6 Degrees of Separation? Not for me! How about 1!

The Movie, "Six Degrees of Separation", starring a young Will Smith, put forth the idea that we are only at most 6 people away from contacting any other person on the planet. Far fetched as it may seem, if you google these words, you can find a plethora of research to support this theory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation

You may have heard of the Kevin Bacon game, based on this idea, that every actor is just 6 people from being related by career or otherwise to this prolific actor.

Well, technical as this may seem, I recently read a post by a sales trainer who says we are just 1 referral away from 1,250 prospects for our Avon products or business!

Unbelievable? Let's take a look.

Research shows that almost everyone over the age of 21 knows at least 250 people (and actually, LOTS more!). Let's say you have just 5 acquaintances... and ask each of them if you could notify their friends that you have a growing Avon business. You could ask your friends to send an email, include a note on their family website, take an Avon brochure to work with them, or to the family reunion.. 5 friends times their 250 contacts equals 1,250 people... all of whom are just one referral away!

What would you do with 1,250 prospective customers or representatives? What if it was just 10% of that? 125 people who learned that you have an Avon website or a terrific way for them to make money without having to go get a part time job?

How much more would you earn in your Avon business by just asking a few friends to forward on an email introducing your business to their contacts. At the least desirable end, they could always just say no. At the most desirable end, they could say YES and you would have all kinds of new people to whom you were personally referred.

What do you think works better? A brochure dropped on a driveway? Or a note from a friend, recommending another friend to do business with? Why, the second choice of course!

Third Party Referral (this is what this is called), is THE MOST POWERFUL way to build a huge, thriving repeat business.

We all like to do business with people we know like and trust.. When you look for a plumber, or an electrician, do you ask your friends for reliable and reasonable servicepeople? You bet!

Same idea here. Want to give it a try? Let me know how it goes by clicking on the comment button!

One last thought. Maybe asking your friend to help you promote your business makes you feel a little uncomfortable.

Successful people are willing to do uncomfortable things now so that they will be comfortable in the future. Comfortable in friends, in business, in success. Let's stretch that comfort zone just a little bit today, so we can enjoy happier, more prosperous tomorrows.

Tacky Pants

So, today's blog title is a little "light"! That's ok.. life isn't always serious! (although that's another topic - this life isn't a dress rehearsal)

My daughter Stephanie went out last year to buy me a Star Trek page a day calendar. I ask for one every year and love seeing the pictures and captions each day and remembering my favorite episodes from all the shows.

Well this last year, SHOCK! Santa played a cruel trick on me and there WAS NO Star Trek Page a day calendar to be found in any store or online. I was more disturbed by this end of an age for me than I let on to her, but accepted her gift of a replacement calendar with passing grace.

What she gave me was a page a day calendar of dumb things people say. Now, first of all, if your teen gives you such a gift, what would YOU think? 'Nuff said here, my friends.

Well, yesterday's page a day was a 'hoot', as my friend Mary Jo in NC says.

Here it is. "Correction: Because of a reporting error, Dr. Arleigh Dygert Richardson III, former teach at Lawrence Academy in Groton, was described in his obituary yesterday as favoring tacky pants with tweed jackets and Oxford shorts. Dr. Richardson favored khaki pants. (correction appearing in the Boston Globe, thanks to R.M.)

Well, poor Dr. Richardson! First of all, the tacky pants is kind of funny, except it is in the poor man's obituary, and his widow probably fainted when she read it. But more importantly, after we finish chuckling about how the newspapers can turn things around, (again another topic), let's think about this for a minute.

Dr. Richardson, a teacher, probably impacted hundreds, if not thousands, of kids' lives over his years of teaching. I picture him with a family, and I bet he loved them and they, him. Joys and Sorrow, Laughter and Tears, an entire life of contribution summarized only with a line about the clothes he liked to wear. And they didn't even get that right.

Maybe the funeral notice had more in it. I sure hope so. I laughed at this silly page a day on August 23rd, but it made me think about what people would write about me when I leave this world.

I like to think that I positively impact the lives of those around me. My family, friends, business partners, random strangers.

But this little snippet reminded me that our lives are short on this earth, that only God knows the number of our days. I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference in people's lives. How about you?

Let's make today a new start. Regardless of how you have impacted others lives in the past, today we can all begin to make a positive difference in the lives of those around us.

Smile at someone, strike up a conversation. Pay it forward. Take a chance. Fall in love (or fall in love all over again with the one you're with). Start a new person in business on the road to achieve their goals and dreams. Dream yourself. Watch the sunset. Live this life to the fullest. You are the star of the show, and it's not a rehearsal.

Here's to happiness, health and success!

Success Principles

Why do some people succeed in business and others don't?

You probably could have almost as many answers to this as you do people who ask the question!

On People, Jim Rohn said... when asked why some people succeed and some quit..

"you might just as well ask why the sun rises in the east and sets in the west! It just does"
(loosely quoted by me)

External motivation is always short term
Internal Motivation is long term

Each of us, as leaders, has to get to the heart of the matter ourselves, to find out what burning passion will motivate us to get through the hard times.

Goals are what get us through the day
Dreams are what keep us going when the going gets tough

Do you have a dream? or alot of dreams? Do you need to reconnect with your dream?
If you want to move forward in your business, you must, MUST take the time to bring your dream out of the dusty corners of your mind and heart.

You MUST find the burning desire... (money, recognition, helping others...) that will move you into action. If you can't do that, ask your upline for some exercises to help you reconnect with your dreams.

Then, get concrete action plans on paper, review them often, revise and tweak as needed so you stay on course, and then get into action.

The best dream will always be wishful thinking without written goals and solid action.

Make up your mind - YOU WILL NOT QUIT! I can tell you now, you will have setbacks, you will have days, weeks, even months where you wonder if you will ever achieve your goal.. but don't quit... even if you have to say to yourself... I won't quit TODAY.... I will continue forward TODAY!

Find a workout partner, someone you can share your goals, dreams, plans with, and who you can work with so you both have someone that is there to nudge you on, keep you focused and challenge you to be your best self in your business and personal life.

This life is not a dress rehearsal, live it to the fullest, make every day count. Laugh often. Tell your family you love them. Work hard to bring value to people's lives, to make them better. Pay it forward.

Success is within your grasp. Reach for it and don't stop!

Here's to Your Success!

Sue Mazza
Helping people achieve their goals!