THE CRAZY 8'S OF SUCCESS!

Understanding what makes network marketing companies work is important to not only us, the field distributorship, but to the corporate teams who run the company on a daily basis. Too many companies fail because they have either never worked the field as a distributor, are underfunded, or both. The "ivory tower" syndrome where corporate keeps themselves isolated from the field and the field leaders, finds themselves making random, bad decisions that hurt vs help the independent distributor force with regards to growing their business. The very best network marketing and direct selling companies are those that were started by successful independent distributors. These are individuals who have done weekly meetings, slept on their teams couches when traveling, held meetings where no one shows, have built massive downline teams, trained these teams a duplicatable simple system to follow, and have seen the rewards in six-figure monthly bonus checks time after time. These rare individuals have been there ... done that.

That leads me into my Crazy 8's. As I was writing training years ago for the company I was with, I found a way to describe what it is we do in this business to see it succeed long term. Communicate - Update - Congratulate - Initiate - Motivate - Anticipate - Eliminate - Rejuvenate. There they are. All eight (8) categories of what must be done to build, maintain, sustain and create momentum within the walls of the corporate offices, as well as in the field with individual downline teams as a leader. Let's briefly look at these categories.

COMMUNICATE: You have got to communicate with your people on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. This is done through personal contact, replicated website back offices, and email.

UPDATE: People want to be included, feel part of a team, and in-the-know. Individuals left out of the loop will quit. And if they weren't updated about calls, meetings, special events or promotions, they get frustrated and angry. Utilize technology to update, i.e. Facebook groups, Facebook pages, weekly email bulletins and events.

CONGRATULATE: Every chance you get to congratulate your distributors is critical to their ongoing involvement and growth. Rank advancement, successful shows, and promotion winners need to be bannered everywhere for all to see.

INITIATE: Take the lead and initiate activities within your groups. Competition is good. Events are crucial. An event includes calls, webinars, meetings, parties, trainings, promotions and gatherings.

MOTIVATE: To create that hoped-for momentum where sales and recruiting soars, you must keep your downline teams motivated. Plugging in and staying plugged in is crucial to staying motivated.

ANTICIPATE: Keep current with trends and happenings to be involved with. Catch the timing factor and run with it. Stay abreast and informed so that you can anticipate changes needed, products added, do what needs to be done, adapt and move the business forward.

ELIMINATE: Keep your communications and activities positive and powerful. Eliminate negativity. Nip it in the butt. Don't let your company and teams get caught up in it. Don't dwell on it. It will be a cancer that zaps your energy and the growth. Success is a companies (and persons) best revenge. Show what you are doing and continue building with a positive attitude that reflects hope and possibility.

CELEBRATE: Celebrate the victories for yourself and with your team members. Whatever large or small achievement they realize, make it a point to congratulate them and celebrate with them with a phone call, a blurb in the magazine or weekly bulletin. Encourage them to celebrate a successful meeting, a new enrollee, or rank advancement. Each step is a step that moves them forward to achieving their goals. And the celebration can be a new pair of shoes, dinner out, or a simple hair cut. "I'm celebrating success with my new business!" should be heard when they are out and about celebrating.  Each celebratory act reinforces and empowers one to continue growing, developing and achieving. So encourage your team to "go out and celebrate" with the victories, and always keep the positive attitude, whether silently or out loud, say, "I'm cookin' in this business!"