Thursday, January 28, 2010

Can you generate your own leads (for real)?

The simple answer is "yes, you can generate your own leads". The tricky part is HOW?

There are many e-books, training programs, systems, webminars, etc. that can teach you how to generate your own leads online. Sometimes the hardest part is to choose what leaders to follow. That is why everyone offers information for free. When you come upon a website about Internet Marketing, the chances of getting free valuable information are high.

Actually, any good leader has to offer value first. That is how you get to know her or him. You can sign in for her or his Newsletter or Training program and you will receive more free information. At some point they will offer you paid information (e-books, affiliates, a system, etc). If you know what they give for free, you can only imagine the value of paid info.You don't have to buy everything from everybody or be part of every system. Once you know the leaders and have learned something valuable from them, you can decide if you want to be part of their network.

And that is exactly what you, in turn, have to do to generate your own leads: Give value first with a blog or another personal website, have a way to capture your readers' contact information to keep in touch with them, and follow up. It's been said that the fortune is in the follow up.

The way to follow up is by having an Autoresponder service. I use and recommend Aweber but it's not the only one.

One thing that I'm loving, especially these months when I am focusing on my mom and niece who are visiting from Peru, is how powerful a blog can be. For example, some of my posts and articles are in the first pages of Google and other Search Engines for their keyword. I get visitors from there. I'm also part of Social Media websites so when I participate in them my links are there and I can get more visitors.

I get visitors for old posts. They are in the web technically forever and can generate leads for me once and again.

How do you generate your own leads? Leave a comment about it.

We are successful Network Marketing Moms!
Angelica


PS: Make sure to share this post, we both benefit!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Two ways to lose costumers – About Insurance Agents and Network Marketing

Last week I talked about two experiences that made think about how we work our Internet Network Marketing business. The first one was with a local Chiropractor who gave me a great example of giving before getting.

My second experience was with an Insurance Agent. I was involved in a minor car accident two weeks ago and we had to contact our Insurance. In case you are not familiar with the process (I hope not, for what that means), you have to report the accident within 24 hours and the Insurance should take of the rest.

As I worked with our Insurance Agent, I never felt like the lady who was attending my case was really interested in me. She was very serious and I even had a hard time understanding her because her diction wasn’t very good. English is my second language but I don’t always have this problem. Even after few calls, she didn’t seem to recognize my name. the whole process was cold and distant. I didn’t feel she smiled at all.

That was until I got the call from the other Insurance agent. This representative, a guy, was very polite and nice. It was obvious that he was smiling and he was willing, really, to help. What a difference! He accepted liability (their client was at fault) and walked me through the process of what was next. He took care of me and I was glad I didn’t need to go back to my agent.

This made think about a couple of sure ways to lose costumers: avoid building rapport and have a bad posture when talking on the phone.

My agent wasn’t interested in me personally as she was in doing her work. She didn’t make an effort to know if I was comfortable with her. I didn’t feel a connection. The other agent was more interested in giving me a good service. He made sure I was at ease and even asked me questions about me at the end. It only reinforced my trust in him.

It was obvious that when these Agents were on the phone, they each had a very different posture. Smiling, even on the phone, makes a difference. It goes back to the Communication skills that Tim Sales teaches. Ellie Drake also teaches about the importance of having a good posture and how that can be sensed in a phone call or even a blog post.

I might even consider switching Agents…

What communication skills do you think are more important when talking over the phone? Leave a comment about it.

We are successful Network Marketing Moms!
Angelica

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Chiropractors in Network Marketing: What can a Chiropractor teach about Internet Network Marketing? Part 2

In the first part of this series I introduced you to my experience with a Chiropractor. It made me think about the importance of giving in Network Marketing in general and Internet Network Marketing in particular. I got a phone call from the office of a Chiropractor asking if I wanted to participate in a free evaluation. This was part of a Community Service that the Doctor offers.

During the visits I was a little bit ashamed to ask if everything was free for real. The Doctor explained that it was the way he conducted his practice because he wanted to educate the community. I got it. I understood that he was giving value and surpassing my expectations. By giving a free evaluation and educating the community, he was earning the right to offer his services.

I learned a lot from my visits to the Chiropractor: I saw the value of this practice; I learned that I have a misalignment in my spine; I realized why I need to correct it; I saw how he could help me; I wanted to go back to him.

I also learned something about Internet Network Marketing. The way this Doctor conducts his practice is how we have to build our businesses. We educate people in the value of Network Marketing; we let them see that they have a need that Network Marketing can help with; we show them that we are the leaders they want to work with. Whatever our niche is, giving value come before getting.

Thanks to my Chiropractor, I saw how Internet Network Marketing has to be done. Have you had any similar experience? What have you learned about Network Marketing (outside of the industry)? Leave a comment about it!

We are successful Network Marketing Moms!
Angelica


PS: If you liked this post, please share it, thanks!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Chiropractors in Network Marketing: What can a Chiropractor teach about Internet Network Marketing? Part 1

In this week I’ve had two experiences that I want to share. Both make me think about the kind of service we want to give as Network Marketers. The first one is about a Chiropractor and the second about an Insurance Agent. This first series of posts will be about the Chiropractor and how he made me think about the importance of giving.

I’ve learned and shared how important is to give before we get. This is true for any business and Internet Network Marketing is not different. If we want a prospect’s information we need to give valuable information to earn the right to ask.

Before Christmas I got a phone call from a Chiropractor’s staff offering a free evaluation. They explained that this evaluation was part of a Community Service that the Chiropractor gives. I’ve been interested in this kind of practice for a while and wanted to learn more about it. It was the perfect opportunity to do so. Since I was allowed to take one family member with me, I took my mom (who is visiting from Peru for few months).

The evaluation was, indeed, free. I was waiting for a catch or a surprise test that would cost me any money. None of that happened. The evaluation was free, the X-Rays, the neck scan, the consultation about the results and the orientation about Chiropractic Medicine.

In the next post I will explain how this way of giving relates to Internet Network Marketing. If you can see the relationship, leave a comment about it: What can this Chiropractor teach about giving in Network Marketing?

We are successful Network Marketing Moms!
Angelica


PS: Don’t forget to share this post if you liked it. Thanks!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Afraid of Network Marketing? “Network Marketing is not that bad… if you do it right”

It’s always hard to come back to work after a vacation. We spent the Holidays at my In Laws and I’m just recovering and getting back to the swing of things. A new “swing” I should say, with my mom and 4 year old niece (the one who manifested the snow) visiting with us for few months.

What does this have to do with being afraid of Network Marketing? I’m thinking about new beginnings and how we define “normal”. Even though we have a routine and (kind of) a schedule, there is always something coming up. I know that as a mom, you understand what I mean. Things get in the way and devote the supposedly sacred time to work your business is even more of a challenge.

Network Marketing can be time consuming if you want to be successful. If you are afraid of MLM because you are already busy and stressed, you have to know that taking care of a business is NOT a 5 minute a week plan for success. You do have to work and you can learn how to use your time wisely.

More good news is that done right, Network Marketing is a recession-proof home business. During the Holidays we heard a Radio Show where one Hostess was interviewing a Financial Advisor. He said that Network Marketing is a good option to make extra money or to replace your income if you choose the right company and work. He also explained the difference between a pyramid scheme and a trusted business model.

The Show Hostess confessed that she thought that he was going to say “don’t do it!”, “stay away from it!”, “everything is a scam!” She even realized that many of the products she consumes come from Network Marketing. The most exciting part was when she mentioned that she gets her vitamins from my company saying that they were “the best vitamins in the world".

You can be afraid of Network Marketing for many reasons. For me, time is still an issue. That is why I write about it, to let you know that you are not the only one trying to get everything done. But to be successful in MLM we have to keep our priorities right and make time to work on productive activities.

You can be confident that Network Marketing is a trusted business model that can change your life if you keep working. Not only thrives even in the midst of the Recession but it gets the attention of Massive Communication Media like Radio. The Hostess said “Network Marketing is not that bad… if you do it right”. I’d say it is great.

What are (or were) your MLM fears? What are you doing to overcome them? Leave a comment about it and don’t forget to share this post if it helped you.

We are successful Network Marketing Moms!
Angelica