INVICTUS - Let It Inspire YOU to Greatness

INVICTUS - by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

Why Your Why is SO Important

I've heard some trainers say that your why won't build your business. While this is true in the practical sense, your "why" is critical if you're going to get through the trials and tribulations that we all inevitably face when building this business.  And I'm not necesarily talking about the nice cars and large homes either.  Certainly the material things that this business can afford us are great, but what we're after here is something that touches you on a much deeper level.

New School Biz Has a New Look!

Yea, I thought it was time for a change so I searched the interweb for some nice templates and this is the one I've settled with... for now.  It's a work in progress and I'm not entirely sure I'm gonna keep it but we'll try it on for a couple days and see how it feels.  What do you guys think?

What the Attraction in Attraction Marketing Really Means

As the saying goes, "in order to attract others, one must be attractive,” but what does this exactly mean when taking your Network Marketing Business online?

The answer is quite simple really.

Taking Your MLM Online... the RIGHT Way

So now that we have an idea of how the internet works (see previous post: The Evolution of Communication) let’s begin looking at how to make it work for YOU.

To recap, let’s remember that we can’t behave like big corporations in the way they market. The internet gives consumers ultimate freedom to customize their “programming” – in other words they get to pick and choose exactly what they want to view online. If they were tuning out the adverts on television (and we all know they do) what more will they do so online?

The internet is a COMMUNITY and the only way a network marketer will get the attention of online audiences is by becoming a part of that community. We can do this by striking up conversations and contributing to the online discourse.

Some of you might be thinking, “I can’t just butt in and start chatting people up!”

Sure you can. As long as you have something of value to offer, as long as your input is worth the few minutes it takes to read or watch, then yes you can just start “chatting” people up.

But if you’re hesitant about this, don’t worry. A better way of going about things is by publishing material say through a blog or videos or articles, information that can help your audience (in this case network marketers) with a specific problem they might encounter in their endeavors. This will lend to your credibility as an online personality and becomes your resume of sorts. Of course you’ll want to continue releasing new material and as your library grows so too does your credibility. Again, it’s about contributing to the community; it’s about bringing value to the table. Without that you’re as lost as a funny four letter word in the wind.

So if you haven’t yet taken your prospecting efforts online jump on in. The water’s fine. Whether with a blog, videos, or articles, (or any of the myriad of online social media), start off small. Do what you’re comfortable with. If you’re already online, make sure you’re not just promoting your deal (MLM and affiliate programs alike). Bottom line: people don’t want to be sold to, online or off.



Up next: What the Attraction in Attraction Marketing Really Means

The Evolution of Communication and What it Means to Your Business

After all this talk of what NOT to do on the internet, I wanted to switch gears and start talking about what we SHOULD be doing. Before we do that however, I think it's important that we all understand HOW the internet actually works as a medium of communication. So we shot a quick video to illustrate exactly that.

Check it out.





A big shout out to my sister Rowena. None of my videos would be possible without her behind the camera skillz.

Where Attraction Marketing Fails

Human Connection – the thing that makes Network Marketing unique is exactly what’s missing in Attraction Marketing, at least how it’s currently being practiced. While the power of the internet allows us vast reach, it also puts us at risk of becoming more cut off from one another as many use it to avoid human contact. And despite the growing popularity of Social Networking and Social Media, network marketers have adapted it and use it in a way that’s anything but social.

It’s relationships that make this business run and unfortunately I see very little of this happening. Instead, the focus seems to be on building the largest possible “following” through whatever means necessary so that one can blast their opportunity with the hopes of getting it in front of as many eyes as possible. We are accustomed to this type of strategy because that’s how we’ve seen traditional businesses, large and small, conduct themselves. This is the type of marketing we grew up with, the type of marketing that’s been done since the advent of mass media outlets like radio and television.

But it is completely foolhardy for an individual networker to think that they can market like a big corporation.

And there we hit the root of the problem – the word marketing. This I believe is where the misconception about Attraction Marketing lies. The strength of Network Marketing is that we aren’t big corporations that people don't trust; we aren’t big businesses that convert sales by advertising to the masses. No, we are one person sharing our products and our opportunities with another. It’s that trust, that bond, that human connection that makes Network Marketing unique and frankly what makes it so successful. This focus on “marketing” misleads people into thinking that you can grow a business without building relationships.

Whether building your business online or off, it’s important that you learn the fundamentals. And as a leader, the success and longevity of your organization requires that you teach these fundamentals to your downline. So let’s begin with a wonderful video from one of our industry’s greats, John Milton Fogg:

To learn about the fundamentals I mentioned above, I highly encourage you to CLICK HERE and get your free audio or eBook copy of John Milton Fogg's The Greatest Networker in the World. It's one of the most beloved books ever written for our industry and for good reason. This book has changed my life. Now let it change yours.

Social Media is DEAD

Or at least it feels that way. Months ago when I first really started getting into social media, I wrote that one should treat it as a community and that the best way to use it as a tool for business is by becoming a contributing member to that community. Now however, social media has evolved into exactly what I hoped it wouldn't - in short, FREE ADVERTISING.

Marketers are killing social media for the rest of the non-marketing population without question. Now, granted, my online networks consist mainly of people from the network marketing and internet marketing fields so these oh-so-witty ad copy type posts are in part to be expected. But with the notably significant drop in the instances of actual two-way communication, I’m beginning to wonder whether it’s all even worth it.

No one’s listening. Everyone is screaming their deal or program at the top of their lungs but no one is really listening. I got into social media to meet and connect with, to learn from and perhaps help other network marketers. If I can no longer do that, then what’s the point?

Look at the picture on the right. This is what we’ve stooped to – door to door salesmen of the virtual world. The worst of it is the image we portray to the non-marketing public. This behavior certainly does nothing to help clear up the already delicate reputation of Network Marketing.

Shame on us. Shame on us for allowing this to happen. Shame on us for not better educating our people. Most of all, shame on us for not being better people ourselves.

Network Marketers, if this is what the future of our industry looks like, we are in serious danger of losing the very thing we’ve been trying to build. But know this: so long as I draw breathe I refuse to let that happen.

Who’s with me?

Tony Robbins, Frank Kern, and John Reese on Massive Action & Follow-Through

In this fantastic interview, Tony, Frank, and John uncover why some people follow through on their goals and achieve massive success while many fall far short. What blocks so many of these people from attaining their dreams? Watch this eye opening video to learn the answer.

Done watching? Now, watch it again.

Got it?

Now go out and DO.

For this and other mindset strategies, visit http://TonyRobbinsTraining.com

My Dog Can Teach Us a Thing or Two About Network Marketing

After a recent vacation to Florida, I returned home to find that one of my dogs, Mambo (pictured here) had plumped up considerably since I had left. This was shocking because I was only gone for a mere 5 days, surely not long enough for the little Chihuahua to gain that much noticeable weight.

Once I got over his pudgy cuteness, I knew we were going to have to cut back his diet and take him on more regular walks. Otherwise, his little legs weren’t going to be able to get him up on the bed anymore – I mean he’s lazy enough as it is and the last thing I wanted was to have to pick him up every time.

Then I realized, man I’m getting a little soft around the middle myself.

You see, with my busy schedule and then the few days off for vacation, I had gotten out of the habit of exercising. In fact, it had been weeks since I did my usual 30 to 45 minutes of cardio 4 to 5 times a week. And there I was, a reflection of my dog – lazy and out of shape.

What does this have anything to do with Network Marketing? Simply this:

We often see in others that which we do not like about ourselves.

How many times have you said (even if just to yourself) that your team isn’t talking to enough people, they aren’t attending enough meetings, they don’t read enough books? See, the things I didn’t like about my dog were actually exactly the things I did not like about myself. And I realized that’s something we very often do in Network Marketing and in life!

What we have to remember is that our Network Marketing business is a direct reflection of ourselves. So, if your business isn’t where you want it to be, don’t waste your time blaming your team, your circumstances or any other external force you have no control over. Instead, turn your gaze inward and ask yourself what YOU need to do in order to create the business and life you’ve always dreamed of.

Attraction Marketing Done Right - Part 5

I realize my tone in the first four articles of this series seems very anti-Attraction Marketing. I want you to understand that could not be further from the truth. I love Attraction Marketing and I have in fact moved the majority of my prospecting efforts online. But it's so new and so quickly evolving that we must be careful how we proceed else we risk permanently damaging this amazing industry of ours.

Ramin Mesgarlou stated in a recent interview for Networking Times Magazine, “People in this business are always looking for that secret recipe.” So, in our marketing we must be careful what type of message we are conveying and that we’re not preying on networker marketers’ need and desire to sponsor more people into their business – a feeling that all of us experience at one time or another, especially those who may have yet seen the type of success they expected when getting started in this industry.

True, the internet’s power has given network marketers a reach unparalleled in past generations. Gone are the days when the majority of our prospecting was limited to our local community. The internet has given us the ability to tap into and connect with the over one billion people worldwide who log on regularly. But though we now have access to exponentially more people and prospects, we cannot simply toss aside the core principles that our predecessors laid down before us, the foundations which distinguishes our industry from all others and on which all our successes have been built.

In the immortal words of the great John Kalench,

“Prospecting is a process. Everybody has [their] own window of time. Appreciate that, honor that first, and you give those around you the respect they deserve in making the decision to join your team. This opens the possibility for a serious win/win relationship. The relationship is the crucial factor.”

With all the capabilities we now have with the internet, the very basic principles of building a business hasn’t changed. Learning how to create an online marketing funnel and how to monetize your leads through affiliate deals, you can generate thousands, perhaps even millions of new prospects. But none of that automatically equates to success. Once you’ve learned how to grow your list, you must set about on the task of making a connection with the people on that list. When you make connections, when you develop relationships, that’s when the real magic happens – your organization begins to experience true, organic growth.

Again, John Kalench:

“Don’t look at people as prospects: look at prospects as people. Put the relationship first.”

So, while your spending time learning and teaching the ins and outs of internet marketing, don’t forget to also devote time to your personal development. Devote time to improving yourself and then in turn you can devote time to helping others do the same. The rest is just mechanics.

Attraction Marketing Done Right - Part 4

The World Wide Interweb, the next great frontier in marketing. Never before has a mass media outlet held so much promise for the network marketer. And never before has there been a more dangerous time for them either.

Okay, I know that sounds bit dire and in a sense it is. The bevy of marketing systems and affiliate deals unfortunately steers distributors away and distracts them from getting a complete education. Sure some (and I emphasize SOME) of these programs do a wonderful job at teaching people the mechanics of setting up an online marketing funnel. I’ve learned a great deal from the Magnetic Sponsoring system as well as the Renegade Professional system and I promote them openly.

See, with all this focus on marketing, especially the high-profile type with celebrity endorsements, TV spots and even interviews on Oprah and Larry King, we are moving away from the more personal referral marketing that our industry is based on and we're shifting over to mass marketing strategies – traditionally the territory of big corporations. And with their track record of late, I'm not sure that big corporations are the example I want to follow.

But that's not what bothers me the most. Heck, you can market your business and products any way you like – we are independent distributors after all. No, what worries me the most is that this surge of online marketing systems is creating a new breed of MLM’ers who lack the basic skills of building a business – connecting, building trust and developing relationships with your prospects.

The litmus test of a skilled network marketer: take away his fancy website, take away his PPC and SEO, take away his internet access, take away the leads generated by celebrity ad campaigns and marketing and a true network marketer can still build an incredibly successful business.

How many of you reading this can honestly say you can do that?




In the next issue we'll wrap up with some final thoughts on what this entire series on Attraction Marketing means to the success of your business and what it means to the Network Marketing industry as a whole.

Ronnie Cruz is Switching Companies

You read correctly. After much deliberation, I've decided make the move to a new company. The company is so new in fact that it hasn’t even launched yet.

Now, it's important you all know that I don't take switching companies lightly. Jumping from company to company is incredibly unprofessional and not only does it do nothing for you as a network marketer but it presents a horrible example for those outside of the industry.

No. There were some strict criteria I adhered to, issues that I made sure were addressed with my new company, issues that I feel are problematic not only with my previous company but endemic to the network marketing industry as a whole. Below, I've highlighted what I feel are three major problems in Network Marketing.

TOP 3 PROBLEMS OF NETWORK MARKETING

• Cost of Product - Network Marketing is anti-cyclical, meaning when the economy is down, the Network Marketing industry typically does when. So right now companies should be doing great. However, that's not really the case right now. Network Marketing companies are suffering losses in this down economy because the price points on their products are TOO HIGH. Expensive products not only makes it cost prohibitive for people to get involved in Network Marketing right now but it also makes building a business incredibly difficult.
• High Monthly Cost/Poor Retention - With such high product costs, distributors are faced with the added burden of hefty monthly auto-ships. And unfortunately, most Network Marketing compensation plans have made it very difficult for the average part-timer to break even on their monthly costs. On average, it takes approximately an organization 25 to 30 people (there are some companies where the numbers are much higher) to break even on your costs. Building that size of a group is not necessarily easy for your average part-timer. With more money going out than coming in every month, these distributors very soon stop their auto-ships and eventually drop out of the business all together.
• Too Difficult for the Average Part-timer to Advance in Rank - For the people that do endure the high product costs and the uphill battle of keeping people in the business, yet another hurdle stands in the way of their success. Network Marketing compensation plans have traditionally given the distributors only a few levels of achievement, levels that are usually very difficult to attain. This exclusivity is great for the 5% elite distributors that are able to achieve the higher ranks but it's not so good for the 95% of the part-timers that make up the majority of the network marketing population. Being stuck at a particular rank year in and year out does greatly to demotivate a person, instilling a feeling that they are not making any progress, that they haven't achieved their goals. Again, it is only a matter of time before these quit the business.

These and many more problems are what we distributors are faced with in the Network Marketing industry and for better or for worse we've had to live with them. At least that's what I thought until I was shown this brand new company.

Now, I had grown to love my previous company and it was my intention of making that company my MLM home for years to come. However, this new company just fell into my lap and after examining it very closely, I saw that it addressed all the issues and problems that have up to now plagued our industry. This new company had all the strengths and none of the weaknesses of my old company. Finally, I had found a company whose products were competitively priced not with network marketing but with the retail market, where a distributor could break even on their monthly auto-ship costs with as few as 2 to 6 people, and whose comp plan allowed even the most novice network marketer to advance in rank much more easily.

Now, in the interest of keeping this blog as generic as possible I will refrain from mentioning the name of the company. But I will say that I am currently putting my leaders together and we're preparing diligently for Pre-Launch. So, if you're looking for a new company to work with and you'd like more info on what I'm working on CONTACT ME and we can discuss the details further.




Find out more about my new company and join my team. Send all inquiries to CEO@RONNIECRUZ.COM or you can visit THIS SITE for more information.

Attraction Marketing Done Right – Part 3

Traditional businesses rely on marketing to drive their sales. They have to. The business model in which they participate is structured that way. Create a product, put it on the shelves, mass market it and hope and pray that consumers buy it. The larger an audience a company can reach through its advertising, the higher their sales.

It's a business model with which we are all familiar because it's one that we've all grown up with. Plus, for most, the large majority of the products we purchase are marketed in this fashion.

In Network Marketing, the business model is modified in that the marketing is done person to person by a team of independent distributors who earn income only when product is purchased by the end consumer. The law of averages dictates then that the more people a network marketer exposes to their product or opportunity, the higher the sales or number of conversions. More people seeing your business equals more people joining.

At face value, this quantitative look at the two varying business models might lead one to believe that the marketing for each has the same purpose – to generate more sales. But upon closer inspection, we see that this isn’t entirely accurate.

In traditional business, without a doubt the immediate aim of marketing is sales and profit. In Network Marketing however, sales and profit are not so much the aim of marketing but more or less are the byproduct of it. Since business in Network Marketing is done person to person, the purpose then for marketing is to create and build a list of people with which you can develop a rapport. The sales and profit come then once you’ve built a relationship of trust and respect with the people you’ve connected with through your marketing.

Over the years, in an effort to find more efficient methods of marketing, Network Marketers have turned to some very creative ways of meeting and connecting with larger audiences. The strategies have gradually moved away from the more personal methods like friend to friend referrals and have gravitated towards much less personal methods like advertising. In essence what we’re seeing is that Network Marketers are individually starting to behave more and more like corporations than independent distributors. And the rate of this shift has been greatly accelerated with the advent of the internet. The more we market on the internet, the further away we seem to get from and lose touch with the very foundations of what makes this business model work so well – RELATIONSHIPS.

Now this isn’t intended to be an indictment on Network Marketers taking their business online. As I’ve stated many times in the past, Attraction Marketing is a highly effective way of building your business. But without proper guidance and education, Network Marketers mislead themselves into thinking that merely having a presence on the internet is the end all and be all answer to their recruiting woes.

And when they place all their efforts and focus on creating capture pages, blogs, videos, articles, and advertisements and then still don’t see an increase in actual recruitment, they are left with an even deeper sense of frustration than they had before they began marketing online.

So, while the internet can be a powerful tool in bringing more prospects to your business, remember that it’s only part of the equation. As Network Marketers, we must remember that it’s the strength of the relationships we build that inevitably determines our success in this business. And if we lack these skills, we must certainly put at least equal effort in developing them as we do learning how to market.




In the next article, we will discuss the how far off course we’ve gotten with the bevy of new marketing systems being created every day. Also, we’re going to talk about the allure of the high-profile celebrity company endorsement and the inherent pitfalls of aligning with them.

Attraction Marketing Done Right - Part 2

Network Marketers, especially new ones, have the misconception that Attraction Marketing is the answer to their prospecting woes, bringing them endless leads, affiliate commissions and building huge downlines thru the simple act of creating blogs, videos and capture pages. What many are quickly finding out however is that it’s not the turn key, instant success formula that they were looking for.

There's no such thing as instant automated success. It’s true for Network Marketing. It's true for everything in life.

Here's what's happening:

People work the business for a period of time and though they know results are never immediate, frustration begins to set in due to the seeming lack of progress. Couple that with the often inability to cover the cost of their monthly orders, and what we have is a large number of disgruntled and even desperate Network Marketers searching for solutions outside of what their upline and their teams are teaching them (that is if they even have an upline helping them and a team to plug in to).

This actually is what led to the birth if you will of Attraction Marketing. It was to be the answer to every Network Marketer’s prayers, a fresh new strategy completely different from anything anyone had done before that was going to make prospecting and recruiting much simpler and the incomes we all dream of in Network Marketing much more achievable.

But it’s not that at all.

In terms of simplicity, it’s no easier than any of the traditional methods of prospecting. In fact, it can be downright daunting for many who don’t know their way around the World Wide Interweb. It’s no more effective than anything that’s been done in the past. Great success stories come from all manner of prospecting methods. And sure, one has access to an exponentially larger audience online than they do in their local community but it’s really more about HOW your work the strategies than it is about the actual strategies themselves.

As I said in the first part of this series, I’ve moved most of my prospecting efforts online and it has worked and continues to work very well for me. The lesson then I want to impart is that IT TAKES TIME. Just like with the more traditional strategies, you’re not going to get results over night. So don’t let anyone’s ad or capture page fool you into expecting otherwise. Success will come if you remain persistent, continue being a student of the industry, and keep your eye on the prize.

Attraction Marketing Done Right

Attraction Marketing works. The proof lies in not only in the stories of Network Marketers earning sizable sums and building large downlines but it can also be seen in the droves of people rushing to register for the hottest new training course. Personally speaking, even though my execution differs from your typical Attraction Marketer, I can attest to the effectiveness these online methods. I’ve connected with some of my biggest leaders using these online techniques. Heck, I’ll even be willing to admit that I’ve moved most of my prospecting efforts to the Interweb.

Now, in speaking with other Network Marketers who have taken their prospecting online, I still get a sense of the “It’s just not working” frustration that many had with the more traditional methods (list building, cold calling, etc). There’s almost a desperation there in these networkers who are doing everything they can but still aren’t able to create the multiple streams of income that seem to come so easily to other Attraction Marketers.

What are they doing wrong? I can’t really answer that because marketing and funnels and affiliate sales is just not my bag. As I’ve said in a previous post about driving blog traffic, my brain just doesn’t work that way. I’m a relationship type of guy, a people person. I like making connections. So the only help I can offer these troubled marketers is to share what I’m doing and perhaps shed some light as to why it’s worked so well for me.

How I’ve Scored With Attraction Marketing

First, the reason I decided to write this piece was more and more I’m seeing that network marketers have gone from blasting their primary opportunities to instead blasting their affiliate deals. Now common sense dictates that if blasting your MLM opportunity didn’t work then doing the same with your affiliate capture and squeeze pages won’t work either. Now I can’t really be certain since that isn’t a particular strategy that I employ but what I will lay out is a simple step by step plan that has worked wonders for me.

• Content – the first thing you want to do is create and publish content of value. Whether it’s videos or articles or blog posts, you want to offer material that will genuinely help people build their businesses. If you’re unsure of what to put out, just think of what you would want to read or view. And the most important thing that I can tell you here is to be yourself. Be genuine. Doing so ensures that you will attract the people who are most like YOU. Then, making a connection and building a rapport comes much easier because you will be conversing with people whom you already have commonalities with.


• Connect – the internet is a community so become a part of that community. Share your content with people but also take time to read others’ material as well. Post comments, begin dialogues and foster discussions within the community. And when people leave comments on your articles make sure to reply. Basically, you want to communicate with people. Communication is the foundation for all relationships and that’s what we’re after here – building relationships.

EL OH EL! When I set off to write this I didn’t realize my step by step plan only consisted of two steps! Well, simpler is better I always say.

You see, I think people often make the mistake, online and off, of focusing on marketing. While that might get you a few conversions, the true strength of the Network Marketing model lies in the relationships that we build. The commissions and inevitably the wealth we create are a byproduct of those relationships.

The way I see it, online Attraction Marketing isn’t so much about sales and conversions. Rather, I see it as a way to meet and connect with people. The internet’s vast reach and speed give us access to an infinitely larger audience than say our local community but we have to treat it with the same courtesy and respect. Regardless of the medium with which we decide to do our marketing, we must always remember that it’s still Network Marketing.

Survey: How Well is Attraction Marketing Working for You?

With this post, I'm trying to accomplish a few things:

First, I want to get your opinions on Attraction Marketing for a new article I'm working on. B) I want this to be a place where people can come and read about others' experiences with online marketing.

So, the topic of discussion is:

Attraction Marketing - Are you really able to build your primary business (i.e. recruit people and build your downline) or is it limited to just bringing in affiliate sales?

Please leave your feedback in the comments below. And please pass this on.

Thanks!

Finding What Works for Your Network Marketing Business

In building my Network Marketing business, I’ve employed the entire spectrum of marketing methods and strategies. And, some of you may have noticed that in the past few months I’ve switched my focus from making videos to writing blog posts. Before I go into why, let me back track and give you a brief summary of my MLM education.

I started, like most of us in Network Marketing, learning cold and ward market techniques of person to person prospecting. I built my list and learned how to approach them utilizing three way calls and impending events. Then, I graduated to purchasing leads lists and buying into advertizing co-ops, learning phone skills and posturing along the way.

Shortly after that I started hearing of Network Marketers applying something I hadn’t heard of before called Attraction Marketing. I kept hearing of networkers leveraging the immense power of the internet to generate leads and I wanted to be a part of it.

So I dove headfirst into the online movement, creating videos, starting a blog, creating Squidoo lenses, Ezine articles, and began bookmarking with Digg. At first, my favorite thing was making videos. It really appealed to the film maker in me because it gave me a chance to use my creativity while building my business. However, my schedule constraints made it difficult to keep up with the time intensive video posting process so I began focusing my energy on writing blog posts. This allowed me to still use my creativity and appealed to another passion – writing.

Hence, I write more blog posts now than I make videos.

So, what does this have to do with anything?

Well first, this illustrates that you really do have to try many things before finding what works for you. By learning a multiple skill sets, you not only can tailor your marketing strategies to suit your strengths but you also increase your chances of conversions. We’ve all heard that the more lines you have in the water the more fish you’ll catch.

The other point I wanted to make was this: In this business, our education comes largely from experience in the field. You can learn from manuals and books and attend training events all you want but until you actually go out and DO, you won’t grow and develop as a Network Marketer. Knowledge without application is about as useless as… well you can fill in the blank.

My suggestion is learn and apply as many methods and strategies as you can. When you’re trying out a new strategy, work it for an extended period of time, six to twelve months so that you really understand it. Then from the skill sets you’ve developed, pick the ones that work best for you.

How to Drive More Traffic to Your MLM Blog

Driving traffic is essential to all online marketing strategy, especially if you're using a blog to build your Network Marketing business. You can have the greatest content but without readers, you're dead in the water.

Now, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on SEO, or keywords and key phrases, or anything else tech related. My brain just doesn't work that way, and frankly, it's all way over my head.

So for this post, I've scoured the World Wide Interweb for tips on generating more traffic for your blog and I've listed below the best ones I found.

How To Drive Traffic to Your Blog - The Advice of a 12 Year Old

This article by twelve-year-old David Wilkinson is incredibly insightful and full of grade A advice for your blogging efforts. David's increasing blogging success caught the attention of Darren Rowse of ProBlogger fame, who in turn asked him to pen this article. When Darren Rowse asks you to write a guest post for his blog, it says a lot.
This kid knows his stuff.

How to get traffic for your blog

This article is written by Seth Godin. Need I say more?
Okay, fine. Short and to the point, Seth gives us a check list of 56 things to do to get more traffic to your blog. These tips are all relatively simple and most are surprisingly easy to implement. But even if they weren't, when Seth speaks, we should listen.

16 Ways to Drive Traffic to Your Blog

This E-Zine Article Outlines 16 ways to improve traffic to your blog. Some of these techniques are simple but there are a few tech-ish things like setting up feeds, pings, and trackbacks. If you're wondering what those are, I'm right there with ya. Rest assured though that those are important things to learn and that this article is a great place to start.

Increasing Traffic to your Blog

There are definite differences between using a blog platform and hosting your own blog and with definite advantages using the latter. This article gives us the best places to submit our websites so that they start appearing on the search engines. This is something I had no idea about until I read this article but rest assured that I'll be implementing the strategies immediately.

Well, that's it for now. Blogging has become one of my favorite ways of connecting with people so I'll definitely be coming out with more content on how to maximize your blogging efforts. Until then, keep writing, keep connecting, and keep growing.

Mike Dillard's MLM Traffic Formula 2.0 Hits the Market

Mike Dillard has just released his new MLM Traffic Formula 2.0 and it's taking the market by storm. If you want to start driving massive traffic to your website, looks this is the course to get. But don't take my word for it. Listen to Attraction Marketing guru Norbert Orlewicz give his reccomendation:

If you want to check out what MLM Traffic Formula 2.0 is all about, CLICK HERE.

The Network Marketing Debate Rages On

The debate between Network Marketers using old school methods versus the ones using new school methods grows more heated by the day. And it makes me wonder what all the fighting is really about.

The way I see it, here is what’s happening: the new schoolers with their copy writing cleverness post articles and ads stating old school methods don’t work. Moreover, some have gone as far as stating that the old school of thought is responsible for propagating lies about how to achieve success in Network Marketing.

Meanwhile, the old schoolers feel that the online network marketers are distracted from building their downlines and instead put their focus on making affiliate commissions. They see these new school methods as a masked ploy primarily designed to sell the various training systems and don’t really help networkers build their primary business.

At face value this might make sense, however, though both sides seem to have legitimate grievances against the other, if we dig deeper, there’s really much more going on. First, it shows a general lack of knowledge of each group about the other’s methods. If they were looking at the complete picture, they would realize that all methods, new and old, when done correctly work very well and have created some amazing success stories.

Second, I think the true driving force behind this feud is the amount of attention/traffic it generates. By criticizing a certain strategy or groups of strategies, one elevates himself and his methods above those he is criticizing. In essence, what they’re saying is, “Their methods don’t work and won’t work for you so you should so what I’m doing.” It’s the old “mine is better than his” tactic.

And here I thought that we Network Marketers had gotten beyond that.

This is a problem. In the old days of big corporations, that’s how business was done. Buy my hamburgers. They’re better than the other guy’s. That’s traditional marketing and though it may work to a degree to generate traffic or build your list, in the broader scope it does far more damage than good.

We participate in an industry that’s very personal. A successful Network Marketing business’ foundations are built on the quality and strength of lasting relationships. If we behave in the cutthroat, dog eat dog manner the way big corporations do, we risk losing the very thing that sets us apart as an industry – the personal connection. True, business is about profits and making money but in Network Marketing to achieve those things we must maintain a "people first" attitude. Everything else is just systems and tools.

Final Thoughts

There is no end all and be all right strategy or method because when it comes down to it, what works for one may not necessarily work for another. Focus your attention on finding what works for you and don't waste your time and energy bad mouthing what hasn't.

Let’s stop spreading false and slanderous information about how people build their business.

Network Marketing: Beware the Kook Factor

Having discussions about Network Marketing with people outside of the industry can often yield very important insights. I recently had the opportunity to do so with a gentleman who neither had any involvement nor experience in the Network Marketing industry and he opened my eyes to a very critical issue: The Network Marketing Fanatic.

We’ve all seen them. They’re not difficult to spot, even in a crowd of 10,000. It’s those individuals at your company convention that deck themselves out completely in the company’s colors. Some don goofy hats and other silly accessories while some go as far as coloring all their hair (beard and all) to match.

Whose attention are they trying to get?

Don’t get me wrong. Network Marketing does call for a level of enthusiasm and loyalty, the kind of unwavering faith required to succeed in a venture where the deck is often stacked heavily against you. But like with anything you can over do it.

For instance, at your company convention, if you look more like a spectator at a sporting event than you do a business person, then you may want to reconsider your outfit. It’s not as if everybody isn’t there to cheer on the same company. There’s no opposing team. If you want attention, earn it by advancing in pin level or achieving a special bonus. That type of recognition is well more worth it.

Now I’m not trying to tell you how to dress. Goodness knows I’ve gotten my share of flack from “serious” Network Marketers about the being too casual. And as short sighted as I think that is, we have to accept the fact that if we are to present Network Marketing to the public as a viable and legitimate profession we have to maintain a degree of well… professionalism. We are after all much more than just cheerleaders for our companies.

Here’s the thing: remember my conversation with the non-Network Marketer? Well, he was all but convinced of the solid principles of Network Marketing and its ability to generate solid incomes for people involved. His only hesitation was the “Kook Factor”. In his mind, the risk of being seen as a kook and of ruining his reputation was equal to if not greater than any financial risks or demands on his time.

Does attending your convention looking like big orange Santa Claus taint the public’s perception of the Network Marketing industry? It certainly doesn’t help. So, the lesson I think is we must remember that as distributors, we are all representatives of the industry and we must be wise in how we present ourselves because that is exactly how the public will perceive us.

Blind Loyalty a Death Trap in Network Marketing

This article is intended for true network marketers – those individuals who joined a company with the intention of going beyond mere product consumption. These are the people with an earnest desire to build a business and create a full time income for themselves. If this is NOT you, close this window (or tab), go to the kitchen and pour yourself a nice cold glass of your company’s product. If this IS you, then read on – this article could save your business.

Pitfalls and Death Traps

One of the most important tenets of successful Network Marketing is belief in one’s products and company. This is certainly true for how can one effectively promote a product and company if he or she does not believe in them?

But there is a major pitfall to this, a near fatal business mistake that effects a large number of Network Marketers, including myself at one time. BLIND LOYALTY.

Don’t get me wrong. Like I’ve said, it’s important to believe in and be faithful to the product and company that you’ve teamed up with. The trouble is that networkers often follow this to the nth degree and become so enthralled in their company that they end up throwing all rationality out the window. They stick by their company and defend it fiercely, rabidly even and it becomes the center of their business world.

How can you make sound business decisions when you’re looking through the tainted eye glasses of emotion? The answer is YOU CAN’T.

Strong emotional attachment to anything will cloud your judgment and hinder your ability to make smart business decisions. So it’s important that we maintain clarity when we’re building our Network Marketing businesses because it’s exactly that – A BUSINESS. Approach everything analytically and rationally. If you’re company is putting up good numbers, you’re making money and management is making smart decisions that benefit the distributors, then by all means stay with your company. But if the numbers are down and your checks are down and the management is making mistakes, it may be time to reconsider.

Some Advice

Education is the key to making sound business decisions. If you make certain that you and your team are educated on the ins and outs of the Network Marketing industry, you are ensuring that they are properly equipped to make the right choices at the right times based on reason and not emotion.

No matter how you might feel about your company and its products, you must not allow your emotions to sway your business decisions. Now, because we participate in a largely a relationship touchy-feely business, this can be difficult. But you have to remember that keeping emotions separate from business is what distinguishes a Network Marketing leader from a Network Marketing consumer.

Which one are you?



UPDATE (5/12/09)

Reading back over this post I realized that I left out an essential point:

IN NO DO I WAY ENCOURAGE OR ENDORSE THE BEHAVIOR OR PRACTICES OF MLM JUNKIES.

You know who I mean. A notorious bunch that hop from company to company, cross recruiting and making a quick buck selling their training materials or promoting affiliate deals. NOT COOL. You’re a stain on the good name of Network Marketing and I personally want nothing to do with you.

I wrote this article with the intention of helping people make smarter business choices. If you’ve been with a company and have been working it hard for a couple of years and you’re still not making any money, then it may be time to reconsider. No matter how much you love the product or the company, it gets to a point where you have to step back and say enough is enough because the truth is there may be a company out there that is a better fit for you. Conduct your business objectively and you’ll save yourself time, money and heartache.

Twitter for the Newbie: a Network Marketer’s Guide

For various reasons, many people in my Network Marketing organization have shied away from the social media colossus that is Twitter. Some misunderstood the service, stating that they have no interest in reading about what breakfast cereal people are eating or what TV show they’re watching. Others have been completely intimidated by it fearing that there’s no way they can manage multiple thousands of friends. Whatever the reason, it all really just stems from not being familiar with Twitter and therefore not seeing its true power as a social networking tool.

Now, I didn’t “get” Twitter from the beginning when I first created my profile. When I started, I did exactly what most people do – tweet about what I was doing. “Driving to the store” or “Having sushi for dinner. Yummm” were typical posts from my early days on Twitter. Epic Fail.

When I started taking Twitter more seriously, I finally began learning how to leverage it as a networking tool. And after weeks of really examining how everyone communicated on the service, I finally attained (though self-appointed, wink, wink, el oh el) the title of Twitter Badass.

So, I’ve put together this guide for Network Marketers new to Twitter so that you guys don’t have to go through the same embarrassments and frustrations that I did.

• First, make certain you have a profile picture, one that you feel speaks to your character and personality; remember, social networking is about letting people get to know YOU


• Following that train of thought, fill out the Bio section. Don’t say that you’re a guru of web 2.0 or that you’re an expert of attraction marketing because there’s tons of people that calling themselves that. Be original. Again, let people know YOU


• Once you’ve gone about the business of setting up your profile; you can now set forth on the task of acquiring followers. You can start by following people you know or know of, especially those with already large followings. You’ll pick up a few followers just by doing this. The basic principle is follow and be followed. There’s a neat little service call Twollo where you can set it to automatically follow people who tweet certain keywords. For example I have mine set to follow anyone tweeting “network marketing” and “attraction marketing” and “MLM” just to name a few.


• So, you’ve got your account set up and you’ve started following and being followed. Now what? Here’s where a lot of Network Marketers start making mistakes.
  
  What NOT to do: do NOT post silly irrelevant tweets about what you’re doing right now. That’s boring and un-engaging. Do NOT post tweets that blast your deal or affiliate program. No pitching or you risk being outright ignored. If your tweets sound more like classified ads than a conversations, that’s probably where they belongs.
  
  What TO do: Tweet with value, things that people can learn from and use. If you have a blog with helpful information on building a business, tweet it. If you recently wrote an article on new prospecting methods, tweet it. Offering value not only catches people’s attention but it also gets the conversation going. And that’s the most important thing to remember. It’s all about the conversation, about connecting.

The power of Twitter come from the speed and ease at which one can connect with other people. As a Network Marketer, it’s really a dream come true because it has the same vast reach of other networking sites but without the frills and distractions. The simplicity of its format caters perfectly to starting conversations. So, when you get on Twitter, talk to people. Engage them. Take the skills you learned off line and apply them online. Build your list by building relationships. Increase your credibility by letting people get to know you, like you, and trust you. Do this, and you will have tapped into the massive leveraging power of Twitter.




Interested in learning how to leverage social media outlets like Twitter, Facebook and Youtube? Register for FREE at www.RonnieCruz.com to learn the basics of Online Attraction Marketing.

What Happens When My List Runs Dry?

The first thing you're told when starting a Network Marketing business is to make a list of all the people within your sphere of influence or what we call your warm market. This is because there really is no faster way for a new distributor to jump start their business.

But soon after, that list runs out and you're left with no one to tell your business about.

What now?

There're a few things you can do. If you're an outgoing person who enjoys meeting new people and striking up conversations, then you can make it a point to meet and talk to people when you're out and about in your community. This is a great way to make contacts and find people in your local area who might be interested in a business opportunity.

If you're the type that likes to be on the computer and enjoys being on the internet, you can also meet people through the various social networking sites (Facebook, Myspace, Youtube, Twitter, etc) and connect with them that way. This gives you access to a community that extends well beyond your local area.

Now, even though these platforms are very different, the underlying concepts are the same. Whether you're out in your local area or if you're on the internet meeting people, it's all about making a connection and developing relationships. It's about getting to know people well enough to find out if they have a need that you can fill or a problem that you can present a solution to.

When you're networking with people, it's important that you not become a salesperson because that not only turn people off to you but it also turns people off to the network marketing profession as a whole.

So connect, develop and build relationships and before you know it you'll have a large thriving organization.



If you'd like to learn more about leveraging the power of the internet to attract an endless stream of highly qualified leads at NO COST, visit: www.RonnieCruz.com

Is Ann Sieg's Renegade Professional Everything It's Cracked Up to Be?

As promised, here are my thoughts thus far on Ann Sieg's new training program Renegade Professional:

I was fortunate to be on the early bird list to sign up an hour ahead on Thursday because apparently as soon as registration opened up to the public at noon, it was internet pandemonium. After buying two more servers with their hosting company, Ann states, "Our system STILL had trouble handling all the traffic that came pouring in." Because of this, many people who had been waiting in anxious anticipation for the launch of the program were not able to get in and were left out in the cold by the time registration closed on Thursday night.

This is truly unfortunate because in my final analysis of Renegade Professional, I can only say this: THIS PROGRAM IS A MUST HAVE FOR ANYONE BUILDING A BUSINESS ON THE INTERNET.


As soon as I registered, I immediately began pouring over the material spending a good portion of the next two days reading and watching the tutorials. And I've barely scratched the surface of the training that's offered in program.

For Beginners
If you're new to the internet it can be a scary and intimidating thing. So many websites, so many networks, so many services. One of the strengths I find in Renegade Professional is it's step by step approach to teaching. For newbies this is key because the program really takes you by the hand and walks you through the entire process - from beginning to end. So as a person with no experience with the internet whatsoever, you can get registered with Renegade Pro and within weeks be marketing online and driving traffic like the best of them.

For Those With More Experience
Now, I started using the internet to market and develop my brand in early 2008 with moderate results. A lot of what I was doing was self taught or I learned by watching what others were doing. This unfortunately lead to lack of structure in my marketing pipeline and hence the moderate results. The step by step nature of the Renegade Professional has allowed me to look at what I was doing and create a new, more effective plan of action. So far, I've learned what I was doing wrong and how to make it better - in short, even though I've been marketing online for over a year now, this program is teaching me how to focus my efforts and take my online presence to the NEXT LEVEL.

Summation
Comprehensive is a word I've used a lot in describing the Renegade system and there's really no better word to describe it. There's a definite right way of doing things online and it's something you can surely teach yourself. But in this age of instant information and the rapid (and even rabid) evolution of the internet, one cannot afford the time it takes using the "throw it up against that wall and see what sticks" method of learning. Whether a web newbie or a seasoned veteran, anyone with the desire to build a business using the internet can benefit from this program. The cost to value ratio is very high with this program because it teaches you everything you need to succeed online. So, it is this writer's humble opinion that a comprehensive training program like Renegade Professional is ESSENTIAL to your success as an online marketer.

Final Words
Remember when I said that a lot of people were unable to register because of server issues? Well, the Renegade Pro camp wanted to make certain that the hundreds of people left out had another chance (many of whom went as far as taking time off work to register). So, they've re-opened registration for today and tomorrow (April 6th and 7th). If you're interested in registering, you can CLICK HERE or on the Renegade Professional logo above.



**UPDATES** JUNE 22, 2009

Renegade Professional has just re-opened for registration so if you missed it the first time here's another chance for you to hop on with the most comprehensive attraction marketing training available. CLICK HERE or on the Ren Pro logo above to register and start learning how to leverage the power of the internet to generate massive amounts of leads and prospects to your business.

Please feel free to leave your comments and thoughts below and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact me. I'll be posting updates on my progress with the system so stay tuned.

Ann Sieg's Attraction Marketer's Manifesto - A Review

The world wide interweb has been abuzz of late with news of the imminent launch of Ann Sieg's new training program Renegade Professional. As a warm-up act to this new training program, Ann wrote the Attraction Marketer's Manifesto. With this 75 page document, Ann explains in detail what attraction marketing is, and how and why it works.

Now, I admit I'm a relatively slow reader and even though I knew it was going to take me hours to get through this Manifesto, I could not put it down. Ann explains in detail the entire concept of attraction marketing from A to Z giving us the ins and outs of this next evolution of how Network Marketers will be doing business in the age of the internet. It's so comprehensive in fact that one can easily take what he learns from this manifesto and begin implementing it into his business with great results.

If that's the case then what's left if everything is already covered in the manifesto? I don't know. But I'm willing to wager that if the Attraction Marketer's Manifesto is this good, then we can expect nothing short of extraordinary from the Renegade Professional. So, stay tuned...

Click here or on the photo above to register for Renegade University and get your copy of the Attraction Marketer's Manifesto. IT'S ALL ABSOLUTELY FREE!

Network Marketing - Etiquette of Being Online and Plugged In

I love Twitter. Unabashidly. I find comfort and solice in the constant whirring of my Tweetdeck notifications. And, I've been at the game long enough to notice some things I do not like. Now, I don't claim to be an expert nor a guru but in the past weeks of full head-first immerssion into social media, I would definitely say that I'm a student of it. (*scratching head, wondering if that sentence even made sense) Anyways, I think this cartoon just about sums it up.

Click image to see larger version.©Ronnie Cruz 2009

You see, there's an effective way to behave online and there's an ineffective way to behave online. And to gauge whether or not what you're doing is effective, simply ask yourself: Is this something I would do in person, face to face with someone? If you're answer is NO then chances are you probably shouldn't do it online either.

Twitter: An Indicator of How Far (or Not) We MLM'ers Have Come

If you're not on Twitter yet, you will be within the next 3 days. Maybe even less. It's that fast.

Now because of this, Twitter really is a great indicator of where we (Network Marketing) are as an industry. Where else can you get a real time cross section of what's on the minds of thousands of MLM'ers the world over? It's like hearing what they're all thinking RIGHT NOW.

So here's my assessment of the state of things: I'm not sure

I've dedicated an entire column in my TweetDeck to all the Network Marketers I'm following on Twitter (again, if you don't know what this means, you will very soon). There are times when the feed is abuzz with relevant discourse and valuable information and resources. But there are also times when it reads like the biz op section of the classifieds in a community's weekly periodical.

Ergo, I'm not sure

Though my initial reaction is to rail against the one line copies that some MLM'ers are trying to pass off as Tweets, I can't help but ask myself, "Is it working for them? Because otherwise why would they continue doing it?" At the same time, I don't think I want to be associated with a class of pitchy salespeople selling their stuff in social networks to nobody but each other.

Actually, the truth is I am sure how I feel about marketing on social networks and I believe there's a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it. What I'm not sure of anymore is whether or not it's my place to tell you. After all, who am I to tell you what not to do especially if it's working for you? Hell, it's your business.

But, here's what I'll leave you with: John David Mann has given us a great litmus test. To see whether or not a specific strategy is good or bad, you must examine, really examine how the profession as a whole will be perceived because of it. As Mann suggests, if a strategy leaves a prospect with a better impression of Network Marketing regardless of whether or not they join your opportunity, then it's a good strategy because it "makes the world a safer place for networkers."* If not, then you must ask yourself whether it's worth tarnishing the name of the very industry you supposedly rely on as your source of income to make a few quick bucks.

I know what my answer is. Do you?

What do you think? Is my point clear or am I waaayyyy off? How do you feel about where we are as a profession especially in the realm of Web 2.0 and Social Media? Comment below and let the world know your thoughts. :)


*Mann, John David. "First, Do No Harm." The Zen of MLM. 2007.

It's All About the Sale but It's Never About the Sale

ABC - Always Be Closing. It's been a salesperson mantra and best friend since the dawn of man. Of course, I wouldn't know anything about that because I'm not a salesperson nor do I have any desire to be in sales. I am a Network Marketer.

I spoke with a gentleman yesterday who three years ago had developed a type of uncommon arthritis. This condition has for the past three years plagued him with back pain and even lesions on his skin and although the doctors have prescribed medication that has helped calm the symptoms (administered via injection), the gentleman continues to search for other more holistic options.

Now, here's what I'm thinking. The product my company carries has shown to be a powerful anti-inflamatory so if I can get it into this gentleman's hands and he has good results... imagine the testimony! My business will explode! Don't you agree? I mean, think of the possibilities!

NO, that's not what I really thought and NO you shouldn't agree.

It's no surprise that I wasn't the first Network Marketer to approach this gentleman with their product. After all, our industry is responsible for the best natural supplements and health products in the world. What is a surprise is that he hadn't stuck with any of the products he was previously offered.

As much as I hate making assumptions, this tells me one of two things: that either A)distributors are making bogus claims about their products (which deserves a blog entry unto itself) or 2)distributor mentality is too much in sync with the attitude I have illustrated above.

I realize that may seem a ginormous whale of an assumtion but don't you think it begs the question that had the previous networkers focused less on the sale and more on helping find a solution to this poor gentleman's problem that'd he'd be more apt to at least try their products for a longer period of time?

Impossible to answer, I know. Afterall it is just an assumtion. However, I think it does bring to light another perhaps more important question: Is it or isn't it about the sale?

My answer: It's NOT about the sale. The sale is secondary. So secondary in fact that I GAVE him two bottles of my product to try out. His main concern is finding a remedy to his condition, not comp plans and bonus checks. So, as a Network Marketer, that is my main concern too. Because of this, I gaurantee you that he's taken the bottles home and is now diligently using and testing the product. And whether he sees results or not, he knows that my intentions were honest and sincere. And you know what? I think I've made a new friend in the process.

That's what I think Network Marketing is all about. If you approach the business like this, you'll see that generating income is not the cause but the effect. Help address people's problems, and your's suddenly vanish.

Are We Really Listening? - Twitter for MLM'ers

For the past almost two weeks now, I've thrown myself headfirst into the deepest of rabbit holes otherwise known as Twitter. And I love it!

Well, most of it.

I've spent the past ten days or so really becoming a student of the microblogging phenomena, and am blown away by the sheer power of it. The ability to connect with thousands of people from around the globe is a Networker's dream come true. But more and more I'm seeing that a lot of networkers STILL DON'T GET IT.

I wanted to test the scope of my Twitter presence so the other day I asked all the MLM'ers following me to shoot me a list of the Top 5 books that have impacted their lives. How many responses did I get? FOUR. And one of them was from a friend that isn't even a network marketer.

Disheartening? No. Like I said, it was a test and I knew that my ten days of Tweeting, really Tweeting wasn't enough to really make that much of an impact. However, the test DID tell me that MLM'ers weren't LISTENING - a cardinal sin if you're building a business off line as well as online.

If you are using Twitter as part of you marketing arsenal, here are some suggestions:

• BOTS, AUTO DM'S, and anything NOT YOU - Stay away from these! Unless your goal is to come across as disingenuous as possible, then don't touch these with a ten foot mouse pad. Included in this list are those auto-follower-getter things. Useless! Find followers and meet people the old fashion way - one at a time. Start following people with whom you might have a common interest and you'll not only learn some things but also start to pick up followers of your own.



• BLASTING YOUR OPPORTUNITY - The reality is we (MLM'ers) are here to promote our products and opportunities. But if all you're doing is blasting out one line copies telling everyone to go to your site, people will quickly tune you out. You're being a salesman. And even if you're sending your opportunity as a Direct Message (DM), without having first developed a relationship with the person, you again become a salesman except this time you're going door to door.
  
  Build and create relationships. Do this by engaging the people you meet online in a conversation. Remember, to have any sort of credibility with people they must get to know you and trust you.



• LISTEN - am I a little miffed that so few people responded? Sure, who wouldn't be. But my point is, if you're not listening then you're neglecting a good 50 percent or half of the communication process - the MOST IMPORTANT HALF!

Bottom line, it's all about COMMUNITY. While you might be able to make a few bucks by blanketing the Internet with your opportunity or affiliate program, the results will be fleeting at best. The only way to build a lasting Network Marketing business on and off line is by becoming part of, contributing to, and cultivating relationships within the community.

To reference an entry I wrote last year:

"You see, the Internet with all it's fancy technological advances is simply this: the Next Evolution in Human Communication. If you're just indiscriminately blasting your opportunity out to the entire world wide web, people will tune you out like they do TV adverts or sleazy salesmen. But if you take the time to develop relationships and to communicate, really communicate with people, then you've accomplished what every person, consciously or unconsciously desires -- A HUMAN CONNECTION."

see entire entry HERE

The Power of TWITTER

So, I've been on Twitter for six months now and until recently have only been a casual user. But, as I've delved deeper into this Web 2.0 phenomenon, I'm beginning to realize the sheer power of it. Quite literally, Twitter will dominate the dissemination of information on the Internet - bar none. And the thing is, it's brilliance lies in its simplicity.

So, if you're thinking about getting on the Twitter train, check out this slide show: Twitter for Beginners

And then come find ME!

A Message from Former President Bill Clinton

Do you still doubt the legitimacy of the Network Marketing/Direct Selling Industry? Well if so, here's a video for you.

Now I know this video isn't current but the message is no less relevant. In fact, I think it's more relevant today than it's ever been. Like I said in my previous post, the Network Marketing Revolution IS HERE and as we move into the mainstream consciousness, more and more powerful endorsements like this one will begin popping up.


So if you doubted Network Marketing and it's power to change lives, doubt no more. It's real and it's here to stay. Come join us!

If you'd like further information on how you can create a secondary income with Network Marketing, contact Ronnie Cruz at ceo@ronniecruz.com

To Circuit City Employees and Anyone in Fear of a Layoff

If you're one of the millions that's either in danger of being laid off or has already been laid off, there's hope.

It's called NETWORK MARKETING.

In these incredibly trying economic times, a glimmer of hope lies in an industry much misunderstood or completely unheard of by a vast majority of the population. So, there is a growing group of professional Network Marketers working to bring this much needed opportunity to the masses.

In his book the Science of Getting Rich, Wallace D. Wattles states: "There is an abundance of opportunity for the man who will go with the tide, instead of trying to swim against it."

The current tide is one of recession, of people in dire need of a means to weather this economic storm. As an entrepreneur, to go with this tide one must find an answer to the populations' financial woes.

NETWORK MARKETING is one such answer.

So, check out the video above and stay tuned for upcoming posts that will explain what Network Marketing really is and how it can help you not just survive but thrive and prosper during this recession.

If you'd like further information on how you can create a secondary income with Network Marketing, contact Ronnie Cruz at ceoronniecruz.com

Required Reading

Tribes - We Need You to Lead Us by Seth Godin

With his latest work, Seth Godin has again managed to deliver another powerfully relevent message. This compact tome directly addresses the world's dire need for TRUE leadership. People want a change and in this crazy world they desperately need someone to guide them thru to better days. So if you're ready to step up to the plate (if you're not, I highly suggest you prepare yourself), pick up this book immediately.

IT'S TIME TO GET THINGS DONE.