A Prospect Said No? So What!

If you're involved in any sales at all, whether conventional, direct sales, network marketing or anything else... you will have approached a prospect about your product range and had them 'reject' you.

And it probably affected your mood. It may have ruined your day. Maybe it even led to you leaving your business to avoid future 'rejections'.

The fact is, if you are involved in any sales business, you will find that people say no to you. Because even the best, most life-changing product in the world won't appeal to everyone. In fact, you could stand in the street and offer everyone who walks past a £20 note, and some would refuse. No catch, just 'take this money from my hand right now and owe me nothing in return', and people would say no.

That's life.

Deal with it.

With sales, you really have to focus on the bigger picture.

If I can use myself as an example - I retail very high-quality nutritional supplements. I'm so passionate about these products and the benefits they offer that I genuinely feel it is my purpose in life to share them with as many people as possible. I know that they are life-changing products.

Does that mean that every person I speak to orders some? Not at all.

But it means I am focused on the big picture.

If you're finding that prospects saying no to you is crushing your confidence and making you doubt the business you are in, you don't believe in the products enough.

Because, trust me, when you are offering products that you know can transform people's lives, it doesn't matter if you have to put up with 1,000 people who say no to find 1 person who says yes and has their life changed.

Avoiding Online "Home Business" Scams

One common worry that people mention having about beginning their own home business is that they just don't know whether opportunities are genuine or scams.

I completely understand this concern as most businesses (even genuine ones) require an investment, and nobody wants to throw their hard earnt money away!

So, how do you tell whether an opportunity is genuine?

Here are some things I would do to assess a business opportunity:

1. Speak to the person by telephone - a genuine person will be more than happy to speak to you by telephone before you spend any money. In fact, some genuine business owners will insist on it!
2. Research the company - find out the company name and research it. Don't pay attention to reports saying the company is a scam or pyramid scheme unless these are written by respected sources. Remember, any person who has joined that company, put no work in and therefore made no money, can begin a blog and say the company is rubbish! If you are looking at a network marketing company, check whether they are members of the DSA.
3. Ask about the level of work you will have to put in to earn the income you want. If something sounds too good to be true, it generally is. So although it may be realistic to earn over a million dollars from the opportunity, you won't do that within a few weeks or without putting in considerable effort. Don't be scared of hard work - it's a much safer bet than all of the get rich quick schemes.
4. Ask to speak to other people - when you speak to your point of contact about the business, ask if you can speak to other people they have helped. Again, genuine businesspeople will have no problems with this (although they may have to ask that person to call you rather than release their contact details to you).
5. Find out whether there is a money back guarantee on your investment, which removes your risk. If there is, make sure you understand the terms and conditions of this guarantee - some are so complicated that it is virtually impossible to actually recover your investment.

There are plenty of genuine home business opportunities, so don't write everything off as being a scam. Just be sensible and do your research.

Katie

Job Security Doesn't Exist

I don't get the employee mindset of expecting an employer to look after you.

I didn't get my first employee job until I was 18, and I sacked my boss when I was 21. Three years as a wage-slave was really long enough for me.

Particularly during the current economic climate, more and more people are being made redundant and realising that their job security has been a myth all along.

A while ago, a friend who had just been made redundant for the second time within months started talking about how they really needed to win the lottery.

Now, that really annoys me because it's a lazy way of thinking - the only possible way you could replace your (not that great, in his case) income is by winning the lottery? O RLY?!

So I had a talk with him about looking into other options to make some money. This was just before Christmas and he had absolutely no money to his name so couldn't buy gifts for his young relatives.

Do you know what this guy told me in response to me suggesting he should have a more sturdy Plan B than winning the lotto?

"Thanks but I'll just wait for another job, it's more secure."

More secure?!

Hello?! You've just been made redundant for the second time, and you are still placing your financial future in an employer's hands?

It made no sense to me.

Please, realise for your sake and the sake of your family that there is no job security. Take responsibility for your income, and get a stronger Plan B than winning the lottery!

Should You Start A Business Now?

People often ask me whether it's wise to begin a home business now, given the economic climate.

There are actually many reasons why the recession provides the perfect opportunity to begin your home based business. Here are a few reasons why I recommend getting started now:-

1. Need - there is no job security. People in 'safe' industries are being made redundant every day. There aren't enough vacancies for all of the unemployed people. Benefits are inadequate when a household has lost one or more potentially high incomes. Many people simply have to begin a business of some sort if they want to survive the recession and keep their home.

2. Large market - part of your network marketing business will involve finding and working with other people who want to begin their own home business. There has never been more people actively looking for alternative ways to provide an income for their family. This is great news for you as it means there are more people available for you to help, which in turn increases the income your home business provides for you.

3. Tax advantages - by beginning a home business, you are able to benefit from tax advantages (for details of the exact advantages in your local area, speak to a professional) that often include claiming a portion of your household bills, travel expenses, car payments, etc. I know several people who make no attempt to build their home business but just take advantage of the tax refund each year!

4. Positive people - network marketers tend to be positive and supportive. While mainstream media is full of negative stories and scaremongering, you will benefit from a refreshing group of people who look for solutions instead of focusing on problems.

5. History - historically, more new millionaires are made during recessions than in better economic climates.

Seize The Day

I was recently bereaved.

My father passed away 2 weeks ago. It was very sudden and completely unexpected.

I like to think I'm a positive person and I try to treasure every day, but my dad's death reminded me that we truly never know how long we are here for.

In fact, friends of my father were laughing and joking with him an hour before his passing.

I don't write this to depress anyone, just to highlight how the present moment is all we have.

And yet so many people are living lives that don't excite them, waiting for something better to come around the next corner, thinking a pay rise or promotion however many months down the line will make up for them doing a job they dislike.

It doesn't work that way.

No amount of money can make you feel passionate about a job you don't care about, just like marrying a wealthy person you don't love is rarely a recipe for Happy Ever After.

If you're waiting for tomorrow in any area of your life, you need to realise that tomorrow may not arrive. You have today, you have right now, and that's all you need.

Life is short.

So call your family often.

Send cards for no reason.

Be excited to get out of bed each morning.

Chase your passion, not your pension.

Laugh.

Dance.

Be the first to apologise.

Don't go to bed angry.

Take more photographs.

Start a business, or career, that you will be passionate about.

Turn the TV off and talk as a family instead.

Realise how beautiful you are.

Eat your vegetables.

Lay off the salt.

Give to charity.

Take the scenic journey.

And remember, every single minute that passes is 60 seconds never to return.

Are you spending your time wisely? Or are you waiting for some signal to begin the life you want?

If you're waiting - just think of my father, who no doubt thought he had many more tomorrows still to come. Take that as your signal. Please.

Let's Talk Benefits...

I feel blessed every day that I'm involved in network marketing.

I was never happy seeing my work as just a way to pay the bills. I wanted to make a difference, change the world.. yep, I'm an idealist. I might not be changing the whole world, but network marketing allows me to change lives.

Whether I'm helping someone improve their wellbeing with supplements, or increease their income by beginning a home business, I'm doing good and that feels great.

Now I'm a mom, the other huge benefit of network marketing for me is knowing that I don't have to race back to work soon and leave my daughter in daycare, but that I'm still supporting my family financially.

I find it so sad that so many moms are forced back into work solely for financial reasons when they wish they were at home with their children. Aspen is not even 8 weeks old yet, and already she has changed so much. I have photographs of her that look nothing like she does now!

I was recently bereaved (my father passed away) and his death reminded me low precious life is. It's too short to be away from your family, or doing a job that doesn't excite you. That's why I'm so grateful to have a home business.

Diary of a Mompreneur

Hey!

Thanks for stopping by my blog - I'll be using this to record the lifestyle I have as a new mum (my daughter Aspen Mae is 7 weeks old) with a home business.

I'm an independent Mannatech associate, offering the highest quality health products to people around the world as well as helping those people begin their own home business. I've been doing this for a couple of years, partly because I decided working for someone else wasn't really for me (I sacked my boss when I was 21 and haven't regretted it for a second!) but partly because I knew that when I had a family, I wanted to be able to stay at home and still provide for my family.

I'll be using this blog to offer advice and opinions about network marketing and home based businesses, record the ups (and downs?!) of juggling being a new mum with building my business, and who knows what else. I'm excited about writing this blog, and I hope you'll be entertained and inspired by reading it.

Katie