Being unemployed is one of the worst dilemmas a person can face – it brings up the most damaging emotions we have . . . fear, loss, hate, dread, panic, diminished self respect, and we could go on and on. In addition to losing their job, many are on the verge of losing their biggest investment – their home. 

The unemployed need some kind of hope to bring them through this period of their lives. Right now, as we look at the state of our economy, it’s not very encouraging, and it could be several years before we have a healthy and robust economy again. They need to find something that can quickly bring money into their lives. 

What if there was some way these people could, for a very small initial investment, replace their employment income? There is a way, and it’s called gifting or peer-to-peer wealth building.

First let me tell you some of the reasons why gifting is such a great activity for anyone who is unemployed.

1. People need money NOW. They don’t have time to build a huge downline (network marketing) before a reasonable amount of money can be received.
2. You can start receiving money almost immediately in a well functioning gifting program.
3. There is a small one-time investment required to get into a good program, and it is flexible. No monthly subscription fees, no need to dip into one’s savings.
4. The unemployed have eight free hours a day, or the equivalent of the time their previous job required (plus the time spent commuting), to spend developing a new business for themselves.
5. Unemployed people usually know others who are unemployed and could use help.

Now, before we go on to talk about what elements are involved in a good gifting program, it must be understood that there is effort involved, and one should never get involved in any program unless they are willing to invest the time and effort that is needed to be successful . . . it’s no different than any other activity where monetary compensation is involved. The difference is that the payout comes much more quickly in a gifting program.

A legitimate gifting program can be very beneficial for anyone, whether they need money to pay their bills or if they simply want to increase their nest egg. I know of one gifting program that has been operating for more than seven years, has around 300,000 members, has put a half billion dollars in the members’ pockets and operates in more than 60 countries. Not bad for an activity that requires a one-time, out-of-pocket investment and can be done out of the home.

There are many who think gifting is an illegal activity and a pyramid scheme. This is not true. The gifting rules for the United States can be found in the IRS TAX CODE, Title 26, Sections 2501-2504 and 2511.  There are, however, gifting programs that operate illegally just like other scam programs. However, they are short lived and collapse pretty quickly on their own or are shut down by authorities.

These are some things that should raise the red flag when looking into gifting programs.

1. There is company ownership.
2. It is not treated as a private activity and is blatantly advertised as a business.
3. The money is funneled to the top of a "pyramid" where only the owners make money and the activity of the members is strictly to recruit people.

The activity of a well-designed gifting program is by invitation only. It is composed of like-minded people who willingly give and receive gifts of money. There is no company ownership, and all gifts of money are distributed to the members . . . 100% in, 100% out. A good program should provide members with their own website to use as a presentation tool and should include a well functioning back office to track and accommodate the giving and receiving of monies. This is usually funded by a small subscription fee.

A typical gifting program is based on a "1 Up" system. There are variations; however, this system is the most common.

To make this easy to understand, let’s say you are a member of a gifting activity. You have invited two people (we’ll call them Bob and Mary) to join you, and Bob and Mary each invited two people to join them. You now have six members in your group.

Let’s say you all made pledges of $100. The 1 Up system is designed so the pledges of Bob and Mary go to the person who invited you. The pledges of Bob’s two people and Mary’s two people would be received by you – you have now received $400 and pledged $100. At this time you would take $100 of the $400 you received and pledge again to keep yourself active in the system and ready to receive again. You would then have $300 remaining, and that would be yours to keep.

You can invite as many people as you like into a gifting program and keep pledging and receiving time and time again. There may also be a tax benefit in gifting. Since the taxes on the gift have already been paid by the pledgor, many times it is not required to be included in the gross income of the recipient and taxed again. But, check with your accountant just to be sure your situation isn’t different.

Since gifting is such a quick way to bring money in, I predict it will become one of the most popular home-based business activities.

To learn more about gifting programs and how you can get involved, contact Swanie Brandt directly at swanie@powerimage.com, or you can visit www.powerimage.com/g1g4.

Swanie Brandt has been involved in the network marketing industry for more than 8 years and has extensive experience and knowledge in getting past the network marketing “hype” and focusing on achieving success. Her primary goal is helping people succeed in the network marketing industry so they can attain the dreams they envision.

Why do you think 97% of network marketers fail? They come into the industry with great enthusiasm and expectations, so why do they fail? The bottom suddenly falls out of their dream, and here are some reasons why.

1. There are thousands of network marketing opportunities out there, but the truth is, only a SMALL number of them are worth getting involved with.
2. Many of the people who develop the network marketing programs don’t know what they’re doing, don’t have the capital available to do it properly and don’t know anything about marketing.
3. Marketing is miserably executed by even some of the more legitimate programs; some of which have been around for several years – struggling, but still viable enough to stay alive.
4. There is so much hype, exaggeration and downright lies floating around, it has gotten to the point where nobody believes anybody. This is unfortunate for the legitimate opportunities that really do have a program that works and works well.
5. When you are told distributors easily make six-figure monthly incomes by only working a few hours a week, run immediately in the other direction or at least do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line. Yes, that is definitely a possibility, and many network marketers make staggering incomes. But, this did not happen overnight for them; they worked hard and steady, and I doubt very much they would tell you it was easy at the beginning. After all, anything worth having is worth time, attention and effort.
6. Too often network marketers tell anyone they talk to that they would do great in the business and make lots of money. Network marketing is a business just like a brick and mortar business. You need to have knowledge on how a business operates and the tax laws involved. You must ask yourself whether you’re happier being an "entrepreneur" or an "employee."
7. Most network marketing opportunities tell you there is no selling involved. Don’t kid yourself. There isn’t a business of any kind alive today that doesn’t have sales of some sort in place. What you want are prospects interested in what you have to offer – then selling comes easy.
8. It seems difficult for the deeply-entrenched network marketing companies, who have been around and successful for a long time, to embrace the internet for marketing. They have their company information, distributor back offices, etc. online, but they still do their prospect training the old fashioned way.

   I recall a few years ago when I was involved with a nutritional company, I approached my director (he was in corporate) about doing prospecting online. He laughed at me and told me it would never work. They believed in the "everyone that breathes wants to be in your business" and the "three-foot rule" (everyone three feet from you wants to be in your business), "make a list of 100 people you know" because they all want to be in your business (?), etc. This is archaic – it doesn’t work! Incidentally, this company now does some prospecting online.

9. Unfortunately with many of the network marketing companies, it’s only a few at the top that ever make any money. They keep this well hidden, and new distributors don’t discover it right away. These companies thrive on the entrance fees paid by the steady flow of new distributors joining the program. They give no support to their distributors, even though they say they do, and when the "well" dries up, they move on and reintroduce the same program, giving it a different name.

My intention is not to scare you. Network marketing can give you a wonderful life style and generate great income. Many people are truly living their dream. You must, however, know what you’re doing. If you are thinking about entering the network marketing industry, study it carefully and diligently and check the opportunities carefully. There are some wonderful and legitimate programs out there, and besides that, network marketing is a viable and economical distribution method. You just need to find the right one for you.

To learn more about the lies being told about network marketing, how to get past them and plot your own course, visit www.powerimage.com/7lies and download “7 Great Lies of Network Marketing."

Swanie Brandt has been involved in the network marketing industry for more than 8 years and has extensive experience and knowledge in getting past the “hype” and uncovering the crippling truth about the “lies” being told. She focuses on helping people succeed in the network marketing industry so they can attain the dreams they envision.

Finding the right business for you. Some of you may know exactly what kind of business you want to start, or you may have already started it. Others may have an intense desire to start a business, but they don’t know what type of business. Deciding what your business will be is a critical step in your journey to business and financial success.

To begin, take a piece of paper, a pen or pencil, or open a word processing document and start listing all or your skills and talents. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? What skills have you learned throughout your life? And most importantly, what are your passions?

It is important to be objective because often we don’t give ourselves credit for the skills and talents we have. We just assume that if we can do it everyone can. That is definitely not the case. If you are having problems doing this ask family members, coworkers or friends to tell you what your skills and talents are. We are seen much differently by others than we see ourselves.

Once you have determined what your strengths are, it is important to truthfully identify your weaknesses. We all hate to admit we are not good at something, but when it comes to running a business, it is critical for everyone to know what they are good at and where they need some help. No one can be good at everything, so admitting a weakness has no relevance to whether you will be successful or not. In fact, by admitting and accepting your weaknesses you can proactively find alternative solutions to handle that area and you can focus on your strengths.

Something else to consider is your risk tolerance? Are you pretty cautious with your money and are looking for a lower rate of return for your business but a higher chance of success? Or, are you ready to take more risk for a higher rate of return? That is a personal decision and neither is right or wrong, it just depends on you.

It is important at this point to honestly determine how you are going to finance your new business. Are you going to finance your business from savings or from your current salary, or do you plan on borrowing money from a bank, friends or family members? Or maybe you are taking on a partner, giving them a percentage of the company in exchange for start-up capital.

How much money do you have to invest? I guarantee what you estimate you will need to start your business will be at least 25% short if not more. So, when determining how much money you need be sure to overestimate. If you are borrowing money from friends or family it is a good idea to have the agreement in writing in case there are any discrepancies in the future. It is much better to lay out the agreement in the beginning than to try to piece it together after there has been a misunderstanding and feelings are hurt.

The next step is to do some research. Take a look at the types of businesses that match your skills or talents. Take some time to research the market for these products or services. Is the market young or mature? Is it under or over developed? Are there changes that can be made to existing businesses to improve the market or service? Don’t be afraid to be creative, but do market tests before committing to something entirely new.

You can also look at prepackaged business or franchises. For example if you want to invest at least $1 or $2+ million, you could open a fast food restaurant and everything would be laid out for you. Of course you would have to find a location, have the building either built or fit out, hire employees, learn how to run the business per the franchise rules, etc.

If you decide to open a shop or restaurant on your own you will have the same issues as above, plus you will be completely on your own in regards to purchasing merchandise, marketing, policies and procedures, hiring employees, etc. This can be a very rewarding experience, but make sure you have the capital, a great idea, stamina, and business acumen to be successful.

If you are looking for something smaller, there are many opportunities in direct sales and multi-level marketing (also known as MLM or network marketing) that can generate a good income if you devote the time necessary. These are generally a small, home based business which you can run out of a bedroom or den in your house. Additionally, many of these opportunities are now internet based business opportunities so there are no meetings to go to or inventory to manage. This is nice because it cuts down drastically on your overhead costs and gives you flexibility on how you spend your time.

Unfortunately, these businesses have gotten a bad rap lately, not due to the businesses themselves, but because too many people were promising great income generation without having to lift a finger. Well, we all know that work is required to be successful in business. If you are dedicated and committed to building these opportunities then you will prosper.

Finally, be sure to consult with your attorney and accountant as you set up your new business. They will be able to make sure everything is set up correctly and you are off to a great start!

Phone prospecting is often a “scary” thing for people who are in positions where this is part of their job or if they have their own home-based business and this is critical to their success. There are several very important things to take into consideration when you on talking to prospects on the phone.

First of all (and this is VERY important) you must be in the right mindset whether you are talking to leads you have purchased, if you are calling a client base or if you are making cold calls.

Go through the reasons in your mind why you are calling this prospect and what result you want from the call. It’s a good idea to make a list of pros and cons of the type of people you want in your organization or as a client. Take a piece of paper, put a line down the center and write the pros on one side and the cons on the other. Read this list often – it will become an automatic sorting tool for you, and you will not waste your time on people who do not fit your criteria. For example, a “pro” would be someone who has energy and drive. A “con” would be someone who has low energy or is unsure of what they want. Believe it or not, this is an excellent way to attract the people you want.

Always have a pleasant and upbeat voice when you talk to prospects. Be excited about your reason for calling. If you don’t feel particularly excited at the time, think about what made you excited when you first heard about the business you are in and what it was that made you decide to join the organization. Was it the product? Was it the income opportunity? Was it the strength of the organization? Was it the quality of the people there?

A smile on your face comes through the phone. When your prospect answers the phone, always greet them by their first name ? “Hi Bob” ? then introduce yourself and tell them where you’re from ? “This is Mary from DeMoines, Iowa,” or from your company name.

After you have introduced yourself to a prospect, don’t immediately go into your presentation. Ask them questions about themselves, what they are looking for, etc. That’s also a good sorting tool. Maybe when you learn more about them, you’ll decide they don’t fit your criteria. Believe me, you will never sell anything to anyone by blasting your opportunity without taking the time to show your prospects you are interested in them. And you should be ? they will either be someone in your organization or a client, so you need to know if they are someone you want to do business with. You’re in the driver’s seat here.

Work on your presentation posture. If you have a script you are working from, know it so well it rolls off your tongue. Then, use it only for reference, because you want to sound natural and not scripted. You don’t become a phone pro overnight ? you must work on your delivery until it “works” for you. It’s a good idea to get a recording device where you can record your presentation, listen to it and critique yourself. Or if you have someone you trust who will be honest with you, present your dialogue to them and have them critique you.

Your phone posture is critical, especially if you are talking to professionals. They want to work with someone who they feel is professional as well. In fact, this is critical regardless who you are talking to ? people respond to strength, and if you don’t develop this in your presentation, you will lose a lot of potential sales. Is this easy to develop? For some people it is, but for most everyone, you acquire this through practice, practice, practice. Don’t become discouraged; just know that when you acquire this, the world is your oyster.

As they say, the fortune is in the follow up! Always follow up with a prospect when you say you are going to. This makes you look professional. Life happens, so don’t be discouraged if they are not available at that time. Give them at least three opportunities to be available for a follow up. And, if you feel they are a particularly good candidate for your organization, give them a couple more calls. Schedule your follow-up calls in your calendar, either virtual or on paper.

When someone has missed an appointment with you, call them (or leave a voice mail) and let them know they missed the appointment, that you realize life happens, but you allotted this time for them, and you are willing to reschedule at another time. If you leave a voice message, ask them to get back with you so you can set up another appointment for them. Remember, they were interested enough to set up the first appointment. If you don’t hear from them, call them and set up the next appointment. A good way to avoid this situation is to tell them at the time you set up the appointment that you would appreciate the courtesy of a call or email if they are unable to make it.

Multi-level or network marketing is nothing more than a distribution process where a company chooses to distribute and sell its product through independent sales representatives (distributors) instead of spending mega dollars on mainstream advertising, marketing and distribution costs.

The independent distributors are the advertising, marketing and distribution departments, and they benefit by being paid the money that would have gone to traditional advertising, marketing and distribution.

This method is much more effective in getting a product into the mainstream in a timely manner because it works at the grassroots level. People are much more likely to make purchases when the products are introduced and recommended by someone they know or have a relationship with.

These companies do not allow their products to be sold “over the counter” in retail stores. Of course they don’t ? they would be sabotaging their sales force (distributors)/advertising department. And, it takes much longer to get a product on the market, recognized by shoppers and marketed in retail stores (many years) than to print promotional material and build a marketing team. Not only that, the products would be competing on the retail shelf with other products, with no one to explain the special benefits as a distributor would, and the perceived value of the product would be lost.

With some companies, health and beauty aid products can be sold in medical offices or beauty salons as long as it is done on an appointment basis and the professional is a distributor of the company.

So there are many advantages for a company to choose this model over the wholesale distribution method. In fact, the wholesale distribution step is virtually eliminated because the product goes directly from the manufacturer to the purchaser via an independent distributor.

Is it a good thing? It can be very good if the company is legitimate and stable and the product actually does what the company says it does.

If all the right “ingredients” are in place, it can be a godsend for people who have lost their jobs because of economic conditions or because of changes in the viability of the industry they are in. Mothers who want to stay home with their children instead of paying for daycare find multi-level marketing a good solution. In a lot of cases, after paying for good daycare for their children, what’s left in their paycheck is pretty small.

Then there are people who are unhappy with their jobs and would love to do something else. Network marketing fits in well in such a situation because traditional career change usually involves additional training of one sort or another and could be very costly.

Finally, there are people who just want MORE MONEY! This can be a great vehicle to supplement your income, but you must be able to commit the time and energy needed.

Anyone thinking about creating an additional income stream through network marketing or multi-level marketing needs to do the necessary homework before becoming involved with any company. Ensure your success by doing your homework!

To your success,

Swanie Brandt