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Well, I’d rather poke a sharp stick in my eye than use that outdated, old-school method.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

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 .

1. 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.

1. 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.

1. After you’ve done that, download Twhirl at http://seesmic.com/ . 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.) (Edited 09/05/09: Twhirl was purchased by Seesmic. Seesmic also has a grouping feature…try both seesmic and tweetdeck and see which works best for you.)
   

1. 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, or Tweeps, 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 budurl.com 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: @StevieKnight

See you there!

Do you have any feedback or questions?

Leave a comment….

Expect success!

Stevie Knight

“Is Web 2.0 Marketing really for Network Marketers and useful for Network Marketing or is it just more hype?”…is a question I get all the time. Just today, I was frankly amazed when a network marketing acquaintance of mine stated that “web 2.0 marketing” was just not duplicatable as a marketing method and really, truly, offline face-to-face would always produce the best results in a network marketing business. Now this guy is a pretty savvy network marketer. I had to wonder how many people think like he does and are missing out on the greatest opportunity in the last 2000 years to tap into the global marketplace?!!

So what’s the deal with “web 2.0″? Is it hype and a scare tactic thrown out by Internet Marketers to finally get Network Marketers to buy all their stuff?!! LOL!

I just had to break it to this guy that, longterm, anyone who is not getting familiar with Web 2.0 marketing will be left in the dust by those who take the time to understand and go through the learning curve. I can guarantee that!

It’s not about hype…it’s about technology and trends and the strengths of marketing online. Anyplace (even on the other side of the world from where you are), anytime (even while you’re cozy in bed sleeping), the internet can connect people with you whom you’d otherwise never get to connect with.

My friend’s statement against the use of web 2.0…”The most duplicatable system is face to face”…is exactly why web 2.0 is so powerful! These web 2.0 methods give people a sense of “face to face” that is certainly not exactly the same as seeing you in person, but it’s frequently more powerful and more persuasive! For marketing, especially for growing your Network Marketing business, web 2.0 marketing is like “face-to-face”, “belly-to-belly” marketing on steroids that Network Marketing gurus and hotshots have been emphasizing forever, making your marketing efforts even more effective and efficient online, using “New Media” marketing tools.

Through videos, pictures, interactive dialog on one’s blog or on a social network site or a myriad of great tools evolving more and more usefully each day, web 2.0 marketing allows you to share who you really are with people so that they can “know, like and trust” you. People will be far more interested in what you promote when they feel informed and confident about who you are. For example, my myspace site hasn’t been updated lately, but if someone wants to know “Who is Stevie Knight?”, my myspace site will give them some insight, a starting point for getting to know me.

I’ve been offline for about a month or so due to my father’s illness and subsequent death. In that time, however, people have still seen my myspace page, have still seen a few videos and some contacted me to connect further. Now my myspace page is not even current, nor is there much content on it yet that would be helpful to others….(but that’s about to change!..stay tuned!) but it’s far more info than most people would get from me over coffee at Starbucks! It allows people to connect authentically and that’s what this business model is all about.

Take a myspace or other social network or blog and present yourself for who you are and you’ll be surprised who can’t stand you and who can hardly wait to work with you. Either way, people who encounter you in these ways first quickly disqualify themselves, or you, from a further business relationship or, because of the feeling of familiarity they now have, they may want to get to know you better.

Online “face to face” is just as easy to teach your downline, though not as familiar, as offline “face to face”, only far more powerful and wide reaching. It simply involves using the various new online marketing mediums to present your authentic self and the value you bring, including your products and services, to others and attract leaders into your business. It’s the ultimate application of “attraction marketing.”
Web 2.0 is not some vague concept in the future. It’s where you should be now.

While I’m not an expert in Web 2.0 Marketing, I’m an enthusiast who has spent a lot of time studying this over the past year and I’m enjoying implementing it. So watch what I’m doing…check out the articles I’ll be writing on this subject…use the tools I recommend…and see what happens to your business!

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

Expect success!

Stevie Knight