Laura Hand's Home Business Blog » Goal Setting

MLM And The 7 Lies We Tell Ourselves

Laura Hand — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:26:14 +0000

Home based business owners have a horrible habit of lying to ourselves about our business. In this article, I’ll go over the little lies we all tell ourselves and how to get real and start seeing more success.

Marketing Lie #1: My product/business pretty much sells itself

There isn’t a product or a business out there that is good enough to sell itself without any marketing. Let’s be real, some MLM products are just plain stupid, some are OK and some are great and guess what: you can get rich marketing any one of them!

Your product can be the greatest in all of MLM but if you’re not working for it, it won’t work for you. Period!

The same can be said for your home based business opportunity. Just because you think it’s the greatest way to make money from home out there, doesn’t mean people are going to be banging down your door begging to sign up. No matter how great your business is, it’s going to take some effort on your part.

Marketing Lie #2: So and So probably doesn’t work that much

If you’re making money in a network marketing business, you are going to be working hard! People tend to look at the top earners in their companies and for some strange reason believe that they don’t work that hard or they “just got lucky.”

They didn’t just get lucky, they set business and financial goals and worked hard to get there. No matter what they say. Success in this industry never comes without work. Look at the top earners in your company as examples of what can happen when you work hard, set a goal and stop thinking they just got a lucky break.

Marketing Lie #3: I don’t have to improve myself

Everyone needs to do little things every month, every week and every day to improve themselves. Nobody is excluded from this. I’m not saying there is anything wrong with you, but there is always room for improvement. If you’re not working on yourself, your MLM business isn’t going to grow. At least not at the rate you want it to.

Marketing Lie #4: People won’t say “no” to me

Let me be blunt. You’re going to hear “no” a lot! Hearing the word no doesn’t mean that your business isn’t good or your product stinks. It just means that the person you’re talking to isn’t interested. Anyone who has had any kind of success in a home-based business has heard the word no multiple times. Get use to it, embrace it even. It has nothing to do with you it’s just the nature of the beast.

Marketing Lie #5: I’ll be quitting my job next month

There is no such thing as overnight success. I’m not saying that you can’t speed the process along. But the fact of the matter is, that it’s going to take a while to see huge success. So don’t go telling your co-workers, your spouse and especially your boss that you’ll be leaving before you’ve even got your first check. It’s just best for everyone.

It’s awesome to shoot for greatness. Just don’t make your goals so high that when you don’t meet them you get discouraged and want to quit.

Marketing Lie #6: My business will build itself

This is a lot like the first lie but it’s worth saying again. NO business will 100% build itself. Sure there are ways you can automate your business and take a bit off your shoulders but it IS going to require some work on your part. Don’t let anyone tell you different.

Marketing Lie #7: My business doesn’t need and structure

Just because your home based business isn’t a job, doesn’t mean it doesn’t need structure. You can’t go weeks or even days upon days without working your MLM business and you can’t work 30 hours one week and 3 the next.

Your home based business needs some sort of structure if it’s really going to work for you. Of course, the beauty of working from home is you can fit that schedule around your life and the life of your family. Just don’t get too loosey-goosey with it.

Stop lying to yourself and start getting real. I promise that when you do your MLM business will be much better for it.

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Set A Goal And Allow Yourself To Reach That Goal!

Laura Hand — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:18:33 +0000

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So many people involved in a home based business feel that they have to be extremely smart or mature in their business before the real success will come. In this article, I plan to show you how building your business like a child can help you see more results faster and grow your income in a huge way.

How could thinking like a child possibly help your home based business? Here are a few reasons why you should act your shoe size — not your age.

Children only have one goal in mind at any given moment. For instance, if you’ve ever seen a little boy or girl in the toy aisle at Wal-Mart or Target, they are usually begging their mom or dad for a toy. In that moment, in the mind of that child, that toy is the most important thing on planet Earth!

You can try and distract them, but they want what they want and they’re not going to stop putting up a fight for it.

As a home based business owner, you can learn a lot from this. If we, as adults, had one eighth the passion for success that that small child has for their toy, we’d be hearing a lot more success stories in our home based businesses.

Children don’t have a plan B, and we shouldn’t either. Almost all Network Marketing success stories come from people who were at a point in their lives when they quite literally had no other option but to succeed!

In that moment, in that toy aisle, you’ll never see a child say, “Well, I really want that new doll but I do have several other dolls at home I could play with. So I’ll just forget about it.”

So, for instance, if your goal is to make $100,000 a year working from home you shouldn’t sell yourself short by saying, “Well, I guess $60,000 is really all I need.”

Set a goal and allow yourself no other options but reaching that goal!

Another way that children are great examples is how they deal with people. Children have no fear. If a little boy walks up to another little boy in the sandbox and asks him to play with him, he’s not thinking, “Oh gosh, I don’t know if I should ask him to play. I mean he’s having a pretty good time in the sandbox. I don’t want to bother him.”

NO!

If a kid wants to play with another kid he just walks up and asks him. No fear. No beating around the bush. If he wants to play, great! If not, at least he knows.

Have an idea of what I’m getting at? You have to talk to people about your home based business without any fear. After all, the worst they can say is no, right?

Stop worrying about if you’re “bothering” people or trying to figure out exactly what they’re going to say. Who cares! You have something great in your hands and if they want it, awesome! If they don’t so what.

Market your business less like an adult and more like a confident, excited child and your home based business will never be the same again!

Home Based Business Success: Are You Limiting Your Own Success?

Laura Hand — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:41:18 +0000

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Most people know that when you’re working your own home based business, the sky is the limit. It’s true that there really is no cut off for success when you own your own business. However, many people are limiting their own success and they don’t even know it. Are you?

It’s good to have income goals when you are working from home but sometimes we can find ourselves not being able to see past those goals to something bigger. For instance, if you are at a job making $40,000 a year you might say to yourself “I want to replace my $40,000 a year income so I can quit my job!”

Now there is nothing wrong with that. However, once you hit that goal ,a lot of people just stop because that is all the money they have ever pictured themselves making. This is what I mean by limiting your income. Sure you might want to make more than 40 Grand, but because you can’t see it for yourself, you’ll never be able to actually reach it.

Now I know what you’re probably thinking “I would never limit my income!”

Well the truth is that most people do it without even knowing it. Do this exercise: write down on a piece of paper all the things you want from life no matter how big they are. Then take a look at them.

If your dreams and goals aren’t huge you’re probably limiting your income. I once read someone’s list of dreams and one of them was to own a new Saturn! Let me say that again…. A new Saturn! No offense to Saturn but that’s not a dream car!

So sit back and look at your list of goals and whatever they are make them bigger! By having huge almost unreachable goals, you will allow yourself to keep reaching higher and higher and never getting comfortable enough to stop reaching for more.

Finally, never let other people limit your income. Sometimes friends or family members tend to have an idea of what we can accomplish and sadly there are times when we let them stop us from reaching for more. Don’t let anyone ever tell you what you are capable of.

With hard work and a great business, you can make unlimited income from home. Don’t limit yourself to mediocrity when you can have greatness!

Home Based Business Success: Investing Time And Money

Laura Hand — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:55:14 +0000

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If you want success in a home based business, I mean if you REALLY want success in a home based business, you’re going to have to invest time and money into it.

I don’t know how we got to this place but some where down the line we have been taught to believe that building a home based business should be easy. Maybe it’s the fact that building an income from home is easier than working at a J.O.B. for 40+ years only to be left with very little in the end. But just because it’s easier than that, doesn’t mean it’s going to come without an investment or two.

So what do I mean when I say investment? Well most people probably think of money but there is a lot more to be gained by investing your time and energy as well as a little money.

First let’s start with investing some good old fashioned hard work and energy because those are the big ones. You can’t build a business working only 2 or 3 hours a week. Well you can, but it’ll probably take you 20 years to build it. If you want to build a life changing home business, then you’re going to need to invest at least 10 hours a week and that is the bare minimum.

Obviously the more time you invest, the faster your business will grow. So do what is best for your home based business, but just know that you’re going to have to work at it. Building any kind of business is not easy, there are going to be lots of bumps in the road so get ready. Believe me though…. It is so worth it! If you don’t work hard at your business, you won’t have success. Period!

The next thing you’ll have to invest is time. There is no such thing as overnight success, at least not success that will last. We have all become pretty impatient these days. We want our success and we want it now! You can’t build a business in 6 months; so unless you have at least a couple of years of solid effort to put into your home based business you might as well not even get started because you will be disappointed.

Finally, let’s talk about investing money in your business. Obviously you will have to pay some sort of upfront cost and probably a monthly fee to operate your business. That is a given. Every business on earth costs money to start and a home based business is no different.

However, you will also have to invest in other things if you want to be truly successful. There is a lot of great training out there on the internet, you just have to go find it. Some of it is free and some isn’t. Don’t waste your money on every little thing you come across, but spending some money on training materials is almost always a good investment.

You’re also going to have to invest some money into different marketing methods. Luckily for most home business owners, there are many methods of marketing on the internet that are absolutely free. However, don’t be afraid to invest a little to get a lot! All businesses spend a little bit of money on marketing and your home based business should be no different.

Invest a little money and a lot of time and energy into your home based business and you will find success in your home based business. Remember the rewards match the investment!

Are you prepared for success?

Laura Hand — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:42:57 +0000

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If you are a part of a good home based business and you’re working hard every week to achieve your goals, then there is no doubt that you will find success. So the question is, are you ready for success when it comes?

For some people becoming extremely successful can end up even worse than no success at all. Why do I say that? Because making more money opens the doors for you to make more mistakes. Start taking the steps now to prepare yourself for your approaching success.

* Don’t raise your cost of living completely

Many people raise their cost of living way too much once they start making money. Yes, it’s natural to want to enjoy a nicer car or house or take more vacations. But try to live under your means, not AT them and certainly not OVER them.

You see this with famous people all the time. They go from meager lives to lives of extravagance and pretty soon they are living well over what they can afford. You may think this could never happen to you, but it’s easy to do. Don’t make this mistake. Remember, you can be rich and still living paycheck to paycheck and nobody wants that.

* Save, save, save!

When you have a steady paycheck coming in, it might be hard to remember to save a little. However, it’s a must if you want to be prepared. Remember, no matter how much you’re making now, it could always change! This is not to scare you but it’s always better to have more money saved than you need than not to have enough.

Try to save at least 15% – 20% from your paycheck every month. That way if anything should happen you know you’ll be covered.

* Make smart investments, not foolish ones

Investing your money is a good idea as long as you know what you’re investing in. Don’t go into something without really checking it out first.

* Taxes

Make sure you are doing your taxes correctly and not cheating the government out of a dime! It will come back and bite you in the rear if you aren’t doing your taxes correctly with your new found income. This is the one thing you don’t want to ignore. If you don’t listen to anything else in this article, take this point to heart .

To make sure you’re ready for all the success you’re going to be having with your home based business, follow these tips and strap yourself in because your home based business is going to be the ride of a lifetime!

Can A Home Based Business Truly Be Your Profession?

Laura Hand — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 16:10:43 +0000

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When people look at a home based business, they see different things. For some people it’s a way to make a few extra dollars to help with the bills or go shopping, for some people it’s a way to make money from home while their spouse brings home the big paycheck from work and finally for others it’s a life changing thing that allows you to make the kind of money you’ve always dreamed of from home. So can a home based business really ever be your full time profession?

The answer is yes, however, the only way you’re truly going to make that life changing kind of money is if you stop seeing it as a hobby and you start building an empire!

When you join a home based business, you have something very special in your hands. You have a fully functional business that you can make whatever you want. The choice really is yours. Do you want a $12,000 a year business or do you want a $100,000 a year business?

If you want to make six figures you’re in the right industry. There is no other type of business out there that allows average people to make such huge incomes.

So how do you turn your business from a part time hobby to a full time money making machine? Well for starters, you’re going to have to change the way you look at your business. If when you look at your business, you see a small time little thing then that is what you’re going to get. When you talk to people, when you present the business in any way, you have to present it like the CEO of a fortune 500 company would present it.

Treat your business with the respect it deserves and you’ll be on the right track to making your home based business a full time profession.

The next step is setting goals. If you’re not setting goals for your business, you aren’t treating it like a business. All big companies have a plan for where they will be going at all times. Sit down at your computer or with a piece of paper and chart out your goals and what it is going to take to get there. Also, don’t leave out dates. Sure you want to make $100,000 but when? If you don’t write out your goals and when exactly you’re going to accomplish, then you are doing your business a disservice.

Your home based business can be as big or as small as you make it. Make sure you’re doing everything you can to get the most out of your home based business. Don’t just make it a hobby, make it your career for life!

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Network Marketing: Simple Concept, But Not Easily Done Without WORK!

Laura Hand — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 15:59:53 +0000

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I don’t know how it got started or why so many people believe it, but there is a dirty little rumor that has been going around for a long time in the world of network marketing.

Have you believed it?

Here it is…. Making money from home is easy.

Why in the world would we ever believe that making money from home is going to be a piece of cake? Think about it, is anything that’s truly wonderful ever easy to attain?

Want a great marriage? It’s gonna take work!

Want a hot body? It’s gonna take work!

Want to be a great athlete? It’s gonna take work!

The same is true for network marketing. It blows my mind that anyone would think it’s possible to make 5, 6 or even 7 figures from home without work and lots of it.

That being said, is success working from home possible? Of course! But it is going to take work.

It’s funny how we are willing to work hard, I mean really hard for success in a regular J.O.B. but we won’t do the same for our own network marketing business. I remember times when I would work harder than almost anyone else in my department just hoping that my boss would take notice and promote me (they never did by the way). I would come in weekends, work overtime and still never really get ahead.

However, when it came to my home based business I seemed to be under the impression that working just a little bit would get me huge results. Why is that?!

If you’re still trying to figure out if a network marketing business is right for you, let me be perhaps one of the first people to be honest with you–It’s gonna take work to succeed.

If you’re OK with the idea of working hard for your goals, then you are in the right place. There is nothing like a home based business to allow you to live an amazing life and if you’re willing to work hard for it… it will pay off big time!

How long does success take in a home based business?

Laura Hand — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 16:00:11 +0000

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If you’re thinking about joining a home based business, you’re probably wondering a couple of things. Which business is right for me and how long will it take for me to see success in it?

The first thing you’ll need to figure out when asking yourself the second question is: What is Success to me?

For many people making an extra $500 – $2000 a month would make all the difference in the world. For others, success means $150,000 – $300,000 to match the income of the job they’ve lost or fear they may lose. Whatever the number is for you and your family, you’ll need to figure it out before you can get a good idea of how long it will take you to attain it.

Once you know your magic number, it’s really up to how strong your company (or future company’s) compensation plan is and how hard you are willing to work.

There are all kinds of different compensation plans out there in the home based business arena. Some are designed to help people make a lot of money fast while others are more tailored to letting people build steady income more slowly. If you have yet to join a home based business, you should choose the one that’s best for you.

The best compensation plans are the ones that allow you to build a strong and steady income while creating some good cash flow with the help of bonuses and incentive money.

The next thing you’ll want to think about is what you’ll be doing to accomplish your goal. There are ways to work smarter and now harder. Marketing online is a great way to maximize your time and energy because what happens on the internet stays on the internet. What you do now can help grow your business for months and years to come!

If you know how to properly market on the internet, you can see success much, much faster than the average home business owner.

So to sum it all up, you’ll need to set a goal and determine what the word success really means to you. You’ll also need to find ways to get the most out of your marketing time. Finally, the thing that can never be replaced when trying to build a home based business, you’re going to need to work hard and believe in yourself.

Success in a home based business is completely attainable. Achieve it this year with some hard work and a little preparation.

Success is Voluntary… Choose To Do It!

Laura Hand — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:29:34 +0000

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Success is not just something that happens to people, it is a choice. Everyone in the world who is successful at one point or another made a very distinct choice to become that way. And here is something not many people are willing to say but…. If you’re NOT successful, that’s your choice, too.

When I first heard that last part, I got really defensive and angry. How could someone tell me my lack of success was my fault?! I was trying the best I could!

Then, I started thinking about it and you know what, it’s true! Success is a choice and so is not having success. I don’t know about you… but I’m ready to choose success!

Everything in life is really about the choices you’ve made. Flunked out of school? You obviously chose not to study. Make $100,000 a year as a doctor? You made a choice, too… a choice to succeed in medical school.

It’s not just about money either. Are you overweight? That’s a choice. Have rock hard abs? That’s a choice, too.

Do you see what I’m saying now? Everything in life is a choice, and when it comes to your home based business, you will either choose to succeed or choose to fail.

When you choose to succeed, it means you work on your home based business even when you don’t feel like it. You develop your skills and go a little out of your comfort zone if you need to. You sacrifice going out to dinner with friends to work on your business or you spend a few dollars on an E-book that will help you develop your skills.

You might not know it at the time, but putting off calling leads on the phone one night is choosing to fail. I’m sure you don’t want to fail, after all, why would you have signed up in the first place, if that was the case. However, that is the choice you’ve made.

This is not to say that you can’t ever hang out with your friends or that if you’ve done things in the past to hurt your home based business, you can’t turn it around, because you can. What I am saying, however, is if you really want to succeed working from home, you’d better choose it now or risk a lifetime of lost dreams.

I hope that you have taken this article the wrong way, I meant when I wrote it to help you! I don’t want to discourage you or to bring you down. I want to give you everything you need to choose success. I’ve chosen it! What about you?

MLM Success: I May be Crazy, but I’m Lovin’ Life!

Laura Hand — Thu, 28 May 2009 15:05:48 +0000

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I’ll be completely honest with you, when I first started in my home based business I had a ton of skeptics.

I guess it did seem a little crazy when I think about it. After all, I had never had success in a home based business before, so why should I start now?

It can be really hard to get excited about your home based business when you have so many people telling you that you can’t do it or sometimes even laughing at you. It can be done though!

What you have to do is oh so simple and yet oh so hard at the same time…. Are you ready?

Just ignore the negative people! I told you, so simple and yet so hard. I mean it is simple in theory, just ignore them; don’t let their negativity hurt you or your business. However, you and I both know that when it really comes down to it, that is much easier said than done.

If you’re having problems blocking out the negative voices in your life just remember that this is only for a short period of time. Sure it might stink right now waiting for your success to really kick in and prove the haters wrong, but if you’re persistent it will absolutely happen for you. Who will have the last laugh then?

I’m pretty sure all of my friends thought I was crazy but now I’m able to work my home based business 100% full time and I’m loving every minute of it.

These days my life is totally different. I don’t get excited about the weekends because for me every day is the weekend! I can do what I want, when I want and that is a beautiful thing!

I don’t get nervous about getting a raise because I give myself all the raises I want.

Finally, I don’t get excited about vacation time because I know that any time I want I can get up and go on vacation and best of all I can stay as long as I want to!

I love my friends, but I’m glad they were wrong.

At first my friends laughed… well they’re not laughing now!