Category: Marketing

 
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10 Maximizers of Your Trade Show Marketing Investment

Trade show marketing is certainly an investment.

From the cost of securing a space on the trade show floor, to the trade show display itself, there are a lot of items on your list to plan for in order to have a successful show. But those are not the only investments you need to consider.

Below are things that you should think about to maximize your trade show marketing investment.

Set Plan For Pre-Show, At-Show and Post-Show Activity

Establishing a breakdown of activities in each segment of the trade show marketing process is critical to track effectiveness and ROI of the work done. This should include everything from creating social media buzz, at-show presentations to who is following up with the leads generated at the show, email marketing, etc.

Having all of these action items laid out, along with your budget for the trade show, will help you maximize your trade show investment. The better the plan, the better the odds are to turn those visitors into customers.

Pre-Show Promotion

Pre-show marketing is a part of a successful trade show campaign. Never assume customers or prospects that are attending the trade show you’re marketing at will simply “stop on by.” You must implement that pre-show marketing plan well in advance. From your activity in building buzz via social media, the information you add to your website about the upcoming trade show, to the personalized emails and even letters (going old school is really effective in this digital age) to invite current customers and attract prospects to your booth.

Even including a special incentive: exclusive grand prize raffle for visitors, get a VIP happy hour wristband for an after the trade show get together, etc. Incentives will add to your budget, but can provide you with the opportunity to deepen the connection with customers and prospects that can yield long term customers.

Be Outstanding

On the trade show floor it can be a little overwhelming visually. Your company needs to stand apart from the other businesses next to you and even down the aisle. According to the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), the average visitor to a trade show booth is 5-15 minutes. That’s not much time to make a lasting impression or to close a sale before the person walks down to your competitor’s booth a couple minutes later.



Having a high impact trade show display can draw people in. Don’t buy some cheap used display or go the DIY route to save a few bucks. Having professional booth exhibit and design assistance goes a long ways in having a trade show booth that attracts attention. Adding iPad kiosks, video displays and even interactive touch screens can keep visitors in your exhibit space longer giving your sales team more time to develop a relationship with them. Don’t forget lead generation tools like scheduled demonstrations, contests, raffle/drawings that require registration keep people coming to your booth.

Have One-on-One Space in Your Booth

Having a space away from the busy trade show floor dedicated to having some privacy is important. For example, some companies have utilized a double-decker trade show display that has a 2nd floor where the sales team can meet with people who’ve set up appointments or for those moments where sales are finalized.

Staff Selection

Picking names out of a hat or just choosing whoever is available should never be the way to decide who is going to represent your company at the trade show. Those people are the face of company. Seriously consider who you want to fulfill that role for you.

Choose people who are outgoing (like to smile, great conversation starters) and are going to know “how to work a booth”. They are engaging visitors, capturing contact information, asking the right questions to know if they are just there for the free prizes, are a potential customer or are ready to buy. Thoroughly knowing your product/services is not enough on the trade show floor. Make you are training up and staffing your booth with the right people.

Don’t Hide In Your Booth

Speaking at trade shows and conferences can add a whole other level of trust and credibility for you and your company. It can also lead to even more sales! Most trade shows and many conferences are in need of great public speakers who can provide value to their attendees. Got something to say?

Being a speaker helps you and your company stand out from the competition. Whether you are a featured speaker, hosting a lunch roundtable, or participating in a panel of speakers, your presence is increasing your company’s profile and visibility.

Limit Marketing Collateral

Less is more! Especially at a trade show where EVERYONE is being given a lot of paper products. Don’t be that company that spends thousands of dollars on brochures, sales sheets or pamphlets that will likely never leave their bag or odds are that it’ll end up in the garbage can. Focus on one or two key pieces of information in exchange for their contact info to send a personalized information kit after the show.

Unique Trade Show Giveaway

Don’t invest money in pens or key chains. There are far better options out there if you think creatively. If you have “upgraded” giveaway items, you can offer them in exchange to those who fill out your questionnaires. If you still plan to give away cheaper items, water bottles (that are BPA free) are a great option.

Leave Your Booth

See what the competition is doing with their booth and at their displays. Being able to see what’s capturing people’s attention can be an idea generator on ways to improve your own exhibit experience for attendees. Learn as much as you can. Talk to people and pick up their marketing collateral.

Follow Up

Part of your planning before the show was putting together a strategy for following up with your leads from the trade show. Hopefully, you planned out who is going to “get in touch” and do the follow-up. Post-show marketing is a smart way to way to extend the life of your exhibit.

Ensuring that you have staff and a process established to take action on following up with everyone immediately after the trade show instead of letting the connection go cold without follow up for weeks or months. Making follow up a priority can pay off and cover the trade show investment with increased lead conversion and sales.

Incorporating these ten tactics into how you trade show market your business will give you the best chance to generate more sales and visibility for your business.

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IPAC live workshop on marketing and publishing your book

This workshop is designed for self-published authors and shares innovative marketing ideas for promoting their books for 2017/2018. Participants will learn about a variety of marketing techniques, tools and strategies for selling more books.

The workshop will present a step-by-step system for positioning and marketing books to their intended audiences.

Each participant will receive a workbook in which they will create their own customizable blueprint. The blueprint is effective with any genre of book, including business, novel, poetry, self-help, education, or memoir.

By attending this interactive workshop:

• You will receive a workbook and develop a customized blueprint of your marketing plan of your book.

• You will learn and be able to practice your own customizable marketing techniques for your book.

• You will learn how to execute your marketing plan.

To prepare for this workshop:

• Bring a copy of your book, concept or idea for which you want to develop a customizable marketing plan.

• Bring a winning spirit and be ready to have fun.

If you would like to recieve the free workbook, please send email below

[contact-form-7 id=”2388″ title=”Contact form 1_copy_copy”]

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10 trade show engagement techniques to maximize your limited time

Every year millions of people spend a fortune in time and money attending trade shows and conferences. For participating companies, these expenses continue to grow when you tack on sponsorship fees, booth construction, and travel costs. With all the work and money spent attending and sponsoring conferences, I’m always surprised how little effort is spent preparing the nuts and bolts of how we will engage one-on-one with our industry peers.

 

Companies can spend $30K to $250K and up to attend and sponsor a conference. That money is usually spent coordinating things such as flights, hotel, booth equipment, and giveaways. Ironically, in what is usually a people-to-people selling business, little-to-zero time and money is spent on how your staff will behave and engage with attendees.

If you’re surrounded by your most ideal audience with a limited time to speak to them in an environment that’s costing a fortune, wouldn’t you want to be prepared with a bevy of one-on-one communication techniques?

Trade shows are corporate Burning Man

At a trade show you’re operating in an environment of compressed time and space in a miniature city decorated with corporate art. As fantastic and wonderful as that may be for your business, it’s all going to evaporate at a predetermined time. If you want to succeed, you have to make the most of that precious little time.

More positive engagements, not more scans

If we assume you’re operating in a person-to-person selling business, wouldn’t you be more successful with more positive qualified engagements than just badge scans? And wouldn’t you have more of these interactions if you knew how to stop a person, engage, and qualify that person quickly?

Here are ten tested recommendations. Read on.

1: Ask an opinion question

People love to be asked for and give their opinion. Add on top of that an opportunity to show their smarts and you’ve got someone hooked. One way to learn if someone is right for your business is to ask an opinion question.

Here’s the technique:

Open by asking, “Can you answer a question for me?”

For improved success read their name and company off their badge, with something specific to their business (e.g., “John, you work at Oracle, could you answer a question about databases for me?”).

Then ask a true opinion question (e.g., “What do you think is the most significant way companies are falling short with Big Data?”).

Why it works:

People love to to share their opinion.

The answer will quickly give you an idea how much they know about the subject and/or if it concerns them. You can also gauge who in your company they should speak to next.

The responses become great market research fodder. Keep a record of all the answers.

2: Use a camera as a prop

 Most of the work my firm does involves interviewing people on camera at trade shows. I have found that the mere fact I have the prop of a video camera allows me to cut through common small talk and get in and out of a conversation very quickly.

Here’s the technique:

With video camera in hand, introduce yourself to an attendee and tell them you’re shooting a video for a certain outlet (it can be your blog) and you’d like to ask them a question on camera.

Afterwards, ask for their card so you can follow up and share the video when it’s finished.

Why it works:

There is no need for small talk at all. The camera (or you can use a clipboard) acts as a prop making it clear that you have a very specific objective.

When you’re done, or if they say no, you have an excuse to walk away as it’s clear that you have an objective.

Even if they say no because they’re shy or PR won’t let them be on camera, it’s still possible they may still be interested in the topic and therefore a qualified subject.

You have an excuse to collect a business card, plus you have an asset from the event to share with them afterwards that they’ll be eager to see because they might be in it.

 

3: Set up one-on-one interviews beforehand

Traditionally, weeks before a big trade show or conference, a company’s PR will hammer attending press and analysts with emails asking if they’d like to meet with their CEO to talk about their latest announcement. These emails are the equivalent of saying, “Hello, you don’t know me and I don’t know you, but I thought you would like to pay attention to me.” While off-putting when put in that context, press and analysts have come to expect them. If anyone else but a PR person did this you’d be completely taken aback. It’s just not how we normally form relationships.

We’ve found a far more successful technique is to literally flip the format, or as I like to call it, and ask influencers if you can interview them for a publication.

Here’s the technique:

Send an email a few weeks before the event and ask if you can interview them. You’re essentially saying I’d like to pay attention to you rather than asking you to pay attention to me.

Keep the topic somewhat loose as you’ll want them to speak on their expertise.

Why it works:

It’s an amazing relationship making move. It’s far easier to get people to care about you if you care about them first.

You have a personalized follow up asset to share.

It’s the best way to have one-on-one engagements with the top influencers at the conference.

4: Don’t eat lunch with people you know

If you don’t have a scheduled lunch with clients or potential clients, proactively look for people you don’t know and join them for lunch. Avoid what will be comfortable (eating with your coworkers) and force yourself to break out of your shell and eat with people you don’t know.

Here’s the techniques:

When you enter the room for meals, scan the room for a table that’s almost full and already engaged in conversation. If people are acting lively, that’s a good sign. Join that table.

Avoid tables where everyone is ignoring each other and staring at their phones or computers.

Why it works:

Lunchtime is when people are a captive audience.

You can spend time learning what others have learned at the show.

You need to maximize your time to meet new qualified people, and you can do that during a meal, which some traditionally see as “down” time.

5: Attach yourself to connectors

A qualified person doesn’t necessarily have to be a person who will purchase your product. They can be “qualified” in that they can be a good relation and connect you to other key people in the industry. Think about the connectors you know in your industry and how powerful they’ve been for your business.

Here’s the technique:

If the event is attached to an association, call beforehand and make it clear that you’re going to come to the event and you’re interested in joining the association. Ask them for the names of the key members who could introduce you around.

Use this opportunity to also reach out to these people and ask for a one-on-one interview.

Why it works:

By expressing interest in the organization they’ll want to make sure you have the best experience possible. That means they’ll introduce you to key people.

Walking into a room where you know no one can be intimidating. Get the upper hand by having names beforehand of the most influential people in the room.

6: Read the person — Will they be helpful?

For some people it’s in their nature to be helpful. Expand your definition of “qualified” to include people who are simply eager to help. Eight years ago I met a cameraman at a show who is just one of these truly helpful people. He has become a phenomenal asset to my business by connecting me to key people and I’ve even hired his company for a few projects.

Here’s the technique:

There’s not too much to it beyond just reading the person as being friendly and helpful. Once you sense that element, drop all pretenses for “qualification.”

Reciprocate. If they’re showing an eagerness to be helpful find a way to return the favor.

Why it works:

Helpful people are almost always more valuable than a “qualified” person that’s non-responsive.

You’ll have a lot more fun with business colleagues who are helpful.

7: Ask a “yes” sequence

This common sales technique of getting early agreement improves the success rate of your sales pitch. It can also be used to qualify a person.

Here’s the technique:

Ask a series of questions for which you’d expect a qualified person would answer “yes.” For example:

  • “Do you have customers you love?”
  • “Do you believe you could do more for your customers?”
  • “Would you like a solution that wouldn’t add more pressure on you, but could deliver more for your customers?”

Start broad and get more specific until you hit that ultimate qualified question.

Why it works:

Asking a broad question for which you’ll know you get agreement facilitates that initial point of “engagement.”

It’s far more effective to walk a subject through the problem and solution with them answering “yes” to a series of questions than for you to just come out right and tell them.

8: Ask why they’re there

Everyone has an objective at a conference even if it’s not well formed. It’s your job to draw that “why are you here?” purpose out of them.

Here’s the technique:

Ask a friendly opening line that immediately determines whether they’re qualified or not (e.g., “What are you looking for?” or “What brings you to the event today?”).

If they’re disqualified, but you know a company or partner who can help them, point them in the right direction.

Why it works:

Even if not explicitly stated, finding solutions to their problems is usually why people attend conferences. This line of questioning cuts to the core.

The answer will usually qualify or disqualify the subject immediately.

9: What have they seen?

This is the most powerful opening line that can be used at any conference or trade show.

Here’s the technique:

Ask, “What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen at the show?”

The response alone may indicate that the person is qualified.

Why it works:

Your opening line is asking for an opinion that’s both relevant and timely.

You’re not going into sales mode but rather putting the subject in the driver’s seat to lead the discussion.

If they respond in a way that shows they’re not qualified, it’s still valuable because you’re learning more about what’s happening at the show.

10: Compliment

“You can never go wrong complimenting someone.” Keep that in mind if you want people to actually stop and talk with you.

Here’s the technique:

Notice something physical about them and compliment (e.g., “I love those shoes.” “Where did you get that cool piece of schwag?”).

While that technique will get the person to stop, you need to get to qualifying quickly. Ideally, look at their badge and if you know the company mention what you like about them. Go over the top with the compliment (e.g., “You work for XYZ? You guys are doing so well. What would you need here?”).

Why it works:

People rarely ignore a compliment.

If you can quickly get into what you like about their company, you can quickly get into a discussion as to why they’re at the show.

CONCLUSION: Whether qualified or disqualified, learn how to end a conversation quickly

Once you know the person is qualified or disqualified, either way, you still need to end the conversation.

If the person is qualified, make it clear how you’re going to follow up and/or hand them off to a colleague.

If the person is not qualified, you still have to end the conversation positively. Non-qualified people will talk to qualified people later at the show, and it’s important that you’re polite, positive, and clearly explain your business. Follow these steps:

Look them in the eye.

Say their name.

Tell your story (e.g., “We’re the company that does ABC.”)

Say, “We’re probably not the right company for you.”

Thank them for stopping and shake their hand.

Say, “Enjoy the rest of the show.”

Remember, at a trade show you’re always fighting time. This corporate Burning Man will eventually shut down. That’s why all conversations need to eventually end, quickly, because your goal is to score more qualified engagements. You can’t do that if you spend all your time talking to one qualified person.

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What It Takes To Be Number One!

Do You Strive To Be Number One?

Today I want to talk about Games and what it takes to be number one, and what happens if youíre not number one! Well letís go to the ball field and take a look at sports.

First off there is a recruiter.(this is where you are) then there is a coach (your up line)

Then there are the players ( your down line) and then you have tryouts (your prospects)

Now you know in order to have any sport be successful you also have a big back office to take care of the money end of the deal! (your accountant, Financial advisor, stock investor , Lawyer and so forth.) Only the winning teams get the biggest Money deals so they all Jockey for the number one spot.

You should be no different! Advertisement takes on a whole new meaning when you have the means to do it! Letís take for instance the super bowl games. Look at how much is dropped for a 30 second spot at half time! Does that spot become that important? Well we made it that way you and me and everyone else in the US! Same thing happens with other countries with different sports. Letís stop here for just a sec.
Have I got you thinking yet?

Youíre a recruiter youíre looking for the best of the best to put on your team! How do you find them? Do you beat your head against a wall trying to get the big shots of marketing in your down line? No you recruit the bad news bears or something and the coach will take them from last place and form them into a winning team! And you just continue recruiting! Does the recruiter get in the coaches way? Well if you want confusion then go right ahead! Here is where matching comes in. You match the peoples needs to what your business is all about. You ask questions that require yes and no answers and you sort through all your leads and contacts.

Are you getting the picture yet? I want you all to understand one thing and one thing only. You are in this group of people to learn how to change what did not work in your life to something that could! What it takes is Knowledge and understanding Devotion and perseverance. There is more to it than just this to be a recruiter but we will start here.

What kind of people do you want in your business and what are the requirements to make the cut on the team? I will tell you all this Pam Black is one I want on my team she is moving in a direction to change her whole life! As for the rest of you! You sit there like bumps on a log! I would not want that type of a person on my team!!!

I want action and dialogue from people in my down line not people that just sit there and say I will do it tomorrow! I want you to do it today get going recruit! Get your business plan in order and move it! Pick up the phone or get out there and shake hands make some friends along the way!

If you want to get into profits then you have to learn and take action!

Your friend on the net

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Training the New Network Marketing Distributor: Being a Good MLM Sponsor ñ Step 2 of 3

In Step 1, we talked about ìLaying Down a Track to Run On.î Here, in Step 2, weíll discuss ìBeing A Good Sponsor.î While many of the people you recruit into your organization may have had previous experience in network marketing, many will be first timers. Similarly, if youíve been successful in recruiting people who were involved in other network marketing organizations, you got them because they were disenchanted with their current company. In other words, they werenít as successful as they would have liked to be.

Wouldnít that indicate to you that they donít know the best way to do things? Well, thatís where you come in ñ helping them lay that track for others to run on. Again, when new distributors know what works, they can proceed with confidence, and confidence is the handmaiden of success. Remember, people are not duplicable, but systems are.

<b>Step 2 — Being a Good Sponsor</b>

Being a good sponsor means showing your new distributors ìThe Rules:î

Rule No. 1: Treat it Like a Business.
In order to be successful, your new distributors must truly want success, be coachable, and follow through on their commitments. In other words, they need to treat this business like a business.

Rule No. 2: Keep it simple.
If they can follow a simple procedure (see Part 1), they will use the same system with their contacts. If they can see that what you did was simple, they will believe they can do it, too. If you had to really work on them, more or less ìbullyingî them into the business, your new distributors will not want to duplicate what you did and will not take any action.

Rule No. 3: Determine Their Reasons.
If you know what your new distributor wants from this venture, that is, why they want to succeed, you can understand how to get them over the rough spots and keep them on the road to success. Remember, most people will be tempted to quit with the first setback because they were never clear on what they wanted to achieve in the first place. If their ìwhyî is strong enough, the ìhowî will be easier to get across.

Rule No. 4: Establish Objectives.
Set specific sponsoring and financial objectives for the first 30, 60, and 90 days. People always perform better when they have specific goals in mind.

Rule No. 5: Introduce Your Upline
Introduce new distributors to their upline, those leaders who are building a successful business and who are earning the type of income theyíd like to earn. That way, if youíre not available to help them, they will have names and telephone numbers of others (you should give them at least 3) who they can contact for support. Further, by meeting others who are earning the type of income they’d like to earn, the system becomes more realistic and attainable.

Rule No. 6: Whereís the Tools?
Make sure they know how to get the tools they will need to share the business with others., such as tapes/CDs, brochures, business cards, etc. Every business needs information to disseminate with prospects. This one is no exception. Remember, people are not duplicable, but systems are.

Rule No. 7: Make a Prospect List.
Although everyone who makes a list doesnít necessarily become a top earner, every top earner has a list. Typically, theyíll start with their Warm Market, because thatís the people they know.

At this point, your new distributor should be ready to go. They have their ìreason whyî clearly in mind, specific objectives for the next 90 days, their upline’s contact information for plenty of support, the tools to get started, and a list of people to contact.

Having said that, remember Rule No. 8: Let Them Move at Their Own Pace.
Sponsoring a distributor is a process, not a single event. If they don’t want to move as fast as you do, thatís OK. You canít change human nature. People will only do what they are willing to do. Encourage, yes, but donít try to force people into something they arenít willing to do.

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Why Network Marketing Sucks

On the face of it, network marketing should be very effective. You buy a product, recommend it to all your friends and earn a commission on what they buy. This ‘word-of-mouth’ advertising is what the big TV advertisers most fear: your product endorsement to your friends actually carries much more clout than an expensive tele-ad.

So, you earn a few pennies or bucks on each sale. But the big money comes (or is supposed to) when you recruit your friend to do as you have done – to recommend the product to all their friends – and recruit them into the network, too. And you get a few bucks on their sales, and as your network grows exponentially, so does your income. So why doesn’t it work? Why do 97% of network marketers fail?

There are two main answers. First, the compensation plan. To earn anything at all you have to shift product. Suppose that you get $1 on average for each order that flows through your downline. That means that you and your team have to make 100 sales to make you $100. That’s not much. To live the life you dreamed of, to give up your day-job, to spend more time with your family, to pay off your mortgage and car loan and credit-card debts, you’re probably going to need $500,000 (at least!) At $1 a pop it’s going to take you a long, long time.

Which is where the ‘recruitment’ part of the business comes in. If only you could recruit enough people into your team you could shift all that product and get rich. But you’ve run out of friends, and anyway, most of them don’t want to know or are lousy at networking. So this is the second reason why network marketers fail. To expand your downline you have to go out and recruit strangers. And most people hate doing this. It’s difficult, demoralizing and exhausting. So 97 networkers out of 100 give up and fail. The dream withers and dies.

So what’s the answer?

Making a fortune $1 at a time is not the way to go. And cold-calling strangers is about as much fun as pulling your own teeth.

Just forget about the traditional network marketing model: instead look at it from a tycoon’s point of view. You’ll make more money for less effort if you sell a big ticket item. Instead of making $1 profit per sale, why not make $500? And if selling to strangers gives you a pain in the head, why not delegate? Pass the job over to the experts and let them do all the schmoozing, selling and closing. This is what I do and you could do the same.

You can operate this system from anywhere in the world from behind your computer screen. This is not a pyramid, neither is it MLM. And you can do it even if you are a complete and out-and-out introvert.

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Work Your Network !

If youíre networking with strangers, youíre wasting your time. A consultant friend of mine recently complained, ìIím doing 2-3 networking events a week ñ and Iím worn out.î When I asked why she felt networking was important, she replied, ìOne of my marketing goals is to do at least 1 networking event a week.î (I pointed out that she just admitted to doing 2-3 a week ñ and perhaps doing 1 a week is smart and doing triple that goal is causing some of the fatigue.) But thereís much more to the great American business myth of networking.

Myth 1: The more you network, the more effective your networking activities become.

Truth 1: Itís much more important to become well-known in 1-2 circles than to spread your networking activities over many different groups. Depth beats breadth every time.

I then asked her how networking was working for her. She said, ìI donít think I have gotten a shred of business out of it in the last six months.î Her rationale for doing networking: ìEverybody knows that you build a business by networking!î Does this make any sense? Or worse, does it sound familiar?

See if this networking scenario has happened to you:

You meet someone for 30 seconds. They mumble something about real estate as you are tuning them out. They ask you what you do, and you say you are in insurance. After 10 seconds of staring blankly at each other, you both head to the celery sticks for lack of anything better to do.

Myth 2: The cocktails and miniature wiener circuit is the way to network to success

Truth 2: Networking with strangers to build business is about as effective as going to a bar to get married. In the words of Dr. Phil, ìIt simply ainít gonna happen that way.î

Hereís why youíre not going to meet your business soul mate at a networking event:

1) You arenít going to do business with someone after meeting them for a few minutes and getting handed a poorly printed card.

2) Businesses are built on relationships and not ì30-second commercials,î no matter how effective and intriguing.

3) Most of us have major trouble in explaining what we do, much less getting past that explanation and listening for what prospects need.

4) Networking with strangers is not targeted or specific and in fact is completely random. For some people, networking is exactly as effective as cold calling, which is the least effective marketing tool there is.

So am I saying that networking is a waste of time? Absolutely not. What Iím saying is you need to start networking smarter.

Here are a few thoughts to jog your noggin:

* Network by having coffee or lunch with people one on one. Get to know them and their business. They may become a prospect, alliance partner, or referral source. But aim first and foremost to make them a friend. The rest will follow naturally.

* If youíre going to network with strangers, go with the goal of making 2-3 lunch or coffee dates with people you find interesting.

* Ask every happy customer you have (theyíre all happy, right?) for just one referral of someone who would be interested in your type of goods or services, then call and use their name. (ìHi Iím Fred and Ginger said I should call you. Isnít Ginger great?î) You already have one thing in common ñ Ginger!

* Create a network ìhit listî of the exact kind of businesses you want to network with ñ maybe you sell software and you want to meet IT managers at medium-size companies. Make the list and put it in your little black book or PDA. Focus your networking and outreach activities on only those people ñ or others who can refer you to those people.

* Join non-business groups and spend time doing non-business activities: Civic, social, religious, recreational, musical, athletic… the list is endless. Establish relationships with people in your group. Perhaps youíre a Moose and a realtor. A Moose, as it turns out, wants to by a house from another Moose. If so, you have the Moose Market cornered! Are you into hand-drumming. Guess what? A hand-drummer will want to do business with another hand-drummer. Get it?

* If you do go to a ìmixerî go with a targeted goal in mind. For example, your goal might be ìto meet three people on my target list and get their card so I can follow up for breakfast, lunch, coffee or badminton.î A traditional ìnetworking eventî now becomes simply the first phase of your targeted plan for global domination, and not an end in itself.

Hereís a final thought to shake up your networking mindset: Network with people who already know you, like you, or have done business with you.

Myth 3: Networking is all about getting more people to know what you do.

Truth 3: Networking is all about getting people that already know you to share opportunities where you can be helpful to each other.

Make 2-3 phone calls a day to connect with people from past jobs, former clients, or influential people who have expressed interest in you in the past.

We all have a ìfan baseî that we grossly underutilize.

Think about tapping into friends, colleagues, mentors, and family to mine the connections you already have at your fingertips.

So get out there and network ñ but make it worth your investment of time and energy by networking smart. As your mother always said, ìDonít network with strangers.î

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Top Network Marketing Company -is it a serious business?

To truly know what network marketing really is you must know exactly was it isnít first. Actually there is nothing illegal or dishonest about network marketing and it is not a pyramid scheme. A pyramid is a program that has people invest large sums of money in the hope that others will too and the money will somehow get back to them and they will get rich. This is just a game played with money that has no real sales value. The products that are so-called being invested in are just the tools to hide the money game. A pyramid scheme is based on taking advantage of people and is very much illegal. For one person to actually make money in this scheme someone else has to lose it. The whole premise is built on a lie and in no way going to make one rich.

Network marketing on the other hand is very much legal and has great potential for those who work hard at it. There are real products or real value to be used to make money. The prices are not in the thousands either. Products are bought based on need and desire, not necessity. There are many people who make really good money in network marketing but it takes a lot of effort and work. One must build an entire organization from scratch based on the legitimate products offered. You will be encouraged to help others succeed so you too can win. It is a form of retailing where you either sell the products from your company to others or sponsor other people who will be using the products for their own use or selling them. In no way are you taking advantage of others in network marketing. Everyone can make money with enough effort. You will not make it rich over night no matter what anyone promises you. But you can live well with enough effort. You will need to follow a specific business dynamic to accomplish this.

Network marketing is a very serious business for highly determined people. The system has been proven and the design, creation, and expense that the corporate team has laid out are what you will follow like a road map to your own success. The big key in network marketing is that it is all about leverage. You work hard to get other people sponsored so you can make a percent off their work as well as your own. The most successful people who build a network do it in a very organized way. They dedicate themselves to it for a designated amount of hours per week to build it slowly over time. Then they sponsor others and train them on the companyís product and how to sponsor others. By helping your people get their own sponsors you in essence duplicating yourself. This can lead to getting hundreds and even thousands of people into your network over time. You use your time to train others to be successful and earn income from their efforts.

With network marketing you do not need huge capital requirements and no area restrictions geographically. There are no required quotas you have to sell or purchase or specific educational background needed. All you need to have is drive and time. There is no high cost overhead and you can even qualify for many tax breaks for having the home-based business

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Top Networking Marketing Opportunities ñ Is There Such A Thing?

Top networking marketing opportunities, also known as multi-level marketing opportunities, run rampant on todayís Internet. Youíve no doubt received some kind of solicitous e-mail or seen some kind of advertisement in the margins of a web site youíve visited that talks about amazingly easy ways to earn thousands of dollars with a simple home based business.

The truth behind many of these ìtop networking marketing opportunitiesî is that they are using the sign-up fees from new members to pay dividends to existing members rather than actually generating any revenue from legitimate products and services. So no matter how much money they promise to make for you, if you canít see any discernable product or service of value involved in the opportunity, you can assume that this is one of those ìtop networking marketing opportunitiesî that is actually an out and out scam.

The truth is that for many of these top networking marketing opportunities, only one out of every fifty or a hundred people who get involved actually make the kind of returns that the opportunity dangles as a carrot in front of you. In fact, the actual numbers might be far less than this. Itís never as simple as ìpay for the secrets and start raking it in right away.î Anyone who does make returns on these so-called top networking opportunities work hard to sign up plenty of other affiliates, many more than the ìitís so easyî testimonials make it sound like you need.

When you come across one of the ìtop networking marketing opportunitiesî on the internet, guaranteed to help you retire and live easy within a year, be wary. Do your research and find out what people who have been involved in these opportunities actually have to say about their results. Make sure you research these opportunities on objective third party sites, not testimonials on the opportunityís home page. Keep your common sense, and good luck!

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Training the New Network Marketing Distributor: Laying Down a Track To Run On ñ Step 1 of 3

Most people who get into a network marketing program want things to happen quickly. Initial presentations usually touch on the way money can be made, and the numbers often look staggering. What most of those initial presentations donít explain is how difficult it is to get started and to acquire the skills needed for success in network marketing.

For many new distributors, this is their first venture into network marketing. They are unsure about how to begin and often are tentative in their initial approaches. That can be the ìkiss of deathî for a presentation. After all, who wants to go into business with someone who is not sure about what they are doing?

To be successful in network marketing, new distributors need to learn from someone who is already successful. When new distributors know how to proceed, they can build their downline with confidence. Only one person in a hundred is a ìself-starter.î The other 99 will require that you invest time into their success, and show them how to begin.

There are three steps to building your downline:
1. Laying Down A Track to Run On
2. Being a Good MLM Sponsor
3. Working Depth With Your MLM Downline

Today, letís talk about the first step, i.e.

Step 1 — Laying Down A Track to Run On

Making sure your downline has a ìtrack to run onî means they must first learn about the company:
ï facts and information about the management team;
ï product features and benefits;
ï compensation plan and how you make money;
ï enrolling prospects and order processing;
ï who your upline is; and
ï developing their presentation portfolio.

In addition to the above, having a track to run on involves knowing how to:
ï develop effective communication skills, i.e. to speak with people in a way that reduces tension, neutralizes objections, and increases participation;
ï use tools (e.g. websites, CDs & DVDs, newspapers, brochures, etc.);
ï promote home meetings, regional gatherings and conventions;
ï share information with warm and cold market, leads, referrals;
ï edify upline leaders; and
ï conduct an effective 3 way call.

When you sign up a new distributor, immediately have them make a list of ten prospects. Then, you should send each of those prospects some company information and a short note stating that you are sending the information to them at the request of a mutual friend. If you have an informational website, include the URL in your letter. After the information has gone out, have your new distributors follow up with their prospects and set up a three-way call.

When you do this, you (1) get your new distributors to immediately begin building their organization, (2) get sponsor and distributor working together, and (3) your new distributors will know what to do when they sign up someone, i.e. exactly what you have done for them! This stimulates business and creates tremendous momentum in the downline.

Sounds simple, but many sponsors violate this strategy. If itís done right, and your new distributors see how easy your success is to duplicate, you will find that them running on that same track, teaching their downline how to get started. Youíll see business builders emerging, and thatís when your business will really take off.