The Absolutely Critical Step 2: Do It! [Part 2] — A step-by-step guide to acting on the knowledge that you’ve invested time and money on to acquire.

Are you wondering, as I did a couple of years ago, why most people fail to apply the knowledge they acquire? Knowledge that, in some cases, savings accounts were emptied in order to acquire it? Friend, some of the reasons I uncovered will surprise you.

Procrastination is definitely one of them. But, surprisingly, it does not even rank among the top four reasons! Here are the shocking 12 reasons people fail to take necessary action that would’ve guaranteed they consistently get paid by the Invisible Paymaster:

Instant gratification; lack of patience; covetousness; low self esteem; procrastination; lack of confidence; misplaced priority; money pressure; inability to handle set-backs; lack of focus; lack of self discipline; inability to handle frustration.

1. Instant Gratification.

This is number one on the list. Most people who go for knowledge, do so believing that once they acquire it, money will start to roll in. That is why people celebrate their certificates. That is why they empty their savings account to pay for the courses they attend and the training manuals they buy.

But this is a terrible assumption. A very big mistake. Knowing how to do something, by learning it, only prepares you for the next stage of doing what you learn. And just as it’s important for you to learn it, so also is it crucial that you do it, that is, practice what you learn until you master it.

2. Lack of Patience.

When you say someone lacks patience, what are you really saying? Simple. The person cannot stand any form of delays. He wants it now. Right now. Standing in line in a grocery store to make payment or joining a queue to take a bus is too much of a burden.

Whether in mundane things such as queuing in a line for your turn or waiting for a business proposal to be approved, inability to be patient until things fall into their proper place is a disease that anyone afflicted by it must quickly find a cure.

Lack of patience will cause you to abandon a project that requires a few more months to hit its stride and start bringing in the cash you desperately need. Impatiently leaving it to rush and start something else is never a smart thing to do.

Everything in life takes a process. If you abandon a project and jump on another one, you’ll still have to be patient for the new project to take shape. In the end, you’ll have longer time to wait than if you had seen the first project through.

3. Covetousness.

Surprised? You need not be. Covetousness is a major stumbling block to people who fail to follow-up what they know with actually doing it. Ever heard of the grass being greener at the other side of the fence? That’s covetousness at work right there.

No matter who you are, if you’ve ever attempted to do something that someone else is also doing, and that other person has an edge over yours, no matter how small that edge may be, you naturally feel that you are lagging behind, that your progress is retarded and that you’re not measuring up.

If you’ve ever felt this way, know that you’re not alone. But here’s a note of warning: don’t act on that feeling! Don’t pack up what you’re working on and embark on something else. Or do something that is even worst and stupid, like copying the other person.

If you do that, you’ll lose your identity and all your previous efforts will come to nought.

In the next issue, I’ll continue right where I stopped. Then, after that, I’ll give you specific strategies for evading these booby traps that slow down the progress of many financial freedom seekers.

Support! Do I hear you say support? What support you ask? Today ask anyone if they believe that you can get support when it is advertised as being available?

No matter what your profession trade or service industry, it is the one thing that people/clients, yes, businesses themselves, complain about more than any thing else today.
It is the one of the major causes of businesses not succeeding and possibly failing!

Have we brought this on ourselves? I believe we have in some cases!

Look at the banks, just last year, let alone a few years ago, every new investor or borrower secured, meant more chance of a big bonus for the advisor or client relationship manager (a great title that gives you the warm feeling that you are special). So, no matter whether the product or service is right for the individual or company, they would be pushed into “sign on the dotted line” with promises of support and help (tutoring, coaching, training, expert advice, direct access to the professionals, etc.) 24/7.

No mention is made that the support staff are not based locally and staff at the end of the number you have been given do not work 24/7 or you are asked to leave a message and a ticket will be logged. They glibly tell you a client relationship manager or a customer service advisor or the support desk, (desks do not talk!) will get back to you. In the case of some Banks or Insurance companies the nearest Branch have not been trained to provide that much needed help help, and recommend you call another number to speak to customer support!

I hear you say it has always been like that, one way or another, good service and support has never been perfect! So what am I on about?

I would like for a moment to address the problems we face today! In this fast changing world where e-Commerce is becoming the most common and almost the only way you can do your business. Such as contracting with local suppliers to get electricity/water connected, or signup for training / educational courses! E-Commerce has come along with a host of new problems!

A few of them are related to criminal activities, but lets put those aside for a moment, the most reputable companies do have very good support desks, but not all of them! There are many where very rarely can you reach someone (ANYONE THERE?) on the phone or Live Support Desk if you need help and to talk to a real live person to ask a question!

I do not believe that we have to accept this as the way of doing business today, particularly when it comes to buying programs/systems that claim to include all the education and support that you need.

Today it may be acceptable for some who are fortunate enough to have a good understanding of technology and the Internet! …But I must ask you – what about the businesses that offer video based training? Telling you it will be all that you will ever need to get you fully trained in your chosen field, including Internet Businesses. Usually it comes with assurance in writing or verbal, that there is a support desk to assist, 24/7. … Great, you say, what’s wrong with that, you ask?

Till recently I would have agreed with you but after being given similar assurances I when buying an awesome Internet Business product from a sponsor who did not deliver the support and training promised. I was fortunate enough to transfer to a very supportive team with genuine live training 4 nights a week. Here, I have met and talked to a number of individuals, some who have put their hopes and dreams into buying the products in the past, which offered them solutions to their problems.

Believing the pitches “we will hold your hand and live training will be given once or twice a week”. They sign on the dotted line pay over their “for a rainy day savings”. A week later they are on the live training call only to hear a recorded video! That is not all! Someone is there, pressing the buttons “Play Recording” in the webinar (web seminar) but as hard as listeners try he/she ignores all the questions and raised hands! That my friends, equals no support! Nor training in my book. No wonder Internet marketing is viewed skeptically if that is all people are getting from some promoters’ of Internet business opportunities.

It is just the same as being told we have logged your request and someone in that department will get back to you! Really how often does someone get back 24 hours later, when you needed help within an hour or two? On occasions you are sent to the FAQ’s automated recording list of answers. Please do not get me wrong, all these systems work, and have a place in support of clients and in business. It is just that I say, we are not ROBOTS, our levels of understanding differ from person to person, Jack may understand every thing perfectly, but Ahmed or Jane need the instructions to be phrased differently.

“We live in multi cultural societies now, so we should be able to understand each other!” I hear you saying. I agree, but we are all from different cultures and local direct assistance should, in my opinion, be offered where ever possible.

So after all that what do I think we should do? When I have talked to friends, family and team members we have all agreed that the very best advice to give individuals, prospects/customers, is best summed up as follows, Buyer Beware! Is not enough anymore?

First, let me clarify that I am, specifically, here to talk about internet training and courses! To make it real easy for you here is a list of the recommendations I give individuals when talking to them about opportunities they are considering.

1. Do due diligence on the Person
2. On the Company
3. On the program product or system

1. On the person Google “Their” their full name, just type it in and you will be able to see how involved they are and review some of their internet activities. You can in many cases Google http://whois.com. Or go to Facebook and MySpace and search for them.

2. Do the same thing on the company say YourNetBiz and again you will be able to see how broadly they are covered on the internet.

3. To research the product may take a little more work on your part, but it will be worth it, talk to the person who is offering you the opportunity and ask the following questions.

1. Could you sit in on a webinar with others?
2. Could you talk to others who have bought / invested with him or his sponsor or mentor?
3. Ask if all the training calls are just ‘pre-recorded’ calls?

In addition –
Read as many testimonials as you can!

But most of all, sleep on it! Do not fall for the you must buy now! – Before the price increase or all the spaces are booked, we only have space for 12 this month!

They are in business to sell you something, and that is what they are trained to do!
Follow your Gut instinct, if you are unsure, you will know it, all the more reason to hold back.

After close on 4 Years researching the Internet Market, I can assure you all, that there are a number of very good companies out there, offering you great business opportunities!

Another option is to consider doing an introduction course where you learn the basics before spending your hard earned money.

Take your time and select one that is right for you and “Will Give You The Ability To Achieve Your Financial Dreams!”

Did you know that 50% of new businesses fail in the first 5 years? In fact according to small business trends 70% of new businesses will go to the wall in 10 years. It’s as if the deck is stacked against you right from the word go.

The reasons behind this can be:

1) Lack of experience.
2) Personal use of business funds.
3) Poor location.
4) Poor inventory management.
5) Over investment in fixed assets.
6) Poor credit arrangements.
7) Insufficient capital.
8) Unexpected growth.

Get one of the above wrong and your business will struggle. get two or three wrong and pretty soon your business starts to suffer from all eight. Is it any wonder so many people are turning to home based businesses.

With a home based business it is possible to eliminate many of the pitfalls of starting out on your own.
The hardest part is probably finding the right opportunity. Find your self a mentor that cares about your success and isn’t just in it for the money and you are half way there, but choose wisely my friend. so many people out there promise you riches beyond your wildest dreams and then miss out one vital piece of the jigsaw that makes it impossible to make cent one.

With a good internet business, location makes no difference you can run it from anywhere, Pay yourself a salary but remember to pay your taxes. There is no inventory as you need not deal in physical products, only digital. The only fixed assets you probably need to start are a lap top and a cell phone. Pick the right program and you can make money from almost nothing and then reinvest in your business, and as things grow just add a little here and there to as required to take it to the next level.

Did you know that 50% of new businesses fail in the first 5 years? In fact according to small business trends 70% of new businesses will go to the wall in 10 years. It’s as if the deck is stacked against you right from the word go.

The reasons behind this can be:

1) Lack of experience.
2) Personal use of business funds.
3) Poor location.
4) Poor inventory management.
5) Over investment in fixed assets.
6) Poor credit arrangements.
7) Insufficient capital.
8) Unexpected growth.

Get one of the above wrong and your business will struggle. get two or three wrong and pretty soon your business starts to suffer from all eight. Is it any wonder so many people are turning to home based businesses.

With a home based business it is possible to eliminate many of the pitfalls of starting out on your own.
The hardest part is probably finding the right opportunity. Find your self a mentor that cares about your success and isn’t just in it for the money and you are half way there, but choose wisely my friend. so many people out there promise you riches beyond your wildest dreams and then miss out one vital piece of the jigsaw that makes it impossible to make cent one.

With a good internet business, location makes no difference you can run it from anywhere, Pay yourself a salary but remember to pay your taxes. There is no inventory as you need not deal in physical products, only digital. The only fixed assets you probably need to start are a lap top and a cell phone. Pick the right program and you can make money from almost nothing and then reinvest in your business, and as things grow just add a little here and there to as required to take it to the next level.

You might be considering venturing into business and money making. That is a bright idea. You have a lot of doors and opportunities to tap into. One such opportunity is doing your business on the internet. That is what is known as internet marketing. It could be described as a world market, because people all over the world could have access to your products. The principal things you need are:

1. Knowledge of what the market is.
2. The product you desire to sell.
3. A computer.
4. Internet connection.

I have come to an understanding that many people do not know exactly what the internet market is all about. Many people have done one form of transaction or another on the internet but they do not know that they are dealing with a real market.

My intention in this article is to highlight some of the challenges an internet business person might encounter. My aim is to seek for solution to these problems.

1. Promoting your market. After setting up your internet business, one core area of concern is getting your market to the people who should buy what you are selling. Some of the things you should do are to promote your business extensively through advertising on a number of media. These include Google, yahoo and others. Ways to do it include:

– Free classified ads. You will find this rewarding. However it is very slow and you will need to work hard to find good sites for yourself.

– Pay per click. In this type of advertising media, you pay to get promoted. I will advice that you understand the market before taking this option. It works well but any person who dabbles into it without knowledge will loss lots of money at the onset.

– Offline ads. You will do well to let people know that your products are online. If you were to place an advert in a local newspaper, including your online site is important. If you wish to distribute flyers, it is vital to include your online site.

– Networking is also a good way to promote your products. I must let you know that there are all manners of people in many of the networking sites, promoting all kind of things and in many cases so many of them do not pay attention to your advert. Some of the sites are free, some others ask for registration fee and some would promote you in exchange for your e-mail addresses. In the later you end up with all manner of mails to your email box. Work diligently on this to get good network forum for your business.

– You can promote through articles.
You must be on your guard against frivolous promotions that blow peoples mind. Most of them would tell you that if you subscribe to them they would turn you into a millionaire overnight. If you believe that, you can believe anything. Study your promotion drives careful and then make your decisions.
These processes do not take ages, it requires just a time to study, and this differs from individuals and their commitments.

Handling sales:

– Clear payment information, for example: PayPal, checks etc.
– Delivery: this includes postage or any other means you wish to delivery the purchased good.
– Sales note. You should include this with the items you are delivering. It states what was bought, the quantity, amount paid etc
– Complaints. You must master how to handle complaints. It matters in business.
– Feed back. Getting feedback is important. It helps you to improve your business and customer relations.
– Handling losses. Business involves profit and loss. It is important you know this. Work to avoid losses but be courageous if it happens. Your aim should be to minimize loses at all times.
Overcoming transition time: All businesses have maturation time, before this time there could be lots of struggles and work. It depends on individuals, environment, economic situation and investments. The important question is,
– What should one do between start up time and success time? You need patience, planning and perseverance.
– Overcoming discouragement. You must never be discouraged and never abandon your idea. Keep focus on the future you desire to see and pray.

Internet business can provide lots of alternative at a crucial time. It is a good opportunity for all who wish to do part time business. If you have chosen to do business on the internet, that is a great idea and I wish you success.

A mentor knows — or should know — one or two things more than you, the mentoree. That’s why they are called mentors. They are masters in the field where they have expertise. They didn’t just become masters. They paid their dues.

They invested quality time learning what they became experts on.
And this is why anyone seeking to achieve their level of success ought to listen to them. But guess what? Most people don’t do what their mentors tell them. Not even when they pay hefty fees for the advice.
Does that include you?

Consider the following: You’re smart enough to know you should have a mentor. And you have the good sense to locate the mentor that is right for you.

The mentor, whose expertise in the field you’re trying to excel in is legendary, tells you what you should do to achieve success.

You nod your head, giving the impression that you’ve got the answer you were looking for, and that you were going to do exactly what you were told.
Your mentor’s instruction was simple and clear.

When you get to the end of a particular road, turn to the left, he directs. But on getting to the end of that road, you notice that your final destination the place you asked your guide to lead you to, is a short distance away if you turned to the right.

Lured by your desire to get there faster, you abandon the instruction of your mentor, without bothering to ask yourself why your mentor wanted you to avoid the short cut. Neither do you consider it wise to go back and tell him about your new discovery, and what he thinks about it.
Instead, you just head off in the opposite direction.

And, as it most often than not happens, midway into what appeared to be a short cut to your destination, you get bogged down, stranded. And, if you’re like most people who acted against the informed advice of their mentors, you do everything you can to avoid him like a plague.

Some would even go as far as blaming the mentor for their woes. Such people with lopsided reasoning faculty would argue that he should ‘ve told them that there was a shorter road to where they were going and warn them not to take it.

If this represents your approach to your search for enduring success, then pause and have a rethink.
Your best bet is to follow the script your mentor gives you, especially if you have been careful in choosing the right one.

You should follow his leadership and do as you’re told. After you’ve successfully under-studied him and mastered how to do what you were taught, then you could afford the luxury of doing your own experiments and making your own discoveries.

That way, you’ll be practicing the knowledge that you acquired and preparing yourself to be a good mentor to others.

This is definitely a shorter cut to success, the way to get ahead in life. By going this route, you’ll avoid the costly mistake that most success seekers make, wasting their time and money and unnecessarily crashing what should’ve otherwise been a colourful destiny in the process.

If you’re trying to earn money online you will see a lot of so called business opportunities that promise quick payouts and huge returns. When you see MLM’s like this they are most likely scams. The methods used are usually unethical ways of making money or worse yet, be completely illegal. In many of these ponzi schemes some of the people who got in early will make money at the expense of those people who came in later. In a few months most of the companies are gone, with most people losing there investment entirely. Getting involved in these schemes is never a long-term plan for financial success online.

You can get rich with MLM companies but you need to change your idea of what get rich quick means. The true meaning is a few years, not overnight. Yes there are some who can jump in any company and make money right away. However the average person on the internet can not become a millionaire overnight by joining a MLM company. What you should be focusing on doing is building yourself a residual income instead of getting rich quick. In order to build a residual income you will need to be dedicated and have patience to succeed in any company. Do not jump from opportunity to opportunity.

Some MLM companies out there are not structured to be around for years down the road or the CEO has a track record of opening and closing companies every few years. It is important that you research a company and the CEO before joining to find out that information. You want to avoid those types of companies, while they may not be scams you can not build a long term residual income if the company will not be around after a few years. You are looking for a solid company that has a track record and will be around 10 years plus. There are legitimate MLM companies out there that are structured for long term success for you to build yourself a residual income.

There are many warning signs that scream scam when you are looking at a MLM company. Some of the obvious signs are companies that have no name of the CEO or a contact phone number on the website. You have to ask yourself if this is a legitimate opportunity why are they hiding there information. Signs that are no so obvious are start up fees, front loading of products, selling leads and training where you have to pay. These all look like legitimate costs, but for the most part they are additional ways for the company to make money off of you.

One simple rule to spotting get rich quick scams, is if the proposal seems too good to be real then it most likely is a scam. MLM is not get rich quick it is build a long term residual income. This will take time, dedication and hard work. With the right company any one can succeed online.

As soon as the early zeros the Internet has entered into our lives drastically. Business and households throughout the world, at least in the more advanced countries, are using the Internet as an everyday tool. More and more people are using the Internet and in fact it has become in ways a cornerstone for many activities.

One might think “that yes it is there it is growing etc. etc. but it is a tool that works under mans hand”.

These days one can program a bunch of advertising machines (Google, Yahoo) to generate traffic to their site and that is done automatically. In this fashion, traffic is visiting ones site and possibly could be making sales, while he/she is unaware of that. It is obvious that some “human hand” has to be involved, but the bottom line is that the work is minimal and the cash flows. But then again, one needs a product, in order to have something to sale. There are many websites out there that offer products for resale. Furthermore, one can sale a so called service, a virtual product. One can actually get a web site running for free and start advertising for free or paid. The results can be amazing. So to put it clear, one does not need a real product in order to makes sales through the Internet. A virtual product would do fine, as long it is kept well advertised. In this way, many people can generate significant amount of money without having to struggle like in a real life work basis. Who wants to get up early and spend half a day at the office?

But there is always a catch.

One can spend loads amounts of money investing on the Internet without results. The point is to choose wisely and a good lesson is trial and error. There are many sites one can find to help him/her to generate cash.Just type in Google “making money online” and see what comes up.

So you’ve started a new MLM or home Internet business and you’re not getting the results that you’ve expected. When you first started did you think that you would start making money overnight, a few grand in the first month. It’s probably not that you’ve been taken or scammed; many people are making a great living in with home businesses or in the MLM industry. The problem is that you have not set your plan for the long term.

Within the first 3 months of being in a MLM or Internet type home business, most owners have closed shop and in the process wasted money, probably a good bit too. In fact 98% of business owners in the MLM or Internet industry fail. So, how do you become part of the successful 2%?

First, realize this isn’t a race and odds are that you are not going to make thousands in your first few months. In fact, you may not make a dime for a few months. Most of you have spent on average anywhere from $500 to $2,000 to become a distributor or associate for your MLM or home Internet business. Now, that’s not a ton of money, but throwing it out the window would sting a bit. But, I bet it would be a lot tougher to throw $100,000 to $200,000 out the window, which is what you would have paid to buy into some well-known franchise. So how soon would you pack it in if you were not making any money with you franchise, 3 months, 6 months, a year? I’ll bet you would try everything you could to make that business work. Now, why are people packing it in after just a few months without much success? It DOESN’T STING ENOUGH, it isn’t $100 grand. New MLM and home business owners are not as committed, when they pack it in their business is just a bad memory. Ok, my point, Have a long-term plan, don’t expect to make it happen in the first few months and follow a course of action for at least a year.

Now, following a course of action for a year doesn’t mean if what you are doing is not working, just keep doing it. You have to build a skill set and find out what works. If your MLM training is not working for you, find something new and invest your time in a new technique. Don’t quit, there are many successful people in both MLM and Internet home businesses, but I’ll guarantee you that most of them didn’t make it happen in just a few months. They didn’t quit; they kept at it and found what works.

Treat your business as just that, a business not a hobby. Set hours every day to work it and I do mean work. If for one second you think that it will be easy and all you have to do is place a few ads and set up a web site and the money will start rolling in, you will be one of the 98%. That being said, it will get easier at some point after you get the ball rolling and figure out what works. But in the beginning it you will work every bit as hard as you do at your job. Ask yourself a question, would you rather work hard for yourself or work hard for someone else? If you’re like most, you joined your MLM or Home Business to work on your on terms and realize your financial dreams and odds are you know it won’t happen in your job. MLM and Internet home based businesses are absolutely the way for the average person to achieve realize their dreams.

As a former golf professional, evaluation and risk management is par for the course (pardon the pun). No matter what the situation, the thought process remained the same. If you are willing to accept the consequences of your actions then go ahead. If you are hesitant because of the potential outcome, do not do it….. It’s called evaluation.

Why is it then that so many people fail to evaluate their MLM business, both new opportunities and existing interests?

All network marketers should have at least a basic understanding as to where you sit in the market place and if you’re looking to start your own business, the criteria listed are a good way to start your research.

What is the product?

oIs it top quality or is it a fad?
oHow many products are available to be marketed?
oIs money invested in the market research?
oIs the product consumable meaning repeat business orders?
oDoes the product offer great value or is it cheaper elsewhere?
oAre you happy to use the product? Even if you were not in the company?
oDoes the product give you confidence in what you are doing?

Clarify Expectations

oWhat are the expectations of you and what do you expect from not only the business but also from the training and mentor programs? If there is a clash here, the results could be terminal.
oDoes your personality match that of your potential upline? Are they a giving type of person or are they in this to service their own needs?

Compensation Plan

oThis varies right across the board. There are companies with plans providing over 60% and there are companies paying a whole lot less with the industry standard being approximately 50%. If you are going to work hard, you may as well get the biggest bang for your buck!

Retention rates

oThis can destroy businesses and often does. It is like filling a bucket full of water only to find out that the bucket is full of holes!
oIndustry average unfortunately is approximately 15% but the good news is there are MLM businesses with substantially higher rates due to mainly to the product they are marketing and the training environments provided by their leadership.

Marketing strategy

oHow do they generate business?
oDoes this style match up to your personal attributes?
oDoes the strategy require many, many hours and in your face strategies?

Automation

oHave processes been put in place to automate your business? The idea being to free up your time so you can work on the real gritty parts of the business.
History of the company
oDo not go into this blind. Make sure you have all the information you need to make an informative decision. The last thing you need is to find out the company is just starting out. (Unless of course you are searching for such a chance).

Teaching

oWhat systems are in place to provide the teaching tools you need and the personal mentoring you will require?
oAre the tools a way for your teachers to make money or are they freely available for your development?

Investment

oWhat is your capital investment? What other capital might be required after starting up?
oWhat time investment will be required?
oGenerally It will either cost money or it will cost you time?

Duplication

oWhilst the duplication of successful processes has merit, it is impossible to duplicate people and the personalities that are attached.
oIs there going to be room for you to be you?

Put the emotion aside for a moment and let your own personality, beliefs and people judgment skills guide you. The choices you make when looking at MLM businesses are far more crucial than some of the everyday evaluations we make. Take a little time and reward yourself for your efforts.

We evaluate situations every single day and so it should be that every business opportunity requires extensive and logical evaluation. After coaching for over 20 years in a number of various roles in the outside world it is now time to embrace the wide world web. The same principles for personal success are now being shared online and have contributed to the launching of mlmstrokeoffortune which can be found at [http://www.mlmstrokeoffortune.com].