MLMWoman Newsletter Blog

How DO You Network on Twitter Anyway?

From MLMWoman.com

Networking is one of the biggest buzzwords in the business world these days and with good reason. If you aren't actively networking, you aren't making those connections to your next business venture, your next client, and your next big (or small) windfall.

What is networking?

So what exactly is networking and how do you do it? You can find thousands of seminars, programs, masterminds, insider's groups and a hundred other "guru names" that will teach you all about networking for a super low, one time payment of only $$ (insert big buck amount here!)

I'm going to let you in a little secret: Networking is simply a matter of getting out there and letting people get to know who you are. That's it. All there is to networking is to meet the people. You really don't need to wait for some super-exclusive big name expert to teach you how to network before you begin.

You learned it all in kindergarten: Play nice, share and make new friends.

Based on its exponential growth, Twitter is the number one place to get out and network. All you need to do is create a Twitter account and start using it. Use your business name or your real name for your Twitter username and upload a real picture of yourself. Plug in the link to your site or blog and create a quick little bio that tells folks who you are and what you do.

Next, post a few tweets saying hello. Offer up a pearl or two of wisdom relating to your expertise. Then, start following people. Don't know who to follow? Use Twitter search (the link is at the bottom of your main page) and type in a keyword or two describing the topics you're interested in. For business, it's often easiest to begin by following people in your own field. Type in your industry and step back while you watch the results start pouring in. Click on the usernames you see and start checking people out until you find some you like, then follow those people and start interacting.

Do NOT go on Twitter and start posting link after link about your business.

Instead, share some of the insight and wisdom you have about your business. Good, juicy, useful information. Just give it away! Heck, it's only 140 characters, you can spring for it. Share links to great stuff you find on the web. Cut and paste someone else's post with "RT" in front of it. This is called a Retweet and it's an easy way to share and make new friends. We all love to be re-tweeted because it makes us feel important and special.

Yes, there are all kinds of tips and tricks to using Twitter (and other networking sites) effectively for marketing your business. A lot of the teleseminars, books and programs are worth every penny you pay for them, some even more. However, you don't need even one of them to get started using Twitter to network for your business.

Women are Natural Networkers

By Carrie Wilkerson

Women don't realize that the same tactics they use for personal relationships are the very same skills they need for business networking, which is far more than making a few phone calls or handing out business cards. Networking, plain and simple, is about building relationships and that's what we do best.

Women tend not to see social contacts as potential business generators. We often think that if we're making pleasant conversation, we're not doing business. Just because you've made a friend out of a colleague doesn't mean he or she still can't provide business opportunities for you. And you might just make a colleague out of a friend. Many leads can be generated from family and friends whom you thought were only social contacts.

Of course, we're not all social butterflies with a long list of friends. But if you want your home-based business to succeed, you're going to have to make an effort to get out there and make yourself known. Here are some ideas about where you can do a little networking - and make new friends in the process!

Local and National Organizations

Local business organizations are a great place to start. In addition to the chamber of commerce, most communities have business organizations or clubs where potential clients might be found.

National organizations are a valuable resource, such as the National Women's Business Council found online at www.nwbc.gov. Their mission is "to promote bold initiatives, policies and programs designed to support women's business enterprises at all stages of development in the public and private sector marketplaces -- from start-up to success to significance." Their website offers links to mentoring programs and resources across the country as well as events and seminars, which brings us to our next networking resource.

Conferences, Seminars and Shows

Conferences, seminars, and trade shows are a wealth of networking opportunities. If you can't afford the registration fee, you could offer to volunteer, putting yourself in contact with new people and saving money at the same time.

Online Potential

We have the technology. Use it. Online forums are a great way to make new contacts and spread the word about your business. Don't make the mistake of becoming too impersonal, though. A virtual relationship can be just as fruitful as a fact-to-face encounter. Take the time to become familiar with online environments. Check out bulletin boards, discussion lists and chat rooms. When using online forums, be sure to include a signature with your message that explains what services you have to offer. Keep an eye on posts that might be connected to your business goals, and send them a friendly, introductory email. But don't try to make a sale with your first email since it might cause you to be banned from the forum. Plain old email is also an effective way to introduce yourself and request a short meeting to explain your business. Just call the office first to make sure you're sending it to the right person.

Scout the Next Opportunity

Keep an eye out for opportunities. Even if you're just driving to the post office or grocery store, look around and take notice of any new businesses that might benefit from your services. Read your local newspapers and magazines to keep up with new developments in the community and new networking opportunities.

Any one of these tactics on their own will probably not be effective. It usually takes about five contacts to see any results. Persistence is the key. As women know, building relationships takes a lot of commitment and hard work but we're more than up to the challenge.

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

About the Author
Carrie Wilkerson is the voice of experience. From corporate life to teaching high school to direct sales, she has 'been there and done that' professionally and personally. An 'overnight mom' to 2 toddlers through adoption, her priorities instantly changed and so did her workplace. She's now built several businesses and coached others to do the same while overcoming extreme debt, losing 110 lbs and having 2 more children, for a total of 4 children, ages infant through 12! As 'The Barefoot Executive', Carrie and her network of experts have quickly become the definite resource for helping women achieve extra income and career goals while working from home. the-barefoot-executive.com

Building Your Business With Social Media: An Interview With Dave Saunders

By Liz Monte

Relationship-building has always been at the heart of network marketing. In fact, this is what differentiates this industry from nearly every other type of business.

This principle has been proven over and over: The truly successful people in MLM are the ones who spend the most time getting to know other people. They're the ones whose organizations thrive and who get to enjoy the fruits of a substantial residual income. After all, people generally prefer to do business with folks they know, like, and trust.

Up until recently, developing relationships took place mostly locally on a one-to-one basis. Network marketers looking to expand their circle of influence might attend a Chamber of Commerce mixer or a BNI breakfast. They might get involved in the PTA or a local service organization. All these activities are still great ways to network.

In the last couple of years, however, the landscape has changed. That immensely powerful communication tool called the Internet now makes it possible to develop a "know-like-trust" relationship with potentially hundreds of people from all over the world at the same time, especially thanks to a relatively new phenomenon called "social media" - Facebook, blogging, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and many other services.

One individual you'll frequently encounter in social media circles is Dave Saunders. Dave has been using the Internet to build his network marketing business for over a decade. When the social media concept began to grow, he embraced it and became one of the leading pioneers in the movement. As it happens, he's also an entertaining teacher and speaker, and I had the very good fortune recently to conduct an interview with him. Here are some excerpts:

Liz Monte: Okay, Dave. What's the point of this social media thing? How can it benefit someone in the network marketing industry?

Dave Saunders: It's mostly a matter of going where the people are. Social media sites like Facebook have become immensely popular. Blogger, for example, has over 200 million users. In the old days of the Internet, before websites became interactive, people would go online to surf - they often didn't have any particular destination. Nowadays, when most people go online, it's for a reason. They're going to a specific social site like Twitter or LinkedIn because human beings are social creatures and crave that interaction with other people. And it's not just teenagers anymore. So there's a tremendous concentration of visitors at the social sites.

LM: So how does it work? How do you market yourself through a social site?

DS: The first thing to do is get beyond the idea that you're there to tell everyone about your business. People go to social sites to establish relationships, not to be sold to.

LM: So if you can't pitch your business, what do you do to get your message across?

DS: You present yourself as a real, authentic person. And this is possibly one of the most important points. You must be transparent online. If you're putting on any kind of facade, it'll eventually come back to bite you in the butt. Either you'll be exposed as a poser, or you'll attract a lot of people who are only attracted to you because they think you're someone else. Be yourself. Of the millions and millions of Internet users out there, there are plenty of them who are looking for YOU, the real you. Don't worry about impressing the rest of them. Basically, you're creating your own personal brand - the YOU brand.

The next thing you do is add value to the community. You offer information. You help people solve problems. You give someone a hand who's not as far along on the learning curve as you maybe are. Maybe you don't think you have anything to offer. But believe me, no matter what your situation is, there's someone out there who can use what you know and will be grateful if you share it.

LM: So you're positioning yourself as a valuable member of the community. A leader even.

DS: Right! And along the way, you're building personal relationships with people. Maybe someone on Facebook puts some new photos on their page and you give them a compliment. Maybe a guy on a forum asks a question and you answer it. Maybe you and another parent get into a conversation on Twitter about some crazy thing their kid just did. And all of this is happening right out in public - other members are watching your interactions and drawing conclusions about you - deciding if you're worth knowing, deciding if they're going to trust you or not.

LM: So what then? The social stuff could go on forever.

DS: Right. What you want to remember is that on every social site, you're allowed to post the URL of your website or blog. If you're creating warm and friendly relationships with the other members, allowing them to get to know you, like you, and trust you, it won't be long before they get curious and click on your link just to learn more about you. Let your site continue the conversation for you. On your site, you can tell what it is that you do. You can direct them to another page that gives more specific information about what you do. You might send the person to a sales page with your products, if they're interested. Basically, you want to give them lots of information and options. And especially be yourself.

One word of advice - don't get pitchy. Your goal is not to get people to read your sales message, it's to build a relationship. Sometimes I see people make this mistake. They go to all the trouble of trying to establish a know-like-trust relationship, and then their website is nothing more than a blatant sales letter. They're chasing people away, and basically wasting a perfect opportunity to grow the relationship even more.

LM: I know when I started trying to learn about social media, it was totally confusing. There are so many sites out there. How can someone avoid getting overwhelmed?

DS: The best way is to start small with just one site. Either Facebook or LinkedIn would be a good choice. Write a good profile, upload your photo - that's very important, by the way, people want to see your picture - and then just start participating. Watch what other people do and follow along. When you get the hang of it, you can set up on another site. Eventually, you'll have established a presence on several social sites.

LM: What other advice do you have for people reading this?

DS: At some point you need to just jump in and get started. But I wholeheartedly suggest that people have a clear idea of the principles of social media marketing before they begin. For example, joining a site and then spamming your commercial message to the other members will make you very unpopular and possibly ruin your reputation for a long time to come. But I see people doing that every day.

Anything you do on the Internet will leave it's mark. The good side of this is that the positive things you contribute will still be there months from now. The negative side is that the dumb mistakes you make could also be there months from now. It's not the end of the world if you make a mistake or two, but I think it's always ideal if you can put your best foot forward right from the beginning.

About the Author
Dave Saunders will be leading an 8-part webinar series, starting January 13. The series will be focused entirely on using social media to develop a personal brand and attract highly qualified leads. For more information, go to http://tinyurl.com/78xdh3.

Liz Monte writes on a variety of network marketing topics. She is especially interested in exploring new strategies that could solve old problems in the MLM industry. Her website is at www.WiseNetworkMarketer.com.

Direct Sales Recruiting – Take Your Recruiting Online

By Alice Seba

As a direct sales business owner, you know that recruiting new consultants is an important part of building your business. If you’ve been recruiting out in the real world for any amount of time, you also know that many times it’s not an easy task. You post flyers around town, talk to party hosts and guests, yet still you don’t have the team in place you’d like to have so you can sit back and relax a bit. Do you find yourself asking “Now what?” or “Where can I possibly go next?” Have you ever thought about recruiting for your direct sales business online?

Creating a website dedicated to your direct sales business can bring in more sales, but can also be set up to help you recruit those interested in joining your team. Setting up a website can cost as little as $20 a year and recouping that cost can easily be done. One recruit will more than likely bring you more than enough commission to cover the annual cost of hosting and domain registration.

Designing your website to accommodate those interested in becoming consultants. Set up a specific section of your site dedicated to visitors who want to learn more. Be sure to include contact information so they can get in touch with you to talk about the opportunity and receive answers to any questions they have. Once you have a team in place you can even conduct training sessions online, offer training material to them right on your website and more.

Taking your recruiting efforts to the Internet opens the door for serious growth and income potential in your business. It also affords you more time to enjoy life, instead of working it away with home party after home party, in order to reach your income goals.

Why limit yourself and miss out on possible top of the line recruits just because they aren’t in your reachable area offline? The potential in direct sales recruiting online is huge, don’t miss out.

How Do I Generate More Online Leads for My Direct Sales Business?

Here’s a question I recently received from a subscriber who was looking for more leads for his direct sales business. He wrote:

Question: My wife and I have been an associate for a particular company for several months now and we are indeed very happy with the products and support training.

Our problem is getting other people to view our link or getting them to open it at all, I suppose. We need to expand our effort to new associate recruiting and would like your input as to how we might do this.

Thank you for reply to this letter.

Answer: Thanks for the question. I know that the problem you face is what many direct sales reps face as well. Right now, you are using the website that the company provided to you. It’s the same site that the other reps are using and it really doesn’t say much about the two of you as unique people.

Your site also makes people enter a code before even viewing it. I understand that this is so you can get credit for any referrals, but you’re creating an extra step for your users. People have to remember the code, type it in or even copy and paste it, which unfortunately, is something a lot of people won’t bother to do.

People use the Internet because it’s easy and they want to surf around quickly, without having to jump through hoops. You want your information right in front of your prospect when they get to the site.

Obviously, this is the way the company has set up the website and they probably aren’t going to change that…but honestly…I don’t think that matters. The two of you need your own unique online presence and need to generate your own leads.

Here’s why:

Who knows what will happen with your relationship with your company. They are a highly reputable company that’s been around for well over 100 years, but you have no idea what the future holds. If the company decided to no longer offer the direct sales opportunity or one day, the two of you decide you just don’t want to work with the company…what happens?

Your business is gone!

That’s no good. I recommend that you keep your online presence separate from the company you are working with, so it really is your OWN business and you can maximize your income. You can generate leads that might be interested in your opportunity and you can make them other offers through affiliate programs or you might even want to create your own information products down the line.

Think of what unique perspective you give to your business. Are you great cooks who can show people how to make delicious meals with those products? From the recruiting side, you can also figure out a unique perspective, but make it a product focused one. Your best recruits will be people who have the same interests as you…not just people who want to make money online.

You can start by creating a list to promote your products and another to find recruits. I’d create two separate websites for this because some of your best customers will never be interested in the opportunity, so don’t confuse your visitors.

For the product list, you can share recipes, information about using the right herbs and spices, etc.

For the recruiting one, you can give information about starting a home business, show how fun it is to sell these types of products, etc….all from your own perspective. All these subscribers you gather now belong to you. If you decide to move in a new direction with your business, you still have these subscribers and you can continue to deliver quality information to them…and earn an income too.

Just remember, this is your business and you want to have complete control AND maximize your income.

About the Author
Alice Seba is a full-time Internet marketer that helps direct sales reps maximize the performance of their online presence. Claim your free online direct sales lead generation tips at www.onlinedirectsalesleads.com

Five Newer Marketing Tactics and Five Old Tried & True

By Terri Seymour

There are numerous ways to market your business online with a lot of them being free. In this article I have detailed five of the newer marketing methods as well as five of the old tried & true methods that still can do a lot for your business!

Five Newer Marketing Methods

Video Marketing – Video marketing is a powerful and versatile tool for your online business. You can introduce yourself, detail what you offer on your site, demonstrate your products/services, offer free instructional videos, etc. Use your imagination and propel your business forward!

Online Radio - Radio has always been a powerful medium and it continues to be on the internet. Make yourself available to do online radio interviews. This is very cost effective and can get you and your business established all over the world. One place you can find online radios shows is the BusinessResourcesPodcastDirectory.com

RSS Feeds – RSS meaning Really Simple Syndication is an easy way for you to distribute your articles, blogs, and other content all over the net. You need to set up your feed and then maybe start with a weekly article until you get more used to it. You need to promote your feed so people subscribe to it and you can also make your feed available to other websites for more exposure. One good tool for getting started is the RSS Channel Editor.

Social Networking – This marketing method has hit the internet like a tornado! There are numerous social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Ryze, StumbleUpon, LinkedIn and many others. These sites allow you to open an account, add your info and network with thousands of other people. They can really bring attention to your website/business.

Blogs – Although blogs have been around for awhile, they are one of the newer online marketing techniques. Blogging is becoming a very popular method of publishing as it does not require any technical knowledge and it can greatly increase the popularity of your site. Some blogs allow the visitors to post and enter their thoughts and opinions as well.

A blog keeps people coming back to your site and a blog is also very helpful with the search engines because of the ever changing content. Search engines love new content! A good free blogging tool is WordPress.org.

Five Old Tried & True Marketing Techniques

Article Marketing – Article marketing is a powerhouse technique in the marketing world! Although, it has been around for many years, it has not lost any of its effectiveness. Writing and submitting articles to ezine publishers, website owners and article directories is still one of the best ways to build your business.

Ad Swaps – I have participated in ad swaps since the beginning of my internet marketing career over ten years ago. Not only is this a good way to get free advertising, but you also make new business contacts and friends as well. Find quality ezines and contact the publisher, asking them if they would be interested in a joint venture. Swap top sponsor ads, solo mailings, etc. Search ezine directories and search Google as well. There are thousands of ezines being published so there is no shortage of quality publications for ad swapping!

Link Exchanges – Link exchanges is something you hear conflicting reports about. Some people think they don’t do any good – some people think they are only effective if done a certain way, etc. In my opinion, link exchanges can be very effective if done consistently. Exchange with quality sites that have a well-organized and categorized links section. Don’t exchange with “link farms” or sites that just have one big page loaded with every kind of link imaginable. Be selective and don’t offer your link to just any site.

Ezine Advertising – Ezine advertising can provide your business with a substantial boost! Finding quality ezines to advertise in can be one of the harder steps of ezine advertising. After you find the ezines you want, subscribe to them to get an idea of the consistency, reliability and quality of the ezines. Make sure the ezine is mailed out when it is supposed to be and that it contains quality content.

You do not want to advertise in a big list of ads. This will lower the value of your ad by quite a bit. Does the ezine contain feedback from the other subscribers and if so, what do the subscribers say? These are all ways to indicate whether the ezine publisher is trusted by the subs and whether or not you can trust and believe in the publisher. This is VERY important!

Once you make the decision and choose an ezine or two to advertise in, you must write an effective ad.

The main points to remember when writing an ad are:

1. Keep it brief.
2. Grab their attention in the headline.
3. Emphasize the benefits to the purchaser.

Yahoo Groups and Message Boards – Visit message boards regularly and join some good email discussion groups. Networking on boards and groups can do a lot for your business but you must follow the guidelines for posting and offer help and advice as often as you can. Don’t just post your business info and then never come back. This will just brand you as a spammer!

By working on these marketing techniques consistently and efficiently, you are sure to build your business and your reputation which in turn will increase your income. These days, that is one goal we all need to obtain! Much success to you!

About the Author
Terri Seymour has over ten years online experience and has helped many people start their own business. Visit her site at http://www.seymourproducts.com for resources, $1 resell ebooks & software, free tutorials, affiliate programs, and a free ezine with bonus report: 77 Ways to Get Traffic! subscribe@seymourproducts.com

Effective Online Business Strategies For Success

by Annette Novoa

Many network marketers are stuck in the stone age. They're told to buy product packs, pay enrollment fees, meet monthly purchase quotas, buy leads, make cold calls, push product. Maybe you've gone through something like this. It's time wake up.

Out With The Old
This is the age of the internet, the world wide web. Learn to leverage the power of the greatest advertising medium in the world. But setting up a website and telling a few friends isn't going to work. It's like only rowing a short distance out to sea then hoping that large schools of fish will find you and hop in.

Setting up your online business presence today is very easy. Some good places to start are Microsoft Office Live and Homestead.com. Three basic elements of a good site are:

• A lead capture page that will attract and hold your online visitors attention.
• A sales page encouraging visitors to take action (i.e. sign-up for newsletters, buy a membership, buy a product, etc).
• Last and perhaps most importantly, is your business' automated email system that keeps your consumers and affiliates in touch with your business.

Research, Plan & Write
In order to succeed, you must know how to use the internet to create leads for your online business through many different mediums. You can generate your own leads by writing keyword specific articles, ezines and blogs, then submit them to every reputable online directory and newsletter you find. This method is very effective and free.

How does this grow your online business traffic? Ezines and online newsletters are very popular mediums. The long-term traffic comes when people search keywords that are in your article and Google pulls it up.

Writing an article does not have to be complicated. Pick a topic that is relevant to your business, do a little research on it and then write a small article about it. Such as "Most Common Mistakes First Time Investors Make", or "Easiest Way to Train Your Dog". Articles should always provide useful information while also establishing yourself as an expert in your field.

Use keyword analysis tools like www.live-keyword-analysis.com. Strategically place two or three keywords often in your article while still maintaining overall integrity. In other words, it's must read well without sounding overly redundant.

Shorter articles (500 words or less) get better results overall. Be careful not to make it sound like one long advertisement. Make sure your grammar and spelling are up to par.

Resource Box
The resource box is where you place a brief paragraph about yourself (three or four short sentences). This is where you plug your business products/services and include a link to your website. This information will appear at the bottom of your articles so that readers can click on the link, and they do!

Syndicate Your Articles
Syndicating permits other websites to find and use your article as content for their pages. This gives you added exposure because along with your article is your contact information and online business URL. You can have the same article distributed worldwide thus, increasing visitors to your site exponentially. I suggest you start out with five or six well written articles first, then keep track of all the different ezines you are publishing to. Then watch your link popularity grow, slowly at first but then quickly builds momentum!

Incorporating these suggestions to build your online business, is time well spent. As you repeat the process, you'll quickly become more efficient. With a little know how, you can generate your own leads and create targeted prospects to your online business. This is not difficult or complicated. Another good suggestion is to find out where your prospects are. Hang out where they do. Go to online forums, business blogs and get your articles on industry specific newsletters.

About The Author
Annette is a writer and journalist specializing in internet marketing industry spotlighting business opportunities, highlighting the best and worst business practices. She is determined to replace hype with honesty, sensationalism with substance, and exaggeration with integrity while bringing extraordinary value to the marketplace. Visit www.buildmynetwork.org and utilize the MLM Plan Directory to compare popular business opportunities, read informative articles that help ordinary people to achieve real, quantifiable success with their online business ventures.