I don’t know if this is still the case, but when I was growing up there were hundreds of commercials on television for phone and mail order products.

They were fun to watch.  They seemed to follow a similar formula.  First they would present a problem.  Someone wanted something, or was scared of something, or was in trouble.

Then it presented a product or service that would fix the problem they showed.

Then they would show a “consumer” enjoying it.  It might have been a really good drive with new golf clubs. Or it could have been a dip in the pool of the retirement community a celebrity was pitching.

It often seemed like it was an older couple sitting at a kitchen table, enjoying the peace of mind that came with their new life insurance policy.  I think they still run those commercials!

It makes sense.  If there is a formula, don’t mess with it.  Keep using it until it stops working.  Then play around until you find something better.

But if you watched those commercials and were paying attention, you usually noticed one other thing…

They didn’t ask for the sale….at least not directly.

They asked you to call a phone number and ask for a free brochure about the product.

As a marketer, I now understand what they were doing.  Asking people to make a big investment at the beginning of a sales process is a bad idea.  They haven’t built a relationship with you, or the product.  They haven’t “sold themselves” on the need for it.

But asking them to obtain some free information is the beginning of a commitment.  Notice how they usually used the words, No Risk when describing this action.

And not only that (this was my favorite part), they would usually show someone – again, often an older person – asking the operator to send that free brochure.  The operator always had a friendly smile and would say, “Right away, Sir!”

Get it?  When you start the process, you get respect and esteem.  You get someone who will serve you.

Safe, and reliable.

And you begin the process of selling yourself on the product.

Not to mention the fact the company now has your address and/or phone number, and can market to you over and over.

We very much do the same thing these days with capturing email addresses.  Google and other companies customize your advertising based on the websites you visit and the text of your emails.

But that is all part of the same process.  Going after the sale at the beginning of the process is for marketing goofballs.

Giving your prospects something to do that makes them feel safe and empowered is where the gold is.

Ever play hopscotch when you were a kid?

Remember?

You had to go right down the board working your way up and down without stumbling?

You had to keep your feet in the box and not loose your balance.

And you couldn’t skip the process of tossing the stone into each and every box.

You couldn’t just throw the stone in the top box and skip all the others.

You had to go in ORDER.

It was fun.

We played practically every day in elementary school.

And even if you are a guy and hopscotch wasn’t your thing…

You know what I talking about…

We see stuff like this everywhere in life….

We all learned when we were little that you need to learn your ABC’s
BEFORE you can read and write…

That you need to read Green Eggs and Ham before you you read War and Peace

And that you need to learn to drive slow in the parking lot
BEFORE you can drive FAST on the highway.

So why is it that when we get into a home business we seem to think we can go
from 0 to 60 in 2 months or less?

And why do people think they can SKIP all the primary skills and SKIP
straight to Dah Dah Dah…SUPER RECRUITER…without paying their dues
grinding it out and learning the ropes.

You don’t go from Private to General in a week…

You don’t go from pauper to Prince in a day…

And you don’t go from newbie to six figure earner just cause you know how to
make a video or bought a course that shows you how to get 12,000 followers on Twitter!

That is just CRAZY.

It’s almost 2012 and I am calling for a time of reflection…

And I intend to be a VOICE OF REASON in the MLM Maddness.

I want you to know what is REALLY involved.

This dream of residual income is TRUE

I live it every day.

But I for one…

WILL NOT tell you that it is just a hop, skip and a jump.

It is work..and lots of it.

And on the other side of the work…

is FREEDOM.

Seems to me that everyone that I can think of that was going for
FREEDOM had to dig and crawl and sweat for it…

Maybe that is why FREEDOM is so damn sweet.

And maybe just maybe…

That is WHY is is SO WORTH going for.

Because there is NOTHING..and I mean NOTHING
like being FREE…

And it is worth every drop of effort you can muster just to
even have a SHOT at achieving it.

We are blessed to live in a time and place where it’s even possible
to access it.

I hope that in the next few months…

As we approach r

That you consider if you want to chase another “shortcut”

Or try another “system” that promises to get you rich…

or if you maybe want to toss your little stone into box ONE

And hop up and down the board…

And then toss it into box number TWO and repeat

On and on…until all of a sudden…a year from now…

YOU HAVE WON.

Think about it and let me know your thoughts.

Ever get nervous about talking to prospects or public speaking because you are worried someone will ask you a question you don’t know the answer to?

Check out this SLAM DUNK formula for speaking that will make you virtually irresistible to your prospects!

Here a clip from November’s Instant Marketing Professional Event
where Cathie Heath shares one of the ways she was taught to prospect in the past.

ABSOLUTELY NUTS!!!

Join us for a laugh…but also really ask yourself…

Do you want to use tactics like this or would you like to be a marketing PROFESSIONAL?

Join me on a back yard chat where I discuss how to start conversations with people in social media environments and how to convert these people into prospects by engaging their “NOSY GENE”

In this video I do EXTREME CLOSE UPS to get in your face and convince you that your marketing
is NOT about YOU…

Watch to find out what it IS about.

This is a clip from one of my multi hour open houses I do once in a blue moon.

In it I explain how I work my circle of influence and even live prospects on a call.

So today I get not the first but the second VERY NEGATIVE
letter from a guy who is on my list.

Tuesday he took the time to write me and criticize how I ran my
Monday night conference call…

Which BTW…was JAM PACKED with people getting knocked
off due to over capacity crowd.

But this fella…

Who doesn’t know me from a hole in the ground took the time to

write me and inform me that he and his two friends who listened in

didn’t like the way I do my meet and greet and that they disapproved

of the fact that I actually spent time greeting my guests and that

I didn’t get right to “the business at hand” for TEN WHOLE MINUTES!

He made it clear the he didn’t like my style and that he was SURE

that ALL the new people felt that way.

(I wonder who appointed him spokesperson for all the new people..but I digesss)

So of course as always we delivered a jam packed hour of mind bending

training JEMS absolutely FREE to the public and the crowd wanted to stay for more..

But ok…

I admit..the way I do it is not for everyone…

And I am QUITE cool with that.

As the song goes…

I GOTTA BE ME

I GOTTA BE ME

It’s MY business and I do MY calls MY way.

I have fun…

I adore the people…

And get this…

I actually make a living at this

So anyway…

I wrote the guy back and told him it’s not for everyone but that
how we do it at The Million Mind March

Sorry it wasn’t for you..

No harm no foul

But that I wasn’t gonna change the style that has worked for me for

all these years.

So ok..

All good…

I am not a match for him..

Which is fine.

My mantra for the last 9 years had been…

“I am looking for people who are looking for me”

I got that quote from the Great Joe Schroeder and I have

held it close to my heart all these years…

Totally one of the keys to my success.

So just when I think this episode is over this person sends

me yet ANOTHER negative email criticizing the fact that I sent out

an offer for a tool that I use that had a time limited special.

Not MY special..but their special…and YES..it had a time limit.

I sent it out in case anyone on my list wanted it before the offer

was over and I also included a FREE option for those on a budget.

Damn I am a manipulative sales person…aren’t I?

So my buddy…Let’s call him “Know It All Joe” it he told me that time sensitive

offers are so “2005″ And that he was turned off by it.

(Oh NO!!!  I turned him off again)

(And BTW…go ask Dr. Cialdini if time limited offers work…ask Mike Filsaime…ask Frank Kern)

Again I digress…

So then he had the nerve to call the folks that work with me “minions”

And he insulted their intelligence.

And lastly he indicated that if I wanted to do business with HIM

that I needed to schedule a time to talk

I am sure at this time he was planning to TRAIN ME UP on

how to do business and all…

As his claim to fame was being at the top of the heap at Ryze

(remember that one kids…back in the stone age)

So here is my response…

I make it publicly…

*******************************************************

Letter begins here:

*******************************************************

Dear Know It All Joe…

PLEASE…

I BEG YOU

Unsubscribe.

GET OUT…

And don’t let the door hit you on the tushie as it swings closed.

You don’t like my style…cool…

Don’t listen

You don’t like my offers and training…

Again…UNSUBSCRIBE

But how dare you INSULT my colleagues.

Go ahead…throw stones at me..

I can handle it…

But when you insult the people who are my business family..

And also my subscribers..

Sorry…

Party’s over…

You don’t have to go home but you can’t stay here!

I have built this business over ten years of blood, sweat and tears

and most of all LOVE

And I do not need a KNOW IT ALL to come tell me how to run

MY business…not today…not ever.

Let me close with this dear Joe…

I once heard a training by the Great Dale Calvert.

He taught me that the day I learned to

SCRATCH PEOPLE OFF MY LIST

was the day my business would change.

Picked that one up long ago.

Been using it ever since.

So please…

CONSIDER YOURSELF SCRATCHED.

Blessings on you and best wishes for success,

Diane Hochman

Master of Her Domain

****************************************************

End Letter

****************************************************

Note to all my “minions”

You slow minded people <wink> who hang out with me…

You un-savvy children who are attracted to my brand of business insanity

My “Marchers” who believe in something more…

If ANYONE ever does this to you…

Starting today…

If ANYONE dares to throw criticism at you like this…

Starting today…

You tell them to GET OUT

UNSUBSCRIBE

Stop coming to calls

And you NEVER respond to that person again.

This is YOUR business.

YOUR WORLD

YOUR DOMAIN

And from this day forth…commit to NEVER let anyone like this into your bubble again.

You don’t need em…

Cause if you are looking for people that are looking for YOU…

And you never put up with stuff like this again…

The universe will tilt…

The angels will sing…

And you will get all you want and MORE

And everyday…begin and end with gratitude.

Because believe it or not…

I am SO grateful to Know It ALL Joe…

He is a DIVINE teacher

For he inspired this post

And he increased my LOVE for what I do and who I AM

And he increased my commitment to helping those that

HEAR MY SONG.

I am not kidding…

You can actually use the technique taught in this call to LOVE your prospects SO MUCH
that they THROW credit cards at you.

This technique is for LOVE BUNNIES only

So if you are too fancy to love on your people and make tons of money…

Don’t listen!

If You Sound Like This It May Be Time For A New Recruiting Approach!