“Those who want milk don’t just sit in a field and wait for a cow to back up to them.” – Author Unknown

That is my all time favorite quote. I first heard it over 12 years ago on a conference call. It cracked me up back then and it still makes me smile. The illustration is so ridiculous yet so appropriate.

If you want milk you have to do something to get it. Action is required. These days you can go to the store so its pretty easy.

Sadly many people approach their business as though they were sitting in a field waiting for something to happen. I guess they are hoping osmosis will kick in and things will just happen.

They start their network marketing business with a glimmer in their eye. “One day I’ll retire from the drudgery of a job,” or “I will earn a thousand or so to supplement my income”, or “I’ll earn enough to cover a car payment.”

Remember that feeling? You learned about how network marketing worked and bought into the dream. The problem is, far too many sign up as distributors but they don’t take any action. They just wait for something to happen.

Network marketing is a business that you can fulfill your dreams. You can open up unimaginable freedom and lifestyle changes but . . .

. . . one thing is required. Well, actually a few things are required but they all require ACTION!!

Here are 3 ways to help keep yourself motivated for action:

• 1. Know Your WHY -This is really important. Recently I heard someone say your why should be big enough to make you cry. Mine sure did. Even still I can get choked up when I tell my story of how I got started. It needs to be emotional and inspiring. Although others will benefit from your cause, it has to be about you.
  

  
  Example: My why was freedom: emotionally, financially and freedom from health problems – I was financially in trouble and I was suffering from suicidal depression. At that time I was exposed to medicinal grade essential oils. My sponsor, who knew I was in bad shape brought some oils over for me to try. Within minutes of trying an oil blend, I was lifted out of that depression to such a point that I was giggling and dancing around the house. My son came home, not knowing what had happened, asked if I was “On something.” That was life changing for me.
  

  
  Having been in network marketing already but not feeling a good fit, I realized this was the company for me. This could, not only help my husband’s health issues, but also the financial mess we were in. We live in the poorest county in Ohio, my husband had lost his job of over 20 years. He had serious health issues and had been in the hospital. We were in a desperate situation. Being over 40, it was difficult for Mark to find a decent job so we both ended up doing all kinds of things but not making ends meet.
  

  
  Freedom from all that mess was my HUGE WHY!

• 2. Focus Daily on your WHY – When you are doing that, make sure you think deeply for a few minutes and let yourself access the emotion under it. This is VERY important. You’ll find motivation if you focus on this why EVERY SINGLE DAY. Start your day with it so you set the tone for the day.
• 3. Take Daily Action – Read books, listen to audios and conference calls, work on personal development, use at least 3-5 ways to promote your business, etc. Learn what you need to do and do something daily.

Even if you take small steps in the beginning, keep stepping forward and making progress. Visualize, set goals, work on personal development, learn to be a good marketer and leader. Stick to it and have a DMO – Daily Method of Operation.



If you stick to it and keep taking action, you won’t regret it.




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“Do not wait; the time will never be “just right.” Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” — Napoleon Hill

Procrastination is a problem for many network marketers.
The days are ticking by one after another. Now that the economy is bad, you have all the more reason to get to work on your business.

Oh, by the way. Times of bad economy are ideal times to build a network marketing business. People are looking for ways to supplement their income!!! I am actually having record sales volume. I hit a new record in the size of my monthly check from my primary company. I attribute that partly to the bad economy and partly to my association with a powerful master mind group called Million Mind March.

Please don’t let procrastination cause you to miss out on this opportune time to build a successful network marketing business.

Every day that you don’t do some work on your business, self improvement and training are putting you one step further away from your goals.

Have you noticed how fast time flies by? I am amazed that 13 years have passed since I started with my primary company. I am ever thankful that I kept moving forward in my business and not only do I but several family members and others in my downline also experience the freedom of network marketing.

I realize I am a bit of an odd duck. I tend to procrastinate on doing non business things. Almost every morning my husband asks me if I plan to take any time to play a game today. I always say, “Yes. I plan to do that.” That’s one area I procrastinate. I rarely get around to game playing. For me, working on my business is more fun than any game I could play. I also procrastinate exercising which is something I need to be more focused on.

Tips to help with Procrastination:

1. Know WHY you are building this business and think about it every day. Then decide what you will do TODAY that will take you one step closer to your goal.



2. Make a list of the IMPORTANT things you want to accomplish today. I also have a tomorrow list that I start in the afternoon for the next day’s activities.



Some of the things on your list need to be things that will actually cause you to increase income – Getting people to your web site, putting marketing materials out, talking to prospects, etc.



3. Prioritize your list. Decide which things are most important on the list. Do those first. If you have something unpleasant to do, I recommend to get that over with first or early in the day. Everything else will be a breeze.



4. Big jobs can be broken down into parts. Part of your daily routine should be reading success books and training. I have several books I am in the process of reading. I read a bit from each every day. Even 15 minutes a day reading will be a positive step forward.



5. Make a plan and take action. Decide how much time you will spend each week on your business. Then plan what you will do during that time.

I recommend at a minimum of talking to at least two new prospects every day… that is 60 a month. If you recruit just 10%, you will have 6 new recruits personally sponsored every month.

You will never be perfect. You don’t have to get it perfect, you just have to get it going.

“Doing business without advertising is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you are doing, but nobody else does.” – Steuart Henderson Britt

Recently I heard that over 80% of the people involved in network marketing today don’t EVER promote their business. They don’t talk to a single prospect, place a single ad or take even the smallest step beyond joining their company.

I was a little stunned at that percentage but when you think about it, that is probably pretty accurate. In over 15 years in network marketing I have seen many distributors come and go. The majority of those who went, have never really began building their business. They never even let anyone know they had a business.

In any kind of business, but especially network marketing, you need to let people know you have a business.

Advertising in a variety of ways is important but today I want you to think about your warm market. Usually when you begin reading your company’s distributor manual or introductory training you are taught to “make a list of 100 people” you will share information about your business or products. I must admit, I was totally turned off by the idea of approaching my friends and family that way so I used a different approach. I let them know I had started a business. I used products in front of them and dropped little one liners to get them to ask questions.

With the economy the way it is I recommend hitting the reset button and rethink your warm market. Many of them could benefit from supplemental income. Rather than approach everyone directly with your business opportunity, try approaching it from a different direction.

Here is an example:
You approach Aunt Mary and say, “Mary, would you be willing to do me a favor?” Mary says yes. “Aunt Mary, you know I have a home business. Well, besides the great products, I also teach people ways they can supplement their income in times of bad economy. Would you be willing to take these flyers and share them with anyone you may hear of that is looking for a way to supplement their income?”

Mary will likely be willing to share your flyers. You never know, she may be one who is needing extra income herself.

You may find an Aunt Mary who will turn into a great lead generator for you. I learned from experience. I had a relative who said she “would not sell products” but she was willing to share my flyers and business cards.

Oh, by the way, you never know where that will lead. That person who said she would never sell products is my sister Melissa. She eventually realized she could be earning money too by doing what she already did to help me. Melissa is now supported by her own network marketing business and is one of our company leaders who teaches this technique to her downline.

Approaching your friends and family this way removes the pressure from both of you. Your family member doesn’t feel like you are pressuring them and you don’t feel that negative feeling that you are putting them on the spot. PLUS, they are usually willing to help you get the word out.

I also like to use this technique for people I meet who are not family. Asking them if they know of anyone who could be helped by extra income removes a lot of pressure and makes it easier to initiate a conversation.

I like to use mini flyers that are postcard size for handing to people. Put a web site address to direct people to so they can get more information. I also recommend having a newsletter they can subscribe to. If you have a blog, make sure you are making it easy for people to subscribe to your rss feed.

I have been re-reading some of the books I read in the early days of my network marketing career. This morning I was reading the The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason.

The Richest Man in Babylon is one of my recommended reading books. This book has wisdom that applies to life, money and our network marketing business.

In the chapter, “Meet the Goddess of Good Luck,” the richest man is telling a group of men where real luck lies. Not in gambling tables or betting on horses but in real opportunity. He asks a man to tell of a time when real opportunity was within his grasp but he failed to grasp it.

The young man explains about the opportunity that came before him and how he shared the idea with his father. His father tells him to hurry because opportunity can slip away.

Enter the scene at the point where his father tells him to hurry. Read the paragraphs below and think about how it applies to our business opportunity.

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‘Thou, my son,’ bespoke my father unto me, ‘art now in thy young manhood. It is my deep desire that thou begin the building of a valuable estate for myself that thou mayest become respected among men. I desire to see thou profit from a knowledge of the thoughtless mistakes of thy father.’ ” ‘

This do I most ardently desire, my father,’ I replied.

” ‘Then, this do I advise. Do what I should have done at thy age. From thy earnings keep out one-tenth to put into favorable investments. With this one-tenth of thy earnings and what it will also earn, thou canst, before thou art my age, accumulate for thyself a valuable estate.

‘ ” ‘Thy words are words of wisdom, my father. Greatly do I desire riches. Yet there are many uses to which my earnings are called. Therefore, do I hesitate to do as thou dost advise. I am young. There is plenty of time.’

” ‘So I thought at thy age, yet behold, many years have passed and I have not yet made the beginning.’

” ‘We live in a different age, my father. I shall avoid thy mistakes.’

” ‘Opportunity stands before thee, my son. It is offering a chance that may lead to wealth. I beg of thee, do not delay. Go upon the morrow to the son of my friend and bargain with him to pay ten percent of thy earnings into this investment. Go promptly upon the morrow. Opportunity waits for no man. Today it is here; soon it is gone. Therefore, delay not!’

“In spite of the advice of my father, I did hesitate. There were beautiful new robes just brought by the tradesmen from the East, robes of such richness and beauty my good wife and I felt we must each possess one. Should I agree to pay one-tenth of my earnings into the enterprise, we must deprive ourselves of these and other pleasures we dearly desired. I delayed making a decision until it was too late, much to my subsequent regret. The enterprise did prove to be more profitable than any man had prophesied. This is my tale, showing how I did permit good luck to escape.”

“In this tale we see how good luck waits to come to that man who accepts opportunity,” commented a swarthy man of the desert. “To the building of an estate there must always be the beginning. That start may be a few pieces of gold or silver which a man diverts from his earnings to his first investment. I, myself, am the owner of many herds. The start of my herds I did begin when I was a mere boy and did purchase with one piece of silver a young calf. This, being the beginning of my wealth, was of great importance to me.

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That is such a good story. It applies to what we are intending to build.

Whatever network marketing company we are involved with, we have the same opportunity to either create something that will provide financial freedom, or we can be like this man who delayed and let opportunity slip through his fingers.

As he was buying robes, someone else grabbed the opportunity and built great wealth.

“Do not wait; the time will never be “just right.” Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.” — Napoleon Hill

We have opportunity at our fingertips too. We are in a network opportunity where many have built great wealth, investing time, effort and money to build and advertise their business. Many have signed up for a network marketing opportunity but haven’t started building their business yet.

Will you grasp your opportunity or will you let it slip away? It’s entirely up to you.

There are four areas where you need to build belief:

• Network Marketing or MLM Industry
• Your Company & Your Products
• Yourself and Your Ability to Achieve Your Goals
• Your dreams

If you don’t have strong belief in these areas, you will not be able to succeed in your business.

Watch the video on building a strong belief.

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below.

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Wishing you Abundant Success,

Melodie Kantner

Who is responsible for your success? That’s the million dollar question that the majority of network marketers have the wrong answer to.

 

Some think success depends on the company – The company screwed up their product order or the compensation plan isn’t paying enough,  Or XYZ company has a antioxidant juice with a higher ORAC score, so they are on to another company in the never ending quest for success.

 

Some think success depends on their upline – Many times distributors have wanted to switch to my downline because their upline wasn’t helping. Occasionally I get phone calls of people interviewing me to be their possible sponsor. One woman asked me what I was going to do for her and insisted that I place people under her. Ha Ha Ha! I told her I place distributors under people who prove themselves worthy. She hung up.

 

People that want success handed to them will never experience success and the freedom that this business can bring.

 

So, What’s the Secret to Success? Baby It’s YOU!!!

 

You are responsible for your own success the same way I am responsible for my success. It doesn’t mater what company or product you sell or if you have a crummy upline or a really supportive upline, your success depends on YOU.

 

There is always a learning curve in any business. I have been in this industry for 14 years and I am STILL learning.

 

What amazes me is the way some distributors get into a company and act like, “I’m here! Where’s the MONEY?” Nobody actually says it that way but that’s the impression they give off. It’s like they are expecting the business to grow itself by osmosis.

 

YOU must learn the business. Learn about the company, its products and compensation plan. You need to get plugged into your upline’s system of supporting distributors. Subscribe to their newsletters. I have 3 newsletters for my primary company. One is for educating and prospecting toward product users. The other two newsletters are for my downline only. One is for customers and the other is for business builders. A serious professional business person will be subscribed to all three. Not only that, they will track upline and request to be subscribed to ALL support systems in their upline. 

 

YOU must learn prospecting and business building techniques. There are lots of people who have been successful in the business. Learn from them. Read books, subscribe to newsletters, listen to audios.

 

YOU must apply things you learn on a DAILY basis. Practice Practice Practice and get better at building your business.

 

YOU must persist.  Never Never Never give up.

 

My all time favorite quote: “Those who want milk don’t just sit in a field and wait for a cow to back up to them.
 

Success is within your grasp. Will you grab hold of it?

 

To Your Abundant Success,

Melodie Kantner