Dave and Darlene Mills

Posts Tagged ‘policies and procedures’

So you have added a new business partner to your business but you just don’t seem to be growing.  What could be the problem?  In fact I have added several new business partners but nothing seems to be happening within my business that looks like growth.  My monthly bonus check hasn’t even grown and I just can’t put my finger on the reason why.  These new partners just don’t do anything to help my business.  Don’t they want to make a great bonus check too?  Just maybe they were never interested even though they were excited to join the opportunity.  Frustrated Network Marketer–When Adding One Still Equals Zero there is a good reason for the lack of growth.

Have you spent any time with your new business partner?  If you are thinking that all you had to do was sign them up then you have just discovered why your new business partners are not producing the result you were hoping for.  Once you bring them into your business opportunity you take on a new set of responsibilities that you must tend to.  If all you do is sign them up and forget about your new business partner you have just left them to flounder and eventually fail especially if they are new to the network marketing arena.  Your role as the upline sponsor becomes one of being a teacher (mentor), friend, encourager as well as a helper.  You need to be there for them.

Training and spending time with your new business partner gives you time to also strengthen and deepen your relationship with them.  One of the very first things you will want to accomplish is to go through a checklist of tasks that will need to be done to set them on the way to success.  You may need to help them set up any replicated company sites as well as explain to them their policies and procedures (binding contract) they have with the company.  You will want to set them on the right track right away when it come to following policies.  One that you will want to stress is compliance.  That just means that they are aware of what they can say about the products they will be selling and how they can advertise them according to the policies.  Keep in mind that is they make claims about a product that do not follow Federal Trade Commission  and The Food and Drug Administrations guidelines your new business partner may find themselves in trouble with these two factions.

If your business partner is new to network marketing you may need to teach them how to set up Fan Pages on Facebook and other social sites.  If they have chosen to advertise you may need to lend a hand there as well.  Like most new business partners they are going to want to know exactly what to say to promote the products and business opportunity.  They will be looking to you for this information so be prepared to share some communication skills with them so they can confidently approach people.  If you are new to the business yourself and sponsoring a new business partner and find yourself lacking in some of the communication skills then I would suggest finding a very successful network marketer like Tom “Big Al” Schreiter and subscribing to his site and learn these skills to pass on to your partners.

New business partners want to know how to do the business without having rejection.  If you can teach them this skill it will go along way to growing their confidence.  If as a sponsor you don’t have these skills to teach them then become a professional pointer and point them in the direction where they can learn the skills for success.  You as a sponsor are not required to know everything but always be willing to learn yourself so you build your skill sets so you can pass them on to your team members.  As the leader of your team set forth a good example so your team members can follow in your footsteps and in turn their team members will do the same.  Frustrated Network Marketer–When Adding One Still Equals Zero may mean you have not taken on the responsibility you need to for the good of your team.  Be a leader and lead your team towards success.

Commit To Success Today
Dave and Darlene Mills
Leadership With A Vision

“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself.” — Galileo

When you are in the regular work force you very often see people that were just hired in the past few days just not show up to work again.  They just quit because either they just don’t want to work or the job is not what they thought it should be.  When we look around us regarding having a job that pays the bills and the lack of jobs being offered we should be appreciative of the job we have.  I like my job that I have but it is not my dream job and that is why I joined the network marketing arena.  I see so many looking or already in network marketing but not having any success because they keep quitting one opportunity and jumping to another.  I say find the right opportunity that is a fit for you and Frustrated Network Marketer–Never Quit, Yes I Said Never Quit!

Most people that join a network marketing opportunity never do any kind of research into the company or the product that is offered.  They listen to a hyped up presentation and told how easy it is to make big dollars in a very short period of time.  Before you sign on the dotted line and pay your joining fee you need to do your due diligence and do a thorough investigation of what you are getting into.  Read the policies and procedures (your binding contract) and study the compensation plan to find out how you are to conduct your business and to see if you are going to get paid fairly for the work that you do.  Check out the company management and make sure there is integrity and a willingness on their part to help you when you need it.

Once you have done your due diligence and have found the business opportunity for you then you need to decide how you are going to promote it.  If you choose to use Facebook, Pinterest or any of the other social sights you need to be consistent in your postings.  I see so many will post occasionally and then state that social sight are no good to conduct business on.  People tend to follow people who show consistency and make regular appearances on their sight.  If you are using traffic exchanges, blogging, safe lists or any other method of advertising your business opportunity or promoting your product then you need to be consistent.  So many people fail at this because they are not consistent in their practices and go on to blame the method, the company and then their upline.  This frustration usually leads to quitting.

Before you ever decide to quit make sure the routine you have for building your business or promoting your product is actually doing just that and not just an activity that makes you look busy.  Not all activity is business building and that is the activity you don’t need.  Also look at the methods you are using and see if they are the right ones.  If not you may need to learn new skills that will advance your business to the next level.  There are a number of very successful marketers out there that share the skills that really work so do some research and find out what they can offer you in the form of training.  One such marketer is Tom “Big Al” Schreiter who shares the skills he has mastered and used building his business empire.  Frustrated Network Marketer–Never Quit, Yes I Said Never Quit! because there have been many just inches from success but they quit just before success came walking through the door.

Commit To Success Today
Dave and Darlene Mills
Leadership With A Vision

“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself.” — Galileo

Have you ever wanted to quit your network marketing company and wait the time required to re-join that same company but under a different sponsor?  There are many that wish to do so and many that have done just that because in the upline genealogy there is a leader they just don’t want to work with or even contribute to this leaders success. There are many  Frustrated Network Marketers with Arrogant Upline Leader(s) who Lose Team Rapport And Respect that tends to force their downlines to look elsewhere for answers.

Often on team calls when the downline team members have questions or observations they are cut off and not given time to fully express themselves and their concerns  before getting an answer that makes them feel stupid.  To that team member there is nothing more frustrating than to be talked down to and still not have their question answered or their concerns taken seriously.  As it happens to each of the team members the call becomes one sided because the team members have had enough and become quiet.  They stop expressing themselves for fear of how they might be made to feel and leave the call more frustrated at the treatment they have received and still not having answers to their questions and concerns.

How arrogant for upline leaders to treat their downline members this way.  I have often wondered how they have built their downlines this way or did someone else build it for them.  They operate with little concern for the feeling of those in their downlines and tend to alienate them and it shows by the amount of downline members tending other team calls looking for answers.

Not all members of your team will understand the compensation plan or even the policies and procedures and even if you do you need to answer their questions and concerns with patience and understanding.  There are more aspects which they may not see clearly and again their questions will need to be answered.  Remember there will be some areas your team member will be more proficient than you so it may be your turn to listen and learn.  It is never wise to become defensive when you discover this otherwise you will lose the rapport and respect with your team.  Not any one leader can know everything and if you think you do, you are arrogant and will be alienated from your team by their choice.

It is wise to remember that most of your downline business partners are part time and are learning the business on the fly.  When you are arrogant with them they will think to themselves “I don’t have to put up with this type of treatment.”  There are two choices:  first they will seek out other teams or team members for answers, or second they will quit and move to another company where they feel comfortable.  There are certainly many more fish in the sea when it comes to the network marketing arena.  Network marketing is all about people who just want to be treated with respect and get the education they need to be successful in the venture.

If you continue to treat your team in this manner you will soon find you are a leader with no one to lead.  Your team will be getting what they need from leaders who care.  You will find they will never contact you for advice nor will they accept advice from you.  You will not be a person they will want on the team call because you are too arrogant and put yourself in the seat of know it all.  What good is having a kingdom when the subjects are loyal to another.

Network marketing is a team effort where everyone in the team deserves respect and to be treated equally.  A team working together for the same goal of success is a force to be reckoned with.  Frustrated Network Marketer–Arrogant Upline Leader(s) Lose Team Rapport And Respect is a reminder of not how to build your team.  Your Network Marketing career should be an enjoyable fun experience with success.

“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself.” — Galileo

Commit To Success Today
Dave and Darlene Mills
Leadership With A Vision

One of the most important documents a Network Marketer will see is your Policies and Procedure of the company you have joined.  This document is your contract between you and the company. It is also your guideline of what is expected of you.  In short this document tells you what you can and cannot do while you are an independent distributor for the company.  If you don’t take the time to read and study your PnP’s you may find you have become a Frustrated Network Marketer–You Thought You Could Say…  type independent distributor.

One of the areas dealt with in your policies and procedures is compliance.  Exactly what do we mean by compliance?  There are 2 bodies of the government that are dealt with when it comes to selling products to the public and they are the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food And Drug Administration (FDA).  These 2 bodies have rules and regulations regarding selling products to the public.  Being compliant simply means that you are within the guidelines of the FTC and FDA.

If you are not in compliance it may cause you trouble that could lead to discipline and possible termination from the company you.  An example of being non compliant would be making a claim that a product will do certain things for you without actually having the evidence or proof that it will actually do what you are saying it will do.  The FDA and FTC are the ones that rule on what you are allowed to say or not allowed to say so false claims are not used to lure the public to buy a product.  If you sell nutritionals you cannot claim that a product cures cancer when in fact there is no substantial data to prove such.  The product may aid in the prevention but even then there will be a ruling stating what you will be allowed to say regarding the product.

Why do companies have clauses in their Policies and Procedures dealing with compliance?  The distributor may be disciplined by the company but the company is disciplined by the FTC and the FDA.  The penalties companies receive from the governing bodies can be very serious even to the point of being shut down.  It is up to the company to make sure the distributors are in compliance with the regulations put forth regarding the sales of products or services.  The clauses in the PnP’s are there to ensure distributors are aware there are rules and regulations they need to follow.

What is your responsibility as a distributor?  First you will need to make sure that your actions are compliant.  You will need to make sure your downline is trained properly so their actions are compliant also.  If you train your team properly they will also train their people properly etc.  Second you must be on the outlook for non compliant actions by other distributors and report it to the companies compliance department.  If the company has integrity they will contact the non compliant distributor and work with them to teach them the proper way of conducting their business to be compliant with the FTC and the FDA.

In the above paragraph it may seem you are a tattletale but the truth is you are protecting your interests as well as the companies.  If there are too many non compliant distributors the FDA and or the FTC could rule to have the company shut down and all of your hard work will be lost and you will need to start all over again with a new company.  Would you want to be one of the non compliant distributors that caused the company to be shut down?  Would you want to be responsible for others losing their income and possibly their livelihood.  There is more than just making a fast dollar by making false claims and shoddy business practices.  There are others depending upon each other to be and remain compliant for the good of all.

Just remember before you act on your own Frustrated Network Marketer–You Thought You Could Say…  you are not alone in this venture there are others to consider.  So work with your company’s compliance department and protect your interest as well as others.

Commit To Success Today
Dave and Darlene Mills
Leadership With A Vision

“You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it within himself.” — Galileo

Just give it away, it’s all free and no investment required and get your check at the end of the month.  The qualifications to get your check are high but that’s ok you’ll just have to do better next month.  I ask you Frustrated Network Marketer – Where Oh Where Does The Money Come From?  You were promised you would get paid  but where does the money come from to pay you?  There was no sale of a product or service, you just gave it away, so no revenue was generated to pay you.

In many cases the revenue comes from upgrades where someone opts to pay to get the full meal deal. It is  the only opportunity to generate an income.  But ask yourself: “Why did I join this opportunity?”  If you are honest with yourself your answer will be that it was free and no investment was required.  Now let me ask you:  “ Don’t you think that is what others, who joined under you, were thinking?”  If you are like most people who join an opportunity the last thing on your mind was to read the Policies and Procedures (your contract) to find out what you needed to do to get a check.  You were just so excited that you joined an opportunity that was not going to cost you a single dime but you were going to make money.

For the person above you to get paid it will mean you need to upgrade. Now there is money involved so what do you do?  Those that have joined you are also thinking the same thing.  Most people who have joined a free business opportunity do not entertain the idea of upgrading and spending any money but instead begin looking for the next free opportunity and get caught in this endless cycle.  Before long you are off on the hunt too just like the others.

I speak from experience…my wife and I joined a free opportunity; but once in, there were sites that included upgrades.  We did get the upgrade on one site and shortly thereafter sponsored 26 people into our business.  Of the 26 not one upgraded and in fact not one person did anything to build their business but just waited for the system to do the work for them.   Promised income from a free system never materializes.

If the free business opportunity does not have any upgraded which involves an investment there is no revenue generated to pay distributors unless the developer of the system puts it in themselves.  That is never going to happen because they are there to make money.  In most cases these free systems do one thing in the short time they are in existence.  When people sign up they are giving information that allows the system to build a list which the owner sells to other companies.  The owners have made their money and left you holding a bag of air which is your pay for joining a free opportunity.

One of the laws of the universe is “There is no getting something for  nothing.”  In a legitimate business opportunity investment will be required; whether it is in the form of an outright investment of the monetary type or in the form of a monthly autoship.  There is also the investment of time which you will need to provide for building your business.  There is no escaping that if you want to reach your goals and dreams.

“Never look at it as an investment in the company but rather as an investment in your future.”

I ask you Frustrated Network Marketer – Where Oh Where Does The Money Come From?

Commit To Success Today
Dave and Darlene Mills
Leadership With A Vision

I cannot tell you what to think but I can teach you how to think.  Learn to be a critical thinker for your own protection.