It is easier to make a lot of money than it is to make a little money

Think about it. When I worked as a cook I made ok money. I worked really hard for it. The chef made better money and he did not work as hard as I did. When I was a chef I made more money, and that was not as much as the general manager made and he didn’t work as hard as I did. As I continued to move up the corporate ladder it became easier and easier to make more money. When I made less money it was a lot harder work than it was to make a lot of money.It is easier to make a whole lot of money than it is to make a little money is true in network marketing too.

A principle is a law or a system that works no matter what it is applied to. The principle “it is easier to make a lot of money than it is to make a little bit of money” is true for everything it is applied to. Let’s look at your business. When you do one show per month, every time you do a show, it takes a lot of effort. Maybe it takes the whole afternoon to get the guest folders and host packets ready. You have to pack your kit, and load the car. Then at the show itself, when you only do one show per month, you feel off balance, you can’t remember what to say, forget to do the prize drawing and feel uncomfortable and your sales are only $400 or so and you do not schedule any shows for the future. Since you are not scheduling shows at your shows, you have to spend half of Saturday on the phone looking for your show for next month. You worked really hard for your small commission of about $100.

The same sales rep could do 10 shows per month. The bags are always packed. The host packs and guest folders are always in place and ready to go. It is easy to go in and out of every show. Your routine at the show is easier too. You say the right words, and become better at selling, scheduling, finding interested sales reps and sales are easy. The show average goes up to an easy $700 and now the same consultant is making $175 for the same amount of time invested per show. Possibly even less time is invested per show because of the routine and the principle that it is easier to make a lot of money than it is to make a little. You are a better scheduler so you do not have to work Saturday to fill your calendar because you always schedule more than one show per show!

Double Your Income

Did you know that home party consultants who do 6 shows per month make twice as much money than those who do 4 shows per month. It is true! Sales consultants who work consistently at the higher level become better schedulers and better presenters. They also share the opportunity more regularly. Therefore they make more money with less effort. The Create A Cash Flow Show program teaches direct sales professionals how to create a consistent year round income through the application of systems that work to generate cash flow with less effort. A show schedule of 6-8 shows per month takes effort to put in place and once your schedule is in place it is easier to keep it rolling. Incorporating systems into your business will make it easier to make more money than it is to make less money.

Principles Apply To Everything

Systems are principles that apply to businesses. Like the law of gravity, a business principle is applied equally to all businesses. There are no exceptions to the law of gravity and there are no exceptions to business principles. A system or principle that is applied to one business and achieves the desired results, will receive the same results when applied to equally to another business. When one consultant has a best-business-practice that works for one home party business, such as a system of host coaching, then when other sales reps use the same system, they will get the same results.

The principle that it is easier to make more money than it is to make less money applies to everyone. Use the experience of others and the systems or principles which they develop to leverage your business to higher levels. You too will find it easier to make more money than it is to make less money when you apply proven systems to your business. BUY CACFS

You Can Change Bad Habits

Your bad habits did not come about overnight and they will not go away overnight. There are three simple steps to changing a bad habit and creating a new habit. A habit, good or bad, is something you do automatically and without thinking. Basically a habit is a choice you make so many times that you no longer have to consciously choose because it becomes second nature. The habit of brushing your teeth is not a decision you consciously make each day, as in “Today I will brush my teeth.” It is something that you do automatically. Any choice, good or bad. can become just as automatic as brushing your teeth when you choose it often enough that it becomes second nature.

Three Steps To Change A Habit

Here are the three simple steps to changing a bad habit to a good one:
Become aware of the bad habit
Become willing to change and make a decision to do so
Make a good choice one day at a time-one choice at a time for 51 days

Recognizing a habit is the first step to change. Do you have a habit that you perceive as bad? What bad habit would make you a more effective business person when you overcome it? Create a list of several of your bad habits. A few habits that may be affecting your work are:

Chronically late
Not returning phone calls
Talking too much and not listening
Eating fast food every day
Not keeping promises
Procrastination
Negative self talk
Not paying bills on time
Allowing the mail to pile up

The list could go on for ever! Make your own list of bad habits, and then highlight the top three that you would like to change. Over the next few days, become more aware of how these habits affect your life and business. Start a list for each bad habit and jot down the consequences of each habit. If your bad habit is chronically late, the consequences may include:  embarrassing the kids, missing appointments, clients perceive you as not being professional, etc. Then take it a step further and list the long-term effects of continuing to live with this bad habit. People who are chronically late waste money on cancellation fees. You may be developing the same habit in your children, possibly long term you will lose business because of your habit of showing up late for shows. Take a couple of days to become acutely aware of the 3 habits you have decided to focus on and the consequences they bring to your life.

Make A Decision

Before you can change you have to make a decision to change. Once you decide which of your bad habits that is giving you the most grief, then make a decision. One of those three you picked will become the most obvious candidate to focus your efforts on changing. Decide which habit you are going to change and make a list of choices you can make instead of the bad choices or habit. For example, the chronically late person may decide to begin preparation to leave for an appointment a good hour before the appointed departure time. A chronically late person may set an alarm so that they become aware that the departure time is approaching. Or maybe wearing a watch would be a new choice. Make a list of changes or choices you can make in your life that will result in a new habit. Decide to make those choices! Making a decision is the most important step here. It can be easy to see what you want to change and without a decision, nothing will change. Make a decision to create a new habit. I have decided to be on time to all my appointments one day at a time-one appointment at a time. The decision coupled with the list of better choices will put you on track for changing your bad habit and creating a good habit.

Follow Up

The final step is to do it. The follow up is key. Life is a continuous string of choices. You can choose to perpetuate your bad habit or you can choose to create your new habit. Take each choice one choice at a time, one day at a time and do it. You did not decide to do it for the rest of your life. That would be pretty overwhelming. Today you can do it. Then tomorrow you can decide again to do it. Just keep the follow-through. Keep making a choice that will grow a new habit. You can make a good choice each time you have a choice to make.

Simple-Not Easy

I said it was simple to create a good habit. I did not say it was easy.It is definitely a simple process to become aware of your choices and make the best choice you can one choice at a time and create a new habit. If it was easy, then we would have no bad habits. Everyone is not willing to change, because change is uncomfortable and requires effort. You did not develop your bad habits overnight, so do not expect to create new habits overnight. It will take 6-8 days of good choices to even feel a little bit comfortable with the new you. At 16 days you will begin to get a routine going. When you have performed your new habit for 51 days you can congratulate yourself on creating a new habit. Now the new habit will be second nature, just like brushing your teeth.

Choose another habit and continue on the path to more successes!

A successful home based business depends on organization. This is a simple system to organize your home office!

Organize Technology or Your Office Paper Trail

Do you like technology or paper? Either way, this visual system of organization can put your home office into organized binders in a day.

• Binders On The Shelf
• Binders In Email Inbox
• Binders In Computer

I like to complement the computer with a visual system. Even if you are a computer-oriented person having files at your finger tips can create a more organized work flow. If your office is a wreck, and you have been planning to get it organized, then today is the day we will start and finish the project.

That’s right, do it in one day. The problem with getting organized over a period of time is that you never get done because the parts that do not get organized in the first phase disorganize the process and it never gets completed. So today, we are going to organize your whole office into files and business binders. If you don’t have the time now to give to this project, then schedule a full day to make it happen.

File System For Any Office

Modify the files to be specific to your business office. Think of each binder as filing cabinet that will compliment your regular filing cabinets. Each binder “filing cabinet” will hold easily accessible files that you can get your hands on quickly. You will have binders in your email inbox, in your computer and on the self.

Office Organization With Binders

Think of each binder category as a filing cabinet. The categories that you want to access often as paper information will literally be book binders like the image above.  Paper information that are used rarely will still be the filing drawers. Put the file title on the binder end, so it is easily distinguishable from the others. A binder system does not replace your filing cabinets in your office, it compliments it. The system keeps the often used “files” at your finger tips.

Tip: Home Business Owners Throw Away Things

Bring a big trash can into your office and don’t be afraid to use it. As we move through your office, keep in mind that you must throw away things you do not use anymore. Prepare yourself to be willing mentally to throw away unused items.

Organized home business owners do not designate valuable real estate to things they do not use to generate cash flow. If you see something you haven’t used in 6 months (or don’t ever remember using it) throw it away! Papers that are not used such as files or receipts that are in your computer do not need to be saved.

Create A List Of Home Based Business Files

Your home business files can be as many categories as you want and will be unique to you. ( I am sure I have more than a dozen binders as well as the actual filing drawers.) The binders are your fingertip files. Your list of fingertip files could include any part of your business that you want to keep your fingers on on a daily basis.

Home Business Files

A list of files for the average home business may include all or some of the following:

Scheduling
Potentials
New Consultants
Sales Team
Incentives/specials
Newsletters and Flyers
Customer Care
Contacts

Each File Will Be Subdivided Into Categories

The tabs that you subdivide your filing binders will vary depending on you, your goal and each category. Think of each “tab” or sub-category in your “binder” as a folder in the drawer.

I would recommend that you allow the categories to take on a life of their own. As you go around your office cleaning and organizing one area at a time, the subcategories to divide into will become apparent. It will be a bit of trial and error, because as you proceed, the categories may need further subdivisions or you may even find that a specific category is so large it actually needs its own business binder.

Organizing Your Office Documents In Computer

Once you have a mental picture of what “binders” will work best in your home office, you can do the same thing in your computer. Your computer “structure” or tree can be thought of in the same manner. Each “binder” in computers is called a folder. Just add folders hen put subcategories under them so that you can always put your finger (mouse) on the files you want.

Organize Your Office Email Inbox

Using this simple binder system in your inbox is efficient as well. It works the same way. When you right click on your “inbox” you will be given the option of creating folders or binders under the inbox. You can then take that a step further with “tabs” or sub-categories under each folder.  If you receive emails that you want to keep for the future you just drag it over to the folder or category under the folder for storage.

Once you understand your “binder” system you can apply it to your whole office both physical and paper. Imagine having everything at your finger tips for easy access!  The binder system is a great way to organize a small space if you do not have a full office.

How can you turn your network marketing or direct sales leads into cash sales? How do you manage your leads? How do you keep leads from getting cold? These are all questions I get on a regular basis.

Before we start answering I though it might be good to define what a lead is.

What Is A Direct Sales Lead?

Webster’s dictionary says that a lead is: Act as a guide To go as a a guide To play as the 1st card A direction of guidance Condition of being first A clue Opening words of a story

I found that to be interesting. Do you notice that all of the various definitions refer to the fact that a lead is only the beginning?

One thing that I have always noticed is that many sales reps look at a lead as either a potential host or show or a potential consultant. We tend to see what we are looking for and prejudge the person who is standing in front of us at any given moment.

When you look at a lead as the end result, you are limiting yourself.

A lead is only the beginning of a relationship. This allows you to see more than what you may specifically be looking for at that given moment in your business.

You may think that a lead would be a good business builder, when in fact they may be someone who can refer you to a business builder.

Maybe you are focused on increasing your calendar. A lead that you are attempting to date a show with could in fact be a bride to be who is looking for someone to set up a gift registry with, or maybe this person is just a product user.

My point here is look at leads as the beginning, a clue, or the opening words of a story. Practice the 10-second rule for network marketing. When you share for 10 seconds or less, then ask a question you will be able figure out which one of your many services each lead will fit.

When you look for shows or recruits then that is all you will find. When you look for leads you will find far more.

Lead Generation Systems

Make sure that you incorp0rate many lead generation systems into your business.

• At your show
• Out and about (bulletin boards, kids’ friends and parents, people you meet, etc.)
• Public speaking events
• Fairs and expos
• Customer care calls
• Prize drawing slips
• Product users
• Past hosts, customers

A System To Manage Leads

The best system I have found to manage leads is not to manage them.

That sounds silly, I know. I recommend that you do your best to date shows, close deals, and follow up on every lead within 24-48 hours of your initial contact.

In this way you will keep the clutter down in your office, you will minimize your future work and you will be contacting/talking with leads who remember you and remember why they were actually interested in one of your services.

Leads become cold when they no longer remember why on earth they said that they were interested in whatever it is you are offering.

• When you meet recruit leads at the show, I would recommend dating your appointments for new consultant interviews at the show. Better yet, sign them up at the show!!
• Date shows at the show. When you keep yourself focused on the fact that you are a successful business owner and are not in NEED of their business, then it will be easy to date shows at the show.  Just like the dentist who schedules your next cleaning before you leave the office, you too can manage your calendar professionally at the show and then not allow leads to get cold.

Many leads will not say no to you. So, if, after a nice conversation, the potential customer, host, or sales rep says “Call me in 3 weeks?” (or 6 months or whatever they say).

A good reply might be:

• “You know, that is OK, it sounds like this really isn’t for you…. If you change your mind, why don’t you give me a call…” You are professional and not getting strung along from someone who just cannot say no.
• A  system of eliminating cold leads on your list is to ask the client if they want to be considered a lead. Say, “Would you like for me to keep you on my call back list or would you prefer to call me when you are ready?”

Managing Leads In Direct Sales Office

There will be occasions to make calls from home whether you met the people at a show, fair, expo, public speaking engagement or at the mall. Make those calls within 24 hours of the meeting, while they are still connected to you.

When you have leads that you have to track for the future, make sure that your system brings the leads to the top of the pile effortlessly when it is the appointed time.

Some effective systems of lead tracking are:

• Rolling contact list
• Outlook or other email client calendars
• Hand held data systems
• Your company’s software program
• The Client Angel: This is a direct sales management software system that works for reminding you of everything under the sun. It is an Angel for keeping track of your clients.
• And my favorite: a file box for index cards with a tab for each month and a tab numbered after each month 1-4. Talk to someone today, make a note, and drop the card behind the week number for the appropriate month for the call back.

Stay In Touch With Your Business Leads

The monthly newsletter for business leads that do not necessarily need a call back is essential. Staying in front of your customers on a monthly basis is without a doubt the most valuable of all continuous contact systems.

If you have not done so yet, start your database for the newsletter ASAP. Just start with a couple contacts and start your monthly newsletter. Even if you only have a couple names start sending out a newsletter that brings value to your customers.

When you gather the email of every guest at your shows, every product user, every contact, and just continuously add them into your address group, it will be a short time until you have hundreds if not thousands of LEADS in your data base.

Send out your newsletter consistently with customer service related information and some marketing as well. You will generate sales from every newsletter you send out and you will also provide a service to your customers. Some will call you with issues with products, and others will think of you next time they have a need. When you put a system in place to keep the newsletter in front of your clients monthly it will turn your leads into sales, shows, and new consultants.

When your database starts to grow, you will not be able to manage it in your computer. At that point you will want an online data system. MyNewsletterBuilder as the top newsletter service for direct sales professionals.

It’s Direct Sales Philosophy

Make it your philosophy that everyone you come in contact with everyday is a direct sales lead. It is your job to figure out which of your many services will add value to their lives or who they know who deserves your services. Create consistent systems that follow up on your leads in at timely manner and it will pay off in sales.

Home Business Success Depends On Business Plan

A business plan is the key to success in all home party or network marketing businesses. It is as important for a home business consultant to have a written business plan as it is for a major corporation.

Do you have a business plan in place for your home party business? If not, then why not? A business plan is one of the best-business-practices that all successful businesses utilize. A home party or network marketing businesses should be no exception. You will have a much more difficult time achieving your goals without a road map to get you there.

How To Write A Business Plan

When you write your business plan keep in mind the three main goals of a business plan. It serves three very important purposes.
1. IRS compliance
2. Gives you a clear picture of why you are in business
3. Gives you a road map to business success

A well written business plan serves as a road map to guide you in achieving all three of the above purposes, so let’s take a couple of paragraphs and talk briefly about each one of the above points. The Power UP For Professional Results has a IRS home business accountant approved business plan template included in the training program.

The Home Office Tax Deduction

The home office deduction is one of the main reasons why many direct sellers stick with their business.  The home office deduction is also something that many home business owners are afraid to take advantage of.  A good business plan is written in such a way to be your shield that protects you from the IRS. This is usually foremost on peoples’ mind, especially between January and April. I often hear people say that they do not want to take the home office deduction because they do not want to send up a red flag to the IRS.

Well, that is hogwash… The IRS does not operate on a flag system. They have very specific rules and provided you follow them, then all will be well. The IRS looks at several factors when determining if you have a home business and are eligible for the home office deduction.

• One is an INTENT to profit. That doesn’t mean you have to have a profit, it only means you must show and intent to profit and not show expenses that are disproportionate to your income. A written business plan shows an intent to profit, even if you show no profit.
• The next area the IRS is looking for is ACTIVITY. Your mileage log, calendar, sales receipts and other records document activity.
• RECORD KEEPING is the third thing that the IRS is looking for.

These three things combined with your written business plan will insure that you are in compliance with IRS rules when you take the home office deduction.

Business Plan Is Your Goals

Your business plan helps you to clarify your goals. A clear picture of why you are in business is essential to success. Your business plan is a perpetual work in progress. It will change from time to time. The process of creating your business plan and updating it bi-annually will clarify your purpose in your own mind. I have found that frequently in the process of rewriting my plan annually that my focus has shifted either intentionally or inadvertently.

Sometimes I learn that I am putting more time into areas that are not as important as they used to be, and other times I find that I forgot what is important. The business plan will keep you focused clearly on why you are in business,

How To Reach Your Business Goals

Your business plan is a road map that lays out your plan on how you will reach your goals.  You wouldn’t leave Pennsylvania on a trip to Oklahoma without a map, so why would you head out onto your journey to fame and fortune without a road map to your future?  Your business plan gives you a path to follow and directions and turns to take along the way. Every successful business has a written plan.

Example Of Your Business Plan

When you start writing your business plan you should start with your Business Structure such as this: (Modify this example to your situation.)

I am operating as an Independent Representative of the Direct Sales Company. I started this business on April 15, 2003. I will operate as a sole proprietorship for income tax purposes. The name of my company is company xyz. This name is registered with the state of PA.  I have started my business with the intent to profit from sales of retail items as well as override commissions from xyz company for sponsored recruits.

Next comes your Mission Statement, followed by the Active Participants which may include family members whom you will pay out moneys to for work contributed to your business. Then put a section in on your Home office & Car, for example:

The Direct Sales company provides no office space to operate my business. Therefore, I will set up an office in my home. All marketing and sales functions will be performed from my home. I will have a designated area in my home in which to operate. Such essential items include, but are not limited to, a computer, desk, fax machine, internet connection, and a phone line. Products that can be purchased from my company will be used and displayed in my office and home. This shows potential customers that I use my products and support my company.

The following are other categories that you should include. Go into as much detail as possible thinking about who, what, when, where, why, how often, and how many, steps and actions to be taken in these categories:

• Start up Costs/Ongoing Costs
• Marketing & Sales
• Business Activity
• Documentation & Record Keeping
• Business goals

Business Plan Template

Your business plan is your pathway to the future. The more information in it the better chance you have for success. The Power-Up For Professional Results home business training program includes a full business plan template which was designed by a home business accountant who specialized in the home office deduction.

A business plan is a system of best business practice that work. A business plan worked for me and it will work for you too, because a system works the same for everyone. Do what the successful business owners do, put a business plan into place for your home party or network marketing business. You deserve success!