Is it really that difficult?

Lately, I have heard so many people say how difficult direct sales is.  "Its hard." "I can't get any opt-ins." "I can't get people to sign up." "This just isn't for me." "I didn't  know how difficult it would be."

It is difficult always having to lower your dreams to meet your means. It  is difficult to miss your son's football game because you have to work. It  is difficult knowing the rust bucket you call a car is eating you alive in  maintenance, but you can't afford a new one. It is difficult to realize  that someone else is going to watch your daughter take her first step or  have your son say mama to the preschool teacher.

It is difficult knowing that you have spent 40 years of your life working for someone else, only to realize that you will be retiring on one-third of what you can live on today. Or, worse yet, it is difficult knowing that  you have diligently worked all your life, only to be given an early retirement and replaced by someone younger, more capable.

I will tell you what is difficult. It is difficult waking up one morning and realizing that your children, the most precious things imaginable, no longer need bottles, diapers, have tea parties, or are shorter than the baseball bat they are trying to swing. It is difficult realizing it is too late and that the time frittered away can never be retrieved. It slips through our fingers one second at a time.

It is also difficult watching the spark in your partner's eyes fade because both of you realize the house you have been wanting is just a dream because someone else is controlling your finances.

We have bad habits about rationalizing, procrastination and skirting important things, rather than facing the issues. Too often we allow others who do not pay our bills, who do not share our dreams, to direct our futures.

As children we have absolutely no freedom; we rebel in our teens and scream for freedom. We reach adulthood and are finally free, only to relinquish that freedom because we think it is too difficult. We do not want to take responsibility. We do not want to make a wrong decision, so we obligingly give that awesome power to someone else. We wake up too late. We hear ourselves uttering phrases like: "I wish I had only . . ." and "If I could do it over again."

You have no one but yourself to blame. You had the chance. Perhaps the opportunity was presented many times and each time you elevated the trivial to a higher priority than yourself.

Let me ask you: Is this business really difficult?

Is it so traumatic to show someone an exciting product or idea? Is it so difficult to understand that if you work this marketing idea for three to five years, you just might finally be able to send your children to a college chosen by excellence, rather than one chosen by price? That you could finally put your family in the home of their dreams?

Would you work really hard for eight to ten years, so you could mold a lifestyle of your choosing, so your family could live a lifestyle of their dreams, rather than trying to live how someone else thinks you should live?

How difficult is it to pick up the phone and call your prospect? How difficult is it to place ads? How difficult is it, really, to share what you love with others? Think about it.

Realize the awesome power you have in your hands with your business. There are people out there working three jobs. There are people drowning in debt; or agonizing through bankruptcy, realizing they only needed a couple hundred more dollars per month. That is difficult!

This business you have chosen has the ability to change lives. The home business industry cannot do anything. But YOU can change lives with it. You are the one with the life-changing ability. What are you waiting for?

There is difficulty and pain in success, and there is difficulty and pain in failure. Difficulty and pain in success will last a short period of time; but pain in failure lasts a lifetime. Which one is really more difficult?

You will pay a price for your actions, and your choices.

Which choice will you make?

Feel free to share this with your team. If I can help you with anything, please feel free to reach me directly at 612-562-8219.

Believing in you ~

Love, Serve & Care

Today's post comes from the book The Carpenter by Jon Gordon. Enjoy! 

We often make life more complicated than it needs to be. Simple is powerful. The closer we get to truth, the simpler and more powerful the principles and lessons become. There’s nothing more powerful than Love, Serve and Care. In a world filled with complicated and expensive success programs these are the 3 greatest success strategies of all. 

 

LOVE

It all starts with love. Steve Jobs said it best, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle.” 

When you love what you do you will embrace all the challenges, adversity and rejection to keep doing what you love. If you don’t love it you won’t persevere through all the obstacles to become great at it. The key then is to do what you love and love what you do. If, in your current job, you aren’t doing what you love then you can find things to love about what you do. 

Love is also the greatest leadership and team building principle, customer service strategy and sales technique on the planet. Regardless of title or profession to be human is to love and want to be loved.

Love is what separates good and great. Good teachers know their lesson plans. Great teachers also know and love their students. Good coaches know X and O’s. Great coaches also know and love their players. Good sales people know how to sell. Great sales people also love their clients. Good leaders know their vision and purpose. Great leaders also know and love their people. 

It’s simple. Greatness is built with love. 

SERVE

Because you love, you serve. Serving is love in action. Service takes many forms. You can wash feet, march for civil rights, serve sandwiches, help the needy, feed the poor, build schools and wells in Africa, assist the elderly, serve your customers, patients, and students, and coach others to greatness. The ways are endless but all acts of service put the needs of others before your own. 

Great leaders serve the people they lead. Great companies serve their clients. Great hospitals serve their patients interests before their own. Great schools know they exist to serve the growth and development of their students. Great coaches serve their players. Great leaders don’t succeed because they’re great. They succeed because they bring out the greatness in others. 

You don’t have to be great to serve but you have to serve to be great. The ironic part of serving is that when you serve and help people improve and grow, you improve and grow. When you lose your ego in the service of others you find the greatness within you. 

CARE

When you love and serve you find ways to show that you care. You make people feel important and let them know that they matter. You focus on all the details because everyone and everything matters.

When you care you stand out in a world where so many don’t seem to care. You do more, give more, become more, and create more. People sense your care and they flock to you and your work. The world takes notice and you inspire people around you to care. 

When you care you become a craftsman/craftswoman instead of a carpenter. A carpenter builds things but a craftsman/craftswoman puts their heart, soul, spirit and passion into their craft. Instead of creating something ordinary a craftsman/craftswoman creates and builds something great. 

LOVE. SERVE. CARE

Many people say to focus on growing your business. But I say to focus on loving, serving and caring and your business will grow exponentially. Focus on loving, serving and caring one person at a time and people will be drawn to your business, service, school, hospital, etc. When you love, serve and care you not only change your heart and mind, you change the hearts and minds of the people around you.

It’s not complicated but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It’s easy to be scattered. It’s easy to focus on the outcome instead of the process. It’s easy to focus on the numbers instead of people. The path to greatness isn’t easy but it is simple. Do what you love. Serve others. Show you care. Do this day in and day out, one person at a time and the impact you have and the legacy you leave will be truly great. You won’t just have success. You will help others be successful and this is the true measure of success

Hope you found this as inspiring as I did! Feel free to share it with your team. If I can help you with anything in your business, please feel free to reach me directly at 612-562-8219.

Believing in you~

Mindset

If you want to be successful building your business online then you have to understand one thing…. MINDSET!

About 95% of everything you do is totally dependent upon how you think and act toward the actions you take.

What is mindset?

Its basically the way you think about your business. Its the way you execute the necessary takes related to achieving your goal.

Mindset is a broad topic but I want to break it down into 4 parts for you so you can see just how important the way you think is related to the success of your business.

1.There Is Nothing Special About Achievers
That's right. Most people hold achievers in their niche in high regard. The look at them like they are untouchable and its simply not true.

Successful people have fears and apprehensions the same way you do… But they do one thing that many unsuccessful people don’t do….

They push through those fears and apprehensions until they reach the goal.

Successful people aren’t “lucky” they just choose to be successful, there is a difference.

But understand, there is nothing special about them that can’t be emulated or done by others, that includes YOU!

2.You’ve Got To Think Bigger…. WAY BIGGER!
If you want to achieve your wildest dreams it takes thinking way bigger than what you think now.
To think bigger takes stepping out from the herd and into the world of the unknown at times.
An example of thinking bigger is…

Most people would be happy making an additional $500 per month in their business. But they can’t envision making $10K per month.
 
This is usually because they are not thinking big enough.
I believe thinking bigger comes down to really three basic points.

1. Having Vision – The ability to look beyond your current circumstances
2. Getting Courage – It takes courage to step out on the vision you have for your life.
3. Developing a Thick skin – When you endeavor to better yourself, others around will express their doubts and apprehensions in an attempt to bring you “Back to reality”. If you are ready for it, you can overcome it.

3.Focus On Income Producing Activities
Just being busy doesn’t mean you are getting any closer to your dreams and goals.

Many people mistakenly think that because they are always on the go or doing something “business related” they are getting closer to their goals.

In your business there really is only a few things that make the difference when making money.
Figure out what those activities are and do them over and over and over.

If you are not sure what they are,  hire a coach or find a mentor that can help you get where you want to be.

You should knock out the most important tasks first thing in the morning that make the most difference in your business.

4.Focus On Solving Other Peoples Problems
Yes that's right.

Entrepreneurship is about solving other peoples problems and that is how you make money. Find a problem in the marketplace, and fill that need with your product. This is how people make millions even billions as business owners.

Remember this…. Its not about YOU! Its about THEM. Every person on planet earth speaks one universal language and its called “WIIFM” what that means is “Whats In It For Me?”

People will do business with you when they are confident that you have something to offer them. No other reason.

Do you want to make money? Do you want to build a six figure empire online or offline for that matter?

Then work on solving your markets problems. If you can do that, you can be very successful.

Never allow others to steal your dreams. Never allow what others can’t see, to knock you off of the path that you can clearly see.

I hope you enjoyed today's post. Please let me know if I can help you with anything. You can reach me directly at 612-562-8219.

Believing in YOU~

15 Business Building Tips

Today, I want to share some business building tips with you. Use these wealth tips and create an empire for yourself!

1. Be aware and conscious of upfront expectations of people joining your business. Don’t just look to “get a signup”, actually find out what the person believes it takes to build a business and adjust accordingly.

2. Do what you would want your team to do. This means that even when you reach the top of your payplan you should still be recruiting, promoting events and running events (webinars or meetings).

3. Never apologize. People cannot tell you are nervous or that it is your first time..unless you tell them.

4. Imagine a power suit. Before your presentation, imagine in your mind that the outfit you are wearing is a magical suit that makes you powerful. Really feel the energy surging within you once you have it on. This is a fun way to feel more powerful for your presentations.

5. Get interaction. Ask your audience why they are here and what they hope to learn. If you can get the guests to voice pain before you present, you are going to have hotter prospects.

6. Get in the mind of your target prospects. Know what they want and what their problems are so you can answer them and have the appearance that you know exactly what is in their head.

7. When writing an email, speak to an individual instead of the group. This means using the word “you” more than “you guys”, etc.

8. Always provide value. Even when you want to sell something, provide some form of value which is defined as ways to help your target prospects gain their desires or solve their problems.

9. Stay consistent. .

10. Have a marking schedule. Write it out.

11. You NEED to know how to close before you prospect.

12. Don’t be addicted to the outcome. When someone tells you no, move on, it’s really not a big deal and IF you are to become wealthy, you have to learn to get over the little stuff.

13. Get around the people that have the lifestyle and skills that you want. This tip will change your life if you let it.

14. Don’t permit you or your mind to see any excuses. There are no valid excuses to not becoming wealthy, stop giving excuses any energy, they don’t serve you.

15. Have fun! Enjoy what you are doing. We are serving others and truly helping them change their lives. Remember that :) 
 
I hope you enjoyed these tips. Feel free to share them with your team. If you have any questions or if I can help you in any way, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 612-562-8219.

Believing in you~

Ask VS Tell

You all know how important recruiting is to your team growth and income. Yet it can feel so daunting at times!

It’s important to present your products/opportunity effectively, but that’s where people trip up.
Maybe you get nervous approaching total strangers – or worse, people who know you (sometimes family and friends can be the toughest). You want to say the right things, but you feel so awkward you become totally tongue-tied.

Or maybe you go into “presentation mode” – throwing company facts, stats and too many details at your prospects, driving them away instead of drawing them in. In both cases, you feel incredibly awkward because you know you’re not doing your biz opportunity justice.

It doesn’t have to be this way, and this simple shift will make recruiting A LOT easier (and people will respond better, too!).

My Best Tip For Recruiting: Ask vs. Tell

Sure, it’s tempting to “tell” prospects about the science behind your products or what’s interesting about your company. But “telling” or giving a “big presentation” doesn’t usually influence them.
There’s a better way to go about it: ASK

Becoming skilled at asking questions is THE #1 KEY to effective selling and sponsoring because…

• When you ask questions, you get to find out WITT (What’s important to Them). You’ll pick up important info about your prospects’ problems, needs and wants – and get invaluable insight regarding how you can help them with your products/biz opportunity.

• People love to talk about themselves, so when you spend more of your time asking (instead of being in full-blown presentation mode) recruiting feels so much easier and more comfortable!

• When you “present” your products/biz as a sales pitch, it is human nature for others to doubt if what you’re saying is really true. By asking questions, you make it easier for people to recognize how your products/biz can help them – letting them come to those conclusions on their own. It’s a more elegant way to (respectfully) influence them.

What questions should you ask? Well, it depends on the situation. 

When you meet someone for the first time, just be curious! Asking general questions makes it easy for people to interact with you.

To get into a conversation, try these strategies:

• Break the ice with compliments. Ask where they got that beautiful purse/shoes/necklace.

• Talk about the children. If they have little ones in tow, ask about them.

• Ask for advice. If you’re in a store, ask someone if they can recommend a particular product such as yogurt, baby food, exercise clothing, etc.

Your goal is not to sell or get an immediate business lead. Instead, you want to make a personal connection, perhaps get enough rapport or conversation going so that it feels natural to share business cards or personal contact info and stay in touch.

Ideally through your conversation, you’d also want to be listening for a problem or opportunity to serve this person (with your classes, products or even your biz opportunity).
Here’s how conversations can work for you:

• At the park, a mom you’ve just met mentions she’s been crazy busy with the kids, work, etc. This might be an opening for you to mention that through your business, you offer a spa party, skin care classes, makeover nights – and you’d be happy to do one for her and her friends.

• At a networking event, a new acquaintance says how stressful her job is, and how little time she’s getting with her family (or for herself). This could be the perfect opportunity to bring up how helpful your biz has been for people who want to create money, have more free time and so on. End by saying you’re happy to share more information if they ever want to talk about it.

See? Asking questions is a FUN way to get to know people while creating openings that make it easier and more natural for you to INVITE them to meet you for coffee or visit your website to check out your products/biz. 

And I promise the more you do it, it WILL become second nature.

Ready to test this out? Here are some simple ways to get started mastering the art of question asking:

• Each day this week, strike up a conversation with a stranger. This is not for business but to practice casually asking questions to improve your connecting skills.

• Create a list of questions to ask people. A list will give you more confidence when starting conversations. Remember, get them talking about themselves – look for natural openings that give you the opportunity to invite them to meet with you for coffee, share your products or business opportunity, etc.

Hope this helped you! Feel free to share this with your team members. If I can help with anything, please feel free to contact me at 612-562-8219. 

Believing in you~
Theresa Swendra

True Grit

The key predictor of success is not talent, title, wealth, or good looks. It is Grit: the ability to work hard for a long period of time toward a focused goal and keep moving forward in spite of challenges, obstacles and failures. 

Grit is passion and perseverance for long term goals. It's a marathon not a sprint. It's actually a marathon and a series of sprints combined with a boxing match. You are not just running but getting hit along the way. Grit keeps you moving forward through the sting of rejection, pain of failure and struggle with adversity. When life knocks you down you may want to stay down and give up but Grit won't let you quit. 

 

This begs the question, why does Grit keep you moving forward? How does it work? If Grit drives you what drives Grit? 

I believe True Grit starts with knowing what you truly want. When you know what you want and you can see it, you will work hard and persevere in order to achieve it. 

True Grit is also driven by clarity of mind, purpose, passion, optimism, faith, love, hope and quite honestly... stubbornness. Knowing your why, refusing to give up, ignoring the critics, believing in the possible, loving what you do and showing up day in and day out keeps you on the path towards your vision. 

I also believe that the desire to prove oneself is also a part of Grit. I know there's something inside of each of us that wants to feel worthy and be someone of value. This desire fuels us to succeed but can also be unhealthy and sabotage us if it doesn't give way to humility and a bigger purpose. 

Not everyone will share your vision and believe in your project. Always remember that the circumstances around you and the opinion of others don't create or define you. Life is never created from the outside in. You create your life from the inside out. The grit and spirit you possess on the inside will create the life you experience on the outside. 

If you have a vision, keep it alive. Remember your purpose. Show up every day and do the work. Stay the course and keep moving forward in spite of the rejection and obstacles you face. 

You'll be glad you did. True Grit leads to true success. 
 
Hope you enjoyed today's post. If I can help you with anything, please feel free to reach me directly at 612-562-8219. 

Believing in you~
Theresa Swendra

Negative VS Positive

Who do you surround yourself with? Negative people or positive people? It’s funny, when you see the choice, you know the obvious answer is to choose to surround yourself with positive people in your life.  But why do so many choose to stay around the negative influences?  Why do people choose to stay where they are?  Why do we choose not to take action?

Wanted to this video with you, it is one of the most powerful I have seen…. take a moment to watch if you have ever felt stuck in the pursuit of your dreams.

“You are the star of your life…. you get to decide whether or not it’s a smash or whether it’s a flop.”  You get to decide.

What is your choice...

Hope this video inspired you. If you need help with anything, please feel free to reach out to me directly at 612-562-8219.

Believing in you ~

Theresa Swendra