Are you ready to finally get serious and make some money in your home business? Okay, before you read another word, here's a simple but important exercise that will be explained later. Locate a mirror and look into that mirror for exactly three seconds.
Now, unless you are a fullblooded vampire, you were just looking at the key to making money in your business--you. There are millions of people out there just like you that want success, financial security, time freedom, and all the other great things that come with having a profitable home business. However, they simply fail to take real action. Yes, they may in fact complete steps A and B but they never get to C or D.
By the way, even if you didn't literally get up and find a mirror, it's critical that you possess the ability to be coached if you truly want to succeed as an entrepreneur. It is not always easy to find someone that will take you under their wing, but they do exist. Like everything else in life, it will take a fair amount of effort on your part to find someone willing to show you what it takes to finally make it. Notice that I didn't say anything about making it big. You are the person that determines what success means to you and how much money you need to earn to be happy.
Ultimately, whether you are a success or not in your business, it all starts with you, your attitude, and your goals. There is no time to waste blaming your sponsor, fellow team members, marketing brochures or anything else along those lines. Instead, spend your energy on expanding your knowledge, sharpening your skills, and learning from those people who have already accomplished the very thing that you want in life.
Prior to becoming a Marine Drill Instructor at the age of 21, I knew that's what I wanted to do. I had that vision immediately after I realized their positive impact on other people. I absolutely had to wear the famous campaign cover (hat) and it's what I thought about constantly. Once that goal was solidified, I then had to make a plan. How would I get there?
I won't bore you with the entire story but I will say that it involved learning from someone who had already been there. A person that had already been on the path that I wanted to travel. The skills he taught me allowed me to win several meritorious promotions, and as they say, the rest is history. I returned to Parris Island so fast that one of my former Drill Instructors was still on the island. He even asked me "what are you doing here?"
This is more of a self-help type article than it is a marketing article but maybe we can combine the two for a few minutes. Can you name two or three of the hottest marketing trends on the internet right now? I only ask about the internet because that's probably where you are most likely viewing this article. Obviously, marketing your business is never limited to just the net but let's start here. Okay, your time is up. Can you name two or three techniques that many of the major marketers are utilizing in 2006?
If you were not able to answer that question quickly and confidently, you are probably already behind the curve. This is especially true if you are doing any online marketing. There is no single correct answer to the question but most experts would agree that blogs, articles, and ezines are probably right up there in the top 10. Do you have a blog? Do you write articles? If your answer was "no," why not?
Many of us can look back in our lives and immediately pinpoint times that we missed the boat or were left behind. Sometimes it's because you are not in a position to take advantage of the opportunity presented, while other times it's because you simply failed to take immediate action. It's important to realize that, in business, you cannot afford to be left behind too many times. As one of the top home business experts likes to say... "Don't you want it in your lifetime?" Life is short and you don't have forever to accomplish the things you want.
Let's get back to the blogs and articles. If you are not aware of these strategies and taking advantage of them, it's because you are not spending enough time learning and developing your skills, or maybe you are not all that serious about your business. Again, this article is not really about blogs but they are a way to focus in on a more important core issue.
Yes, that previous comment about you not being serious is a hard thing to admit for some of us, but it may be true. Maybe you have some very legitimate reasons as to why you are not serious at the moment but the key is to be honest with yourself about it. There is nothing worse than giving half effort, failing, and then blaming the whole world for not finding success. Only when you commit fully are you truly able to learn and ultimately win, even if you happen to fall short the first time. On the other hand, if you are 100% serious, you need to stand up and look in that mirror again. Determine that you are finally ready to make this thing work and take full action. It's simply not good enough to half-step.
Since this is one part marketing lesson, what about the blogs? Well, literally anyone can start a blog about almost any subject. I know people nearly 90 years old with blogs. That's amazing when you think about it. As a matter of fact, you don't even have to pay for the service. You can do a search for free blogs and have it up and running in a matter of minutes. Clearly, you would have to do more than just throwing it up online like writing something in it regularly and finding some simple ways to promote it.
But, be careful not to miss the main point. People that are serious about their businesses will, at a minimum, know about blogs and keep up to date on what is happening in their industry. They will also work to keep themselves on the cutting edge as well as keeping their personal skills fine tuned. These are the people that are reading websites, attending seminars, and learning everything they can, while others are watching television and complaining that a home type business just doesn't work well for them. You must realize that success is virtually impossible without true effort and the right skills.
This is not to say what people should or should not do with their lives or to pass judgement in any way whatsoever. The sole purpose for mentioning any of this is to make the point that getting to the top is not easy. It takes tremendous dedication, work and desire to reach your financial and personal goals. There are no "get rich quick" answers to quitting your job, providing for your family, or having the time freedom that you crave. You simply have to make a firm decision to do it and then get busy. More importantly, you never give up on your dreams.
Even if you don't know their full stories, the people that you see as successful today made great sacrifices yesterday to get there. Many of these people will share their stories of how they had to sleep in their cars and eat cheap packages of noodles while they struggled to make it happen. However, there are others that are more reserved and don't share their stories, but still had to fight through similar tough times to finally reach their goals.
If you want to truly achieve success and eliminate the 45 year plan of working for someone else, be completely honest with yourself and ask "Do I really want this?" If you are able to respond with an unquestionable "yes," then it is time to find a mentor, sharpen those skills, and get to work.
"So, what are you going to do...barbecue or mildew?"
E. Kinton, Jr. is a former Marine Corps Drill Instructor turned entrepreneur. He is the owner of MMC Global Marketing and the founder of NationalNetworkers.com a free marketing resource site for Network Marketers.
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