Planting YOUR Garden - how to get results

PLANTING YOUR GARDEN

We are a society of people who want immediate gratification for the work we do... we don't want to wait to see, we want NOW. The reality of any business is that a good business relationship or a new client takes time to create - rarely does a partnership happen within minutes of meeting. It is important that we look at the building of our businesses as something that takes time and not expect immediate results. Many amazing people before me have likened this to planting a garden.

Planting our business garden is a long process. Basically we reaching out to people (plant our seeds of information) and then wait for some people (our flowers) to get started (bloom).

Here is the analogy: Just because you buy soil, seeds, and fertilizer and put them in a pile in your back yard doesn't mean you have a garden and have done the work! Our Gardens require hard work, mixing of soils, proper placement, specific treatment for each different seed... these things don't take care of themselves! And even then, you aren't done! Then you must tend to your garden on a regular basis! Pull some weeds, water, watch for threats and they need protection. Then one day your seed has sprouted and when you least expect it, your flower has bloomed and your hard work has paid off.

What this means: You can't occasionally buy/generate leads, occasionally send some emails, and occasionally give some presentations and expect people to sign up and have a successful business. You need to be consistent. You need to get quality leads and treat them with quality care. You need to make a strong number of presentations EACH and EVERY day that you want results. You must follow up in regular intervals with the people to let them know the opportunity is still there, and then you must wait. The hard work you do today might not have results for months... but the results will come.

When it comes to recruiting you also need to train and remain available if you want your garden to stay successful and beautiful. If you stop caring for your garden the moment it blooms then your success will be short lived... continue to nurture your hard work: have a solid training method, offer support, find information and share it. And support the gardening of your friends and business partners. 

I am a gardener with a company called AmeriPlan. I am a small business owner and am so fortunate to chose the people I work with. Tending my garden was not something I was successful at until I discovered the Law of Averages and put the numbers to work for me. Now I tend my garden daily and my flowers are the most amazing and beautiful blooms I have ever seen. 

For more information about my company, please visit: JessicaBurr.com

I dedicate this blog post to my beautiful garden! Lowell, Fig, Nicole, Brandi, Wendy, Tiffany, Tre, Andrea, Quentin, and Jody. I also dedicate this to my gardeners: Robb, Tyler, and Susan.

Irate people - WHY ARE THEY YELLING AT ME?!

Anytime you work with the general public, you will be exposed to persons who are upset about one thing or another. 

If you are on the phones talking to people you are at an even higher disadvantage because you cannot sway them with your beauty, distract them with your naturally flirtatious nature, hypnotize them with your body language, and expose them to the charm that oozes from every pore of your body... unfortunate, isn't it? 

By telephone, you are reliant on your voice to get the attention of the other person on the line, to keep their attention, and to educate them as to HOW you are going to help them. 

I believe as "telephone personalities" we have several other disadvantages: 1. Network marketing professionals are often confused with telemarketers... YUCK! We have to change this and the only way to do it is to change the way we talk to people. 2. If they can't see us, they have no problem taking their frustrations out on us. 3. Since they don't know us, common courtesy can be completely thrown out the window. 4. Since we called them and they CHOSE to answer the phone, we have somehow encroached on their private space and private time. 

People can be funny, or at least we can say they are interesting! 

Here are my tips for dealing with someone who is yelling, swearing, and exhibiting out of control and unreasonable behavior. 

First step - Stop thinking of this person as an adult and PRETEND they are a three year old having a temper tantrum. Imagine a toddler laying on the floor, kicking their legs, face contorted and red with anger, and feel sorry for them. Seriously! Could you imagine losing complete control of yourself like this person? It must feel awful. Just like a toddler, this person is acting in an irrational manner most likely caused by a lack of sleep, hunger, or some frustration of which they are unable to clearly communicate.

Second step - Stay calm and talk in a very quiet voice. Talk quietly: not quite a whisper but quiet enough that they can't hear what you are saying. "Why?" you may be asking, it is basic psychology: they will want to hear what you are saying. This works with toddlers too! If you raise your voice and try to interrupt them you are fueling their fire AND they can hear you over their own ranting and raving. Also, if you SOUND upset, they are getting what they set out to accomplish: ruin your day just as they feel their day was ruined! Take a deep breath and talk in a quiet and soothing tone.

Third step - Make them an offer they can't refuse. Remember, this person is upset for a reason... a reason they probably have not disclosed to you. Do NOT say that you understand what they are going through, but you CAN "understand" that they are upset. Say something like:

"I understand you are upset. When I was working in the corporate rat-race [was juggling FT work and being a mom/unappreciated at my last job/commuting 4 hours a day/etc.] I was always tired and angry; I never felt appreciated. I'd like to help you. I called as a favor to you, to tell you how you can work from home and find financial freedom. We are currently training future millionaires."

This is when you stop talking and count to five (to yourself). If they say nothing, skip to step four. If they ask you a question or tell you to continue, take a quiet deep breath and say:

"I am going to send you an email [or resend the email] with information about the company and my contact information. You can review this information when it is convenient for you. Then, if you'd like to talk you can call me." 

Then you say your farewell and disconnect. I recommend ending the call at this point because I WOULD NEED A TIME OUT and a moment to recoup. If you are not phased by this behavior, then by golly give them your pitch! Just stay calm, don't be too cheerful, and give them the straight forward facts. Answer their questions and close the deal. 

The problem with people who act in this manner is their future responses are an unknown. They may feel embarrassed and guilty the next day and uncomfortable calling you; or they may act like this on a regular basis and not feel a single morsel of remorse. If you chose to work further with this person is up to you. 

Fourth step - If all else fails, hang up. Simply say:

"<Name>, I would like to wish you the best in your future endeavors. Thank you for your time."

Wait for another five count and hang up the phone. Brush off the dust, take a break, say a prayer for that person. I usually cry for a minute - yes, I really do and it is OK! I am a sensitive person; irrational and unreasonable behavior that seems directed at me affects me. But then I work through it and don't dwell on it! Before you know it I am cracking a joke about the person and then I am feeling sorry for them. 

Their reaction was AT you but not because of you. They were yelling AT you but not to you. Remember the unreasonable and irrational temper tantrum of a three year old... and how lucky you are to only be on the phone with this person and not in the same room.

Jessica

For most of my adult like I worked in a call center environment. I have been yelled at, cussed at, threatened, and blamed for the sun setting. I learned many coping mechanisms but my favorite is laughter. Find the humor in life.

M L M - Dispelling the myths.

A V O N.    Tupperware.    Mary Kay.    The Pampered Chef.    HERBALIFE.    Amway.

Are these household names? Most of them. Have you heard of one or more of these companies or one of their products? Probably. Each of these companies have one thing in common, they have brought their fame to fruition through the use of multi-level marketing (MLM). 

Wait a minute! Did you just roll your eyes? I think you may have just rolled your eyes?! Hold off on judgement, you are better than that! Please allow me the opportunity to give you some information. In this blog I will touch on the definition of MLM, the difference between MLM's and schemes, the definition of a scam, and how MLM's can actually work.

You saw and read three letters you have been taught to hate... MLM. 

MLM is not a bad acronym, it just has a bad rap because it has been confused with bad phrases used by persons who were WRONG. I was one of those people. I thought MLM was the same as a pyramid scheme or a ponzi scheme. Pyramid and Ponzi schemes sell a position - this position filters money to the persons above and have no real financial value - like the chain-letters of my youth! Put your name at the bottom of the letter and send a dollar to the person at the top. What happened with the chain letters? The person took their dollar and did not follow the other instructions  breaking the chain and our childhood dreams of riches without any effort. Following me? Pyramids and Ponzis are get-rich-quick-with-no-effort-schemes... too good to be true.

I believed these were the same as MLM's; I was uneducated and believed that one was the other, they were all the same. But since I have seen the light, I want to educate you, dispel the myth, clear the air, shed some light on what the true nature of an MLM is... enough with the idioms :)

MLM's are a business opportunity which allow for the Average Jane or Average Joe to sell a product or service in exchange for commission. 

Doesn't this sound like sales? At the bare bones, it is. This is the infamous Sales & Marketing! A daring few do it and a daring few succeed - just as it is with MLM's. There are not many millionaires that start from the bottom of an MLM, but they do exist! 

Part of the reason people have come to distrust MLM's is that it is not easy money. MLM's take hard work, determination, tenacity, perseverance  and focus... you have to push through your learning curve, step out of your comfort zone, and work toward your goals. You also have to WAIT! 

Excuse me... did you just roll your eyes again? I have three teenagers, I'd know an eye-roll anywhere; I believe I invented the eye-roll back in 1979 when my mom said, "That room is not clean missy!" And I... Sorry, off on a tangent! Back on track...

Waiting is important. Most MLM's grow based on the client base... the more clients you have that purchase at an ongoing basis, the more money you make each month. MOST people will not make thousands of dollars a month in their first month, second month, third month... for some people it can take years to reach his or her first financial goal of supporting their family on their MLM earnings. THIS is why people claim scam. Scam is another word used incorrectly. scam: [skam] noun: a confidence game or other fraudulent scheme, especially for making a quick profit; swindle. 

People claim "scam" because they are not one of the select few that made millions in their first month. Why didn't they make money? Did they try? Did they seek help? Did they duplicate? Did they train? Or was it because they invested money and feel they received nothing in return.... AH HA! Bingo! It was probably a combination of these things. People will try to defile a company because they did not get what they expected. Possibly the person who recruited them gave them false information or maybe the training was lacking, that PERSON who gave them false information or who did not train and support them SCREWED UP! Down with THAT SPECIFIC PERSON; but don't hate the company because of that one person... don't let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch (I love idioms). 

This is where we talk about building your downline... DOWNLINE, this may have been where the "pyramid" confusion came into play. Just because a person makes a small profit on the persons they have brought into the business doesn't make this a scheme or a scam, it makes it a motivating factor to teach the persons below you about DUPLICATION. Teach them to do what you do to MAXIMIZE THEIR PROFITS - this is a beautiful thing if you are ethical, moral, and successful. 

Seriously, this is not much different from corporate America. Look at the structure of any big business, there are the people at the top who make the most money and then everything trickles down the line to the people at the bottom who make the least money. Did that CEO start yesterday only to have made a million dollars today? No. They didn't. Be realistic because neither will you. I challenge you to go find that CEO job that will give you millions overnight. I'm really sorry to tell you this Average Jane and Average Joe, you will not be offered that job. You will have to work for YEARS to get that job! And you will need to PRAY that, in the meantime, you are not downsized, merged, reduced, or reorganized before you get that $300 gold watch and pat on the back.

Profits are magnificent, right? But what if I asked you your thoughts on the word "commission." People love the word PROFIT - truth be told it is the same as COMMISSION when it comes to MLM's... dispelling the myths, remember? I use the word PROFIT all the time because it sounds better. 



In conclusion, I want to explain why you must INVEST in your chosen MLM company! The investment you make into starting your own branch of a company SHOULD give you something in return. Maybe you get samples of the products, websites, brochures or marketing materials, training materials, special club memberships, or other services - you should get something for your money. This is known as overhead and in most cases it is tax deductible. Also, depending on the organization, this investment should help your UPLINE (the person who brought you in) offset their time to train you in duplication. This overhead can range from a few dollars to thousands, it is important to look at what you get for your money (i.e. profit level) and what you would do for the company.

Now, my plug :) I work for a terrific organization - AmeriPlan! I have been with them for four months... yes, I am still green but have just received my first promotion to Regional Sales Director! I have NOT made my millions but I am supporting my family. I make 40% profit on every sale and I receive medical and dental discounts for my entire household - this has saved me a fortune in just a few months. I do NOT place cold calls, I do NOT keep inventory, and I do NOT go door to door. I DO work in my pajamas at my kitchen table, I do play on Facebook, and I do love my job. Has it been easy? That is a tough question to answer... I have not put all of the time or energy into the business that I feasibly could, TRUTH. I have had to communicate with persons who were uneducated and who were closed-minded. I have been called names. But I have also met some amazing people, I have made new friends and connections that otherwise I never would have made. If someone referred you to my blog, please go back to them for more information. If you stumbled upon this and want to learn about my company and what I do, please visit one of my websites, call me, or email me. I would love to talk to you.

Jessica Burr
Regional Sales Director and Independent Business Owner
www.JessicaBurr.com
www.FreedomatHomeTeam.com/JessicaBurr
www.IBOPlus.com/JessicaBurr
JessicaBurrOregon@gmail.com
971-231-5287

I can save you $12,000 by working from home!

The average working parent can save over $12,000 a year by working from home. Do you really NEED more of a reason?? I can also help you to DOUBLE your current income... ASK ME HOW!

Working from home can save you money

According to William Frierson of College Recruiter.com There are several ways you can save money by working from home. When you crunch the numbers you may be losing $12,000 a year commuting to your current JOB, risking your health, and losing precious days of your life!

9. Gas! Do the math! The average worker drives 30 miles/60 minutes each day. Even if you take two weeks of time off per year and equals 250 days of driving and gas. This is approximately $1,120. If you are in the car for an hour it also means you have lost over 250 hours from your year! That is more than 10 days you LOST!

8.  Car Maintenance. The median is cost for car maintenance is $312. If you drive just for recreation, this could be greatly reduced and the risk of bigger issues eliminated because of the lack of wear and tear!

7. Dry Cleaning & Laundering. Seriously! If you take your shirts, skirts, slacks, and jackets to the dry cleaners, you are throwing away money. I would take my spouses shirts to the cleaners once a month for a total of $50. That is $600 a year! If you have slacks, skirts, or jackets cleaned your costs can greatly increase!

6. Lunches & Coffee. Some people LOVE their coffee and LOVE a quick treat lunch out with co-workers!  $5 for lunch and $3 coffee doesn’t seem like much, but do that twice a week and 50 weeks a year…. $800… no joke!

5. Professional Wardrobe. If we spend an average of $1,800 a year on clothing, we could assume a third of that goes towards work clothing… $600? Give or take depending on your JOB.

4. Tax Deductions. By working on someone else’s office and not your own dedicated office space in your home, you are losing $3,000 in home office deductions or $750 lost tax obligation savings.

3. “Real” Salary. Remember that 1 hour you lose each day commuting? You should fraction that into your hourly wage and salary. If you make $15 per 8 hour day, your commute is costing you $3,750. If you make an average of $20 an hour, your commute is costing you $5,000. $25 an hour? $6,250!

2. Childcare & Afterschool Care. Do you have children? Grand children? I know many parents have fractioned in the cost of childcare or afterschool care into their budget… is it enough to make you change your mind? Even just at a combined total of $300 for ½ day and afterschool care for two children, a family is spending $3,600 a year. If your children do not go to school year-round you may have to pay even more for the summer months. Do you have grandchildren in daycare? Would you be willing and able to take them half-days and save your children some money?

1. Although intangible, your health is the number 1 reason you should work from home. Commuting causes stress. Work space causes stress. Co-Workers cause stress.  Bosses cause stress. Can you imagine the reduction in your stress if the boss was not looking over your shoulder? If your co-workers couldn’t stop by your desk to ask meaningless questions? If you could eat lunch without distraction? Not worry about the added time it takes to get ready every morning or fight traffic every evening?

What does this MEAN? By working your current JOB you are losing approximately $12,782 each year and more than 10 days worth of time is spent commuting. How can you change that? You can ask your current boss if you can work from home!  Even one day working from home could reduce

In an average 50 work-week year at 40 hours a week, you have just LOWERED your hourly wage by..... $6.65 (I sure hope I did that math right!)

Jessica.

Frierson, W. (July 12, 2013). 9 ways working from home saves you money. College Recruiter Blog. Retrieved from http://www.collegerecruiter.com/blog/2013/07/12/9-ways-working-from-home-saves-you-money/

Overhead does NOT equal scam!

I have been working from home for a wonderful company and decided it was time to touch on a few key points...

An upfront cost, membership fee, broker fee, purchase of products, etc. does not always equate to a scam business! You really need to evaluate what you will receive in exchange for your INVESTMENT! 

With AmeriPlan you receive the wonderful discount programs, websites, support systems, training, and best of all you receive YOUR OWN BUSINESS! For just dollars a month! After a couple of months and some hard work you hopefully won't even see that membership fee again!

Other companies such as Avon, Pampered Chef, Mary Kay, Scentsy, etc also ask you to buy starter kits and pay monthly fees. These businesses have been around for years and years, are they a scam?

The fact is that you cannot please everyone and not everyone is cut-out for sales and marketing themselves and products!

AmeriPlan's current promotion will give you medical and dental discount programs, websites, support, and MY TRAINING starting at only $39.95 the first month!- though I use and recommend the  $59.95 plan!

Really? You balk at $39.95 to OWN YOUR OWN FRANCHISE??? Go try to buy a 7-Eleven franchise and tell me how that goes over... $39.95 looks pretty good after that, no?

And you REALLY do receive check's that you can put in the bank... here is a picture of me with my first check!

This is not easy work! I work hard to earn my money because I believe a 6 figure income is only 3 years away. I have goals and aspirations! I am going to take my boyfriend to Cabo San Lucas or Maui in January 2014, I am going to be in VA for my grandfather's 90th birthday in June 2014, and I am going to take all 5 kids, my ex-husband, and my boyfriend to Cabo in January 2015. 

I anticipate making 55k in 2014 and 100k in 2015 while working from home; this is totally possible as I have seen others do it! And I ONLY have to make $700 in sales on average! That is RIDICULOUSLY POSSIBLE!!

My family is worth it and SO IS YOURS!!

Jessica Burr

Independent Business Owner

Ameriplan Recruiter and Program Specialist

971-231-5287

JessicaBurrOregon@gmail.com