Are You a Finisher?

In work and in life it is not always enough just to get started.  The first day of a diet, exercise plan, or resolve to change anything in one’s life is usually pretty easy.  You wake up, and “this is the first day of the rest of your life”, right!  Easy, you can do this, this time it will be different.  “I am in control.”  About mid way through the day, someone throws you a new dead line for a project, you lose a deal, something that you thought was a sure thing – isn’t.  But you are still okay, no need to turn to the old habit, you can handle this.  Life happens, no biggy, right?

After a few days and a few more disappointments, the vigor of the first day starts to wear a little thin.  Let’s face it, you lose, that is what you do, so why continue with the resolve to change.  Slowly you give in to your defeated feelings and by the end of the week it is all over, time to quit.

This same scenario can apply to something you are trying to achieve.  Maybe you are building a business, starting a charity, creating a new life for yourself.  You start strong, and the resolve lasts for a while and then you give up, “this can never work”, “what was I thinking?”  “I can’t achieve big things”.  And so the dream ends.

The difference between you and those that seem to “get lucky” and make it, is not that they are smarter, faster, have more money, or better connections.  The difference is that they just keep trying and ultimately they finish what they start.  Oh it may not look exactly as they thought it would in the beginning, but none-the-less they finish.  When they run into obstacles, they are just as disappointed as you, but instead of stopping, they just get up and go around, or over, or under the obstacle.

So how is such tenacity born?  Tenacity comes from inside of you.  It is learning to believe in what you are trying to accomplish and seeing yourself achieving it.  Tenacity comes from thinking positively and then speaking positively.  It comes from learning how to control your thinking, so that the urge to quit never enters your mind.

No mater what you are trying to accomplish, starting is not enough.  In order to live your dreams you must learn to become a finisher.  Start with the small stuff.  Finish that report, that book, or finish cleaning up the office.  Finish writing your resume, finish those phone calls.  Finishing is just as important as starting, and it feels even better.

Networking Groups

I was at a wonderful networking group this morning and the exercise for the day was exchanging information about all the networking groups we all attended.  It was a good discussion that got me thinking a little about what I should be getting out of networking and what I should be contributing.

There was a lot of discussion around the number of members in a group, cost to join, networking effectiveness and the like.  Now I have done a bunch of networking in five years and I can tell you that there are lots of things to consider when networking, the least of which is cost and numbers.

As I thought about all the groups I have been involved in, I found myself thinking that what made a group “good” for me had nothing to do with its members and everything to do with me.  The return I get from any group is often dependent on my attitude toward that group.  People feel attitude and if mine is open and interested, I usually have a pretty good response from any group I am in.

Networking for me is all about making connections with people so that I might be able to connect them to someone else.  Along the way, I get referrals and business, but most of the time it is a result of connecting people to someone or something.  I truly enjoy networking, it actually makes me feel good.

A group is good or bad for me, not based on ROI necessarily, but rather on the groups openness to each other and to new people.  If a group is open and inviting, I always do well.  I know that it is important to measure in numbers the benefit one is getting from a group and some folks actually have hard formulas they use to determine if they will stay in a group or not.  However, I think it is equally important to look at softer issues as well.  Does the group seem to refer to each other?  Are they loyal to members?  Is there a general feeling of professionalism, respect and honesty?  Is there high energy in the room?  Do people enjoy being there and look forward to meetings?  Is the group centered around just one person or is it a team effort? All these are good indicators of the effectiveness of a group.

I also think it is important to evaluate one’s group involvement from time-to-time.  I do so about once/year.  I want to be effective in my groups so I want to be sure that I am not over taxed in my networking.  I do look at numbers, but when I find I am not getting business referrals from a group, I have to ask myself if it is my fault.  Are my commercials are clear and am I doing enough 1-1′s to be effective in the group.  It is not always a group’s problem if I am not getting referrals from the group.

So as we start a new year, think about the groups you are currently involved in.  Make sure that you are contributing and that people see you as someone who cares about the group.  Take time to get to know people well and help them know you as well.  Networking is an art, and art always takes time to perfect.

Stop Presenting and Start Listening

We have all had the experience of sitting down with someone to conduct a 1-1 only to have the other person give us the “presentation”.  Personally, I find this happens with folks who are building a multi-level or direct sales business.  In there defense I know they are taught to show their plan “X” number of times per week in order to build a team quickly, however a 1-1 is not a presentation opportunity.  It is an opportunity to look for presentation opportunities. When one moves too fast to present their plan, it serves only to solidify the listeners view of an MLM as pushy and manipulative.

As the leader of several groups, I find the biggest complaint I get from members is that the MLM businesses in these groups assume that everyone in the group needs to sign up for their product and service.  They trick, cojole and ram their business opportunity down the throats of members and then move on to the next group.  Quite frankly their are groups that will not allow MLMs in their membership roles at all to avoid the hassle.

As a person who works an MLM, I find this really sad.  I want to seen as a serious business owner because I believe my MLM is a serious business opportunity.   It is important to me to build relationships first and business partners second.  This makes for a longer sales cycle, but is more effective in the long run.

So if you utilize networking groups to build your business, and you feel everyone needs to hear your presentation, think again.  Try listening more at a 1-1 and perhaps those meetings will lead you more indirectly to your target market.  Get specific about your target audience, both for your business opportunity and for the product itself.  Just as with any other business, not everyone is a potential business partner or customer.  The more you know about people, and the more they get to know about you, the better your position to actually sell becomes.

By not bringing your presentation up at every 1-1 you take the pressure off of people to maintain their guard against you.  It will open their mind to hear what you have to offer if they feel you are not trying to “sell” them something.  Sometimes opening the door just enough for someone to see a small piece of your product, will actually make people more curious about what you do, which in turn opens the door for further meetings.

Just a little patience on your part can actually allow your business to grow faster than getting in the required number of presentations each week.  So how well do you listen?

What Do You Value?

When I talk to people about values during a goal-setting session, I often find their eyes glaze over.  I am sure they are thinking, “this is so irrelevant to my business or my life”.  However I will argue that setting goals without first understanding your own personal values, is like going skating without putting on your skates.  You can still plod along on the ice, but you will keep falling down.

To understand why knowing your values is so important to the coaching process, you need to have a clear understanding of what I mean by “values”.  My definition as a coach is “what are the principles that you will not back away from?”  What are the beliefs that you hold that make you act and react every single day.

To set goals that are clearly out of line with your values, creates a mental stress.  If you set a goal to be the top salesperson in your organization, but as a single parent you have responsibilities to your child and one of your highest values is building a strong parent-child relationship, you will spend a lot of time at odds with your goals.

Many people believe that the goal-setting process is simply figuring out what you want, deciding the steps to getting there and then writing them down and reading them everyday.  And while some of that is true, we need an anchor for goals in strong values, so they stay in line with what we are all about at the core.

As you think about what you want to achieve in life, remember to first think about what’s important to you, and then make sure that you don’t compromise your values to achieve your goals.  That way  when you get to the finish line, you will have remained true to you.

What’s Your Time Management Like?

Many people think of time management as making lists and checking off tasks.  But it really is much more than that.  Time management is really understanding how you spend your time and then learning how to budget it more wisely.  If we would think of time in the same way we think of our money we would realize that, like our money, it will eventually run out.  If you want to get things accomplished in life, you must learn to budget your time.

How much time to you waste looking for things you have misplaced?  How much time do you waste looking for things you thought you filed?  Do you waste time waiting for children to be done an activity because it costs to much to drive back and forth?  Are their pockets of time in your day that you can reclaim?

The first step in good time management is to figure out where your time is going currently.  I tell clients to take a one week segment and carry a notebook with them at all times to write down what they do all day.  Make note of everything, from getting up and getting ready for work or the day to brushing your teeth and hitting the pillow at night.  This information is often a revelation to people, most of us have no idea how much time we waste doing unnecessary things.

I challenge you to take the test!  See exactly where your time goes.  For time management tips check out my web site at www.refinedperspectives.com

Drawing a Line

This is one of my favorite times of the year.  Not only do I enjoy the cooler weather, but I find it to be a time of reflection and evaluation.  This is the time of year you get to “draw a line” and total everything up for the year.  It is the time that you get to reset the clock and say “tomorrow it all starts over”.

Although I don’t like “resolutions”, I do like to set goals for each new year.  I don’t always make them happen, but if one doesn’t at least think about the future, nothing will ever change.

So what are you thinking about as this year draws to a close?  What kinds of things would you love to change?  Write them down, think about the changes you need to make in your life to make new things happen.  Do you believe you can change?  Do you believe that 2010 will be a good year for you?  Share your thoughts.

Looking for a Business

As a business coach I talk to people everyday about their business or the prospect of getting into a business.  With the job market the way that it is everyone is looking for a way to make some extra money or gain some control of their destiny.  Most people don’t have a lot of money to invest and are therefore drawn to many forms of “business in a box” type businesses, aka, Multi-Level Marketing or direct sales businesses.  The reason for this is that they usually require a low investment to start and everything they need to run a business is provided; web site, written materials, product and sales training and maybe even a product starter kit.  For less than $500 in most cases, one can have a business.  Just order some business cards and start your business!

The advantages to doing a direct sales or mlm business are many.  One can do a MLM or Direct sales business while working at a full-time job and take the time to build the business.  The business can grow as your income at it grows and therefore it is easier to control your input costs.  Best of all you will get from your business in proportion to the effort that you put into it.  You are in control of your destiny as far as this business is concerned.

There are a few things to keep in mind about these busnesses if one is going to reach the “money-making” levels in an MLM or direct sales business.

1.  Give you business enough time to succeed. Many people get into a MLM because someone told them they could get rich in 6 months.  This is usually unrealistic and your business should be viewed in a 2 – 5 year time frame.  Just because a few people got rich fast, does not mean you will and many people fail because their expectations were unrealistic to begin with.

2.  Tell people about your new venture. If you started a flower shop  you would hold a grand opening or an open house, put an ad in the paper announcing your new location, but when you signed up to sell your product you are afraid to talk about it.  Suddenly, because it is an MLM it is not important enough to let your family and friends know you are doing it.  Pick a product you can get behind and talk to everyone you know about it.

3.  Be professional.  No matter what business you are in, be professional.  Attend some networking meetings and present your product proudly and professionally and people will treat your business with respect also.  Learn to talk about your business in the same way an accountant or doctor would talk about his/her business.  What is the product, what are the features and what benefits will your clients receive from your product?  Treating your business professionally will ensure that everyone around you sees you as a serious player.

4.  Enjoy yourself! Don’t become desperate, let your business grow naturally and have fun with it.  Growing your business at your own pace makes it more fun, don’t let others dictate how quickly you grow.

5.  Build Relationships. It has been said that “no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care”, so make sure that before you sell your products or your business to others, build some solid relationships with them so that when they buy they already trust you.  Trust is huge in building a MLM and should never be bypassed.  Make some friends and your business will grow.

6.  Find a good coach. A direct sales or mlm is one of the hardest jobs to do.  Even with the support of good upline and sponsors many people fail because so much depends on one’s own ability to self-motivate.  Increase your odds of success by hiring an outside, unbiased person who can guide you and hold your feet to the fire.

In these times of economic hardship in the country, many people are turning to their own resources.  Resourcefulness is what makes this country great.  Creating a side income, or building a business that becomes an empire is possible because this country welcomes the entrepreneureal spirit into the market place.  Is it time for you to make some changes, is this your year for success?

Building YOUR Brand!

What do you think of when you think of Ford Motor Company, Proctor and Gamble, MacIntosh Computers, IBM, Walt Disney World?  Everyone of these companies has created a “brand”.  A “brand” is simply the way we, the viewing public, perceive these companies.  If companies can create the image that they want the world to see, as a business owner, why can’t you?

I know on the surface that sounds a little “fake”, because, let’s face it, sometimes we don’t actually trust these companies who carefully create images of themselves.  We often find out that these brands really don’t represent what they say they do.  What I am really saying is that if you want people to follow you and become customers or members of your team, you must show them what they are following.

Most of us are afraid to let the world get to know us.  Or we let the world see the worst part of us.  What I am suggesting is that you take a good long look at yourself, your strengths and what you are offering your clients.  Use those great talents and gifts and show them to the world.  Create an image that not only gets noticed, but is authentic and real, and people will follow you all day long.

Right now you are asking “why?”.  Well I am glad you asked!  The reason this is so important today is that people don’t buy products, they people.  With the exception of the necessities of life, most of us buy products and services based on our feelings about the person who is selling the product.  He is honest or she treats me right all the time.  People buy people!  And if your personal brand is one that attracts people, then they will buy what you are selling all day long!

So if you are struggling to make it with your business, take a look at yourself first.  How do others see you?  You might want to survey a few people and ask them what they think of when they think of you.  Find out what your strengths are and even your quirks.  (check out my website for a free personality test) Can you create a positive, inviting image with the “real you”?  Chances are you can.  Don’t be afraid to show people who you really are and let your brand shine.

So Are You Twittering?

The race is on to get as many people following you on Twitter as quickly as possible.  There are lots of people out there ready to help you figure out how to do and they are happy to sell you a piece of software that will get you thousands of followers quickly.

Before you either rush out and buy all the tools to Twitter your way to the top, or waste a lot of time reading mindless quotes and sales talk,  let me ask you how Twittering fits into your business plan.

I think there is a lot of value in establishing online relationships and meeting new people who may be interested in your product or service, but before you follow the crowd, make sure you just ask yourself if this is a valid way to build you business.  If the answer is yes, create a systematic approach to making good contacts with Twitter or Facebook or other social networks.  If not, then don’t waste the time online that you could be using to market in person to someone in a local networking group.

A common problem among many small business owners is that they are falling into the attraction of the possibilities presented by the vast wide world out there online versus the smaller networks we actually have to talk to right in front of us.  It seems so much easier to try and reach our clients online than in person.  In reality we often waste a lot of time tweeting when we could just be going to Starbucks and reaching the people we know.

Maybe Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Ning, and others really are a great option for your business. Or maybe they are just one piece of the puzzle, but be sure you take a strategic approach to using these venues for marketing.

On the other hand, if you Twitter just for fun or you Facebook to keep up with friends and family, enjoy the venue it can be fun and you can meet some great people.  Being strategic can just keep you from wasting time because “everyone is doing it”.  Examine your motives and your needs and tweet your little heart out.

Some Days You’re the Dog and Some Days You’re the Hydrant!’

Staying motivated and encouraged is a universal challenge, but anyone in small business or network marketing is keenly aware that your day can go from amazing to devastating with just one phone call.  People use different methods to help them to gauge just how good their lives and businesses feel at that moment.   Somehow we all feel the need to justify what we are doing by daily gauging our own success.  A friend of mine, who runs a gift store, told me about how much she had sold that day, but added someone in another store of the same franchise sold just slightly more.  That news took her day down a notch and discouraged her from enjoying her own progress that day.  She was gauging her success against someone else, never a good idea.

Then you have the “if it was any better I’d be twins” people.  They love to tell you how great their business is going, and many times these declarations are more for themselves and less for the audience.  The “good to great” people, while slightly better, are still trying to convince themselves that their business will work.  We have all heard “business is good and getting better” comments and although it may help them keep going, we can only sustain that kind of enthusiasm so long before reality takes us down a notch.

I find it interesting that most of us do not find it necessary to gauge a corporate job in the same manner.  I run into very few people with corporate jobs that make these kinds of comments.  It is due in part to the fact that the whole business does not rest on their shoulders, so if they like their job they say so and if they don’t they say that too.   There is no pressure for them to keep all the tops spinning, so they can just enjoy (or not) their jobs free from the need of self-encouragement.

Personally, I like to be honest with myself.  I truly believe I have days that are fabulous and I meet just the right clients, or solve a client-problem with a great idea or sign up an amazing person in my networking business.  But some days nothing happens.  Some days, like yesterday, get canceled by client emergencies.   There are even days when I feel like I have accomplished nothing for either business.  Those days don’t make either business invalid, they just are ‘hydrant’ days.  Days where nothing worked and some doors even closed.  In the grand scheme of things they should serve to teach me or redirect me, but should not serve to discourage me.

On the whole I really like to have more “dog days” but the “hydrant days” are good too.  I view those days as attention-getters.  Sometimes we get so very busy on our “dog days” that we fail to heed the lessons of the “hydrant days”.  We view those days as ones to be avoided, but “hydrant days” have value and we should not mask over them with false bravado.  Those days can cause us to rethink our direction, tweak our message, notice the people around us and can generally improve our thinking.  I like to think of “hydrant days” and God tapping me on the shoulder and showing me something new.

So as you go about your day, don’t be afraid to lean in a little to a “hydrant day” and thoroughly enjoy your “dog days”.  The ebb and flow of life is a great thing, it keeps us from depending too much on ourselves and not enough on the one who controls all our days.  Have a “dog day”!