Social media marketing defined nice title,however, how will you ever do it. There are: 255 MILLION websites worldwide, almost 2 BILLION Internet users worldwide, 152 MILLION Blogs, 600 MILLION Facebook users, 25 BILLION tweets sent in 2010 and an average of 294 BILLION email messages sent per day. How can anyone define what is going on?

It’s very simple, Social Media Marketing is a conversation. That’s it. You don’t have to be a techno geek to participate, it is just a conversation. Social media marketing defined – it’s a conversation.

Let’s look at its components.

Social: According to Webster, social is: “(1) friendly companionship or relations” “(2) living or disposed to living in companionship with others or in a community, rather than in isolation.”

No doubt about it, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, MySpace and all the others are communities. Each has its own culture created by participating “inhabitants” or members of the community. Facebook’s very family and friends orientation, MySpace is more youth oriented, Twitter and Linkedin are much more business and professional while YouTube spans the generations and cultures.

No matter the orientation, people go to those communities to connect with others for whatever reason. Social media in commercializing the Internet as never before. Wherever the people are you will find entrepreneurs who will find out what they want and get it for them. And the people are definitely online. The socializing process brings into play the basic fundamentals of network marketing or people to people marketing, rather than the impersonal big box marketing methods, creating the social and personal experience that the social media marketplace is looking for.

Media: Webster says, media is: “The means of communication, as radio, television, newspapers and magazines, with wide reach and influence.” Let’s see, Facebook has 600+ million users which, if it were a country, would make it the 3rd largest in the world behind China and India. Twitter has a 100+ million users and YouTube has over 2 billion views a day.

When you look at these numbers, I think you will agree with me that these communities definitely qualify as media. They broadcast the message in a way radio, television and the newspapers never could. In seconds, a message or video can go viral around the world.

Marketing: According to Webster, marketing is: “The activities, as advertising, packaging, and selling, involved in transferring goods from the producer to the consumer” while market is “an economic situation in which supply and demand interact through the activity of buyers and sellers.”

Studies show that 78% of the population trust peer recommendations vs. 14% trust advertising. WOW! No wonder advertisers are so anxious to access the social communities. Most everyone they want is right there, they are talking with each other, asking for recommendations from others in their communities and they can be reached for a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. If you like reading statistics, read “Does Social Media Marketing Makes Sense for the Smallest Businesses?”

When you put it together, you can see that social media marketing defined is a conversation either 1-to-1 or 1-to-many. With social media marketing, aside from those looking for purely social or family connections, you can find buyers for your products or services as well as potential partners for your business. Even if a connection begins as purely social, it is inevitable that at some point conversations will take place pro and con on a certain product, service or company.

Let’s get social! Will you connect with me?

What are the 5 top qualities in a network marketing business partner for the online entrepreneur to look for? By the way these qualities apply as well to your sponsor and upline as they do to your prospective business partners.

If you are like most people joining a network marketing company today, and by the way there are A LOT of people doing just that, you are being enthusiastically introduced to your upline who is going to show you how to get to the Promised Land. Let’s face it, you are told, they have been very successful in the network marketing business and they can show you how.

Your upline is a leader in the industry they have a network marketing tip for every network marketing business situation. Challenge is that you and your upline are generations apart. You are part of the Internet generation. You’re ready to go online and knock-um dead. How? You’re not sure but you know it can be done.

Your upline recommends that you do it the way they did it. You make a list of 100 hundred of your closest friends. No problem, you have 15,000 friends on Twitter 100 is not going to be a cake walk. Oops, you’re supposed to know these friends. You mean like know them personally? Yep! Well, like, why?

And, in a way, you’re right. This is the challenge we face in the network marketing business today. It is the bringing together of social media marketingand network marketing. Bringing together the online social networking generation and the hands on “sell-um now” generation. It is going to happen. The question is is it going to happen to your downline?

Let me give you a little help here. This is going to work. It only requires that you and your upline both give a little. You both want the same thing and can help each other get it. Your upline wants to understand social networking and how to integrate it into their network marketing organization. You want to have the lifestyle that your upline enjoys.

So, how do we make it happen? You ask me, that’s why I get the big bucks. Just kidding! I’ll tell you, well not everything, for free.

So you have joined a network marketing company and are very excited to tell everyone you know about it. Your streetwise sponsor tells you to make a list of people so that together you will decide who, most likely, are your “best” prospective network marketing business partners. Since your sponsor probably isn’t part of your online family and doesn’t know your personal family, friends or contacts, how can your sponsor know who is likely to be the best candidate?

The answer is quite simple. History shows that people who have these 5 qualities experience high levels of success in the network marketing business. And these qualities are just as true for your online candidates as they are for your physically present candidates. You are looking for people with:

Good people skills. Since network marketing is a people business, it makes sense that people who like and interact well with people have a definite edge. We have found that online technology makes exchanging information much easier, however, this is still a people business. Let’s face it, all of us like talking with people who are easy to talk with, who are good listeners as well as warm and open. Their online presence should generate personal warmth and professionalism that will encourage people to want to interact with them.

Coachable. The reason it is so important that your new partner be Coachable and open to instruction is because this is a new industry for them. Even if they have a degree in a field/profession or have first hand experience of doing a job, whenever a person starts a new position, there is unique instruction that is required. This is particularly true as you integrate social networking and network marketing. A candidate is going to have to be open to being taught the system and skill sets necessary to give them the results they want.

Reliable. You need partners who will show up when they say they will and will keep their commitments. If they don’t show up for you and keep their commitments to you, they will not do it with their team members. If they don’t do it with their team members, they will never build a business and all involved will have wasted time and effort as well as experienced great frustration. Simply put, you want people who’ll do what they say they’ll do!

Credibility and Influence. What I mean by this is someone of good character who, when they speak, online or off-line people listen. Think about it, if someone is 40 or 50 years old and they have no credibility or influence with others, it speaks volumes about the way they have lived their lives.

Strong work ethic. This is so important because this is netWORK marketing, not netWISH marketing. In order to succeed in this industry, as with any other industry, a person must have a desire to succeed and be willing to take the consistent actions necessary to achieve success.

Does this sound like you and your friends and associates? If so, and you want to have more control of your life and your future, you may seriously want to consider a career in Network Marketing.

Recession Proof Business – strong statement for a powerful industry – the network marketing/direct selling industry. In this economy, it is more important than ever to understand the strength of this industry and its history. When you do, you will appreciate why world-renowned economist Paul Zane Pilzer, a highly successful social entrepreneur and author of nine best selling books, believes this industry is unstoppable.

He sees this industry as recession proof vs. what we see happening in the auto, real estate and most other industries these days.

Statistics show the network marketers/direct selling industry grew 90 percent in the last 10 years and is expected to double in the next ten years. Specifically, from years 2006-2016 it is expected to grow from 30 billion dollars in the United States and $100 billion dollars internationally to $60 billion and $200 billion respectively. That’s a recession proof business.

In his book The Next Millionaires Professor Pilzer goes on to say that “ten million new millionaires will be created between 2006-2016 . . . and that you can become one of them if you are in direct selling, technology, home based business, product distribution, or an emerging trillion-dollar industry like wellness.”

With those conclusions it is no wonder financial and business experts alike speak so highly of this industry. Rich Dad Poor Dad author Robert Kiyosaki wrote a couple of books recommending the industry while Billionaires Donald Trump and Sir Richard Branson of the Virgin Empire each own companies within it. Warren Buffet, arguably the most successful investor in the world, owns 3 companies in this industry. In fact, when he purchased Pampered Chef back in 2002 he said he considered it to be one of the best investments he ever made. That, from a man who definitely knows all about investments. is compelling.

They believe in the Now of this industry because of their knowledge and experience. Let’s go back in time so that I can share its history with you and why I believe it is a recession proof business.

Once upon a time, at the beginning of the 20th century, a man named Henry Heinz started his own company. Using vegetables, he made such products and ketchup and pickles to sell to consumers who were unable to grow their own vegetables. To spread the word of his products, he organized a sales force of some 400 people.

Asa Candler bought the formula for Coke Cola from pharmacist John Pemberton back in 1886 then formed a sales force to sell the syrup to restaurants.

Back in 1885 David McConnell created a sales force of some 10,000 reps for his California Perfume Company. In 1939 the name of the company changed to Avon Products. A high percentage of people have heard of Avon yet few realize it has been around 125 years and does in excess of $10 Billion a year in sales.

As his sales force developed, Carl Rehnborg, founder of California Vitamins noticed a couple of interesting things. It seemed that most of his new reps were friends of existing reps and they wanted to be able to buy the products at wholesale. Thus the term “friendship marketing” was born. From a financial standpoint his other discovery was significant. He realized that it was far more profitable for him to have a sales force of many people who each sold a small amount rather than having to rely on a few super stars.

What Carl did next was the start of network marketing as we know it today. First, he combined his two discoveries; then he created a compensation plan which encouraged his reps to enlist friends and family members as reps. California Vitamins changed its name to the NutraLite Food Supplement Corporation.

Over the next several decades numerous other companies that are still household names, opened their doors. Those recession proof businesses are still going strong, each with sales in the multiple billions of dollars a year. Here are a few of those familiar names:

1945—Tupperware founded by Earl Tupper and Brownie Wise

1956—Jafra Cosmetics founded by Jan and Frank Day

1963–Mary Kay Cosmetics founded by Mary Kay Ash

1959—Amway, founded by Jay Van Andel and Richard De Vos, two high school friends who joined NurtaLite after the war and subsequently took it over in 1972.

As you can see, the network marketing/direct selling industry is long lived recession proof business. The products introduced by companies in this industry over the years are well recognized round the world and often create new categories. For instance, did you realize that aloe vera was first introduced to us back in 1978 by a network marketing company based in Arizona? You probably have multiple products in your home with aloe vera in them and yet, even with all the other companies marketing aloe vera, that company still does multiple billions of dollars a year and commands a huge percentage of the market.

As you can see, this is an industry that is here to stay. Its longevity speaks to its ability not only to survive but to thrive in all economies a truly recession proof business; the experts mentioned above speak to its profitability and the millions of people involved speak to its possibilities delivered. A solid company within this industry gives you the vehicle to drive into the future you want for you and your family.

Do you understand why experts and those of involved in the industry are so passionate about it? Do you believe it can make the difference in your life? Do you see how social networking is going to make it even bigger?

What is Social Networking? Before the Internet we would probably have said that social networking is a group of family and friends getting together or keeping in touch. However, the Internet has changed how we think of “getting together” and “keeping in touch.” Today “getting together” can mean meeting in a chat room as easily as it can mean meeting at Starbucks. Keeping in touch is done online as much or more as talking on the phone, unless you include texting over the phone which has replaced talking.

When we talk about “social networking” we most often are talking about online socializing. O.K., so what is social networking online? It is millions of people across every social, economic and geographic barrier sharing information and experiences with each other. Facebook alone has over 500 million registered users. Social networking Websites have become sophisticated communities that provide their users with information, friendship, advice, entertainment and the list goes on and on.

When we discuss online social networking and ask “what is social networking?” We have ask “what is social networking” globally. And the answer is that it is very exciting; we can become online friends with people we will probably never meet off line. It is also the place to be for local and international commerce. Online services like Amazon and craigslist have changed the way we buy, sell, exchange, hire and volunteer. While we may not consider E-commerce sites social networking venues we do expect to see comments from others on these sites. Let’s face it, shopping has evolved to a social experience and the mall is now online.

My point is that while online social networking encompasses everything, general sites like Facebook, business sites like linkedin, educational sites like this one, TV series addict sites like Miso, Cyclists sites like Pedal room, blood donor sites like i-Blood, you name it, it’s there. Most people consider social networking sites a place to socialize.

However, entrepreneurs follow the buyers and the buyers are online. More people over 50 are joining online networks than any other segment of the population. The over 50 generations, due to their sheer volume significantly influence every market they touch. Online entrepreneurs have taken notice and are making the online social networking experience acceptable to the senior population. Why do the online marketers care so much about the over 50 senior social networking set?

Aside from the fact that they control the majority of the purse strings, they tend to be loyal to a brand or service. Online that transfers to a more stable market, that is, these generation don’t surf the net as much as others. Therefore marketers can make their advertising more effective. Why do I bring all this commerce activity up when the question is what is social networking? Because social networking exists because advertisers are willing to pay big bucks to reach online buyers. So be nice to the advertiser and older newbies because they are a big reason that we can enjoy the social networking experience.

And it will only get bigger because online buyers have found that online commerce is safe and convenient. Obviously, just as you have to be careful about individuals online you have to be careful with companies. However, companies providing goods and services online have found that their customers have a huge audience available to them online and, if they are not treated fairly, they let everyone know about it through their social networks. Actually, it’s a great system that works very well.

As you can see, it’s difficult to say what social networking is because it is evolving so quickly. Rather than try to define what social networking is, consider what you can do with social networks before you jump in. These networks are complex because people are complex and social networks are networks of people not computers. As you look to become involved in a social networking community keep these thoughts in mind:

Always remember why you are there. Whatever the reason stay consistent to that purpose.

Use your time wisely and do not waste other people’s time or you may find yourself on the outside looking in.

Keep your communication informative, short and simple.

Be positive. A “thank you” for help or information provided will go a long way to establishing you as someone who belongs.

Slow Down; establishing relationships takes time. Get to know people, let people get to know you. Work on building a relationship with them.

A social network is a group of like minded people sharing. You can be doing business together, sharing community experiences, family experiences, whatever. Remember we are all people, we want to contribute, be helpful, learn, grow and feel we have value. That’s what social networking is or soon will be.

Social Network Marketing is a term we are going to be hearing a lot as Social Media and Network Marketing are drawn together. Network marketing has always been a social experience, so what’s the big deal? Social networking is the big deal and it is going to get much, much bigger.

Studies not so long ago indicated that the 500 million plus Facebook users didn’t pay much attention to the Facebook ads. It was thought that people go to Facebook to hangout with friends and not much more. However, that may be changing. The fastest growing user group on Facebook are women in the 55 – 65 age group.

Yes, these are the same women that make 80% of the family buying decision. Turns out that currently the majority of Facebooks advertising revenues are from casual gaming promoters. Why? The users of casual games (Farmville, mafia wars) are women.

A recent PopCap study showed that 55 percent of all social gamers in the U.S. are women. The average age of the women users is 48. Interestingly, 46 percent of American social gamers are 50 or older while only 6 percent of all social gamers are age 21 or younger. So, it appears the kids aren’t playing the Facebook games as much as the women who just happen to be the target of most advertisers.

Why is this such good news for network marketers? Since women make up approximately 85% of the distributor force it would seem that a lot of our new distributors are on Facebook and other social media sites waiting for us to contact them.

How do we contact them? Advertising? Not on your life. Social media marketingis about communicating, not advertising. Recent studies have shown that while 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations only 14% trust advertisements. That brings us back to the question, how do you contact them?

Obviously, if consumers want peer recommendations the trick is going to be how to get them to listen to your recommendations. The key is to establish a Web presence that establishes you as a peer and an expert.

Networking presentations were once dominated by presentations that brought forth an emotional response. There was the saying that “people hear your music not your words.” In fact, scientific studies indicate that an audience is influenced 7% by your content, 38% by your vocal presentation and 55% by your visual presence. The keys to great presentation were your tonality and your enthusiasm.

How do we make inspiring presentation using social media? Sincerity. Yep, there it is again, you have to be real. You must be authentic and transparent. Presentations using social media are not a filled with emotional triggers. For a social media product launch when you are filling a specific need by providing specific product you may be able to be effective by using hard sell and emotional triggers. However, using social media to find compatible business partners requires that you build a relationship.

Sure you have webinars, product presentations and meetings over the Internet, however, they are just extensions of your relationship building. These events are not what creates a social network marketing organization. The important elements to creating your online social network marketing organization are the social media funnels you develop to encourage people to want to find out more about you and ultimately join you or purchase what you have to offer.

Your social network marketing matrix consists of your Facebook site, twitter account, YouTube channel, blog, website, newsletter and/or capture page. You are creating a funnel that will pre-qualify your business partners. By the way, the pre-qualifying goes both ways. Your potential partners are using the elements of your social network marketing matrix to determine if they want to get to know you better and possibly become your business partner.

Do you need all of these elements to integrate social media into you network marketing business plan? Yes. It takes some time to set things up properly, however, once your funnels are in place you will have the tools to build an online home based business social networking organization that is yours and will last.

The basic need for business networking has not changed. However, the use of social media business networking has moved the meeting room to your computer screen.

Online business social media marketing is dominated by home based businesses. Big business is moving is as quickly as they can, however, they are having a difficult time understanding social media marketing. They want it to be like traditional marketing, I.e you throw enough advertising dollarsa at a given market and you own it.

Business networking events strategically spaced throughout the year are critical elements in building a successful business. For the Direct Selling/Network Marketing industry they have always been the critical catalyst for growth. Conventions, regional meetings, monthly opportunity and training sessions, weekly in-home presentations were the way it was done.

Has the Internet changed all that? Actually, society has changed that business model and the Internet has offered us an alternative.

A few short years ago the term social networking meant getting together with family and friends for a BBQ or other social event. Person-to-person contact, that’s what social networking meant. Not anymore, when we talk about social networking today we can just as easily be talking about socializing with some of the soon to be 2 BILLION, that’s B as in BIG, friends we have online.

If you have not adapted to this new reality you are, or soon will be, in trouble. The basic need for business networking has not changed. However, the use of social media business networking has moved the meeting room to your computer screen.

That’s the change, society in general no longer gets face to face with their peers that often. The annual meeting will most likely remain as a opportunity for leaders of the industry to forge personal bonds. And as a place for people on the way up to establish themselves. However, the bulk of the energy put into building your networking business will be online.

So, how do you reach these 2 Billion potential business partners? Advertising and flashy promotions are not effective in reaching people online. Facebook is a great case in point. Facebook is valued at somewhere between 20 and 30 Billion dollars. Why? Because they have over 500 million users. Advertiser are drooling. 500 Million users on one platfrom ready to receive my advertising. Oops; turns out those 500 Million users don’t care for advertisements. They just don’t pay any attention to them.

Does that mean that Facebook is toast? No! Facebook has 500 Million (and growing) potential buyers, sellers just have to figure out how to reach them. Some of us have. The day of the traditional advertisers is over and the time of the Natural Networker is here.

People online want to interact with people who provide them with something of value. From this exchange they form relationships that lead to online friendships and trust. It is natural for friends to exchange information and give and receive advice. It is the same network marketing model that has always existed the difference is the medium of the personal exchange of information.

In a personal relationship status, looks and influence in the community are often significant factors. In an online friendship the value of the information or advice exchanged is often the most important factor.

The natural networker loves helping people and teaching them how they can be, do or have anything they want. It’s natural and comes out in social exchanges. The natural networker thrives on teaching people how to use social media and social networking to build change their lives. The natural networker is usually an industry evangelist who believes in the industry, studies it and spreads the message by word and deed.

A natural networker is always looking for positive, self motivated people who want to make a change and are seriously committed to getting the job done. Natural networkers are seldom interested in selling anything, they are interested in sharing and partnering.

If your business is one of the thousands that want to work with others online you need to become a natural networker.

Looking for home business ideas? Congratulations, you’re on the right track. Why am I so excited that you are looking for home business ideas? Because home business is cutting edge. While you don’t hear it from many of the talking faces people seem to listen to, the backbone of business, worldwide, is and always has been, the home based business.

Business has evolved over the centuries just as it is evolving today. When we were a hunter-gatherers we didn’t need business; we moved with our food supply. Once farming came into being we needed to form personal and community relationships for trade and barter to reach the level that encouraged settlements to grow and prosper.

For trade to expand beyond barter into commerce, a form of currency and an urban structure was required. For “Big” business to come into being, personal relationships were extended to business relationships through governments, trading companies, partnerships and finally corporations with an identity and personality of their own.

For BIG business to maintain stability, security was necessary which required money and structure. Secure and stable transportation networks were required to insure deliveries and payment. In addition to the physical infrastructure, employees, contractors, consultants, bureaucracies and armies to maintain stability were required. Individual countries attempted to export more goods than they imported in order to build up reserves that could be used to protect their “Big” business interests worldwide through influence and use of force when necessary.

Unfortunately, as the structure of business has evolved, grown and consolidated over the last thousand years or so society has had to endure economic pain and wars that were byproducts of the growth of “Big” business. Was it worth it? Who knows because it’s not over. Chronologically, I would say, business is in its late teens and at the crossroads when an adolescent becomes an adult.

What’s all this have to do with you getting some GREAT home business ideas? It’s always good to learn from the events we have experienced in the past. Business is all about relationship; personal relationships. That being the case the best small business ideas are primarily based on personal relationships. Person-to-person businesses are the most stable and enduring.

As you start your search look for person-to-person home business ideas. In my opinion, the best person-to-person businesses to start with the most attractive small business opportunities, based on potential income to start-up costs ratio, are home based businesses. And the quickest and easiest of the home based businesses to start are a networking business or an online home based business affiliate. Personally, I favor a networking business.

As social networking matures I believe the sky is the limit for home businesses properly utilizing online technology. We’ve come full circle to the personal relationship model that made business work in the first place. People who are looking at starting home business networking businesses will find a wealth of information online, however, keep in mind this is a person-to-person relationship business.

I like that with a networking company you can spend all your time nurturing relationships while the company creates a product, does all the administrative record keeping, manufacturing, warehousing, shipping and customer service. You pay a fee to join, usually less than joining Costco, and spend your energy building a wholesale business, much like a wholesale buying club, and creating an organization of business builders with which you form personal and business relationships.

PLUS, your business is FUN because you are working with people with whom you have a personal relationship. Ever thought about how much fun it would be to be in business with your friends and people you enjoyed rather than strangers that you are thrown together with because of a paycheck?

When you leverage your income with the income of your friends, family and associates, it’s fun. That’s what networking home based businesses are all about. And you can start a networking home based business with very little up front capital. Don’t waste your time and money with someone who offers you something for nothing – it doesn’t happen that way.

If you want a network marketing tip or some help deciding which networking business is right for you please contact me.

Isn’t business about responding to what I want?

I recently came upon a term that I had never heard of before, “Perception Management.” Perception management is the art of controlling how you perceive a situation, not from your perspective but from theirs. It is not about how you perceive a situation that is taking place, but, how you will perceive a situation that is going to take place. You are fed information about a situation that is going to take place in order prepare you to accept the situation as they want you to perceive it. “They” create a reality that will exist in the future.

As an example there is the perception that industrial farming practices are needed to feed the world. Is that true? Where did that view come from? Who benefits from that perception? Concerned, knowledgeable scientists say it is not true. However, “Big” media continuously exposes experts to you who stress that industrial farming practices are necessary to feed the world. Some of these experts even admit that these practices are harmful but necessary because, of the a perception that, industrial farming practices are needed to feed the world, which may be incorrect.

Why do I keep saying “you are business?”

I am always amazed when people I know who become lawyers, doctors, professionals of all sorts, get their degrees and then are shocked to discover that they are business people as well as professionals. I can understand why; we are not taught anything about business in high school, college or graduate school. Oh, you get some business courses if that is your major, however, you are never taught what business is all about.

Business is all about you. Business is simple; it’s like you deciding to have a party for 100 of your best friends and nobody shows up. You have invested in the place, preparation, food, band and you are emotionally ready and no one shows up. It is the same for business. Business parties are represented by their products and “you” are their best friend.
When you’re setting goals for your small business ideas, you really create your future in advance. You write down your goals, and mentally prepare yourself to do what ever it takes to realize them.

Why a networking business? Network Marketing, in my opinion, is the fastest way to financial freedom with the least investment and highest possibility of success. A network marketing company will create a product, do all the administrative record keeping, manufacturing, warehousing, shipping and customer service while you, the independent distributor, only pay a fee to join, usually less than joining Costco, and spend your energy building a wholesale business, much like a wholesale buying club, with an organization of business builders you want to work with. Can’t get much simpler nor rewarding. You get to work with a network of your friends, family and close associate while you build financial freedom for the entire network.

A misconception that many seem to have about network marketing is that it is more like a chain letter than a business. Network marketing, like any business, requires an investment in time and money to make it work. Just like any business you have to select the right product to sell and the right people to work with to sell it. The beauty of network marketing is the product is the business. Thats right your not selling a product your selling a live style. If you want to learn more about that concept please contact me.
Looking for small business ideas? You’ve come to the right place.

Lots of people are looking for small business ideas. However, many of them are looking for employment at home. What do I mean by that? They want someone to pay them to stay at home. They are not planning on starting a business from home. They want to be employed, yet, work at home.

Big difference. If that’s what you want go to Google, search for “work from home jobs” and you will find 670 million listings. That’s a lot! Be very careful because most of the listings are by people who want to sell you something, however, there are legitimate offers that will allow you to earn some money. Also, look at the date of the listing as some are years old and may not be relevant in today’s economy.

This article is for you, the person who wants small business ideas because you want to start a small home based business from home.

You know what you want – a small business you can operate from your home.

You know when you want to start your home business – you want to start it part-time while you continue in you present position.

You know why you’re starting a business from home – you want personal and financial freedom.

Now, you want to start a “written” list of the small business ideas you research. Why does it have to be a “written” list? Two reasons; if you don’t write it down you will continue to think about a specific idea over and over again rather than open your mind to new ideas. And the second reason is that your computer is a great storage and processing technological wonder, however, there is something about writing a thought down which allows your subconscious mind to become involved in your evaluation process. I’m not going to get into the metaphysics of the process, it works, please write down your ideas.

The Internet is a great place to get small business ideas, however, be warned there are millions of bits of information available on the Internet. For the most part it is self regulating, that is anybody can say anything they want. Double check all the information you get, both the positive and the negative. Many people make negative statements about small business ideas without knowing anything about the topic they are commenting on.

The important thing is for you to determine what you do well that people need or want and are willing to pay for, use the Internet as an information source. Many of the postings on the Internet will be from people who found a way to convince others to send them money and will try to convince you that you get nothing unless you can do the same to others. That’s not the way to build a lasting business.

Be careful!

You will find thousands of small business ideas. Which are the best small business ideas? I believe that the quickest and easiest of the home based businesses to start are a networking business or an online home based business affiliate. Personally, I favor a networking business.

Have you considered starting a networking business? What questions do you feel people would like answered about opening a networking business? Post your questions here.

Why a networking business? Network Marketing, in my opinion, is the fastest way to financial freedom with the least investment and highest probability of success. A network marketing company will create a product, do all the administrative record keeping, manufacturing, warehousing, shipping and customer service while you, the independent distributor, only pay a fee to join, usually less than joining Costco.

You spend your energy building a wholesale business, much like a wholesale buying club, with the organization of business builders you choose. It doesn’t get much simpler nor rewarding. You get to work with a network of your friends, family and close associate while, together, you build financial freedom for the entire network.

A misconception that many seem to have about network marketing is that it is more like a chain letter than a business. Network marketing, like any business, requires an investment in time and money to make it work. Just like any business you have to select the right product to market and the right people to work with to market it.

The beauty of network marketing is the product is the business. That’s right; you’re not selling a product, you’re selling a lifestyle. If you want to learn more about that concept please contact me.

Today effective network marketing includes a heavy dose of social networking. The numbers are staggering:

Facebook has over 500,000,000 registered users.
In 2010 Generation Y out numbered Baby Boomers.
The fastest growing user on Facebook are women between the age of 55 – 65.
78% of consumers trust peer recommendations.
14% of consumers trust advertising.

So what do these numbers say about effective network marketing online? That the generations are now meeting on social media platforms and the majority of the users are listening to what their peers recommend. As network marketers it is becoming imperative that we learn how to meet and interact with our online prospective business partners.

As you delve into the social media world you will note that buzzwords such as “transparency” and “authenticity” are a part of everyday jargon. In the social media world these are not just buzzwards. Online people expect you to be transparent and authentic.

Transparency is no problem. You can’t hide online, they will find you. Authenticity is also not a problem because it doesn’t take long for the people to determine if you’re for real or not. Online effective network marketing requires that you be transparent and authentic because people are one Google search away from finding out the truth.

The Network Marketing industry is a legitimate multi billion dollar industry that provides home based businesses for millions of independent representatives. You should be proud to be a part of this industry. I’ll give you a network marketing tip, if you’re not proud of the industry, don’t try to use the Internet as a part of your business, they will see through you in a heartbeat.

However, for those of us who love our industry and online social network, it is fantastic. Many of us remember the days of the HUGE networking parties where you would go and talk with someone only long enough to receive their business cards. The “game” seemed to be whoever had the most cards at the end of the evening “won.” In actuality, a pile of business cards does not do all that much to build a relationship or a business. It’s the same with online social media. It doesn’t make much sense to have thousands of “friends” or “followers” if you have no clue how to convert them to business partners or customers.

Here are 5 social media networking tips that will help you with effective network marketing online:

1. Think, “how can I help you?” This sure beats the old way of “what’s in it for me.” If someone believes you have a genuine or “authentic” interest in helping them, they will be much more receptive to what you have to say which leads to building a relationship.

2. Think, “who do I know that I can connect you with?” While two heads are better than one, three are even better than two. If you know that someone you know would make a difference for someone, make the connection without expecting anything in return. This is about them; not about who you might receive as a referral.

3. Be open to, “what can I learn from you?” If we listen to people, we learn. If we learn, we can help them. If we help them, we both benefit. Learn and offer value rather than trying to “convince” them that what you have is what they need – especially since you have not even taken the time to learn what they need/want.

4. Give without expectation. Share, connect and offer value to others without worrying about what you will receive in return.

5. Remember, what you send out in the world will come back to you many times over AND when you least expect it. Even though we used to say “what goes around comes around,” unfortunately, that did not stop people from doing things they would not want to come back to them. Give freely and you will be richly rewarded.

How do you like the New Networking? While most people are resistant to change of any type, when you understand the reason for the changes and see the long term value, I think you will agree with me Hooray for New Networking!

Developing social media marketing strategies is challenging, however, well worth the effort. Social media marketing provides the best opportunity to economically start and expand a To build a successful business in most any industry, a person must become a leader. Social media is no different. However, with experts often giving conflicting advice, becoming a leader is difficult. Yet, particularly with a home based network marketing business, you need to be a good leader. In business, as in most aspects of life, if we are patient, She does it again with the leadership lessons of geese. Most all of us have either seen in person or in pictures, geese flying in the “V” formation. When you understand the Why of the formation and integrate these insights into your social media marketing strategies, you will have learned valuable lessons in leadership, teamwork and social networking.

 

Back in 1972, Dr. Robert McNeish, a science teacher from Baltimore, Maryland, wrote “Lessons from Geese” which explains the Why that are the lessons for us.

 

Fact 1: As each goose flaps its wings it creates an “uplift” for the birds that follow. By flying in a “V” formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.

 

Lesson: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

 

Fact 2: When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.

 

Lesson: If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.

 

Fact 3: When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into the formation and another goose flies to the point position.

 

Lesson: In social networking itpays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each others skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.

 

Fact 4: The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

 

Lesson: We need to make sure honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one’s heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.

 

Fact 5: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it down to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.

 

Lesson: If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.

 

Great lessons to add to your social media marketing strategies, don’t you think?

 

As you start out in your network marketing home business opportunity you will have many challenges to overcome. In network marketing there is an oft repeated phrase “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” This true statement is often forgotten as network marketers rush to “dump” information on prospects to “convince” them to join The Company.

It is important to remember, as you start out in your network marketing home business opportunity, that the conversation is not about what you have to offer, how great your company is or how great the products are. Rather, it is about discovering what problems your prospects may have and how your opportunity, company or products might help them.

Think about it this way. How would you feel if you walked into a restaurant and, when the waitress walked up to your table, instead of asking you what you wanted to order, she told you about her background, how long she had been a waitress, how many classes she had taken and how much she loved being a waitress?

Probably you wouldn’t be too happy because you really don’t care about the waitress and her life, all you want to do is order your lunch and be on your way.

Unfortunately, too many network marketers as they start out in their network marketing home business opportunity do the very same thing as that waitress. They don’t ask and listen; they only tell.

Your prospects’ objections are merely questions which give you the opportunity to discover what is going on with them and to educate them further on what you have. As you build your network marketing home business opportunity you will learn to love objections. Objections give you the chance to clear up any misconceptions your prospects may have. Let’s look at a few of the most common objections in network marketing.

Objection: Is this one of those pyramid deals or pyramid schemes?

I always like to ask what they mean by that because most often they are not even sure what they mean. What you need to do is to be calm as you explain your answer. Do not be defensive as there is no reason to be defensive.

As a practical matter, anyone who has ever worked in corporate America has experienced the perfect pyramid. There is one president. The chances of getting to the top, no matter how hard you work, are very slim.

However, in network marketing, in a good company, anyone can rise to the top because there are unlimited high earning positions. Your success in network marketing comes through consistent effort and ANYONE can become a top income earner. Network marketing is a level playing field.

Objection: I don’t like to sell.

If you’re married, in a relationship or have a job, you “sold” something to somebody.

The fact is, we all “sell” things everyday. It is so natural to us that we don’t even think we are “selling” when we recommend a good movie, book or restaurant to a friend. The difference between that selling and recommending a particular company or product is that you do not make a commission on the movie, book or restaurant recommendation. Because network marketing is about recommending a business, product or service that might help someone, it is often called referral marketing.

Objection: Nobody ever makes money in network marketing.

You need to find out why they asked that question. Did they have personal experience with network marketing? If so, what was it? Or, perhaps, did they have an uncle or cousin who “tried” network marketing and it didn’t work for them? Is that same uncle or cousin who “tried” network marketing someone who sticks with a job until it is done or is he a quitter?

Generally speaking, if someone does not make money in network marketing it is for one of four reasons: (1) they picked the wrong company; (2) they weren’t coachable or did not have access to a coach; (3) they did not treat it as a business or (4) they quit.

These are the common objections to network marketing and, as you can see, they all have common sense answers. The important thing to learn to do, as you start out in your network marketing home business opportunity, is to talk with your prospects, listen to what they are asking, then answer those questions rather than telling them what you think they should want to know.

Do you see how objections help you to give your prospects the information they want?

Was your New Years resolution a get help starting a small business? We are a month into the new year. People are still filled with the excitement of their plans and dreams. Numerous business associates and friends of mine selected a Word or Phrase to be their guide or mantra for the year. Focus, Organization, Commitment and “Break the Bright Shiny Object Syndrome” seem to be at the top of the list for many people. However, others decided to take a close look at help starting a small business help starting a small business</a>, home business, network marketing and social media marketing as a vehicle for change in their life.

 

As we set goals and embark on our journey to receive them, it is important to know Why we want our objective. If you think you “should” want it or because your neighbors have it, even if you acquire “it,” satisfaction will not be yours.

 

Though I do not know the author, following is a story that most of us have heard yet it is a powerful reminder for all of us. Know what you want, Why you want it and how your life will be different when you obtain it.

 

An American businessman was at the pier of a small coastal Mexican village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small boat were several large yellowfin tuna. The American complimented the Mexican on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Mexican replied only a little while. The American then asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish? The Mexican said he had enough to support his family’s immediate needs. The American then asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?” The Mexican fisherman said, “I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take siesta with my wife, Maria, stroll into the village each evening where I sip wine and play guitar with my amigos, I have a full and busy life, senior.”

The American scoffed, “I am a Harvard MBA and can provide you help starting a small business. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat with the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats, eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You would need to leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Mexico City, then LA and eventually NYC where you will run your expanding enterprise.”

The Mexican fisherman asked, “But senior, how long will this all take?”

To which the American replied, “15-20 years.”

“But what then, senior?”

The American laughed and said that’s the best part. “When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions.”

“Millions, senior? Then what?”

The American said, “Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take siesta with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip wine and play your guitar with your amigos.”

Makes you think, doesn’t it? Many people think, “I’ll start a small business or a network marketing business and then I’ll be rich.” While you can certainly become rich quickly by building a network marketing business, that is not why most people do it. Most people join the network marketing industry because they want to earn extra money for a car payment, to help with the mortgage or to send the children to college.

 

By knowing the “real” Why and the difference it will make in your life, it is much easier to keep going “when the going gets “tough.” Whether you want help starting a small business or learning a new skill like social media and social networking, know Why you are doing it and then you will likely be willing to invest the time to succeed.

 

Have you ever thought you wanted something only to discover that when you really thought about it you not only didn’t want it you didn’t even know why you ever thought you wanted it?