Today's Thought

The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they can't find them, make them. --George Bernard Shaw

Today's Thought

YOU DO NOT EXIST FOR YOURSELF

You're not an isolated island.You're a piece of the planet, a piece of the universe.
Personal relationships are the fertile soilfrom which all advancement,all success, all achievement in real life grows.

Your success depends on the support of other people.The only hurdle between you and what you want to be,is the support of others.

When you put yourself in another's place,you'll know why they think and do certain things.You can succeed fastest by helping others to succeed.

Always think in terms of what the other person wants.You'll get everything in life that you wantif you'll help enough other people get what they want.

Doing things for others always pays dividends.When you help someone's boat across a river,you'll find your own boat has reached the shore too.

©2006 by Max Steingart

Today's Thought

MLMU's Biz Tip of the Day

Before attending a scheduled appointment to give a presentation, always call and confirm the appointment. It makes the prospect more committed and it will save you time if the appointment cannot be kept.

Hilton Johnson
MLMCoach

Today's Thought

OLIVER'S TWIST ON...A Holiday Gift Of A Different Kind

Over the holidays my nephew Daniel was given a mobile phone as a gift and I was observing him struggle over what calling plan to use. There was a considerable amount of advice being directed at him by family members (me included) as to what they thought the best plan was, and why.

While participating in the melee I observed that…We were all trying to "sell" him on the idea we had the best answer for him…Daniel wasn't listening to any of us! (Sound familiar?)

In fact he was actively, verbally and passively resisting everything we said, no matter how well meaning we were. And yet we continued to pound at him with the objective of getting one of our answers accepted! (Still familiar?)

While observing, it occurred to me there was a reason he was blocking and resisting our "answers" to his problem. I had a feeling the problem we were attempting to "help him with" was not the real problem. It was also clear the reason he wasn't listening to us was that we weren't listening to him! His resistance was a huge signal.

We kept ignoring and pushing against it. Why did we do this? Because we all fell into the same-old, same-old easy trap of telling (selling) instead of asking and listening.

By being able to detach from the debate and observe, a question materialized.
"Do you want the phone Daniel?" I asked.
To which he replied, "Perhaps a better question is, 'Do I need the phone'?"
Huh? A gift! (It's amazing if you create some space and "give" a little, how much people will give back!)
So I took the gift and asked; "Do you need the phone Daniel?"
"No!" he replied.
"Then… do you want the phone?"
"No, not really!"
"Can I ask why?"
"Because I really don't have any use for one! I've looked at the various ways it might help me but overall I just can't find any benefit."
"So then the real issue is not about deciding what plan to use, it's about finding whether you have a need or a desire to have a mobile phone in the first place… would that be right?"
"Yes. I hadn't thought about that!"

Now we could all move on by giving him time to think about what he wanted to do, or help him by asking relevant questions based on the real issue.

So what lessons can we learn from this when talking with prospective partners, customers, associates, friends and family?

Find and Focus on the correct issues. Many times they are not what you think they are.
Make sure you've been asked for advice before giving it!
Stop persisting when someone is resisting. Instead, find the cause of the resistance! The cause could be you!
Your questions are not just for you!
Listen, observe and act on the verbal and body language and body clues.

Oh, and if you're wondering what Daniel did, he decided to become part of the digital revolution!

Have a peaceful and prosperous…
Michael Oliver

Copyright, 2005, Michael Oliver, Natural Selling®
"Reprinted with permission from Michael Oliver,
Natural Selling® Sales Training http://www.naturalselling.com "

Today's Thought

To make 2006 your best year ever, start with very clear goals, make up your mind to stay focused no matter how long it takes, and agree to work very, very hard.

If you are fortunate and success comes quickly, good for you! But more often, success, fame and fortune are the result of long hours, persistent effort and clear goals. Stay the course.

Make this the year you turn it around and create the life you truly want.

Today's Thought

You cannot expect your group members to do reasonably well what you cannot do extremely well. Start today to become an expert at selling, marketing and coaching and watch your group automatically improve.

Today's Thought

Empowering Questions To Ask This January…

What is the time of year that more people are assessing their lives and looking at making a change?
January!

What is the time of year when people are most open to exploring what they can do to make the changes they have determined for themselves?
January!

Re-evaluations of present situations based on past experiences, and new resolutions based on future possibilities are being made right now! Resolutions to lose weight, to exercise, be healthy and change life's direction are all being formulated as people return from their holidays and start working once again.

So when is the best time to BE there to see if you can help and discover whether your solutions are a fit with what they are looking for?
Right Now!

And because it's quite natural at this time for people to be thinking about the year ahead, it's easy to start a dialogue with a question like…

Have you resolved to do anything different this year?

…and then develop the conversation with follow up questions such as…

You have…! And what would that be? What will that do for you when you achieve that? Have you thought about how you are going achieve that?

In many cases you'll find that people will be looking to make some sort of change. When you've discovered what they're looking for, the way is open to introduce your business or products by saying something like…

Well I might know something that will help you (achieve your dream, lose weight, eventually replace your job...) and if you're interested I'd be delighted to spend some time talking with you about it.

These suggestions will get you started and, of course, the fundamental principles of starting an effective dialogue are the same at any time of the year (you can learn more or revise your skills by reading Chapter 11 onwards in my book "How To Sell Network Marketing Without Fear, Anxiety or Losing Your Friends!" or in the audio program "12 Ways To Start Effective Conversations Without Fear").

So, seize the moment and take advantage of the opportunity that January offers. You'll be helping other people and in doing so you'll get your own business off to a great start for 2006.
You might also want to remind your colleagues and team members about the opportunity so feel free to forward this newsletter to them if they don't already receive it.

Wishing you a very peaceful and prosperous New Year.

Michael Oliver
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Copyright, 2005, Michael Oliver, Natural Selling® "Reprinted with permission from Michael Oliver, Natural Selling® Sales Training http://www.naturalselling.com "

Today's Thought

Give prospecting your highest priority.

Prospecting is the single most important activity in building a Network Marketing business. Set aside a specific time, preferably each day (but if that is impossible, then at least each week) for prospecting. Whether you spend one hour each week or two hours each day, routine is the key to good prospecting habits.

Today's Thought

"It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognizes the challenges and does something about it.” -- Vince Lombardi1913-1970, Professional Football Coach