Why? Not because they might not do it as in this case (although that is in itself a pretty good reason), or that they couldn’t figure out the website. But because of how anti-climatic it is for the new recruit. Plus it impedes what we all work to create, excitement and forward motion. Explore this with me for a minute.

When is someone the most excited and motivated about their new business? Until that first check comes in, the answer is “right now.” Don’t you want to take advantage of that excitement and motivation? How can you do that if you’ve sent them off to fill in the blanks alone?

Here’s the deal. When they make the final click to pay for their kit and the privilege of doing business with your company, you need to be right there to say “Congrats!” Now, let’s get started.

Then you do the first steps you always do with new recruits. You start them using your getting started system. That means you start everyone the same way each time. Every new recruit is trained through each step of your system. The only time your system changes is when you find something that needs fine tuning or you decide to add or remove something.

This makes it much easier for your recruit to learn exactly what she needs to learn in order to create financial possibilities in her business. If she creates enough financial possibilities some of those will turn into financial probabilities and some of those will turn into solid business.

Here is what else you accomplish. If you’re using the same system each time you start someone, then you’ll be able to train them to use the same system too. You are less likely to get resistance to your ideas and coaching, if your system helped them become successful.

If you send someone to your website to sign up without you or without a binding, clear appointment immediately afterwards, you in affect throw away a great deal of energy and forward momentum. This is energy and momentum that you don’t have to do anything to create! It’s yours, simply for being organized and a good sponsor. That is, you give recognition to someone who has just made the decision to start their own business - and get them started now!

Warmly,

Jillian

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But they don’t call.

Why? It’s the difference between What we are supposed to do and How we are supposed to do it. Yes, they knew they should call the lead. But when it came time to pick up the phone and make the call, they were uncertain how to proceed from there.

If you’ll take the few minutes (even the 15 minutes) to go over not only what your recruit is to do but how to do it the difference in your business and your recruit’s business will be night and day. Or should I say broke or rich.

For a “how to lesson” on this go to Step 2 of the “Five Steps to Work Less and Make More Money In Network Marketing”

Enjoy your weekend.

warmly

Jillian

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Yet, in 2005 nearly 94,000 patients in hospitals all over the country contracted a preventable drug resistant bacterial infection they didn’t have before they entered the hospital. Nearly one out of five who got the virus died.

It is true that 94,000 patients is a very small number of people when you consider how many people enter the hospital each year. But it is not a small number if it happens to you. An additional heartbreak, these infections were preventable!

What can this possibly have in common with your business?

This is a story about a doc with entrepreneurial spirit. No, he didn’t start a business to fight this resistant bacteria (MRSA). But I believe he acted as one would expect an entrepreneur to act.

Dr. Richard Shannon, Chairman of Medicine at Alleghany, Pittsburg General became started looking for a solution to the problem at large when MRSA struck his own practice.

In other words, Dr. Shannon stepped out of his one-to-one care model and studied the bigger picture. He looked at how existing systems supported unwanted results.

What did he do?

He set out to learn more about how to make care more reliable and safe. And he didn’t do it by throwing everything out and starting over. He built upon traditional experience. He also said something else that was the trigger for this ezine.

His take is the first step for any leader is ownership of the issue! Sound like an entrepreneur? I thought so too.

As I said earlier, DR. Shannon’s first step was to look at how existing hospital systems supported unwanted results. Interestingly, he found that anonymity was a culprit.

Here is what he found and his three prong approach.

1. Because infection data was reported in statistics, complex numbers, Dr. Shannon realized no one felt responsible. Here’s an example of how these infections were reported, “5.1 infections per thousand (intravenous) line days.” How’s that for anonymous and non-emotional? Anyone see a human face on those numbers?

   Dr. Shannon put a human face on the problem. If fifteen people were infected they said just that. Then the stories of those 15 people were told. People’s lives and how they were affected by the infection told the stories rather than anonymous numbers simply reporting data. Anonymity was replaced by real people’s loss.

2. All staff members were asked to observe their work and see where there were defects in current delivery of care that could propagate into error. Their job was to see with “new and different eyes.” This is an important piece because typically it is not one thing but a combination of things that create a problem.
3. When they encounter the possibility of infection they solved to root cause why it happened that day. Historically infections were reported months after they occurred loosing any chance of context to ascertain why it happened.

Now when an infection has occurred Shannon gets an email message. He goes to the bedside and asks one of these questions? Which question do you think he asks?

1. Who did it?
2. Why did it happen?

If you said “Why did it happen” you’re correct. The goal is not to ascertain blame but rather to find a reproducible solution that can be used 100% of the time to prevent the circumstance from happening again!

Let me ask you these questions:

1. In the bigger picture what’s your job as a sponsor?
2. Do you have preventable problems?
3. Have you taken ownership?

What is your job as sponsor?

Dr. Shannon’s take in the big picture was to provide care that was “safe and reliable.” When I was a sponsor I saw my job was to provide a solid proven business platform for my new recruit’s business? It was also my job to provide an environment for them to work through setbacks and celebrate successes.

Which of the following describes you?

• Do you take ownership (not blame) for the issues that recur in your business?
• Do you lament how many people start but don’t build.
• Do you wonder, “Where are all the good people?”
• Do you scrutinize your system(s) as they worked (or didn’t work) with each and everyone one who joins your team?

What does ownership look like?

• Does your weekly team meeting feel like a mastermind where people talk about their activity and how it’s working or not working?
• Does everyone leave that meeting with a “personal activity goal,” something inside them they’d like to change or continue to develop?
• Do your team members leave that meeting looking forward to “watching themselves” in action in order to learn more about themselves?

Hmmmm?

If all this sounds overwhelming to you, relax. It’s not. This is nothing more than systematic skill building. You are just as capable of running a winning, dynamic team as the next person. Ask any graduate of our “Savvy Sponsoring” program.

And for those of you saying, “I don’t have the time to build a business this way.” If you’re putting time into building a business, any amount of time, you have time to build it properly. It does not take more time to build a business right. It saves you time … and your sanity.

If you listen to the Terry Gross’s NPR interview of Dr. Shannon you’ll hear how he actually went to Alcoa and also Toyota to study their successful business systems. Do you think Dr. Shannon was determined to get a handle on something that had been plaguing medicine for years? Yes, so do I.

Our industry (like most small businesses) is plagued with a very poor success rate. However, it does not have to be that way. But in order for it to change in your business:

• Take ownership, it’s not about your recruits
• Look with new eyes and identify your problem areas.
• Build reproducible systems you use 100% of the time

I hope this ezine makes two things very clear:

1. You can build a financially successful and sustainable business.
2. If you don’t know how, like Dr. Shannon, work with someone who does know how.

Click Here if you’d like to hear Terry Gross’ January 9, 2008 NPR Fresh Air interview of Dr. Richard Shannon.

Warmly,

Jillian

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If you live in a perfect world these are the questions for your first meeting. (Don’t worry if you don’t live in a perfect world, there’s a solution for you too below.)

Ask your new recruit,

1. “How much money do you want to make in your first three months so this business is real for you?”
2. ‘In the longer run over the next six months to a year what kind of money would you like to make?”
3. “How will that change your every day life?” (This is a huge question!)
   All of these questions start your new recruit’s vision. These questions feed an emotional reason to keep them going when the going isn’t so easy.
4. Store hours – Without good clear working hours your recruit’s business courts chaos. A business won’t survive chaos. If you don’t have a great system to get your new recruit and their friends and family on board with store hours check out our Savvy Sponsoring Store Hours CD
5. Identify how many events and what kind of events your new recruit needs to do in order to accomplish their first set of goals.
6. Out of the number of dates she has available to her for the month, if possible circle more dates than she needs to meet her goals. It seems easier to fill six of eight spaces than six of six! All of us can buy calendars. But knowing how to use them makes them a great tool and not something we either leave behind or forget to open. Need help to make your calendar work?
7. Ask her to identify (right then) at least 3 to 5 people who she thinks will be interested in playing and working with her in a business of their own.
8. Identify the first few people she’s going to speak with about holding an event that she believes will only be hostesses. (Make sure she realizes she could be wrong and to always ask if they have interest in starting their own business. The best way to do this in my coaching opinion is using the “after thought” technique. Only a couple of sentences necessary.
9. It is your job to go over Step 2 with your new recruit for each of her first contacts. That means people who are going to simply be customers and for sure all those people she identified for you in step 7 above. Every minute you spend making sure your new recruit is ‘thoroughly trained” in what they are going to stay (written out, rehearsed and then practiced) will be worth solid gold to both of you.
10. Follow through using the “Five Steps” to make sure she knows exactly what to do with those who say, “Yes, I’m interested.” (I’ll call you next week is not the appropriate response.)? You also need to use the “Five Steps” to set her next follow up with you to go over her success and frustrations.

And If you Don’t Live In A Perfect World

Ok, so you don’t live in a perfect world. There isn’t enough time in your first meeting to get through this agenda. What then?

The first three questions are essential. Do those! I would also do store hours with every new recruit in your first meeting. Please note I did not say, “Send them home to do store hours.” I said do them with your new recruit.

Even if you can’t get any further than through store hours because you have no time left check out what you have done. You’ve left her with an emotional response to her business and time for her business. Huge.

If you only get through the first four or so, then using the “Five Steps” (if you’re not familiar with our “Five Steps” click on the link) set up a firm follow up appointment and give her homework. Ask her to write out:

• What life would be like if her business was bringing in the kind of money she’d like to make.
• Ask her to describe her day.
• What would her week look like?

This is a good exercise to keep the excitement juices going before you meet the next time. She can also start her list in between appointments.

By the way, she doesn’t need to know how many events she needs to do unless you can start step 2. The events can look really hard unless they know how they are going to make that happen. Your next appointment with her needs to be ASAP. Not too much time in between. We don’t want her saying too much to people until she’s trained.

If you split this process up, make sure that you go back over the first three steps and store hours (five minute review) when you meet the next time. Do this by asking questions about her vision. Ask her to read to you what she wrote. (Make sure you ask her to bring it along).

Then complete the process so she’s got her calendar planned out and a solid idea of what she’s going to say and do.

Keep an eye on her ability to keep moving through the material the first time you meet. If her eyes are rolling back in her head she needs a break. It may only be a few minutes, maybe another appointment. You’ll get more productive time out of someone if you’re meeting early in the day than in the evening after their job.

If you start each and every new recruit this way your new recruit will have a solid business tract to run on. She will also have a great system with which to train her own recruits.

The big payoff, your business is starting its new recruits with a system. A system any person can use. Now how duplicable is that!

Warmly,

Jillian

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It’s true we have control over what we say, do and how we act. But as good as we might be at those things, it is not a good indicator of what someone else might do. You can be the most eloquent. You can be a master at enrolling. You can have the best opportunity for someone to make a change. But if they aren’t motivated, none of it will happen.

If we stay focused on things we can’t control, it doesn’t take long for anxiety, disappointment to take hold. Then the resistance to continue sets in.

What should we be focused on?

Only what we can control. Ourselves. How does that make for a robust, financially sustainable business? Because by doing the action we have control over we create possibilities. Think about that for a minute.

You make a call to someone who may be thinking about starting their own business. Did you create a possibility? Sure you did. You created the possibility they may say “No” or may say “Yes” to you. Do you have control over what they say? Nope. But you do have control over how many possibilities you create.

How do you get proficient?

Ever hear the joke about the guy who stops someone walking by and asks, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer is “practice, practice, practice.”

But that’s really only part of the answer. If someone was practicing the violin daily with all the focus they could muster, but didn’t understand music would they get to Carnegie Hall? No of course not. The adage practice, practice, practice means, “Improve what you do and how you do it.” If you keep practicing the same thing the same way but expect different results, it’s not to Carnegie Hall you’ll get!

How do you get better and better at what you do? You pay attention. You take a few minutes after each possibility you create and ask yourself questions like these:

• How did I do?
• Did I feel comfortable throughout the conversation?
• Did I listen more than I talked?
• Did my questions help to me understand what they really wanted?
• Did the person I was talking to appear comfortable?
• If not, did it change during the conversation?
• What was my reaction to their change?
• Did I check out if they changed, or ignore it or simply change my approach?

In my coaching practice I call this debriefing. Taking a few minutes after each call, or event, or activity will give lots of insight into how you might want to change or strengthen your approach.

And read and then read some more. Ask questions of those who know more than you. Join a mastermind of your professional peers. Hire a coach. Go to business seminars. (If you would like to be more proficient in your business in, consider our Savvy Sponsoring program.)

As Michael Gerber says in the E-Myth Revisited, “…people who are exceptionally good in business aren’t so because of what they know but because of their insatiable need to know more.”

Why keep track of the points?

How many people do you need to talk to before someone says, “Yes, I’d like to start a business? How many people do you need to talk to before someone is willing to meet with you? Or, host an event for you? Or, buy from you.

Having a good working knowledge of these details in your business is known as your “ratio of success.” It’s tough to run a business if you don’t know how many calls it takes before someone says, “Yes, I’ll listen to you.”

The only way to determine your ratio of success is to keep track of what you do. When you first start out you’ll take a guess at what you think. But the only way to know for sure what kind of activity you’ll need to generate, in order to get the results you want, is to determine your ratio of success.

Goals don’t have to be tough or a guessing game.

Even though you have no control over the people you’re talking to, you do have control over how many possibilities you create.

• You determine the work you do.
• You determine how many calls you make.
• You determine how many real connections you make at any event.
• You determine when you do your follow-up.

I’m sure you’re getting the picture. As soon as you know how many times you need to repeat an action before you get a desired result, you now know your ratio of success.

Your business and the money you make is not a guessing game.

It is really straight forward.

Make your calls. You create possibilities. Get better at what you do and you get proficient. The more points you get, the more possibilities you create. The better you get at creating possibilities the more profit you make.

Not hard. Simply, straight forward good business foundations. If you would like to be more proficient in your business, apply straight forward good business foundations to your business. If you don’t know how or simply aren’t doing what you know you should, ask for help. Go public. Put yourself on the spot. You could even hire a coach (Our new Savvy Sponsoring program is all about giving you the tools you need and keeping you accountable.)

It is easy to keep score.

Check out our Points = Possibilities + Proficiency = Profits tally sheet.

You will be amazed at what this simple tally sheet will tell you about how you’re spending your work day.

Go on Take a Chance Create a day full of Possibilities And keep track of it!

Warmly,

Jillian

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Calls, Calls, Calls,

Here are the questions that most people hate to answer.

How many calls did you make this week?

How many possibilities did you create this week?

Here is the simple truth about your business.

You only have control over what you can do. You can create possibilities. Here are the possibilities for your possibilities

• They say, “I don’t want to talk to you.” It ends there. You’re exactly where you were before you called.
• They say “Yes, I’ve got a minute to talk.” Now you’ve got the possibility of creating a new relationship.
• They ultimately say, “No thanks I don’t want your product.” You’re exactly where you were before you called.
• They ultimately say, “Yes, I’d like to try your product.” Your possibility turned into a business relationship. You’re better off than before you called.
• They ultimately say, “No thanks, I don’t want to start a business.” You’re exactly where you were before you called.
• They ultimately say, “Yes, I’d like to start a business.” Your possibility turned into a business relationship. You’re better off than before you called.

Two big questions for you:

1. Are you creating possibilities?

2. Are you creating possibilities in the best possible way?

If the answer to either question is “No.” Isn’t it time you did something about it? You have absolutely no control over the results of what you do. The results are out of your hands. But, you do have full control over how often and how well you create possibilities.

• You have full control over how many possibilities you create.
• You have full control over how many calls you make.
• You have full control over how confident you are.
• You have full control over how well prepared you are.

Want Help?

• Get on every complimentary call we offer.
• Read everything you can get your hands on about business. Pay particular attention to “sales.”
• Do what you have to in order “to get over you.”

If you need help in these areas check out our upcoming Savvy Sponsoring program. Only two days left for early bird savings. Savings end March 21st!

There is no need for you to feel unprepared, afraid and unwilling to create possibilities in your life and business.

If you wanted to learn yoga or tennis what would you do? If you want your kids to learn to skate, play the piano or dance what do you do?

Do you or your business deserve less?

Bottom line: If you are not doing in your business what it is going to take for it to be successful, go find help.

If not us, then someone else.

It’s that simple.

Calls, Calls, Calls, create possibilities that create results.

Click here for information about our Savvy Sponsoring program. You have till Friday March 21st to save up to $465.

Folks, there is no time like the present time to take control.

Warmly,

Jillian

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None of us are immune to these things. It’s all a part of life. We’ve lost pets, changed jobs, moved, dealt with illness and lost loved ones. And that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of what life can bring. The one thing we can all count on, life will bring change and it won’t always be change we want.

Typically I can have two re-actions to these kinds of crisis. I can throw myself into work until I drop trying to “catch up.” Or I walk away feeling totally overwhelmed saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

Neither action solves the problem. Let’s take the first example, I throw myself into work. The problem, I’m already depleted because of the crisis I’m dealing with. Therefore, I’m not very effective. And when I start working all the hours I can muster, it typically doesn’t take me long “to drop” either. Actually, it’s not uncommon for me to “drop” right into some kind of cold, flu or some other stress related illness. Ringing any bells with you?

Great. Now I get to be mad at myself for getting sick as well as being behind. I don’t want to do anything, plus I’m fairly ineffective because I’m unwell! Not a great combination for success.

I don’t fare much better in the second scenario, walking away in overwhelm saying, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” This produces guilt plus a mountain of (ever increasing) undone work and broken promises. Why? Because of course, I don’t do it tomorrow. Nothing has magically changed. I’m still in overwhelm. And the situation snowballs. I’m further behind and feel guilty too. It’s not unusual for me to add that cold or flu into this scenario as well.

The typical end result of both of those scenarios is being so far behind that everything feels hopeless.

Time for Triage

What I talked about in the last ezine issue wasn’t theoretical. I was climbing out of overwhelm and regaining control. I don’t mean to amp up the drama here. But if you’re dealing with “high marks on the stress chart” your energy and focus are most likely going elsewhere. That means everything else is going to get short shrift including your business. (My Google search turned up this stress chart. According to this chart my stress score at the end of last summer was 378)! http://sweetchillisauce.com/Letters/Stresspic.html

Tom and I were dealing with death, sickness, his job change, and moving from one coast to another (and those are just the big ones). Talk about emotionally draining times. But I could have made it much easier on myself and everyone else around me. I could have been pro-active rather than re-active. I needed to do early triage.

Getting Really Honest

With everything (unplanned) that was happening, I was not going to complete everything I wanted to do. It was time to stand back and be the CEO rather than the “technician” (E-Myth, by Michael Gerber). I needed to make some business decisions. Tough to do? Of course it is. Some things are going to be cut out and not get done. That’s never an easy process. Plus there is another dynamic going on. Getting caught up in the drama makes for a lot of energy. All that energy can be pretty appealing. Unfortunately, it is negative energy.

When life turned things upside down on me, I decided not, - yes - not, to be rigorously honest with myself. I kept saying to myself and anyone else who would listen that I was going to do this, and then going to do that, and then going to… You get the picture.

I continued that behavior until my “red flag” (pushing my email send and receive button) broke through my stubborn hold on avoidance! That’s when I got honest with myself. That’s when I acknowledged I was out of balance and not in any kind of control. It only took a few minutes with “Back to Basics,” (yes, that’s all it took) to get myself back on track. I’m not saying that everything got fixed that day, but I got focused. I was on my way.

You know what else, I can pretty much tell you the day I choose overwhelm. I know when things are knocked off track (just like you do). And I know, realistically that whatever I had planned didn’t include this “change.” But I decided to lie to myself and pretend that I could get it all done and push myself into overwhelm.

Do you relate? Well there’s hope. Here’s what I could have done to avoid the heartache and stress. Triage. I needed to “sort my victims” as Dictionary.com defines “triage.” I needed to “determine priorities for action in time of emergency.” There was no other way to avoid chaos and ultimately getting really stuck. Because (again) the truth was I was not going to get it all done. But how do you do triage when you’re in chaos?

It’s Time for STOP

• Step Back
• Think
• Organize your list of things to be done
• Pluck*

Obviously, what Tom and I were going through was hard. But tucking my head under my unconscious wing didn’t help. I added a lot of stress to my life (and Tom’s) because I didn’t take a realistic look at my business. I also amped up my feelings of overwhelm. If I had paired down my list to what I absolutely could get done and let the rest go (till later or maybe forever), life would have been much easier. Things that were really important to me would have gotten done. And no one would have expected things from me that I couldn’t deliver. (That in itself is a big guilt reliever.)

It’s Your Choice - Damage Control or Damage Prevention

Here’s what the STOP does for you. You get to step back and get out of the “doing” mode (which can also be avoiding mode) for that CEO bigger picture point of view.

1. Take a quiet moment to think on paper so you can organize the list of things that you’d like to get done.
2. Give them a time in your calendar.
3. Tell everyone who is expecting something from you when they will get it, or if they won’t get it.

Number three above is really critical to your piece of mind. It stops those “broken promises.” The things you say you’ll do and there is no way you’ll ever have time to get them done.

Bottom line. You will not get to some things. It can’t be helped. There is nothing you can do about that. You don’t have time. But make sure everyone knows what they can or cannot expect from you. No surprises.

You may not like having to do this. But don’t you think it is better you decide what will, and what won’t, get done, rather than leaving it to chaos to decide. If you let chaos decide you end up dealing with guilt because of those broken promises and missed deadlines. Damage prevention is often difficult but it is always easier than damage control.

When life delivers a curve ball use a STOP to do triage and Back to Basics to get back on your way.

Then everyone knows what to expect plus the important things get done.

Please let me know if this ezine hits home with you and if the ideas and tools are helpful.

Comments? Leave one below!

Warmly,

Jillian Middleton

*Shamelessly adapted from The Inner Game of Work, by Timothy Gallwey

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Recently I came to grips with the feeling that I was so far behind I didn’t know where to start. Rather a scary thing to admit being a coach and all.

Obviously I am not immune to life and things happen that disrupt. And, if I’m not on top of things right away, they seem to snowball. As soon as things start to get out of control, the less well I seem to be able to accurately determine what I can get done. When things are in a chaotic state, I make things much worse (oh so very much worse) by thinking I can do much more than is possible. It seems that my mind and good sense scramble right along with my routine!

Do you relate? If so, then you know what kind of a slippery slope this can be if it’s not checked really early. Depending on how long you stay in this “running behind chaotic state”, at the end of the day, week, month or (yikes) months, you have:

• unfinished projects
• little or no follow-up
• great leads getting colder by the minute
• unmet deadlines (broken promises)
• goals feeling further and further out of reach

Yes, there is a way to prevent getting into this mess. It takes some practice – and as you can tell by my confession I’m still practicing! Watch for our next ezine issue. I’ll cover in that issue what to do to avoid setting yourself up to be hopelessly behind.

What’s Your Red Flag?

When I find I’ve allowed myself to get out of control and am behind, I have to be really careful or it can get worse, way worse, before it gets better. Why? Because once I start thinking, “I’m so far behind I don’t know where to start – I don’t start. My routine is so out of whack I feel powerless to get back in sync.

To make matters worse, I’m so into ‘the overwhelm’ and so caught up in the guilt of “what’s not done,’ that I end up being reactive rather than proactive. I find myself spending time in my office doing the least important things. Eventually things get so bad that when I do (finally) sit down at my desk, the first thing I do is push the send and receive button. But that actually is a good thing.

How can aimlessly reading emails be a good thing?

Through the work I’ve done with my own coaches, I’ve identified this behavior as a major red flag. It acts as an alarm. I know when I’m sitting down and pushing ‘send and receive’ to see what I have to do, I’m not in control. I’ve learned over the years it is my habit when I’m in overwhelm. I look to my email for (of all things) direction! Today I’m aware that’s what I do when I’m out of control and it sends all kinds of warnings off in my head. I know I’ve blown through an opportunity to avoid chaos, I’m in it. It’s time to stand back and get back to basics.

Back to Basics

This is exactly what I do:

1. I grab a piece of paper and write down all the things I need to get done. It’s a brain dump. No editing. Just write down everything that’s undone.
2. I grab another piece of paper and determine my store hours for the day, or the week or the month. It doesn’t matter if you decide them each day or if you feel you can get them together for the month. Do what works. If you’ve never set store hours our Savvy CD http://www.savvysponsoring.com/storehours/ will make it quick and easy. Once you know when you’re starting and stopping work each day, you’ll wonder how you ever got anything done before!
3. After my brain dump and store hours schedule are completed, I take a minute to congratulate myself for “getting started right again” and let myself off the hook. There are going to be some things that are simply not going to get done when you go through this process. What it meant for me was letting go of the fact that I’d not sent out an ezine for months. I also didn’t offer two of my favorite coaching programs that were scheduled on my calendar. My guilt wasn’t going to change what was. Period. And the guilt didn’t help me to get moving. It was time to focus on what I was doing rather than what had slipped through the cracks. Make sense? Letting go of judgment and self recrimination is critical to moving forward. They act as anchors or a ball and chain at best. Let go of “what didn’t” and focus on what is.
4. I take a look at my list of things to do and circle three top money making activities. For you, these activities could include making follow up calls (use the most recent leads first), or an initial call to someone you think may be interested in your business or your product. Your goal might be setting a one-on-one appointment to make a business presentation. Or you might be asking someone to host a home event for you. All of these activities are money making activities.
5. Now grab your calendar and make an appointment with yourself to make these calls. Absolutely no ifs, ands or buts. This is an appointment with as much commitment as the one you make with your doctor. Real time carved out in your calendar for you to get these things done. Period. This means an appointment, an allotted exact time in your calendar. If you find yourself saying you’ll make the calls “when the kids are napping” or “after lunch” you’re setting yourself up for failure. Each day you work do these two things, (1) make sure you know your store hours and (2) that your calendar has you doing at least three money making activities before you do anything else.

Go Public!

If you have trouble keeping these commitments, go public. Tell someone you respect what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it. It could be your partner, upline or coach, someone who will hold you accountable and help you through whatever comes up.

If keeping a calendar is tough for you chances are you’re trying to pack it way too full. Check out our Sexy Savvy Calendar CD, it will make things way easy. http://www.savvysponsoring.com/calendar/

Once you’ve moved the items on your list into your calendar, you can strike them from your list. Two important things to remember in order to successfully work through that list of things. (1) Do the money making activities first in your business hours and (2) give your self plenty of time to accomplish what you want to get through. If you have time left over you can add something else to your calendar. But if you pack your calendar too full, you’re asking for frustration at the end of the day because you were unable to complete your goals.

For many of us this is the toughest thing of all. We all have so much to do and what feels like so little time to do it. But less really is more when it comes to planning what you can get done.

Can You Be Seduced?

One last thought about planning. Sometimes we think planning our day takes too long. It can be very seductive to “just jump in.” Planning is your business roadmap. Having a roadmap doesn’t mean you’ll never get lost, but it is your best tool to get back on track.

I hope this ezine helps you stay on top of things. As for me, it’s great being back in sync, and wonderful to, again, be in touch with you.

If you didn’t take the moment above to register for our complimentary coaching hour covering, “How to get your new recruits into confident money making activity within their first 48 hours” well go ahead and click here now to register. The teleclass is on Tuesday, March 4th at 9am PST / Noon EST. It’s open to everyone. Hope to see you there.

Warmly,

Jillian

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But before we really get into this let’s make sure we’re all on the same page with a couple of definitions.

We are all in Network Marketing, but what is networking exactly? Here’s what it’s not. Networking is not handing out business cards; it’s not offering products wholesale (that’s a straight sales technique); it’s not putting your business card into the envelope of all your paid bills (although that’s not a bad idea); it’s not even exchanging business cards.

So if those examples are not networking what is it? We know it’s about relationships but what does that mean to us as networkers.

It means we create mutually beneficial (that’s give and take) relationships. We often think of these as win-win relationships. These are relationships we build authentically and strategically.

What happens when we do this? We develop a large group of people from all walks of life who will gladly and continually refer lots of business to us while we do the same for them.

It is simple really. Don’t groan, It really is simple. Look, you’ve heard:

People will do business with people they know, like and trust.

And if you doubt that, ask yourself this, “Where would you rather get your referrals, from the yellow pages or someone you know? Of course a referral. I’d much rather have a friend refer me to a doctor, or a dentist or a baby sitter than the yellow pages!

How do we allow people to get to know us so they can like us and figure out it is okay to trust us?

Let’s jump back to that definition of Networking. Remember the giving and helping part? That’s the ticket to our success to be of service to others in order to help them be successful not only in their careers but also in their lives.

And here’s a big piece of the puzzle:

Networking is invisible.

If you’re doing it “right” no one knows.

They don’t know because all you’re doing is getting to know them. You’re getting to know what they do and you ask how you might help them. And then you do. And you help them for fun and for free! That’s right you don’t ask anything in return.

In fact it would be best if you didn’t even think of getting anything in return. Focus on them…on them…on them. Ask them, “How do I know if someone is a good lead for you?” And then keep your eyes open for people to “match up.”

If you want to succeed in building a strong (Know You, Like You and Trust You) relationships do the little things consistently, first class and timely.

People are much more impressed with who you are in relationship to them than they are with what you’ve got to sell or what you know. Sincerely care about them and it will trump what ever you don’t know and bring you endless referrals from those who care about you because you’re so important to them!

Be patient.

But be patient. The biggest mistake we can make is to jump in with our product or business before we’ve a good strong relationship. If you have any doubt as to whether or not they know, trust and like you, it’s too soon. Be in the relationship longer, do more and be more to them.

Here are some other ways to meet people and expand your business. If you like these tools and want to get proficient at building a large sphere of influence, check out our Six Month Savvy Sponsoring Coaching programs.

Savvy Sponsoring 6-Month Program for Arbonne* Independent Reps.

Savvy Sponsoring 6-Month All Company Program

Contact your customer/wholesale buyers’ list.

Use the Savvy Sponsoring “Sophisticated Three Foot Rule”

• BNI Referral group. This group it’s ok to go in expecting referrals but you must give them too. And it still takes time for ‘the know, trust and like’ to happen. Do your part the other will come.
• Reconnect with old friends. If one of our greatest gifts as human beings is human connection then this is truly a gift. Whether these people ever do anything in your business or refer anyone to you, your business has enriched your life with friendships
• Strategically asking for referrals from those you do know. Help them remember people by asking questions that will narrow their list in their heads.
• For more immediate results (both no’s and yeses) always prospect those who call to sell you something
• Join organizations that interest you and mean something to you, especially something you’re passionate about. You already have something in common with these folks. They may never be in your business but over time (when they like, trust and know you) they’ll refer business to you.
• At any function look for someone who may look uncomfortable and ease their way into the group. Be of service. Make someone comfortable and they’ll never forget you.
• Try everything many more times than once before you decide it won’t work and quit trying!

If you’d like to know more about how to build this kind of strong sphere of influence please join us for our complimentary call on May 31st. We’ll give you some great ideas of what to do right now. And if you’re ready to really become a “Savvy Sponsor” then check out our next Six Month Savvy Coaching programs.

Click Here to Register: Savvy Sponsoring 6-Month Program for Arbonne* Independent Reps.

Click Here to Register: Savvy Sponsoring 6-Month All Company Program

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Why? Because being focused on the one piece over which we have little or no control – the end result – typically makes us anxious. That makes sense too doesn’t it? If you’re trying to control something you don’t have any control over one can realistically expect that would produce some mental distress!

And I don’t know about you, but when I’m under mental stress I’m not functioning at my best! And if I’m not functioning at my best my confidence level starts to dip too. How about you?

What’s the best way to handle this? Focus on what you do have control over. Not sure what that is? Go look in the mirror. In the end friends the only thing we have any control over at all is ourselves.

Don’t toss this down or hit delete just yet. I know those are only words. I know it’s not always easy to “get a grip.” But I have a few tricks to help you get ‘you” on a smoother path.

In the last ezine I coached you through some things that you can control and that will ultimately boost your results. And more importantly add much more enjoyment to anything you’re doing. I know that’s a big claim but if you’re willing to do some things a bit differently you will have more fun all the time.

Remember Ruth and her “lousy golf game” from our last ezine issue? Her score was way too high and she wasn’t having any fun. Ruth did two things last week and only two things differently.

First, she bought herself a tool that allowed her to free up her mind during each hole from worrying about how many strokes she was taking. She didn’t have to remember her “ever mounting score” anymore the “stroke counter” would take care of that.

Second, she agreed that when she realized she wasn’t enjoying herself she was going to ask herself, “What do I need to remove in order to have more fun.”

Now I’d like to tell you that Ruth’s score improved by 10 points but it didn’t. Well it sort of did! And yes, Ruth would tell you that her game improved. Why? Because she didn’t have the same angst while playing. And the part of her game that Ruth was stressing over, her putting, did improve greatly. As she said to me if my driving game hadn’t gone “to pot” I would have shaved 10 points off my score.

She was actually stoked. Because she did see improvement. And because she knows she can drive better than she did she felt it is only a matter of time before her game becomes more consistent at the lower score. She also realized that she could use a new driver. She was probably costing herself distance in her game because of a less than stellar tool.

Ok so how do you take these “golfing tips” and use them in your business so you can enjoy your business more?

What do I mean “be aware”? Check yourself out. Literally. How’s the stomach. Got a knot in it? Are you hands clenched tight? Do you feel like you’ve got to think about breathing? What’s going on with you?

In other words you’re going to start to pay attention to how you feel.

When do you do this? ALL THE TIME.

• Be aware of how you’re feeling when you’re doing desk work (those administrative duties).
• How are you feeling when you’re talking to team mates?
• How do you feel when you’re talking to someone about your products?
• What’s going on with you when you’re interviewing a possible new recruit?

Then the next question you ask yourself is:

What do I need to remove in order to feel better?

Ruth realized a golf stroke counter – a simple tool would help her take her eyes off her score. Next she’s going to try out some new drivers to help her distance. But the biggest thing she did was simply pay attention to how much fun she was having.

If you’ve worked with me before or read this ezine then you know that I believe and coach that awareness is curative. In other words things generally improve simply because you’re aware – paying attention!

And folks you have full control over that. It may take some practice but you do have control over that.

Bottom line: You can keep doing what you’re doing now and feel exactly like you feel or….you can get a grip on you by trying something different.

What’s it going to be? The ball is in your court.

And if you’re ready to put your “business card” to work for you check out my “Referral Card” program. Talk about a confidence builder! We start Monday.

Click Here to Register

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