Another “amazing” home business opportunity with low success ratio...explain WHY?
Another breakthrough home business opportunity crossed my desk the other day. There are so many of these amazing “creatures” out there hoping to find a kind ear, a dazzled eye, a vision of life-long prosperity, an excited start-up with a keen home business owner.
I checked it out. It was a network marketing opportunity. The products were about wellness with good descriptions like unique, consumable, proprietary, patented, double-blind clinical studies. What was missing, in my opinion, were words like natural, whole foods, synergy. Nature cannot be patented. I was losing interest fast.
Then I read that a successful business represents 2% of this industry based on mentoring by professionals! Why would anyone consider doing this home business with such an“amazing” low odds of success?!? Unless, of course, you were already a professional network marketer. I consider myself in that league so continued reading the marketing plan. Marketing, after all, is the key to success in this business by sharing a duplication model through multiple levels.
The point here is not to try to explain the whole marketing process but some key words are: recorded calls 24/7, live corporate fly-ins, live opportunity calls, live weekly webinars, area and regional sessions and a turn-key online marketing system which consists of replicated website, company videos, multiple lead capture pages, flash overview tours, email messages, and seamless sign-ups. All of this is monitored by a full contact manager, lead management, website path tracking, integrated real-time leads, advertising co-op rotation, meta-tag control, and a full auto-responder system.
What do you think would be a main problem in the sharing of this duplication model through multiple levels?
I’ve actually worked with a similar system. It produced results for professional networkers who worked with other networkers but very few results for average home business owners. This is the main reason why we need to restructure the network marketing plan so that everyone truly has an equal level playing field from which to gain profits and prosperity.
I’d love to hear about your home business experience and what you hope to accomplish.
Standing by to help,
AnneMarie
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Make Profits with a Home Business on a Table Napkin?
Make profits with a Home Business on a Table Napkin? Show me how.
I listened recently to a short video presentation about a young entrepreneur who has an absolutely unusual way of deciding which potential million dollar business to build based on a peculiar business model. Can his business plan be explained to future partners on a dinner napkin? And can his partners explain the same business plan on a dinner napkin to other prospects?
The key here is marketing with obvious simple duplication.
He continued to draw a regular sized napkin and divide it into quarters. Each quarter represented a special function.
First, start with a capture email page with a low ticket offer.
Next, proceed to a small ticket upsell where as many as 30% of customers begin to feel comfortable with the buying process. Then, everyone is dropped into an email follow-up system called a Continuity Program. Finally, the big ticket item is produced and supported with call centers, webinars, and email contacts and updates. At any time, potential customers can remove themselves from the marketing funnel.
This program started a personal evaluation. Can my small home business be explained on a single dinner napkin? I believe so, but even in a more simplified way.
First: Invite potential prospects to listen to an overview call about the home business opportunity.
Second: If interested in more information, follow-up with the company’s website and a one page Getting Started Right Business Plan
Third: Help with questions. Continue the education with a generic overview of the business model with a slideshow and e-book…an invaluable information tool that does the work for you called the Mini-Program for Maxi-Profits.
Fourth: Read and share the 1- 2 – 3 Step Marketing Plan that covers all the main facts,neutralizes common excuses, and brings in a new business partner.
Simple is a beautiful thing. A simple dinner napkin “business” can be duplicated. In our industry duplication of a simple marketing plan can lead to fortunes.
I listened recently to a short video presentation about a young entrepreneur who has an absolutely unusual way of deciding which potential million dollar business to build based on a peculiar business model. Can his business plan be explained to future partners on a dinner napkin? And can his partners explain the same business plan on a dinner napkin to other prospects?
The key here is marketing with obvious simple duplication.
He continued to draw a regular sized napkin and divide it into quarters. Each quarter represented a special function.
First, start with a capture email page with a low ticket offer.
Next, proceed to a small ticket upsell where as many as 30% of customers begin to feel comfortable with the buying process. Then, everyone is dropped into an email follow-up system called a Continuity Program. Finally, the big ticket item is produced and supported with call centers, webinars, and email contacts and updates. At any time, potential customers can remove themselves from the marketing funnel.
This program started a personal evaluation. Can my small home business be explained on a single dinner napkin? I believe so, but even in a more simplified way.
First: Invite potential prospects to listen to an overview call about the home business opportunity.
Second: If interested in more information, follow-up with the company’s website and a one page Getting Started Right Business Plan
Third: Help with questions. Continue the education with a generic overview of the business model with a slideshow and e-book…an invaluable information tool that does the work for you called the Mini-Program for Maxi-Profits.
Fourth: Read and share the 1- 2 – 3 Step Marketing Plan that covers all the main facts,neutralizes common excuses, and brings in a new business partner.
Simple is a beautiful thing. A simple dinner napkin “business” can be duplicated. In our industry duplication of a simple marketing plan can lead to fortunes.
Friday, October 17, 2008
How Not to Let your Home Business Beat You Up
How Not to Let Your Home Business Beat You Up?
Yesterday I spent two hours on two different calls listening to expert marketing advice from top marketers.
There is always hope that something might rub off…better sales copy, better target marketing…join a program.
So what did I learn? No business can survive without an active marketing plan to draw in customers. But marketing is a multi-layered, complex business that even the gurus have spent years in mastering.
I have a network marketing home business with the advantage of having an inbuilt marketing plan and team support. But am I able to execute the recommended plan at the same level as these experts?
I listened to this one Lead System marketing company for networkers explain its enrollment process…TEN steps with attending videos to explain each step to open up and track multiple streams of income. So let’s say you manage to struggle through this one-time process, get your domain name and set up your marketing site(s). That’s actually the easy part…Now comes the real marketing efforts which are to advertise your advertising website! How long would it take you to learn how to do these tasks: Set up a MySpace account with categories (plus other social sites web 2 marketing), build a list, create ezine solo-ads, learn Forum Marketing, write content for article and blog marketing, and learn pay per click plus several more. Each one is an extensive learning curve to do properly and requires perpetual updates to keep relevant. This is the basic principle of attraction marketing where people will find you impressive enough to want an affiliation with.
Give me a break! This system will work for a small handful of entrepreneurs. I wonder how many of those ladies with beginning questions will actually succeed in meeting these professional standards.
I’m a networker and my profitable home business marketing plan must duplicate through multiple levels of average home business entrepreneurs. You can’t all be expected to be “attractively magnetizing experts.” But you can be expected to handle 3 main components time-effectively: First, pass on an educational ABC primer to explain the business model, generic, hype free, with professional slides to explain the basic concepts. Those who raise their hand for more information will receive the second step …a phone number and a simple Getting Start Right Action Plan with necessary links. Third, everyone can read-and-share a marketing overview with steps to action.
The next time I think about taking 2 hours listening to marketing gurus, I’d rather share a simple marketing plan with people looking for a real non-magnetic home business.
Yesterday I spent two hours on two different calls listening to expert marketing advice from top marketers.
There is always hope that something might rub off…better sales copy, better target marketing…join a program.
So what did I learn? No business can survive without an active marketing plan to draw in customers. But marketing is a multi-layered, complex business that even the gurus have spent years in mastering.
I have a network marketing home business with the advantage of having an inbuilt marketing plan and team support. But am I able to execute the recommended plan at the same level as these experts?
I listened to this one Lead System marketing company for networkers explain its enrollment process…TEN steps with attending videos to explain each step to open up and track multiple streams of income. So let’s say you manage to struggle through this one-time process, get your domain name and set up your marketing site(s). That’s actually the easy part…Now comes the real marketing efforts which are to advertise your advertising website! How long would it take you to learn how to do these tasks: Set up a MySpace account with categories (plus other social sites web 2 marketing), build a list, create ezine solo-ads, learn Forum Marketing, write content for article and blog marketing, and learn pay per click plus several more. Each one is an extensive learning curve to do properly and requires perpetual updates to keep relevant. This is the basic principle of attraction marketing where people will find you impressive enough to want an affiliation with.
Give me a break! This system will work for a small handful of entrepreneurs. I wonder how many of those ladies with beginning questions will actually succeed in meeting these professional standards.
I’m a networker and my profitable home business marketing plan must duplicate through multiple levels of average home business entrepreneurs. You can’t all be expected to be “attractively magnetizing experts.” But you can be expected to handle 3 main components time-effectively: First, pass on an educational ABC primer to explain the business model, generic, hype free, with professional slides to explain the basic concepts. Those who raise their hand for more information will receive the second step …a phone number and a simple Getting Start Right Action Plan with necessary links. Third, everyone can read-and-share a marketing overview with steps to action.
The next time I think about taking 2 hours listening to marketing gurus, I’d rather share a simple marketing plan with people looking for a real non-magnetic home business.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
How many Home Business Hats Do You Wear?
Note: this is another refocused "insight" from the book E-Myths..
Every small home business owner wears several hats: you wear the hats of Entrepreneur, Manager and Technician.
At the beginning, the need to wear at least 3 hats becomes very apparent. Of course, I wanted to be the Entrepreneur, the visionary, working with a strong team to bring health and prosperity to the average family. I needed to be the Technician, the technical expert, who organized the correct emails, mailings, webinars, conference calls, company updates, training sessions, and so on. Then, of course, I was also the Manager who wore the pragmatic hat in terms of talking with people, prospects, new customers, sales and marketing questions, goal setting, solving problems and so forth. In order for any company to be successful, you’ll need to develop these 3 skills or hire somebody to play each of these roles.
However, as time and experience evolved, and the Information Economy and technology continued to expand, then more questions had to be addressed in long term management systems. I’m happy to note these questions have now been answered with the help of information tools and a simple 1- 2 - 3 step marketing system.
• How can I get my business to work, but without me?
• What’s the best way to delegate my responsibilities?
• What procedures should I implement to make the business run and grow itself?
• How can I spend my time doing the work I love to do rather than the work I have to do?
My advice for any person looking for a home business is to start with the basics: Become a student first. Learn the basic facts about the industry you’re interested in. Now you can set some entrepreneurial goals and long term vision. Plug into Information Technology to help with the technical details. For management goals, let information tools by top experts tell the story for you.
So what else is there for you to do?
How about answering the last question; mainly, spend more time doing the work you love.
Of course, we also wear a multitude of other "hats" as mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, relatives, neighbours, co-workers,employees, sports fans, hobbyists and so many more...all the more reason to use professional information tools.
Standing by to help with questions or comments,
AnneMarie
PS. Share some stories about the "hats" you wear.
Every small home business owner wears several hats: you wear the hats of Entrepreneur, Manager and Technician.
At the beginning, the need to wear at least 3 hats becomes very apparent. Of course, I wanted to be the Entrepreneur, the visionary, working with a strong team to bring health and prosperity to the average family. I needed to be the Technician, the technical expert, who organized the correct emails, mailings, webinars, conference calls, company updates, training sessions, and so on. Then, of course, I was also the Manager who wore the pragmatic hat in terms of talking with people, prospects, new customers, sales and marketing questions, goal setting, solving problems and so forth. In order for any company to be successful, you’ll need to develop these 3 skills or hire somebody to play each of these roles.
However, as time and experience evolved, and the Information Economy and technology continued to expand, then more questions had to be addressed in long term management systems. I’m happy to note these questions have now been answered with the help of information tools and a simple 1- 2 - 3 step marketing system.
• How can I get my business to work, but without me?
• What’s the best way to delegate my responsibilities?
• What procedures should I implement to make the business run and grow itself?
• How can I spend my time doing the work I love to do rather than the work I have to do?
My advice for any person looking for a home business is to start with the basics: Become a student first. Learn the basic facts about the industry you’re interested in. Now you can set some entrepreneurial goals and long term vision. Plug into Information Technology to help with the technical details. For management goals, let information tools by top experts tell the story for you.
So what else is there for you to do?
How about answering the last question; mainly, spend more time doing the work you love.
Of course, we also wear a multitude of other "hats" as mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, relatives, neighbours, co-workers,employees, sports fans, hobbyists and so many more...all the more reason to use professional information tools.
Standing by to help with questions or comments,
AnneMarie
PS. Share some stories about the "hats" you wear.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
refocus insight on small home business
I thought I’d share some information from a top business expert Michael Gerber and his famous book: E-Myth Revisited, Why Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It. I remember reading it a few years ago with some uncertainty. But I must say my current home business has helped to refocus my time and energy. Now I have different insights and thought they might help anyone contemplating a small home business.
First, the premise of the book is the belief that many businesses fail because the founders are technicians that were inspired to start a business without knowledge of how to run a successful business. A key component in that equation is how to market successfully...and that in itself, could involve years of training and practice.The assumption that many people make is that because they are experts regarding technical details of a product or service, they will also be an expert at running that sort of business. If you are a great cook with special ethnic dishes, you should be great at opening up a restaurant. If you are a excellent computer technician, you should be able to operate a computer service business. But as it turns out for many, this can be part mythology and a bad assumption.
Here are some of the lessons that I learned to apply to my profitable home business
1) Don’t only work in your business; make sure you also work on your business.
How many small business or home owners do you know who work 24/7 trying to handle every single technical detail day to day? At one time, I also worked hard “in my business”, often consumed by details.Now I invest some time developing a long term plan and vision; in other words, I work “on my business.”
You need to develop systems and business procedures to ensure the success of your company over a long term range. It's best to work with conscientious, like-minded people who engage in similar goals and support.In the earlier years of my business, I kept everything in my head. Later on, I learned that I would need to create formal systems and write out formal procedures. A critical component was a simple, formalized marketing plan.
This one strategy is essential to a growing, thriving business that people want to talk about.
Next time, more about refocusing on some home business "myths."
AnneMarie
amarie10@gmail.com
ps..drop me a note if you'd like to share some of your business "stories".
Posted by 3steps2rich at 11:05 AM
First, the premise of the book is the belief that many businesses fail because the founders are technicians that were inspired to start a business without knowledge of how to run a successful business. A key component in that equation is how to market successfully...and that in itself, could involve years of training and practice.The assumption that many people make is that because they are experts regarding technical details of a product or service, they will also be an expert at running that sort of business. If you are a great cook with special ethnic dishes, you should be great at opening up a restaurant. If you are a excellent computer technician, you should be able to operate a computer service business. But as it turns out for many, this can be part mythology and a bad assumption.
Here are some of the lessons that I learned to apply to my profitable home business
1) Don’t only work in your business; make sure you also work on your business.
How many small business or home owners do you know who work 24/7 trying to handle every single technical detail day to day? At one time, I also worked hard “in my business”, often consumed by details.Now I invest some time developing a long term plan and vision; in other words, I work “on my business.”
You need to develop systems and business procedures to ensure the success of your company over a long term range. It's best to work with conscientious, like-minded people who engage in similar goals and support.In the earlier years of my business, I kept everything in my head. Later on, I learned that I would need to create formal systems and write out formal procedures. A critical component was a simple, formalized marketing plan.
This one strategy is essential to a growing, thriving business that people want to talk about.
Next time, more about refocusing on some home business "myths."
AnneMarie
amarie10@gmail.com
ps..drop me a note if you'd like to share some of your business "stories".
Posted by 3steps2rich at 11:05 AM
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