| It's been years since I laid the foundation for my | | | | methods of business building. This would include |
| current Network Marketing business. I've been a loyal | | | | one-on-ones, home meetings, public meetings, 3way |
| associate and a visible leader with the same company | | | | calls, and conference calls. All these traditional |
| for 15 years. Over the last few years, I would find | | | | methods are still valid, but I wanted to give my |
| myself reminiscing about how great things used to | | | | organization the tools to grow in using these |
| be, how easy it was to lay the foundations of my | | | | technology tools. I love the business building process |
| business. It seemed like people flocked to our | | | | but it was obvious that the traditional approach to |
| opportunity. It seemed almost effortless. There was | | | | building an MLM business was not producing the kind |
| a lot less competition and fewer companies in the | | | | of results that I had achieved. In order to survive, I |
| game back then and the information-age had not yet | | | | had to change my paradigm. My Networking |
| been born. | | | | organization needed this new approach, some of |
| Here's a snapshot of my Network Marketing history. | | | | them were already moving this direction. |
| In the 80s and early 90s things were a lot different. | | | | In addition, the X and Y generation is not interested |
| Information could not be rocketed around the globe | | | | in the traditional approach. They are into technology |
| via a Website, email, audio and video files, and web | | | | and social networking on the Internet. This model is |
| conferencing. If a prospect wanted information, we | | | | totally "relationship" driven, same as my personal |
| mailed it to them. Imagine that, mail? It would take a | | | | approach to building my MLM business. The only |
| few days to get there but then came the Fax | | | | difference is they are finding their friends on-line. This |
| machine. I remember in the mid 80s when Federal | | | | style really appealed to me. I defended the traditional |
| Express came up with a program called "Zap Mail" I | | | | approach for building a Network Marketing |
| worked for an Electrical Contracting company at the | | | | organization all the time. I used to say: "high tech, no |
| time. We all stood in amazement when a FedX driver | | | | check." Imagine that, I was dumb and dumber! I didn't |
| showed up and picked up our envelope containing a | | | | want to loose the value of developing relationships |
| letter that had to be in New York the same day. | | | | and felt that it was not possible for the Internet to |
| Imagine that, I letter delivered 3000 miles away in | | | | accomplish what you can do in person. Now we can. |
| the same day! The driver delivered the letter to their | | | | Social Networking is alive an well on MySpace, |
| fax machine at FedX Seattle and faxed it to another | | | | YouTube, FaceBook and many ther communities on |
| FedX location in New York where another driver | | | | the net. Problem solved! I finally gave in and starting |
| delivered the letter to our client. Amazing technology | | | | in 1999 and into the mid 2000s, I spent $1000s on |
| we thought. About two months later fax machines | | | | Internet Marketing seminars with all the greatest |
| flooded the business market. We bought one for | | | | Internet marketing gurus. It was Wild West back |
| about $800, expensive compared to now. Needless | | | | then. People where just starting to really ramp up on |
| to say, we didn't have to use Zap Mail after that. | | | | the Internet. The new frontier of Internet marketing |
| When I started my Network Marketing business, I | | | | and affiliate programs were being offered to anyone |
| used a telephone. When my prospect requested | | | | who could point and click. Giants like Amazon, EBay, |
| information, I mailed it. When fax machines came out, | | | | Hot Mail and AOL were well advanced in pioneering |
| if they had a fax machine (most didn't), I faxed it as | | | | this new wave of products and services offered on |
| long as it wasn't a brochure or audio or video. In that | | | | the net. My challenge was wading through the |
| case I still had to mail it. It cost a lot of money to | | | | quagmire of information and attempting to sort it all |
| prospect back then. My long-distance phone bill was | | | | out. It was confusing to say the least. I was already |
| $100s of dollars per month, not to mention my | | | | very successful but I knew I had to start moving |
| cellular phone bill. Speaking of cellular phones and for | | | | this direction. I was confused and frustrated and |
| you Aussie's, mobile phones -- my first cell phone in | | | | overwhelmed with the technology and was unable to |
| the 80s was a brick with a lightning rod for an | | | | identify a system that I thought I could integrate into |
| antenna, one of those ultra portable Motorola models. | | | | my business. |
| I wore it on my belt. The antenna pressed into my | | | | Over the next few years in order to make my job |
| arm pit. I had to get a hip replacement after carrying | | | | easier, I began to align with one Internet marketing |
| that for a year. Thank God they eventually got | | | | system after another. They were supposed to be |
| smaller and smaller. Now my wife can't even find her | | | | "turn key" marketing machines. One after another, |
| phone most of the time, it's so small. My neighbor's 8 | | | | they failed to deliver the results or were too |
| year old wants a cell phone. When I was 8 it took us | | | | complex for me and for my Networking organization. |
| 20 seconds just to make a call with a rotary dial. We | | | | Some of them just went out of business. After a |
| were lucky if we could even make a call because we | | | | while I just gave up on the Internet Marketing idea. |
| had to share our line with the neighbors. It was called | | | | Don't get me wrong, I did use email with links to |
| a party line. For those of you in the Y generation, if | | | | websites. I tried using auto-responders and capture |
| you're shocked about what I am saying, ask your | | | | pages. I bought leads lists and fed them into my |
| grandparents to tell you about the good old days | | | | auto-responder campaigns. These systems educated |
| when most families had one black and white | | | | and informed my prospective business associates but |
| television with tubes. Now we have to pay to get rid | | | | all they did is provide education and information on |
| of them. My 10 year old nephew was at a thrift | | | | my Network marketing opportunity. It was not giving |
| store with his mom recently. He asked her, what's | | | | my prospect that confidence to say: "I can do that." |
| that Mom? She said, that's a record player! | | | | They would review the website, love the |
| Back in the early 90s, I sent my newsletters to my | | | | information, love the products, the compensation |
| down-line via the US mail. It was distributed out once | | | | plan, etc... They would ask me: "What do I do now?" |
| a month. I was mailing around 2000 copies back then. | | | | I am glad you asked. Let's make a names list of 100 |
| I was thankful when I was able to fax my | | | | people and identify at least 10 of those prospects |
| newsletter using an auto-fax dialer. It saved time and | | | | that you consider to be Hot Prospects. Then we |
| a little money, but I still paid long-distance. Email was | | | | start start the process: one-on-ones, three-way calls, |
| revolutionary, now it was free except for $20 per | | | | and public meetings. Then can send them to websites |
| month to AOL. Technology has advanced | | | | and educate them to death, ad so on. I was looking |
| exponentially since then. Now large companies are | | | | for a business that's systematic and automated but |
| projecting holographic images for their corporate | | | | totally interactive and relational -- an Internet model |
| conferences and meetings. And the mages look very | | | | that could track my prospects activity, track my |
| real -- kind of scary. It's just a matter of time and | | | | results and measure what was working and not |
| you and I will be projecting our on own holographic | | | | working. I was looking for a business vehicle that |
| images and it will be business as usual. | | | | could work in tandem with my current Networking |
| I said all that to say this: Times have rapidly changed. | | | | business. I wanted to provide my expertise and |
| Duh. Technology is creating a new wave of | | | | experience without feeling compelled to just sell my |
| entrepreneurs on the Internet. People are busy and | | | | business or product to them. I wanted system that |
| are looking for simple solutions for creating wealth | | | | could help my associates find prospects for their |
| and a better life-style. The traditional approach to | | | | business. |
| building a Network Marketing business can align with | | | | One of my rants: Whether you want to admit it or |
| the new paradigm but in some cases some of the | | | | not Network Marketing is sales. Oh we use watered |
| traditional practices need to be discarded completely. | | | | down phrases like "education marketing" "Sharing" and |
| As they say, if you can't beat them join them. Prior | | | | "word of mouth advertising". Bottom line: We want |
| to getting on board with Internet Marketing, I kept | | | | our prospect to purchase our product or enroll in our |
| thinking to myself, "Either it was easier then or I am | | | | business. So we are selling plain and simple. To not |
| just flat-out lazy." Maybe success had gone to my | | | | acknowledge that is not being honest. I always |
| head and made me apathetic; after all I had achieved | | | | recognized that I had a profit motive when talking |
| what most only dream about, a healthy six figure | | | | with my prospects. I honestly believe that what my |
| income and lots of time freedom." I have always | | | | business has to offer is a huge benefit for people, so |
| supported my leaders, traveled, communicated and | | | | selling it wasn't a problem. |
| been available to support them in all the traditional | | | | |