Most people have no idea that when you begin to build a MLM business, you have chosen to agree to some company’s contract. You may not realize that, but it is true 100% of the time. Because you checked a box saying you read and agree to the Policies & Procedures. That step must be done in order to begin marketing any MLM product.

So the question is … did you actually read the Policies and Procedures? One of the things I have learned in my network marketing education journey is that the MLM Policies & Procedures is the legal contract between you and the network marketing company. Do you have a clue what you have agreed to? You might be surprised. Heck, you might be absolutely shocked.

What I teach people to do is search for the words “termination”, “on going” and “annual renewal fee”. It’s not that hard to do. If your MLM Policies & Procedures are in PDF form, then just do a search on those three words in your Adobe Reader program.

You are probably wondering why these words so critical. What does this mean to you?

Here is a common termination clause found in many companies…

• The Company at its sole discretion, may terminate any distributor at any time, with or without cause.

Everybody knows what termination means.  I think it’s pretty clear by the terms “with or without cause” that the company is saying that they can end their relationship with you whenever they feel like it without giving a reason. Because they don’t like your hair color that day, or your shoes. Now, you might be thinking “they wouldn’t do that”; but if your policies and procedures say “with or without cause”, then yes they can.

Here’s a subtle and interesting one about your “ongoing” commitments…

• Regardless of level of achievement, you have an ongoing obligation to promote new sales to new customers and continue to service your existing customers

You know that customers are the lifeblood of our business and you should provide them with good customer service. At first glance, this policy may not sound too threatening; however once you look at it over the long term, what this clause is implying is that you can never retire from building your business because of the term “new customers”.

Most companies that have an annual renewal fee that they charge you to maintain your position in the compensation plan have this clause…

• This is a one year contract and must be renewed every year on the date of the anniversary

Because this is a one year contact, it is open ended. This gives the company the right to choose to renew or not renew your contact. If  the company chooses not to renew your contract, you lose it all, and there’s nothing you can do about it! Image having spent hours of your life building your team and then the company decides not to renew your contract. Also, ask yourself who is keeping all that money from your renewal fees.

These are just a few of things I have learned to look for in my network marketing education journey. My journey started when I found a free – Success in 10 Steps. If you would like me to help you in the same way that Success in Ten Steps helped me, then just let me know.

Your power likes in taking action. Empower yourself and take action on something that inspired you here today.

Expect Success – Debi Talbert

People get some screwy ideas about products when they decide to do an MLM business. You often hear, “I can’t sell any product unless I love it!”

CAUTION:  Networking is a relationship business NOT a sales business.

Everybody knows this is a recommending and promoting business. One of the key things I have learned on my Network Marketing Education journey is that in order to have a lifetime of success in my home business, I  need to be able to provide one or more products that people really want. These products also need to be consumable, so they get ordered over and over and over.

It’s surprising how many network marketing companies actually offer products that have no month after month after month consumption. Instead, it’s a one-time order.

Personally, I am building my business to create an income that will grow, an income that is cumulative each month.  This way I can wake up when I am done sleeping, play on the beach with my grandchild (when they arrive 5 years or so), and travel to where ever ArmGuy is in the world without having to worry about getting back to “the boss”.

Would it be OK if I asked you to stop, take a moment and ask yourself some of these questions about your network marketing business?

• Is your product competitively priced?
• Can someone be just a customer to get a good price?
• Is this a product that would be consumed monthly?
  
• Is the product something you would buy if there was not a business opportunity attached to it?

If your product is not something a customer consumes monthly and having it automatically shipped to their door month after month,  you run the risk of not being able to create an income that is cumulative each month.  Most frustrated network marketers forget to take these factors into consideration.

Your power lies in taking action. I encourage you to empower yourself and take action on one thing that inspired you here today.

Please do let me know if I can help you.

Expect success - Debi Talbert

Everybody knows that a great deal of small businesses fail. Regardless of what industry they are in. It makes since that the same applies in the network marketing industry. The numbers show that 97% of the individuals who start a network marketing business fail. Some of that failure could be linked to the fact that, unlike most business, it doesn’t cost thousands of dollars to get started, so virtually anyone can start their own business. With not a lot invested people are more likely to give up at the first sign of struggle. Everybody knows that it is far easier to walk away from a $500 deal than it is a $5000 deal.

Another reason why people fail in network marketing could be linked to the fact that people don’t totally research what they are getting themselves involved in. Most people do not bother to read their policies and procedures. I did this myself. I joined more than one company without taking the time to read the policies and procedures. I did this because I was not looking at what I was doing as a REALLY BIG investment. I had the mindset that it was kind of  like buying a lottery ticket. Maybe it worked, maybe it didn’t. It not, no big deal.

When I think back about that, it is no wonder I failed in the beginning. What my network marketing education journey has taught me is how extremely important it is to understand how to analyze a company. Most people don’t understand that as a network marketer you are a subcontractor in business for yourself. As the independent contractor, your role is to look for a company that has the mindset of win, win. A win for the company, so they can stay around and pay you and a win for you the independent so that you can get paid well for you efforts.

Here are five tips that I’d like to pass on to you that I’ve learned during my network marketing education:

1. Check out the companies integrity and their managements experience. How can you figure out if the companies’ Management has experience? Do a Google search. Find out who the owners are and what they’ve done in the past. Have they ever had the experience of building their own downline? And, were they successful doing it? Or, are they Corporate Fortune 500 Executives that have had no prior experience building a successful downline in Network Marketing.
2. Stop and think about the timing & the industry. Remember most business fail in the first 5 years.
3. Are the products a good value for the price. Not your price as a distributor, but the customers price. Everybody knows that if there is no product, then it is not a legal network marketing business.
4. Analyze and understand the compensation plan. Understand how many people you are going to have to have on your team ordering each month in order to break even. Know what hoops you are going to have to jump through to get paid at higher levels. Look for the words Terminate, Termination, Involuntary Termination, Does it have a yearly renewal clause. Also look for the words Ongoing, Ongoing Sponsoring, Recruiting, or Retail Sales. This means you can never truly retire from this company.
5. Does your company and more specifically, the individual that is signing you up have a system for training you that is easy to duplicate. A system that will allow the full-time worker to earn while they learn how to build their network marketing business part-time. Are all the training calls recorded? Are you taught what to say and what to do online and offline?

The TRUTH is: Network Marketing Companies are nothing without YOU, the distributor.

Thirty-year MLMer Michael Dlouhy talked about these ideas and a lot more in his ebook, “Success In 10 Steps.” You’ll find ideas in this book that really make you sit up and take notice.

Everybody knows that skim milk does not come from skinny cows. Network Marketing education and success does not come from hoping you will figure it out. I encourage you to take action on something you read here today. Your power lies in taking action.

Expect Success – Debi Talbert

As I continue on my Network Marketing Education journey, there are times it feels very, very much like a roller coaster ride.

“Millenium Force” Roller Coaster POV – The best bloopers are a click away

I have moments where I feel the total rush and thrill of the ride and am loving every moment of it. Then there are the times when I ask myself “What the heck am I doing?”

What helps to keep my network marketing education journey away from the extreme highs and extreme lows is a method I have learned from reading the book The Slight Edge: Secret to a Successful Life. The Slight Edge is a simple philosophy that believes success comes from doing small activities EVERYDAY that move you toward growth in your business.

As a Network Marketing Professional, your job description is to get people to make a decision. A decision to either join you as a business partner or buy your product. I personally only work with the volunteers. So NO is a decision. Know that has also helped me to say off the roller coaster.

I personally have found that there are 2 main reasons why I end up on the roller coaster.

1. I tie emotions to the outcome – remembering that NO is a decision really, really helps me with not tie my emotions to the outcome.
2. I have free will – I can either do the activities I know are working for others, or I can not do the activities.

Here are ways that have helped keep me off the roller coaster and in action:

1. Having a clear written plan of what 3 – 5 activities I want to do each day
2. Following the proven system that others have used, not reinventing my own
3. Using the “reverse calendar” and blocking off specific times in my day to work my home business
4. Giving myself credit for what I have done, not beating myself up for what I have not done
5. Finding a “tribe” that supports and encourages me

• The reverse calendar is a backwards schedule of the task ahead, broken down into manageable little steps, “units that you can see yourself accomplishing.

Reach out to others who have had success with what you are working on. Ask questions, compare what you have done to what they are going. Maybe you just need to change one little thing.

Remember, there is no such thing as failure, only feedback. You will find that strength to get back up. Here is a video that might help you with this:  Nick Vujicic – (motivational speaker)

Expect Success – Debi Talbert

Setting up the correct expectation for your home business as you develop your network marketing education is key to being able to consistently take small action steps toward your goals. While you are working toward achieving your goals you are moving forward; however if the expectations you set are too great, then you will begin to feel as if we are failing. Even though you are making great strides in your business.

Most people who join a network marketing company have these really, really big income expectations. Of all the people I’ve asked about their income level goals, most people say either a $5,000 per month or $10,000 per month. I don’t often get too many answers in the middle of these 2 numbers.

What is your current monthly income?

$1,000
$2,000
$3,000
$4,000

If your current income is $1,000 per month, your current mind programming will have a very, very hard time accepting that you are going to achieve an income of $5,000 per month. This is why expectation is key to your success. Set up your income expectations into small bites. As you begin to generate a consistent income of $200 per month, then increase your expectation to $500. Once you increase your consistent income to $500, then move it up to $1,000. As you keep hitting higher consistent income levels, you can raise you expectations and your mind will follow right along with you.

One other area of expectation that is key to your network marketing success is the amount of time you feel it is going to take you to achieve your income levels.

Let me share a quick story with you about a gentlemen I was speaking with recently.  I asked him “How much income would he like to be making in a network marketing business to make building one worth his while?” His reply was $10,000 per month. So then I ask him “What time frame would you like to achieve this income level by?”  He said 1 years. Then I asked him “How many hours per week are you willing to dedicate to this business to make that happen?” He said 5 hours.

I ask you….”do you believe that this gentlemen is setting himself up for success or failure?”

When I asked him the same question, he agreed. He was setting himself up for failure. Upon further discussion I found out he was currently making $2,000 per month. Together we agreed that a realistic expectation for him would be to dedicate 5 hours a week to his business for 2 years (if he wanted it in 1 year he would need to dedicate 10 hours per week) and create a consistent income of $2,000 per month. Then he could move forward with his numbers from there.

The key is to set up your expectations so that they are more real to you. This will allow your expectations to move you forward instead of overwhelming you and making you feel like a failure as you continue to grow in you network marketing education journey.

Remember, there is no failure —- only feedback.
Expect Success – Debi Talbert