TIMING IS EVERYTHING: FINALLY JOINING THE MILITARY

Something happened in my life which changed everything. Up to this point, the timing wasn't right for me to join the Military. I had something happen to me which at the time was a great sadness that I couldn't understand. I found myself living again with my Parents, and without a job at that particular point. I was at the hospital visiting either my grandfather or the woman to whom my grandfather was married; when the suggestion came to mind that it was time to think again about enlisting in the Army. At this point the timing was absolutely right. I went and approached the recruiter. I took care of the preliminaries: physical, ASVAB, DLAB. On July 27 1981 I enlisted in the US Army as a Russian voice interceptor for which I needed to learn Russian. That night I was off to Fort Leonardwood Missouri for Basic Training.

The timing was right. It had not been right 6 years prior when I first had tried to enlist; nor 2 years before in 1979. But things had changed to where the timing was perfect in 1981. That is one thing we have to keep in mind in our Network Marketing Business. The prospects that say 'no" today, who can tell what their situation will be like a year or so down the road. Life isn't static. Things have a tendency t0 move around and change. So what is a 'NO' today, could very well turn out to be a 'YES" at a later date. Somestimes sooner rather than later. The important thing is don't give up or prejudge someone just because they say no once. NEVER take them off your list. Periodically contact them. Buid a relationship. You may be pleasantly surprised at the outcome.

While I am at it, I will tell you the last chapter about timing and my Military experience. When I enlisted I was going through a dark tunnel experience. My first inclination was to look at the Army as a carreer and stay in. Some how More than half-way through I decided that being to much of an individual, that the Army or Military wasn't for me. So I ended up getting out after 4 years. I was in a regular Reserve unit in Detroit for a year and the remainder of the reserve committment was spent in the Individual Ready Reserve. Had I stayed in I never would have gone back to the IRS, I am a career IRS employee, And one day a friend with whom I had lost touch, saw me downtown one day. The started a chain of events which worked to lift and help me recover from the great darkness which I was in. So as you can see from what I've related about my own life that timing plays an important roling in our personal lives; also in our business. NEVER GIVE UP!

A TREASURE TROVE OF RELATABLE STORIES; A DEFINITE ASSET IN RELATIONSHIP BUILDING

As mentioned in yesterday's post, having a timeline of ones life builds a treasure trove or cashbox of Relatable Stories that you can have to draw upon when you are talking to a prospect, or when you are mentoring and training a person within your organization. We are emotional people. The way that we build relationships and get people to bond with us is to appeal to their emotions. We can easily do that by having relatable stories. When we are talking for instance to a prospect, and we draw a story out of our past, which is appropriate and relatable, the chances are very good that we will connect with the person we are talking with. They will hear the passion and the intensity that we are telling the story with. Their emotions will be aroused, and we will be able to bond with them. The hook will be in their jaw. We will then have a good chance of reeling the fish in.

THE TIMELINE OF YOUR LIFE: A TREASURE TROVE OF RELATABLE STORIES

Nearly ten years ago, when I was going through a period of darkness, and intense struggle in my life, I was aware of an inner impression to construct a timeline of my life. I was to start from the earliest recollections of childhood, and continue down to the present. I was to attach 'Hard Dates' to the events as much as possible; if not I was to approximate the date; but the main thing was to keep the events in proper chronological sequence. So for 10 years or so, I've been constructing my timeline. It is definitely a work in progress; in fact it's hard for me to say how close to being finished i am. The process has been quite an encouragement and a help to me in my personal life. As I go back and recall the events which I can remember, I relive them. Not only that, but many times, not only the pictures come back to me but also the feelings that I was feeling at the time. The events of our life are recorded in our subconscious mind, and are linked together like a chain link fence. If you can picture an event or memory from the past, often times the the event or memory linked to that which you are meditating on will begin to surface also. This process has helped me to see the trail I've come over; and it has helped me to be more resolute and focused about where I'm headed But that is not the real story here. The picture which I'm trying to convey is that a Timeline can be a Treasure Trove of relatable stories, which is an aid to relationship building, and a boon in buiding a Network Marketing Business

NORMAL WEEKEND STUFF

This past Friday somebody asked me, in fact quite regularly on fridays, somebody asks me, "Tom, do you have any special plans for the weekend?" I answered, "No, just normal weekend stuff." Today, I'm going to list just what 'Normal Weekend Stuff' means for me. And on subsequent weekends I am going to discuss each one of the items in detail. I want to open up a window into my life so you can see where I am coming from, and that I am a real person. Here are the events of my weekend: SATURDAY A. I go to the Eastern Market (Farmer's Market in Detroit) to purchase cut flowers for the Sunday church service. B. Volunteer in my Pastor's inner-city Ministry. Man her ministry door from 1000am to 0200pm on Saturday's C. We have a prayer meeting from 0300-0400pm D. I help to clean the Church and Sunday School area; preparing it for Sunday morning worship E. I read through and prepare my Sunday School lesson. I teach one of the adult bible study classess F. I prepare a list of people I want to try and talk to the during the coming week for my Network Marketing Business G. I have some personal development time. I listen to cd's : read inspiring books; participate in a skill's building conference call; maybe a mastermind call. SUNDAY'S A. I teach the Adult Sunday Bible Study, (as I mentioned earlier) B. We have our morning worship service C . I go to see my friend in the nursing home D. Take a Nap E. We have our evening church service at 0600PM F. Get prepared for Monday AM On subsequent weekends I will be discussing each of these items; one at a time, trying to relate it to relationship building and being successful in Network Marketing.

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING: THE STORY THAT RELATES--THE EMOTIONAL TOUCH THAT MEANS SO MUCH

As I mentioned in yesterdays post, Network Marketing is a relationship building busines;not a sales business. Your Success or lack of success in this industry entirely depends upon the number and the quality of relationships that you are able to build with your Prospects. You must attract peop to yourself; and then you must SELL YOURSELF TO THEM. I am not a fisherman; but I do know enough to understand that in order to reel the fish in, you have got to have them hooked. One of the best way to hook a prospect is by appealing to their emotions. As Human Beings, we are emotional creatures. The deeper we are able to engage the passions, and emotions of the people we are talking to, the better chance we have of forming a relationship or bond with them. As you listen to an Individual talk about what is important to them; what drives them; what their dreams, needs, worries, and goals are; and you are able to tell a story which relates to their dreams, needs, worries, and goals; this will paint a picture in their mind. They wll be able to relat to you. This will start the process of building the relationship, forming that bond, and implanting that hook in their jaw. You will then have a good chance to reel them in, and to accomplish your purpose in talking to and prospecting them.