The Agreement Seekers Blog

This post is intentionally short and sweet. The first $1000 you make is the hardest.  It is where most of the learning takes place.  However, understand the difference between learning and applying.  There is an important balance in terms of time invested. Nothing will happen in your business if people are not actively evaluating what you have to offer, measuring its utility/viability and making a decision to either buy from or join with you. Exposures of what you do, creating interest, educating, and forming lasting relationships are the fundamentals of a sustainable business.  The more people you form relationships with (customers and business partners) - the more money you make. Your first $1000 starts with your first sale.  If you do not have a strategy in place to be telling people about what you do and you can convey its value, you are not in business and you will make no money. Once that plan is in place and you are executing, then you just need to persevere and break

Social Commerce has an inherent problem of the blind leading the blind.  It is a function of people joining people who have "joined" and neither have a real clue of what to do - beyond making a list of 100 names.  The question is:  is this an industry issue, or an individual company issue? Well, you can't really control an entire industry.  Therefore, the answer has to lie in all of the individual companies whose model is basically to let people "wing it".  There is no structure, no planning, no accountability.  This is for daily activities, scheduled communication (check-ins), or any other form of "active" mentorship/sponsorship. For most, sponsorship ends when the transaction is complete.  It's simply a, "OK, I got mine.  Good luck in going to get your's" approach.  The contention of this post is that this is when the "relationship" should begin.  The issue is that there is no formal process (in most scenarios) to

Platform as a Product (PaaP) businesses have been around (in earnest) for at least a decade.  These businesses provide the system, processes, and administrative functionality to both market and track digital commerce.  Most require a one-time (or periodic) Administration Fee that is paid to the Platform owner.  As well, many now have peer-to-peer-based money-exchange models where funds (the commerce) is made on platforms such as Bitcoin, PayPal, Cash.app, Stripe, Googlepay, etc. Typically, these platforms have training information or service-based offers.  However, no matter "what" the offer is, all have a front-end marketing system (capture pages, autoresponders, sizzle calls, chatbots, etc.) and a back-end where "the business" is tracked and administered.  This marketing and administrative platform is the product.  It enables Social Commerce where people agree to participate in the exchange of money for mutual benefit by engaging with "the platform"

So... if everyone wants a map, is it the same map?  Does the same map get everyone to the same destination?  I don't think so. If you are talking a literal, conventional map with roads and streets... sure, the concept applies.  However, here, we are talking about a map to the "promised land" of success, profitability, leadership, etc.  As such, everyone has a different starting point and this is why we say, "we will work with you based on what you bring to the table".  In other words, we may know where we are going, but the route to get there has to be tailored and specific to an individual's starting point. This is based on current skills, amount of time, the amount of money, likes and dislikes, introversion versus extroversion... ultimately, what someone is "willing" to do.  But leave no doubt, "something" has to be done.  This is not an empty gesture. The "map" has to have directions.  On the first leg of the journey, y

If you do a Google Images search on Sales Funnels, you will find many rainbow-colored funnels with intricate explanations of how they work.  The fundamental concept for any sales funnel is the same. The way we build relationships moves people through this structured process of Awareness to Loyalty (if the process is working properly).  Here is just one example: Now, here's the dashboard of how we choose to manage our "pipeline" in our Gmail  CRM add-on named Streak. As you note, each is the same process.  We move people through an evaluation process from initial exposure to creating a lifelong partnership.  Each step is broken down into actionable "things-to-do". In the beginning, we are creating Awareness by exposing people to our offer through varied means.  In the end, we are creating Loyalty through our on-boarding process and putting a plan in place that is tailored to an individual's time and talents. We track.  We manage.  We

Fair is a powerful word, perceptually.  It speaks to both sides of anything being in equilibrium... i.e. fair and balanced. Fair means you get yours, and I get mine - and we are both happy with the result.  So, what does this have to do with our business and our Community? It is out or a posture of fairness that we want to operate.  We create financial independence through financial interdependence.  Inter means between.  We (you and me) are linked and this concept of "fair".  It extends to everything we do. However, is it realistic to expect that everyone will invest the same effort?  If not, is this fair?  How do we deal with people who are initially a ball-of-fire, but then peter out and become non-productive?  Do we cajole and attempt to motivate? Let's take a step back.  We try to attract people who understand standards and expectations.  Our Community is all about, "What it takes".  This is expressed in effort - consistently applied.  Non-productiv

Frankly, we don't want people "jumping at a hot opportunity".  This is not what we are about. We offer a long-term proposition that requires patience to get there and understanding of a great deal of content (to get there). Therefore, as you "recruit", allow for peoples' consideration in learning about what we do and their natural skepticism.  Our job is to provide a context for constructive information acquisition.  We enable adult decisions that have a real-world-bearing on peoples' futures.  Treat it as such. If we provide an experience that is thoughtful and purposeful, we will greatly enhance the probability of those we work with being around long-term. So don't rush it.  Don't pressure.  Make a friend.  Provide guidance.  Have conversations about real possibilities. It will serve you, long-term.

Building a bridge between knowing what to do - and - doing it, is the starting point of "what it takes" to be successful in managing a home business. This blog, our Training Site, and many other resources are instructive in laying out a game plan for what-to-do.  This is the pragmatic... the daily grind... the activities... the hours invested. Then there is aspiration... what you want, the reason for your involvement, what is driving you - some call it your "why?". You would think these two things are inextricably linked.  But somehow in the process of life happening, there is a disconnect.  This results of what-you-want are not supported by what-you-do. Having a vision of where you are going is critical.  It requires a "grand plan"... a strategy to get there.  This is broken down into skills and knowledge that needs to be applied, both in the academic sense of learning, but also in the athletic sense of practicing and performing.  In football term

So you have a job.  Let me ask, are you satisfied with your life?  Do you want more?  So then let me also ask, are you capable of doing more? Just about everyone thinks they should get paid more money.  This inherently defines underemployment (from your perspective).  A problem arises when you feel disillusioned and left-behind... forgotten about... taken for granted.  There is little we can do "in the system" to change this. This leads to frustration and apathy and people "hating" what they do.  Essentially, it is a life wasted doing things with no intrinsic value other than being a part of the same system (for the masses) that enables you to pay the rent and put food on the table.  What's worse, for most, is that there is no light at the end of the tunnel.  Many people are simply resolved to this as their reality. So let me ask again, are you capable of doing more?  And, if so, what would that be?  We offer one alternative, but this "somethin

It has been interesting since my profile has elevated on Linkedin, I am getting contacts from various people seeking synergies - open to exploring how we may be of benefit to each other. This morning I spoke with Matt who owns a hedge fund and says he is in the lineage of Warren Buffet... in terms of training and philosophy.  He tells me he learned from a guy who learned from WB... In describing my business, I found myself saying that my goal is to give people the skills to improve their circumstances... the guy or gal who is one paycheck away from disaster... Joe or Jane Sixpack who doesn't know that a whole universe of opportunity exists that s/he had no idea about... and is thrilled to get in on "the game" once this portal to new opportunity presents itself. On the other hand, his "pitch" was essentially about good months and bad months with about a 10% monthly return in the good months... annualized to about 30-40%.  Seems to me, that would be a whole

Anyone with a conscience needs to be proud of what they do.  This pride extends to all areas of our business.  Our mission, how we operate, how we treat people... are all internally consistent with each other.  Your role is to rise to this level of expectation.  That is, to rise to the level of a Professional home business owner who offers value to those you work with. Being respected as a role model in terms of how you comport yourself, the "clues" you leave to others about success, and the overt expression of your leadership all combine to form the mantle you wear on a daily basis.  The adage is, "respect is earned". Digging deeper, the more problematic aspect of respectability is in regard to our business model and fighting the stigma of person-to-person commerce.  There is no getting around the fact that we battle the, "oh... it's one of those things" perception of our industry.  In many cases, this reputation is warranted due to the failure ra

Getting to the "change" necessary to manage a successful home business is difficult. I offer the assertion  (the reason) people do not succeed is due to their inability to incorporate change into their daily habits and routines. A big part of knowing "how to go about it" is tied to taking intentional steps on a daily basis.  This inherently has to be a "plan" of how you are going to invest your time doing "what" it takes.  Most people do this on Sundays.  On Sunday, you know what your week looks like for the next 6 days. If you work, you know when that is.  You know how much time it takes to get there.  If you exercise, you know when that is.  ...when you prepare food and then eat.  When you walk the dog.  All the rest of the time is "potentially" when you can work on building your business. If you write it in a schedule, you are making a commitment to yourself.  It is a mental contract that says, "Tuesday at 6:30 after the k

Let's face it.  Most people don't want to do what it takes to build a business.  This is the reason for the failure rate in the Relationship Marketing business.  It has nothing to do with the business model, compensation structures, upline support... There is an old adage, "Nothing happens until something is sold".  Or in reverse, until something is sold, nothing happens. So, if we soften it a bit, and call it "sharing"... it nonetheless comes down to the idea that "a rose is a rose by any other name".  Call it anything you want.  Commerce needs to be transacted.  Money needs to change hands.  It all starts with getting "what you have" in front of people for them to evaluate. The bottom line is this:  unless you figure out "how" and commit "to" the fact that you need to get what you have in front of people, nothing will happen.  "How to" and "what you are willing to do" will drive your success. 

The American Dream is a lie.  It is a hoax perpetrated on the majority of people in this country.  Work hard.  Get ahead.  Equal Opportunity...  This is simply an aspirational "message".  It is an adage that suppresses prosperity and ignores the fact that "working" for an hourly wage (or even a generous salary) will not lead you to financial prosperity.  It is a myth. If your income is "predictable" in the coming year, you are buying the lie.  Sure, you may position yourself for a raise or promotion.  This will elevate your circumstances marginally.  However, at the end of the year, you will still have a finite "number" to budget around, save from and invest with. Schools totally fail our youth by not teaching the concept of leverage.  Leverage drives wealth and yet the concept is ignored (outside of how interest works) as a general principle of financial education and literacy.  The WPNM Community exists to share the fact that many great too

One of these a day is 16 touches.  Per week: 112.  Per month:  458.  No need to get a re-direct URL initially.  Simply make a word document and print it.  Then take it to your favorite Copy Center and make as many copies as make sense. Staple them together in Packs of 10 or so, and place on Bulletin Boards... anywhere there are bulletin boards.  Need help?  Reach out to your enroller. Please know that the links in this flyer are "active" and belong to the author of this blog and this is a resource I actually use.  This post is for illustration purposes.  DO NOT join with me if you are working with someone else.  Use their links.  Do not fill out any forms on my resources if you were introduced by someone else.  Thanks.

I find it amazing.  People complain about "lack".  Not enough money.  Driving a lousy car that needs constant fixing. No vacations. Rarely going out to dinner... and forget about plays or concerts or anything that "busts" the budget... Most people are indentured to their jobs.  Business owners sometimes have it worse and are owned by the hours necessary to keep their heads above water.  Exhaustion and frustration rule lives as people barely "make it". The idea of additional revenue is a simple one.  Doing something (anything) to make more money seems straightforward enough.  Then, let me ask... why don't more people have more than one source of income? My contention is that it is a matter of education.  It is a matter of understanding the rational case for the viability of something that is good and genuinely capable of having success with. Then, "knowing" is of little use unless you are willing and capable of sharing (selling) what y

Simple on its surface.  I want to ask, "is it"? I want to propose that "what we do" can transform lives that go well beyond the "Sign Up & Try It" model of business builder recruitment.  This needs to be postured within a framework that people know what they are signing up for (and) if they are sincerely committed to getting from where they are - to where they want to be. The graphic above speaks to "what it takes".  In a sense, it is the bitter pill of reality.  It is a  framework that does not sugarcoat the fact that "life transformation" is possible, however, it requires taking necessary steps to gain a full understanding and appreciation "how to get there".  Said differently, it takes learning and effort that results in a change in life circumstances. What we do is wonderful.  If you are new, you will come to know and embrace this. In its leadership philosophy - in its consumer benefit - in its overall worth

I have a theory and a corollary to it.  People won't use and embrace what they don't understand.  The corollary:  more people will embrace and use what they do understand. The goal of education is understanding.  Take a math problem.  Once you learn the steps that need to be taken to understand how to solve an algebra equation, you can then go on to solve an algebra equation with similar variables. We can frame this in terms of the learning curve.  Is it a steep learning curve, with many facets and relatively complex variables?  Or does something tend more to the side of being a "no brainer" and easy-to-comprehend? The variable that will fuel the success of any business is "how simply" it can be explained.  Success rests squarely on the pillars of understanding and adoption.  Understanding and adoption is predicated by behavior modification.  So, the real question is, "How do we get people to modify their behaviors?"  Then, how do we make the

I had a Professor in Grad School named Max Raines.  The ADAPT model is his.  It was explained to us in the context of High School Seniors making the transition to a successful college experience.  As you will see, the model here is used in making the transition from "where you are" to "where you want to be" as an entrepreneur/home business owner. To make this happen will require thought and introspection.  It will require work and humility as well as honesty and vulnerability. ADAPT is an acronym with each letter representing the following:  1) A ctivate Commitment, 2) D evelop Supports, 3) A djust Expectations, 4) P rioritize Goals, and 5) T ranspose Identity. So, let's take each of these and apply it to help us get from "here to there".  Each of these areas is meant to be a brief introduction.  When learning this content, it was a full semester for me. 1) Activate Commitment :  This is putting a stake in the ground.  It is planting a flag an

Prospecting (to prospect) is a verb.  It is an action.  It is what we do to expose people to our message to gain their attention and interest. There are many forms of prospecting that are either free or paid.  Our business model starts with no cost or low-cost methods that are in the "Local, Guerilla and Belly-to-Belly" categories.  We do not encourage warm market (friends and family) until you have an established record of success.  So where and how do we suggest you get started?   To make things most efficient, think concentration.  Where are there high densities of people who may be open to what we have to offer?  We have generic Community sites that are intended to appeal to Retail and Office workers.  Can you see yourself walking into businesses and introducing yourself, engaging in a conversation starter like, "Can I ask you a question, do you like working here?"  Then following with, "Do you have any other sources of income"?  Then, "I