1) The most important thing is to find your niche. Who is your target market - whether it's for product sales or business partner. Define who would be your most profitable customer or ideal business partner. Write down the qualities you would like them to have. This is not something you typically learn in your MLM business. How you market yourself and how professional you are is very important for your success. I have found it to be much more effective - to have a specific area to specialize in.

How did I come up with my customer target market? I thought about what I was passionate about, because I want to be passionate about the work I do. I also looked at my past experience. You want to attract people just like you. My customer target market is stressed out professionals. Why - because I was one of those. I lost my health due to stress. I know how stress can take a toll on your health and therefore I love to work in that area with others. Look at what you are passionate about and who you would like to work with (again - people like you).

My business target market is other professionals, like me, who want a professional business, work out of their home, spend more time with their family and earn a substantial income. They think outside of the box and they want to create something of their own and be successful. Someone who has experience in either network marketing, sales, marketing or teaching.

Be able to speak what your target market in 30 words or less. You want to be clear and concise to make it easy for people to understand what you do and to make it easy for people to refer to you. So they can repeat exactly what you do. Explain what you do very briefly but effectively. Use language to attract.

I specialize in working with stressed out professionals where stress has taken a toll on their health - like fatigue, heart palpitations, hair falling out and they want their vitality back, like what happened to me.

You want to stand out from the crowd (from your competitors).

2) Your relationship with your customers is very important. Don't push the business on them. Develop that trust that you have their best interest at heart.

3) Make your marketing pieces well done and professional.

I generally don't use the marketing pieces put out by the manufacturer. I create my own with my team. Use language to attract customers and explain what you do very briefly but effectively.

4) Creating a flyer or ad. You want wet their appetite to want more. How do you do that?

3 components to writing a flyer:

• Write a "did you know" sentence.
• Write an education sentence or 2.
• Have a call to action. What do you want them to do. (call you, go to web, etc...)

Goal is to wet their appetite for more. Always make it easy for people to buy or contact you. People make decisions on emotions and in an instant. People are busy. Be concise and effective.

5) Always keep track of what your customers tell you. Have a database where you keep all their information and correspondence. Remember their anniversary, their birthday, kid's names and ages, things that are important to them. Then when you talk to them, you can talk about those things too.

6) Newsletter:

• Your newsletter must have impact. It doesn't have to be real long to be effective. People want to read quickly and get some useful information. Don't use selling language. Make it an educational piece, not just selling. It will build your credibility and stronger customer ties. It will build your relationship with people by keeping you in front of them. You can announce new products
• You can put testimonials in it.
• Put coupons or specials of the month in it.
• Make it enjoyable and informative. Over time you will build a strong relationship with prospects and customers. People will feel comfortable buying from you.
• When you're writing it, keep in mind - what's in it for them. Why should they read it. How will it benefit them.
• People are visual. Use pictures, photos, clip art, etc...
• Make your newsletter easy to read. Don't clutter it up with pictures either.
• Make it into a self-mailing piece. It will save an envelope and the time it takes to stuff it.

7) Generate word of mouth advertising:

• Over deliver what your customers expect.
• Make it easy for them to refer.
• Give your customers a coupon on their next purchase.
• Do promos like: 5% off on the 5^th of the month or 10% off on the 10^th.
• Send a little gift in the mail for your best customers.
• Send a birthday gift on their birthday. I send a product that I market that doesn't cost a lot.
• Catch them off guard - send something when they least expect it.
• Reward them - maybe lunch or a gift certificate to Starbucks - could be a $3 gift certificate for coffee. It's the thought that counts.
• Offer discount for every new customer they refer.
• Get involved in the community. Get your name out there.

8) Networking: It's about building relationships.

Don't be in people's face and start handing out business cards to everyone standing around. High pressure will turn people off. Don't be shy about introducing yourself. They probably want to make contact too. Find a balance. Do low key networking. Don't go in with an agenda. Be genuinely interested in people. Your goal is to get to know them and what they do. Don't approach it hoping to make a sale. Have you heard of the Golden Rule of Networking: You can get anything in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.

Establish yourself and your business reputation in the community. Position yourself as an expert. When you see people over and over again, they remember you. Offer referrals whenever you can.

Your business cards should be unique and different. Mine are postcard size and describe what I do - the wording is done to attract them to me. You could put a calendar on it or metric measuring, common phone numbers or make something up that's unique - that no one else has.

When you start getting yourself out there, be patient. When you do meet someone, add them to your database right away. You can do a follow-up call with people to get together for coffee or lunch to do more networking. You can send out a direct mail piece, an e-mail or a flyer.

Click here to establish ways to start networking