Great post about networking.

It’s embarassing to say that I have been both the “pitcher” of business ideas without so much as a “can I buy you a drink?” and the “victim” of such a pitch.

Thanks for the great head’s up!

Chuck Yockey

I’m coveting your French manicure–gorgeous… and your antipasto! Yum!

The video is right on point for its content too (I’m not that shallow! ). I’ve always been a connector and made friends easily, but was always uncomfortable in the early 90s selling vacuums door to door in a 10% unemployment economy.

I’d go to those sales meetings with the motto “ABC” (Always be closing) and the “Everyone’s a suspect until they become a prospect…yada yada.” I lasted 6 weeks in that gig! I sold to my momma, my then boyfriend (now husband), and one stranger because she had Young & the Restless on in the background when I rang the door bell and we connected on that level–and my demo really worked on those tough carpet stains.

Permission marketing is much more natural to me, and trusting the process and intuition as we roll along.

“Down with interruption marketing!” I say!

Carol
http://twitter.com/caroldc

Your video hit it right spot on! I am always approached by other business owners wanting to sell me their product. They don’t give a SH** about who I am, where I come from or even what I am about. All they care about is getting their business card or product in my face.

When we first moved to AZ, it was like a mad freakin storm of these types of people. Joined the Chamber of Commerce and the phone wouldn’t stop ringing! (OMG, I just got a local phone call from someone trying to sell me their product a sec ago, WHOA, it is the Sick Sense!)

NEVER did I ever experience this type of behavior since I don’t act like this. I love what I do for a living so if someone asks me about it, I tell them because I love to share and talk. My family is filled with entrepreneurs and we always treated everyone as a friend so I know that is where my business sense and approach comes from. LOVE learning from others and partnering for continued education is what I see when I walk into a room. How I may be able to help others achieve their goals is what I see. Even making friends

The online networking and new media of the Internet has been an amazing place to connect with so many great people in the industry. Twitter, Facebook, MySpace; all great places to meet others. I met Si through MySpace which then led to meeting Alejandro from SuccessFool.com, yourself , John Guanzon, Huey Lee and many others who have given me unbelievable support and ideas.

So if anyone comes up to me and shoves their product in my face, don’t be shocked if I turn around and walk away. If I am in a mood and my Jersey side comes out, you will hear a few choice words. Don’t molest me please! Remember your Junior high school days,getting to every base takes time to achieve so seduce me…

Lisa
http://Twitter.com/PearlyWrites

I love that you were tweeting from my favorite place (er – besides the beach, of course). Now I know why I’ve always liked you.

I hate to be mean, but I think if someone had to cold-meet me at a Bookstore & asked the “compared to who” line – I’d HAVE to say – well CERTAINLY compared to YOU – b/c while you’re here pitching your product, I’m retired, reading a book & TRYING to relax, b/c my system sells FOR me, so I don’t have to (Loser!) well – ok – so I’d leave the loser part out… at least verbally.

But really – what is WITH people (are they mostly men that use this terrorist-style approach?) that think by INSULTING you, you’ll run into their arms & beg,

“oooh yes, Save me! Save me, o-my-knight-in-shining-armor w/ your cold-call way of life where I’ll be so financially free I’ll be able to sell and insult every book lover I meet! Yes! I want IN!”

All I can say is… DOH!
@CoachDeb

I LOVE IT! Thanks. I’ve always tried to articulate what I refere to as being “AMBUSHED” (Being approached by someone from AMway or now Quixtar) in my favorite place to relax, Borders book store.

I always see them coming, the most recent one about a week ago. He noticed I was using my IPHONE, most likly posting a tweet , and commented on it. Followed up by a bargae of questions (interviewing) and closed with “compared to who?” The “compared to who” line was a responce to his question I answered about how I was doing financiallly.

Imagine that a complete stranger asking me how much money I made and for some reason assuming because he approached me, “I’d date him”. I love that line thanks Deb.

P.S. Anyone else want to date me please feed me and at least ask for a kiss before asking me to marry you! LOL!

Awesome insite thanks again Deb…

Cheers!
Suzette

Today, more than ever,it’s about value exchange. People give you money when you provide value to them. But, funny thing is,that’s always been the business fundamental.

What’s different today? Too many people who are in MLM and Internet Marketing who don’t have a clue about how business fundamentally works. Too many people who think it’s easy. Too many people have a get-rich-quick mentality.We blame it on the marketers. Nope, it’s a two-way street. Lots of people are willing to drink the Kool-Aid, and then blame the evil marketer when it doesn’t instantly produce, even when you didn’t crack the seal on the product or take any ACTION.

“I want to grow, but I don’t want to change.” How absurd!

So many people want the growth, want the money, but they’re not willing to grow, not willing to get outside their comfort zones.

So they use the same dumb-ass, ineffective, “Old-School, interruption, in-your-face, marketing and sales techniques.

Why do they use these techniques? Because it’s the same ineffective stuff that bombards them every day.It’s their mis-perception of how marketing and sales really works.

How many people honestly invest the time and effort to learn their true strengths, develop a personal authentic, transparent brand, and then identify the target market that aligns with the unique value that they, and only they, deliver?

How many MLM programs teach this vs. the mentality that everyone is a “customer”, everyone is a “recruit”, and then focus on “tactics” such as sales pitches, how to approach strangers,etc.

To me, that’s the basic flaw of MLM. How can you “clone” the messenger, when the market demands the exact opposite?

There’s too much noise today, people are too damn busy, they’ve been pitched and burned too many times. Here’s the truth of “Everyone is your customer.”:

One third of the people will hate you.
One third of the people are too busy with their lives to even notice you.
One third of the people will love you.

Personally, life is too short to work with people who you don’t love and who don’t love you back.

Work on building true, honest friendships with people you love and love you back.If you’re true, authentic, transparent and deliver value, you’ll naturally attract people you love, and who love you.

People buy from people they know, like, and trust. Always have and always will.

Sometimes you connect with people right away. Love at first sight. But, usually you gotta invest in the relationship to build trust.

Rick, great rhetorical question. Just like golf, tennis, playing the guitar… any skill you want to master, unless you happen to be a gifted Prodigy, you know the answer to your question:

There are no short-cuts other than having a mentor or coach who cares about you and loves you, understands and is committed to the fundamentals of marketing and sales, and has walked the walk.

Also, understand this about coaching. The more direct one-on-one help you want, typically the faster you’ll grow. Also, the more one-on-one help you want, the more it’s going to cost you.

Finally, there is no free lunch. You only get to sit around Tweeting peeps in Paradise after you’ve paid your dues.

Be remarkable, be you, be unique… and then spread your love,

Thanks for proving my point.

Here you are, trying to do things “differently” in the MLM world, and what does your “upline” say/do?

Do they encourage you? Or discourage you by trying to manipulate you with their sarcastic language saying you’re “not a heavy-hitter”?

If YOU are teaching/coaching your students & downline DIFFERENTLY – than BRAVO!!! Pat yourself on the back & keep on doing what you’re doing. Good for you!

Call you what I will?
I’ll tell ya’ what I’ll call you:

I’ll call you brilliant! Innovative! Proactive, ahead of the curve. Keep it up.

There are so many GREAT products/services offered via “network marketing” but if everyone has the SAME exact strategy no one will benefit from them, because no one will stand out therefore the marketplace will be turned off immediately once they “see the signs”.

You see it all over the place on MySpace – they might as well form a cookie cutter shadow around their profile – cuz it’s all the SAME wording, etc.

Know what I’m sayin?!