Who's Hurting? ...as a Marketing Strategy

Right now, in December of 2020, in Rhode Island where I live, we just entered a two-week shutdown due to Covid 19.  Our hospitals are full and just down the street, they have opened a facility to house more Covid patients, the first 7 were today - in a barracks-style warehouse.  These people are sick, however, there are many more people who are hurting due to job loss, financial strain, and even hunger.

There is a world of hurt.  Restaurants are closing.  Servers and cooks have been laid off.  Just about every night on the news there is a new story with a restaurant owner talking about how they are struggling to keep their heads above water and make it through these dark times.

We can help.  We can propose an alternative that may have not been considered.  This can be done locally.  It can be done nationally.

A few weeks ago, Disney laid off thousands.  Can you go on LinkedIn and do a search for people who worked at Disney and are "looking for" or "seeking" new work?

Winter is coming.  In the northern climates, landscapers are all going to be laid off in a few weeks.

You get the idea.  Google "companies that are laying off employees due to coronavirus"  or simply see this list.  You will find many more resources like this.  Go LinkedIn and connect.

Musicians who play venues are not working.

The airline industry has been cut way back.

The bottom line here is this (depending on who you are listening to):  over the past 9 months, millions and millions of people have been laid off.  For many of these, their benefits have, or are about to run out.

All of this is made even more relevant if you have some direct experience with any of these.  See my post on Affinity Affiliate Marketing for a frame of reference on this.

Again, we can help.  See it as a noble mission, because it is.  We can help by educating people that building a group of interdependent people who share the same skills and competencies as a very viable and real way to create income.

One last time.  We can help.

Affinity Affiliate Marketing

When I was in college, my undergrad degree was in Human Communication.  Many people in this field go on to be Counselors.  A word I learned was 'homophily".  It means perceived similarity.  For instance, in general, tall, skinny people will be most likely to be attracted to tall skinny people.  People of similar socioeconomic backgrounds tend to be drawn to each other... people who play tennis...  have read the same books...  Any perceived similarities are predictors of attraction.

So, what does this have to do with Affinity Affiliate Marketing?  The question is, "To whom are you
homophilous?"  Aka, who do you have something in common with?  For example, I have had my Life and Health Insurance Licenses twice in my life. I can disclose this and "fully" empathize with people who are struggling to sell these insurance products.  In this industry, there are as many people "starving out" as coming into the industry with wide eyes and eager optimism. But for those struggling, we have something in common, which is a point of "affinity" and I can relate to their pain.

As a retiree, my first part-time job was at Lowe's.  I learned a lot about their organization and the values that drive their decision-making.  There are Lowe's Groups on FB where I can reach out to people and share my experience and (eventually) ask if "they are open to having a look"...  I can go into any Lowe's and talk to anyone about their jobs and their frustrations...

Another example.  I worked in Higher Education for a good portion of my career.  I can relate to the College Community "ethos".  I understand students.  I "get" how Adjunct Faculty get screwed.  I appreciate how Universities are more corporations than schools.  I can talk to people about all of these things.

More examples without explanations:  I grew up in the Lutheran Church.  I was an Ocean Lifeguard for 14 years.  I have sold windows and patio rooms in-home to homeowners.  I managed large Custodial Groups.  Then, there is all of my online experience in blogging, creating funnels, and autoresponder campaigns...

THE QUESTION IS:  What have you done in your life that is the basis of some level of homophily, affinity, or attraction?  "Who" do you have "what" in common with?  Once you have this defined for yourself, make a plan to get "what you have" in front of them... PRECEDED BY BUILDING AFFINITY for you around your common frame of reference.

The assumption here is that you have an Affiliate Offer to propose.  As such, this is Affinity Affiliate Marketing.

Hope it helps.

On Being a Digital Franchise Broker

To get to the definition of a Digital Franchise Broker (DFB) let's start with the word Broker.  Everyone understands what Stock Brokers do. They evaluate and recommend stocks and establish relationships with clients to manage a portfolio of "paper" assets based on the performance and value of corporations or commodities.  

Stock Brokers need to be licensed and certified by the Securities Industry to transact business.  You may have heard of all the tests:  the Securities Industry Essentials (SIE), then on to Series 7, Series 66... there are many, many more credentials that people need to test (and pay) for - to become certified in different areas of expertise.  Ultimately, when credentialed and making money, a portion of their earnings are funneled up-the-organization (or) these profits are 'baked in" based on their commission structure.

Insurance and Real Estate Brokers are much the same.  They too have tests and certifications to pay for - and need to pass.  However, typically Brokers recruit agents who work under them. Agents contribute a portion of their earnings to the Broker for the privilege of their affiliation with an established agency.  (This is over-simplified simply to make a point:  whether Stock, Real Estate, or Insurance, each has a tiered structure, and the "organization" shares in the profits.)

What we do in marketing Digital Franchises is essentially the same.  We are a part of a larger "decentralized" organizational structure.  And, like these other kinds of Brokers, we curate, recommend, and support products.  Our products are digital in the Internet Marketing and eLearning spaces.  Ultimately, we teach people to develop a portfolio of online businesses, recommend them to potential clients, and establish a relationship that teaches how to replicate this process; thus, creating a network of shared skills and competencies that pertain to all Brokers.

Now, taking this one step deeper, there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of Marketing Tools and eLearning platforms that have an Affiliate Program attached.  Each has all of the same dynamics as a franchise. These mini-franchises (each) inherently represent a money-earning opportunity with some form of financial leverage component as a part of "how the money works".  You buy into a business that has established systems, no different than McDonald's or a National Gym Chain...  as a DFB, you purchase the rights to operate on  "platforms" on which you market their product or service.

Our role is to pick winners and losers and recommend winners based on the justification of cost, ease of implementation, a program's ownership (and history in the industry).  Then there are variables like the mechanics of the compensation plan, the level of support the community provides (and) whether the business has a long-term vision that will keep it in business for years to come.

Obviously, there are many more important things that can be run through the wringer when digging around and doing due diligence.  However, these would all be near the top of the list.

At the end of the day, as a Digital Franchise Broker, we choose and recommend platforms to become affiliated with based on these criteria mentioned.  There are no $250 tests that you need to pass.  Then if you fail, take it again (and again) for $250 until you do pass... even to get started in the business.  There are, however, fees to get started as a Digital Franchise Broker.

Compared to conventional Brokerages as described here, the path to profitability is greatly accelerated and you are "the boss" from Day 1 with "soft" accountability from your mentor... (meaning) if you do not perform, you do not lose your gig.  Let me say, however, that effective organizations have factored-in accountability and business metrics that serve as guideposts for success (but I digress).

Education as a DFB is inherently On-The-Job training through direct mentorship and community support.  The "cost" is only your Affiliate License Fee in addition to whatever financial leverage components there are in different platforms' compensation plans.

Your job is to find people to whom this makes sense.  You can market individual programs with no bigger vision than a quick buck or you can lay out a proposed course of action, simply beginning with an introductory program/platform... then build a portfolio of businesses that will appeal to different kinds of buyers and/or business partners.  Out of this pool of people, some will self-select and see the big picture and "Go Pro".  Many will not, but they will have benefitted from being exposed to one of the fastest and (easier?) ways to earn extra income in existence today.

Make sense?  Let's go!

Marketing to MLM's

First, allow me to clarify the segment of the industry we are in.  We are Affiliate Marketers. We deal predominantly with digital tools and/or eLearning products.  We affili(8) with affili(et) offers and earn a large percentage of a one time sale for a product or service.  This is how Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy run their Affiliate programs although they are not as generous and lucrative as what we do.  In our case, this one time sale is integrated with a leverage component that enables organizational growth and earning money from a team that uses a powerline or subscription... or whatever structure the affiliate offer is paired with.

Multi-level Marketing on the other hand, in most cases, is a physical-product-based offer and is almost completely dependent on large organizations given the multi-tiered structure(s) that provide a much smaller percentage throughout all of the different "layers/levels" of their compensation structure.  

As an analogy, think of it this way.  A person who has an interest in physical fitness gets licensed to be a Fitness Trainer.  They then open their own cross fit gym, and charge $160 a month to belong to his or her gym.  This is a rough analogy to Affiliate Marketing with a subscription offer involved.  It is one person, marketing one thing and reaping the majority (or a significant portion) of the profit from that one thing.  They sell a  member subscription to cross-fit training.

On the other hand, there are the Planet and LA Fitness Centers.  Edge.  Gold's...  These franchises all have layers of bureaucracy that get fed a percentage of profits.  Corporate sites have General Managers, Assistant Managers at the Club level, that report to District and Regional Directors.  These report to Corporate VP's/  This is more analogous to an MLM.  

The point:  MLM and Affiliate business models are completely different.  They both (in many cases) involve building Networks if a leverage component is involved.  Therefore, inherently, both can be termed "Network Marketing".  This can be debated, but nonetheless makes the point that if leveraged income is involved, building a Network of some kind and scale is a part of the model.

With that out of the way... here is just one marketing method that is a step by step plan to target people who are making anywhere from 2-10% on their organization. Your job is to let them know what you know.  They "should"be receptive to other ways to monetize people.  They stand to earn significantly more from a much smaller group of people:  Here is how to do it:

1. Google, "Top 100 MLM Companies List"
2. From this list, choose a company, or a few companies to target.
3. Go to these companies' websites and learn about what they offer and especially focus on their compensation models so you can engage in an informed conversation.  Learn if the company prohibits marketing other offers.  Some still do and some people obey this ridiculousness.
4. Go to Linkedin and plug in the company (plus) the word "seeking" or "looking".  I recommend familiarlizing yourself with Max Steingart's YouTube channel for coaching on this method.  You will find a ton of useful, practical information at no cost, other than your time to learn it.
5. From these results, view people's profiles on different Social Media if you are so inclined.  See how engaged they are.  Lurk on them to see if they are active on FB, Instagram, Twitter... If you have the opportunity, comment on something they have posted and then follow-up and tell them you have done so.  Ultimately, the goal here is to be informed about whether, in your opinion, the person is worth contacting.  Many are not, but you can always "take a shot" and find a diamond-in-the-rough.
6. When you have done this bit of homework, reach out to people and say... (this can be said 1000 different ways with different emphasis on any number of variables)...
7. "I am interested in learning more about the level of success you are having with your company."  (or) "I would love to hear about your company and what you are doing to grow your business."  The idea here is to get them talking... specifically, talking about themselves. You will come up with better approaches based on your background and personality.
8. Another approach is to straightforwardly ask, "What are you doing to monetize people who say "no" to your primary offer?  (or) "If people say "no" to your primary offer, you are leaving money on the table if you do not follow-up with another offer.  I have some options.  Let's talk".
9. Engage in a conversation that leads to finding out their pain points.  DO NOT immediately "pitch" your offer, but build a relationship and a fundamental level of trust by expressing genuine interest in what they are doing and what is going on in their life (and) not necessarily their business.
10. Reciprocate and disclose the same levels of information that they tell you.  This builds rapport and trust.  However, be vague and say things like, "I work within the Networking and Social Commerce industry to build relationships and partner with people where it makes sense for both of us."
11. After this has taken place, ask, "Have you thought about re-monetizing the people in your current organization?"  Then, "teaching them to do the same to create an additional source of income?"
    
12. Then, at some point, you provide the links to your funnel.  Notice:  this is Step 12.
13. Hopefully, your funnel has an autoresponder drip series attached, and of course, there is no substitute for following up by phone, chat, or videoconference.
14. Realize, very few people will say: "What a great idea!  Where do I sign?"  Relationships take time (and) over time you build trust.

There are thousands if not millions of MLMer's who are starving for an Affiliate Offer.  Here is the truth put very simply:  no one has ever explained the difference between the MLM and Affiliate business models to them.  This fact alone is a huge opportunity.  Your job, with this method, is to excavate the people who are:

1. Struggling to get to "the next level" and could use what you offer to get there,
2. Doing OK, but are open to an accelerant, or;
3. Open to lead generating offer, especially if your offer is relatively "low ticket", or;
4. Open to "jumping ship" to a better business model.

I am always interested in hearing your comments and insights.  Please feel free to post replies.

Pitches and Proposals

This post is about business strategy and the role of "pitching" things versus "making a proposal" about a much larger proposition.  Both play a role.  However, it is important for you to understand the difference between pitching-an-opportunity (whether it be a product, service, or tool) and making a proposal-for-life- transformation and having the sophistication to understand how each fits into your overall business strategy.

So as an analogy, let's talk baseball.  Everyone knows what a pitch is. A pitcher throws a ball to a catcher.  It is a single act, repeated over and over during the game.  It is a single, solitary, isolated "thing" that is just one part of the overall strategy of the game.

A proposal, on the other hand, is more like the game plan.  On offense, what will the batting order be?  Who is best to lead off, and who is best to bat clean-up?  Do you plan to steal bases, or hit and run?  Are there situations where you will bunt?  In the field, where do you position players based on the hitters' tendencies?  You get the idea.  The point here is that everything starts with a pitch, but everything around it is the proposal of how to best win the game.

It is the same in business.  A "pitch" is an offer.  It is something someone can buy or "buy into" conceptually.  It is a 90 mile an hour fastball and the batter will hit it or, they won't.  Some hit foul balls.  The same pitches are thrown at different batters.  In business, we do the same.  The question is, what are you pitching to attract interest or to generate cash flow?  Business is about making money.  You have to pitch.  It is an offer in front of eyeballs.

Then a ball is struck in-play and a million things happen all at the same time.  Nine people react and each has a different role.  This is analogous to the "proposal"... and by extension, this repeats itself for 9 innings.

When we talk about a Home Business Strategy, it inherently has to include both "pitching stuff" and the larger context of how these pitches fit into your overall proposal.  We pitch to gain interest, to gain customers and business partners.  There does not necessarily need to be a relationship at this point.  It is simply transactional.  I have this "thing or idea" and you buy it.

(From baseball to sailing...)  At this juncture, you have someone's attention.  The key is to transition a percentage of these people to the "vision" of a larger proposal.  What do you offer that can serve as an anchor that someone can moor to that is reasonable and safe?  What do you propose as a Business Strategy that is a safe harbor surrounded by land and calm water?  How well-articulated is this strategy?  Is it a part of the brand of who you are and how you represent yourself to the market?

Or conversely, maybe you are completely comfortable with simply being a vendor, no different than selling a candy bar or a pair of blue jeans?  If so, simply acknowledge that this is who you are and let your customers know what they can expect from you.  In my opinion, if this is you, you will not be well-suited as a business partner especially if a part of your business model is to build an organization of interdependent people in a community setting.

So, to bring this full circle, my point in writing this post was to highlight the difference between pitching and proposals, to refine your level of (understanding-and-sophistication) regarding the role of each, and how they are related in conducting your business.

Meet Jeff the Genius, Master of Tenacity

This is a tale of perseverance and courage in the face of mountains of obstacles. It tells the story of relentless commitment to a vision, being squashed like a bug and somehow reassembling all of your parts and only to come back bigger, better, and stronger.

Among many things, Jeff Long, the CEO of Textbot.ai is an artist - a classically trained singer.  He has all the markings of creative people.  Emotional.  Impetuous.  Brilliant.  His lived experience in breathing life into the Textbot platform has been a tale of triumph and tragedy, then triumph and tragedy...  In this evolution, he shared both the intimate details of the devil on his shoulder and the better angels that came to his rescue.  I did not always agree with or appreciate his level of disclosure, but now in retrospect, I see it as a necessary means of catharsis to deal with the stresses and pressures that he carried through the ordeal of surviving through Abundance Network and giving birth to TextBot.

Now, at the time of this writing, my exposure to Jeff has been about 12 months (give or take).  For the longest time, I had a "wait-and-see" posture given the flops, drops, and stumbles that in many cases were beyond Jeff's control.  However, each time he re-invented.  He adapted.  He championed his own cause and vision with excruciating detail of his struggle and with total candor and transparency.  The platform has undergone transition after transition and with each successive iteration, it has come back improved and more sophisticated.

At one point this caused me to ask, "What kind of leader does this?"  Frankly, I thought it was kind of crazy to share deeply intimate and personal thoughts that were informing his professional decisions.  In retrospect, I was in no position to judge.  Lesser men would have wilted and dissolved into dust.  Jeff steadfastly focused on his vision.  He did and said what he thought he had to do at the moment to maintain his sanity and simply moved forward, day by day.

The result, through these many iterations, is TextBot, his "child" of sorts that has been born with all the markings of pregnancy:  morning sickness, back pain, swelling... that interpret as a hostile user base, vendor partners that said "no thanks" blowing holes in the ship, perfecting and finalizing the compensation...  It has been quite the ride.

Ultimately, through it all, there is this "platform" that is a thing of beauty.  It is a refined and sophisticated money machine that is state-the-art technically that at the same time, makes it super user-friendly.   It combines phones and funnels with people interacting with a Texting Robot that navigates to videos that explain the product and the business.  As well, there is a constant effort to refine and add value to the entire business model.

The point I want to make in writing this is that this was not always so.  It exists due to the sheer will of a man, his soul, and his vision.  As the title of this post states, Genius, Master of Tenacity.  Jeff and his team deserve truckloads of credit for creating a resource that is easily understood, simple to implement, and can complement any primary source of income due to it (foremost) being a marketing tool that is made all the more compelling by being a robust money-making platform.

If you are not using TextBot as a marketer or as an aspiring money earner, you should at a minimum understand it.  It will open your eyes to a new world of possibility and creativity that simply did not exist a year ago.  I encourage you to learn about it if you are not already using it.  Once you understand its potential, it is hard to ignore it as part of your marketing arsenal.

Thanks, Jeff.  The swords that were thrust your way and the bullets that whizzed by are now just faint reminders. These were not able to kill the Noble Intent of the execution of your vision.

Congratulations.

 

 

Business Builder or Money Hustler?

 Let me start by asking a question.  Is there is a place in the Home Business Industry for people who simply want to make a buck?  These people may have no interest in the big picture stuff with a long-term orientation.  Additionally, they may have tried "figuring out" things in the past and simply have given up on their ability or aptitude to make things work.  So instead, they can (and are more than willing to) pitch "this or that" with a very short-term strategy of simply hustling to make money.  Full stop.  No relationship.  Everything is a sales transaction. Once you have bought, you are on your own.  No different than going to the grocery store and buying a potato.

We all know these people exist, consciously or by default.  Again, asking, if there is a financial incentive for the (purchaser) and you are an Affiliate selling a tool or re-marketing other peoples' products, where does the responsibility lie for teaching the purchaser how to make sales?  Is it with the product creator?  Or, is it with the seller?  It has to be with the seller, right?

So, this begs another (related) question.  What happens to the (purchaser) of an Affiliate-Marketed product if the seller/referrer is simply a money hustler?  Are they doing a "service to the masses" by exposing the opportunity to more people?  Or, are they doing a disservice by selling something with no expectation that any level of training and support as a part of the deal?  In both scenarios, what are the implications?

If a money hustler is upfront and discloses that they are merely a vendor for something and there are no strings attached post-sale, then this is simply one way of doing business.  It is imprudent in my view, but again, this is how many choose to go about things. It becomes a "one-off", a side deal that inherently devalues the transaction. After all, you can buy the aforementioned potato anywhere.

On the other hand, does the Home Business Industry have generally agreed to norms and a Code of Ethics about how referrals and sponsorship should take place?  This is especially true if there is an inherent dynamic of a financial incentive.  Once a seller (refers) something, and there is a financial incentive for the purchaser, is there a "duty" from the seller to teach, share strategies, and support the purchaser?  I think there is such a duty.

So this comes full circle back to the title of this post:  Business Builder or Money Hustler?  Can you build a long-term stable business and pepper it with "one-offs"?  I suppose it is possible, but again I ask, is it prudent?  As such, it is my contention that anyone you enroll in anything with a financial incentive as part of the "pitch" is owed a certain duty of care based on their level of need and experience.  This can be through systems and sharing resources, or it can be done through personal mentorship which typically would include both.

Otherwise, if you are merely schlepping a product to make a buck, you may benefit yourself but you are doing a disservice to those enrolled.  There are others in the industry who would provide a higher level of service and care, especially for those needing guidance and direction and left to flail.

The Semantic Soup of Sponsorship

I had a short exchange with an Opinion Leader on Social Media recently.  We are involved with the same platform that is both a tool and an income opportunity.  His thought was, "Your referrer owes you nothing but their referral code, anything more is a bonus".  I took him to task and here's why. 

In my mind, this is a distinction without a difference if you split the hairs of the referrer, sponsor, enroller, upline...  Semantically, they all connote the same thing.  The person I was "arguing" with was attempting to make the case that given that we market a "tool", it is no different than Aweber (an autoresponder "tool") and the Affiliate Program for Aweber does not require selling your soul to the person you enroll for (in this case, for this program) $100.  Or, as he said it, "they don't own you for $100".

I disagree to the extent that everyone deserves a shot at profitability.  In the "opportunity" portion of this tool, there is a $100 investment to get started.  The first sale goes to you (the person enrolled, which is break-even), the second sale goes to your sponsor, and all subsequent sales go to you.  In other words, you need to make three sales to be in profit... which happens with your third sale.

Objectively, in our industry, in more cases than not, this does not happen.  People are left to flail with knowing there are (metaphorical) buttons-to-push, but they have no idea where to find the buttons, then what to push, and in what order - to spit out their first $100.  All the while, there is this "referrer" who seemingly has all the answers to the "button" issues you face given their experience in the industry, or at least having experience with the product you just purchased from them.

To say you are "'owed nothing" is High Treason to the industry.  He attempted to draw a difference between referring and sponsoring.  Again, in an income opportunity, this is semantic soup if there is a profit incentive.  You are "owed" guidance and mentorship.  If the "sponsor" does not reach out and provide it, you stand a better-than-average chance of failing if you are brand new to the industry and have no experience.

Then ultimately, all of this contributes to the blind leading the blind and business opportunities devolving into "one of those things" that didn't work for the majority, so then it atrophies and eventually dies a slow and painful death... like, (as we know) so many of these businesses do.

In a business of "helping people", owing nothing to people you enroll simply does not make sense.  You are "owed" at minimum, a map to navigate "the buttons".  You are "owed" at minimum a phone call, a text series, an autoresponder training series that guides, encourages, and supports... and this can (and does) go much deeper in our Community.

Obviously, I could not disagree more with this "leader" and find it shameful that he has assumed the mantle he has - as a spokesperson for this tool and opportunity.  It sends the wrong message and is antithetical to decent human beings offering training and support to help and enable (in some cases) desperate people who are looking for "a way" to transition from where they are to where they want to be.

All of this being said, see yesterday's post, "The Art of Sponsoring Successful People".

The Art of Prospecting Successful People

No need to re-invent the wheel on this one.  Total attribution goes to Ray Higdon.  

I simply think this is so important to understand (and he does such a good job of explaining it) that I want to include it here;

There is a video on this page as well as the article:  https://rayhigdon.com/the-art-of-prospecting-successful-people/

Good stuff.  Take notes with the objective of integrating into how you view and manage your business.

Epitaph

There is a pretty well-known leadership training exercise named, "Epitaph".  It focuses on what you would want to be inscribed on your tombstone.  It uncovers the legacy you leave to the world that constitutes the fruits of your labor and leadership?

This is a forward-looking, yet retrospective exercise about the meaning of your life.  Again, what will you have left to the world?  How will you be thought of when you are gone?  How many people will come to your funeral?  Will you be missed, and why?

Now, rewind the reel of this future movie to the present.  What are you doing to fashion and groom your Epitaph?  What choices are you making now?  Right now, this very minute you are choosing to read this, however when you get to the end of this post, then what?

Being conscious and fully engaged "in the moment" is the subject of many Existential Philosophers.  Have you thought about the meaning you bring to others' lives?  What can you do to have an impact?  Or, are you happy with the way things are - and the status quo is "all good"?

Do you have the initiative and discipline to do more to consciously take control to do and be more?  This is fundamentally a character issue and it is your responsibility to act, or not.

Your future is in the balance.  

If this seems harsh, it is meant as a stark wake-up call.  Get up and get after it.  Our Community is here to help with the process, the priorities, and the specifics to make it happen.  It is never too late to earn or redeem the mantle of a "life that mattered".

Influencers, Influence and Trust

 A big part of what determines our success is our ability to influence others.  The way we position ourselves in the vast ocean of "opportunities" to make money is central to how we are perceived. This positioning has a direct bearing on our ability to influence and be trusted.

So, what is this positioning?  It is many things, however, it starts with education that is honest and reliable in terms of explaining the unvarnished truth about "what it takes" to be successful in managing a home business.  Then, mentorship and a long-term frame of reference have to be near the top of the list.  Lifestyle adaptation and time management.  And, so much more that is talked about in this Community.

Most think of "influencers" as people with huge audiences (email lists or social platform followers) who in turn (given their mass exposure) have the ability to have an influence on this audience.  You have the opportunity (and challenge) to do the same - and at the same time continually reinforce the "positioning" mentioned in the previous paragraph.  It is your brand: truthful, reliable, real, viable...

To get everything off of the ground, this begs the question of your personal "circle of influence" and how you grow and monetize it. This personal circle is people with whom you have natural similarities and rapport, NOT your family and friends.  With this in mind, do you really need to become a "brand" that stands for something?  Or, is it sufficient just to be affiliated with products, services, platforms, and opportunities where this credibility and influence is "baked in the cake" based off of the inertia and success of whatever you promote?

Well, either scenario is plausible.  However, the more control you have over your own narrative (your own brand), inherently, the more value you are in a position to offer.  This offered-value is the key metric of the amount of money you stand to make.

How?  If you are a credible and reliable source of information - you build trust with your audience.  Your influence is predicated on the recommendations you provide in terms of resources to use, the people you recommend listening to, and ultimately the income platforms you recommend being associated with.

The key point here is that whether you realize it or not, you are an influencer from Day 1.  Your role is to move people along in an information acquisition process and during this process supply counsel and support as followers and subscribers are gathering what they need to know to make a purchase (or involvement) decision.  The whole time you are building and maintaining a posture of being worthy of someone trusting you with their money, their time, and ultimately in many cases, their future.

You must be an influencer who builds (and is worthy of) trust and this trust is earned through every micro-move you make, every day, every hour... to the point of being worthy of emulation as a "standard" and effective role model.

There are no shortcuts.  It all has to be earned.  Purposefully.  Strategically.  Daily,

What Are You Paying For?

 I have had some interesting exchanges recently with a reasonably well-known CEO of a family of eLearning/Income platforms.  The business model of most of his platforms involves some form of monthly residual income.  This is the same space in which we dwell.  As such, I have no issue with the overall business model.

However, if you are paying (pick a number) $100 a month on a subscription basis, then what are you really paying for?  In some comp plans, a certain percentage goes to the company as an Admin Fee (say 20%), or in this case, $20.  In some cases, there is no Admin Fee and the entire $100 goes to the person who enrolled you.

This begs a question, "What are you paying for?"  Are you paying for a ticket to the money mechanics, the back office of the platform, and all of the tracking of people and payments?  The obvious answer is YES, you are.  But it begs a second question:  "Are you paying for support and mentorship?"

In other words, what is the person on the receiving end of your $80-$100 monthly payments doing for earning this money?  Is there an implied responsibility to engage in a relationship with the one sponsored to ensure their overall competence and success?  I submit there is such a responsibility.

If so, then what mechanisms are in place (at the company level) to ensure this is happening?  Can it be done through a Business Code of Ethics?  Are there expectations and standards for what these relationships should entail?  Are there suggested or expected contact frequencies during the onboarding phase of a new member's learning curve?  Is it stipulated, negotiated or otherwise agreed upon through what medium (phone, email, text, IM) that this communication will take place and how often?

What tools are in place to accelerate getting to know each other?  Or should this just be left to chance and left to the wiles and communication skills of each party?  I think not... and think there has to be an Acquaintance Tool that blasts through the superficial layers of "How you doing" to get to the heart of what people truly know about operating a home business, and what is keeping them awake at night... and a myriad of other things.

If these kinds of things are not in place, then all you are really paying for is a ticket to a money game.  There is no real business model if you believe that businesses are made of people who form relationships.  However, the premise of this post is, WHAT ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS?

Are you paying for mentorship?  Or if you are on the receiving end of a monthly stipend, are you being paid to be a mentor?  I think you are.  There is no other way to look at a successful business.

However, THIS IS A HUGE HOLE IN THE HOME BUSINESS INDUSTRY and it needs attention with a bright light on the problem.  It is a glaring deficiency that requires real leadership to put the mechanisms in place to address the issues in a granular way.  

Otherwise, we all lose credibility and get drug down by the posers and charlatans who do not want to do any of the work to truly engage and help people gain skills, discipline and ultimately achieve success.

Our Community makes a best-effort to address these issues and is proud to do so.

Value Ladders, Upsells, and Leverage Components

All three of the items in the title of this post are related, with nuanced differences.  The first two are both leverage components.  An upsell is basically a disguised value ladder.  Let me explain.

At the highest level of marketing, a value ladder is fully explained as part of a strategy.  It starts with an introductory offer of (typically) anywhere from $9.97 to $49.97 and is a part of a fully transparent strategy that tells a prospective participant the "goal" is to leverage into higher-level (price and value) products.  Value Ladders are a way to maximize the lifetime earnings from a single customer by increasing the monetary investment, typically over time, and (perhaps) out of earnings.

Upsells, on the other hand, promise "the world" in an initial offer and then on the bridge page (sometimes referred to as thank you page) give you the infomercial equivalent of "but wait... if you act now... never to be seen again at this price" pitch.  To me, this is a disingenuous bait-and-switch.  Those using this tactic will tell you it is baked-in as a marketing tactic and is an acceptable way to do business.  I disagree.  I think it is skeevy and malodorous (it sinks).

To add insult to injury, in many cases, these kinds of offers can turn from $47, easily into multiple upsells in the same initial offer - that can increase the initial investment (easily) to $300 to $500 to $1000 or more.  (Ask me how I know.)

So as stated, both Value Ladders and Upsells are Leverage Components intended to maximize customer value.  It is simply a matter of how marketers choose to go about things. 

Upfront and transparent seems preferable to me - juxtaposed to hidden surprises in an attempt to grab your wallet all on Day 1... in a "but wait, there's more" (and) "if you really want the full story and have the full benefit" fashion... 

These tactics use time scarcity and fear-of-loss to pressure you into making a decision - now.  The timer is counting down and you will have until midnight tonight... you will never see this price again, but of course, you are certainly able to pay full price later.

Compare this to a thoughtful and deliberate PLAN that exposes you to the viability of an offer and coaches you along the way with incremental steps.  You are shown the big picture but are asked to pay for just the first bite of the elephant.

The Value Ladder method simply is a more fair and reasonable way to present an offer with full-disclosure and transparency.  Some disagree and swear by the upsell method and tactics.  My perspective is that this IS GOOD for business and profitability, however, it is not in the best interest of the customer, especially if they (you) are new to these kinds of offers.

Income is a Function of Education I=(f)Ed

Everyone has heard the advice, "go to school, get a good job with benefits, contribute to your retirement", etc.  Going to school typically means getting an advanced degree in something, or going to a trade school to acquire the knowledge and skills be a ____________ (fill in the blank).

Making money in any context starts with learning new things.  Money manifests when an effective effort is applied to acquiring new knowledge, which is then applied to the performance of new skills, which is then applied consistently over time to form new habits.  These new habits translate to income-producing behaviors - backed by a foundation of applied expertise.  This is how it works.  No short cuts.  It requires effort and stuffing new "stuff" in your noggin.

When I was in college, introductory, freshman-level courses were two digits, typically starting with 80.  Then, progressively the deeper learning in a subject area (and as I progressed through my college years) the courses were numbered in the 100's, 200's, 300's, and 4-500's for senior-level and graduate courses.  All schools differ in how they classify courses, but you get the idea.

Earning income in a Home Business is no different.  The same "system" applies.  You need to start with the fundamentals.  Our courses would be named "Capture Page 80", or "Autoresponder 115", "Funnel Building 270", "List Strategies 300", "Marketing Integration 410".  Again, you get the idea.  These are totally made up, but if you were taking college courses, these are the potential names.

So, if Income (I) is a function(f) of Education (Ed) then how does this take place?  Here's the truth: for most (many?) it does not.  There is no structure.  There are no fundamentals.  There are no prerequisites to engage in higher levels of learning.  The Home Business Industry, largely, is based on "sign up and try it... and good luck getting yours" with no active mentorship or structures to guide new people through an education process that extends from "know nothing" to "expertise".

However, there are exceptions.  Our community (our system... model) is one of them.  We partner with "opportunities" in the eLearning space that share our values and build on foundational principles.  There is a lot to learn. This learning is the fuel that builds your personal value as a leader and mentor.  The more valuable you are, the more money you stand to make... if combined with "action" behaviors.

At the end of the day, it is all about acquiring knowledge that leads to attained skills when these are paired with applied effort.  If you are coming into a new "realm" of earning money in owning your own enterprise that is (ultimately) solely dependent on YOU to make it happen... please trust the advice that there is no other way this takes place.

It needs to be backed by a culture of systems and expectations that actively demonstrates"care" for your success.  No different than caring for an infant, then a toddler, through pre-school...  This inherently requires relationship norms and establishing how two people (the sponsor and the person sponsored) interact with each other (and) each's role in interacting with and learning from the systems in our Community.

Where the home business model breaks down is when there is fast growth and new people who know little to nothing are sponsoring people who know little to nothing.  In this case, there have to be structures of information and support and a culture that is committed to leaving no-one behind.

This is what we offer.    All that is required from you is your tenacity to do the learning, acquire the skills, and form the habits and behaviors that will result in dollars in your bank account.

What You Earn and The Value You Offer

We build people through enhancing their skills and knowledge acquisition.  We talk about personal branding.  We extol the establishment and nurturance of long-term business relationships and provide the tools to kick start this process.  We are not a biz-opp, sign-up-and-try-it operation.  In fact, the income platforms we use can come and go.

The reality is this:  1) the more value you offer, 2) the more people you will attract, 3) the more people you attract, the more money you will make.

The "moral of the story" of this post is this:  you need to build resources that build your personal brand as a professional coach and mentor.  Said differently, you need to posture yourself as someone worthy of following   This can't be done by posting links to biz op pages on Facebook, nor any other means of Social Media posting where you are being told to essentially "spam" your link.

You can believe this, or fight it.  It is your choice.  Long-term success is contingent on a competent group of people equally vested in moving forward toward a common goal and with agreement on a common path to get there.  This is an agreement pact sealed by competence.  It is a social contract for quality mentorship.

"Signing people up" without providing guidance and mentorship to navigate this process will not get you to the level of earnings you can otherwise attain.

Old-School Cash Leverage Programs

Every business has to have a product or service to be legal.  Simply trading and leveraging money for the purpose of trading and leveraging money is considered a scheme, typically preceded by the adjectives of Ponzi or pyramid.

That said, one does not have to be in love with the associated product or service.  This gets a bit dicey to explain philosophically.  However, let me start here.  The goal of business is profitability.  Not every trinket trader is in love with all of the trinkets he imports from China.  He trades trinkets to make money.  It is a basis for commerce.  Anyone can think of 1000 examples.

I know an Electrical Engineer who sits at his computer all day in a small office at a large corporation.  He does not like what he does.  However, he is paid well for what he does.  He derives income.  That is his only goal in spending eight hours of his life a day doing what he does.

Frankly, at the end of the day, to me (ultimately) what we "sell", or the product or service that legitimizes the businesses we represent are secondary.  Mandatory, but secondary.  If the product or service is "lovable", all the better, but secondary.

The real issue is how money works:  the structure and leverage components.  Primarily, we use subscription and powerline programs (powerlines are characterized by one-up/two-up components).  Both of these structures are Old-School Cash Leverage Programs.  These are simple to understand and explain.

We start with one business.  We grow it.  Then we build and create a portfolio of income streams.  It is smart and strategic.  Things happen in time with strategic benchmarks based on growth.  Nothing is left to chance.  Everything has to make sense on a spreadsheet.

After all, that is how businesses are run and grown.  It minimizes risk and risk-taking.  You need to do your part and a road map will be tailored specifically to your situation.  Ultimately, you need to execute a plan and the Old School Cash Leverage Programs will work for you.

Your Network and Your Net Worth

We build organizations.  The more people in your organization agreeing to financially participate in what we do... the more money you make.  This is your network.  You build a network, by networking... reaching out to people, exposing them to an idea and inviting them to evaluate and participate.

Said differently, business size (in most cases) is directly correlated to the number of people in addition to the value each of these people represents.  Lower numbers mean lower income.  Higher numbers mean higher income.  As such, a $50 program has less yield than a $500 with the same number of people.

However, our model starts people in low ticket programs ($100 and under) and then strategically "upgrade" to higher-level programs (or higher tiers within the same program).

In any case, your net worth is ultimately your network of people who are fully competent and fully committed to a long-term business relationship with you. 

Treat everyone like a lifelong business partner.  Teach this.  Implore this from those you work with.  Establish a grand vision of where life is headed.  Extol possibility and couple it with cheerful accountability.  It is all possible.

Money Mechanics Matter

The topic of money mechanics deals with how different compensation systems are structured (and) how you get paid for your participation and effort.  I deal with this subject in other posts, however, the important point to recognize is that not all compensation systems are created equal.

In the Social Commerce/Networking space, some make sense and some don't.

Obviously, one of the first variables to consider is how quickly you can get your money back on your initial investment.  Said differently, how soon can you break even?  How many customers or business partners will it take to recoup your money?

Second, what is/are the investment levels?  Is there just one way to get started with just one amount of money?  Or, can you choose the level of investment based on your current means and risk tolerance?  I would submit that multiple options within the same program are preferable to a "my way or the highway" approach.

Third, is it (reasonably) easy to understand?  Is it easily explainable?  Or, how quickly can you wrap your head around how you will be paid?  Here is the deal:  the more straightforward and transparent, the better.  There are some real doozies out there.  Feel confident that we don't associate with them.

The compensation systems of the programs we associate with are straightforward and easily understood.  The Money Mechanics have to make sense.  It has to be a situation for most people that turns a total mystery into the statement "I get it!" very quickly.

If Money Mechanics are dense and obtuse, it simply works against the process and will inhibit your success.

Simple is better.

The Critical Question: "When can we talk next?"

In the early stages of mentorship, this is the most important question you can learn to ask: "when can we talk next?"  Initially, this should be every day.  Then, as things settle into place, you wean off of constant contact and then just check-in for support and metrics.

Your job, as a sponsor/mentor, is to get the people you partner with up-and-running as quickly as possible.  Up and running with what, you ask?  There is a ton of things initially.

Personal Resources (at minimum to get started)

• a Gmail account for your business that is used exclusively for business purposes
• a Gmail account that is set up as an autoresponse
• a personal "About Me" page

Payment Processors (you need to have ways to get paid)

• PayPal Account
• Venmo Account
• Cashapp Account
• There are many others which are addressed in other places, these three are a good start.

The "Getting to Know Each Other" tool

• we use a Google Form that is designed to bust through layers of information and values exchange.  This needs to be worked through and takes time.  You can see it HERE
• Again, we are not looking for sign-ups.  We seek to build relationships.  This tool is a major step in this direction.

Understanding Our Culture

• We have a Training Site and this blog you are on now.  You need to ensure that people become familiar with them and understand "what it takes" to be successful in the spirit of cheerful accountability.

YOU NEED TO BLOCK OUT TIME AND SET APPOINTMENTS WITH PEOPLE TO MAKE ALL OF THIS HAPPEN.  THIS MEANS HOURS OF YOUR DAY.  IT IS THE WORK YOU DO TO BUILD A COMPETENT ORGANIZATION.

Some of these are "one and done", like setting up resources and payment processors.  Others are lifelong.  This is what we promote and seek:  lifelong partnerships.  

The "When can we talk next?" question, followed by setting a time to do just that is a critical skill and dynamic that is critical to your success and the success of those you sponsor.

This is both a constant, and it is ever-evolving.  None of it ever goes away.  These are the fundamentals of how to drive business growth.  The goal is to have everyone BE COMPETENT as a mentor, be understood as their role as a mentee.  Everyone starts at a different place, and as such, learning curves significantly vary.

This is the beast we tame and something that will feed you forever when you successfully navigate and master the process.

It all starts with consistently asking, "When can we talk next?"

About 40 People - An Explanation and Approximation

I have written other posts about "the money being in your list".  This post is related.  I have argued that building a large list and monetizing that list is certainly one viable strategy, however not an easy one - both in terms of the resources required to make it happen (a capture page, autoresponder, etc.) AND the entire process to make it happen.

Juxtaposed to this is a small list.  A group, if you will... of About 40 People.  Or, a tight-knit community of 40 who share common values, skills, goals... an interdependent, supportive, and cohesive structure all geared to each others' financial well-being.  Allow me to slice and dice this a few different ways.

So, why 40?  To be clear, I am starting here explaining the "end state".  This is the place you work toward and where you "end up" after a year's effort.  (You can't blink this into existence).

We use a progressive model that builds different income platforms.  The first starts at $40 (an instant pay / direct pay platform) that successively and progressively works to higher investment levels based on (and funded out of) earnings.  While engaged in this platform, you are gathering and training people.  Ultimately, you are finding the ones who will commit - and "stick" as long-term partners.

Ultimately, when you are in a position to do so, we participate in a $175 a month subscription.  Doing the math, $175 x 40 people = $7000.  If done right, and treated like a real business, you will want to claim this income for tax purposes.  So, you are in the 22% bracket.  $7000 x .78 = $54,600 a month "net".  This replaces most middle-class incomes.  And, this is just the baseline goal on which you build.

Another perspective on this:  $7000 x 12 months = $84,000 annually... from 40 people.  From a strong, committed, powerful group of people.

The amount of money you would need in investments with a modest 6% return to derive this amount of money is $1,400,000.  Therefore, if you are like many, if you do not have investments, real estate, any type of royalty... or if nearing retirement,  a 401K or IRA that is worth this amount, then this is "an alternative" to get to the same income goal.

40 People in this entire world... can you find 40 people and groom each into a reliable business partner - and be their friend and mentor?  40 solid people with skills and credibility who share your goals and vision - based on solid and stable relationships?  This doesn't sound like a tall order.  The viability of it happening for you - is completely dependent on you - and your ability to acquire and apply new information over the next 12 months.

Our Community exists to aid in this process: to strategically find and mentor 40 People (as a starting point) to achieve financial security and potentially, generational wealth.  It is entirely possible, however, it is also entirely disruptive to your life.  Most people can not deal with this disruption and engage in "what it takes".

If you are sick-of-life as you are currently living it, if you are willing to endure some short-term pain in modifying your lifestyle... and learn and apply new habits over the next 12 months... join us.

Aggregation + Leverage = Residual Income

First, let's talk about these words and their meaning and then apply them in terms of how they are related and work together.

Aggregate means to collect, gather, or bring together.  We aggregate people and money.

Leverage, in physics, involves a fulcrum and the length of a lever.   It involves creating a mechanical advantage.  Think of prying a rock out of the ground with a digging iron.  Here, the rock is a pool of money (or income).  The fulcrum is the platforms (the businesses) we utilize.  The long end of the lever is all the resources and credibility we apply working with the fulcrum in order to pry the rock (money) out of the ground.

Residual Income is money that is created and recurs over time, typically monthly.  This is accomplished through various means.  Compensation models of the businesses we work with have residual income "built-in".  These vary.  The most stable is a monthly subscription, like any other subscription (a magazine, cable bill, gym membership).

The goal of our business model is to create monthly residual income that first supplements, then replaces your full-time income.  We do this in a smart and strategic fashion using different platforms with different entry points (investment levels) in order to build to investing money on a monthly basis in a consistent and reliable way.

The goal is to replace your income in a 12-month time frame.  This means one year of learning and applying knowledge.  This is one year of consistent effort resulting in the decision to keep your "job" or to do what we do, full-time.

The last thing I want to mention here is that none of this takes place without solid relationships with people who understand you are invested in and committed to their success.  This is a cultural issue.  You need to "buy-in" to your own competence and being a solid mentor.  This is one of the most fundamental values of our culture.  This is the foundation on which everything else is built.  Solid, genuine, dynamic relationships are at the very core of everything we do.

If you are not committed to and invested in helping people of all stripes and strata of life, then this whole "network building thing" is probably not for you.

If so, you can change your life within a 12-month time frame.  If you have not already seriously investigated what we do and how we do it - and see if it all makes sense to you, we simply invite you to do so.

Understand the Complexity

Here is the truth:  making money through marketing an online business is neither easy nor simple.  If it were, everyone would be doing it and enjoying success.  Obviously, this is not the case.  The fact is that there are many components that need to be in place all acting together in an integrated fashion.  This is not to say that it can't all be laid out and explained.  It can.  However, one of the "tests" you should apply is running from anything that proclaims to be a "no brainer".

Here's the truth:  you need to create resources that support your "ventures".  If wanting to create a long-term business, it is not as simple as joining something with a replicated website and promoting that link.  If you want a business with long-term legs, there are many more things that need to be in place.  However, let's just start with the first two:

Here's what you will want to consider.  First, how will people get to know you?  You will need to establish both familiarity and credibility.  As such, we use an "About Me" resource.

Second, how will you communicate with them?  You will need a business email and an email that talks about your offer that is sent to permanent "Vacation Response".  (This is the most basic and most simple... and free.)

You will need to have resources to point people to when responding to their questions.  The articles on our blog, resources from the businesses we promote, and the ability to articulate the rationale and philosophy behind our business model need to be assembled and structured as resources, typically in templated email responses.  This can all be done in Gmail and does not require a paid autoresponder.

You need to have mapped out "what you will do".  What will your strategy be for activity, i.e. business-building activities?  In other words, how will you invest your time?  Is this time scheduled?  Are you mapping out this time daily, weekly, monthly?

What are your metrics?  At the end of the day, it all comes down to numbers.  How many contacts and exposures to people evaluating what you do, actively engaging with a percentage of them and bringing a portion of these into your business.

At that point, you need to divide your time between marketing and support, i.e. supporting the new person in their competence acquisition.

Also, at that point you will have three basic roles:  1) content creation and refinement, which is talked about above , 2) marketing (getting what you have to offer in front of people) which is not really addressed in this post, and; 3) teaching others the same, i.e. being a mentor.

When this "juggling act" begins the true test of your business viability begins.  Can you and will you balance all three things in optimal proportion to ensure you will have stable growth (and) conversely you do not fail due to spending too much time in one area (or) not enough time in any of these areas (activities).

In understanding this complexity, you will be able to articulate the complexity.  What we do involves a professional skill set, if done professionally.  Therefore, understand that your goal is to evolve into someone who has established their credibility and competence.  This is not overly complex, but it is reasonably complex.  It involves a focused effort with specific things that need to be done.  These things are laid out for you in our process.

Our job in our Community is to mentor and support people through their learning curve and help them balance the three basic roles identified above.  When all three of these cylinders are at full stroke, money manifests itself in a manner that will "attract" or induce people to want to work with you.

This is not the first or last time you will hear this:  competence, credibility and the overall value you provide are directly tied to the amount of money you will make.

Understand the complexity (at a minimum) on this level.  It takes time and effort.  There are no magic pills.  Our Community exists to accelerate the process, but it all takes time and effort.  Anyone telling or selling you anything different (in terms of strategy) is either ill-informed or simply seeking a short-term "quick flipper" relationship with no long-term strategy to offer.

This is the truth.  Now you know.