Social Media in the New Year - Tips on Setting Up Your Twitter Site

Everyone is looking toward the New Year. I've learned from experience to keep my New Year's goals simple and achievable. Foremost for my mlm and network marketing business is to have a rational mix between my action and learning plans. Taking action is paramount to success, but you really need to have time to learn and evaluate. Most mentors suggest a ratio of 90-10. But I think a start-up in the industry needs a bit more learning time. So I recommend 70-30 for the first few months and a shift to the 90-10 as you gain experience.

Setting up effectively on your social media sites is crucial for your new business. But a word of warning: be careful not to get so immersed in these sites that you don't leave time for critical marketing and other efforts. I limit myself to no more than an hour in the morning and another hour later in the day to make sure I stay in touch with my followers and friends. Now to some specifics:

I really didn't see the value of Twitter at first. The 140 character limitation to my tweets and the text of other peoples tweets impressed me as pretty dumb and useless. I was wrong.

Why Twitter? It's your billboard. It's quick and easy to join and build, and you can point it anywhere. And it's growing FAST. Alexa.com currently ranks it 14th among the top websites and I think it boasts around 7 million users. It's a perfect place to get started. Just go to Twitter.com and join up - it's free and you can set up your account easily.

Remember that your profile is key. Use your own name and brand yourself. Get a quality smiling picture of you - and keep in mind that you probably want to use the same photo throughout your social media sites. Your Twitter profile description is limited to 160 characters, so you need to keep it short, informative and focused. A key is that you can link Twitter to your other social media accounts - but be a bit careful because if you really tweet a lot and you've linked Twitter to Facebook, you can really annoy people and run the risk of being deemed a spammer. Mine is linked to Facebook, but I use Twitter carefully.

What about a background for your Twitter page? Twitter offers several free backgrounds that you can use, or you can develop a customized background. I opted for customization and used twitterbackgrounds.com - it cost me about $100 but I really liked the way they executed what I wanted - and it was easy to get them to correct the copy (if you'd like to see it, go to twitter.com/pamhemmings and note that I include the locations of all my other social media sites).

Start tweeting (remember your limit is 140 characters). Keep in mind that Twitter is a social media site, so focus on getting personal information out that shows your personality and interests - and get some humor in too. People really do enjoy laughing.

Ok. That's it for just getting started. My next blog will focus on some basic tools and building followers. Stay tuned.

And a Happy New Year to all - may we all enjoy success!

Merry Christmas to All My Network Marketing Friends

It seemed more appropriate this week to focus on wishing everyone joy, peace and prosperity than to launch into more details on my basic guide to mlm and thoroughbred network marketing. The spirit of Christmas and the joy of being with family and friends is paramount as we approach Christmas Day, and so I want to share a heartfelt wish for a very

Merry Christmas to all my Christian friends in social media - and the happiest and most peaceful holiday season to all my friends everywhere.

Social Media - Building a Presence for Your Network Marketing Business

Social Media is booming. It's likely to be THE dominant force of 21st century business marketing, with well over a billion people already present on the various sites. And it's growing by leaps and bounds. The sites are multitudinous - Facebook (ranked 2nd in Alexa global rankings with over 350 million users), You Tube (4th), Blogger (7th), My Space (12th), Twitter (14th) Wordpress (20th), LinkedIn (37th), and many, many more.

If you are building an internet-based, mlm or network marketing business, you need to establish a solid presence in as many of these sites as are appropriate for you. Of course you can't do them all at once and you need to keep in mind that 'social media' is, first and foremost, social. Facebook, for example, frowns mightily on people who attempt to sell their business opportunities directly and repeatedly - it's regarded as spamming and can cost you your facebook page. So you need to focus on developing your skills and drawing people to you to grow your business.

So where to start. A good friend of mine, Eric Williams, once described Twitter as your billboard and Facebook as the 800 lb gorilla of social media. I think that's a very apt tag for each site. And I'd recommend you start building your presence on each. And if a picture is worth a thousand words (and Facebook is great for pictures), what price a video? So add You Tube to your repertoire (what's that, you say? "I can't make a video" - nonsense. I was afraid of it too but now that I've made several, I look forward to them - and they're getting a good response too.)

And perhaps most important, consider what your hub is - because that's where you're going to be directing your traffic. And in today's world, your blog is almost certainly the best answer. Even most websites now incorporate a blog or direct visitors to their blogs. And that's where all your links will be, including your business opportunities. Each of your social media sites should link to your blog, and your blog should link back to them. Don't be afraid - you're not expected to be a Pulitzer prize-winning author. Start writing about what you know, keep it simple and try to give it some direction. But get started on a blog now. Remember the Little Engine That Could from one of my earlier blogs - 'I Think I Can, I Think I Can ... I Knew I Could!"

As you get started setting yourself up on social media, I strongly urge you to remember that a good picture of YOU and a transparent, interesting and comprehensive profile are the most important starter steps. Once you have those in place, you can start adding followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook regularly to build your lists - and build relationships with your lists. Concentrate on developing your foundation, master it - and then expand your efforts over time.

MLM and New Business Opportunity Prospecting

You're ready to start looking for mlm or other new business opportunities to promote and generate income. So what to do? Well, first think about what interests you - are you geared to the going green industry, wellness products, energy, athletic drinks, investment products - whatever it is that appeals to you, that's where you should look first. You do not want to promote products or services with which you are not comfortable. Second, consider the products and services themselves and ask yourself: Are they things that people need or want?

Start searching for companies in the field you like that offer quality products or services. For example, you can do a google search on mlm opportunities in the energy savings or going green industries and a whole bunch of stuff will come up. Select one or two companies at a time and start exploring their websites. If the companies are public, check their annual and other reports. But if they are privately held, the info available will be more limited. See if they are affiliated with the Better Business Bureau and check their rating and history. Another great source to use is alexa.com - this web information company can give you great insight into the rankings of both companies and professionals in the network marketing or other industries.

A critical aspect of any company is its leadership. So check out the profiles of their principal executives, explore their backgrounds and discover if these are executives with whom you would be proud to be affiliated. If everything comes up positive, that's fine, but if you start to come across people with questionable practices in their backgrounds, it's time for you to get lost right away. You want quality - and solvent - companies with excellent products/services and top-notch leadership to drive growth - the company's and your own.

Check out the company's policies and procedures. See what their compensation plans are and how deep the layers go. In MLM, you really want downlines that extend to no less than six, and preferably seven or eight. And be sure you understand the costs. Does the company provide you with full support and analysis of your business? Is there 24/7 technical help available? Does the company restrict and control advertising?And do they offer training and help to get you under way. Good guidance from your upline can be important to building your business. (One aside: Keep in mind that most mlm marketers still use the old belly-to-belly, chase your friends and family. So if you prefer attraction marketing or some other technique, you may find yourself in a bit of a conflict.)

But what do you do if the company you're looking at is new or you're trying to evaluate a new internet product offered by a network marketer? New companies should not be immediately discarded. You could miss a really exciting opportunity. But search the available info closely and diligently investigate the executives' experience and reputation. Their leadership will be crucial

And for the new network marketing products that come along, well be careful. Check out the individuals involved. Have they introduced other successful products? Are they reputable leaders in the industry? Scan the sales pages closely. Are the claims rational and reasonable or ridiculously promissory? Is the cost of the product clearly stated and is your purchase price refundable over a reasonable period of time? Are there hidden costs? What are their policies? Find out what kind of support and training is available. Look carefully and closely before you sign on.

Above all, take your time and do your due diligence research thoroughly. Know exactly what you are getting into and make sure it fits with your standards and within your budget. Remember that people buy from people they know, like and trust, but you do need a quality product/service to promote.

Budget Building for Your MLM, Network Marketing Business

Building your budget can be dull work for many - but this important step is too often ignored - possibly because people don't think of on-line marketing as a real business. So they don't bother to plan it out properly. And failure to budget and understand costs are likely major contributors to why over 90% of people struggle in this industry or fail and leave it altogether.

Now, I don't want to scare anyone away. But people who figure they can just dive in and make money right away, without putting in any cash and hard work, are dreaming.

Even the most basic business requires some up-front spending. Your kids' lemonade stand, for example, requires a table, chairs, lemons, a lemon squeezer, sugar, a couple of pitchers, cups or plastic glasses, a tablecloth, napkins - and, hey, maybe you want to put out a plate of cookies for them to sell too, so you need to figure out the cost of those ingredients also. Perhaps you want to use a water filter too. So, cost it out. And then you'll have an idea how much that lemonade stand needs to sell to cover its costs, hit break-even and reach profitability.

So, here you are at the start of a major change in your lifestyle and career. You're an entrepreneur in social media, mlm or network marketing. You're working on your motivation, your why, your mindset, and trying to figure out what to do next. Well, your question at this point should be: How much do I have to invest over, say, the first six months?

Maybe you've decided you have $500, $1,000, $2,000 or more to invest over the next six months. OK, let's take $2,000. That might seem like a lot to some. But it's not a lot at all, if you look realistically at the costs of establishing a traditional business.

And just to cover that basic $2,000 investment and get to break-even, you'll need to make about $340 each month

Say you've found a business opportunity that interests you and has a product/service that you think offers value to people. So you decide to join this mlm opportunity. Well, you'll probably have to pay anywhere from $30-$50 a month for the company's website. At $50, that's $300 for six months. If you use the old school belly-to-belly, contact all your friends, family and acquaintances, you'll need business cards, promotional flyers, CDs, a consultant business building kit and other stuff to hand out and leave in malls and other stores. By the time you've got everything you think you need, maybe you've spent at least another $300. And if you're promoting a product (juice drink, wellness products, cosmetics or whatever), then you're going to have to participate as a customer too, and buy the requisite items each month - a one-time annual membership (say $30-$50) and monthly orders (say $100 each month). And maybe you want to buy some basic learning books to help you get started. Well, you've pretty well used up your budget right there. And we haven't even got around to the topic of potentially very costly advertising.

And there's more. If you want to really make your presence felt in social media and network marketing, there are other things you'll probably need or want. Domain names (about $10 a pop) personal websites or professional program websites you use - most of the professional sites cost around $50 per month), customizing your Twitter and other site backgrounds and personal websites ($100 or more to get a professional to do this), affiliate programs to help you earn income, an autoresponder (around $20 per month), a link protector such as viralurl.com or listjoe.com (you can join for free, but you'll need to upgrade at a cost of about $200/yr), training courses and other specialized information ($300-$1,000), and so on.

If your dollars are tight, start with just the very basic stuff and expand your budget bit by bit as you begin to bring in some money. But do understand that you'll need to make some investment to get under way.

It's All About I CAN and I WILL

Well, I couldn't find the Little Engine that Could, so I went for the Little Red Train chugging along through the countryside. But if you remember the little engine, it was "I think I can, I think I can, I knew I could." And in social media marketing, that's what it's all about. I CAN, I CAN, AND I WILL. Your mindset is so important. And it's got to be positive at all times. There's no room for "I can't", "I don't really know how to do that", "I just don't think that's for me", and "maybe tomorrow."

I did a deal with my mentor. Every time I say "I can't," I have to put $0.25 in a jar and take him out to lunch on the proceeds next summer (when I hope he'll find time to visit beautiful Saratoga Springs). It's probably going to be at McDonalds 'cause I don't plan on having too many quarters.

So get rid of the negatives in your approach to mlm and network marketing and building your business. Work on developing a positive mindset - I CAN, I CAN, I CAN. And, guess what, YOU WILL.

It's All About You in Social Media - Your Motivation and Branding

In social media, it really is all about you - your motivation and commitment, who you are, whether you're trustworthy, and whether you have something of value to say or offer that will help others.

If your motivation in social media marketing is just about making money, you probably won't be around long. It's why you want to make money: For your kids' education, to change your lifestyle, to gain financial freedom so you can do all the things you want, and maybe to allow you to work at your real passion, which doesn't generate income. You can't survive in this business unless your motivation can keep you going - and you'll be totally discouraged if all you want is dollars. Money doesn't flow in that quickly.

It takes commitment and hard work to develop your own on-line business. To get started, you have to build your presence throughout the major elements of social media. And the first step there is to develop your profiles. Start with a professional looking picture. People want to see who YOU are, not your cute little logo, pets, family, and not even your husband, wife or partner. So get a nice smiley profile picture of yourself - just of you. That's the first - and maybe the most important - step to get your new business efforts under way on-line. I'd recommend you use the same picture throughout the various media sites - it's your identity.

And here's a useful site if your picture is too big and you need to resize it: Just go to http://resizepic.com.

Next set up your written profiles on each site. Focus on making them as complete and interesting as possible - they should describe who you are and what you're about - what you're doing in network marketing, how you can help others, the things that interest you, golf, tennis, theater, animals, movies, books, etc. People should be able to get a clear view of you, your personality and your goals. And add picture albums of your family, friends, pets, trips, and whatever else interests you to share with your new social media friends.

Remember always that people aren't interested in your business. So build your friends lists and build relationships with them - exchange ideas and thoughts, but don't hit them over the head with your opportunities. People buy from people they know, like and trust.

You Can Get to Anywhere You Want in Network Marketing

It isn't as difficult as it looks. Just take a look at Remy. He always gets to wherever he wants to go. He just has to want it enough and then he experiments until he figures out how to get there.

Network marketing isn't much different and it really isn't that complicated. But if you think you can achieve your goals without hard work, then think again. Your new business endeavors will take you through a series of what Dr. Tom Barrett describes as "The Three Psychological Stages of Network Marketing" in his book Dare to Dream and Work to Win.

Stage One is "It's Not Worth It". And an awful lot of people just plain give up right here, or flit off to some other business opportunity. Money doesn't come in and your efforts don't seem to be getting anywhere. No one misses this stage, including the most successful marketers. But that's when you have to reaffirm your motivation and commitment. Keep focused on learning and training to foster your dream, and keep following up on your plan. "In network marketing," says Dr. Barrett, "entrepreneurs are paid for their vision, courage, and stamina." It may take a while but you do eventually move on.

Stage Two: "It Is Worth It." Suddenly, the money flow into your coffers improves and the financial rewards seem acceptable for the effort you're putting in. Momentum builds. Your whole being is uplifted and you begin to feel successful. But, as Dr. Barrett points out, there's an inherent danger here. You become a bit self satisfied, relax, concentrate on other things and take your foot off the accelerator. But you won't enjoy the view for long. Because as you slow down, so does your business - and your income. You have to stay focused on what you did to reach this level, and keep going.

Dr. Barrett describes Stage 3 as "I'm Not Worth This Much." When he wrote his book, he acknowledged that he wasn't there yet. Neither am I. But it sure is a nice place to dream about - and work to achieve. What does it take to get to this level? Motivation, commitment, effort, learning, training, more effort. As Dr. Barrett opines: "Entrepreneurs .... are paid for staring down fear, ignoring fatigue, fighting loneliness, pushing through discouragement, and walking by faith."

All it takes is motivation, commitment, and dogged determination.

Fear Can Kill Your Network Marketing Dreams

Fear seems a timely topic, given that it's Halloween, but haunted houses, witches and gremlins can't be worse than the fears that you allow to govern yourself. It's so easy to give in. You just tell yourself not only that you can't do it, but that you don't want to do it and, hey, you can get around it by doing something else. And there goes your potential for success in MLM and network marketing.

One of my favorite books is Dr. Tom Barrett's Dare to Dream and Work to Win. Understanding the Dollars and Sense of Success in Network Marketing. I recommend it to all. Dr. Barrett says: "You will face the fear of doing this business or you will face the fear of not doing this business." If you dream of succeeding as an entrepreneur, then you need to confront your fears head on. Take each one at a time and work to overcome it. How? You just have to DO IT and keep on doing it til you're comfortable. You can't succeed in social media marketing, or in any new business endeavor, if you don't. And avoidance only increases stress, derails your goals and sabotages you.

You need to nurture your dream, protect it, be committed to it and give it a chance to grow. Dr. Barrett says: "...an intact dream, when properly fueled and cared for, gives enormous light. Protecting the dream is your responsibility. Be careful not to let others damage or steal it....Do not let the inability of others to see what is immediately in front of them cause you to doubt the reality of your vision."

Every 'guru' I know or follow will tell you that your mindset is what ultimately governs your success. A positive, confident bearing is communicated to others and will help you close the deal. And you need a personal commitment to do whatever it takes, and that includes, first and foremost, taking steps to deal with and overcome fear. If fear is in charge, you will slowly sink into the quicksand and disappear from the industry.

Managing Your Time in Network Marketing

Managing your time can be a real challenge in MLM or network marketing. But it's a key element of successful business development. The massive amount of information on social media sites is just plain overwhelming. And you'll be buried if you don't take charge right away.

I build a very simple schedule. It's basically two by two by all. Every Sunday night, I select two things that I absolutely MUST accomplish on Monday. Then I note two more things that really need to be done as soon as possible. After that, I prioritize and list all the things I'd like to get done that week. And I factor in some learning/information review time. So when I get started on my work week, I review my mail, answer what requires attention (I never spend more than an hour on this in the morning) and then I move on to those two things that MUST get done. And once I've finished those, the next two tasks become my priorities, and so on.

That schedule gives me a sense of accomplishment each day. And that's really important to your success. It allows me to manage my available time efficiently. It doesn't matter whether I have two hours or eight hours to spend working each day. I can build a schedule that will fit into my life and keep plugging away without feeling overwhelmed and burning out from trying to do too much. I can always do more if my schedule permits.

And what about the information glut in network marketing? I allocate some specified time, maybe two or four hours per week, to review information that's interesting to me and to spend some time on training. And I limit myself to one or two webinars. I can't read everything that comes in, so I'm pretty stringent about what I look at. I've selected two mentors that I always read and then look only at other things that I think might noteworthy.

This schedule works for me. And I recommend you try something similar, based on the amount of time you have to put into your business. Keep your tasks from being burdensome and you'll soon realize that you've accomplished quite a bit - and done it without making your life miserable and burning out before you can achieve your goals.

Building Your Foundation in Network Marketing with Patience and Persevance

You wouldn't build or buy a house with a flawed foundation, would you? So why would expect your MLM or network marketing business (or indeed any business) to produce instant results? It takes time and some money to get things started. And if your foundation isn't sound, you're not likely to get anywhere

Your foundation is YOU, not your business. So how you develop yourself is crucial in social media. First, you need to present yourself as a valuable, trustworthy person - a leader with concrete ideas and guidance. And you want to present yourself on your social media sites with a professional picture and a good (short) bio. That's really important because before I even think about discussing your business, I want to see who you are and what you're about. I want to know that you are sincere.

Second, you need to apply patience and perseverance to develop and hone your skills. And that means you need to take the time to go through the necessary training and learning. Too many people just don't seem to realize that business development takes time. Think about it. Doctors and lawyers are in school for years. Your kid took a year to walk and talk. So what's wrong with investing a few months in training to get your MLM or network marketing going the right way. Everything you go through adds to your store of knowledge and builds your ability to lead. And if you share your training/learning experience and thoughts with others, you will really establish yourself as someone with the qualities that people need when considering a business venture.

Remember that even after one day of training, you'll be ahead of every newbie. Multiply that day by a month, and you'll have passed a lot of people and developed a real foundation for your network marketing business, making it one at which you can really be successful. And you'll have plenty of insight that you can share with others. And that's what social media is about - information and the exchange of ideas.

Managing Fear and Marketing in MLM and Social Media

You can be the proverbial 'deer in the headlights' and run from everything you're afraid of. Or you can bite the bullet and confront your issues head on. One of the first things to understand is that you are not alone. Many people are afraid of blogging, making a video, getting on the phone, building social media relationships or network marketing the right way. And I'll bet that 95% of you would quickly identify with at least one of those issues.

Social media marketing is really about how you integrate the many different channels (Twitter, Facebook, You Tube, Digg, and your blog) together to build your lists, develop your relationships with your lists and convert your prospects into clients. (Go to pamela.hemmings.com, fill in your name and email and get your free flow chart - there's an animated version also - to see how social media really works.)

Nothing works in isolation. So you need to be present in as many aspects of networking marketing as you can. And that means you're likely to run into something you're afraid you can't do. I did. I put off making videos for weeks. Kept telling myself that no one would want to watch and listen to me. I mean, why would they? Nonsense. It really came down to my own fear of doing it. So, I went out, got a web cam and a digital video recorder and got started. The first video was a real struggle. I must have cut about 16 videos, trying to get a good one-minute intro on who I was and what I was about. But once I got it, I found the response was great. And the next one was much easier. I stopped worrying about it being perfect and just tried to state what I was saying clearly. Now I'm pretty comfortable making a video.

That's the way I work to overcome fear. Once you recognize what you're afraid of, tackle it. Get comfortable - it only takes some effort and determination and, bingo, you won't be afraid to do that again.

And it's all so important. Network marketing is an integrated process and you need all the pieces to play in the game.

Branding and Blogging in Social Media

OK, so it's a cute picture of Remy and Martin as kittens. But, as I wrote to my fan page today, why in the world would I want to use it as my profile picture. Network marketing is all about branding yourself as a person of value, a trustworthy colleague, and someone of interest. So it always puzzles me a lot when I see people put up pet pictures, logos, group photos and what I call squiggles and wiggles for their profile pictures. That tells me your interested in social media, but not for business development. I love cats, dogs and horses, and cute logos are neat, but I don't do business with them. I want to see who you are. I'll look at your photo albums to see your family, friends, and pets.

Yes, the 'social' part is what social media is about. It's not the place for business promo. But most of us are there for exactly that purpose. What you need to do in network marketing is to draw people to your business site. And that's where your blog comes in. Blogging is one of the fastest-growing segments of this industry. It's where the action is now. And your blog(s) can be the central hub for your business activity. People come to your blogs to see who you are in detail, to evaluate your content and to look to see if your opportunities are of interest to them. You can develop both a personal blog to put up good content or elaborate on who you are and also create a business blog to promote your activities and add your links. Start by writing simply in your blogs. Write about what you know and love and maybe explain a bit about why you're in the business you've chosen. Let your enthusiasm show. It will pay great dividends.

Blog to Stand Out From the Social Media Crowd

In social media, you really want to stand out from the crowd. And most people just don't do this. Blogging is hugely important to set you apart from the masses. A good blog provides a safe haven where your friends and followers can come to find out more about you and see your content. It builds your presence and your credibility in the industry. You build trust, brand yourself and position yourself as a leader. And that's the name of the game. Your blog is your primary asset to building your network marketing success. It is the center of your social media universe, your hub. Without a good blog, you have no brand and no authority - and probably no money either. Your blog is key to your conversion ratio.

Most people don't have a blog at all. And many of those that do (like me at the moment), don't own their blogs. Pundits say that people will spend three to five minutes reading a blog. And if it's got good content, they'll come back for more. Moreover, if you use the right key words, the search engines will find it too. Even more important, though, is the impact your blog can have on your list building and conversion efforts.

So, why aren't more people creating their own blogs? I think it's mostly fear. "I don't know what to say." "I can't write." "I'm not making any money really, so how can I be an expert?"

The most important thing to remember is that you are unique. And that's your most potent weapon. Set your blog up professionally. Use a good picture to identify yourself. Set up a background design that's attractive, simple and clean. I'd suggest you start with a personal blog that's all about you, what you like, where you live and why you love it, your family and friends and pets. Start building your presence. Let people see who you are. Start writing simply about things you know. You don't need to be a best-selling author. You just need to be writing with enthusiasm. And if you start writing about things you know, it will be much easier for you to get started.

I recommend both a personal and a business blog. And I'll have a lot more about some breakthrough technology that will take care of the business side for you. But for some valuable info about where to set up your self-hosted personal blog, go to the postings on my Facebook group, MLM Marketing Thoroughbreds. Or contact me directly through Facebook. I'll be glad to chat with you.

Taking a Bath in MLM & Social Media Marketing?

Horses usually like their baths and Turnup is no exception, especially with Sara to give him carrots. But you sure don't want to take a bath in MLM or Social Media marketing. And the plain fact is that most of us do - 97% inadequate or dismal failure results. It's not the products themselves that cause this, although if you haven't done your research and got a good product/service, your results will probably be poor. The problem really lies in not knowing how to set up your approach to developing your business, and how you execute your task.

So many people try to promote their products directly on the social media sites. And they are most likely doomed to failure. They forget the point of 'social' in social media. It's not about business opportunities. It's about you and your friends getting to know and trust one another. But you can develop any number of friendships and establish relationships with them - and still fail to develop your business. Why? Because you haven't developed a center, a hub, to which you can bring your interested friends so they can explore your opportunities.

You need that hub. It's your office, your center for converting your efforts into money-making endeavors. It could be your website, but in today's world, more and more people are developing blogs as the hub for their activities. Why a blog instead of a website? Well, once you've set up your website, it's pretty static. But a blog is alive, it changes and moves, allows for constant creativity and can be linked to your social media sites.

Many people are intimidated by the thought of developing blogs. They don't think they can write well or just don't like to write, they don't have any confidence that they can keep a blog going and they don't know how to do it. Since the language in social media is predominately English, a non-native faces a real problem if they can't write English well - or think they can't. But most of those obstacles can be overcome - even the inability to write English very well. It takes a bit of work but it can be done. And I'm working with some innovative people who have developed a blog that can really revolutionize the industry - and eliminates virtually all the problems that a blogger novice faces.

My own blog isn't set up properly - not because I don't write well or have good content (she said modestly). But because I don't OWN it. So before you go rushing out to start a blog, wait a bit. I'm going to have a lot more about blogging. In the meantime, keep building your personal presence in social media, via Twitter, FaceBook, and You Tube. Brand yourself as a person of value and people will start to respond to you.

It's All About How You Manage You in MLM

Brother Richard's ball sat comfortably on the green, but I hit my tee shot fat and popped it to the right. Tricky shot ahead over the sand and onto a small portion of the green that slopes off a bit at the rear. Ouch. Took a lot of thought and pretty near perfect execution - plus some luck. Did I make it? Yup. Got it right up to the flag for an easy gimme putt and split the hole with Richard, much to his chagrin.

One maxim in golf is that you have to set yourself up comfortably and consistently. And it sure applies to MLM too. How you manage yourself and your activity is crucial. And with social networking, it is very easy to become distracted - and addicted. You can spend hours tweeting and chatting without accomplishing anything that you had planned.

The most important thing is to maintain balance in your life. And to get yourself set up the right way. All social media is entwined and you want to gradually build your presence on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, You Tube, Digg and other social media. But don't try to do it overnight. And don't forget that they won't help you or your business at all unless you brand yourself as a person of value and entice your friends to look at your hub - generally your personal blog. That's where it all comes together, where you're going to convert and sell to interested people - not on the social media sites.

It all takes time and patience. But you have to maintain a realistic approach to yourself. It really isn't about managing time. It's about managing you. Keep yourself in shape. Get up from your computer and take a walk. Play with your kids and your pets. Get out and meet people. You can still get plenty of work done. And set yourself up for the payoff you want.

Are You in the MLM Game or Just Running in Circles?

Remy is always up for something new - and never hesitates to do whatever he can to get into the action (Mark and Sara probably were less than thrilled with his participation). But he likes instant results and gets bored if things stop moving.

Stop and think for a minute. The pundits tell you that 97% of people just aren't making real money in MLM. That's a stunning statistic. And it says to me that people just aren't focused on what they need to do to be successful.

Are you really in your MLM business for the long haul? Are you willing to put in the effort it takes to learn the business and move forward? I've come across quite a few people who say things like: "It takes too long to go through all the training," "I need to make money NOW" and "There's just too much stuff to get through."

Any guru worth his/her salt will confess that they've struggled mightily to succeed - for years, in fact. How do you find the ones who really offer you insight - and training - to help you avoid their early mistakes? The best source for me was through recommendations from my social network friends. Then I went to Alexa.com and searched on: site info on .... to check out what who they were and what they had to offer. I also investigated several products that I was interested in and looked to see whether my chosen mentors were affiliated in any way - and checked out a few others whose names cropped up. But I kept my list short and used the maxim "too many cooks spoil the broth" to make sure I stayed on track and didn't overload myself with more information than I could digest.

I've set up a realistic work schedule that allows me time both to take action to develop my business and to learn and develop new skills. I focus on one thing at a time, work to master and develop a skillset, and then move forward, building on what I've already done and expanding my opportunities with new tactics as I learn them. Most important, I keep my day balanced and my mind uncluttered so that I really concentrate effectively when I work.

In the end, you have to have realistic expectations and be willing to undertake the research and invest in the training time in order to really make progress over the long term. It's not about the quick buck. It's about making consistent income over time. And you can only do that with a firm foundation.

Focus, Focus, Focus to Make Your MLM Business Grow

Have you ever had a squirrel run across the road in front of your car? You never know what that critter is going to do. He may get half way across, run in circles and then turn right around and run back directly in front of you. It just seems like he has no idea what to do. And you wind up holding your breath and hoping you don't squash him. I've been lucky. No squirrel has fallen victim to my wheels, but there have been many close calls.

One of the great things about working in an office is that you know exactly what is expected of you. Your job is defined. You do your tasks daily, go home and come back and do them again the next day. Comfortable routine - at least for some people. But if you want to be a successful entrepreneur, the very first thing you need to recognize is that YOU direct everything you do. And if you don't have a good balance to your life, a realistic plan for your business day and the determination to get it done, your home-based business enterprise won't go anywhere.

Don't expect instant success. If you've fallen for the hype that there are riches to be made overnight, you're in for a very rude awakening. And you probably don't belong in the entrepreneurial world. You need to apply some basic tools to get going right, and then you have to work very hard to bring your dream to fruition. It takes dedication and commitment to be a successful entrepreneur. And you'll probably have to discard a lot of bad habits.

Start your new entrepreneurial life with a blank page. Then focus on creating the person you want to be. Start your day with some exercise (a good walk would be great). Get the clutter out of your office and set your space up to be the central point of your business existence. Organize your day and allocate your time sensibly - don't try to accomplish more than you really can do. Stay focused on your goals. Select one thing you want to work with and commit to it for the long term - at least for a year. And then start to execute.

Your first job is to build your list. But don't just throw a bunch of names into the pot. You want to look for like-minded people (you can find them in any number of groups on FaceBook, just search your topic and join appropriate lists). Send requests to add group members as friends. Then work on the second part of your job - building a relationship with your list. Whatever you do, don't, don't beat them over the head with your opportunity. Communicate with them, get to know them. Take your time and build trust and respect. Strong relationships will pay dividends over time.

Finding the Best Support and Guidance for Your MLM Business

I was a really lucky kid. My mother inherited a farmhouse and ten acres of ground in the Finger Lakes in upstate New York. Beautiful sunsets and lots of things to do. I remember going to pick wild strawberries - the best clusters were right in the middle of poison ivy patches. For some reason, I wasn't susceptible, so guess who got to go in for the best berries.

You need to be selective when you're looking for help for your MLM business. But finding the best and most informative mentors and the best companies to represent can be a major challenge. Believe me, they're out there. But uncovering them amidst the deluge of stuff that flows in can be tough.

One approach is pretty easy. When you join groups on FaceBook, you'll start to get their memos. Take a few at a time. Look through what they're sending you - is it useful and practical? If they offer you some useful looking ebooks, by all means order them to start building your library. And you can certainly attend any free webinars they offer. But if they are just trying to sign you up, move right on.

Remember, social networking is NOT for promoting business opportunities. You need to build relationships with your friends and show yourself to be an honest, trustworthy person who has something of value to offer. Your friends know perfectly well that you have something to promote. So do they. And who's to say which home-based business is better? That determination will be made based on the quality of the person, not on the opportunity. Remember, people do business with people, not companies.

Weeding Through the MLM Hype & Growing Your Business Smartly

I was chatting with my FaceBook friend, Pete, who told me the sad story of another of his friends, who waxed euphoric about his opportunity, believed all the hype and rushed into his business without any research or thought, did everything he thought he was supposed to, and wound up empty-handed, poorer and very disillusioned.

If you really are committed to being a top buck in the MLM industry, or even just reasonably successful, then keep a measure of serenity around you. Everybody has a product they want to sell you. And you'll be overwhelmed by the emails, FaceBook and Twitter choices -- and the 'you can make a zillion dollars within a week' headlines.

Don't fall for it. Most people - some say even 95% - don't make a reasonable living with their work-from-home, multilevel marketing business. Too many of them fall for the hype, look for the quick buck and drop out when success isn't achieved, or just flit from product to product looking for the magic wand.

There is no magic wand. It's all about you and the diligence with which you pursue your goals. Pete's friend hadn't done some really basic research about his primary company opportunity (his company was headed toward insolvency).

First, set up your criteria for what you want to do and then investigate for companies/products that fit those criteria. It will take time and thoughtful analysis to determine your primary opportunity. Check your company/products out via their websites, annual reports, Better Business Bureau, google searches. Use alexa.com to investigate rankings and other info. Once you have researched and found the 'right' company/product for you, you'll have a much better chance to succeed.

It all takes time - and some funding. Be prepared and patient. Plan what you want to do every day and work toward accomplishing it. But keep your life serene. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed by looking at too many things at once.

Dipping Your MLM Toe Into Advertising

Advertising can be very tricky - and very costly - if you don't pay close attention to your budget. And getting started if you don't have much experience can be really daunting. But there are some simple ways to test the waters without spending a lot of money.

First and foremost, consider your ad's purpose. You want to attract people to something they need or want. Your ad should identify what their problem may be - and then offer a solution or guide to help them. But the most important thing is that your ad is truthful. You need to be very comfortable standing behind its statements.

Creating effective ad copy is equally tricky. If you're in a program that provides training and sample ads, by all means use them. If you're creating your own, my recommendation would be to keep your copy simple, even a bit understated. Using catchy phrasing and attention-getters is fine, but be a bit cautious. I react favorably to an ad that offers me a possible solution to my problem. And I go right by any ads that state something like 'make $$$$ in just weeks with this simple process.' Why? 'Cause I just don't believe or trust them. Remember your ads should build trust and credibility for you and your product, the same as your social network profile does in that arena.

Where to start? I'd suggest free classifieds. Do a google search on Free Classifieds. There are several sites I've used (and many more) that you could look at:
1) www.usfreeads.com
2) www.classifiedsforfree.com
3) www.global-free-classified-ads.com
4) www.salesspider.com

Most will require you to open an account; it's strightforward and free. One thing you want to be sure about is that you can post links in your ads. In some cases, you may have to upgrade (usually for minimal amounts) to a non-free status. Make sure you put your ads in the right categories and subcategories (usually business opportunities, home-based business, work-from-home or whatever industry your product falls into). You can play around a bit with the subcategories to test which seem to be the most effective.

Most free ads do not renew automatically. So you'll have to set up a schedule to do your renewals. And do not forget to track your ads so you can see what's working and what isn't. Play around a bit as you start out. But don't spend large amounts of money on paid advertising til you have a sense of what IS working for you. You can expand into that arena later.

One more thing, I never use my primary email account for ad responses. So if you don't have a second email account, I'd set one up.

Be Sure Your MLM Business and Marketing Approach is Right for You

Like a horserace handicapper, people have varied skillsets and approaches. What works for one, doesn't always work for another - and may not even work all the time. But the most important part of the equation in any business, including MLM, is YOU. You're unique - and that's a pretty potent marketing tool. There are thousands upon thousands of MLM business opportunities and lots of varied marketing techniques, but if they aren't appropriate for you, then they won't work.

So, once you've determined what business really suits you and that it's something you really believe you can do, then decide what marketing approach fits your personality. There isn't really a single right way. Personally, I'm not comfortable with the old 'warm' marketing approach. Bugging friends and family, making cold calls and beating people over the head with my 'wonderful' opportunity just doesn't work for me. To me, it's an obsolete approach. But that doesn't mean it can't work for you. Some people have been really successful using that tactic.

My own preference rests on the principles of Attraction Marketing - getting people to invite you into their lives. If you build strong relationships and trust in your social network, offer constructive advice and help, people will regard you as a person of value. Interested parties will start to seek you out. You'll be a welcomed guest, not a despised 'sales person' trying to dig into their bank accounts. The social barriers people erect to protect themselves against the deluge of information and the onslaught of sales people will crumble, and you will be uniquely positioned to succeed.

NetWORK Marketing - Are You Just 'Hoping' in MLM?

If you are just 'hoping' for success (like Remy stalking the out-of-reach chipmunk), you're doomed to failure. This isn't a game that produces instant riches. If you have the 'dollar and a dream' mentality, buy a lottery ticket. You've got the same outlandish odds of winning 'big' instantly.

As my FaceBook friend, Tony Smith, said: It takes WORK to achieve success in MLM and network marketing. You have to be focused and committed. And it will take some money and research to get going right.

One of the biggest problems MLM beginners have, outside of lack of money and generating leads, is trying to cut through the information overload and determining if their company, product or mentor is legitimate and worthwhile. They tend to rush in, buy up front, and then are disappointed when money doesn't start rolling in right away. So they switch to something else, and repeat the process on another product - and another.

So start with some basic research. Do a google search on the industry, company, product or person in which you are interested. Check to see if there is a FaceBook profile and look through it. Look at a few related FaceBook groups. And utilize www.alexa.com (the web information company) to check out basic stats. Go to alexa's site, click on 'site info' and get the traffic statistics for what you are investigating. Remember though that new companies/products/people will not have sufficient history to have traffic rankings.

Do keep your search list short. If the first three don't produce some interesting results, you can look at others. But you can waste a lot of time and confuse yourself mightily if you try to do too much at once. Whatever you do, don't rush to buy. Make sure that you can commit the needed effort, time and money to make your home-based business grow. Above all, keep in mind that it takes time to build a successful business.

Managing the Information Deluge in Your MLM Business

As you expand your relationships on FaceBook and other social media, the deluge of information from friends and groups you've joined can be overwhelming. You will quickly be buried - and confused - if you don't take steps to control it.

Focus on what you want to see. Filter out individual and group messages that are bombarding you with 'you've got to see this' and 'I made $000; join me.' Look for infromation, messages, webinar announcements, and suggestions from your mentor, from a group that offers good content and value, and from a few individuals whose comments you really respect. Create folders in your email and move messages that don't require immediate attention into those folders until you're ready to review them. Politely ignore the rest.

Allocating time to learn is crucial. Don't spend hours every day perusing your email, FaceBook Wall and Twitter, and neglect other important action tasks. Set up a daily or weekly calendar, use your notepad, or whatever works for you. Include time to complete your training. Assign yourself tasks each day, but make sure you accomplish your daily goals. You need to create a sense of achievement.

Building Your Social Network for Your MLM Business

To me, friendship is based on mutual value, respect and trust. It's not something you can buy - you have to earn it. In social networking, building friendships rests on the same principles. Your profile needs to be professional, honest and transparent. Most important, it needs to reflect that you have value.

Your business goal is to build your reputation as a leader, to attract other business builders and marketers to you and to generate quality leads for your business. But always remember that you are building a foundation. Participate actively in the social community but never, ever do any pitching.

So how do you get started? Once you have a professional profile, then you want to start adding friends. But don't scatter shoot. Think about who you want to attract. Look for people who have similar interests. Conduct a search for groups to join - not just in MLM, though you certainly want to establish your presence in that industry. Check out groups in other industries that interest you. Click on each group's member list and start adding friends.

But here's the key. You are not just building a list, you should be trying to build a relationship with that list. So consider sending a personal message with your friend request and certainly send a personal thank you (with a bit of info about yourself) when that person confirms you as a friend.

A word of caution: FaceBook doesn’t like spammers and pitching. So don’t add more than 20-25 friends at a time. Do some in the morning, some in the afternoon and/or evening. FaceBook will issue a warning if you are adding too many at a time (it assumes you don’t really know them). If you get that warning, get off FaceBook for 24 hours and slow down your pace when you return.

Basic MLM Network Marketing - Building Your FaceBook Reputation

People all around. The social networking community is not unlike the fans at Saratoga Racecourse. You know a few of them well, but most are strangers from around the US and the world. Consider FaceBook. There are well over 350 million users and it adds roughly 300-400,000 per day. So why would any one of them want to do business with you?

Your first step is to consider what you want to do in the networking community. If you are trying to build your business list, then the next question is whether you should have both a personal and a business FaceBook account. I use only one account, mainly because I contact my personal friends and family via direct email or by phone. But if you have a large, purely social network with which you communicate via personal messages on FaceBook, then you may want to consider a separate business account for your professional contacts.

Secondly, should you link your Twitter account to Facebook? It depends. If you Twitter a lot about what you're doing, then you probably don't want to link them. Too many Twitter comments on FaceBook can be very annoying and appear as though you are spamming. But if you're only Twittering once or twice daily, then you can certainly link the accounts.

The key step is to build your professional profile page so that it establishes you as a person of value. Remember that everybody counts. Brand yourself as a professional in your field upfront. Always tell the truth and be open and above-board. And always add value.

Reviewing The Fundamental Plan for Your Own Network Marketing Business

Life is all about sharing. Don't work in islolation. You can't get a new home-based business off the ground without drawing on other people's experience and knowledge. Like most network marketers, I made a ton of mistakes, largely because I simply did not have good guidance and a well-formed plan. Any of the real gurus will tell you that. Many of them struggled for years before succeeding. And you can learn a lot from the right mentor.

So today, I'm taking a look back and reviewing the basic steps you need to take to get started right.

First and foremost, whatever you decide to do, be committed - at least for a year. Businesses do not succeed overnight. And all those 'make thousands quick' deals in the MLM industry probably aren't worth your time. Be honest, thoughtful and consistent. Make sure you add value. Establish yourself as a real professional who has something to offer that people want or need.

Step 1: Determine what you want to do. Select something that suits you, that will allow you to build off your strengths and that you will really enjoy and will be committed to - if you aren't, you'll find yourself in trouble (and a lot poorer) quickly.

Step 2: Analyze why you want to do it. Write out a clear statement of your why. It's not just about making money, it's about making money to pay for your kids' education, to travel and do things you've never been able to afford, to build for your own retirement by achieving full financial freedom, to allow you to do something else that you're really passionate about but doesn't make you any real money, and so on. Whatever your 'why' is, it's your real motivation to keep going. So post your 'why' where you can see it every day.

Step 3: Consider when to get started. This is actually a bit tricky. 'Now' is the obvious answer. And most gurus will tell to 'take action now.' But if you start running around without a good financial and business plan in place, and you fail to accumulate some basic knowledge about your industry and business, you'll just wind up flitting from one thing to another, trying to find something that works. When you've got your foundation, you can apply the '80% action/20% learning' rule. But when you are getting started, I'd recommend '40%/60%'. I think you'll avoid a lot of mistakes and, ultimately, be more successful. So, by all means, get started now, but make sure you have your ducks in a row too. There is no road to instant success.

Step 4: How: The two major problems people building a new home-based business have are: 1) Lack of Money and 2) Lack of Quality Leads..

The first can be overcome by preparing and utilizing a good budget and by finding a way to generate enough income while you're getting off the ground with your main business. Know what you can afford to invest and how you want to invest it. Don't run around buying up stuff or programs without careful thought. There is a lot of good information on the Net and a lot of excellent guidance that is available for free from top leaders in the industry. Find it (google search, FaceBook groups are some good starting points) and use it. Allocate your funds so that you are getting maximum value.

Many people will tell you 'this is the truth, the way. Just sign up and you're off to success'. Look rather for those who invite you to learn, offer valuable advice, video presentations, and webinars - people who want to build a relationship with you that will be mutually rewarding. But don't buy anything until you've evaluated its potential benefit to you. And stay on budget or you'll be out of business.

Overcoming the lack of quality leads really rests on two factors: building your own list and building a strong relationship with that list. People who favor the warm marketing approach will tell you to start with your family, friends, acquaintances and associates. It works for some people, but not for me and probably not for many of you. I prefer the principles of Attraction Marketing and build my lists and relationships to establish myself as someone people want to do business with. But much more on that later.

Having Trouble Reaching Your MLM Goals?

Old Scratch was quite a character. He always wanted to share Sara's dinner, but could never quite reach it. Not for want of trying though. And that seems to be the case with most of the people who are trying to make it in MLM. They find their niche, start building their network, and then they start to market. But success is elusive. And the checks aren't big enough to make it worthwhile. So, what's the problem and how can you solve it?

First of all, you need a marketing approach that works for YOU. If you've chosen a company to represent, chances are you'll be trying to promote through the company's website. They'll give you all kinds of sales training. And your upline tells you that the 'warm' marketing approach is the way to go. They suggest you build your list of friends, family, acquaintances, professional contacts - people you know or with whom you have at least some contact. You'll get scripts which they insist are effective. And they may suggest you buy 'opt-in' leads.

You enthusiastically slog your way through everything they suggest. But your family, friends and acquaintances/associates want no part of your opportunity. You've talked with everyone you can think of - in stores, at social gatherings, anywhere and everywhere. Your personal social network gets exhausted and all you feel is that you're a pest. And cold-calling leads produces next to nothing. You wind up feeling stupid, inadequate and discouraged - and pretty much empty handed in your new MLM business. And all you get from your upline is "Just don't quit. The next call may be THE one that gets you going".

Yes, sometimes it does work - for people who are comfortable with the concept of 'warm' marketing. But that's a very small percentage - mostly people who are truly sales-oriented and have the personality to go along with it. But most of us aren't and can't work effectively that way. We're uncomfortable, unsuccessful and frustrated. We just can't reach success using the 'warm' approach.

I had some neighbors stop me once as I was working on my rose garden. They admired the bushes and asked me what I did to make them grow so beautifully. We chatted for quite a while. Wow. If I were a professional gardener, I had some new customers right there. I thought about that a lot. The difference was that they came to me! If I represented a gardening company, I could probably have signed them up on the spot, without doing any 'marketing' at all.

And that's the power of 'attraction' marketing. People come to you. They don't care about your product. They care about who you are, whether you're an honest and trustworthy person and professional. Someone who has something of value to offer them. Remember, people want to do business with people.

Finding Valuable, Trustworthy People to Mentor You

I trust my brother Richard, shown here with granddaughter Emma and daughter Laurie. He's much more than just my sibling. He's been a friend and mentor all my life. And when I started my home-based MLM business, I needed to find people on the Net who could mentor my fledgling efforts, help me get started the right way and get my work-from-home efforts on the road to success.

The key is to find people who offer value and guidance. I use my social networks to locate people and join groups who seem to want to build a strong relationship with me. Like you, I get tons of email with tag lines like 'I made $23,000+ in a day using xyz system and so can you.' And they throw in a few free ebooks. TRASH.

I suspect the reality is that many self-styled MLM 'gurus' really aren't making that much money. If it's true that only about 3% really achieve full financial freedom (and I suspect it is) than most of the stuff you're looking at is junk, promoted by someone who is only interested in getting the contents of your wallet.

So how do you find valuable people with products that can really help you succeed?

Use your own good judgment. Look for people in your social network who really offer sound guidance, who invite you to free webinars, video presentations, and send emails with good content that aren't beating you on the head to buy their product NOW. Maybe they'll suggest you take a free trial to look at what their service/product has to offer. And when you start evaluating what they've got, you'll see that they provide full training and support, an offer to refund your money in 30 days if you wish to opt out, and/or the ability to cancel your participation at any time.

Use those criteria and you'll start to cut through the information overload.

Building Your New MLM Business Budget

It's time to consider your budget. Any new venture has upfront costs, maintenance costs, promotion costs and other costs you may not have thought about. So your first step is to determine how much you have to spend and for what. If you're a multi-level marketing (MLM) beginner, you can wind up buying lots of stuff for a lot more money than you have to spend. A lot of people go out of business very quickly because they outrun what they can afford to pay.

Let's start by considering your income goals. Let's say you want to get to $15,000 per month within two years, sooner if you can. You can see yourself doing it - you're excited and committed to do what it takes over the long haul. You've found the businesses you want to opt into - you're sure they can get you there - eventually.

Now let's say you only have a budget of $2,000 for the next six months. That's all you can spare from your or the family's budget. Believe me, you can chew that up in no time at all, unless you plan carefully. Assume you have two MLM businesses you opt into. One costs $75 and the other costs $400. Once you join, there are, say, $30 web maintenance fees for each business ($360 for both businesses over six months). Now you want to buy business cards, cds and other promo materials to help you get started; let's assume those cost you a total of $150 for both businesses. Wham. You've used up $985 of your $2,000 - and you haven't started yet. Now you want to do some videos, but you need a digital cam corder (another few hundred). And you decide you need to do advertising (say you want to spend $300 a month to get your ads to the right places). And what about lead generation and autoresponder systems? Whoops you're way over your budget and not much is coming in income-wise because it takes time to build a business.

No. You don't need to give up. Think and plan. Consider realistic options and their costs. But get going. Take action now. There are ways to generate income that can help you keep going while your new business is developing.

Branding You, Not Your Business

Every one of the jockey statues outside Saratoga Race Track represents a winner. And you want to be one too. But how do you find the right vehicles for you? First of all, you want to start branding yourself as a valuable, reputable, trustworthy person. Get your profiles up in your social networking vehicles, on Twitter, FaceBook, MySpace and LinkedIN. Be honest. Let people see who you really are. Maybe you want to start a blog. Just remember, people want to do business with people - not companies. You need to offer value or they won't bother to come.

So your first step in your work from home business is to build and brand yourself in your social network. That's key to getting your home-based - or your traditional new business - off the ground.

Too Much Information? How to Get Your Home-Based Business Headed for Success

My friend and I went down to visit our second racehorse, Turnupthevolume. It was a fun trip and he looked great. But on the way home, I was thinking about his name. And it seemed to me that it reflected the overload of info that keeps blaring at us as we explore the Net. And when you try to answer the 'How' of my serving men is when you can really get confused.

You've got your what, why and when. You know what you want to do and why you want to do it. You've examined your strengths and weaknesses. You're building your social network on Twitter, FaceBook, LinkedIn, MySpace and your blog. Your business plan is in place, you have a budget and you're ready to go . But how do you succeed?

When all is said and done, it seems that most people just don't really make money via a home-based business on the Internet. So, if 97% of people who try to make money on the Net fail, how can you become a member of the elite 3% who do?

The When in Life is NOW - Don't Put Your New Business on the Shelf

People can always find reasons to put things off - Too busy is a favorite. But take a look a your family. My brother Richard has three generations to look after, daughter Laurie and her husband Scott, grandchild Emma, and, of course, his wife Madeleine. Why would he delay in trying to make their lives better? And the more hustle and bustle you have in your life, the more you need a rational plan to break out of the rat race and create your own financial freedom.

My own home-based businesses are designed to help people save time and money, and to build residual income that will allow them to achieve real independence. I've introduced the first at http://goforgreen.ownanewbusiness.com/ And now it's time to introduce my second:

I have partnered with a growing American company to capitalize on the deregulation of electricity and natural gas for residential customers. Service is currently limited to New York, northern Illinois and Texas. But the company will expand as other states deregulate. It won't cost anything to switch suppliers. Absolutely nothing changes except the size of your bill. There are no contracts and no exit fees. And there’s an attractive rewards program for customers that could reduce the supplier side of their bill significantly, even to zero. It offers a very attractive opportunity to build a home-based business that can lead to real financial freedom. For more information, contact me at phemming@nycap.rr.com.

The when is NOW. You can't afford not to get started. You can find time. Allocate five, ten or 20 hours per week - whatever fits your schedule. But get going and stick with it. Whatever you decide to do will take time to build. The most important thing is not to quit on yourself and your dream.

Getting Your Traditional Business in Gear

Little Emma Stull has rested up and is thinking about what to do next. And once she gets going, believe me, that little dynamo will be hard to stop. But you'll want to take a bit more measured approach to discovering how to get your start-up business off the ground and on the road to success. And as you do your research and development, you'll be getting all the parts you need to put a solid, realistic business plan together.

Once you've established your what and why, there are two preliminary but crucial questions for your traditional start-up business: 1) Is there demand for your product/service and 2) What is your competition?

For starters, get your list together - people you know, people in your town or city, store owners, groups or associations you've joined, professional associates you've worked with or used, competitors in or outside your area. Talk to them. Float your idea and note the response.

Go to your local Chamber of Commerce - they are probably your best front-line resource. Check out local universities and colleges - many of them have courses that can help you get started. Investigate professional associations in your field and contact them. And don't be afraid to talk with your competitors - you'll be surprised to find that many of them will share some of their experiences and knowledge with you, especially if you're not going to be in their backyard.

Use the internet to help establish and brand yourself - and extend your contact lists. Join Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn (they're free) - you can find people and groups to join in your industry that can be enormously informative and helpful.

Put all those serving men to work, gather the responses and information together and then THINK. Put together a checklist of all the things you need to do and then get started on each one - but remember to set a realistic schedule for yourself. You want to finish each day with a sense of achievement and if you overload yourself, you'll be overwhelmed.

http://www.banhem.com

Thoughtful Evaluation Will Pay Huge Dividends

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

From Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There, 1872

I have a seventh serving man - his name is 'think.' And I've always substituted 'think' for 'talk' in the Walrus and the Carpenter. The overload of information on the Net is so great that it takes a huge mental effort to sort through what you've discovered. So I put my seventh serving man to work while my six other men take a breather. Taking the time to quietly think about what you've uncovered for your work-from home business - or any start-up business - will pay huge dividends. So don't just rush in and sign up - evaluate the profiles or promo pages and the research you've done on what you want to do. Remember the adage - 'people don't plan to fail; they fail to plan.'

Six Honest Serving Men - Keys to Your New Business

I KEEP six honest serving-men
(They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
I give them all a rest.

From Kipling's 'The Elephant Child'

I read an article the other day in the Saratogian (Sara and Remy read it too) that talked about the stress of 'too much information." After searching the Internet for the last several months to find appropriate (for me) business opportunities, I confess that I was really stressed out and wondering how I could get it all sorted out and who I could really trust. And then I thought about Kipling's six honest serving men and how I could apply those questions to help me. I think they are a pretty good set of guides to help you get started with your home-based business. Just knowing the 'what' and 'why' of your work-from-home endeavors can narrow the breadth of your search considerably and allow you to focus your research more effectively.