Burke Hedges Speaks

It’s Memorial Day and I’d like to honor all those who fought for our
country and made this country what it is today.

You know, when it’s all said and done, freedom is not free. Whether
you’re fighting for your financial independence or our country’s’
independence, you can always expect tragedy, sacrifice and pain.
But in the end, it’s worth it.

Speaking of making sacrifices- As it relates to our business, when we
make the sacrifice and give up some of the “good things” we may enjoy
doing like watching television all evening, mindlessly surfing the
internet, etc. When we exchange some of those time wasters and
instead do the things we don’t want to do- like going to those extra
meetings, making those phone calls, dealing with rejection, being
inconvenienced- all the things that need to be done to be successful
and have that financial freedom, then we can finally say we own our
life again.

This is the true value of being our own boss, calling our own shots
and never having to worry about money again. And THAT freedom is not
free. It’s something we have to sacrifice to get.

In order to make the withdrawals, we’ve got to make the deposits.

Memorial Day is an excellent example. Our men and women in service
work to protect our values, our freedom, and everything we stand for.
To the new distributor who’s just launching their business, or for
anyone in our industry whose made the decision to take the plunge
and make a commitment- you’re making the decision and are saying
“I want to have more, do more, and be more in my life! And not only
for myself, but for my family & my children as well.”

It’s that fight, that spirit, that’s within which is critical to
your success. Sure, you can do all the right things and equip yourself
with the tools and have some success. But when it’s all said and done,
we should learn from those who have died to protect the freedom of our
country and think about what they had to give up. If we can take THAT
spirit and apply it towards the success of our business and have the
attitude of “the least that I will do is whatever it takes in the
pursuit of my freedom”, then success is inevitable.

So we thank those who have served our country to protect our freedom
and let’s use their spirit to motivate, encourage, and keep us on the
path to our personal financial freedom. Thank you!

Until next week…Be Your Best!

Thanks for joining me again this week for the Monday Minute! Last
week I shared with you my 3 absolute, non-negotiable philosophies
for success. This week, I’m going to share my personal business model that I’ve
used to achieve passive residual income in direct marketing. I call
it my “5-10-3 Business Model” and it’s the secret to long term success
in this industry.

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Every franchise has a business model. From McDonalds, to Subway, to
Dominoes Pizza. The reason people are willing to purchase a million
dollar franchise is because you get a million dollar marketing system
to build that business.

We too have a business model in the direct marketing/network marketing
industry. Unfortunately, many people try to go off and reinvent the
business model to suit their personal tastes. Sad to say, but their
businesses often implode. If you don’t personally follow a smart business
model that works, and you don’t train your team to do the same, your
business can eventually fall apart.

I was in Cypress a couple weeks ago training with a direct marketing
company that has been around for 35 years. What I’m about to share
with you is the same business model I shared with them and I can
guarantee you that their sales increased dramatically just because
of this business model. I call it “My 5-10-3 Business Model” to
achieve passive residual income in direct marketing.

Here’s how it works…

Once you’ve sponsored someone into your business, you’ve got to plug
them into a system of success. You’ve got to give them a business
model to guide their efforts. So, what is the model? It’s “5-10-3″
and it breaks down like this: Sponsor 5 business partners who each
get 10 customers, and go 3 levels deep.

Now, let me explain how you do this:

When you bring someone into your business as a partner, you’re going
to help them sponsor 5 people. It may take you 2 months, 6 months,
or even a year to get those 5 people. You may even have to go through
10, 30 or even 100 people to find 5 good people who stick. It doesn’t
matter. Whatever it takes, your goal is to help your new business partner
sponsor their 5 people. This is part 1.

Now, part 2: You’re going to demand that each one of your business
partners have 10 personal customers. You need to have 10 personal
customers & each one of your business partners also needs to have
their 10 personal customers. The success of your business depends
on a lot of people each doing a little bit. The beauty of this
industry is that you don’t have to go out and sell hundreds or
thousands of customers. All you need is 10.

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Typically, your product customers will be those people who don’t
see the big picture of the business opportunity (which by the way,
there couldn’t be a better time than right now during this economic
tsunami to introduce people to your business). But the people who
aren’t interested in becoming your business partner will typically
be the ones who become a customer of the product.
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Now, once you’ve got your 10 customers and each of your 5 business
partners have their 10 customers, you’ve already met 2 of the 3
qualifications for this business model.

The third part of the” 5-10-3″ business model is crucial. You must
build your organization 3 generations deep. Because this business
is about leverage, residual income, exponential growth, and breaking
the “time for money” trap- it’s essential that you build your organization
3 generations deep and you teach each one of your business partners to do
the same.

Let’s look at what takes place mathematically if you follow this
business model:

On your first level, you have your 10 personal customers. The 5
people you’ve sponsored each have their 10 personal customers as well,
so you’re getting paid for at least 60 customers. Now, because
you’re teaching this business model to your team, they all have
“depth mentality” and their mindset is to go out and do the same.

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It’s very important that your team understands how important it is
to build depth in their organization right up front because this
concept is foreign to most people. This is how network marketing
works- so it becomes your duty to stamp that blueprint in their
minds eye right at the get-go.
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Next, your 5 business partners will duplicate what you’ve done.
They’ll go out and, with your help, sponsor 5 business partners
who get 10 personal customers. This will give you 25 business
partners on your second level, and 250 customers.

Finally, you’re going to go 1 level deeper- you job does not stop
until you get to that 3rd level. Each one of those 25 business
partners on your second level needs to do exactly what you did-
they sponsor 5 people with 10 customers. That would equal 125
people and 1,250 customers on your third level.

This is the power of exponential growth and the power of the
“5-10-3″ business model. When each person does a little bit,
it compounds. Likewise, when each person on your team builds
depth in their business, it compounds. That’s when you know
you have a successful business.

Just like a McDonalds franchise is successful because of their
replicated program- the proven formula for success in direct
marketing is the “5-10-3″ business model. Focus your efforts on
building your business with this model and teaching your team
to do that same, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the amount
of passive income- or what I call “permanent income”- you’ll generate.

With the “5-10-3″ Business Model, you can finally stop getting up
at the crack of dawn and start getting up at the crack of noon!

I’ll see you next week!

Welcome back to the Monday Minute! I’ve been travelling a lot this
past month & we just finished up with the 3 part series on my recent
trip to China. Since then, I’ve been in Cypress doing some training
for a 35 year old publicly traded company. While I was there I
shared with them my 3 absolutes for success…and I’d like to share
them with you today…

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I have 3 absolute, non-negotiable, irrefutable philosophies for success
that I believe if people were to apply them into their business, make
them a part of their personal success strategy & the standard by which
they move ahead, they would see incredible success.

You know, if you’re heading down a road & there is a cliff on the right
and a cliff on the left, it’s a non-negotiable that you’re going to stay
straight on the road ahead. You won’t veer off & go off those boundaries
because it’s an absolute- if you go off the boundaries, you will fall off
the cliff.

Well, these 3 “rules” are the same. If you make them your personal
standard for success, they become absolutes in your life. They’ll help you
stay focused and on the path to your goals.

>> Rule #1: Keep it fun

Make it a point to keep your business fun! Don’t major in the minor things.
Refuse to get upset about all the silly stuff that doesn’t make any difference.
This business is something we get to do, not have to do.

You’ve got to take time to laugh at your mistakes. Make it a point to have
humor- especially when someone doesn’t see what you see. When a prospect says
“no”, they’re not rejecting you, they’re just saying no to the business.

Let’s face it, if you’re not having fun, who is going to want to do the
business with you? People want to partner up with someone who is happy and
loves life. So decide today to have the perspective that you’re not going
to allow this business to be a burden on you. Instead, you’re going to make
the choice to enjoy life and keep things light and fun.

>>Rule #2: Keep it real

This is big, big business and you can’t expect to make a 6 figure income
putting in an hour a week- that’s just not realistic. That means you’ve
got to develop new skill sets. This business isn’t going to get any easier-
you’ve simply got to get better.

You must get better at prospecting, at recruiting, looking for people who
are looking, at finding those individuals who are curious and get very
good at taking them from curious to serious.

Learning to relate with people is something we must do. Get better at
painting the picture of your opportunity and make certain that your
skill sets and daily effort is line with your expectations. Keeping it
real means that you know that out of every 10 people you talk to about
your business, ½ of them will think you’ve lost your mind. 3 of them
will want to try your product, and 1 will want to sponsor into your business.

That’s keeping it real- those are the odds. And as you get better, your
ratios will get better. Your skill sets will improve and then you can
expect better results. But once you keep that real, it’s just a matter
of seeing enough people, telling your story, and getting the results you
desire. If you want to sponsor 10 people, then you need to speak to
100 people…THAT’s keeping it real!

You must have a goal- a long term game plan. Your game plan should be
a minimum of 3 years. I actually prefer 5 years. This business is not
a get rich overnight business. Now, you CAN earn money quickly and many
people make a lot of money very fast. But direct marketing isn’t a
lottery ticket- you’ve got to work. So, start with short goals, then
move on to make longer goals. Have a 3-5 year vision for your business
and then make a plan to attain those goals.

>>Rule #3 Keep it going

It’s so important to work your business every day. No matter what,
do a little bit every day. You could read a book on people skills,
goal setting & time management. You could spend time on prospecting,
calling people and showing them your opportunity. Just keep it going.

Consistency of effort over time will yield you a result. Don’t stop!
Don’t quit- just keep going! And in keeping it going you will get better.
You’ll expose more people to your products and opportunity and you won’t
procrastinate or get stale because you’ll know you’re going to see those
results.

In fact, when you don’t keep your business going forward, it still goes
somewhere…it goes backwards! So always being in forward motion everyday
is vitally important.

It’s a fact that when you’re having fun, you attract people to you who
like to have fun. You’re doing something that changes the quality of
people’s lives- now, that’s got to be fun! Your expectations have to
be in line with your long-term game plan. You reach those goals by
doing something everyday- making those phone calls, doing a follow up,
etc.

So, those are my rules for success in this business & as you sponsor
people into the business, make sure those 3 rules & non-negotiable
for you. Instill this in your organization right away as a “team
mindset” by going to www.FreeConferenceCall.com and holding a team
training call. Get your team together on the phone & share with
them the tips you’ve learned today. Doing so is like breaking the
chains that hold us all back. Because when you get better,
everything gets better.

Until next week…be your best!

Welcome again to another issue of the Monday Minute! I’m writing
this weeks issue from Beijing, China where I’m doing a week of
seminars. It’s been quite an experience.

This week we are continuing the series on hosting a Private Business
Reception (PBR) to grow your business. Last week I wrapped up with
tips to help you prepare for the PBR. And this week, I’ll be sharing
some key rules on doing an effective presentation.

You’ll notice that this weeks lesson is a little longer than normal.
It’s such important information that I didn’t want to break
it up into two lessons.

So, let’s get started!

You’ve put planning and effort into your PBR. Now that you’re ready
to do the event, it’s important to keep your mindset positive and
don’t sweat the small stuff. You’re having celebration, after all!

It’s the Grand Opening of your new business. Make sure you keep your
event light but, keep it real & just have fun sharing your products
and business with your guest.

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Here are some simple rules to follow to insure the presentation part
of your PBR goes smoothly and you maximize the effectiveness of your
event.

>> Rule 1: Make it fun! (I can’t over emphasis this)

Don’t get all stressed out over the event. You’ve taken care of all
the details in advance, so when your guests arrive you should be calm
but excited they are there. The key here is to decide in advance that
you are going to enjoy yourself.

>> Rule 2: Keep the main presentation under 30 minutes. Your guests
aren’t there to sit through a 2 hour speech.

>> Rule 3: Have product and business testimonials ready in advance.

It’s best to have several successful distributors or product users at
your event to give their testimonial. Typically it’s your Upline.
This is very important!

If for what ever reason you are not able to get a few people
to attend your event then go to plan B and have them attend by phone.
Get a Free Conference call number (www.freeconferencecall.com) and
have your live testimonials call in to the bridge line at a specific
time. Please be sensitive to the caller’s time. Don’t abuse it.

Make sure you have a speaker phone available. Live testimonials are
very powerful. If you are not able to have live testimonials, then
your next step is to go to plan C. Have a DVD cued up on your TV or
Computer and have your guests watch the testimonials.

Just make sure you have testimonials.

>> Rule 4: Make sure your tools are in order & everything is ready.
All your audio/visual equipment should be hooked up, working and
ready to go.

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You know, many people think the presentation is simply the part
of the PBR where you “show the plan”. Actually, there are 3
parts to an effective presentation:

Part 1: Pre-presentation- when your guests arrive
Part 2: Presentation
Part 3: Post-presentation- what you do after you’re done
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Let’s discuss the three parts.

>> Part 1: Pre-presentation

This is when your guests start arriving. You want to greet
them and thank them for coming. You attitude is really important
here. You should be excited & happy to see them. Have them sign
a guest register and direct them to the food & drinks. Make
sure to let them know what time you’ll be starting the presentation
and inform them that they’ll be getting a gift bag before they
leave that you think they’ll really like. I know this is just common
sense, but it’s worth mentioning.

>> Part 2: Actual presentation

There are 2 ways of actually presenting your business. The first way
is to use your Upline expert. And the second way is to use your tools-
like a DVD.

Either way you are not to show the plan yourself.

I prefer the first option-using your Upline expert-for two reasons.
One, you’re getting hands on coaching from an experienced distributor
and two, it communicates to your guest they don’t have to know anything
about the business to get started.

All they have to do is supply the people.

Using the tools (DVD) is also very effective because your guests can
see how easy it is to share the business with the tools. If you show
the presentation yourself, you are communicating to your guests that
they have to know everything you know- that they have to be experts in
the business-and you will scare them off because they don’t think they
can do what you do.

Now, let’s get to the presentation:

When it’s time to give your presentation gather everyone to the
pre-designated area of your home for the presentation.

As the host, you will start of the event by welcoming everyone for
the kick off of your new business. Let them know that you are very
glad they could make it.

Next give a brief agenda: “Over the next 20 minutes or so my partner
and I will be sharing our business with you. We’ll be talking about
our business model and products. Once your know more about what I’m
doing any referrals you can send my way would be really appreciated.”

Next, give a brief testimonial of how you got started in your business
and the results you’ve had with your products or opportunity.

Finally, as part of your introduction, you’re going to edify the
presenter. Your job here is to make sure that your guests know 3
things about the presenter:

1) He/she is very experienced and knowledgeable in the business
2) He/she does an excellent job at helping people make money in
the business
3) He/she can help them make money in the business

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Here’s an example:

“Hello everyone! I’d like to thank you all for coming tonight. I’m
very excited about what you’re about to see. I got started in this
business about 3 weeks ago. Like many of you, I was tired of living
paycheck to paycheck, and I wanted something different. A friend of
mine showed me the opportunity you’re about to see this evening, I
decided to get involved, and the last 3 weeks have been terrific &
I’m very excited about my future. The person who’s going to speak
tonight is my partner in the business and he/she has been involved
for 3 years now and was able to retire from his full-time job shortly
after getting involved in the company. He’s very sharp and agreed to
help me kick off my business. His number one desire is to help
people get healthy and wealthy, and tonight he’s going to show you how.
I’d like to introduce to J Smith.”
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From this point, you just turn it over to your partner/upline expert
& they’ll take it from there.

After the presentation is over, you’ll want to introduce your S.W.A.T.
team have them share their testimonial with your guests. If your
S.W.A.T. Team members aren’t able to attend your PBR, then make sure
you’ve bridged them into a conference line or just have them available
at a specific time and call them directly so they can address the entire
group over the speakerphone.

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This is very important and the most powerful part of the presentation.
The more testimonials the better. I’ve seen as many as 15 testimonials
at one event. Just about everyone in the room got in the business.
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If you are using a DVD to show your opportunity then introduce the video
instead of your partner/upline expert.

Part 3: Post-presentation

After the plan has been presented, you’re next step is to ask for help.
Make sure you wrap up the evening by asking your guests to take a serious
look at the products and/or opportunity. A simple way to do this is to
end the formal presentation with this simple statement, “If you or someone
you know is open to earning more money, make sure you carelfully look over
the information in your gift bag. Try the products and listen to the CD on
the way home.”

Make sure you let your guests know you’re looking for people who might
benefit from the product or opportunity. Give each guest their gift
bag before they leave with all the materials they’ll need to make an
informed decision and then plan to follow-up with them in a few days.

Well, we’ve come to the end of our series on planning an effective PBR!

If you have any questions please go to my blog at
http://www.burkehedges.com/blog and post them.

I hope you’ve gotten a lot out of this series on PBR’s. Be sure to email
me with your success stories and join me again for next weeks
Monday Minute!

Until then, be your best!

Welcome back to another edition of the Monday Minute! This week is
the final segment of a 3 part series on my recent trip to China.
For the last 2 weeks I’ve shared some of the experiences from my trip.
I also posted photos from the trip on my blog. Make sure to check out my
previous posts here on the blog.

This week I’m going to share with you some business building insights
I learned while I was in China. I got so much out of that trip. I
met some amazing people and even though I was there to teach them, I
learned a lot in the process as well.

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My visit to China was an incredible experience. I had the privilege
of experiencing some of their culture, visiting the Great Wall- one
of the 7 wonders of the world, among other things. But what impressed
me the most were the people. And today I’d like to share 4 traits
that really stood out for me while I was there working, training and
teaching.

1) Direct Marketers in China are DEDICATED

In my first training seminar, there were about 400 managers there.
I was told there were at least 6 people at the seminar that had traveled
12 hours just to get to that 1 day workshop. That’s called sacrifice!

Anyone who travels 12 hours to get information, to get plugged in, to
learn how they can get that “slight edge” for their business is someone
who’s dedicated to their success.

You must be willing to make sacrifices for what you believe in. I
always say you can either have excuses or results, but you can’t have
both. Many of those folks could have given excuses why they couldn’t
travel that far- but they didn’t. The made the sacrifice to come and
learn in order to build a better future.

2) Direct Marketers in China are EXCITED

They have incredible work ethic. One of the trainings I did started
at 8 am and didn’t end until 11pm that night! Talk about excitement!
The room was packed and the people were hungry for information. They
weren’t looking at their watches wondering when it would be time to go.
They wanted to stay as long as possible to get the information they
needed to go out there and build a huge business.

Everywhere I went I noticed how much genuine enthusiasm the people had.
They come from the perspective that Direct Marketing is something they
GET to do, not something they HAVE to do. And they show it with their
smiles, their passion, the way they dress, and their genuine enthusiasm
for what can be in their business. You could tell they were excited
about being self employed and about the benefits of earning the residual
income that comes with the Direct Marketing industry.

3) Direct Marketers in China are FOCUSED

They’re system is based on using the tools: On personal development
and educating yourself on the industry and the “how-to” of building this
business. They let the business improve their habits, goals and dreams.
They believe in what is possible. They keep focused on the system by
reading books, attending seminars and making sure they get the coaching
needed to be successful in this industry. They plug in and they really
work that system & they don’t deviate from it. They copy success; they
don’t leave it to chance.

4) Direct Marketers in China like to LEARN

One interesting fact that I learned is that Direct Marketers in China
are avid readers. Because most people don’t have cars- they use
public transportation- they don’t listen to a lot of cd’s there. In
the US, we always talk about filling your car with cd’s and using
the hours you spend driving each day as educational/motivational time.
Not so in China.

They are however, veracious readers because they know that a mind
expanded never returns to its original form. I think that’s a great
tip. If we all read a little bit more about taking responsibility,
time management, people skills, how to leverage, how to lead people-
we’d all build a bigger business.

Those are the 4 tips that I learned- what I noticed while I was in
China & what stood out for me. As you can see, we’re all very similar.
All of us, no matter where we are in the world, are Dedicated, Excited,
Focused, and love to Learn about this industry and how we can change
our lives!

Next week we’re going to get right back on track with nuts and bolts
training to help you grow your business. We’ll be talking about
Prospecting- so have a great week & I’ll see you next Monday!.