XEL8 Tanks & Fires ALL Distributors!

It is a sad day in Network Marketing as we mourn for the Distributors of XEL8 the suppliers of Bazi and functional beverage, who have lost their livelihood. Yesterday XEL8 sent at letter to all its Distributors informing them that they Board of Directors have elected to change the business model & that they would no longer be in need of their Distributors services. In other words they told them they no longer had a business or means to generate money effective February 28th & that no new distributors are allowed to join the company, effective immediately! (A copy of the letter sent can be read here on Rod Cook’s MLM Watchdog)

WOW! Wouldn’t you hate to get a letter like that? Not sure what happened but there are numerous lessons to be learned here as well as indicators it was coming.

Perhaps the ticker tells the tale.

Being a publicly held company (XELR) on the OTC BB, the company truly has a conflict of interest to all Distributors. The primary goal of all publicly traded companies is to pay the shareholders first and foremost. So where does that leave the Distributors? Second in line? Well, no not really. The company also has a profit it must make as well as meeting its overhead, you know like paying its employees, owners, the electric bill, the mortgage on the building, cost of product to be manufactured all those expenditures. After all these are met then the distributors! Wow, depending upon the list of expenditures on the company ledger Distributors/Independent Contractors can be far down the list. LESSON ONE; THINK AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE PARTNERING WITH A PUBLICLY HELD COMPANY!

Were any of the distributors keeping an eye on the stock value?

http://chart.finance.yahoo.com/c/my/x/xelr.ob

This graft is from Yahoo finance and shows the activity of the company from late 2003 when at that time the stock was valued at $15 a large discrepancy from its value today at $0.15 and going down. Read the 8-K filed with the Security & Exchange Commission as required by SEC law.

I am not sure if 2003 is when they went public or merged or changed their name or what, but as you can see it has been a downward slide ever since. So is it really that surprising that the Board of Directors voted to restructure and fire the distributors? Any distributor who was watching this would surly knows the jeopardy their positions were in since the strength of the company was heading to an all time low.  SECOND LESSON; IF YOU ARE GOING TO PARTNER WITH A PUBLICLY HELD COMPANY YOU NEED TO KEEP APPRISED OF THE STOCK VALUE & TREND.

Thirdly, did anyone read the contract? There had to be provisions in the contract, also known as the Policies & Procedures, to allow the Board of Directors to do this; or they would have major lawsuits on their hands, which they obviously can’t afford! LESSON THREE; ALWAYS READ THE POLICIES & PROCEDURES! This document clearly shows the integrity as well as intent of the Owner & Management. In the future make sure the contract fairly protects the interest of not only the company but of you as a distributor!

What saddens me most? Most people in our industry today still don’t know how to evaluate a company. This all could have been avoided if the Distributors did their due diligence prior to partnering with XEL8 or at the very least keep an eye on the numbers. All they needed to do was read a little book, which would have pointed them in the direction of obtaining all the knowledge they needed to prevent them from being in this situation today.

Learn what you need to know BEFORE you enter into a partnership with ANY company. Please for the sake of your future & your dreams take the time to read ‘Success in 10 Steps’ & take advantage of the information Mentoring For Free can teach you so you don’t find yourself in this situation ever again.

What is Mentoring For Free? It is a community of Network Marketers from various companies who work together to learn & teach the necessary information & skills needed to find success in our industry.

Take the steps necessary to have control of your destiny & to own your life, download your book today!

More on Pillar #1, Company Management Experience with INTEGRITY.

Without this pillar in place, there is no point in
looking any further at a company.

Read the contract between the company and its
distributors. Most people never read it because, if
they did, then many would become quite upset.

It is often hard to find all of the contract. Many
companies have a short “Terms & Conditions” page You
must check that You agree to during the joining
process. The Terms & Conditions may contain a phrase
such as, “You agree to be bound by the Company Policies
and Procedures, Compensation Plan, and Code of
Conduct.”

Many distributors cannot see these documents until
after they receive their kit, and most NEVER READ them!

The Four Pillars of Deceit

Pardon me while I take a break from the
Five Pillars for Success. Time for a little
critical thinking. I’m not trying to stir up
debate, just to open Your mind. This a long one,
so please bear with me…

Dogmatic vs. Critical Thinking

Lies, Myths, Money and Power

…and The Four Pillars of Deceit

Tom “Big Al” Schreiter taught me Decisions are made by
the Subconscious Mind, although we’d like to think our
Conscious Minds are in control. He also taught me how
to employ this knowledge to influence the Subconscious
Minds of others directly.

Unfortunately Tom is not the only master manipulator of
the Subconscious. There are many today and there have
been legions of them throughout human history.

I believe Napoleon Hill teaches us in “Think and Grow
Rich” how to break the bonds of manipulation and take
Conscious control over our thoughts.

First we need to understand something about Truth.
TRUTH resonates deeply within us and we recognize it
when we encounter it.

Pillar #1 of Five

Remember the apple pie?

The first key ingredient is a pie plate.

In MLM, the Five Pillars are what a company needs to
have in place for the distributors to succeed. Many
folks search for something like the “Top Ten MLM
Companies” when looking for something to join.

This is OK if You are looking to invest. But, if You
want to be a distributor, then You need to dig a bit
deeper. For example, the number one MLM did over six
billion dollars in sales last year, but most of their
distributors are starving.

A Five Pillar Company is one where the average person
can achieve above average results.

This week we’ll look at Pillar #1.

Pillar 1: Does the company management have personal
experience building their own networking organization?
Have they done it with Integrity?

• Search Google for the owners of the company.

• Do the owners have Integrity? Add the word ‘Scam’
to your search.

• Do the owners have a Corporate background or an
in-the-field Network Marketing background?

• Read your “Policies & Procedures” and “Terms &
Conditions”; both are part of your Legal Contract.

• Look for the word “Ongoing”.

• Look for policies that strike you as
“Unreasonable”. Like “Termination, with or without
cause”.

• Ask yourself “Does this contract protect me or the
company?” “Is it clear which way it leans?”

• Does the company charge you for training or a
company web site?

• Does the company charge you for each paycheck they
send you?

• Rules of Thumb:

• The longer the contract, the greater the
possibility that the policies important to you
are being hidden in “Legalese”!

• If it’s a “Cash Only” business…It’s a Scam!

• If you can buy a position at the top…It’s a
Scam!

• If you are offered a “Special Deal”…the
playing field isn’t level for all.

• If the products are sold on eBay at a greatly
reduced price…Buy there instead.

• If a company is publicly traded, Financial
Decisions Will be made in Favor of the
Stockholders at the Expense of the
Distributors.

For further enlightenment,  get the free
e-book, “Success in 10 Steps” in the
upper left corner of this page.


Next time, Pillar #2.

To Your Success,

Ken Klemm
+1-215-722-3274 anytime

What Do Apple Pies and MLM Companies Have in Common?

Everyone knows You need five key ingredients to bake an apple pie:

1. A pie plate,
2. A pie crust,
3. Some apples,
4. Sugar and spices,
5. An oven.

What happens to Your apple pie if You take away any one of those five ingredients?

Everybody knows the answer.

The same thing applies to MLM companies.

You need five key pillars in place for You to succeed with a company. Take away any pillar, and You get the same result You would get with the apple pie.

Now, I’m not talking about what the company needs in place for IT to be successful.
I’m talking about what the company needs to have in place for YOU to succeed with it.

For example, the largest MLM in the world had over six billion dollars in sales last year,
but most of their distributors are starving because of a missing pillar

Most people don’t know what the five pillars are, and don’t know how to figure out whether an MLM company has them or not.

Over the next few weeks, we will share the Five Pillars with You.

If You are impatient and want to learn this stuff right away, then download “Success in 10 Steps” - the book in the
upper left corner of this page..

Meanwhile, we’ll discuss Pillar #1 next time.
.
Your Friend and Servant,

Ken Klemm
+1-215-722-3274 anytime

Do You Use Targeted Niche Marketing?

Posted on November 16th, 2009 in Critical Thiking, Marketing Tips, Whats Your Plan?, Skills Training, Recent Posts by Laurie

Target marketing can be an important key to your business success.

To some, Target Marketing implies breaking a particular “general” market into segments, then concentrating Your efforts on one or two key segments. If Your business, for example, offers a service for homeowners, advertising in a newspaper to the “masses” is “ok” but not necessarily targeting Your specific market. Instead You could tailor Your marketing efforts directly to those who actually own a home and would be most interested in Your service.

With a little bit of research, You can zero in on specific clients looking for You. Ask Yourself who is most likely to be interested in Your service then find the vehicle that best reaches Your potential clientele.

Be a client Yourself. 

Where and how You would look for the service Your providing? A local Home For Sale Guide could be advantageous if Your service helps sell or buy a home; establishing Yourself online through forums where Your service would be beneficial goes a long way in finding potential clients. Building relationships, offering helpful responses goes hand in hand in building people’s trust in You and the service You offer.

Niche marketing is a focused, targetable portion of a market. Specifically, niche marketing addresses a need and a solution for a product or service that is not being addressed necessarily in the mainstream of providers. Think of a niche market as narrowly defining a group of potential customers.

Instead of offering cleaning services for a home, a business might establish a niche market by specializing in specific cleaning services, such as blinds and draperies; area rugs, or even pet beds, blankets, and such.

What’s the benefit in establishing a niche market?

One great advantage is being the only one offering Your unique service in a particular field of service or solution; on a local level other small businesses may not be aware of Your particular niche market, and large businesses just won’t want to bother with it.

Capitalizing on a niche market involves a bit of creativity and imagination in finding or developing a market niche that 1. has customers who are accessible, 2. involves a need in a area that shows growth potential; and 3. is not already owned by an established vendor already.

If Your one of the many that believes selling to the widest possible market is the surest path to success think again. Don’t be afraid to pursue a niche based on a fear of losing business. If You’ve been trying to “sell to the masses,” ask this, “how’s that been working out for me?” Do You stand out when You market Your business without a specific, distinctive set of prospects in mind?

Defining Target and Niche marketing can be summed up like this:

Target a group of people most likely to buy Your product or service; to find Your niche, discover and offer a specialized solution to a need or problem.

For more valuable information on how You can achieve Success, download our ebook Success in 10 Steps;  get the straight scoop on what does and does not work in building an income from home for Free, today.

Why You Should Never Tell Your Best Friend Their Spouse is Cheating on Them

Let’s say I have a best friend named Carl. We’ve been friends a long time. We care very much about each other. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for Carl, and nothing he wouldn’t do for me.

One day I found out his wife was cheating on him. I went to a new place, Joe’s Pub, on a Friday night and saw Carl’s wife in a corner booth in the back, snuggling and smooching passionately with I guy who wasn’t Carl.

I didn’t say anything to Carl. The next Friday night, I went to the same pub and saw the two lovers again in the same corner booth. I still didn’t tell Carl.

The following Friday night, and there they are again! Somehow, I’ve got to let my best friend know he has a real problem. Remember, I would do anything for him.

But, if I tell him, “Hey Carl, Your wife is cheating on You!”, how will he react?

Probably something like, “You’re full of crap, Ken! She would never do that. You’re an a-hole!”

But I’ve SEEN her with the guy! I’m obligated as a friend to do something, but I don’t want to risk losing the friendship in the process.

Even if Carl learns the truth later and says, “Ken, I’m sorry. I should have listed to You,” there will still be a scar on our relationship.

So, what to do? What if I arrange for Carl to discover the truth on his own?

“Hey Carl, what are You doing Friday night?”

“Nothing, Ken, just watching TV as usual.”

“Listen, Carl, there’s a cool new place in town everybody’s talking about - Joe’s Pub. Why don’t we go there together, check it out, have some fun?”

So, we go to Joe’s Friday night, and I arrange it so Carl is sitting facing the corner booth in the back. At some point, he spots his wife smooching with her boyfriend. Carl says, “My God! That’s my wife back there in the corner!”

I turn my head around to look and say, “No, that’s got to be someone who just looks like her.”

“No! It’s her, it’s HER!” Carl shouts as he rises out of his chair.

I grab Carl and say, “No, man, this is not the time or the place. Let’s get out of here and talk about it somewhere else.”

Now Carl knows the truth and I can be there for him as his friend to help him through this.

What does all this have to do with Network Marketing?

Let’s say You have a friend who’s in what You know is a bad MLM company. You’ve researched and found out the owners are crooks who will probably grab the money and run to Cyprus to avoid extradition.

Or You know the products are crap and no one will buy them and the price they demand, or - even worse, there IS no real product or service - it’s just a Ponzi scheme.

Or their compensation plan is so bad, even though the company is raking in so much cash their headquarters are expanding to overtake an entire county, their distributors are starving.

Or whatever.

Should You tell Your friend at the risk of Your friendship? He’s bought into it hook, line and sinker. He’s MARRIED to the dumb thing!

He will probably think You’re just trying to recruit him into YOUR company by bad-mouthing his.

Better to point him to someone like Mentoring For Free, where he will be educated and learn how to spot red flags on his own.

When he becomes a critical thinker, then he will discover the truth on his own - and You’ll be the trusted friend who pointed him in the right direction.

Heck, he might even join You in YOUR company!

Your Friend and Servant,

Ken Klemm
+1-215-722-3274 anytime

Are You on Network Marketing System Overload?

So are You on System overload?  Do You have a system that goes, “blah blah blah” course after course, manual after manual, theory after theory?  Do You have so much information thrown at You Your mind is like scrambled eggs on a griddle?

Have You figured out yet that maybe the system Your using doesn’t meet Your style of learning?

There are two types of people in Network Marketing.  The first group is those that have figured out they need a system in place that can first provide ongoing education and skills training and secondly help them duplicate their mentor’s success.

The second group is those suffering for Network System Overload and haven’t figured out they need to be in the first group to achieve any sort of consistent success.

Since both groups are interested in creating a business that provides financial freedom to enjoy life, with a few other personal desires sprinkled in the scenario, what advantage do some have in accomplishing their goals and heart’s desire?

They found a system that works with their learning style allowing them to truly duplicate on-going success.

Not everyone learns in the same manner.

Some of us are auditory learners, some visual and some “hands on” or kinesthetic.  Add the fact that individually we have different strengths, abilities, and weaknesses, it stands to reason  You need a system in place that complements Your style of learning.  A system that enables YOU to successfully learn and participate in Your choice of business.

If a system only offers knowledge and a theory of business practices in written dialogue, a visual learner may excel in understanding and putting this knowledge to use, but the auditory and “hands on” learner will have difficulties.  If a systems only offering implies getting into action by a “watch me and do what I do,” plan, the visual and/or the auditory learner will go nuts trying to implement action before education!

For real success Your system must provide You with all the tools to meet Your individual needs, whether its audibly, visually or kinesthetic.  You need a system that compliments not only Your style but offers Leadership and coaching geared to Your strengths.  This System needs to provide personal development, practical business techniques, and knowledge of how to build a successful business by offering on-going and up to date skills training, and effective methods for lead generation.  Most of all Your system must be able to duplicate so You, in turn, can teach others!

There are some people who have found a system that meets these criteria encompassing all they need and allowing them to consistently build a successful network marketing business.

If You want to grow Your business, be an effective presenter and lead others ask Yourself this:  Would it be ok if You had a duplicatable system geared to Your Style of Learning?  A system in place that provided ongoing education, hands on skills training, personal growth to develop Your leadership skills, and a host of professional network marketers available to mentor You every step of the way through Your business?

If you’d like more info on a truly viable and successful system offered for Free, start with our Free Ebook, Success in 10 Steps and start learning Your way to Success.

Does Your Social Network Profile Attract Friends?

Posted on October 28th, 2009 in Critical Thiking, Marketing Tips, Skills Training, Recent Posts by Laurie

One quick tip that was shared with me and I’d like to pass along in case You missed it: Many Networkers use social networking as a means to meet others and/or reach out to let others know who they are and what their interests are.

This makes good sense!

You’ve heard that First Impressions count? Well, some may not have thought of this but Your PROFILE on these social sites is the first representation of Who You Are. Ever give consideration to what impression Your making with the information You have on Your Profiles?

It’s a good idea to critically look over Your information with an objective eye; look as a new friend would that You invited to join Your circle of friends. Is it attractive? Do You share Your likes and interests, Your Favorite Books, Favorite quotes, your phone number? Especially your phone number if You’re hoping for business.

Ask: Does Your PROFILE reflect who YOU are?

And the same goes for Your website. Are You showing Your website on Your profile so others can see if You have a service they can use? Its disappointing when searching to expand Your circle of influence and run across so many profiles revealing absolutely nothing to identify with or anything that would encourage a conversation, or better yet a relationship. Makes me wonder how many have given a pass to a friendship request for lack of information.

Finally, put up a picture! A faceless Profile with little or no information is the least friendly profile in social networking. People want to see Who You Are as well as know a bit about you! A non-entity is just that - nothing.

So the tip for today is to make sure You’ve made Your Profile attractive to others! As You build relationships with people, they will go to Your info page and read more about WHO YOU ARE!

Ultimately, isn’t that the whole point?

How Do You Eat a Bear?

“A young woman of old surrounded by a population of giants responds to a comment made by her Priest of all the changes she’ll have to make in order to get along and fit in.

She wonders back, “Father, have you considered it just might be the others making all these changes?“

“I fear you’ve set yourself an impossible goal,” he chuckled.

“How impossible?” she asked.  “As impossible as my eating a giant Bear by myself?  I could do it you know.”

The Priest, appreciating a good sense of humor, responds with a smile, “How?”

“I can, Father,” the young woman replies, “One Bite At A Time!”

Today I was reminded of this small segment in a book while I paced from room to room surveying all the unfinished tasks and projects and goals I had set for myself from the day before.   I’m ok with not completing my entire “wish” list of tasks but yesterdays efforts seemed less than desirable as I was caught up in my families dramas, needs and distractions.

Intellectually, I know the importance of being organized, planning out the day before I begin it (maybe the night before even) and sticking to the Plan.  Life, though, always seems to throw a curve ball into my “good intentions.”

I’ve repeatedly drummed the importance of my purpose at home to my family. I stress the need for time, space and lack of interruption to accomplish my desire for a livelihood from home.  I haven’t made much of a dent in their understanding.

This mornings drama of searching for a coveted hoodie, seemed an extension of the day before.  It’s my tendency to look and search for something until I find it (this can take days, months, years until I get it into my head the item is truly lost; I know, it‘s a shortcoming I can‘t seem to overcome).

It took me a moment but I became consciously aware that I myself added to the drama and distracted myself by involving my energy along with my daughters.  I allowed myself to get distracted from my purpose.

Ok, enough!

It was then I then remembered being impressed with the above.  Ahh, that put a bit of focused perspective on the day.  In order for change to happen, I have to be a part of the Change!

I stopped searching high and low for the hoodie and declared that I would not make a lunch I specifically reminded someone to prepare the night before.  Today I took a bite out of the Bear enabling the change I wish to accomplish.

There is always going to be interruptions and distractions, that’s a given!  But as is my tendency, I can persistently focus my energy in searching for those Changes I seek!  As far as that mountain of tasks I desire to accomplish? Maybe I wont get everything done in one day, but I can consistently chew through them “One Bite At A Time.”