Steve Wagenheim’s Home Business Blog

I’ve gotten into some interesting debates on forums, but the other day was pretty much the most interesting of all of them. We were discussing network marketing opportunities and what makes one legit and what makes one not legit? The answers we came up with might surprise a lot of you folks out there. So if you’re not sure, pull up a seat and have a listen…or a good read.

I’m sure you’ve heard of a company by the name of Amway, right? Sure you have. Everybody has. Well, would it surprise you to learn that this “legit” company was at one time warned by the FTC about its business model? It’s true. Now, you’re probably wondering why. Well, in my explanation of what makes a company legit or not, you’ll understand.

It is commonly believed that for a company to be considered legit, they have to sell a viable product. While this is true, it is only part of the story. See, a lot of companies have a structure where somebody IN the company can buy product and thus, by doing so, earn themselves a higher commission base. So in order to keep companies from essentially selling to themselves, there is a rule put in place by the FTC that 70% of the sales made by the company MUST go to the general public. If not, then the company is in danger of being in violation.

There are many companies out there who are treading on thin ice because of this rule. But more importantly, as somebody looking to get into a company like this, how do you REALLY know that they’re legit. You can look at their business model and see that they’re selling a REAL product, but how do you know how much of that product is going out to the general public? You DON’T know…and therein lies the rub. So while you might be thinking that you’re getting in with a legit company, you’re not going to really know without doing some hard digging first.

Things are not as cut and dried as you might think. What may appear to be legit on the surface can be in violation of FTC regulations anyway. So be careful. Do your homework. Make sure you’re getting into a company that’s solid. A good rule of thumb, though not fool proof, is to pick a company that has been around for a while.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Looking for a solid 4 step plan to building your own business… FREE? Pick up my free report at http://www.stevewagenheim.com/4steps.html and get started TODAY!

Network marketing can be a real jungle. It can also be a very profitable endeavor if you know what you’re doing and have all your ducks lined up in a row. In this article, I’m going to give you some tips on how to get those ducks lined up. Hopefully, after reading this, you’ll be well on your way to making some good money as a network marketer.

First of all, let me start off by saying that network marketing is not the same as Internet marketing. Internet marketing is a very broad concept where you are selling goods and services. Network marketing is where you are selling yourself. And that is where most people get tripped up. They don’t realize that networking marketing is not about getting somebody to join your program. It’s about developing trust and building relationships. Once you understand that, the rest is easy.

So, how do you go about developing those relationships? The main thing is to be yourself. Don’t try to sell somebody on your program. Sell them on who you are. Tell them about your story. Tell them how you started, what you did and how you got to where you are. If you don’t have a story to tell, then tell the story of your sponsor. There has to be somebody above you who is having success with the program you’re involved in.

One way to gain a person’s trust is to offer them something for nothing. It’s very easy to put together a free report or ebook that explains your program or explains the concepts of network marketing, or whatever it is you’re doing. Give this book out to your prospects in return for them simply opting into your list. Then, follow up with them. Send them more information. Educate them as much as you can. Make them feel that they are already getting so much from you even before they sign up with your program.

Another thing you can do is tell your prospects that you will personally be there to help them every step of the way. Explain to them that it is in your best interest for them to be successful. If they’re successful then you’re successful. If they understand this, then they’ll understand why it’s in your best interest to help them. This will help relieve the feeling of doubt that they are going to have.

As I said, network marketing is not about programs. It’s about people and building relationships. Once you understand that, and stop buying into the garbage that it’s just a numbers game, you will begin to see that your relationships with people will begin to grow and with it, your income as well. And that’s what this is all about isn’t it?

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Tired of busting your behind for peanuts online? Go to my web site and find out how I earn a monthly income that exceeds 5 figures and how I can help YOU do the same. Get your free report at http://www.mysecretarticles.com/report.html

In a previous article I had written, I talked about how each person has a different personality that we link to a specific color. In this article we’re going to start looking at these various colors in detail starting with the blue personality. Hopefully, after you are done reading this article, you will know what the blue personality is, how to spot somebody who is a blue personality and finally how to deal with a blue personality in order to get them into your program.

In spite of what you might be thinking, that the blue personality is somebody who is very sad, actually the opposite is true. Blue people are fun loving party people. The word “work” is one of the dirtiest words in the dictionary for these people. They’d rather be boiled in oil and buried 20 feet under ground with nothing but Brady Bunch reruns to watch than to ever get stuck in a job. Their idea of life is going to gala affairs and mingling with the rich and famous. If you’re looking for somebody to do a lot of grunt work in your organization, the blue personality is pretty much the last person you’ll want to approach.

So, just how do you spot a blue personality? Well, since most Network marketing is done on the Internet, and you really don’t get to meet these people, you have to go by the email correspondence that transpires between you. Of, if you’re fortunate enough to get their phone number, a phone call will help. These people are very easy to spot. In communication, they laugh a lot. You’ll see a lot of LOLs in their email correspondence and if you speak to them on the phone, they’ll sound like they’re at a party and life is just one big joke. Don’t try to engage them in a serious conversation. You’ll be wasting your time.

In that case, how do you get a blue personality into your organization? For that matter, do you even want one? The answer is a resounding YES. Why? The blue personality is looking for fun. By pointing out the fun aspect of the business and the perks that come with it, this will intrigue the blue personality. In return, their love of partying and socializing with people will bring them out in full force when it comes to telling their friends about this great opportunity. A blue personality can actually be quite a recruiter if they are approached the right way. They need to see that YOUR program is going to be fun.

Hopefully, if you approach the blue personality in just the right way, you’ll gain a recruit who will bring you in a lot of members.

Even if they’re only there for the party.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Tired of busting your behind for peanuts online? Go to my web site and find out how I earn a monthly income that exceeds 5 figures and how I can help YOU do the same. Get your free report at http://www.mysecretarticles.com/report.html

One of the many things that really burns me up about network marketing is when people say things like “It’s a numbers game” or “Some will, some won’t, so what?” If there was ever more insipid advice given to new marketers, I sure don’t know what it is. The truth is, neither of these statements is true. It’s all about reading people. While the subject of reading people is a complex one, this article will begin to touch on some basics. In later articles, we’ll go into more detail.

There have been many studies done on the different personalities of people in this world. My favorite one is the study that divides people up into color groups. I’m not talking about skin color. I’m talking about the color of their personalities. Now, if this concept sounds a little odd to you, it’s actually a pretty widely known concept among network marketers, especially the ones who are experts in their fields. That’s why it drives me so crazy when these same people come out with phrases like the ones in my introductory paragraph. Talk about talking out of both sides of your mouth.

The concept of personality color is really very simple. Each individual personality has certain characteristics. Some people may have a personality where they are very money oriented. These people are used to doing business, usually very successful, but also are used to being in charge. They need to be the one giving the orders. They view their network as drones in a bee hive whose sole purpose is to work under him. Donald Trump is a good example of this kind of personality. Well, this personality type is given a color.

There are various color models. The one I like the best is the four color model of red, blue, green and yellow. The basic principal and philosophy is that all people are really made up of all four colors. Each person, however, has a different mix of color personalities. For example, Donald Trump would be mostly red, as red is the color most dominant for a person who is a leader and a fierce competitor as Donald Trump is. However, Trump has a softer side to himself which is exemplified by the charity work that he does. This is because of the other colors that make up his whole personality.

What does all this have to do with reading people? When you are trying to recruit somebody into your network, you have to be able to read their dominant characteristics in order to know how to approach them. For example, somebody who is a real go getter needs to know the income potential of your program. The bottom line is all they care about. For those who are more team players, you’ll need to stress how the people in your program help each other. Mention the support structure and other things that point to community.

In future articles, we’ll go into more detail on the different personality types and how to read them.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Tired of busting your behind for peanuts online? Go to my web site and find out how I earn a monthly income that exceeds 5 figures and how I can help YOU do the same. Get your free report at http://www.mysecretarticles.com/report.html