Nearly back

I'm amazed that it's been so long since I posted. Marianne's mom is nearly gone.
Sorry if I haven't kept my "journalistic objectivity" during this time. I just have to get back on the horse. I really appreciate the feedback that I've gotten in the past week.

I'm typing this from Palomar college's computer room. I find myself here now three days a week while my high school student son is in Spanish. Next semester we hope he'll be in Biology as well. Whether or not my computer implodes again, I'll be here!

I want to share a little more about what the experts call social networking.

In my opinion, the name social networking is misleading for some who put a lot of emphasis on the SOCIAL. The term is social networking as opposed to computer networking or network marketing. This is further confused by at least a couple factors.

First, many network marketers refer to themselves as networkers, which is misleading. They are more than happy to provide you with a solution to your challenge, dilemma, reaching your goals, etc...IF that solution is becoming involved in their business. Most network marketers are not really networkers. I see networkers as people who are able to refer you or introduce you to people who can be the solution for whatever challenge you're facing. I am an example of a networker. I used to know an mortgage banker who referred to himself as a "schmoozer" and I think that's fairly accurate IF you take away whatever negative connotations you might have about schmoozing.

I don't have a problem with the network marketing model, it's just that so many companies train their people to do it so badly and don't pay attention to the importance of RELATIONSHIP. [See title of this blog!] In my opinion, you don't send emails to people from an address that, if they respond to your email you are not available to answer. The exception would be they have volunteered for that email list without any type of coercion such as, "If you're part of my team, you agree to receive these emails. Leaving this email list constitutes leaving the team and/or business." Even voluntarily this leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Second, because so many sites like Friendster and MySpace exist, many people assume that social networking is only about the social and sometimes you can find yourself perceived as rude or out of place if you want to converse about business.

LinkedIn, Soflow, and others are about business and career first. I believe that orientation will be more fruitful for people who are interested in advancing their career or business prospects.

Hey, IF you're really interested in the social at some particular moment in time, that's great. More and more people are finding people that they can have fun with and even marry online. Just be aware of what site you're at. The reverse is true, too. How many people on LinkedIn are really looking for someone to connect with them about dating and marriage?

I have recently found a minimally social site called NamesDatabase.com. Within one week I had over 100 people directly connected to me. Some people may see LinkedIn as too much work [how interested ARE they in success?] and yet they'll join a site like NamesDatabase.com, which is a much simpler version of what ClassMates.com is doing. The simplicity of NDB is what fuels it's growth. Tell your birthday and name and not much more and invite your friends and associates.

LinkedIn members will find that some NDB members will become receptive to LinkedIn in the weeks after joining NDB. LinkedIn is where you want your contacts.

I just forwarded a message from a recruiter I know to a man in Pennsylvania this week. Rather, I forwarded the message I received through the LinkedIn system to a man who forwarded it on to the Pennsylvanian. His reaction was "Wow! LinkedIn works."

If you're not on LinkedIn, get there and send me an invitation to connect. Maybe you'll be my 600th direct connection.

By the way, if you're not happy with my style, I'm learning and growing. Nevertheless, relationship matters. Feelings matter. That goes along with emotional intelligence and that matters more and more. EI even got some presidents elected. People matter. You and I matter.

Have a beautiful and successful day!


"If not now, when?"

Hillel (30B.C.-10A.D.)
Jewish scholar

~from justsell.com


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OPPORTUNITY IS ALL AROUND YOU

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The people that really succeed in the world
are the people who look for the circumstances they want, and,
if they can't find them, they make them.

The lure of the distant and the difficult is deceptive.
The great opportunity in your life is where you are right now.
Properly perceived, every situation becomes an opportunity for you.

Your destiny is not a matter of chance,
it's a matter of the choices you make.
Being successful is not something you wait for,
but rather something you achieve with effort.
Things won't turn up in this world until you turn them up.

You develop your opportunities
by applying persistence to your possibilities.

Visit Max Steingart and subscribe:

http://www.successway.com/motiv.cfm?mem_ID=&afid=2025&stay

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©2005 by Max Steingart www.maxsteingart.com
Reproduce freely but maintain © notice

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My son and I just got back from our introduction to the Independent Learning Program at his high school.  Yesterday I took him to our community college where he started Spanish.  He's got some great options for education and he just started his own business creating luxury leis from plush fabrics.  Our chiropractor was his first customer and now one of the teachers at his mom's school wants one.  He's heard from me that it sure beats hearing "Want fries with that?" on a regular basis.  He took the check from the chiropractor to the credit union and deposited it yesterday.  Pretty cool for a teenager to be able to do something he enjoys AND make good money.

 

I see networking as a way to do that, too.  When you help other people do what they truly want to do by introducing them to people who can help them with their next steps, you're doing something positive.  You can choose to be rewarded financially in this process or not.  When you ask someone in advance, "Would you be willing to give me X if I connect you to someone who can solve your problem/become your client/join your team etc...?" you can find out if they are willing to compensate you for your time, efforts, skills, connections, etc...

 

Many people who might make, say, $500, would be glad to give you around $100 for your introduction to someone who actually does business with them.  [ Or you might receive $1,000 for a referral that turns into a $5000 profit for them. ] You might call this a referral fee.  The key is to ask before AND, in many cases you may want to get the particulars down on paper in the form of a contract.

 

Some people have never created these sources of income simply because they never thought to ask.  If it's simply an oversight, great, because you can remedy that.  However, others don't feel comfortable asking and that can be a problem if they have a belief system that it's wrong to ask for money.  It's important to remember that when you are providing value, it's fine to ask for value in return.  Unfortunately, many people do not value their time, efforts, connections and skills.  It's my personal belief that these people need to grow to value themselves more.  If they are giving away everything, they will often expect others to do the same.  It's ok to give things away.  I want to make that point right here.  It's just not wise to do so all the time and it's important to deal with self-worth issues if these are the ideas that are getting in the way of creating more income.

 

If you're looking for permission to ask [ as many people are ], I'm here to give you that permission.  It's ok to ask for value in return for the value you give.  I suggest that you give it away sometimes, but mostly you should ask for value in return for the value you give.  Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan?  If you read the story that Jesus told, you'll notice that the Samaritan told the innkeeper to take care of the man and he would PAY him.  He didn't expect the innkeeper to do it for free.

 

I've included three links below. 

 

APennyAHole is a charity site from Barry Spilchuk, who co-wrote Cup of Chicken Soup For The Soul.  I actually know Barry through IBIGlobal.  I met him through networking.

 

http://www.apennyahole.com/

 

This next site can be reached through EnterprisingPeople.net or the link below and it's a great way to keep in touch with friends and associates with a fun, personal touch.

 

http://www.makeloyalcustomers.com/leftcoastman

 

The last link is for a motivational newsletter by Max Steingart and it really is encouraging whether or not you're ultimately interested in products and services he has for sale.  Of course, you could also become an affiliate of his after you sign up for his newsletter through my special link below.

 

http://www.successway.com/motiv.cfm?mem_ID=&afid=2025&stay=

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It's hard to believe that I haven't posted for a week.  There's lots going on in our home with our son going to high school and college.  He'll be taking a Spanish class at the local community college while enrolled with the Independent Learning Program of Escondido Charter High School.  I'm driving him around and I can't wait for my headset to get here so I can use Skype on a regular basis.  So, look for more great business/career networking stuff in the coming days.  I'm just about finished with The Wisdom of Crowds by James Surowiecki and I highly recommend it.  [Are you there, Ricarda?]  I found out about it through Harvard Business Review.

 

I got a nice surprise when I Googled brbIncome - Zig Ziglar has added my blog to his site [or rather, his people have].  http://www.ziglartraining.com/links.php?lPath=1  I guess we'll know shortly if the link is hot or not.  I'm still figuring out Qumana.  Have an excellent day!

 

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This morning I sent a response to a friend who wants to involve me

in his business opportunity.  I am not against network marketing per

se.  I am concerned about how a lot of those opportunities do

business.  I'm also disappointed by people who paint with too

broad a brush and lump all of them together. 

 

I even had trouble with BlogExplosion this morning because they

assumed that this blog was about a business opportunity.  If I can't

get them to accept this blog, I'll have to use someone else's services

and I certainly will encourage people to do business with people

with whom I do business. 

 

I am quite simply, a networker, in the connective sense.  I help

people meet people to further their enterprises, goals, and interests.

I don't like that so many network marketers have co-opted the term

"networker" and created a misnomer.I am also not close-minded

about network marketing, but I understand that there are many

people who aren't interested in that distribution model as an income

source for themselves.

 

Here's my edited note to my friend:

 

Hello Bobby

I honestly don't think your company is for me.  You need to
realize that I was exposed to it four years ago and chose not to
participate.  One of the challenges with network marketing is that many
people won't take no from others and so many people are soured on
network marketing in general for just that reason.  I also have been
re-introduced to the concept previously by other people I know and I've

let them know that I'll refer people to them when I come across them.

Another challenge with network marketing is that many people involved
ignore "markets".  They treat just about everyone as a potential
customer.  I am involved with a company that I feel is simple enough and
inexpensive enough that virtually anyone over the age of 18 in North

America can participate and expect to do well.  Also, the market that I am
interested in realizes that many people don't want to spend the time to
go to another meeting if they have to leave their house AND spend more
of their gas, which is not getting cheaper.  You and I may simply be
going after two different market segments.

You say that you like my knowledge about using the internet as a tool.
Does that mean you simply admire my tenacity or the aesthetics of what
I'm doing?  Or would you like to actually learn how to use the tools I
use?  One of those tools is the online contact manager I showed you 

and I use it because it's a bridge between the internet and relationship

building.  I think huge numbers of people like receiving greeting cards.

Many people already receive too many emails to give each one an

effective look, so a postcard or greeting card is a way to stand out in

their minds.  THAT'S part of an effective marketing strategy.

One thing that's huge for me is relationship.  Most companies in network
marketing don't do this right, in my opinion.  They build a system where
they essentially tell people "do it our way and don't debate."  They
need to pay attention to how their system affects relationships and
modify their way of doing business to preserve relationships.  In
relationships, we actually listen to each other, we don't simply debate
away "points".

The truth of who I am is that I want the best for you and your family,
no matter which path you choose.  I believe that the best includes in
large part, healthy relationships with friends, family, busiiness
associates, acquaintances and God.  I want you to fulfill what you're
here for.  I also want that for me and mine.

And, I honestly don't believe that all business systems are designed
with that in mind.

So, I  suggest that you read my MAIN blog.  I've said a lot there about
relationship and networking.  Let me know what you think of what you
read there.  [Yes, it's imperfect - a work in progress with warts.]

http://brbIncome.blogspot.com

Have a great day!

Charlie

 

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"Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there."

Will Rogers (1879-1935)
American humorist, actor and philanthropist

~ from <a href="http://www.justsell.com">justsell.com</a>

 

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OK!  I'm still getting used to the Qumana method of posting.  If you haven't connected with me on Soflow, here's an invitation:

I've started using Soflow, which is a business networking website, and I would like to invite you to join my personal network on the site.

Soflow offers a wide range of features to help its members gain greater value from their existing business connections. By clicking on the link below you will be taken to my personal joining page:

  http://soflow.com/contacts/12394a3578601b2

I look forward to seeing you there.
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Find The Better Way - BRQ V

"There's a way to do it better -- find it."

Thomas Edison (1847-1931)
inventor, salesman
frequently worked more than 40 hours straight

~ from justsell.com

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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

SNAP at Free Enterprise Forum plus...

I visited the Free Enterprise Forum in Los Angeles yesterday and participated in the "live" SNAP there. I drove up to San Juan Capistrano and met a friend from Temecula who drove us the rest of the way.

I waited my turn and gave referrals to others when they made their requests. I expect phone calls from them to come in over the next week. There were about 150 people in the SNAP circles. When my turn came I received 24 referrals in just a few minutes! I'll give these contacts until Wednesday to recover from eight exhilarating and exhausting days. I'll report on my progress with these referrals.

You can take advantage of this type of networking without spending $6500 for membership in our group and without flying to L.A. by joining the Cannon Training Networking Group at Soflow [and connecting to me on LinkedIn as well]. You'll need to agree to our rules. Contact me if you're interested. If you're already part of our group, but you still don't understand how it works, contact me. You are allowed to post your SNAP request four times a month. More tomorrow.

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Christian Mayaud has some interesting ideas about how to deal with an expanding network on LinkedIn at:
The Ultimate LinkedIn Cheat

His main blog, added to the brbIncome.blogspot.com template today:
http://www.SacredCowDung.com


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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

Your Success And Others - Max Steingart

YOUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON THE SUPPORT OF OTHERS

You do not exist for yourself.
The only hurdle between you and what you want to be,
is the support of others.

Put yourself in another's place,
and you'll know why they think and do certain things.
You can succeed fastest by helping others to succeed.

Always think in terms of what the other person wants.
You'll get everything in life that you want
if you'll help enough other people get what they want.
Doing things for others always pays dividends.

You're not an isolated island.
You're a piece of the planet, a piece of the universe.
Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement,
all success, all achievement in real life grows.

Help someone's boat across a river and you'll find
your own boat has reached the shore too.


Click Here to Visit Site


©2005 by Max Steingart www.maxsteingart.com
Reproduce freely but maintain © notice

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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

Keep Moving - Business Reminder Quote IV

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."

Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
German-American physicist

~ from justsell.com


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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

New and old links at brbIncome I

Until now I've added links to the template of this blog without any fanfare. Starting right now I'm telling you about them as I add them and I'll mention links I've added previously. Where these links are located on brbIncome is subject to change.

New brbIncome Link


If you're selling products, services, ideas, etc...check out Sales Preparedness Checklist which I just downloaded free from justsell.com. As of this posting, Sales Preparedness Checklist is just to the right under Links.

Classic brbIncome Link


If you're working on understanding how to make the most of LinkedIn, Rick Upton is a great place to start with his LinkedIn Tips, which you'll find easily under LI/Networking Tips.

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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

Satisfying work of life - Bedrock Quote II

"So much of the satisfying work of life begins as an experiment; having learned this, no experiment is ever quite a failure."

Alice Walker (1944 - )
American novelist, Pulitzer Prize winner

~ from justsell.com

Additional advice from justsell.com

sales thought:
Think of failure as excellence in training. It shows you have the courage to try. The important thing is to learn from the result and try again with better experience.

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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

SNAP networking on Soflow

How easy is SNAP? Once you get the hang of it, fairly easy.

If you can make a request in not too many words, people will be able to understand or ask for clarification. Here's the first example I posted:

--
Inaugural Cannon Training Group Networking Request

Mary Carrillo brings supplies to [mostly] children in a village in Belize in August.
We need school supplies, tape, sewing supplies, sandals, shirts, and blouses, bug repellent, children's sunscreen, kitchen towels, washcloths, shampoo, toothpaste, etc...

Who do you know who might like to be travel with, be involved with this effort or donate?


Charlie Hicks-Moore - More Info Blog - http://scholarshipcafe.blogspot.com
LinkedIn Profile
Director of Marketing, Cannon Training & Development
Mary's LinkedIn profile
--

This request is an active, real request and although it's not a perfect example, I'm already getting responses from people who want to help.

SNAP is more active networking than simply placing your profile on LinkedIn or Soflow and hoping people see it. As far as I'm concerned, it's a more entrepreneurial approach. Instead of waiting for someone to come to you, you connect with others who are willing to actively network to see if they know someone who can help with what you need.

One or more of your readers/listeners will introduce you to someone they're pretty sure can help. In some cases, they will actually be the kind of person you're looking for. If they refer you to someone who is not a good fit, you need to look at the language of your request. You get what you ask for. If you're not getting the right stuff, modify what you say.

I'll be SNAP networking "live" at the Free Enterprise Forum in L.A. in just over a week. SNAP works if you're willing to learn AND if you're willing to be supportive of others in the process.

Build Relationship. Build Income. It works.

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Visit CTNWins by clicking here and MOTIVATIONALBlog.blogspot.com by clicking on the title of today's post.

Task of a Leader - Business Reminder Quote III

"The task of a leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been."

Henry Kissinger (1923 - )
first foreign-born U.S. Secretary of State
Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

~ from justsell.com


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