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While trying to expand your network, there will be moments when you will think, “I am going nowhere fast.” Relax. To become a successful network marketer, first realize that there is nowhere you must go in order to meet the right people. That’s right. You do not have to go to a chamber of commerce event, an industry meeting, or a financial workshop to succeed. Instead of traveling to networking events, save time, money, and frustration by encouraging others to bring the right people to you!

SUCCESSFUL NETWORKING

To stay energized and moving your network marketing business forward as you create your message and learn the rules of networking, I ask people to follow what I call the “three rules to live by.” These three rules act as a reminder to continually focus your message and let others help you achieve the success you deserve.

The three rules to live by for network marketing success are:

1.Speak from your passion.

2.Listen to others.

3.Write down their ideas.

Surveys have shown that 99 percent of working people dislike their jobs. Speaking from your passion is a great technique to grab people’s attention. Tell everyone what you truly love about the product or service you are selling. Just by revealing your passion, you entice people to listen to you. The best way to communicate your passion is to focus on your intent. What are you truly trying to accomplish? Write down how your business will benefit other people. People cannot argue with benefits. Instead, they will begin to share your vision and goals and then try to figure out a way to help you.

This action also energizes you to keep going when times get rough. Passion establishes a foundation of believability and possibility. Any questions people have about your ability to deliver on your promises become diminished.

Listen to other people; they have the contacts, strategies, and information that can help you move forward faster. By listening, you make them part of your sales team. People love it when their ideas are recognized and appreciated. This does not mean you have to act on all the ideas presented. People want to be heard, but they also understand that you are the one who determines the right action to take.

Write down all the ideas presented to you. Get into the habit of asking for referrals. Ask others for ideas on how you can best build your network marketing business. The first four letters of listen are LIST. Circumstances

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change and we can’t predict the future, so take note of all the ideas and referrals people present so you don’t lose them. A special note: Use the back of the person’s business card to record their ideas and contacts. It helps you keep track of who gave you the contact, resource, or strategy you needed to succeed.

Octopus networking works like this:

DREAM LIKE A CHILD, DECIDE AS AN ADULT

The secret to success in life and business is to dream like a child, decide as an adult. When you wake up in the morning or start a new sales or prospecting task, look at the world through a child’s eyes and see the possibilities. Just as a child does, ask for help when you need it. Frustration and nonaction set in when we continually try the same task and expect different results.

Then decide as an adult. Use your intuition, experience, and knowledge to decide on the next action step to take, and then take it! Tapping into the possibilities and taking action energizes you to move forward and accomplish your goals. And it shows people that you believe in yourself enough to actually act on suggestions and ideas presented to you.

DEVELOP AN EFFECTIVE MESSAGE

BASED ON BENEFIT

Octopus networking starts with your ability to inform people about the benefits your products or services provide. When people are looking to purchase something, for themselves, their families, or their businesses, they immediately ask themselves, “How will I or my company benefit from this product or service?” People analyze this question instantly—research has shown usually within 10 seconds. Therefore, you must be able to immediately and effectively explain how your products or services will help them achieve success, health, happiness, or some other benefit faster. Do not focus on describing what it is but rather how it benefits the person with whom you are speaking. Benefits move customers and opportunity prospects to action.

Ask yourself, “When a customer or prospect meets me or receives my brochure, do they understand how I can help them?” “Do I have a message about my product line or business that I can use to easily tell others about it?” If not, it is time for you to create a winning “instant impact message.” An instant impact message is a brief, powerful statement based on benefits that begins every sales conversation. Benefits are simple to remember, making it much easier for people to become part of your sales force by referring new

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customers or prospects to your business. Plus, they become more confident in their referrals because they understand who you can benefit.

The goal of an instant impact message is to become known as someone so people remember you and the benefit you offer to your customers or income opportunity prospects. For instance, “I am known as the Kick Start Guy and I provide action steps that close the gap between goals and success” is the message I use to open conversations. I use it on all my marketing materials so people hear the same message repeatedly. This simple statement makes it easy for people to refer to me their friends who have a dream or organizations that help others achieve success.

Creating a winning instant impact message is really quite simple—just focus on benefits. Focusing on the unique contribution your product or business opportunity offers helps your business stand out from the competition, and more importantly, it helps your customers remember you. Develop your own winning message by:

•Defining your “external intent.” How does your product, service, or income opportunity specifically benefit other people? Make a list of ideas by writing down anything that comes to mind. Do not edit. Some of my clients express this as, “My company helps our customers to . . .” or “Our income opportunity allows people to . . .”

•Looking over your list and circling any key descriptive words— words that resonate with the benefits you provide that jump out at you. These words create an emotional foundation for your message.

•Using only the circled key words to develop a shorter, stronger statement focusing on the key benefits your business provides. You can use connective words such as “a,” “an,” and “the,” but put an effort toward using just the key words you circled. Keep your message to less than 10 words, creating a powerful statement that people will be able to remember and repeat to others.

•Saying the sentence aloud as though you were telling someone about your business at a cocktail party. Ask yourself, “Would they understand my business and the benefits I offer?” If not, rewrite your message until you can concisely state how your products, services, or income opportunity help other people succeed.

•Sharing your new instant impact message with friends, family members, and colleagues. Remember the three rules to live by? Your instant impact message provides you with the ability to speak from your passion. Now is the time to listen to others’ input, write down the words they present, and revise your instant impact message as you deem appropriate.

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•Using your instant impact message all the time—at business functions, at cocktail parties, on your business cards, on your stationery, in any marketing brochures you develop, and even in the line at the grocery store. The more that people hear about your business, the greater your credibility becomes, making your sales process easier.

STRETCH THE OCTOPUS’ TENTACLES

Now is the time to break the rules! Instead of always going after sales or prospects with only your own resources, stretch the tentacles of the octopus even further by finding a way to partner with centers of influence, organizations, or other companies that communicate with large numbers of your customers. It is a perfect way to spread credible messages about your business.

For instance, is there a nonprofit organization that can use your products or services? If so, provide them at a discount and in exchange for a testimonial, announcements in the nonprofit’s newsletters, or a link on its web site, creating a win-win for both of you. Nonprofits have boards of directors made up of high-profile decision makers. When you are introduced to them via an organization they have a personal interest in, making a network connection with them becomes easier.

Keep your network growing by approaching businesses with complementary products or services that also serve your customers. Is there a way you can partner with them to offer a more complete solution to your customers? If so, create networking possibilities by developing joint brochures or linking to each other’s web site.

By uniting together, you strengthen a sense of community, deliver what customers need, plus create new opportunities to deliver your message. The result is that these “octopus tentacles” expand your reach further than you ever imagined. This is the foundation for saving time, money, and frustration to create successful sales channels.

CONTINUALLY BENEFIT YOUR CUSTOMERS

Do not stop networking once you have achieved a result. Continually deliver your instant impact message and discover new ways to benefit others. By helping them achieve greater success, you keep your products or services “top-of-mind.” As new people enter their circle of influence, they are more likely to refer you!