Wow!! Where did the year go? Just a few days and it will be the start of another new year.

January has always been a time of new beginnings for my business. I don’t mean jumping into another company. I’m talking about looking at where you have been and making any changes necessary to keep moving forward. Make a business plan for the next year.

January, 14 years ago, I started with my current network marketing company. 13 years ago, also in January, I started writing my first newsletter. I still publish that newsletter to this day. It is the core of my business.

It’s that time of year again. A few days away from January 2011. Time to reassess business and make a plan for 2011. This year also has new things in store. I have a new Ebook coming out on “Emotional Freedom Technique for Network Marketers,” I also have a new email newsletter coming out in January. I am still thinking of a name for the newsletter but I am leaning toward, Esteem Power. It will be centered around building your self esteem and confidence with EFT and other related tools.

There will also be many new things in store for all who are involved with Home and Small Business Network. If you haven’t checked into Home and Small Business Network yet, I really encourage you to do so. The site will be unveiling more and more tools and training for business owners. Not only home business owners but any kind of business.

“Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you ready or not, to put this plan into action.” — Napoleon Hill

That is one of many great quotes from Napoleon Hill. If you haven’t read his book “Think and Grow Rich” I highly recommend you add that to your list of books to read in 2011. It’s a book that should be read multiple times.

A Few Ideas For Making A Plan for 2011

Evaluate the Past
First look at the past year or even several years but especially the past year. What have you accomplished already? What has worked and what has not?

Make a list of things that went well and some things that didn’t work out so well.

Spend a little time reflecting on the good things that happened. How could you expand on those in the new year. Make a few notes on things that you would like to expand on. Look at the things that didn’t work out so well. Are there things you should eliminate or can adjustments be made to make those things work out better?

Make A Plan for 2011
Now that you have analyzed the previous year, what will you do with 2011? Decide what you want to accomplish this year. What kind of training and personal development will you include in your plan?

What will you do to increase your business? How will you improve on your marketing skills and what will you do to implement. Think about where you want to be at the end of 2011. Write that down. Then make a list of all the things you plan to do to get there.

Writing all of this down is very important. It helps you have a direction for the year. Keep a copy of both the analyzing of the previous year and the plan for next year. It is really empowering to look back at the things you have accomplished in the past and how far you have come, especially when you have the notes for several years. You can see your growth over the years which is such a confidence booster.

There is a quote: “He who fails to plan, plans to fail.” I don’t know who said it but it is true. Start thinking about your plan for the next year. Spend a little time with it and and enjoy the pricess.

Leave a comment and share your ideas for 2011.

Wishing you an Abundantly Successful 2011,

There are a couple reasons why you may want to set up friends lists on Facebook. One is the obvious reason, you want to send a message to a certain group of people.

Another good reason is so you don’t miss posts from your favorite people. I was tired of missing posts from some of my favorites. I kept hearing people talking about things that I had missed. I decided to set up a “Don’t Miss it” list on Facebook. Now I don’t miss posts from my favorite people.

Check out my video on How to Set Up a Friends List on Facebook.

“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.

I have been thinking about passion in relation to business. It is really important that you have passion for what you do. If you don’t, you will find it difficult to achieve success.

In the beginning, when you first get involved with a network marketing business, there is an excitement. You see the possibilities and you feel a new sense of energy. After a while that new excitement wears off. Usually this excitement has worn off before you really get a chance to build your business up to a point where you see any real income.

This is the point where most network marketers jump ship to another program and another shot of new exciting energy.

But what if . . .

What if you stick it out and keep building your business.

What if you keep focusing on what you intend to build.

What if you keep learning and developing your skills and you get better and more comfortable as a business person.

What if that initial excitement grew into a deep passion for the network marketing industry as a whole and helping other people learn how to build their own successful business.

That is what happens to network marketers who stick with it and work on their skills.

It’s no secret that the most successful people love what they do. Once you find real passion for what you are doing, that energy begins to radiate from you in everything you do. You become like a light in a dark room. The people who need what you have will be drawn to you and you will be there to help them.

Your business can be compared to a marriage. Yes, that initial excitement of the brand new relationship is gone but it is replaced with another kind of energy. An energy of love, caring and building something that will take you far into the future.

Before you spend money on network marketing or business opportunity leads, watch my video. Over the years I have had my eyes opened up about how many leads companies are nothing more than crooks.

Hey, if you want to try out MyLeadSystemPro, you can take a 14 day trial. I’m sure you will be as impressed as I am. With 16 years in the network marketing industry, I have seen a lot and very little impresses me.

I’ve been noticing a growing trend lately. Every day I get 3 or 4 phone calls from people pitching their network marketing business using an autodialer. Most of these phone calls come from the same area code.

For any of you who haven’t heard of autodialers, it’s the automated sending a prerecorded message to the phone numbers on a list.

A while back I checked into some of these autodialer companies when I learned an upline and a couple of my downline were using this technique to promote their business. They claim the leads are all phone numbers of people who requested information on business opportunities.

These guys are selling people a line of crap. I know for a fact I NEVER requested info on any business opportunity or any tools for building my business. I have been in my primary company for over 13 years. I am not someone who is looking for a business, nor am I looking for a way to increase my weekly sponsoring. That is something I know and teach already, and it does NOT include the methods these guys are using.

Just based on the sheer numbers of these guys calling me DAILY, I know they are a bunch of liars. They are selling leads that are not leads at all. They probably went online and got a bunch of known network marketers and are passing them off as leads.

I don’t recommend using autodialers to promote your business. I know it may seem like a good idea if you are someone who feels shy about contacting people about your business.

Besides the fact that the leads are not true leads . . .

Here are a few more reasons this is a bad idea:

- The key to success is building good relationships with people.

- Getting a pre-recorded sales pitch is highly annoying and makes most people angry. Actually it’s despised by 90% of your prospects.

- Angry people hang up. How is that for building good business relationships?

- It is actually illegal as of September 2009.

Here’s another thing to consider . . .

I have been screening the calls from the most notorious area code so I can let my voicemail pick up and get a few on recording for coaching on good vs bad marketing ideas. I was planning to play back some of the silly ones but I have had a dickens of a time recording one of these calls. The voice mail almost ALWAYS captures the very end of the recorded message. Basically it’s press 9 for more info or whatever. Well that was a waste of someone’s money!

This type of marketing is so unnecessary. There are lots of ways to build your business, even if you are shy about approaching people. I have been building my network marketing business for over 13 years. I am the QUEEN of Getting People to CALL ME. This is the technique I teach my downline.

I have done cold calling in the early days. That was how I started because that is what I was told to do. I bought leads and I called them up. I HATED IT!

I decided, If I hate this so much, how can I expect my downline to want to do this. I knew there had to be a better way and I set out trying different ways to promote my business. Then I taught my downline the ways that worked for me. Those that applied the things they learned have successful growing businesses. Several are enjoying a lifestyle of freedom that comes from being a full time network marketer.

If you are thinking about using autodialers, be careful. Here are a few things you should check out:

FTC: New Rules For Robocalls: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/phonefraud/robocalls.shtml

Judge Freezes Assets, Stops Operations of Robocall Company: http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=e5b4a6fc-c98c-482b-b862-bd982be56d60

FTC: Robocallers To Pay Over $655,000 and Sell Assets For Consumer Redress: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/03/voicetouch.shtm

FTC: Court Halts Massive Robocall Operation: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2010/06/asiapacific.shtm