is not a scam, but it is the bad experiences that leave the lasting impression.

There are many companies out there that use an MLM strategy for product distribution.   Some of these names are household names, and you may even be surprised to learn that they are MLM in structure.   Many of these companies are even part of American folk culture.   When it comes to legitimate home based business opportunities, few would argue with the integrity of these companies:

Amsoil - Manufacturer of synthetic motor oils and lubricants a known name in racing and high performance motor sports - in business since 1972
Avon - Manufacturer of cosmetics and other beauty and skin care related products - In business since 1886
Fuller Brush - Manufacturer of home cleaning and personal care products - In business since 1906
Mary Kay - Manufacturer of cosmetics and other beauty and skin care related products - In business since 1963
Shaklee - Manufacturer of health and wellness products - In business since 1956
Tupperware - Manufacturer of resealable food storage solutions - In business since 1946
Watkins Products - Manufacturer of a wide range of home and personal products - In business since 1885

An individual could begin a legitimate home based business with any of these companies for less than $100 and most offer start up packages for under $40.

As I mentioned in my last post, due diligence is key in choosing a legitimate home based business; however, companies like those mentioned above have proven themselves through the test of time.

The importance of a great company is only the first step. True success in home based business comes with learning how to run your business. To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Avoiding MLM Scams

Carl Willis — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 06:36:00 GMT

Avoiding MLM scams is a top priority for anyone considering multi level marketing in their small business pursuits. Let's face it there are new MLM scams being introduced with regular frequency. The bad apples in the bunch give a black eye to the rest of the field. Today I want to give you a few tips to keep from getting sucker punched.

I can't stress enough, that your best defense against MLM scams is due diligence. Doing your homework will save you a great deal of frustration in the end. Here is a quick run down of due diligence that I would recommend for anyone researching MLM business opportunities:

Is the MLM company a member of the DSA?
What is the company's record with the Better Business Bureau?
How long has the company been in operation?
Visit the company website. Is there information on the founder? Is there a physical address? Is there a contact phone number?
Give the phone number a call and ask about the company?
Visit MLMwatchdog.com to search for news items in their archives and any scam warnings that have been issued.
Ask a trusted MLM advisor to evaluate the company with you

This is just a quick list of steps you can take to choose a great MLM business opportunity, while protecting yourself from MLM scams.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training.
You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Persistence Pays Off

Carl Willis — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:51:00 GMT

Over a year ago, I made my first contact with a local fleet manager to introduce him to Amsoil. Over the past year, I have been involved in an ongoing dance with his company. This week the fruits of the effort were realized as not only did the company move forward with my proposal, but the fleet manager also became a personal customer.

Patience is not something that comes easily to most, but the rewards of patience make the time well worth it.

5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs for Their Network Marketing Business - Part 5

Carl Willis — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:26:00 GMT

This is the final installment of my series: 5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs For Their Network Marketing Business. In my previous post from this series, I discussed the need for a reproducible training platform. Today I want to discuss the final element needed to promote your network marketing business online.

- A natural presentation of your MLM business opportunity to your prospects.

I think it is best to introduce this concept, by describing what it is not. Many MLM marketers use the "pray and spray" method of promoting their MLM business opportunity online. I'm sure you've seen the pray and spray, especially if you use Twitter or Facebook.   These are people who repeatedly make posts that sound like this: "This is the best money making system on the planet. Earn 7 figures in the next 12 months with our system...."

Now let's dissect this approach.   First of all this marketer has not even established a relationship with the prospective audience. They have not branded themselves in such a way that we as prospective buyers can make an informed decision as to their knowledge, expertise or character.

Although this approach may attract a few leads, more often than not it attracts program jumpers. These are people who have not learned to effectively market themselves, and thus they are continually in search of "the one," the program that will change everything for them.

Presentation of your MLM business opportunity should be both natural and automatic.   It should simply be a natural part of an ongoing dialogue that you are having with your audience.   A natural part of relationship building is to talk about your passions, interests and business pursuits. This dialogue might look something like this: "I was on a call with my Fuller Brush team the other night and we were discussing how to utilize Facebook as part of our overall marketing strategy...."

Now in this example, I am discussing information that would be of value to anyone who is reading, regardless of whether they are interested in my business opportunity.   At the same time I am discussing my MLM business opportunity, creating an interest in what I am doing. In my ongoing dialogues I would want to "drip" snippets about my own work in my preferred network marketing companies.

Another automated and natural approach is through the use of signatures.   You can include your website address as part of your contact information in your emails, forum posts and blog posts. This is a natural and common approach utilized in the business world. Again with each contact you are re-introducing your audience to your primary MLM business in natural, low-key way.

So you may be wondering, how do you get people to sign up? When you utilize this type of approach, people's curiosity is naturally raised. Prospects will actually approach you wanting to know more. If you have added value through the steps discussed in the first 4 posts, you will find people asking to join you in your businesses as well.

I hope you've found this series helpful in your business building efforts.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Traffic to Blog Strategy Explained in Easy to Understand Terms

Carl Willis — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:44:00 GMT

I sat in on the weekly MLMLeadSystemPro webinar last night as Tracey Walker walked us through her powerful traffic to blog strategy. Her presentation entitled Be Blog Savvy, walked us through the day to day operation of her highly successful blog. Using this low cost approach, Tracey's January traffic to blog count was over 18,000 hits from nearly 6,000 different viewers. So not only is her blog being accessed over 18,000 times per month, but her viewers are returning for more.

I am pleased to provide the replay of this webinar for my readers, as I believe it is one of the best training sessions I've listened to in some time. Click on the banner below to learn how implement your own flood of traffic to blog strategy in your marketing efforts.

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Generating Home Based Business Leads

Carl Willis — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:34:54 GMT

More and more people are being drawn to home based business undertakings today. For these individuals it is imperative that they learn to adequately generate home based business leads.   The ability to generate leads for your home based business could mean the difference between thriving or dying in today's competitive market. The advertising and marketing for a home based business shares similar principles to that of a major corporation, but the deployment and methodologies are very different.

The first place that any home business owner should start with is a thorough knowledge of the target market. For example a home based cake decorating business would want to understand who their primary customers are going to be. Some examples of a target market include: engaged couples, parents with young children and civic organizations that conduct regular fund raising activities. Knowing your target market will help guide you through the rest of the lead generation process.

The next consideration for generating home based business leads is where to connect with the target market. Using the illustration of the cake decorator, let's assume that the business owner is targeting the wedding cake market. Their points of connection would need to be places where engaged couples would be researching wedding preparations. A brief list of connecting points would include tuxedo shops, wedding dress shops, limousine services, DJ services and local churches.

From this point the business owner would want to introduce their home based business to key people in each of these locations as a resource for couples planning their weddings. It would be appropriate to leave brochures, business cards and even photographs of cakes that can be shown as an example.   Someone really wanting to put some power to their home based business lead generation would actually take a sample of one of their cakes as a "gift" for each of these contacts.   The key to this strategy is to create synergy with other business owners. By making a strong impression, these business owners essentially become a sales force to the target market on behalf of the home based business owner.

Another strategy for generating leads for your home based business is to offer value to those in your target market. For example this same cake decorator might produce a small brochure on the top 10 mistakes to avoid when planning your wedding. This brochure would have a tagline, that showed it was being provided courtesy of the home based cake decorating business.

These previous strategies involve localized and face to face marketing.   Now lets consider a variation on the previous strategies for a business that was wanting to use the internet for generating home based business leads. In this example we'll use a home based business that sells cleaning products. The principles of identifying a target market are the same. In this example we'll assume that our business owner has chosen to target people who are looking for environmentally friendly cleaning products.

In this scenario our business owner would begin by finding community groups online that deal with "green" living.   The business owner would include their website in their forum signature, and would make regular informative posts on the benefits of using organic cleaning products.   The business owner would also want to create a small report listing 5 things to look for in an environmentally friendly cleaning product.    This report would be offered freely to anyone who is interested.    Those who participate in the forum discussions with the business owner and those who request the free report are all examples of home based business leads that have been generated from taking a few small steps.

Generating home based business leads is easy when you follow the basic principles of relationship building in your marketing efforts.   These strategies can be implemented for both online and offline home based businesses.

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To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs for Their Network Marketing Business - Part 4

Carl Willis — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:52:00 GMT

This is the 4th installment in my series: 5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs for Their Network Marketing Business. In the last post from this series, I discussed the need for a streamlined sales funnel. Today I want to discuss the 4th critical element that every online marketer needs for their network marketing business:

- A reproducible training platform

The key to building a successful network marketing business is the utilization of leverage that comes from a highly productive downline. This leverage does not happen magically the moment a new distributor signs up into your organization. The key to developing highly productive teams is the training that you give them.

In the early stages of a network business, you may be able to work one on one with your new distributors, but as your organization grows, especially if you are recruiting online, this becomes increasingly difficult. It is critical that you utilize a training platform that can be replicated throughout your organization. Your platform needs to be functional without regard to geographic location.

Here are some key components that need to go into your training platform:

Traffic generation techniques
Keyword selection
Lead capture systems
Autoresponders and their usage
Lead follow up
Ongoing training

It is imperative that your platform be reproducible, meaning it must have the ability to be delivered by anyone in your organization at any time. Here are a few suggestions for the deployment of your system.

A webpage that has step by step tutorials through each of the areas mentioned above
At each training point a training video is available that walks your team members through each step
A weekly training webinar or conference call for new team members
A weekly training webinar or conference call for all team members

So often we are so busy adding value for our prospects that we forget to add even more value for our team members. The real philosophy of network marketing has always been the idea of helping others achieve their dreams. When we go overboard on value, we are helping others move towards the dreams that brought them to us in the first place.

In the next installment of this series I will be covering the next critical element for those marketing their network marketing opportunity online.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Treating Your Network Marketing Business as a Business

Carl Willis — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 21:22:00 GMT

I'm amazed at how many people approach their network marketing business as though it were a hobby. Can you imagine approaching any other career or profession as haphazardly?

Too many people enter network marketing with high hopes and unrealistic expectations of their role. They don't take the time to learn their craft. They don't study the principles of lead generation, customer relationship development, customer retention, recruiting, etc... Concepts of marketing such as personal branding, lead capture, list building and sales funnels are overlooked or simply ignored.

I believe that we as network marketing professionals need to help others learn the craft of what we do. Our profession has the potential to impact the lives of many people, but we need to be diligent in our teaching of the trade.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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MLM advertising using traffic exchanges

Carl Willis — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 21:54:00 GMT

MLM advertising at a low cost is one of the primary concerns of most network marketing business owners.   Especially in the case of a new marketer, the need to have free or low cost MLM advertising is absolutely critical. Today I want to discuss one of the tools that I have been able to use effectively in my MLM advertising strategy - traffic exchanges.

A traffic exchange works on the principle of "I'll look at your site...if you'll look at mine." In an average traffic exchange, your website will show for a period of 6-20 seconds with each showing. Showings are based on credits (ie: 1 credit = 1 showing of your site). Credits are earned as you view the pages of other marketers, but they can also be purchased for a small fee.

When utilizing a traffic exchange as part of your MLM advertising, it is extremely critical that you brand yourself and not try to promote business or product.   There are a few reasons for this. First of all, with such a short window of opportunity, you simply will not have ample time to make a product or business opportunity pitch.   Secondarily, there are likely other marketers who are promoting your product or business. It is critical that you remove yourself from the surrounding scenery, so that you stand out.

It is important to approach traffic exchange marketing with a sound bite mentality.   You need to create enough of a hook to illicit notice and a response.   On average an individual will need to see your site no less than 7 times before they will choose to act upon it. The more memorable your site is, the higher your response rate will be.

There are 2 primary tools for that are specifically tailored for effectiveness in the traffic exchange world. These tools are the splash page and squeeze page.   The splash page is like a billboard on the information superhighway. It brands you and introduces you to your target market. Your splash page will have a clickable link that takes the viewer to a promotional or response page.

The second tool is a squeeze page. The squeeze page has a response form attached to it. These pages are best used when offering a report, book, video or other gift in exchange for the requestor's information.   This by the way is the more effective strategy for traffic exchanges, because it moves beyond window shopping to relationship building, which is of course the whole purpose of your MLM advertising to begin with.

If you are dealing with a limited budget, this is one of the easiest places to being generating a great number of leads simply by investing a few hours per day surfing traffic exchanges.

If you would like to learn more about this or any other forms of MLM advertising by signing up for my MLM training.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs for Their Network Marketing Business - Part 3

Carl Willis — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 18:09:00 GMT

This is the 3rd installment in my series: 5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs for Their Network Marketing Business. In my last installment I discussed the importance of building your own list as you build your network marketing business online. Today I want to discuss the third critical element that every online marketer needs for their MLM business -

- A streamlined sales funnel

A few months ago, I gave a brief overview of the sales funnel concept, but today I want to really break this idea down for you. The funnel process begins at the opt-in stage that we discussed in the last post. You might think of this as the mouth of the funnel. Once a prospect has entered the funnel, you want to begin having regular contact with that prospect. It is important that your funnel not be a constant barrage of product offers, but instead you need to provide value in your content. If you constantly barrage your prospects with product and "join my mlm" messages, they will simply unsubscribe from your email list and you will have lost any further opportunity to develop an ongoing relationship.

A streamlined sales funnel has a defined destination, which is generally the products and opportunity offered by your primary network marketing business. The role of the sales funnel is four-fold:

Brand yourself as an expert in the niche market of your primary network marketing opportunity
Present resources that are of value to prospects within your niche market
Create income producing sources outside of your primary network marketing opportunity
Presentation of the primary network marketing opportunity

Let's examine these three things in a little greater detail. I will use XYZ Health as our example MLM business opportunity. XYZ offers a complete range of nutritional supplements.

The first role of the sales funnel is personal branding. In this funnel the branding that needs to take place is to set the marketer apart as an expert in the area of personal wellness, health and nutrition. As a part of the regular communication with prospects, the marketer would want to provide information on healthy eating, proper usage of supplements, advantages of using organic supplements vs. synthetic supplements, etc...

The second role of the sales funnel is the presentation of resources that will be of value to the prospects within the specified niche market. As part of the sales funnel process, the marketer will on a regular basis promote resources that may are of value to the niche market. In our example funnel the marketer would want to promote things like an ebook or report on nutrition, a juicing machine, a guide to vitamins and supplements, etc...

This brings us to the third role of the sales funnel, creation of income producing sources outside of the primary network marketing opportunity. This third role is an outflow of the second role. The marketer will choose to promote resources offered by programs/products through which they have established an affiliate relationship. When a prospect within the sales funnel purchases one of these resources, affiliate commissions are generated, creating income that is unrelated to the primary MLM business opportunity.

The final role of the sales funnel is the presentation of the primary network marketing opportunity. The presentation of the primary opportunity is best done in a passive manner. This may simply be the addition of a website address and a tag line to the signature of each email sent by the autoresponder. Another powerful tactic is reference to a product of the primary MLM company in the personal branding content. On occasion the marketer may want to highlight or showcase a product or special being offered by their MLM business. As the marketer observes the response of prospects within the funnel to the various resources offered, the marketer can begin to communicate with the more responsive prospects about the business opportunity of the primary network marketing company.

In the next installment of this series I will be covering the next critical element for those marketing their network marketing opportunity online.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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Traffic Exchange Veteran Tony Tezak Reveals His Proven Strategy for Success

Carl Willis — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 16:20:00 GMT

You may know Tony Tezak as the owner of the highly successful Tezak Traffic Power traffic exchange, but Tony's story is much deeper than that. For over 10 years Tony Tezak dominated the world of traffic exchanges as an online marketer. Other veteran marketers will describe for you that Tony was everywhere you turned. You couldn't surf a traffic exchange without running into Tony Tezak. Tony would literally spend 14 hours per day, day in and day out surfing traffic exchanges.

This week Tony has released a FREE ebook entitled Traffic Exchange Solutions. In this book Tony discusses:

Tactics for efficient surfing
Secrets that explode your growth
Creating irresistible offers
and even which exchanges to use

This book is a must have for anyone who is utilizing traffic exchanges in their marketing strategy.

Use the banner below to download your free copy.

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5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs For Their Network Marketing Business - Part 2

Carl Willis — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:54:00 GMT

In my last post we looked at the first critical element that every online marketer needs in their network marketing business, a personalized, customizable lead capture system. Today I want to discuss the second critical element -

Building your own list

We began with a personalized lead capture system to create a natural flow in your marketing efforts. The average network marketer who is relying on company replicated websites, may have a lead capture system through their website, but it is not exclusive to them. If the marketer at some point leaves XYZ company to become a distributor for 123 company, their list remains with XYZ, because XYZ owned the lead capture system.

The primary tool in the lead capture process is an autoresponder. An autoresponder allows the network marketer to create lead capture pages that utilize an opt-in form.   The opt-in form requires the submission of certain fields of information (ie: name and email address). When the information is submitted through this form, the prospect now becomes part of the network marketer's mailing list.   Most autoresponder systems work on a double opt-in system, that requires the prospect to confirm their opt-in through a confirmation link contained in an email. At this point, the autoresponder is set to automatically deliver pre-written emails at scheduled intervals to each of the recipients on the mailing list.

With each email, the relationship between network marketer and prospect is nurtured. Because the relationship being developed is between network marketer and prospect, as opposed to a relationship between prospect and company or product. It is through this process that the marketer will brand themselves in the mind of their prospect as an expert in a particular area or niche.

So you may be asking yourself: "How do I get people to opt-in to my list?" The answer is also part of your branding process. You offer to give something of value to your prospect in exchange for their information.   For example if your primary business involves health supplements you might offer a free report on healthy lifestyle choices or a video that discusses organic vs. synthetic supplements. You could offer a free audio interview with a nutrition expert.   These are all examples of things that could be given in exchange for the prospects information.

The beauty of building your own list is that you can replicate this process over and over for multiple niche markets. In my own business, I utilize over a dozen autoresponder campaigns targeted ten different niche markets. Now you'll notice that I haven't talked about promoting your primary network marketing business yet, I will discuss this further when I reveal the third critical element for marketing your network marketing business online in the next post.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

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5 Things Every Online Marketer Needs For Their Network Marketing Business - Part 1

Carl Willis — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:14:00 GMT

Today I want to begin a series with you that looks at 5 critical components that every online marketer needs to successfully operate their network marketing business online.

The first critical piece every online marketer needs for their network marketing business
- A personalized, customizable lead capture system

The average network marketer signs up for their new network marketing business and receives some basic tools from their company. Among these tools is generally a company replicated website that is coded with the network marketer's distributor ID number.   The sponsoring distributor has told our newbie marketer that they should make a list of everyone they know and give them the website address, but our new mlm business owner wants to shoot higher than that. Knowing that there are millions upon millions of prospects on the internet, who are just waiting to receive their dynamic product offer, the marketer sets out to make a dent in the world wide web.

If we follow the normal course of things, we will find this marketer utilizing Facebook to say things like: XYZ - checkout XYZ -it helps you lose weight, get your recommended vitamins, and gives you energy! You can open up your own business and make a lot of money or you can purchase the XYZ at wholesale through this website....   I'm sure you've seen this. They send the same message to all of their friends email boxes, they post it on Twitter, they make a page for XYZ on Myspace.    They spam every MLM forum with links to their XYZ website.   Unfortunately this network marketer is following the course of many before them (both online and offline I might add).   They are pestering everyone within their reach with their product and losing money as they do it.

So why doesn't this method of online marketing work very well for a network marketing business? The answer is quite simple when you really think about it. In reality our new network marketer is one of literally thousands of distributors for their company. Their company replicated site, looks like the company replicated site everyone else is using.   There is nothing about that company replicated site that sets them apart, other than perhaps their name and picture at the top of the page.

The second critical flaw is that most company replicated sites act like a billboard or store window. They invite a prospect to look, but do not prompt that prospect to action, unless they see something they like.   So unfortunately, the prospect is likely to see hundreds of
these company replicated sites, which builds brand and company awareness, but does nothing for the individual marketer. As with most window shoppers, they will simply look and then move on.

When a network marketer implements a personalized, customizable lead capture system, a couple of things take place.   First and foremost, the network marketer is now setting themselves apart from the thousands of other distributors of XYZ.   Their page is the one that doesn't look like all the others. Their page is the one people remember, because it is different.   The product and company are no longer the primary focus, the individual distributor is.

With the addition of a lead capture system, there is a now an immediate decision making process in place for each viewer of the network marketer's website. This now allows the network marketer to begin building a relationship with the prospect, building trust and allowing for a more natural presentation of the primary network marketing business.

In my next post of this series I will be discussing the the next critical element for marketing your network marketing business online.

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

Have You Mastered the "Networking" Part of the Network Marketing Business

Carl Willis — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:44:00 GMT

Networking is one of the two primary legs of network marketing, those who succeed in their network marketing business understand this completely. There are many similarities between networking and marketing, but it is important to realize that the two terms are not identical. Both share a heavy reliance on personal interaction, requiring people to confront and overcome any fears of talking to others that they may have. With both come the potential of rejection, but both also bring tremendous potential for opportunity. Unfortunately, all too many people, consider both to be dirty words.

Those that consider networking as something to be resisted, generally have a flawed understanding of what networking truly involves. This would also apply to people who believe they are above network marketing. A common perception of many people is that networking is simply a way to get connected solely for their own personal gain. This viewpoint might lead a person to view networking as unethical or unprofessional. This type of thinking comes from the idea that advancement comes at the expense of others. This viewpoint believes that success in life is a zero-sum proposition. This perspective also directs their thinking as it pertains to network marketing. The thought of profiting from other people's is viewed as being negative and unfair. The truth is that those who have achieved success in their network marketing business are quick to point out that their businesses were not built at the expense of others. The business of network marketing actually rewards people for helping others become successful. When viewed from this perspective, network marketing may actually be the most ethical and equitable business model being utilized today.

Much of the cloud that surrounds network marketing can be explained by the different types of network marketers. Some individuals could best be described as 'hunters' who move in for the quick kill, and then disappear just as quickly. These individuals operate without regard for the interest and well being of others, because of this they will only enjoy limited success for a short period of time. Soon the reputation of this type of marketer will catch up to their activities, as people find out the hunter's true motivations. Once these motivations are exposed, people withdraw their willingness to interact with the marketer. In sharp contrast, highly successful network marketers operate much like farmers. These marketers invest great amounts of time to sowing and nurturing their relationships, instead of simply focusing on the next sale. The successful marketer invests in their network, motivates their network and empowers others in their network. They use the leverage of their network, but they take advantage of the team members within their network! This fact is both know and appreciated those within their network. A true network marketing practitioner will always keep the interests of others in their proper place. This alone makes working with a true network marketer highly rewarding.

Networking is an essential skill to any business, not just network marketing. While network marketing differs in many ways from other traditional business models, the importance of networking is just critical, perhaps even more so than in the other business models. A network marketer has not learned to effectively network will quickly be out of business. At its core, network marketing is a people centric business and by definition, the ability to effectively work with people is a critical necessity. It is no wonder why successful network marketers have mastered the art of networking. Developing this skill can pay off far beyond the network marketing business as well. In many cases, a business owner can apply their networking and people skills to their traditional business, leading to greater business success.

Regardless of whether you are involved in a network marketing business or a more traditional business model, it would be a mistake to underestimate the importance of good networking skills. For those truly wanting to master this skill, some of the best training will come good network marketers. So find a few people who fit that description, and tap into their knowledge on this skill. Their mentoring will benefit you as you build your own networking success story!

To start developing your success story, I invite you to take advantage of my Exclusive MLM Power System training. You can initiate that process by clicking on the banner below.

An introduction to JV Giveaway Events

Carl Willis — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:23:00 GMT

On a regular basis you have seen me promote JV Giveaway Events on this blog. JV Giveaway Events may be a new concept for you, but they can be one of the most powerful tools in your list building arsenal.

To put it in the simplest form, a JV Giveaway Event is an online event, that generally runs for one to two weeks, in which online marketers contribute "gifts" to the event (hence the JV - Joint Venture). These events can be ebooks, videos, audio, website scripts, memberships, etc... These don't even have to be things that the marketer has created. Many marketers utilize PLR (Private Label Rights) content for the giveaway. PLR content can be personalized and branded to the marketer, thus making it unique. Personally created content is always best, simply because it is unique and not likely to be duplicated.

There are two phases of any JV Giveaway Event. In the first phase, marketers become contributors by donating their gifts to the event. During this phase they are given a marketing link to solicit other contributors. Points are awarded for each new contributor signed up, and these points are then utilized to increase the placement of the marketer's contributed gift.

The second phase is the JV Giveaway Event open time period. This time period is generally anywhere from one to two weeks in length. During this time, prospects are invited to come to the event to download free business building tools and resources. Each contributor is given an affiliate link through which prospects can enter the JV Giveaway Event. To download a contributed gift, the prospect is required to go through the marketer's opt-in process. By downloading the gift, the prospect is now added to the marketer's autoresponder campaign and becomes a part of the ongoing marketing list.

Also available during JV Giveaway Events are some great OTO (one time offer) opportunities, in which marketers will offer a paid product for a greatly reduced cost. Commissions are paid to the referring marketer on these purchases.

JV Giveaway Events are by the the fastest way to build a substantial marketing list. In an average event, a marketer can easily add 25 or more people to their marketing list. When you couple that with the ability to earn commission on the OTO opportunities, JV Giveaway Events make great business sense.

Current JV Giveaway Events:

Bargain Basement Giveaway - until February 13th
EZ-IM Giveaway - until February 19th

JV Giveaway Events Looking for Contributors:

Valentine Giveaway - Launches February 6th
New JV Talent - Launches February 13th

Members Only Giveaway - Launches February 15th
Traffic Tsunami - Launches February 15th
Luck of the Irish Giveaway - Launches February 19th