Networking Tech Tips

If you're familiar with Squidoo.com, you be thrilled to learn about The Ever Project. You can get all sorts of neat URLs (i.e., Domain Names) that point to your Squidoo pages. For example, do you know where you can find the Best MLM Blog Ever? Go here to find out:

http://www.best.mlmblog.ever.com

Oh . . . and if you want to get started with The Ever Project, watch this short video.

"An expert in Multi-Level Marketing, Kim Klaver delivers a manifesto defying the bad advice most of these companies offer to their sales force. This rote advice, Klaver warns, results in alienated friends, limited potential, and insures failure even for experienced salespeople. Here are 12 tips to avoid losing friends (and your personal savings) by searching out referrals, not sales, and learning to tell your story."

 Download the free e-book here.

If you work the phone a lot, you've probably heard your fair share of voice mail messages.

Hi, this is so and so. I'm either on the phone or away from my desk. Blah Blah Blah. If you'd like to leave a message, please blah blah blah.

Or . . .

Hi! You've reached the Robinsons, Timmy, Bob, Michelle, Mark, and fluffy (woof, woof). We're sorry we missed your call. But if you'll leave your name, number, and a detailed message, we'll be sure to call you right back!

You can save yourself a lot of time by learning a shortcut that takes you directly into a person's voice mail (i.e., the beep), without having to listen all the way through.

• For most land lines, push "#"
• For most cell phones, push "1"

Give it a try. The time you'll be saving will add up!

Todd Falcone interviews Scott Allen, who writes the Entrepreneurs Guide at About.com.

In this podcast, you'll learn:

• The importance of a life-long email address
• do's and don'ts of successful networking
• How to network on-line
• Where to get the free book, "The Virtual Handshake"
• And much more!

Let's face it. Networking is hard.

That's probably a good thing. If it were easy, everyone would have already done it, and there wouldn't be any opportunity left for us.

It's hard, but if we're willing to learn some skills, there is unlimited potential to build a business.

As Mark Yarnell has stated, "All good networkers started out as bad networkers."

How do we become good networkers?

The answer is surprisingly simple.

In a recent "Freakonomics Blog" entry, Stephen Dubner emphasizes that deliberate practice is far more important than raw talent when it comes to success.

And the steps to deliberate practice?

1. Setting specific goals.
2. Obtaining immediate feedback.
3. Concentrating as much on technique as on outcome.

So, get on the phone with another networker (she doesn't even have to be in the same business!) and make calls!

Have fun. Talk about the results. And focus on how you did and not how the person you called responded.

By the way, this is another reason you want to have 3-way calling on your phone.

You probably have a video camera.

And you probably never use it.

By the time you -- get the camera out, realize the battery went dead, look for the charger, charge up the battery, check whether you need to put in a new video tape -- you missed the opportunity you wanted to record.

And even if you did record your event, there is a good chance that it's still sitting on the video tape rather on the internet, where someone can actually view it.

Those days are over!

The Flip Video makes capturing and uploading video child's play.

Simply turn it on, press play, and record up to an hour of TV-quality video. When you are done recording, you can save the files to your computer or upload them directly to YouTube for others to watch right away. And with a price tag of $129, it's hard to go wrong.

The Flip Video is the easiest and most cost effective way to get video on the internet. Use it to record opportunity meeting, to provide training for your downline, to capture funny moments of your kids and pets, to video-document all the places your business takes you, etc. And because it runs on two AA batteries, you never have to worry about finding the power cable.

If you decide get the Flip Video, I highly recommend that you also purchase the Cables To Go 19003 3-Feet USB A/A Extension Cable ($7). It makes connecting the Flip Video to your computer about 50x easier.

There are many reasons you want to have your own domain name:

• Easier to put on a business card
• Looks more professional
• Easier to remember
• Etc.

Would you rather send someone to a webpage with this URL:

www.GenericCompany.com/distributor/id88374.htm

 . . . or this:

www.TheMostExcellentOpportunity.com

It's easy to get your own domain and point it to whatever long URL you are using. To register a domain (for only $9.95 a year!), go to:

http://smallbusiness.yahoo.com/domains/

You can search for a doman and purchase it if it is available.

Once you have your domain registered, go to the Domain Control Panel and set up the domain forward. All you need to do is type the link you want your domain to foward to, and anytime someone types in your new domain, it will send them to your current (long) domain.

It's that easy!

Have you ever been in a situation where you wanted to make a quick note, but you didn't have a pen or paper?

Jott.com solves that problem.

Set up a free account, and program their toll-free number on one of your cell phone speed dial keys.

Next time you need to make note of something, hit the speed dial key, and record up to a 30-second message. Within about 5 minutes, you'll receive and email with the transcribed text of your message.

You'll never lose a great idea again!

Do you have 3-way calling on your phone?

Do you know how to use 3-way calling on your phone?

If you answered "No" to either of these questions, you need to fix that within the next week!

There are a number of reasons you need to use 3-way calling:

• Dial your prospects into an opportunity call
• Have a prospect talk to your upline
• Teach a new distributor how to use the company order line
• Coordinate with people in your downline
• Etc.

3-Way Calling is inexpensive (so, put it on your land line and cell phone), and it is easy to use.

But . . .

You need to make sure you know how to use 3-way properly on your phone. (For example, 3-way works differently on my cell phone than on my land line.)

If you don't have 3-way on your phone, or you're not sure if you do, call your phone carrier and get things set up or clarified. Also take the time to ask how to use 3-way.

Then practice!

Get a couple of friends together and practice 3-way calling each other until everyone is confortable.

Once you're comfortable, use 3-way to your advantage and build your business!

The faster you type, the more productive you can be.

There are a number of products that can help increase your typing speed.

I personally think the TypingMaster software is the best (and most affordable) on the market. You can purchase TypingMaster Pro and a SpeedSkin keyboard cover seperately, or you can purchase the TypingMaster and SpeedSkin in a bundle ($25 at Amazon.com).

I highly endorse the concept of SpeedSkin, which covers up your keyboard so you can't peek!

In fact, for those who want to take it to the next level, my personal recommendation is to use Das Keyboard (pictured above).

It's a completely black keyboard. No letters. No numbers. No symbols. You have to learn how to type!

I've used TypingMaster Pro and Das Keyboard for about 2 years now, and my typing speed has almost doubled.