When it comes to learning how to build a network marketing/MLM business, one of the first questions that comes up is, “should you make a list of all your friends, family, acquaintances, dry-cleaners, etc” to market to first?

Well, I’d rather poke a sharp stick in my eye than use that outdated, old-school method. Call me a rebel, but with the advent of the internet and the power of web 2.0 social media marketing, I simply can’t imagine why that would be someone’s first choice for marketing their home based business.

This industry is full of crappy thinking, bad business strategies and mind control. And it’s about time someone said so! The “make a list” issue is one of the sacred cows of this business that needs to be reexamined. Let me elaborate.

If you visit online forums much, you’ll see that the debate over this issue rages on. Much is said and written about the importance - no, the necessity - of making that list! Many have been adamant about the need to use it as the foundational element of a good MLM business.

I hope those who live, breathe and have succeeded with “the list” won’t be offended by my remarks…but I’m disgusted that it is still (after all the failure and wrecked relationships it has caused) represented as the best and sometimes only way to build a Network Marketing business.

Here’s the truth: MLM isn’t for babies or wimps…It’s for leaders and leaders-in-the-making. It’s for people who understand that new skills will be required when undertaking a new business in a new (sometimes absolutely nuts!) industry. It’s for people who are willing to learn what business ownership is all about.

It’s not about “the list!” It’s about developing real marketing and leadership skills and a business owner’s mindset. And it’s about developing real relationships with the extraordinary individuals drawn to create more for their lives than what they currently have.

Consider this an introduction to a series of articles that address this, and several other, tightly held beliefs rampant in this industry that contribute to the huge failure rate it has become infamous for. In the process, I’ll also be giving you alternative solutions that won’t cause you to become part of the N.F.L (No Friends Left club!) and will assist you in building a solid asset…a business you’ll be proud to talk about with anyone, without looking at each individual with a hawkish expressing, wondering if they’re really a prospect for your business.

I’ll teach you how to attract real prospects, qualified prospects.

In the process, I look forward to your comments, experiences and insights.

And remember, I’m only a phone call, email, Tweet or comment away.

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

My house sits on the Colorado prairie, still within view of the Rocky Mountain foothills and not far from where the plains begin. I went out late this evening for the dog’s last walk and stood under the big sky, lit by the half moon and spectacular reflections from a few surrounding clouds.

I could hear the crickets and the whistling sounds of late-night ground squirrels…probaly warning each other about our crazy dog. The wind has finally died down and the stars sing their silent song with their blinking light show.

I waited outside…waited for tomorrow to appear…not in its fullness, but in hints…in little bursts of ideas that will have to wait until morning for their full revelation. And I ponder…how many others stand under the canopy of lights…how many others in semi-light wait outside for flashes of revelation from the Heavens…

If you’ve been wanting to learn internet marketing so you can make money online, but didn’t know where to start, here’s a great deal for you, dear reader! BTW, if you’re already have good internet marketing skills, this could be even more important for you.

You might be wondering why I haven’t posted here for awhile. Well, I’m in the middle of a big move, with a TON of sorting and packing to do. But I had to take time out to let you know about a way you
can get this excellent training on search engine marketing and other key internet marketing strategies for FREE, right now.

As a stompernet affiliate (one of the best sources of training for internet marketing but very expensive…their top program is $800/mth!), I received an advance copy of the magazine “The Net Effect” that they are launching today, around 5:30 pm eastern. Included with the press copy of the magazine was a very in-depth DVD course called “stomping the search engines.”

Now, initially, the Stompernet faculty didn’t reveal the price of the course or the magazine subscription but implied that the course would be priced around $500. Yesterday, we found out that they are GIVING away the entire DVD course as an “ethical bribe” for people to give the magazine a try.

You can check it out here Stompernet’s FREE search engine marketing DVD course and magazine

Having read the magazine, I’m sort of amazed that they think anyone needs any kind of bribe to subscribe, but hey, they didn’t ask me! LOL! The magazine is truly excellent…the best material I’ve seen anywhere in that format…all meat…NO FLUFF filler content.

So…here’s the deal they are offering today (I think they are going to continue the offer, but to avoid having any part of your FREE order on backorder due to the influx of subscriptions over thenext few weeks, if this is something you want, get it ASAP.). When you order a trial subscription of the magazine, they are going to include that DVD course at no additional cost beyond a very small shipping
charge ($9.95)…fair to me!

FYI, the monthly cost of the subscription AFTER the 1st issue, is about $40, an excellent value for most! If that’s too steep for you right now, get the 1st issue anyhow (with that DVD course) and mark
your calendar to cancel further issues after you receive your 1st copy and the DVD. The information in that ONE issue alone, along with the very complete content of the DVD, could catapult your
existing business to a new level, or finally get your new business off the launch pad this month!

So here’s that link once again. Do yourself a favor and really take the time to see if it’s right for you: “The Net Effect” magazine and “Stomping the Search Engines 2(STSE2) DVD course

I’m going to get my subscription too. I already have the 1st magazine issue and the DVD, but I don’t want to miss the next issue!

Hope this helps you have an excellent September, the beginning of the busiest and most profitable season of the year for home business entrepreneurs around the world.

If I can assist you with anything. I’m just a comment, email or phone call away!

Have an opinion, a question or do you have any cool Twitter tips? Leave a comment.

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

Building a Global Resorts Network business, and the experiences I had with other home business opportunities leading up to working with GRN, led me to realize that I was wrong. Avoid this potential pitfall. Watch this video to find out why…

Personal branding, one of the most important strategies for developing an online presence, is not rocket science. It has been mystified and complicated by so many online “gurus” that many newcomers to network marketing avoid it completely, to the advantage of their competitors and the detriment of their own business.

Put simply, personal branding is using various technological and social media (Web 2.0) tools to develop a unique presence online and connect with prospective buyers. You might use video sites like YouTube (you can check out some of my videos here), or viddler to host short videos that present you, your personality, background and product reviews to potential prospects. Or you could use social networking sites like MySpace or facebook to connect with other entrepreneurs and people seeking new options for working from home.

The network marketing industry has had a bad reputation, frequently well-deserved, as being filled with spammers and scammers. If the new generation of online entrepreneurs using the network marketing model wants to break free from preconceived notions and judgments, it’s time to learn to attract rather than to assault prospective buyers.

Like all effective online marketing methods, personal branding takes focused time to learn. But any personal branding strategy that leaves out the social networking site “Twitter” is missing a great opportunity. Twitter is social networking…on steroids!

Twitter allows an internet entrepreneur, even one with limited experience, the opportunity to connect with people one normally might not usually meet on other social networks, many of them brilliant people with incredible passion for what they do. It’s also a very effective tool to reduce the sense of isolation many who work exclusively online can tend to face from time to time.

And Twitter is one of the best ways to attract the people you are looking for and to quickly learn how to interact effectively in a social networking environment.

Contrary to what some teach, Twitter is not just a bulletin board for you to announce every product you sell with every “Tweet,” promote your MLM with each post or what you are up to every single minute of the day. While it’s fun to post what you’re doing or promoting or writing about, and it’s interesting to know what’s happening in other’s lives between marketing events, Twitter is really a place to connect meaningfully with people. It’s a way for “Tweeps” to get a glimpse of the “real world” others are experiencing throughout a day.

But it’s also a place to share ideas, tips and encouragement to others…to give before you receive. Somehow, Twitter has managed to create a community that thrives on contribution and generosity.

But to discover the usefulness of Twitter, you really just have to try it for yourself! Here are a few key things to keep in mind.

Twitter is considered a “micro-blogging” site. In other words, all posts on Twitter require limiting oneself to 140 characters, including the @ symbol used to reply to specific “Tweeps/Twitterers/Twitter Peeps.” (Yes…there’s a lot of funny vocabulary peculiar to Twitter!)

Let’s get started with your first Twitter account.

1. Create a free Twitter profile at http://www.Twitter.com , then “follow” me at http://Twitter.com/stevieknight .

2. You will need to add at least 40 or 50 people that you “follow” in order to see how the conversations flow and how connections are made. So look through the panel on the right side of my profile and start looking through the profiles of the people I’m following and those who follow me.

“Follow” a bunch of them, but only if their profile and websites they link to resonate with you. Don’t follow “Tweeps” (Twitter people) who use a spammy name or don’t have a profile picture up. Also, look at their most recent posts and see if they are actively in conversation with others (notice the @ sign followed by Twitter usernames in front of the post) or if they only “Tweet” about themselves, their products and their promos. Skip those peeps…they’re not likely to contribute a whole lot to your understanding of the power of Twitter.

3. When someone follows you back, “direct message” them to thank them. For example, you might write: “Hey (real name)! Thanks for adding me to your Twitter stream! Cheers! (or whatever sounds natural to you)” People don’t have to “follow” you back, so show gratitude when someone adds you. It’s a good thing! Also, don’t feel rejected if someone doesn’t follow you back.

4. After you’ve done that, download Twhirl at http://twhirl.org . It will help tremendously to keep track of what’s going on. Install and start using it, setting notifications to alert audibly with replies and direct messages, if you like. (Edited 05/13/09: I now recommend using this best Twitter management software program instead of Twhirl because of its “grouping” features…a “how-to” video will be coming shortly.)

5. OK, now that you’re set up (whew!), start watching the conversations going on and join in when you have a question or something to contribute to the conversation. Keep your posts about your stuff to a lower percentage than what you actually contribute in conversation with others if you don’t want to be labeled a spammer!

• Bonus Tip: Google spiders index Twitter all the time. If you want Google to find your Twitter posts, Tweet at least once a day.

This may seem like a lot of work, but once it’s set up and you start dipping in and out of the Twitter stream throughout a day, you will find it refreshing, enlightening, rewarding and perhaps even, enriching! Happy Tweeting!

Have an opinion, a question or do you have any cool Twitter tips? Leave a comment.

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

I wrote yesterday about how I’ve been using Twitter for my network marketing company, Global Resorts Network and its luxury travel membership. Today, it’s been 12 days since I signed up for Twitter. Now lest you think that I’ve turned into a Twitterholic, I have to say that I try to dip in and out of Twitter throughout the day, as time and focus allow, rather than staying there all day long, watching the Twhirl screen (a program that helps keep track of all those you are “following” and contribute to conversations rather conveniently) roll by like a slot machine.

Twitter, like most social networks, takes a few hours/days of intense focus to get a feeling for what is acceptable, appropriate and welcome so that you don’t trash your reputation like a loud drunk crashing a party ! So I have spent considerable time there in the last 12 days, but having some experience with forums has made the transition to Twitter fairly easy.

So, to the question at hand…should you be using Twitter for your Network Marketing business, especially with Global Resorts Network? It all depends on you and your goals.

If you can take a “big picture” approach to Twitter (and any other social network for that matter) and understand that its primary benefits are personal and business branding, professional networking and relationships, you can have a blast with Twitter, and grow your business in the process. Marketing on social networks takes time. It’s an investment in tomorrow and the future, not usually today. It can also be a opportunity to develop communication skills and contribute to others in ways you might not think of at first glance.

If, however, you are looking for instant results, immediate sign ups and loads of product sales today, you (and Twitter! LOL!) would be better served by focusing your time learning pay-per-click or other forms of lead generation. Twitter won’t ban you for spam, but people who are following you can un-follow very quickly, and those you follow can block you so that they don’t have to read what you say. It’s a self-policing community whose rules (mostly unspoken but quickly learned be the observant) you must be willing to abide by if you want to really enjoy its benefits.

Regardless of your perspective, I’d like to share a couple more things to help you consider Twitter as a valuable portion of your online marketing efforts for your Network Marketing business.

Today I was looking for a new solution to record some upcoming (very cool…watch for them) telephone interviews that I’ll be doing with some top internet marketers whose perspective I really value and would like to share with you. So I tweeted, briefly requesting some suggestions from other tweeps (tweeps=Twitter+peeps!). Within 2 minutes I had a reply with a great suggestion. Within 5 minutes, I had several more and was able to quickly decide which solution best fits my situation! And these suggestions came from people who really know what they’re talking about. Amazing!

That was a great surprise for someone so new to Twitter. But there was something more important that I observed, even experienced, today. It took me a while to really notice it, though when I did, it did make me wonder for a moment if I had stepped into the Twilight Zone (or in this case, the set of the Waltons…an old TV show about a small community and a large family). Throughout the day, there are people coming into the Twitter stream and saying “Good Morning…getting a cup of coffee and checking in” and, simultaneously, others saying “Good Night…off to bed. See you all tomorrow.” Twitterers (or Tweeters, as they are also called) are from all over the world. Tonight, as I left (saying goodnight…not required but fun in a slightly goofy, slightly fabulous way!), people responded with their own “goodnight” and “see you in the morning,” like one might experience going in and out of a coffee shop or the local diner or friendly bar in a small town.

Tonight, I let it all sink in and I let it truly amaze me. As I tried to explain my Twitter experience to my dear husband, it was a challenge figuring out how to explain how all these strangers/friends/followers/followed people interacted in such a way that I saw the evidence that deep needs were being met, those cravings we all have for meaningful connections with people who matter, if we’ll allow ourselves to acknowledge the need in the first place. Cynics will say that community is dead, but I know better. I see it on Twitter every day!

Follow me on Twitter: @stevieknight

Have something to say? Leave a comment!

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

I’m sometimes asked if using social networking tools like Twitter can help build a Global Resorts Network business. Twitter is an amazing tool and, like all social networking sites, it can be a wonderful tool to build your business or it can suck the life out of you. Used improperly, it can also hurt your reputation online…not a good thing!

An enthusiast of all things that add “high-touch” to my “high-tech” websites, I started using Twitter just a short while ago. In the process, I have connected with some amazing people and have begun to get a feel for how things work in this very lively social network. If you’re serious about making money online, you need to try Twitter.

I’ve been active in various forums for years and have enjoyed getting to know people there. Each forum has a different emphasis, a different blend of peeps and a different set of unwritten rules you really have to learn as you go, in addition to each forum’s policies and rules.

Twitter is like a global forum, on steroids. You only pick who you want to “follow” and, as time goes by, you learn the value of being selective, rather than worrying about being popular. Just because someone “follows” you doesn’t mean you necessarily want to “follow” them. As you add people to follow, you will become quite overwhelmed unless you decide the best policy for following people who choose to follow you.

Some people follow everyone back. Some just follow those they really want to glean from and perhaps at some point, get to know better. The process creates opportunities to connect with people whom you’d probably never get a chance to connect with offline unless you were “properly introduced!”

Using Twitter as a way to expand one’s Global Resorts Business or expose more people to the deeply discounted access to 3-5 start resorts with Global Resorts Network’s exclusive luxury travel membership is a great idea, if you take the time to learn how people interact with each other within Twitter and how not to come across as just another spammer. Here are a few tips:

1. Be authentic. Don’t pretend you’re someone you’re not. Tweeters are a great bunch of people with a wide range of backgrounds, interests and goals for using Twitter themselves. Don’t fake it. Think of it as a big party.

2. Do add value to the people you follow and who are following you. After observing a while, jump in and contribute with real value. Add a good joke, a useful link or a heads-up on a notable event that just occurred. Feel free to “reply” to other’s tweets when you really have something to add.

3. Don’t spam. Keep your promotional tweets discreet. This is not a billboard for the GRN membership . It’s a place to share your expertise, learn from others and let people know what you do and how you can help them in a low-key manner. Think of Twitter as a place to build your network, connect with people and learn how it all works without burning bridges and wasting the opportunity. If you don’t take this warning seriously, you will lose followers and/or get blocked by those you are following. Don’t spam!

4. Be brief, concise. Learn to say what you need to say in 140 characters or less. You will find snurl a useful tool to shorten URLs that you want to include in your tweets. Also, when replying to someone else’s tweet, whenever possible, make your response clear enough that someone else reading only your side of the conversation has a clue about the overall meaning of the conversation you’re in. It will be easier for others to get interested in your conversations and find value in what you have to share.

When you’re ready to add Twitter to your portfolio of promotional and networking tools for your GRN business, add me to your Twitter stream: @Stevie_Knight

See you there!

Do you have any feedback or questions?

Leave a comment….

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

The new Global Resorts Network vacation membership product only site has just launched! The response to it has been outstanding, I have to say. Frankly, the corporate GRN site leaves a lot to be desired. Like most corporate sites online, it’s like an online brochure, more intended to “tell” than to “sell.” For someone like me who markets the product, that’s not good.

Yesterday’s launch of the new GRN product only site finally gives both affiliates and prospects what they’ve been looking for: a clear presentation of the travel membership packages and comparisons with the typical online booking options (and their pricing) most of us are used to using.

It’s much easier to see now why this will be a popular wedding gift, anniversary gift, or the best gift to give oneself!

Whether it’s a real threat or imagined, the “R” (Recession) word is being heard all over the media (thanks a lot!). People are trying to figure out how to maintain the standard of living they are used to while trimming costs. The wholesale values offered by the Global Resorts Network product meet that need perfectly. The timing for affiliates to get on board while the market is wide open couldn’t be better. And the timing for value-conscious travelers used to the luxury vacations offered by 3-5 star properties we offer is perfect.

I showed my husband some of the videos from the new site, including some that came in subsequent email letters when he opted in to the site for free information. I wanted him to see the whole process from a new visitor’s perspective. My husband jokingly said, “Sign me up!” The videos and online presentation wowed him (kudos to me for showing him! ) and we’re ready to start planning a luxurious family vacation, knowing we’ll pay true rock-bottom price for the priviledge.

As word of this site gets out, I predict another imminent wave of new affiliates eager to ride the momentum of this launch and make money online with Global Resorts Network. It’s a great feeling to be “in the right place, at the right time.”

Do you have any questions or want to speak your mind?

Leave a comment below.

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

Marketing online offers tremendous opportunities to develop a natural rhythm of daily life where, according to your goals, priorities and situation on the learning curve (and your bank account!), you really can achieve a certain level of balance between family/social life, your business pursuits and your other passions. But there are times where no amount of scheduling with your Blackberry, Palm device or other PDA can compensate for urgent needs and emergencies that simply must take precedence, for a season, over everything else.

My father passed away on January 30, just a couple of months ago. For 7 years, he had been living with me, my dear husband, 5 kids, 3 dogs and various other short-lived small hamsters, guinea pigs and goldfish (not to mention a couple white mice we bought at the pet shop and a few quickly reproducing field mice that got in the house somehow! Yikes!). He had been ill for several years and just “wore out.” The final month, we had a hospice service come and assist us and he died peacefully at home with us.

Backing up a bit…, just after Christmas, it had become apparent that Dad would not be with us much longer. At the same time, I was in the pre-launch phase of a new online business, complete with this shiny new business blogging system, great coaches and some solid marketing strategies I was itching to try out. If the business had already been up and running, there would have been ways to delegate a big chunk of the work I needed to complete. But that wasn’t the case. So here I was, needing to shut off the engine to a rocket that was already on the launch pad.

While relatives and friends came to visit and nurses pattered in and out from time to time, I tried to just “maintain” the foundational progress I felt I had made so far. Although I posted on a couple of forums where I was quite active and I added a few MySpace friends and tried to figure out Facebook a little more, my business was quite glued to the ground. Most of my attention was with my family and all the activities surrounding getting our life ready for someone dear to leave it.

After my father passed away, we had a couple more months of adjusting to a new rhythm of life. We no longer had to take him in for medical care (Kidney dialysis–>4 hour sessions) 3 times a week. In fact, it seemed like we went in circles for awhile, quite unsure what to do with all that extra time after all these years of caring for my dad! One would think that we’d immediately notice all that free time and use it to jump right back into business. But that’s not the way it worked out for us….It was, and still is to some degree, a slow transition back to “normal”…a different kind of “normal” than we’d ever had as a family. It was almost like the whole family had to reassess our lives, our relationships, our business decisions, our goals and our schedule.

Well, here we are 10 weeks later and I’m ready to get “back in the game”. There were some other losses and significant changes in the process of going through this season of life. I’ve made several course corrections and modifications to my business, key partnerships and long-term strategic plans. I have added clarity, focus and direction. I’ve shaken off some old mindsets that held me back. What a great day!

So here are a few pointers I can offer from my own very recent setbacks.

1. When you are going through life crises and business setbacks, don’t make too many critical business choices in the midst of the crises. Focus on dealing with the immediate needs of your business where you must, delegate where you are able, and get extra help if you can. Things will look very different when the crisis has past.

2. If you are already up and running in your online business, especially if you’ve taken the time to develop a solid new media marketing network, talk to those you have connected with and you may be surprised at your online friends’ desire to assist in any way they can. Put your pride aside and accept their offers of assistance. Down the road, they may need your help.

3. Be patient, especially with yourself.

4. If your business suffers because of what is going on, deal with it head-on with grace and dignity, not with shame. Everyone faces challenges and setbacks. How you recover from them determines your future. Determine to recover and get back in the game. Once you are back up again, look for opportunities to encourage others facing similar challenges, setbacks and potential failure.

And remember that failure is not in the act of falling, but in the act of refusing to get back up.

I’m back up and back in the game. How can I help you?

*****************

Disagree or have an opinion to share? Leave a comment…

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

If you haven’t heard about the “Maven Marketing Matrix,” I’m thrilled to be the one to give you this tip. I just got a copy of this phenomenal ebook. Now, you have to wonder about any ebook that starts off with a comparison to the movie “The Matrix”, but I’m not using the word phenomenal lightly. This 88 page ebook will turn everything you’ve heard about marketing online and the years it can take to become the “go-to-Gal” or “go-to-Guy” in your industry upside down. Some are going to think that Rich Schefren and Jay Abraham, the co-authors of the “Maven Marketing Matrix,” are just trying to sucker in the internet newbies…making them think they can have huge success without “paying their dues.”

It’s really not like that. Anyone who’s promoting anything online knows that there is a learning curve to getting good at it and becoming well-known. Robert J. Ringer, author of the fabulous (but much maligned for the title of the books!) “Looking out for #1″ and “Winning through Intimidation” would be proud of these guys. Mr. Ringer was well-known for promoting the idea that it was possible and preferable to leapfrog over one’s competition. The Maven Marketing Matrix could be the how-to manual for Robert Ringer’s why-to-do that very thing and become the authority in your niche.

Rich Schefren and Jay Abraham have something to offer to speed up the process, of course! But if you just read the free ebook and implement what they suggest, you will have a head start on everyone who just thinks about it.

Here’s an extra tip…download and print the ebook out and put aside an hour to go through it right away. The special offer available through my link is particularly enticing this week, and when you read the book you’ll see why. If his special offer is not right for you at this time, read the book anyhow. You need it…your business needs it…and your competition will weep (ok…that’s a stretch! …but they’ll be sorry if you figure this out before they do! Mark my words!).

As usual, if you find my promotion of this material outrageous or fantastic, leave me a comment!

Expect success!

Stevie Knight