Persistence Pays…It just take Time…

Marketing is a funny thing with a small business.

Upfront you typically market like crazy trying to get your business and brand name (YOU) out there. Statistically your self-branding efforts are likely to fail, you’re not going to get the leads you expect and you will ultimately pack it all in.

That’s a pretty bleak start to this article, but hopefully it emphasises that I really do sympathise with aspiring entrepreneurs, as I’ve been there myself.

One of the things I have learned since I got into the home based business industry, is that the longer you’re around, the more opportunities present themselves. It proves the point that you need to be marketing yourself now, if you want business 6 months down the line!

I’ll be honest; we tried it all – telemarketers, direct e-mail campaigns, online branding, blogging and press releases, print advertising and writing articles for industry and training journals. The results were limited. Ironically – three months since we stopped doing the marketing, suddenly the enquiries started coming in. Even more ironically – the enquiries came from a variety of different material we were running – it’s not like stuff suddenly appeared somewhere and people picked up on it.

That’s got to say something to small business owners who are feeling despondent about their marketing material going out and they’re not getting the enquiries they feel they deserve. Being brutally honest –if you’ve got material going out there and its not getting much of a response – you probably don’t deserve the enquiries. Don’t take that the wrong way – it’s simply a case of wrong time, wrong product, wrong place.

I am however hoping that this article does inspire small business owners to take heart from our recent experiences. The market changes – so does the consumer. Having your material out there, particularly in an online format where keywords come into “vogue” for consumers is extremely important.

If you are scraping through at the moment, take heart from this experience and double up on your marketing efforts. If you believe (like I do) that economically the small business environment doesn’t look great in the short term, you want to be the exception that succeeds where others fail.

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com  

 

How To Evaluate ANY Network Marketing Opportunity…by Sandy Botkin

Walk into a hotel lobby, restaurant, or friend’s living room almost any evening of the week, and you may find anywhere from 5 to 100 people listening attentively to enthusiastic speakers explain the benefits of becoming a distributor or representative for the products and services of network marketing company x, y or z. In a world where we have learned to tune out most marketing messages, friends selling to friends has become one of the most effective ways to get products distributed quickly.

Because of job insecurity or loss caused by corporate downsizing, many people are looking for part time opportunities that will help them develop useful skills and earn extra income. They want these opportunities without large liabilities or capital investments. Network marketing is seen as a way of meeting these needs. With virtually no overhead, no employees, and no law suit worries, costs are low. Most network marketing businesses validate these high success rate-low investment possibilities.

Consequently, don’t be surprised when the engineer next door or the corporate manager from across the street calls, offering you a chance to earn some money in your free time. A few days later, you find yourself on your way to your first meeting. You do it as a favor to your friend, and you’re skeptical, of course, but you’re also a bit curious. After all, you saw some homeopathic supplement in your doctor’s waiting room last week and were shocked to find out he was a network marketer. What’s the deal?

In the meeting, you look around, are slightly uncomfortable. You’ve dressed casually and find yourself in a sea of suits. The man on your left is an accountant, the woman on your right a journalist. You begin to dismantle your stereotype of who does network marketing. You find out that, for the most part, the people around you are already making good salaries in full-time jobs, however few feel secure, and they are looking for a safety net.

 You listen to the sales presentation, done by one of the company’s top producers; you’re promised the possibility of earning a significant six-figure income if you are persistent. Moreover, you learn about the tremendous tax benefits available to small businesses. Your skepticism begins to fade as you wonder if network marketing isn’t something you should consider. After all, you hear, more new millionaires are coming of network marketing today than any other sales field.

This is the point in the evening when you need to stop and breathe deeply. Before you decide to get caught up in the enthusiasm, which will be contagious, and buy in immediately, take this advice: Let the enthusiasm cool off. Then begin the process of deciding which company to join by finding the answers to the following questions:

1. How stable is the company? Two ways to judge a company’s stability are: first, get a credit report from Dunn and Bradstreet. Second, find out how long the company has been using network marketing as its distribution system. Most companies don’t survive two years. Therefore, at least two years in the business is a good yardstick in judging a company’s stability.

2. Does the company stand behind the promises it makes about its products? This question is important to ask product companies. Call the company and ask these questions:

• Does the company validate their products’ claims, e.g., does a health food product have clinical trials done by independent laboratories?
• What is the company’s refund policy if the customer is not satisfied? How quickly do they refund the money?
• What is the company’s buy-back policy on inventory purchased by distributors? Most companies promise to buy back inventory not more than a year old. But sometimes this policy is illusory because of the complex administrative hoops the distributor must jump through and because there is no limit on when the refundable money must be paid back to the distributor.

Finally, buy the product and try it. Do you like it?

Does the company want you primarily to (1) sell products/services, (2) recruit people, or (3) both? Most companies want you to recruit people to distribute who in turn will recruit people to distribute who in turn will recruit people to distribute. But if the company is only recruiting people and no one is selling the product/service, you may want to look carefully at the company. Will the distributors use enough product to keep the company afloat?

Further, you may just want to market a product and not manage a whole sales force of downline (the people you get to sign up under you) distributors. If so, find a company that will let you do that. Your commission should be enough to let you make money retailing the product or service without having any downline. This means that the commission paid on retailing should be about the same as the commission paid on recruiting new distributors. Nevertheless, it’s useful to remember that most of those who earn top money in network marketing are the people who are able to get others to recruit, train, and finally support people (called their “downline”) who are able to get others to recruit, train & support people, etc., etc.

Will the products sell? Before you buy too much inventory — a good guideline is: don’t buy more than you can sell or use in a month — do some comparative shopping to find out answers to these questions:

• Is the price of the products reasonable? Can customers find just as good a product on the market for less? Usually network marketing companies offer products which are only available through them and which are claimed to be (and may be) better than those offered elsewhere.
• If the products are not unique, are they priced competitively?
• Are the products so desirable that people will continue using them and recommending them even if they stop being distributors? This is an important question, since most companies have a high attrition rate among distributors.
• Will the products sell even if not marketed through network marketing?

Does the company have momentum? Every company will claim that the time to join is now because of the “S” curve, a curve that marks rapid growth times. Momentum is important because growth magnifies efforts. If you join during a growth period caused by either the age of the company, or by introducing a new product, or by getting a new patent, this growth can attract new distributors and more sales. If the company or product is growing at 3 percent a year, your business growth will mirror the 3 percent; but if the company or product is growing at 30 percent a year, then your business growth should also mirror that percent.

What kind of sponsor support is offered? We can’t overstate the importance of this answer. Not all sponsors are created equal. The person who takes you to the meeting becomes your sponsor if you sign up under him or her. You are locked into that person for a long time. To avoid this, don’t sign up immediately. You can wait, shop around, and find a sponsor who is known to provide strong support to his people. It is not polite for a sponsor to accept you at a meeting if you have been brought there by another sponsor. You will need to get the person’s card and call them after the meeting. Be careful even if you are signing up only to buy the products at wholesale. You may want to become an active distributor later, and you will be locked into the person you are buying from. To find the right sponsor:

• Attend several meetings in your area.
• Introduce yourself to numerous successful sponsors.
• Evaluate their reputations. Ask them what they do for their people and how long they have been doing it.

Some sponsors are like robots, signing up everyone but supporting none; others, more responsible, do mass advertising or marketing and pass warm leads along to their downline. One of the major benefits of a network marketing company is that you are in business for yourself, not by yourself: to realize this benefit, you must sign up under the right person.

What kind of training and support do they offer? The statement that “The product sells itself” is rarely true. All companies promise training; few deliver the consistent quality that makes training effective. Evaluate the training and the support materials. Look for:

• Role playing practice
• Good scripts
• Ways sponsors help you to get new leads
• A variety of quality training audios
• Find out about switching to another sponsor if your sponsor leaves the company or doesn’t do training follow-up.

What is the compensation plan offered? After investigating the quality of the products or services offered by a company, one of the most important considerations is how the company will pay you. Comparing compensation plans from one company to another is difficult. Companies use a myriad of formulas. One way to simplify the process is to ask:

• How difficult is it to make it to the top? Do you need 5 good lines (active distributors under you) or will 2 lines do?
• What do you get by acquiring customers vs. acquiring distributors? Customers, not distributors should be the focus of the company. Thus the compensation plan for selling product/services should be at least as generous as that of bringing in new distributors.
• Does the company offer non-cash rewards? Are the numbers doable and realistic?

If you are not satisfied with the compensation plan, you or the people you recruit will not stay long with the company. Even if you stay, you may lose people you have invested time and money in to other companies.

What is the customer retention rate? When a company pays 50% of its revenue for commissions, if the customer retention rate on a product is 5%, your net long-term commission is only 2.5%. But, when the company pays only 10% payout, if the customer retention rate is 80%, your long-term commission rate is 8%. The customer retention rate is critical. To investigate the retention rate, you can:

• Ask the company if its figures on customer retention rate are available.
• Test the product/services to see if you would use it regularly.
• Ask the company for names of satisfied customers.
• Ask for the names and phone numbers of two or three non-repeat customers. Ask if you can call to find out why they didn’t continue to use the product or service.
• Find out what the competition is offering in the same category and compare the prices. Your product doesn’t have to be the lowest for what it offers, if it offers some value that is not offered elsewhere. It also should be marketed well.
• What other miscellaneous benefits does the company provide?

Some companies provide distributors with the equivalent of the franchises without a franchise fee. They not only provide marketing materials but also management information, tax information and even an accounting system. Find out what is contained in both the distributor or upgrade kits. Many times the upgrade package may be the much better deal even though it is more exclusive.

You can only promote and sell what you are convinced is the best. If the answers to these questions enable you to believe completely in the product or service and its company, you may be among those who find network marketing to be very lucrative.

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com  

 

Blogs In Plain English…by Common Craft

Hello Friends,

If you haven’t seen these videos yet, they are AWESOME!  Lee and his partner Sachi make short explanatory videos for the Web that make complex ideas easier to understand.  They focus on simplicity, creativity and clear explanations to create videos that stick.  You can learn more about them here: http://www.commoncraft.com/show  

You can pause the music on the Sonific SongSpot player to watch the video… Enjoy

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

My MAIN Marketing Mentor: Mr. Mike Dillard - Straight from his TRUTH…

“I have read the Magnetic Sponsoring book more than 20 times (No kidding) and I just finished reading the MLM Traffic Formula course, IT IS THE BEST RESOURCE FOR ANY NETWORK MARKETER IN THE WORLD! Wow! Well, now I have all the knowledge to start developing my business and also to promote my ‘opportunity’…I will keep you posted with my success.” - Antonio   “Walk The Line…” - A Raving Rant By Mike Dillard Complete With Photos.   I’m sitting here about 11:00 PM watching “Walk The Line” for the fourth or fifth time, and every time I do, it still inspires me. Why? Because it’s about a man who followed his dream though hell and high water. He was willing to do whatever it took, and even managed to do so while battling the personal demons that haunted him and the conflicts he struggled with at home. I want you to understand something about me, and from this day forward, I want you to take a long hard look at yourself and decided want it is that you REALLY want out of life because you’ve got to make a choice… You either do what you need to, or you don’t… There is not middle ground… No “have your cake and eat it to”. I’m not intelligent by society’s standard. It took me 5 years to graduate from college with a 2.0 and my newsletters have more spelling errors than Paris Hilton has boyfriends. I took all of my finance classes, all of my accounting classes, and all of my math classes THREE TIMES EACH, before I passed them. But I was smart enough to know a few things that most people don’t… I knew enough to know, that there is no “we’ll do it for you” solution to anything in life, let alone MLM businesses which usually prey upon those with that mentality. I knew enough to know, that I needed to learn more if I was to get what I wanted, which is why I spent most of my college years not in class, but at Barne’s and Noble reading “real” books on business. I knew enough to know, that if I wanted to stop buying leads, I’d need to learn how to generate my own, so I bought some books and learned how. I knew enough to know that if I wanted to sell my business and products to people, that I’d need to learn how to write a sales letter, so I bought some books and learned how. I knew that if I wanted to make my own sales letters, I’d need to learn how to make a website, so I bought some books and learned how.I knew enough to know that if I wanted to be successful in network marketing, I’d need to get over my fear of the phone, so I took a job that required me to make 200-300 cold calls per day, and learned how. But here’s the one thing I NEVER DID during the past 6 years that allowed me to go from A to Rich… I never complained, I never whined, I never bitched, I never blamed anyone other than myself, and I never gave up because I would have rather spent my life in poverty trying than to have lived it in resignation that I didn’t have what it took. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but here’s God’s Honest Truth… If you want what I’ve got, you’ve got to be willing to do what I’ve done. You’ve got to earn the right through blood, sweat, and tears, and there is NO alternative, so don’t ever ask me or anyone else if there’s an “easy way” to do something. Are you willing to do that?Then here’s “My List”… The price I paid to get to where I am, found on the bookshelves you’ll see pictured below… Thing and Grow RichHow To Win Friends And Influence People The Aladdin Factor Speed Enrollers The Irresistible Offer The Obvious Expert Rich Dad, Poor Dad   The Science of Influence Talking The Winners Way The 12 Month Millionaire How To Market A Product For Under $500 Influence: Science And Practice Succeed And Grow Rich Through Persuasion The Greatest Salesman In The World The Prayer Of Jabez The Automatic Millionaire The Millionaire Republican Think Like A Billionaire Phone Power Ultimate Guide To Network Marketing Magnetic Marketing Dare To Win The Purpose Driven Life See You At The Top The Wave 3 Way To Building Your Downline The One Minute Millionaire Quicken 2003 For Dummies Front Page 2003 For Dummies Pushing The Envelope Selling To The Very Important Top Officer Selling The Invisible Wave 4 Striking It Rich.com 7 Habits Of Highly Successful People Article Blue Print Product Launch Formula Get The Edge Zero Resistance Living Psycho-Cybernetics HoloSync Beyond Freedom Rich Jerk 33 Days To Online Profits Traffic Stampede Ultimate Copywriting Seminar In A Box Freelance Writing Success In A Box Internet Information Marketing Players Workshop No BS Newsletter $4,000 A Day In Your Underwear Magnetic Sales letters Underground Online Marketing Seminar Yanik Silver Mastermind Group Ultimate Copywriting Workshop Ultimate Marketing Plan Zero Resistance Selling Dominating Adsense The Ultimate MLM Blue Print For Massive Success Championship Prospecting The Ultimate Information Entrepreneur Butterfly Marketing Tax Strategies For Business Professionals Network Marketing Lifestyles Magazine The Ultimate Online Swipe File Hypnotic Sales letters Ultimate Guide To Google Adwords Adwords123 Benciveda Bullets Giant Headline Swipe File Landing Page Cash Machine Million Dollar Manual Psychological Triggers Power Recruiting Million Dollar Emails Scientific Advertising Spiritual Marketing Under Achiever Formula Countless hours of MLM conference calls Countless email newsletters from dozens of trainers Countless phone conversations with successful mentors         This image represents about 30% of my personal library. The rest is on the laptop, or has taken place during phone calls. Imagine 3 more of these images side-by-side, and then you’ll know how much I’ve had to personally invest in myself to get to where I’m at… So here’s the bottom line… NEVER… EVER… ask me if there’s an easy way to generate leads, make money online, or build a downline. Don’t EVER ask me if “Magnetic Sponsoring” will work for you or your company. (Of course it will). Don’t EVER ask me if it’s the only book you’ll ever need to buy. (Of course it’s not). Don’t EVER ask me why I charge what I charge for the knowledge in Magnetic Sponsoring or Traffic Formula. Don’t EVER whine or complain when a prospect rejects your weak phone call. Don’t EVER ask me if there’s a magic pill that will change your life. Why? BECAUSE IT’S JUST PLAIN INSULTING TO THOSE OF US WHO PAID THE PRICE.STOP MAKING EXCUSES AND DO THE SAME. Success is not the result of luck or an accident. Success is not fast.   Success is the culmination of countless failures and endless hour of study.But most of all… Success is worth the sacrifice.   If you’ve read this newsletter and understood it’s message, yet you still don’t own a copy of Magnetic Sponsoring, then get off my list. Seriously. You’re kidding yourself.             Go back to your JOB and come to peace with the fact that you’ll always be there. There’s no room for excuse makers in the Fraternity of Do’ers, and nothing I can ever teach you will bring the results you want until you get your head straight. How do you do that? Go read Psycho-Cybernetics. Read it over and over again until you fix your head. Kill your excuses and accept your greatness. Everything you need is already in you. “Walk The Line” just ended… I’m going to bed.   Sincerely, Mike Dillard P.S. Click Here To Get Your Copy Of Magnetic Sponsoring Today. You’ll learn how to create endless new leads and attract hundreds of new customers and distributors to you forever. That’s a promise which is why I’m giving you a full 3 months to review the course. If it isn’t worth 10 times the price, send it back for a full refund. Order now at: Magnetic Sponsoring Magnetic Sponsoring™ - The Step-By-Step, 54 page instruction guide on how this 26 year old waiter built a $250,000 business in 4 months from his bedroom. Click Here To Get your copy today! Debbie Biscieglia CEO, Elite Wealth Creators 888-366-3004 debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

Success in ANY business venture begins with YOU…!

The biggest variable to your success has absolutely nothing to do with the companies, their compensation plan, the literature, the audios and CD’s or even the product!

Your success is dictated entirely by you - and the choices that you make.

NOT your upline - NOT your company - NOT your product.

YOU!

The lessons for network marketing are here right now for the taking…

1) YOU are the essential ingredient in YOUR success and the success of others. Develop your knowledge and skills so as to make yourself a valuable commodity, a magnet if you will, to the future prosperity and success that will come to you from your efforts and spill over into the lives of others.

2) Don’t rush the money. Being in a hurry to make quick cash from a network organization will increase the risk of turning off the very people that have the collective capacity to create a monetary situation. Find a true mission and focus on that at least twice as much as you focus on money.

3) Real success takes a lasting commitment. Running or having a thriving network marketing organization requires you to think about what you want to accomplish two years out. Then think backwards from there to create an action plan. Remember that your plan must be realistic - are you willing and able to give and do what it will take to get there? If not don’t give up; instead modify your goal or plan.

Okay…let’s assume that you have been at this for a while and have done some or all of the following:

*Placed targeted ads for your business opportunity for FREE Online and in Print
*Tapped into FREE or low-cost Lead Capturing Systems
*Reached out and “touched” ALL of your family and friends: “Warm Market”
*Dialed for dollars: “Cold Market”
*Attended EVERY weekly business/opportunity/training meeting
*Gotten on EVERY business/opportunity/training call
*Handed out flyers and business cards
*Purchased marketing materials
*Hosted “events/parties” in your home
*Created a web presence through Blogs and Articles
*Downloaded EVERY FREE eBook about marketing
*Uploaded a video to YouTube
*Created a MySpace account
*Created a Yahoo! account
*Joined EVERY possible Social Network on the web (ad infinitum…)

…and now, PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO CALL YOU about your opportunity! But you aren’t signing up any prospects.

Here’s why: 90% of you have been taught to send these people to one or more of the following resources: (Listed in order of popularity).

* Your company’s replicated website
* A live or recorded conference call.
* A weekly Business/Opportunity meeting

First and foremost, understand this: 80% of your recruiting success comes in that first phone call, NOT through your marketing tools you send them. Why? Because most people buy into YOU, not your website or marketing material.

If you did the right things in the first interview:

•  positioned yourself as a leader AND expert
•  enabled your prospect to sell themselves on working with you

 getting them more info on your company is just a formality and sometimes completely unnecessary.

Yes, there are a lot of great Network Marketing and Direct Sales opportunities out there and most marketers know this, so they are not impressed by your company’s pay scale or opportunity.  Most are all very similar.

Qualified PROSPECTS and Experienced MARKETERS are looking for a LEADER!  Someone who can bring them to success and show them, not only how to market their products, but also how to find prospects to build their own down-line.

The question you need to ask yourself is: “How am I going to help my prospects build a business of their own?” You probably haven’t written your own course on network marketing that you can give them, so what you need to do is EDUCATE YOURSELF as much as you can, about marketing.

Read everything you can get your hands on!  Many of the top entrepreneurs spend THOUSANDS of dollars a year to educate and improve upon their skills. It is always worth it, because even if they only learn one thing, that “one thing” could make them millions over the course of their lifetime.

Once you begin to learn from the materials you are reading, you will be able to position yourself as a leader and an expert. You can then transmit your knowledge and expertise to your prospects and teach them how to grow their business successfully. You don’t need to master everything at once, but you do need to start to increase your knowledge and skill base, so that you can genuinely present yourself as an authoritative voice on the successful techniques for ANY business venture.

You can also contact your up-line to tap into their experience and see if they have any info, books, or CD’s you can use to train your team. Most of your up-line will want to help you build a team, because it, in turn, builds their team as well. Always remember that network marketing is all about building relationships through promoting yourself AND your team!

Think about it from the PROSPECT’S PERSPECTIVE. Would you want to join a single person, pitching their company’s product or opportunity like everyone else, or a sales team dedicated to helping members within the team build their down-line and become successful..?

Now, back to the first phone call. What should you say to a potential prospect? First of all, YOU NEED TO TAKE CONTROL. Get some confidence and approach the situation with this mindset: Be BOLD on the Outside, yet HUMBLE on the Inside.

YOU are the expert, the professional and the leader. THEY are calling you as an employee would, asking to be hired. They should be honored to be speaking with you and grateful that you are giving them your valuable time. Do this instead of being scared and letting the prospect ask you all the questions.  LEADERS are CONFIDENT and BOLD, not soft spoken pushovers.

The best thing to SAY to a potential prospect is that, “You and your team are looking for a friendly, ambitious (committed, driven, ethical  etc…) person who can help us recruit and train a sales force. When we find the right person we will help them build a business right under them, so they get commissions from sales and business building like the rest of our team.” Then ASK them “So, do you think you are interested in this, if we show you how to do it?”

See what this does? It positions your team as a big one with grand visions of success. That is what prospects are looking for.

It also makes your business exclusive, because THEY HAVE TO QUALIFY TO WORK WITH YOU.  You don’t want to waste your time on people who sign up and then quit in three months. You want network marketers in your organization who are serious about this BUSINESS. Make them qualify for your time and effort.

When they agree to join your organization, start teaching them how to become successful.  You will be surprised at the results.  Follow the above suggestions and you can become an expert and teach your prospects how to grow a massive organization!

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

7 Things You Can Do To Improve Your Online Marketing Presence

Increasingly, online marketing is a crucial part of any marketing plan. Executing the programs in your plan, however, is just as critical. For many, finding the time is difficult. To make progress, you must set time aside each day (or other regular time period) for marketing online. To that end, take a moment right now to block out time for online marketing over the next six months, beginning today.

Use that time today and over the next six months to execute Internet- based programs in your plan. No plan yet? No problem. You will, of course, want to finish your marketing plan so you can refine your activities, but you can begin improving your online presence today by doing one or more of the following ideas:

Volunteer for Online Interviews

Podcasts, Webcasts, blogs, RSS feeds and newsletters (ezines) are all venues for online interviews or discussions. You’ll want to approach publishers who regularly conduct interviews with guests of your caliber, so finding opportunities will take some research. Do this by searching general search engines (such as google.com) or directories. Some directories to get you started: podcast.net (podcasts), ezinehub.com (ezines), sydic8.com (RSS feeds/blogs)

Identify 10 Bloggers in Your Category

Then send them your product as a gift. The idea is to expose your product to influencers in your category by giving them an opportunity to try it free. If they like it, they may give it a mention in their blogs. Note that this is a subtle online marketing technique. The idea is NOT to advertise to them, ask a favor of them or ask them to blog about the product. Choosing to mention (or not mention) your product should be solely up to them.

Join an Online Network

Online social networks allow you to set up a profile page and interact with others who have your same professional interests. Each caters to a different type of audience, and there are do’s and don’ts, so you’ll want to read about a network before joining, read some of the profiles and learn a particular site’s rules before plunging in.

Draft a Press Release

First and foremost, the release must be something newsworthy to the media. Also, be sure to include a link to your Website or blog in the press release. Finally, distribute the release through an online press release service such as PRWeb.

Begin Surveying Your Website Visitors

Surveys can help you identify opportunities for improvement. Since online attention spans are very short, try asking a single two-part question such as Fred Reichhold’s Ultimate Question: “On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend __________.” Fill in the blank with your Website name (or other relevant product). To those who reply with a 6 or lower, ask why not. Most likely you will see a pattern in the comments that will point to ways of improving your Website. There are software packages to help you set up an online survey.

Put Your Product’s or Company’s Creation Story Online

Or work on conveying one or more of Patrick Hanlon’s 7 Primal Branding pieces online — creed, icons, rituals, sacred words, nonbelievers and leaders. According to Hanlon, these seven pieces form belief systems that inherently attract people who want to believe in a product. Those people form the communities that surround successful products and services.

Study Your 5 Closest Competitors’ Websites and Online Marketing Activities

Aside from gaining a better understanding of trends in your industry, you will also gain new insights into promotional strategies and tactics for your own business. As you research, brainstorm a list of ideas and use that list to plan a new online strategy or tactic for your own business.

There you have it - seven ideas for improving your online marketing presence. Choose one and get started today!

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

Blogging: In My Own Words…

There is an ever increasing amount of “shared” information on the Internet today that many bloggers, myself included, use to add “attractive” and relevant Search Engine, Spider friendly content to our blogs and social networking sites, in an effort to increase our associations and visitor traffic.  The ultimate purpose of these mediums for marketers, is to build relationships, for if we build relationships, those relationships will build our business.  Although visitor traffic is essential to our online ”presence” and the success of our ventures, it will only bring our future constituents onto our sites; it is we who must BE the reason they remain.

I do not like everyone; no one does, but it is my goal to love all.  At 48, I’m better than I was at 28, but still miles away…

Anyone who’s anyone in Network Marketing, Direct Sales and Entrepreneurial endeavours, knows the value of self development.  Most of us get this through reading inspirational, motivational and educational books, attending seminars, receiving direct guidance from our mentors, masterminding with our teammates and purchasing packaged personal development products (say that 5 times fast!). We then practice our communication and relationship skills through interactive venues and one-on-one contact. Blogging is one of the most personal means through which we grow and as we grow, we develop new skills and become the Leaders we seek. 

Attraction marketing is a powerful, genuine and generous way to build ANY business and easily positions you as an expert and leader. People come to you, because they like what they “see” and because you are offering something of value, such as an eBook, article or video course, oftentimes for free that provides a solution for their problems and/or answers their questions. They stay with you because they like who they’ve come to know.  And this type of marketing is also the most effective for the selection process; for no one likes everyone and despite your potential and that of your clients, if the personalities are not a match, forcing a relationship will only undermine both people.

I’m sure most of you reading this have heard the saying, “Knowledge is Key” and that it has been pointed to by some as the first element in building a successful business and relationship. But personal experience tells me that knowledge without wisdom, compassion and the understanding that not everyone is meant for everyone,  will only serve to bring about the least possible desired outcome for all concerned.  Knowledge, in and of itself is nowhere near enough.  My personal experience has also shown me that Awareness, not knowledge is the true key, for it unlocks the hidden potential within me. With this awareness, I can proceed in the process of gathering the necessary knowledge to develop the essential skills that bring about success in an intelligent, awake and aligned manner.

Here then, is my first of many personal “blog” entries, which will give you, the reader, a good “look-see” into me.  And if you are so inclined, start the journey of our association, whatever form that may take…

But remember, relationships of any kind are a two-way street and what’s good for the “goose” must also be good for the “gander” …

Until next time:

May your mornings bring joy
and your evenings bring peace…
May your troubles grow less,
as your blessings increase!

And…

May those that love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if s/he doesn’t turn their hearts,
May s/he turn their ankles,
So we’ll know them by their limping.

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

Ultimate Leadership of the Self…

 

Leadership is the process of transforming deep personal energies - internal drivers - into extraordinary interpersonal results. The person who recognizes, accesses, and develops those drivers will first be wholly empowered and fulfilled on the personal level and then, and only then, profoundly effective as a leader of people in today’s high velocity, highly complex and interconnected world.

David M. Traversi Bestselling Author, Speaker, and Executive Coach

“I just read Eugene O’Kelly’s Chasing Daylight: How My Forthcoming Death Transformed My Life. O’Kelly was the U.S. head of KPMG, one of the Big 4 accounting firms. In May 2005, at the age of 53, he was told he had incurable brain cancer and three to six months to live. He died just over three months later. His book describes those last 100 days. It’s inspirational as a guide to dying. It’s more compelling as a guide to living, which is what he intended. Not surprisingly, at least not to me after a lot of years studying and working on my own presence, O’Kelly concludes that immersion in and appreciation of the present moment is the key to a more balanced, meaningful, and contented life. This is a great follow-up to Ekhart Tolle’s Power of Now. Tolle describes all the philosophical dimensions of presence, and O’Kelly drives it home with a poignant, intimate real-life account that can’t help but inspire us to seek what he calls “Perfect Moments”, one after the other, forever.”

*Posted by David Traversi at 10:31 pm December 25, 2007*

 

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

Overcoming Debt - The Way To Solvency

 

Personal Debt is Skyrocketing

With the exception of a small rise in middle-class wages in the late 1990s, real wages have simply not kept pace with inflation. In fact, the median income of average households has fallen steadily for five years in a row. Despite these facts, consumption continues to increase. How can this be? The answer, unfortunately, is that people are incurring an increasing amount of personal debt. We’re talking here about the 95% of us who are not wealthy, who are not saving enough for retirement, and who are bombarded constantly to buy, buy, buy.  Now they are screaming “recession”.  What will that mean to you?

It’s true that the nation’s economy is growing—how many times have you heard politicians point that out, while you wonder why you’re still so far in debt? What they fail to mention is that the economic expansion is largely the result of people overextending themselves, using credit to buy such necessities as food and clothing, and even taking cash advances on credit cards to pay mortgage payments. A Federal Reserve study showed that 43% of US families spend more than they earn. The only way to do that is to use credit. And it’s pretty obvious that if you use credit to spend more than you earn, you are going to be in debt.

The credit card industry collected 43 billion dollars in late-payment, over-limit, and balance-transfer fees in 2004. The major advertising ploy used by all the credit card companies sounds like a scene out of Brave New World—“You like it. You deserve it. Buy it.” It’s easy to fall into their supposedly people-friendly trap. But the truth is, they exist for one reason only, and that is to make money from you.

“Uh-oh, the mail is here.”

With the typical American family now owing $19,000 on non-mortgage debts, it’s no wonder that mail deliveries have become something to dread. Which bill is due or overdue? How much are the finance charges on credit card A, B, C, D…and on and on. (The average family has 13 credit, debit and store cards.) Sandwiched between the bills are offers from other credit card companies—or even the same ones you’ve already got. “Transfer your balances! No interest for six months!” Many people go this route as a way out. It can buy you some time, but it doesn’t work forever. The proverbial piper must eventually be paid—and when that time comes, it will be worse than ever.

“But I always make the minimum payment!”

Making just the minimum payments on your credit cards will keep your credit picture in focus as far as the credit reporting agencies are concerned. “Pays required amount. Pays on time.” Sounds good, doesn’t it?

Actually, you’d be playing right into the hands of your creditors. The less you pay on your balance, the more interest they make. Let’s say you have a balance of $6000 on a credit card and you STOP using it today. If your interest rate is 17.5%, a pretty average percentage, and you pay the minimum payment of $90 every month, it will take you almost 20 years to pay off the balance. You will have paid $21,240 on that $6000 balance. They made $15,240 in interest—and maybe additional amounts in annual fees.

Think about what you could do with $15,240! Wouldn’t you rather be tucking that money into an IRA or a college fund?

Medical Expenses Are Enough to Make You Sick
A 2006 study conducted by the Center for American Progress showed that most older Americans who find themselves in debt do so because of the high cost of healthcare and prescription medications. In fact, anyone of any age with a serious illness or debilitating injuries suffered by any family member can soon find themselves in deep financial trouble. Even if you have health insurance, there are deductibles, co-pays, supplies and drugs that aren’t covered. With today’s astronomical healthcare costs, a policy’s maximum lifetime payout can be reached with alarming speed. When they stop paying, and care is still needed, where do you turn? A medical emergency can be devastating to any but the wealthy.

When Keeping Up With the Joneses Is a Bad Idea
In recent years, low mortgage rates and steadily rising real estate costs made home ownership seem like an excellent investment. While that is still true, some people find themselves in trouble now if they financed their home with an A.R.M. (adjustable rate mortgage) or an interest-only loan. When the federal reserve began raising interest rates, ARMs started resetting, increasing mortgage payments by as much as 25%. If you took an interest-only loan to buy a dream house just before the housing bubble burst, prepare yourself for disaster. With prices declining, there’s a high possibility that if you can’t make your payments, you will have to sell the home for less than you owe—maybe a lot less.

“Wait! There must be a way out.”

You could take an equity loan on your house—assuming you have enough equity to make it worthwhile, and that you can handle the equity loan payoff. Although you could try a credit counseling agency, and IRS inquiry in May, 2006, revealed that the 41 so-called credit counselors they examined were of virtually no benefit to consumers. Investigations into other agencies are on-going.

“I can always go bankrupt.”

Recent changes in federal bankruptcy law have made the procedure so expensive that people in dire financial straits cannot even afford the filing fees. While people often think that declaring bankruptcy means you can toss out your bills and just pay cash until your credit rating improves, the new laws demand a payback percentage to creditors. Credit counseling is now mandatory, although the chances are you will find yourself paying a bogus “credit counselor” for nothing more than a checkmark on your bankruptcy record that you’ve completed the counseling.

”Is There a Reasonable Solution?”

Yes. Think about it. If you need more money to pay your debts, then you simply need to make more money. This doesn’t mean you need to go out and search for a new job in a crazy job market. It simply means that you need another income source to add to those you already have.

Ideally, you need to find a way to bring in extra income without undue stress on yourself and your family. You should still have some down time for relaxation. If this sounds impossible, there is good news: It can be done. Thousands of other people have already proven it.

If you’re determined to get out of debt, a home-based business is a viable method for generating a genuine second income. It’s a far cry from working for peanuts at a night job in a retail store, warehouse, or fast-food joint. You’ll save money on commute time and gas, and the only equipment you’ll need is a computer and a telephone.

Your first goal will probably be to heave a huge sigh of relief as you realize your balances are declining and you’re getting ahead. Like many others, you may discover that you were always cut out for running your own business and increasing your personal wealth more every day. Your second job could become so rewarding that you will decide to make it your only job. Imagine working from the comfort of your home, interacting with people who started out just like you and are now making fortunes.

The way to financial solvency—even wealth— is open now.

If you’re ready to pop that steadily swelling debt balloon—ready to shape your future the way you’ve dreamed it could be—you can begin right now.

We can help you get out of debt and into profit.
The choice is yours.

Call me today and find out if this homes based business is one that will fit your life. 1-888-366-3004

Get all the facts in a LIVE business overview every Sunday through Thursday night at 9:00pm EST.  Get the webinar information  HERE  Dial in for audio at 1-507-726-3337  Pin: 32345#

I look forward to seeing you there and helping you achieve a great financial future.

Your Elite Wealth Coach in Success,

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com

 

What Job Security…?

Dear Friend,

As our economy becomes more and more global, the employment outlook grows more unstable for US workers. Is there anything you can do about it?

Let’s face it, most of us need the assurance of a steady paycheck to sleep at night. Being able to rely on present and future income means not only that the bills are going to be paid, but that you can make major purchases, like houses and cars, without worrying that you’ll lose them along with your job. 

Unfortunately, job security, once taken for granted by most working Americans, is quickly being relegated to the memory boxes of an older generation, along with 40-year anniversary gold watches and other appreciation gifts for longevity.

It used to be that once you attained a fair amount of seniority, you could rest assured that if the company cut jobs, yours wouldn’t be one of them. Now long-term workers get nervous when there are rumblings of downsizing and outsourcing. They are generally paid more than younger workers, and instead of valuing them for their experience, companies crunch the numbers and figure out how much they can save in salary, health insurance costs, and pension funding if they follow a “first in, first out” policy.

The most fortunate workers are lured into early retirement programs; the least fortunate are simply given their notice. While official unemployment figures don’t reflect it, countless people have been forced out of decent-paying jobs into low-paying ones. Sure, the government counts them as “employed.” But most view their jobs as stop-gap measures, a way to barely get by while they remain hopeful that one day they’ll find another job as good as the one they left.

Instead, the chances are they’ll move from one low-pay job to another. The manufacturing jobs that formed the basis of the Fabulous 50s economy have moved elsewhere. Former areas of thriving steel plants and automobile factories are now referred to as “the rust belt.” The auto industry alone announced over 90,000 job cuts in 2006. Most of these were “good union jobs” with enviable pay and benefits. But union jobs have been steadily declining. In 1945, nearly a third of Americans held union jobs. Today only 12% of workers belong to unions. As their numbers have shrunk, so has unions’ ability to negotiate favorable contracts for their members.

White collar workers are hardly immune. In 2006, Ford announced it was offering “voluntary buyouts” to 10,000 salaried workers, including high-level executives. Those who took the buyouts explained they thought it was better than being laid off, which they assumed would happen next. Workers were offered the services of “outplacement agencies”-employment agencies that try to find new jobs for displaced workers. But in towns that depend heavily on one industry that is downsizing, it’s more likely that laid-off employees will have to sell their houses (in a real estate market that has also taken a price downturn) and move to some other part of the country.

In 2002, the technology sector dumped 150,000 software jobs. In 2006, computer chip maker Intel announced job cuts of over 10,000. Students were told that their best bet for the future was information technology. They worked hard for technology degrees, earned millions for their employers, and then found themselves with nowhere to go-because their jobs were moving to India, China and Russia.

Another relatively new obstacle to job security is the practice of “offshore outsourcing.” We all know how it works: Someone in India or Mexico does your job for 15% of what you were paid. More and more, outsourcing is affecting any job classification that does not depend strictly on a US or Canadian location. For example, if you’re a waitress, grocery clerk, or store manager, you can’t very well be outsourced. US factory workers were the first to be hit hard by the “giant sucking sound” of their jobs moving to other countries, but now software developers, engineers, journalists, and other professionals are facing the same fate.

Of course, the reason is the bottom line. Companies are in business to make a profit. Creating secure jobs for their employees is not their concern. Scaling back on labor costs is the number one way to increase profit margins, whether through outsourcing, not replacing employees who quit or are fired, paying workers less, or using non-union, lower paid, or part time workers here. The country’s major employers are huge multi-national companies. Playing musical chairs with jobs among different countries is as simple for them as the children’s game.

It isn’t pleasant to think about. It’s certainly easier to just assume that your job and your paycheck will always be there for you. But denial of a problem will not make it go away or solve it, and some day you may wish you had thought to create a backup plan for maintaining your income without relying on your current job.

At this point, you are probably asking yourself, “What can I do to be financially secure?”

As grim as the employment picture looks, there is still a way to provide an income for yourself that you control. Being your own boss means no one can lay you off or cut your hours and benefits. It’s up to you to take control of your future income and your future security.

Fortunately, there is an exciting home business opportunity that offers you a way to create a safety net of security and financial success that no one can pull out from under you.

It may be tempting to believe that your good job will last, or to believe that even though you’re not happy with your current job, there’s a good one waiting down the road. Just remember that while the unemployment figures look good, the jobs America is losing are being replaced by a whole new category known as “service industry” jobs. These are low-paying jobs in retail or customer service. Hourly workers are almost never allowed to work overtime, while those on salaries fill in the gaps without any overtime pay. The unfortunate truth is that you have to look out for number one, because you cannot rely on any company to put you or any other employee first.

Your first step toward security should be to obtain information about starting your own home based business.

The beauty of a home-based business is that you need only Internet access and a telephone to build a thriving business. Our team of skilled professionals will train you and show you the secrets of their success. Incredibly, the capacity to change your uncertain future lies in your own hands. We have the stength of the most innovative, progressive products in Personal Development in the marketplace today.  We are now seen as the heavy-weights in this arena and there has never been a been time to take advantage of a home business opportunity.

Instead of worrying about how you’ll pay the bills if you get the surprise pink slip, take the first step today toward protecting your financial future. If you are ready to find out how you can begin to create a considerable income right away -an income that will continue to provide for you and your family–then you have arrived at the right place.

 

Simply Call me and I will provide you additional information, and you can begin looking forward to the security and success you deserve.

 

Debbie Biscieglia

CEO, Elite Wealth Creators

888-366-3004

debbie@elitewealthcreators.com