If you want RESULTS in your business, I have some questions for you:



How much time do you spend just reading and replying to e-mail? How much time do you spend taking and making phone calls? How much time do YOU spend checking your stats, organizing your desk, and dealing with interruptions from others? How much time do you spend researching info products and checking out other marketers promotions? How about time at entertainment or news web-sites, or playing games?

Here's the bottom line: We live in an information overload world, and chances are you spend way too much time wallowing in information, and not enough time doing the core activities that get results in your business. Are you an information junkie? Odds are- if you're like most people- you could be more focused.

Most marketers are like an octopus on rollerblades, lots of activity but no direction.

Here are some tips that will help you prepare to have more success in your business:

1. Empty your e-mail in box. Yes, I mean EMPTY it. I want you to look at every single e-mail in your inbox and ask yourself this question: What will happen if I delete this e-mail? If the answer is nothing, hit delete. If it's from a person that really needs a response, respond as quickly and concisely as possible. The ONLY reason to archive an e-mail is if you ever need to retrieve it. If that's the case create a category folder for that type of e-mail and file it away. For some of you your life will be revolutionized when you start living with an empty in-box.

2. Change the settings on your e-mail box to only check for e-mail once per hour, or even greater time spans if you can. EVERY E-MAIL THAT YOU CHECK TAKES TIME. Most of them are junk, even from people you know. Get in the habit of checking your box less frequently, and take care of the entire inbox every time. Reply briefly, delete, or if you need to retrieve it later, file it. Do not get sucked in. Do not get distracted.

3. Analyze your phone calls with your team. Spend time with the players. If somebody is on the phone with you, and isn't working the business, or hasn't done what you trained them to do, remind yourself that you want RESULTS. Be a leader, and before your team member sucks too much of your time ask yourself if they deserve your time. Don't solve their problems, but do know where to send them to get help. Learn to say things like:

a. Call the company, they're great with that kind of thing, here's the number…

b. Check the team site to learn about that. Do you have the link?

You may think that will hurt relationships. It won't. This is a business of urgency, and you set the pace for your team. If you dilly dally on the phone, you are sending a loud and clear message that you are not focused, you're not in a hurry, and you're not getting results. This attitude will duplicate through your organization. Always be in a hurry when you talk to your team and watch how the energy changes in your whole organization!

Think of problems and tasks as monkeys. Everybody has monkeys, and they love to give them to you. Learn to let people keep their own monkeys. Become an expert at helping people solve their own problems without taking ownership of their monkey. Monkeys hang on peoples' backs and sit on their shoulders, and need to be fed and cared for. Emptying your e-mail box will probably relieve you of several monkeys. The key is to not take on any more.

Once you are rid of the “monkeys”, get in the habit of writing down the three to five most important things you need to do to have success in your online network marketing business. Then stay on task until those are complete. Don't take on another monkey, check your stats, read your e-mail or make a phone call until those items are complete. You'll be amazed how much more you get done, and how much better life is once you are “monkey free”!

Copyright (c) 2007 Dave Sherwin