Not every meeting or networking platform will be right for every business!

In Person meetings, events, and more: If your goal is more for social reasons there are many in person platforms in most areas of the country where you can meet people, become friends and socialize on a weekly basis. Most business people who do this type networking are in hopes of someone at the meeting buying their services or products, hoping for referrals or just creating new friendships. There is nothing wrong with this type networking if building your business by socializing is your goal. You can also accomplish these goals by going to bars, after hours events and other locations where people meet to build relationships. There also is a hidden cost to in person networking. A recent survey showed that most people who do in person networking spend over $720 per year on travel, food, beverage and entry fees not counting memberships at many of these type meetings or the time it takes to travel an attend these type meetings.

On-line Networking Platforms: Over the past 20 years many social and business networking platforms have been created. Most all of these started as social only and then people started using to promote their business. In most recent years Linkedin has become one of the most popular business websites that attracts a higher caliber of business. The good news about online networking platforms is that most allow you to participate free of charge with fees for upgrades, advertising, etc. The bad news is most people think joining websites for free will help them become successful. This can be true if you use the tools provided on the websites and participate with others on a daily or regular basis but even this will provide limited success. Example: I know people who have 1,000’s of “connections or friends” on different platforms but have never or rarely connect with the people they have added to their network. Friends and connections is much like money! If you don’t use your money it is just a pile of paper with pictures of dead presidents and does nothing for you.

Virtual Networking: Virtual networking and meetings have been around longer than on-line platforms but was very expensive until the past few years. Zoom is currently the biggest at the time of this blog post but there are literally hundreds of competitors being added. The silver lining to the Covid19 virus in 2020 is many people had to step out of their comfort zone and attend virtual meetings. Unfortunately many of these platforms are not designed to accomplish the goal of the attendees. This has created a new term called “Zoom fatigue” and many people have left these type virtual platforms. The good news about virtual platforms is they can save valuable time and money depending on the virtual platform you choose. There is no travel required because you can you can attend from the comfort of your home or office, there is no required food purchase required. There are also advantages geographically. A recent survey showed “most people would like to meet and network with more new people at their meetings”! Most people will not travel more than 5-15 miles to attend an in person meeting but if the meeting is virtual it can cover a local region or the entire country. Meetings that are virtual can attract more new people covering a larger geographic area. I believe that virtual meetings are here to stay and will become even more popular in the future.

The bottom line: You need to decide what your goal is networking and decide what platform will work best to accomplish those goals. You may even want to attend multiple platforms to discover which platforms work best for your wants and needs. If you have questions about what platform may work best for your business goals you can email me directly: info@SuccessBuilders-TampaBay.com

Here is an example of a client I have provided Google Ads management for over 8 years. This client is a local Chiropractor who was spending about $1200 per month in Google Ads and receiving about 120 website visits a month. He was getting about 1-3 new patients per month that wasn’t bad but not enough to pay his Google bill every month. I took over his Google account and he now spends about $500 per month and receives about 75-80 website visits per month and 1-4 new clients per month. So… how does less visits equal better results? He now has ads that bring him more serious searches and serious clients. More clicks does not always equal more business!

If you are considering using Google Ads I suggest you find a company that knows how Google Ads work and hopefully they will know if it will work for your industry! If they do hire them to manage your Google Ads for a 3 month test period to see if it is a value for your business growth. Google Ads has become an art and science and it changes all the time. Google does this to increase their net income and to keep businesses from doing it on their own. If you want to D.I.Y expect to spend about 30-40 hours to learn all the tips, tricks, and changes and an additional 10-20 hours a month after that managing your Google Ads. Note: even when you learn what and how Google will suggest ways to increase your “clicks” which may or may not be the right thing to do!

If you would like more information about Google Ads, SEO and other methods to promote your business feel free to contact me for a free consultation at mailto:info@SuccessBuilders-TampaBay.com

i wish you the best in your business!

You started a business that you are passionate about and you thought most everyone would feel the same way about your products or services. Unfortunately you discovered that not everyone feels the same. You need to market your business but you have limited funds to promote or advertise to get it going. What do you do?

“Passion or Dream”?

Unfortunately many people get into a business because of passion instead of researching the passion first to see if it is a dream or a real business. Don’t get me wrong being passionate about your product or service is a plus when it comes to being successful! The truth is being passionate is only a small part of becoming successful. Those who tell you “all you need is passion and the money will follow” are lying to you! You need to work hard, invest in yourself and your passion, seek help from others and a little luck and timing doesn’t hurt. The work hard part is easy if you are passionate. The investing, marketing and getting help part may be an obstacle for many people getting started. So what can you do when you have passion and time but little to no money to market your passion?

Get a Side Gig

First, you need to decide if you are really passionate about success or is your passion just a dream! If you are not passionate about success you probably need to get a job with someone who is passionate success. If you are really passionate and have an I refuse to fail attitude you may need to get a part time job, become an affiliate of a company to sell their products online or research popular products and buy them in bulk and resell them through eBay, Amazon, social media and other outlets. You can also contact high ticket sellers and offer to promote them on social media for a fee or direct sales for a 10%-20% commission per sale. If the item or service is a $1,000 or more and you make 2 sales per week you could make $100-200 or more extra cash per week to invest in your passion. If you can’t find a few bucks to do this look around your home to see if you can find items you can sell in a garage sale or on eBay or other resell outlets. My guess is most everyone has stuff they can sell to make money to invest in other items to sell as a Side Gig. Yes…this will take time but it doesn’t take much money! The question is do you have a real passion about the business or is it just a dream? Personally I have 2-3 side gigs that pay for all my marketing plus allows me to do my passion of helping people grow their business at little to no cost.

Do You Need Passion About Your Side Gig?

NO! In fact I have a side Gig that makes me more than my passion and I have absolutely no interest in the products I sell. I buy wholesale and resell online. My job with this business is taking the orders and forwarding to the wholesaler and checking my mailbox for checks. I have been doing this for about 5 years and now I have about $1,700 net income per month “mail box money” that fuels my passions. My time and marketing investment is about 3 hours and less than $100 per month. FYI: If I was passionate about this side gig I could probably make 3-4 times what I currently make. I tell my workshop attendees that “I love reading bumper stickers on the back of cars and trucks but will never put one on my car because i really don’t like bumper stickers on my car. I also really have no passion for selling bumper stickers. That being said if you show me a few thousand people who want a bumper sticker I will sell each one of them a bumper sticker”! In fact, I have an idea for a bumper sticker that I think will sell to the masses. I may do this as a challenge for myself. If I do here is what it will take: The first 500 bumper stickers will cost .85 cents each printed and shipped ($425.00 investment). I will promote on social media, networking groups, email, and local stores that would like to resell them. Total marketing cost about 40 hours and less than $75 in travel, etc. The minimum net profit should be over $3.00 each. When I sell my 1st 200 ($600 net) I will purchase another 500 and so on until I start a stream of ” mailbox money” to market my passion.

The Bottom Line

If you don’t have the money to invest in yourself and your passion you have two choices. Start a Side Gig to fund your passion or get a job working for someone who is passionate and successful at what they do.

Success is different for everyone. To some people success is being able to make just enough money to pay their bills. Others want to have a little extra to take a vacation and do things they can’t do unless they reach their personal success goal. Some people want to make enough to retire early without financial worry. A few want to become wealthy enough to grow a company and provide opportunities for others and afford only the best in life. Unfortunately most people have no idea what success is or what it takes. In this post I will provide an overview of minimal success to maximum success and what it takes.

Want Success or Need It?

You might think they are the same but there is a difference. Almost everyone you ask “Do you want to become successful in business” will say yes. The fact is they want it but only about 3% are willing to do what it takes to achieve true financial success. In other words they want it but don’t need it enough to become successful. It is said that over 90% of success in mental and about 10% work. I think it is over 90% need to succeed and the rest are the results. Let’s face the truth! The only time the majority of people need anything bad enough is when they stand to lose something or it is a life or death decision. It is amazing how people will do just about anything it takes when they need something but how little effort and risk they will take if they just want it.

What will it take?

First you must determine how much success you want and what success means to you. To help with this you should have a Personal Business Success Quotient (PBSQ). It basically is a simple formula to help you analyze your chances of success based on what you are doing now and what you are willing to do to acquire the success you need. The bottom line is you need to ask yourself some tough questions give honest answers and then possibly readjust how much you really “need” your success goal.

Once you have determined your success goals you need to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. This is important if you really “Need” the success you want. It is explained well in the video below.

Low End Business Success Goals

For those who want to just get by or to pay the bills I suggest you get a job and work for someone who is at the other end of the spectrum. There is no shame in this and you will find that your chances of achieving your goal much higher. Most people who don’t have a driving force to become wealthy will fail as a business owner and end up getting a job anyway. If owning a business because you like the purpose do it part time or as a hobby business. . This way you have a steady income job to pay the bills and you still can enjoy having a business you enjoy. Otherwise you most likely will work hard, spend more money than you want, and ultimately fail.

Moderate Success Goals

If we are honest I think most people will fall into this category. Why? because it is easier to attain than the 3% who need it. This would be working at a well paying job with great benefits and a moderate retirement plan or owning a business that you run yourself that provides enough so you can pay your bills, save a little, and not work more than the typical eight hour day. It may take some risk taking and investment but usually not more risk than you mentally can handle. Unfortunately even moderate success is difficult for many because they don’t really need it as much as they say they want it.

Real Financial Success Goals

You know what I mean! The goals we all really want but don’t have the mental capacity to do what it takes to achieve it. We just don’t need it as much as we want it. This will take investing, learning, being able to take loss, working long hours and possibly seven days a week for a few years. It will also take family support and throw in a little luck if you want. The truth is we usually we make our own good or bad luck! You need to have an “I refuse to fail” attitude and “No” is not in your vocabulary. Failure becomes unacceptable! You need to be able to take criticism and not care what others think or say about you. You need to be able and willing to grow a team of people smarter than you. You need to do what you do best and hire others to do the rest. If this sounds like you and you really need it you may become one of the 3% that acquire real business success.

Murphy’s Law and Your Business

If you have been in business more than five minutes you probably know that Murphy’s Law is alive and well. It not only applies to you personally but to your business. Unfortunately most people do not prepare for things that can go wrong or want to believe that it won’t happen to them. At the time of this writing the world is going through a Coronavirus and there are literally millions of businesses going out of business because they failed to plan for Murphy’s law. In America I also think we may have a false since of security hoping that the government will bail us out when Murphy’s law effects us.

Preparing for Murphy’s Law

When I was in the financial planning business we told our clients the first thing they need to do was work on creating an emergency savings account that they could use when Murphy’s law because it is not if it happens it is when it happens. The typical account should have at least three months of savings that will cover you during a crisis or situation until you can get back to your normal. I would suggest this should be done for your business as well.

How To Prepare

If you are a solo entrepreneur or a business with employees there are two major things you can do to protect yourself and your business against Murphy’s Law. If you can afford insurance purchase enough to cover you and your business for at least three months of income for survival. If you can’t afford insurance start an account to self insure and DO NOT TOUCH IT for anything that is not an emergency!

“I can’t afford to save for “Murphy’s Law” I don’t know how many times I heard this as a financial planner. The fact is most everyone that has a job or has a business spends money on things that they don’t need. In other words they are living above their means. They also are using credit cards for their emergency fund. In reality this is like digging a whole and the credit card company is throwing you another shovel! They also are paying too much for products and services where they could be saving for Murphy’s Law. I understand that you may want the best phone, newest car, greatest home or apartment, nicest close, coffee at Starbucks, etc, etc, and you should have a goal of having these things once you have protected yourself and your business against Murphy’s Law. Even if you need to start your savings with change from your pocket everyday in a jar it is a start. If this is where you are you should also take an accounting of where you spend money and see where you could save until you have three plus months of savings. You will be surprised if you shop your current services, insurance, products and other areas that could save you money. If you are struggling in your business you may need to reevaluate your business to make sure it is viable to provide the success you want or need. You can also get a side gig or part time job to make enough to fund your emergency fund and also to help fund your business. I recommend this to anyone who wants to fund a business that was created out of passion vs financial success.

Why Is This Important ?

I don’t know about you but I like to sleep at night! When you don’t have to worry about when and if Murphy’s Law hits (and it will!) you will sleep better, be more secure in your personal and business life. It also puts you in the minority of having to rely on family, charity or the government to bail you out even if that is possible. If you would like more information about this you may contact me for a free consultation info@SuccessBuilders-Tampabay.com I wish you success in your business!

There are several reasons to use video for your business and if you are not using video you need to know that your competition probably is. Video is everywhere online and it has now become easy for just about anyone to utilize existing videos or produce their own. That being said there are right and wrong ways to use videos for business to be most effective.

Video helps with SEO: I am not a big fan of SEO for local businesses but video is one area that still works well to get your website on the first page of Google. You can optimize your videos on YouTube with keywords, terms, phrases and they may show up on Google Search in their carousel on the first page when the terms are searched.

Video vs text: Most people would rather watch a short video over reading a bunch of text. We live in an “I want it now” environment and you can get a point across much faster and better with video.

Shelf life: When videos are properly produced they can have a long shelf life and bring you business that you may have missed if only using the written word. Note I said “when properly produced”. This is an important factor in using videos properly.

Distribution: With today’s technology it is easy for just about anyone to view a video promo. Cell phones, computers, emails, social media and more.

Common video mistakes

The good news is most everyone can make a video. The bad news is most people do not have the knowledge or experience to properly know how, where or what type videos work best for their business. here are some common mistakes people make:

“I can be the star”. Yes you can and if you look and sound good on camera you may want to be in your own videos. The problem is most people do not look good enough or sound good enough for a professional video. If you don’t have a professional business it may not matter if you are in your own videos but if you have a professional business you should have a professional spokesperson. Even some of the local TV commercials look and sound terrible when the business owners are in their own videos. If you are like me and have a face for radio hire a professional to be in your videos. It may cost a couple hundred dollars but will be well worth it in the long run. If you know where to look you can find the right professional to represent your business for a couple hundred dollars. If needed I can assist with this for your business and location. Contact Success Builders: info@SuccessBuilders-Tampabay.com

Script: If you are using the video to sell something or need someone to contact you to do business you need a “Call to Action” (CTA) script. Keep it under 90 seconds and preferably under 60 seconds. Don’t educate! If you are educating you need to have a different style script. If you are not a professional script writer and have a professional business hire a script writer! This may also cost you a couple hundred dollars but well worth it. A nice looking video with a bad script is worthless! If needed I can assist with this for your business and location. Contact Success Builders: info@SuccessBuilders-Tampabay.com

Wrong Equipment: If you are using the video for your business website I encourage everyone to have a quality video on the home page. This video needs to be professional including lighting and video quality. You can use a cell phone if it provides high resolution video but this is only part of the equation. You need proper lighting and sound in order to produce a quality video. Any part of your video that is missing the right talent, script, lighting or sound will sabotage your results. If you are not a professional at producing videos you may want to hire a professional. be sure that the person you hire has a good knowledge of every aspect mentioned above before paying for their services. Unfortunately many so-called videographers call themselves professional just because they have equipment that looks professional. If needed I can assist with this for your business and location. Contact Success Builders: info@SuccessBuilders-Tampabay.com

Paying to much: Because of competition and ease of producing D.I.Y. videos the cost of having a quality video is now affordable for just about anyone. A quality sixty second video can now be produced for $500-$1000 depending on what is needed. An example of this is at the bottom of this page. This video was produced for less than $900 including shoot, talent, script, edit and posted to YouTube with S.E.O. If this sounds expensive remember that if properly produced it could possibly last you ten years. That is only $50-$100 per year to market your business! If needed I can assist with this for your business and location. Contact Success Builders: info@SuccessBuilders-Tampabay.com

When to D.I.Y. videos

There are times when you should absolutely produce your own videos. I suggest having your own YouTube Channel and produce as many short 30-60 second videos as possible related to your business. Be sure to optimize these videos. These are NOT your home page videos but instead “how to”, “testimonial”, or videos that create interest in your products or services. These can be distributed via social media, testimonial pages, the “MoneyTree reputation management website” , email lists, and more. Thes D.I.Y. videos do need to be produced properly and I would suggest attending a class for this or do a lot of research to better understand how to effectively produce these videos. If you are in the Tampa bay, Fl area I do affordable workshops on video production. If needed I can assist with this for your business and location. Contact Success Builders: info@SuccessBuilders-Tampabay.com

If you are new to the Success Builders Blog it is intended for those who need assistance in their business, can’t afford a business consultant, or just want to verify they are doing everything correctly. I also provide FREE business consulting via phone, email or in person in the Tampa Bay area on any business topic or need you may have. I encourage you to go to the ” About Success Builders Blog” If you would like to receive new business information, tips and techniques just sign up on the “Join the blog” form and we will send you free monthly blog updates.

Why a Corona Virus Blog?

I am writing this special “Corona Virus Networking” to let everyone know that just because you may not be able to attend your favorite meeting(s) you can actually benefit with the downtime during this unprecedented time for the world. This common since information can be applied to any situation when you are unable to meet with groups of people. You may want to read a previous blog I wrote ” The Truth About Business Networking” before you continue with this article. ” The Truth About Business Networking” is for those who are new to networking, those who think they know how to network, and those who would like to receive better results from their business networking.

Everyone attends “Networking” meetings and events for different reasons. Some attend for social reasons. They like meeting new people and want new friends. Many use meetings to try and get referrals for their business. Many are trying to sell the people they meet or get them to join their MLM or “Direct or Network Marketing Group”. As described in the ” The Truth About Business Networking” blog the meetings are NOT Networking! They are places being provided to put you in front of others so you can network with the right people after the meetings. Once you understand this you can take advantage of the current “Corona Virus” to make it work for your business.

What to do when you can’t attend?

Business Cards: If you have collected business cards at your meetings or have people you have been meaning to contact . .. call them and have a phone meeting. Ask them how they are handling the Corona situation and above all ask them how you may be able to help them. DON’T MAKE IT ABOUT YOU. This is what networking is. Meetings are just meetings! You will be surprised at how well networking works when you take the time to help others.

Fact: If you are using business networking as the end all for business success you are most likely going to struggle and/or fail! Those who are networking for business success should use networking for 20% of your growth and use regular marketing and advertising that has always worked for the other 80%. Most people who attend 4 plus meetings and/or events per month spend between $50 and $100 per month on travel, food/beverage, etc. plus any membership or entry fees they may pay. Use that money you are not spending at meetings to invest in marketing and advertising for your business. just because you can’t attend meetings is no reason to stop business! There are a lot of low cost marketing and advertising opportunities you can take advantage of during this time.

Research: What a great time to get smarter! I hope you don’t feel you already know everything about everything. I spend over 30 hours a week learning how to best help other people as well as myself. This is a great time to read, watch business videos and learn ways to grow your business.

Find a Mentor: I wrote a previous blog article called “The Value of A Mentor” . I have had three major mentors that helped me in business and it really is not that difficult to find if you are open, really want the help and willing to put your ego aside. Hint: If you are networking with the right people you probably know someone who is willing to help you. If you want more information about this read the previous blog or contact me directly with questions: info@SuccessBuilders-TampaBay.com 

Social Media: I am not usually a big fan of using social media to grow your business but it is a good way to keep yourself and your business “top of mind”. Now may be a good time to use social media connections and offer to help those connections during this time. There are many people struggling and helping others can never hurt you or your business.

Plan: The good news is most positive thinking people think this unprecedented time will pass and business will get back to normal. Now is the time to plan what and how you will network and do business when everything gets back to normal. When I say plan I don’t mean think about it! I mean write down a plan of action and follow the plan. Just thinking about it will not get it done. I used to be a financial planner and always advised people to set aside at least three months of savings for emergency or times when you can’t work as usual. Even if you can only set aside a few dollars a week or month it would be a great time to start so times like these are not as big of a problem.

Final thought: If you attended meetings at a local restaurant or bar the wait staff relies on your tips to survive. If you never tipped anyway . . . shame on you! If you normally tip $2.00 to $3.00 every time you attend a meeting you may want to tip them 2 to 3 times more the next time you are at the meeting. After all . . . you have been saving those tips!

I wish you the best during Corona virus situation. Be safe and stay well for your benefit as well as others.

Questions or positive input is always welcome: info@SuccessBuilders-TampaBay.com  Carl Lucchi / Success Builders

If you have been around any length of time you know that the MLM industry hasn’t got the best reputation. When pyramid schemes started and were being prosecuted the industry had to change their model to make them legal. They are still a pyramid but when constructed properly they can legally run as a business. It got so bad that many companies denied they were a pyramid and changed the business model to “network marketing” and then to “warm marketing”, then to “business opportunity” and then to “direct marketing” companies. It doesn’t matter what you call them they are all pyramid designed companies. I am not saying that is bad or good I am just saying call it what it is! The most successful people in MLM industry have been those who have copied the MLM formula and started their own MLM. They usually grow their companies to a point where they have peaked in profitability and then either sell or stop their MLM and create another one using the same people who made them rich on the last one. The bottom line is the best MLM to have is one you start yourself.

Can You Make Money with MLM?

The short answer is yes! You can make money in a credible MLM with a credible product or service but you will never make a living just selling the products or services. According to In. Magazine October 2018 the median income for MLM reps is $2,400 per year. Less than 1% become financially successful in MLM. To succeed you must create one or more down-lines of believers just like you who will duplicate what you do to create even more down-lines for the company and you. To succeed in any business you must be willing to work long hours, invest money and learn all you can from those who are successful in the same industry. After all you are not in the MLM business you are in in the marketing business! The MLM is just the vehicle you are driving to attain success. Later in this post I provide the best and quickest way to grow a down-line for more success.

Why Do People Fail at Direct Marketing?

There are several reasons including the reasons people fail at any business as explained in the “How To Fail, It’s Easy” blog previously written. The biggest reason MLM’rs fail is the companies they represent are not honest with their reps. “You can do this part time”, “You don’t have to have any sales skills”, “You don’t need to invest much money”, all you need is a few friends and family members to become successful”, plus about 50 more lies. Many of these companies show amazing money being made, testimonials (mostly by other reps), and other unrealistic expectations. Another reason is they make claims that “they are the only company with a product or service and that no other product or service will accomplish what their product or service will do”. MML companies are famous for preying on the person looking to escape their day job or those who want financial freedom without investing in themselves and their own business business.

How To Find The Right MLM

• Select a product or service you feel comfortable marketing and that you can get excited about selling. You need to believe in the type product or service if you plan to sell to others. Research the product /service to be sure it is priced competitively in the market and that there are not several same or similar products that accomplish the same goals at 40% or less cost. With the internet today most everyone does or should do their own research before making a purchase.
• Do your homework! Look at the companies history. Have they been in business at least 10 years? Google the reputation of the company both good and bad. Don’t buy into the “ground floor opportunity” pitch unless you have already been successful in a MLM and have a ready made following.
• Look at the compensation plan: Do the math! How much product will you need to sell to make the money you want to make as well as how many people do you need to maintain in your down-lines to sell what you need to be successful.
• Know your up-line: Choose someone above you that has been in the MLM more than two years and is financially successful or becoming successful from the MLM. The person should NOT be in the business part time! Make sure you can rely on them to help you grow your business and be available to help you when times are not so great or you have questions as to how to overcome rejection, etc. You need to think of them as your boss and support system. After all, if you are not successful they will also fail.
• Company support: This may sound the same as your up-line but it is not. Your up line may fail and you will still be in the business. You need to know that the company is there to help you when you don’t receive the help and assistance from your direct up line. What Is The Idea MLM Company Model?

The Ideal MLM Company Model

The “ideal MLM” is difficult to find. They all have the same basics but most put a twist on what they do hoping they look different or better than the competition. In business most companies pay you to represent their products or services. MLM’s many times charge you or make you purchase their products in order to sell their products/ services and grow their business. Here is a partial checklist with basics I would demand if I were to pay them money to represent their product or service.

• The Company: Ideally a company with a positive track record for more than 10 years, low complaints, access to people who have been in the business 2+ years with verifiable income from the business.
• Low or no fee to get in: If they are a successful company that pays their reps from sales vs entry fees it should not cost hundreds of dollars to sell their products or services
• Compensation: A minimum of 20% net from a single sale with more based on volume sales and a minimum of 5% on all down-line sales. Competitive bonus structures with similar MLM companies.
• Product Guarantee: A 100% money-back guarantee on all products if the customer is not satisfied for any reason within 90 days of the purchase date.
• Representative Guarantee: If a setup fee, initiation fee or other fee is required to sell their products and grow their business is required I would require a 100% money-back guarantee within six months or representing their product if I had not realized a minimum of 20% net earnings over any fees or expense i had invested to sell their products or services. this would only be required if their were required fees and purchases were required.
• Competitive in the marketplace: The product has to be competitive in price. I don’t care if they say they don’t have competition! It doesn’t matter that they say theirs is better! No one knows that until they try it and most will research something similar at a lower cost if they think the competition is similar, as good or will solve the same issues.
• No monthly minimums: I would never join or work for any company that required a minimum monthly purchase to sell their products. I have heard of people who have a garage full of inventories they can’t use or sell!
• No auto-ship requirement for you or your customers: This may sound like a convenience but in reality it is a way to keep you and your customers on the hook for product. It is also usually hard to stop when you want to stop receiving product. This can turn good customers into bad reputation posts about you and the company.
• Training and support: Constant and ongoing free training for all reps with phone numbers where live people answer the phone and provide answers and support to any questions or support you may need.

You may be more trusting than I am but when I pay someone to grow their business I want a better than average chance to become successful if this is going to be my main income stream.

Secret to Grow a Successful Down-Line Faster & Better

The following is based on the fact that you believe in the product and the company 100% and are passionate about becoming successful selling for and growing their company. it also takes in account that a minimum of 60%+ who use the product/service stay with it more than six months. It also takes into account that at least 40%+ become distributors after trying the product/ service. If it is just your side gig or a hobby stop reading and keep doing what you have been doing or get a job that pays you to sell their products.

The Secret:

Step #1: Be passionate when speaking about the product/service and the company. If you have to fake it until you make it! I know this sounds dishonest but if you believe in it and want others to believe in it you need to come across as “this is the best thing since sliced bread”.

Step #2: People are skeptical especially when it comes to MLM’s. If the track record (provided by the company) states that most people stay on the product after trying sell that! If you are making money…sell that! If the company offers a no-risk money back guarantee . . . sell that!

Step #3: Here is the biggest secret to growing your down-lines faster and better. Remember you are in business. You need to invest and take risks in any business to become successful! If the company offers a no-risk guarantee offer this to your potential customer/down-line person but with a twist. tell them you will write them a check today for a 3 months supply (if that is the average time for it to work). This way you are putting you money where your mouth is. They have no risk and you have shown how much you believe in the product. have them sign an agreement that if after 3 months they do not want to continue you will help them get their refund based on the company requirements with and they refund you when they receive the refund. What is the result? You have made a potential customer/client and also a representative at no risk to the customer. If the record states that 40%+ become distributors after using the product you have started building a down-lines that will make you profit faster and better results. Will you ever get screwed out of your investment. Probably but if you screen the people before you make the offer it will only happen one out of fifty people. This is just the cost of business to become more successful. Ok…so you say . . . “This would cost me a fortune to do this with everyone I meet”? It just depends on how fast you want your business to grow! If a 3 month supply costs you $100.00 and you offer it to 10 people a month =$1,000 per month deposit! If only 5 become customers and pay you back, 3 become distributors and one screws you out of the $100.00 what is the result every 12 months? = 60 new paying customers + 36 distributors. You tell me. . . was it worth the investment and risk? If not either the companies success statistics are not as stated or you don’t believe in your product/service.

What if the company doesn’t offer a guarantee? So what! The numbers still show that you are making money and growing your business for long term success! Do the math! If you are not making a net profit this way you need to find another product/service and MLM to represent.

Which would you prefer?

A beautiful website that does not create new business or an ugly website that creates new business? I say this not for shock value but to make a point! Beauty may be important if you are selling beauty but not if you are selling insurance, products, business services or anything unrelated to beauty. This does not mean you should or need to have an “ugly” website! In fact if properly designed you can have both!

Why is S.E.O. Not That Important?

Search Engine Optimization ( S.E.O. ) If you are like me you receive up to ten emails per week from S.E.O. companies promising to put me on the first page of Google. I have an entire post about why this is not important unless you are a fortune 1,000 company. The funny thing is if these S.E.O. companies are finding your website so are others! What is important is that your website looks professional and easy to navigate.

How should your website be designed?

It is impossible to provide a “cookie cutter” answer for this but most websites should contain the following:

Home page: The home page is the most important aspect to any website. If it is designed wrong people will continue to search to solve their problem or provide what they are looking for. Less is more! We live in an “MTV” world where people visiting websites want to get the information quickly or they will leave. Statistics say that if you have not grabbed their attention within 5-10 seconds they will most likely move on. S.E.O. companies will tell you the home page needs to be packed with keywords, phrases and lots of content so you have a better chance of getting on the first three pages of Google. if you think simple does not work check out this >website<! They are doing fine with their simple home page and it hasn’t changed since they started September of 1998! Do a search for your business using a popular keyword or phrase for your business category on Google. Now look at Google results near the top of the search page to see how many people want to be on the first page with that keyword or phrase. I just did one for “insurance quotes” and found 285,000,000 websites that want to be on the first page. Good luck with that! Google isn’t stupid! That’s why they offer pay per click to guarantee first page results. I have a blog post on this as well! So… What should be on your home page:

1. Simple Header that does not take up more than 25% of the page. It should clearly have your business and possibly phone number and address if a brick and mortar business. You don’t need a logo but if you insist go for it! If you want to believe the S.E.O. stuff a text logo helps here if it describes your products or services.
2. Brief description (one to two lines if possible) about who you are and what you provide. Don’t write a page of information because most will not read it anyway.
3. Call to Action (CTA) Video that makes the viewer want more. IMPORTANT! The video needs to be professional if you have a professional business. The look and the script needs to be produced with a CTA. DO NOT educate in the presentation! This is more important than having 100 – 1,000 words on the web page. Most people would rather view videos than read words. The video should not be more than 60 seconds. FYI: As of this post video is one thing that can help your S.E.O. if done properly.
4. Easy Navigation is very important so the viewer can get the information they want or need without reading a bunch of unrelated information. Remember the website is for your potential customer/client not you!
5. CTA Form to capture potential new business. You may want to have a special FREE offer when they request information or something else to get the viewer to contact you. Keep the requested info as short as possible to encourage them to provide the information you need. This form should be on each page of your website so at anytime they want to contact you they can do so without having to go to a contact page.

These are just the basics for a quality CTA website and as I stated every website needs it’s own design based on what you are selling. If you would like more information about your own business website contact me directly info@SuccessBuilders-TampaBay.com

I’m glad you asked! I came up with this after speaking with hundreds of people who told me they wanted to be successful in their business. What I realized was everyone’s idea of success was different and many of them had no idea what success meant for them. For some it was to make enough to pay their bills or pay off debt, some wanted to create a comfortable retirement, others wanted true financial success or to make millions of dollars. What most everyone had in common is they had nothing written down on paper or had a formula or PBSQ. The formula most people use is “I will work as hard as possible, lot’s of hours, be passionate, consistent, persistent, and all the buzz words you have heard in motivational speeches. All these things are important but if you don’t have a specific goal and procedure to meet those goals it doesn’t matter what buzz words you use you most likely will never reach your definition for your success.

Create a P.B.S.Q for Your Success

This is not that difficult but realize that your personal success goals will change over time and needs to be visited at least every six month to make realistic changes. Here are a few questions I ask people when establishing their P.B.S.Q.

1. Why did you get into the business
2. Why do you think it will reach your financial goals?
3. Who do you personally know that has reached their financial goal using this business model?
4. Who is mentoring you in this business to help you reach your goals?
5. Is your success in this business something you want or do you need it? (The difference is success is attained by those who need it more than want it! Everyone wants success but if you don’t need it your chances of success are much lower. Drug addicts say they want the drugs but in reality they need the drugs and they will do whatever it takes to get them.
6. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to create your personal business success?
7. What specific formula have you established to reach your financial success?
8. How is your formula working (if you have one)
9. Do you invest in yourself and your business to gain the knowledge needed to reach your financial success goals?
10. Are you satisfied with your current results and growth towards your financial goals?

These are just a few questions I ask when helping people create their PBSQ. I suggest using these to create your own PBSQ. Usually most people will realize after creating and reviewing their answers if their success goals are realistic and what adjustments need to be made but if you are not sure I will be happy to review with you. Note: You must be honest in every question you ask in order to get an honest result! If you need further assistance, need a more detailed PBSQ or have questions feel free to contact me. I wish you the best with your personal business success.

info@SuccessBuilders-TampaBay.com