Thanks so much to Megan, Dena and Nicole for taking the time out of busy schedules to think about and comment on the “Three Foot Rule.”

We all know MLM is about building relationships. But then we contradict ourselves and tell downlines to talk to anyone they can touch!

I think Nicole your hunting and farming metaphor is right on. Those of us out there hunting with that 3-foot rule stand a good chance of not only missing our “target” but also of shooting ourselves in the foot!

Dena you also hit the nail on the head when you talked simply of being real. Unfortunately being real can at times be anything but simple. We’ve all had lots of lessons in making sure we don’t look pushy, don’t look hungry, don’t look too eager, but look eager enough. It’s no wonder real feels a bit “unreal.”

Megan you said you’ve used the 3-foot rule but realized you’d not brought anyone into your business through it. Not many of us have brought too many people into our businesses from the 3-foot rule. But it does happen.

I think it’s important to be REALLY CLEAR (sorry for shouting) that I’m not saying never talk to strangers. What I’m saying is use your head. Be professional and coach and mentor that to your downline. The use your head part…

You can do your business in a myriad of ways including the 3-foot rule. But the 3-foot rule is not everywhere all the time.

And this is not permission to use your fear to stop you from talking to someone. I’m happy to be used for lots of purposes but not to make it easier for you to stay out of money making activity.

You do need to talk to people. You need to be in constant contact with people in order to grow your business. Period.

Ok, seems that this would be a great topic for a coaching call. Watch for time and cost (we’ll keep it cheap) and make it happen soon.

You can be really good at the 3-foot rule because you know:

How to use it
When to use it
And How to be real while using it

Watch for the date and time.

How many of you practice and teach the “Three Foot Rule”?

It goes something like this – if someone is within three feet of you then talk about your company or your product.

If you do this, please stop it now. Without knowing it you’re helping to run the reputation of the network marketing industry into the ground.

Yep, into the ground.

And you’re killing your new business builders.

This week (like most weeks) I got a call from a distraught business builder who asks, “How can I introduce my product or business to people I don’t know? My upline says I’m supposed to talk to everybody I meet.”

How many of you have been told when you go to a party to look for a way to bring up your company or your product?

How many of you have been told to join the Chamber of Commerce (or just go to the mixers) and pass out your cards and “listen for a need” so you can talk to people about your business?

How many of you really feel comfortable doing this? For what it’s worth according to the people I coach not many of us do? Why? Because it’s disingenuous and unprofessional.

I’m not saying don’t talk to people. And I’m certainly not saying never talk to a stranger. But I am saying the industry needs to upgrade most of the training I hear about. And that folks means it is up to us. When you train your business builders to attend an organization to “see who you can get” rather than to get involved and offer what you can give, it is going to continue to drive down the reputation of our industry…and drive away our business builders not to mention customers. It’s obnoxious.

I know of business network groups who have “banned” network marketers because of this kind of business practice! And to drive that home a bit, how many of you shouted with joy when you found out your company was network marketing? hmmmm

Let’s put this into perspective. How many times do you go to a party and meet someone who’s a real estate agent and they ask you if you’d like to buy (or sell) a home?

Or how many times are you at a party and the person you’re talking to manipulates the conversation to find out you don’t have life insurance and then wants to sell you some?

Or have you ever met a dentist at a party who said to you, “you ought to come into the office” because s/he could straighten your teeth?

Why not? Because it’s not professional. But we teach, train and sometimes bully our new business builders into doing this. I had an upline in Excel that told me (and everyone else in his downline) that anyone who wouldn’t be my long distance customer wasn’t really my friend and I should tell them so! Yikes!

I know that one of the keys to build a successful MLM business is to get in front of new people all the time. But the only way that works is to be invited in – not to push or trick ourselves in. We need to cultivate professional relationships by working with others on projects, in professional communities and organizations.

If you want our industry to take its rightful place as a powerful way for people to take charge of their lives –

Then its time we build networks not crash them.

As networkers we are all looking for that person with the ever expanding sphere of influence. Yes? Aren’t the best sponsors exactly what they are looking for?

I know this will take a little longer. But businesses are built systematically and typically by members of the community..

Wouldn’t you love it if the next time you tell someone you’re a network marketer they tell you a wonderful story about a networker they met once.

What do you think?

Hello my Arbonne readers,

This post is for you. (And actually if you’re not part of Arbonne, you can still benefit, so read on, and think of this as your sneak peek – every company goes through this.)

This weekend I did a training at a car presentation for a memeber of our Savvy Sponsoring program. (hehe Savvy helped put another Mercedes in another driveway!)

There was lots of talk about going back to the “party system,” and not using the “drop system” anymore.

Lots of talk about building for stability rather than speed.

But what I got most of all is that people are all over the map!

Look, here’s the deal. It’s critical to focus on making sure people have the correct tools to do the business. Some people will buy 4 sets, or 6 sets or 8 sets. Some will buy one set.

Front loading is when someone is “talked into” buying more sets than they can use or will use. That’s not a system, it’s manipulation.

I got picked up at the airport by a young woman who is working a solid Arbonne business. She started at the $29 wholesale buyer level. She saved the money she made from her parties until she could buy her first set. She’s now a solid Area and working steadily toward Region.

Your income does not need to seesaw. Your income does not need to be affected by policy changes from the field or home office.

We’ve been hearing “system grumbling” for a while at Savvy. But this weekend put it into real focus for me. It’s time to talk seriously about systems and what they mean — and what they don’t mean. And how to ‘do’ them.

Take it from me who has been there and done that. Your income does *NOT* need to seesaw. It does *NOT* need to be affected by policy changes from the field or the home office.

So that’s exactly what we’ll do this Friday morning, Feb 16th at 9:00 am pacific time (that’s noon eastern time).
>> Click here to register It’s last minute because it’s THAT important we nip this in the bud.

Join us on this Open call (no fee, but only for now) to discuss:

How to implement the change around different systems.
How to coach your downline through these changes.
How to handle it when someone hears about someone who was frontloaded.

Come join us Friday for discussion and coaching where the rubber (Mercedes of course) meets the road. >> Click here to register

And hey, don’t hesitate to pass this around okay? This kind of grumbling – this kind of underground upset as it were – it can eat an organization from within if proper care isn’t taken. Not that that’s going to happen, but – Let’s make *SURE* it doesn’t, together, deal?

So first things first, book time in your calendar now for Friday, Feb 16th at 9:00 am pacific (noon eastern) >> Click here to register and be prepared for some real action to take afterwards.

Then, just as important, send this blog entry to everyone you know – that’s downline, upline, and crossline.

We welcome everyone to join in who could benefit. come one come all.

I was talking with a networker the other day and what she told me made my head spin.

She told me she was having trouble getting her business started. When I hear this the first thing I do is ask, “How long have you been in the business?” She told me about 3 months. Then I asked, “How many people have you called.” She told me 50 and out of the 50 she had four customers.

Now I don’t know about you but I have red lights flashing everywhere with that many people and such paltry results.

When I asked her what her upline said, she told me that they won’t work with her because, “I’m not successful.”

“Excuse me,” I said “What do you mean?”

She told me, it was upline policy to only spend time with those who are successful. This is not just her direct upline but the policy of the leadership in the upline.

Folks this is putting the cart before the horse. How does one expect someone to be successful if they haven’t been coached through the process of introducing your business and or product to people?

It is not the successful you work with – it is the willing and you help them develop the tools to be successful. You get paid to work with someone who is willing to do the work to develop a successful business. This is your job as a sponsor.

What sponsor in their right mind would let a business builder blow through that many people without debriefing them?

This gal (as all new business builders) needs to be debriefed after each call with a successful upline. Someone who can help her hone her approach and closing skills. This new business builder deserves this! Yes, deserves this. All new business builders deserve this.

Offering someone a way to improve the quality of their life through working with you in your business requires that you do your job. In my opinion this is what is meant by sponsoring with integrity. You follow through and make sure that everyone has access to the necessary tools for success. You also make sure that everyone who actually talks to people about the business and product has access to you to get better at using those tools.

By the way, I coached this woman for a few minutes until I heard the confidence in her voice rise and she was ready to make another call. After she made her call I suggested she call the most successful person in her upline to debrief. I also suggested that if they weren’t willing “because she wasn’t successful” she should immediately go to her company, explain what was happening – file a complaint – and ask for a new upline.

Are you a sponsor the Network Marketing Industry can be proud of? There is no middle ground. You either strengthen the reputation of our industry or undermine it. This doesn’t mean you need all the answers. It does mean you are on a quest to be the best sponsor you can be and you make sure everyone in your organization that is willing to work and is working gets the help they need. Because, frankly in my opinion, if you are not strengthening the reputation of our industry then please leave…there is no room for you.

How many of you…

• said your business would be different this year?

• have trouble finding time to work your business?

• answer the phone when it rings – no matter what you’re doing?

• said that you were going to be focused?

• said you were going to be diligent?

• said you were going to talk to more people?

• swore you would only work with those who wanted to build a
  business?

• have said these kinds of things before?

• are being different in your business this year?

• simply don’t know what to do differently?

Ever heard this definition of crazy? 

Keep doing the same things and expect different results.

How many of you are crazy?

What would it be worth to you…

If someone could show you how to get a handle on your time so your business day worked for you…and you still had a life.

If someone could show you how to live a richer fuller life right now

If someone could show you to create your dreams into reality and not forfeit today?

If someone could show you how to listen and speak with anyone who comes along.  (Yes anyone .. be they doubting you or you doubting you because they look too successful!) 

If someone could show you how to get your new business builders into confident money making action within 48 hours. – yes, confident!

If someone could show you a way that you’d know exactly what to do in your work day…every day … and be able to show others – right from the start!

Too good to be true? 
 

No it’s not.

All it takes is practice… and the right tools in your belt, as discussed here in this short clip from our class last Monday, January 22nd. Just click the play button below to listen to this short 10-minute clip. (Be sure to turn up your speakers!)

Click
to Play (10 min)

Imagine what we can accomplish with 18 weeks of practice!
 

Just ask any one who has coached in the six month Savvy Sponsoring program. 

And congrats to them!  It takes courage to “Step Up” and “Break Out” of a comfortable – albeit not productive – rut. 
It takes courage to spend money. 
 

Well maybe it doesn’t considering we have a refund policy with a full money back guarantee!
 

What are we about at Savvy Sponsoring? Delivering tools that will allow you to build a financially sustainable network marketing business. Isn’t that what you want?
 

Are you ready to BE in business?  Click here to register for our complimentary coaching call on the “5 Steps To Work Less and Make Money In Network Marketing” and get the details on our Savvy Sponsoring Strategies program.
 

Oh for heaven’s sake, do it now….  we’ll be waiting for you.   

What kind of a person are you looking to sponsor? The obvious standard answer is someone who’d like to make a change in their life. Someone who understands that it will take work and some focus as well as a vision and a business plan.

But aren’t you also looking for someone who is solidly connected into an ever growing sphere of influence? Someone respected in the community. You know like the old TV commercial, "When E F Hutton talks everyone listens."

But if you want to sponsor that person the question begging to be asked is, "Are you that person?" And if you’re not, why would that person want to look to you for support in their new business?

Don’t panic because there are a couple of things you should know about yourself (and the rest of us.)

1. You have an innate force to be that person
2. You can learn how to be that person

Let’s tackle number one first.

What is everyone’s favorite subject? If you said, "themselves" I think you’re right?

But given that, what do you hear most often that one spouse says about the other? "My husband (or wife) doesn’t listen to me." To be "heard" is what we all crave and it seems we don’t get it very often!

In truth all of us want to feel listened to. I know some of you are as old as me and probably read the article in the latest AARP by science writer Daniel Goleman. He claims, "…paying full attention – showing people that they’re being experienced…is basically what each of us wants more than anything."

What I found really fascinating is Goleman’s claim "We’re Hardwired To Connect" with each other. We have a natural brain function to connect with each other. And, it happens whether we intend it to or not!

And all connections are not created equal.

If we have a ‘toxic" connection we can actually get sick. When we’re stressed out the body produces cortisol - a harmful drug or chemical. This nasty substance actually interferes with your immune system.

But if we have positive interactions with people our bodies respond with another drug. This one’s called oxytocin. I’ll call this the feel good drug. It is the same drug the body releases when you make love! And along with making you feel good this drug also boosts the immune system and decreases stress hormones.

Think about this.

• Did you ever wonder why when someone smiles at you, you smile back and it makes you feel great?

• Did you ever see anyone yawn and then find yourself yawning too?

• Have you ever found yourself caught up in the giggles with someone else? Tough to get a handle on those…huh?

• Have you noticed when you’re in a bad mood others seem to be too?

• Have you ever seen a baby start to cry because another baby cries?

We’ve been connecting with others since we were babies – we just we’re not conscious of it.

This is where number two above comes in. If you’ve been around Savvy Sponsoring for any length of time then you know we believe that "awareness is curative." In other words if you want to change something inside you, the first step is to be conscious of what you’re doing now. What do we mean by "conscious?" Simply pay attention.

So how do you pay attention and become that person in the middle of an ever expanding sphere of influence? Tim Sanders (Love Is The Killer App) would say "become relevant."

What do I mean by that? Are you involved in the local community? Do people see you as a source of information for them? Do they see you as helpful (this does not mean you push your product or your opportunity on them every time you see them even if you know they need it!)

How do you know if you’re relevant in the lives of others? When you walk into the room do peoples’ faces light up? Are they glad to see you? If someone is talking to someone you don’t know do they happily introduce you sharing how important you are to them or the group?

This is what happens when you’re relevant. And you can be relevant to people in your social circle, your family as well as your network marketing business. It will take "awareness" on your part and maybe a bit of courage but it can be done. You can get this help from lots of places. I asked Susan Litchford to share how our Savvy Sponsoring program boosted her "relevance" to her team.

How did Savvy Sponsoring help me become more relevant to my team? I’ve found my leadership voice. Because of the Savvy Program I’ve learned to work in the moment and ask coaching questions. I’m not focused on "getting through" my outline anymore. Oh, we have direction and an organized system. In fact as a team we now have real clarity. But I don’t have a need to have all the answers. By me asking questions my team is now looking "within" for their answers not just to me. They are stepping up and leading. My numbers speak to this. My volume was fairly static in the low 30,000 but dropping slowly. That was the reason I actually took the Savvy program. I didn’t say a word for the first six weeks and then my volume dropped to $18,897.48! Before Savvy I was using a "splash" of things. You know, get them on this call, or to this meeting – but each time I met someone I was feeling my way around. Which option do I use? A lot of missed opportunity went by and I know the same was true for my team. Norine was clear exactly how to get a new recruit into money making action in the first 48 hours. But she did it through coaching not training or teaching. The key word here is "coaching." I don’t "tell" my team what to do, but rather coach them into action. My volume went from that low of $18,897 within just four months to $56,971.60 and I completed my Regional Vice President promotion. The best part of this for me, I no longer feel the weight of other people’s businesses on my shoulders. I’m not pulling them along! We’ve created leaders.

Here is something else that should get your attention. Susan’s team is duplicating. Stacey Goddard claims the Savvy Program has changed everything for her… and Stacy has never been enrolled in our program! How?

Susan is Stacey’s upline. And because Susan has taken the Savvy coaching approach back to her team along with the tools, well this is what Stacey says happened.

Since Susan started coaching us using the Savvy Sponsor program coaching tools my business volume doubled.  It went from $10,000 to $20,000. Susan’s leadership is catching! I start my own team call tomorrow Savvy style. Now I control my business rather than it controlling me plus and my team is doing what I’m doing! And I have more time. I use to feel like I did Arbonne all day but since Susan brought back the Savvy tools, well now I do it in a "consolidated way."

If you are that person you’re looking for, Someone ready to make a change in your life and are ready to move your business to a professional financially sustainable level, then check out our Savvy Sponsoring Program.