MLM Talk Online

By Michele Miller

It’s great working at home, being your own boss, but for some people it’s not what they expected.

I’ve heard several people say they get lonely and miss being around work associates; others find it hard to stay disciplined, or they just find working at home boring. I personally don’t find it to be any of those things myself and love working at home, but everybody’s different.

Some people are almost forced to work at home, such as disabled people, single moms that can’t afford daycare, or don’t want to put their children in daycare. For these people that didn’t necessarily choose a home career it can be quite depressing.

For those that chose to work at home, and don’t want to change that part of it, often times another problem arises. It can be called, “wearing all the hats syndrome”. Not only do you run a business and play manager, employee, billing clerk, sales person, inventory manager, etc., with a home business, you might find yourself cleaning the house, taking care of the kids, cooking meals, folding clothes, running errands, and paying bills, all during working hours. This problem tends to arise when there is no set work routine. It leaves one feeling overwhelmed on a daily basis.

To really enjoy a home business and keep yourself sane, it’s necessary to establish business hours and a routine.

It’s best to get dressed every day at a reasonable hour, otherwise you find the whole day’s gone and you’re still in your night clothes. It’s great to be able to do that, it’s just not good to do it. You can bet the doorbell will ring on the days you slack off on this one!

Give yourself a lunch break and try to eat healthy. It’s so easy working from home to walk by the fridge every thirty minutes and get a snack. Soon your body expects to be fed every couple of hours, just like a newborn. Not a good thing, especially when you start packing on the
pounds.

Try to get some fresh air every single day. It’s not good to get out of the house only once or twice a week. When you feel mentally happy and healthy, you will be able to stay sane with a home business.

Remember, working at home can be harder than working outside the home. It’s all up to you how your business turns out; it’s a lot of responsibility. So, try not to stress yourself unnecessarily.

Use phone time wisely. Enough said…

As far as housework goes, and all that other stuff that messes up your work day, I found something that works and may work for you. I get up and get showered and dressed and then I spend about an hour cleaning the house. I’m usually ready to sit down and start work around nine, but if it’s ten o’clock that’s fine too. Routine, routine, routine, is the key to being successful and staying sane in a home business.

Michele Miller is a home-based business owner and author of an Ebook about medical transcription. You can visit her website at: http://www.medical-transcription-at-home.com

What’s on your voicemail message? Is it the usual stuff ? “I’m away from my desk, please leave me a message — blah, blah, blah . . .”

If so, here’s a post on the Duct Tape Marketing blog that tells you how you can really put your voicemail message to work for you.

Is Your Voicemail Message Painfully Boring?

Linda Locke
Get your daily dose of inspiration here: MLMTalk Blog

Success Habit No. 1 - Don’t let anything stop you from achieving your business goals.

It’s easy to come up with excuses for why you aren’t doing as well as you’d like. You don’t have enough time to book another party or to create your downline newsletter or contact another prospect - what with your family commitments, your full-time or part-time job, and social events. But the real truth of the matter is that you DO have control over your life and your time, and if you make your business a top priority you WILL be successful.

Success Habit No. 2 - Write Down Your Goals.

It’s been proven over and over that people who write down their goals, achieve more. You need to know where you’re going before you can get there. But just writing down your goals isn’t enough, you have to remind yourself of them daily. So write them down and read them every day. Stick them on post-it notes and put them on your bathroom mirror, inside your car. Write them on 3 x 5 cards and read them throughout the day whenever you have a spare moment.

Success Habit No. 3 - Practice Effective Time Management.

Time is easy to waste, but if you get in the habit of practicing time management you can save your energy for the things you really want to do. Make a list of your daily activities and how much time you spend on them. Eliminate the obvious time wasters like watching TV, chatting on the phone, or volunteering too much. Devote your time and energy to what is important to you. Don’t let others use up your valuable time.

Success Habit No. 4 - Keep An Open Mind and Take Risks.

Sometimes we are resistant to new ideas and ways of doing things. You might think to yourself — that’s OK for her, but I can’t possibly do that. But the truth of the matter is that you really CAN do new things, if you TRY. So what if you aren’t successful at first. Just keep on going and do it again. Keeping an open mind and taking risks by trying something new helps you grow personally and professionally. Invest in yourself by taking a training course, reading a new MLM book, or trying a new prospecting technique.

Practice these 4 habits on a daily basis. If you slip up, that’s OK, just get right back on track the next day. Have fun and dare to try something new!

Linda Locke
Get your daily dose of inspiration at http://www.mlmtalk.com

by Suzanne Falter-Barns

What makes some people perform brilliantly and attract excellent results - and others’ just get along. The key is passion. This article helps you find what you can do to ignite your own passion and success.

Ever notice how some people have all the luck? They seem to attract clients and business effortlessly, and win awards without even trying. Even the media seems to seek them out. So what makes THEM the anointed ones…. and not you?

The difference is passion.

Passion is what makes us get up in the morning, excited about what we’re going to do. It’s what pushes us through tasks we’d rather not do - and propels us through those that are ordinarily intimidating.

Passion is something bigger, too. It’s a healing essence that makes whatever we do seem guided, and so very attractive to others. Things that are passionately created are truly magnetic- we all want a piece, so we, too, can be healed.

I first became aware of this on a speaking tour I did in Florida a few years back. At the time, I spoke at a New Age bookstore/tea salon in Key West, FL called Kindred Spirit.

This wasn’t a ‘must do’ stop on the circuit of major bookstores; when the owners invited me to speak, they didn’t even have a location yet for their store. Still, there was something about Kelly and Karen, the owners, which resonated with me when I metthem at a conference.

They had a certain intensity, the air of women on a mission. It was clear they would have exactly the space they wanted, and it would be great. Not only that, I would do an event with them, and that would be great. The Powers That Be were clearly whispering in their ear.

When I got to Key West, my hunch was confirmed. Every inch of this store held things that were beautiful and unique, each artfully arranged. Karen had hand-painted fresh, original calligraphy on the walls, and they had composed their space so you could wander at will, finding treasures at every turn. There was even a tiny antechamber, beautifully decorated, where you could have a reading with a remarkable psychic. Lace-covered tea tables here and there waited for you to sit down, relax, and have superb cup of tea. The effect of being in Kindred Spirit was that my travel-jagged soul was immediately soothed. This store had the ability to heal people.

That healing comes from what some call “the essence”. It’s an immutable standard for your work that comes from within, a refusal to deliver less than exactly what your soul told you to create. And this takes considerable work.

When I met Karen and Kelly, they were coming off of weeks of 12-hour days putting the finishing touches on their store and holding their first event. They had that slightly insane, but critically important vision you get that pushes you forward, and forward, and forward, until you do create exactly what you want.

They had passion, pure and simple.

And please note that such work is not just a non-stop string of blissed out moments of creativity. There are many when you just want to go home and climb into bed. There are just as many when you lie awake worrying. Still, there is something sacred and holy that pushes you forward, whether it be the ‘essence’ or your own hands-on interpretation of God or Spirit.

Not surprisingly, all of Key West turned out for my talk at Kindred Spirit; the event was electric! All, I say, because people wanted that healing at the heart of Karen and Kelly’shard work.

So how do you summon up the essence? For Karen and Kelly, it was just a matter of finding the courage to leave their jobs and follow their heart. And that’s true for all of us. If you can listen to your inner voices, you’ll find that back there behind the voices of doubt is your own private cheering squad.

They want you to go for the gusto and begin your dreams; they want you to live your dreams - and they’ll make it more possible than you may believe. I say anyone can summon up their passion.

First they have to find the courage to begin. Then they simply have to dig in and find that gift they’re blessed with, and move on to share it with others.

May you be as moved as I’ve been by the healing work of all creators, great, small, famous and unknown, who are driven by nothing more than their desire to deliver what they feel. And may you discover the same within yourself.

©2005 Suzanne Falter-Barns LLC.

For information on how to find the time, energy, and money to live your purpose in life, check out Suzanne’s free ezine, The Joy Letter. Sign up at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/joyletter.html and receive our valuable report, 35 Guaranteed Time Savers. And find even more tips and tools at the Blast of Joy blog http://selfhelpsalon.typepad.com/blast_o_joy/

Here’s some great advice on how to achieve success in business and any other profession from Larry A. Thompson, a film producer and motivational speaker. Check out the 10 Success Killers list at the bottom of the article too. It’s an eye opener!

How to Succeed in Any Business

Linda Locke
http://www.mlmtalk.com

By Teri Samuels

In my years of recruiting, training, and managing sales teams I was fortunate to have worked in both Male and Female dominated Sales organizations. This article was written to identify the best of both styles - and more importantly - the benefit of integrating them to achieve balance and success in sales and communication.

What I learned about sales from Men.

* I learned “It was OK to have emotions but not to express them in business.”

* I learned “How to be strong in adversity.”

* I learned “Self control in business.”

* I learned “How to compete without crying or Getting Out Of The Game.”

* I learned “How to provide solutions not just conversation.”

* I learned “How to not take rejection personally.”

* I learned “How to negotiate my salary and bonus or take what I was given.”

* I learned “How to play to win.”

* “Above all, I learned Men don’t hold Women back, Women hold Women back!”

Thank you Men!

What I learned about sales from Women.

* I learned “To be more open and compassionate.”

* I learned “It was OK to have and show emotions.”

* I learned “The softer approach could be the better approach.”

* I learned “How to receive as well as give support.”

* I learned “It was OK to let others help me.”

* I learned “That I didn’t always have to be right.”

* I learned “That I didn’t have to be the ultimate problem solver and that just listening was helping.”

* “Most of all, I learned Women don’t give themselves enough credit when it comes to their abilities, skills, and talents in the business world.

Thank you Women!

What does all this have to do with sales? Everything!

These opportunities personify the “heart and soul” of sales and communication - “Human Emotions”. They may be expressed differently but are equally important for sales and communication success.

We don’t have to alter our personalities or styles - just “Enhance” them a bit.

About the Author

CEO - United Sales Training (http://www.unitedsalestraining.com), 20 years as a Professional Sales and Marketing Troubleshooter, Trainer, Recruiter, Upper Level Manager, and Consulting Professional. Dedicated to the “keep it simple” approach. Have a sales question? Email me at: tsamuels@unitedsalestraining.com

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Linda Locke
http://www.mlmtalk.com