The biggest allure to recruiting nationally is that it's the exact opposite of "warm marketing"! Since warm marketing was the very first method of recruiting used in MLM, many have tried and failed using this method. They have come to the conclusion that everyone wants to make extra money--so if they mail their offer to people interested in making extra money that they'd automatically be successful. Right? Wrong!

I'd like to start this chapter with a shocking statement:

"If you are planning to rely entirely upon mailing your way to riches in MLM you'd better stop now and save your money--because it won't work!

There has been a severe mis-interpretation over the last decade about how to use the mail to build your MLM organization. Many people are under the belief (or HOPE) that they can simply rent a mailing list, mail their offer and floods of people will join their MLM. The only people who make money in this transaction are the printers and the post office.

(Excuse me, I must go off on a tangent here)!!

Let me clarify that statement. Since our post office always runs at a deficit, I'd be lying if I said you help make them money. Instead, you help them stay broke! Since they are a branch of our government they're INCAPABLE of making money! Yet, they continue to raise the price of postage to you and me every two or three years. Incredible! It's amazing to me that you and I are required to abide by the letter of the law and are expected to make a profit in business today. All the while our government agencies use an entirely set of different rules--rules if you and I used, we'd be thrown in jail! And yet, despite their continued abuse of the system they continually FAIL to make money. Why is that? I have a hunch it has to do with the lack of INCENTIVES given to it's employees and officers. If the post office is subsidized by the government--another example of a so-called good idea (welfare) gone sour.

Anytime people are paid regardless of their performance, but merely upon their ability to "show up" and not screw up too badly, you have a situation like the post office. The same thing goes with your MLM organization. As stated in my previous chapter about "placing" people under others, what's their incentive to build their business when you do it all for them? I'm all for helping those who want help. What I don't condone is becoming a nipple for everyone in your organization to partake from! You create weakness in your organization when you do this--I know from personal experience that creating your own "MLM Welfare System". By promising someone they can make money without working doesn't work. You must learn that in order for you to build a walk-away, residual income you have to identify those key players who actually duplicate your efforts. They will identify themselves either by phone or through your downline report! they are out there! It's your task to use your system at hand--day in and day out--to find them and work with them. Then, and only then will you develop and MAINTAIN a lifetime monthly residual income!

(End of tangent).

The biggest allure of recruiting by mail is you don't have to talk to anyone. I'm amazed even today with the people in my organizations who fail to even put their phone number on their ads, post-cards and mailers. When I ask them why, they say, "I don't want anybody calling me". And they wonder why they're not making any money! There is a HUGE difference between direct mail and recruiting people by using the mail Let me explain.

Back in the late 70's and early 80's a phenomenon occurred. It's what I call the "information" era. Remember the book that make Joe Karbo famous? It was called "The Lazy Man's Way To Riches". People even started selling information on how to sell information! I know, because I bought over $2000 worth of them in one year alone. What did I learn? That if you knew something about making money and could explain it in a book, you could become rich. I used this knowledge to kick-start my Printing Dealership idea. But, instead of selling a book about money selling printing, I went a step further. I not only gave them the information in a booklet form, but, I also gave them the source to get the printing done--me! I not only made money selling the information , but, I also made money on the back-end with the printing sales.

This book you're reading right now is a good example of selling information through the mail. I have compiled my many years of MLM experience and now I'm sharing that with you. This is valuable information if you are planning on making money in MLM. It gives you a smorgasbord of information and knowledge--all at my heavy expense--not yours. That's what makes this book so valuable to you--it helps you determine which method you want to use and what the pitfalls and potential costs are.

I couldn't have written this book several years ago. Why not? Because I didn't have enough knowledge about the MLM industry to be of any help to you. What I knew then wasn't worth anything to you. Now my knowledge is worth at least $100 bucks, right?

So, don't confuse recruiting by mail with direct mail. Yes, you can build a huge and successful MLM organization recruiting them through the mail. The difference is that when you "sell information" through direct mail, you are asking for a one-time purchase commitment from $10 to $100. Kind of a low-risk venture for your prospect. Most people are willing to pay a few bucks to "learn" how to make money. But, when you ask someone to spend $50 a month on the "hope" of making money--you have just put your prospect into a different arena. It's okay if they throw your $20 book in the trash after reading it--they just got $20 worth of knowledge and it's over. But, in a MLM you're asking them to spend or have their credit card or checking account drafted of $50 or more EVERY month! This becomes a bigger obstacle for your prospect to overcome. If they read your book and fail they've just lost $20, no big deal. But, if they join your MLM and fail, they may have spent over $600 before they even knew what was happening! See the difference? Not only are you asking your prospect to commit to $50 a month in product or service, They now have to fork over even more money on the "hope" of making money! this is why your response rate of recruiting through the mail is severely lower than just a simple direct mail campaign. So, don't get the "WRONG EXPECTATIONS" when you mail your MLM offer to your prospects. Get the facts from your upline and ask them what kind of percentage return you should expect from your mailings. That way when you do a mailing and only get a 1% response and you were expecting a 5% response, you won't become disappointed and QUIT.

The names, address and phone numbers of people looking to make extra money in MLM is as important to you as seeds to a farmer. Without seeds to plant a farmer has no crop to reap. Without fresh prospects every month you won't be able to reap a monthly check from your MLM program! If a farmer merely threw his seeds out the cab of his truck as he drove through the field, how successful do you think his crop would be? Some of his seeds would indeed grow, but, many would be blown away by the wind and the weather. But, if a farmer takes the time to till his fertile, soil, and systematically plant his seed and keeps it watered, his chances for success are greatly enhanced. The same goes with your MLM. Just having the names of prospects isn't enough. It's what you do with those names that makes the difference in your success in MLM. If you plan on folding your arms and simply mailing your offer to a cold mailing list, you should expect the same results as our wayward farmer who throws his seeds out the window--you'll get very limited results. (I have found that mailing my self-mailers to a cold mailing list pulls from 1/2% to 2% conversion or sign up--depending upon the list I used).

Prospecting is also like fishing. Your ad or your offer is your bait. Someone who responds to your ad or mailing is a "nibble". If you pull too early on your nibble, (come off too strong early in the conversation) then you'll lose your lead.

When fishing you really don't know what you've got until you get them in the boat and have a look at them. You might think you've got a big one on the line, only to find out when you pull them in that you've got a 6 ounce bass! The same goes with prospecting. You might hang up the phone thinking you've just sponsored the one person who is going to go out and tear this thing up and help make you rich. Then you find out 3 months later that they've dropped out! That's why it's important to continue fishing (prospecting) for your MLM--regardless of how successful you are. I continually place ads, send out self-mailers and make follow -up calls. Why? Not only do I enjoy prospecting, I also know that if I continue to build my organization, I'll make even more money. Do I work as hard as I used to? Absolutely not! I've learned to work about 15 hours a week--and it's only when I want to!

One more thing about prospecting. When fishing, have you ever had a few nibbles but caught no fish? Sure you have. Did you get discouraged and throw your pole in the lake and vow to quit fishing altogether? Of course not. You went home saying "I'll catch one next time"! That's the same mentality you need when prospecting for your MLM.

In a MLM you're not offering just knowledge that has some sort of monetary value to your prospect. Sure, joining a health related MLM will increase your awareness of your good health and you might even learn more about your body and how it works. But, 99% of the people I've polled, join a MLM to make MONEY! They're not really interested in learning how to make money, they just want to join and start making money without learning the process. Sounds pretty stupid when you read it. But, it's true. Most people joining a MLM, do so today on the shear desire to make money. They go in blindly hoping and praying that this will solve their problem. Unfortunately, without learning HOW to make money in MLM, they will inevitable become disappointed. Why is that? Because everyone has to change the way they think about making money. It's like marriage. If you knew up front everything it was going to take to make it work, you probably would back out! Or, you get married too quickly without getting to know the person well enough--and after you get married you find out you don't like each other. But, with the proper knowledge of how to "give and take" in a relationship, you can have a successful marriage. Using the mail to build your MLM is the same. You need the proper knowledge. If you don't, you'll become frustrated because you're expectations are not met and you'll drop out!

What happens most of the time is you get married all "misty eyed" and find out along the way that it takes hard WORK to have a successful marriage. Marriage and MLM do have one thing in common though. The drop-our rate is over 50%! The expectation of marriage is that it will make you happy. When you aren't happy after you get married, you think about getting a divorce. The expectation of joining a MLM is that you'll make money. When you don't, you think about dropping out.

If you knew everything you needed to know about making money in MLM you'd already be doing it. Most people today are ignorant about making money in MLM. I still have family members and friends who think I'm crazy by being in MLM. The problem here is lack of credibility. When I first started in MLM, I wasn't making any money. Nobody does their first few months. When those family members who say "NO" the first month, ask you 6 months later how it's going and you're still not making money, they believe you never will. There isn't any proof or evidence at this stage that it's working. I still live in the same house and drive the same car--al least that's what they see on the surface. What they don't see is the laying of a foundation for a lifetime residual income. On the surface I'm a failure and boy, are they glad they didn't get into that "scam" or "illegal pyramid" with me!

The biggest reason most people fail in MLM is that they don't stay in long enough to lay a foundation for their future. They let a few "broke" family members, friends, co-workers, or even a prospect who responded to an ad, influence them and they start doubting themselves. Don't allow those skeptics to "steal your financial dreams". Be very careful from whom you take your financial advice from.

I knew in my heart and mind that there had to be people making a ton of money in MLM. I just couldn't figure out how they did it. Sure, I joined several MLM programs and dropped-out before I started making any kind of significant money at all. The first few I was in, I failed to do what my upline suggested. Instead, I tried it my way and it didn't work. And since I didn't like his way, I quit. I went looking for something "easier" or that fit my conception of making money. What I eventually found out is that there is a "system" or "pattern" you must follow if you expect to make a profit, using the mail to promote your MLM.

I use the mail every day to make money in MLM. Exactly how do I do it? Here's a simple example of how to effectively use the mail: I run an ad in a magazine or card deck. When people respond to my ad, I them MAIL them my information within 24 hours. In 5 business days I CALL my prospect and if they've received the information they requested on program X and do they have any questions? If my prospect doesn't give me a phone number, I mail them a personalized letter saying the same things I would in a phone conversation. I also encourage them to call me so I can share the success of the program. If they never call, I don't worry about it. The reason why I don't look up their phone number or mail them multiple times, is because I'm looking to make money NOW. If someone fails to give me their phone number, that tells me something about them. They're either a "tire-kicker" and make a profession of just answering ads and never do anything. Or, they don't want to talk to anyone. Remember, everyone is initially afraid of the phone. What I'm looking for in a prospect is someone who is willing to work through their fear in order to make their financial dreams come true. Someone who fails to put their phone number on their response to my ad is telling me they aren't willing to work through their fear, right now. That's why I don't take the time to get in touch with them again, if the don't call me. I just move on to another prospect--one who is willing to get started today and I don't have to coerce them or pry them out of their comfort zone! This is an invaluable lesson that took me 3 years to learn in MLM and the mail. Everybody wants to make extra income. But, most aren't willing to do what it takes to make it! This is a common thread in today's society. If it's going to take some work, most people pull away and keep looking through countless magazines and card decks for something "easy" that they can make money with.

MLM works for those who work it! The reason I've experienced so much success in every MLM that I join is, I WORK HARDER THAN ANYONE IN MY ORGANIZATION--INCLUDING MY SPONSOR! And because of that I make the most money than anyone else in my organization--I wonder if that means anything?

I just got off the phone with a gentleman while I was writing this chapter. He had called the week before, in response to one of my ads. I has sent him my self-mailer and he was calling back to ask me various questions about the program. He asked how much money I was making and when I told him, he said he wanted to make that much or more. I told him that in order for him to make that much money, that he would have to work 10 to 20 hours in the evenings building his business and that it would probably take at least a year to reach that income level. I also told him he had to be teachable and be willing to duplicate my efforts exactly--or I couldn't guarantee his results. He said he couldn't do that because he worked all day and when he got home at night he wanted to "relax" with his family. I said fine, but that he'd never make nay money "relaxing" at home. And in 20 years he'd wish he would have done otherwise. He was shocked to say the least. He said, "I thought you'd try to sell me a little more on your program". I replied, "You asked me a honest question and I gave you a honest answer. It seems to me you've been mis-informed about how MLM works". He wanted my income, but, he didn't want to do what I did in order to get it. I'm sorry to say, but this is typical of over 50% of the people I talk to today. Their attitude is, "Sure, I'd like to have a few extra bucks, but I really don't have any time to do anything else'". With that attitude they never will have any extra time. Why? Because, they'll always be working or someone else building their dreams, not their own. The simple truth of the matter is: NOBODY HAS ANY EXTRA TIME--THEY CREATE TIME!! I was working 70 hours a week at my printing company, when I started my first MLM program. Yet, I found the time to work it in. The fact that I was working 70 hours a week is what drove me into MLM in the first place! I wanted to work zero hours a week, and I knew if I kept doing what I was doing, that I'd never have the time, money or lifestyle that I wanted. I saw the writing on the wall--I was just "getting by" and unless I did something different, I'd never see my dreams come true! Some people will never get it. And in order to be highly successful in MLM, it is important to realize that everybody wants to make extra income, but only a small percentage are willing to do anything about it! I call it "the get rich quick mentality". It's out there--so be prepared--you'll never know when it's going to strike!

The sooner you realize that you're going to have to work at making money in MLM, the sooner you'll start making some money. It may take you 2 years before you actually make a good profit. Are you the kind of person that is going to jump from program to program in that 2 year period, or are you going to "stick it out" in one program and take the time and effort necessary in order to lay a solid foundation for your lifetime residual income? If you follow the criteria I've laid out in the previous chapters on choosing the right company, product, service and sponsor, you can them take your time and WAIT for the money to come. This doesn't mean mailing out 500 post-cards one month and then waiting for the 5 who did join from that mailing, to make you rich. This doesn't work and NEVER will. Instead, you need to get on a steady diet of mailing, calling, and mailing and calling.

MLM and the mail is an easy way to generate a larger number of inquires about your MLM. The key to converting these inquiries into distributors depends upon 6 very important things:

1. How soon you respond to their request.
2. If you make a follow-up call at least 5 days after mailing.
3. The quality of the literature that you mail.
4. The quality of the questions you ask, and how well you know your program.
5. The number of people you contact EVERY month.
6. Your ability to get those who do join to duplicate your efforts.

You'll notice making money wasn't included in my 6 keys to being successful in MLM. It is impossible for you to make money your first month without sponsoring someone first. You have to sponsor first, and make money second. That's why it is so important to use the creditability of your upline early on in your recruiting. Then, when you start making money you can be the same credible person to those you sponsored like your sponsor was to you!

Having consumable and attractive products is another easy way to sponsor people. If you have a great product, that is in demand, and it is competitively priced, and there is a realistic way of making money when they join, it will be very easy for your to sponsor people--even if you aren't making any money yet!

Remember, using the mail is a very effective way of contacting hundreds of people every month. How well you follow up on these leads and the more you do so every month, the more successful you'll be using the mail.

Do some people join a MLM even though they've never been called? Sure they do. But, I wouldn't expect more than 3 or 4 to join out of every 1,000 pieces of mail you send out. If you call your prospects I find that I can increase my percentage of closing to 75 to 100 out of 1,000 pieces mailed--a HUGE difference. I recommend you mail and call for the maximum return on your dollar.

A high drop-out rate is one of the major pitfalls of building a national organization entirely by mail. I call MLM and the mail a "revolving door". A lot of people get in the door, but only about half get out on the other side. Sure, it's easy to sign up people by using the mail. But, you'll also find out in a few short months that they drop out as quickly as they got in. Why? I have found there to be several reasons why people jump in and jump out in their first 90 days. One reason is because it is so inexpensive to join a MLM that a large majority can afford to get in . But, the biggest reason is they go in to make money. If after 90 days they aren't making money they drop out. It's just that simple.

That's why it is so important to get someone off to a quick start. Chapter 14 will go into more detail about this subject later. But, for now remember this, over 90% of your prospects join on the hope of making extra money. They expect it. When they are disappointed, they drop out. It's your job to get them off to a fast and profitable start.

If you stay in your MLM long enough you'll run into this other type of person. They ask a million questions, listen very carefully, hang up the phone and do nothing! Here they are, armed with the proper information to build a profitable downline, yet they can't even get out of the dugout to walk up to the plate! Fear of failure or even fear of success stops them even before they get started. You can't do anything for this type of person. Your job is to arm your downline with the tools and information they need to go out and build their own business! It's not your job though, to build it for them. If they don't have a big enough reason to get out of their comfort zone and do the things necessary to recruit others who do the same, you can't help them.

Remember your ultimate goal? You're looking for eager beavers just like you, who've had it with their current financial situation. They're tired of being broke and are willing to do something about it. These people want to be in control of their day. They want to wake up and look at the boss in the mirror every morning. Maybe they like to sleep until noon every day--or play golf every morning. It doesn't matter what they like to do. But what is important is you find someone who WANTS to do something different instead of the 9 to 5 routine.

You're not looking for "customers" disguised as downline members. You're looking for downline members who want to own and operate their own business--on their time table and terms. YOU can't do that for them. They must have this drive in them to begin with--or develop it along the way. I call the latter "incubators".

An incubator is someone who gets in, does nothing for awhile, then out of the blue, takes off and starts sponsoring people like crazy. By creating an environment that allows the three different types of downline members (discussed in chapter 9), you allow those who are semi-interested to join and get started when they are ready. It is important to remember that your job is to arm your downline with the information, be supportive, but you must also move on and sponsor more. Don't "camp-out" on your downline. This only frustrates you and runs them off. Instead, us the methods discussed in chapter 9. You'll find that people reveal their true intentions with their actions. More often than not, it's on their time table--not yours!

Years ago I felt I had found the answer to all my money problems. I received a letter in the mail stating that if I only mailed 45 to each of the 4 people on the list, request their "report", substitute my name in slot #1 and mail out the same letter to a few hundred people, I'd be flooded with envelopes containing $5 bills for the same reports. Ever seen that letter? Sure you have, go ahead and admit it. You've tried this stupid game just like I did. Or, you at least "thought" about it! If you haven't consider yourself wiser. Millions of dollars have been spent with printers, mailing list companies, and postage in order to fulfill financial dreams through the mail.

It seems like it should work. But, it doesn't, why is that? The mystery of mail orders lies in the prospects head. You must have an offer that motivates them to take action, and to do it NOW. You must provide a product or service that gives them a desired benefit. Although alluring, the $5 bill lacked believability.

Out of the 500 letters mailed by me in early 1982, I received only one $5 bill. I even had an edge on the rest of the world. My family owned and operated a printing company. I went in on my own time on a Saturday morning and printed and folded that magical $5 letter. I even used "scrap paper" so the only cost was my "time". Postage of $115 was my only expense. I only lost $110 on that one. Not bad, huh?

Don't let the offers that flood your mailbox about making money in MLM entirely by mail, fool you. Although I've talked to some people who "claim" they made their fortune in MLM by using only the mail, when asked if their downline was able to duplicate their same success, they answered "NO". Sure there are those who do make money just using the mail. But, they mail so many thousands of letters a year that the average person can't duplicate their efforts. So, whatever program you join, make sure the cost of mailing your package are such, where almost anyone can afford it.

A monthly budget of at least $100 a month is sufficient to start your MLM business. Any less and you'll become frustrated and quit within 3 months. The exception is if you don't expect to be making a lot of money in three months, then you won't drop out. I currently spend around $1,000 a month promoting and maintaining my residual incomes. I didn't start out spending $1,000 a month, because I didn't have it to spend. But, what I did do was "bank-roll" my income as I earned it. If I spent $100 one month and made $200 the next, I spent that extra $100 on more ads, postage, and phone calls. It took me over a year to actually make more money than I was spending.

Are you willing to be diligent for one year before you see any profits? If you aren't, then don't expect to be highly successful in MLM. You have to learn to be patient. I didn't have the luxury of having a profitable upline in my first few ventures. I had to learn the hard way how to make it. Talk with your profitable upline and get a sense for how much you need to be spending a month promoting your MLM and how long it should take for you to start seeing some kind of return. This way, you'll be prepared for these $32 checks right after you've spent $200 on your first ad!

Another effective way to generate leads for your MLM is by using post-cards. You can use the same post-card that you used in your card-deck co-ops. Why would you want to mail a post-card for 20 cents, when you can mail the same card in a card deck for only 1.8 cents each? Simple. Results. By mailing your card in a card deck with 70 or more other advertisers, you severely dilute your results. Plus, studies have shown that the average person that responded to an ad in a card deck, also responds to 7 other offers in addition to yours! By mailing your card "solo" for 20 cants, YOU are the only offer in front of their eyes. If you have a compelling offer, or offer some sort of free sample, you should get around 8 to 12 percent response for every 1,000 cards you mail--depending upon the list you use. That's a far cry from the 1/2 to 1 percent response you get from your card deck advertising. I recommend that you do both as I do.

I also use post-card mailings to "test" different headlines and offers for my program(s). When I usually start advertising a MLM, I try to come up with at least 2 different headlines. Sometimes I even come up with 4 or 5! I then mail a minimum of 1,000 of each post-cards and then track the results. It's important that when you are testing that you buy your names from the same source and that you mail your different cards at the same time. This way, you won't have too many variables that would distort your results.

The mail purpose of mailing a post-card is to pre-qualify your mailing list for your offer. Don't ask for someone to sign-up directly off your post-card. Instead, ask them to call or write you for FREE information about your product, service or opportunity. I recommend putting an 800# on your post-card for maximum results. If you or your company has a fax-on-demand system, put that phone number on your card too. Be sure to have your member ID# on the post-card so if your prospect does call the fax-on-demand, number and wants to sign up, that they put your number on the application so you get proper credit. Also, be sure to include your own phone number on the post-card, just in case your prospect wants to call you and ask more questions.

At an 8 to 12 percent response rate from a well-written card and good mailing list, you should be able to convert anywhere from 5 to 10 percent of these leads into distributors for your MLM. If you mailed 1,000 post-cards a month, that means that you'd sponsor between 5 to 10 people a month. Your cost to recruit these 5 to 10 would be around $350--or $35 to $70 cost per distributor! If you are experiencing a lower cost/conversion rate then pat yourself on the back--you're doing an excellent job. With that cost per distributor, you can see why it is so important to get them off to a fast start. You don't want your hard earned money to go to waste. By getting your new downline member to duplicate your efforts in recruiting (i.e., participating in your co-op or mailing post-cards, etc.) then you'll find that you'll be able to re-coup your investment and start making a profit every time you sponsor someone!

I also recommend keeping the names, address and phone numbers of all those who respond to your post-card mailings. Currently, I have a database of over 25,000 of those who have responded directly to my ads over the past 5 years. You can also swap your mailing list with other MLM'ers and you can even sell your list to others for a profit! Currently, I sell my mailing list for $80 per thousands. You'll find this a good price for you to sell yours in the marketplace today.

The biggest complaint I get today from my downline is that they can't find an effective mailing list to mail their offer to. I have also had the same problem. You should experience no more than a 5% nixie, or return rate from any mailing list you rent. That means, out of every 1,000 pieces you mail, you should get no more than 50 back as bad addresses. This is an industry standard--so expect it.

I've included a list of companies in the back of this book that I've used in the past with success. But, I caution you, to test your list first before going out and mailing 5,000 or 10,000! I only rent 1,000 at a time from each of my sources. I mail them all at the same time and compare results. I then go back and rent another 1,000. This is only good business. This also keeps you from losing a ton of money in postage if you mail to a bad list of 5,000 names. Test and re-test. This is the best way for you to use mailing list companies. It will take some work on your part, tracking the results. But, you will also come up with some very valuable information for you and your downline that will ultimately be worth thousands of dollars a month to you!

You can also share or co-op your mailing list just like a card-deck co-op. Let your downline share in the cost of mailing lists, printing and postage. You can then split the names up between all those who participate. This is much less expensive than card deck advertising. And, since mailing lists as a co-op you can get started as early as next week and have your results back in two weeks. Again, keep the names addresses and phone numbers of everyone who responds to your mailings--even if they don't sign up in your program. You'll find that second and third mailing every 90 days will generate around 50% to 75% of the results of your first mailing. Plus, you can sell or swap these names to other networkers you run into. Doing this is easy. When your prospect says "NO" to you because they are in another MLM, ask them this question, "Would you be interested in trading the names of people who respond to our ads"? Most won't be interested because, they've never done anything like this before. But, the ones who will, you will develop a long-lasting relationship with. Many of my close friends aren't even in one of my MLM's! I learned how to "network" with all types of people. Remember, it's a jungle out there! Not just for you, but, for everyone else too. We all face the same challenges. Why not work together in helping each other overcome them? I know from personal experience that trading or swapping names has proven to be very profitable. But, don't trade more than 1,000 names at a time. This way you can test their list before you roll it out to 5,000 or 10,000. You'll find in the beginning that trading 25 to 100 names will be normal--mainly because that's all the names you and your colleagues will have.

Many people have lost a lot of money using mailing lists. Don't fall subject to the thinking that you can just mail your offer and 3% to 5% will join. If you are selling a book that night be true. Make sure every list you rent has phone numbers available with it. This way you can call before you mail and determine their interest and verify their address. Mailing lists account for about 1/4 of my total leads generated. Don't expect to make a big residual income with just a steady diet of mailing lists. But, by using lists in conjunction with your magazine, card deck and lead-generating programs you'll find a consistent flow of qualified leads for your particular MLM.

Another fallacy I ran into in the MLM industry was that all you had to do to be successful was to hand out or mail a cassette or video tape, and that they would do all the sponsoring for you. Although cassettes and videos are very effective means of recruiting you must be careful in weighing their expense verses their effectiveness. Recently, I had a gentleman call me and say he was told by his upline to mail out 1,000 cassettes to a mailing list. He did. His cost for the cassette, mailing list, postage and envelope was $1.28 each or $1128 for the entire mailing. He signed up only 3 people from that mailing at a cost of $376 each! Needless to say, this person was going to the poor-house, and fast.

He obviously mailed to a poor list. Plus, I don't recommend mailing a cassette or video to someone who doesn't know it's coming--it's a big waste of your money and their time. I threw away over 500 cassettes in 1995, that were mailed to me without my requesting them. That's over 40 a month! I never received a phone call telling me in advance that the cassette was coming. It just showed up with only a phone number on the outside label on the cassette and they expected me to listen to the tape, then excitedly run to the phone to find out how much it was going to cost and what the program was. This process is ridiculous and the only people who are making money doing this are those selling the cassettes and the mailing lists

Cassettes and videos do work. But, I have found that in order for them to be the most effective the prospect to whom I am mailing it must have requested it--or at least know it's coming in the mail in a few days. Using a free cassette or video in tandem with a post-card or card-deck mailing is an excellent way of getting your verbal offer in front of a qualified prospect. I have found an increase in response when offering a free cassette or video tape. Usually, you should get anywhere from 10% to 15% to request your free tape. If you ask for $1 or $2 your response will drop to 2% to 3%. I recommend giving your cassette or video away for free but, you must require that they give you their phone number.

You can also increase your response by calling your prospect the day you get their request. Call them up, tell them that you've received their request for their free cassette and that you'd like to confirm their address and give them an idea when they should be expecting the cassette to arrive at their home or office. By calling them before you mail, you not only confirm that their phone number is real, and that their address is correct but, you also come off as a real pro to your prospect. They'll be more eager than before to listen to your offer!

All the hoopla about the Internet, reminds me when the 900# wave came around a few years ago. Remember that? The allure was that all you had to do was place the ads with your 900# in them and when people called your number, the phone company charged the caller the advertised rate. They deducted their long distance charge first and sent you the rest! You did almost nothing, yet you got rich in the process.

Needless to say, the flaw in this system is you had to not only have a great pulling ad and service,(many of which pulled best ,were only the sex or sports lines) and then you had to place the ad in a medium that pulled well enough for your profits to overcome the cost of the ad! I've literally heard from 100's of disgruntled 900# distributors who spent well into the thousands in setting up their number and placing ads who only received checks totally $20 or $30 bucks.

The Internet has similar problems. I think of the Internet much like I do a banner flying over a football stadium full of 5,000 screaming fans. Sure, I hear the airplane overhead and I look up to read something that says, "Eat at Joe's". And, right after the game I go straight home and order a Pizza! And, I know that not all of the other 49,999 other fans aren't lined up outside of Joe's waiting to spend their money there either. I'm sure a few might nudge their spouse and say, "We're going to Joe's right after the game". But, I wouldn't bank on thousands showing up. Sorry Joe.

So, if you're reading the hype put out by Web Page owners who say, "Your ad can be seen by 30 million people on the Internet--you will make money by having your own Home Page On the Internet", beware. Sure, there might be 30 million people accessing the Internet, but how in the world are they going to know where to find you and your Web page? Sure, some Web Page advertisers may claim that they print advertisements on your behalf, to get your ad notices. But, think about it for a minute. Who's to say the people who read their ads, cruise the Internet anyway? Some probably don't even have a computer!

You can also be sure of another thing. By the end of this century there will be literally MILLIONS of advertisers who have their own home page. That make finding your offer even harder. Instead of having just one little plane flying overhead at the ball game, you'll have thousands of planes competing for the same air space.

I do believe that the Internet is full of significant information . I use the Internet daily and have a lot of fun doing so. But, I've yet to purchase anything, nor have I signed up for a MLM because of the Internet. Does this mean that the Internet isn't a good vehicle for generating prospects? It depends upon how much you're going to be spending versus the number of leads or sales you generate. The only way for you to find out which "mall" on the Internet works or not, is to buy a web page from them and try it.

My point is very simple, don't get caught up in the hype. The only people I know of who are making the big bucks on the Internet are the "mall" and "web page" owners! They make money regardless of whether you do or not--kind of like the annoying Stockbroker. Be leery of these guys. They'll say anything to get you on their web. But, I do believe that "testing" your ad on the Internet is worthwhile cause. I did. for about $200 for a year I have been getting about 15 leads a month in the first 4 months. I've converted only 2 of these people into my MLM--not real exciting, huh? Many of my colleagues have experienced similar results.

The main reason your response rate will be low on the Internet, is because the majority of the people on the Internet are searching for "information". They don't rush home after work, flip out their credit card, call in the kids and say, "Let's go shopping". Instead, many search out worthy "news" items and current events. People aren't used to buying on the Internet yet. I'm sure some day soon, it will be common place. But, don't think for a minute that by simply placing your ad on the Internet, that you'll recruit millions into your downline--it won't happen.

Another problem with the Internet is that it isn't regulated by anyone. You can literally place anything you want to on the Internet and nobody is checking to see if it is valid or true. There has also been various investment scams located on the Internet. To be safe, when using the Internet call the person who is advertising their offer. Ask them if they would be willing to co-op their efforts with you. Check them out thoroughly. Then and only then, is the Internet a safe haven to join a MLM.

One of the most time-wasting events you'll ever experience using the mail, is stuffing your offer into envelopes. Early on in your MLM endeavor you probably won't be able to afford to pay your printer to stuff your envelopes for you. You're probably going to be running down to your local copy shop every week copying off 50 letters--so you know you're on a limited budget.

Even though I own my own printing company, I hate to stuff my own envelopes. And, when I just started I didn't want to pay my employees to stuff them because, I didn't know if this MLM thing was even going to work. When it did start working I eventually had my employees stuff them for me--but, I found that if someone could fold, stuff, seal, and put a label on 100 envelopes an hour they were doing well. Where I was paying someone $8 an hour to stuff 100 envelopes! I knew there had to be an alternative. Doing them myself at home every night was out--because I worked every day and night at my printing company. And, when I got home at 8:00 PM the last thing I wanted to do was stuff envelopes!

Then one day I came up with an idea. Why not put all the information I'm stuffing, into an envelop into a booklet form--kind of like a catalog. I had a booklet maker that collated, stapled and folded 1,000 books an hour sitting right next to my office in my printing plant! I immediately called my sponsor and informed him that we needed to transfer our sales letter, brochures, and order forms into a booklet or catalog. I call it a "self-mailer".

Now my production of sales literature grew from 100 an hour to 1,000 an hour! I not only saved time, but, I saved money because self-mailers are less expensive to produce than the traditional mailing piece were using. Plus, self-mailers are much more convenient not just for me--but for my entire downline. Now, instead of expecting someone to dedicate several hours a month in folding, collating, stuffing and sealing envelopes, all the had to do with my self-mailer, was to label it and stick a stamp on it and drop it off at the post-office!

Another key benefit of the self-mailer is it has a longer shelf-life than a traditional mailing piece. Whey you open a traditional mailing piece, it usually contains a 4 page sales letter, 1 or 2 brochures, an 8.5 X 11 flyer or order form and a return envelope. Once you've opened the package you either have to join right then or throw it away. It is very unlikely that you're going to neatly fold each piece up and stuff them back in the envelope for future reference, right?

Self-mailers are different. They're just like a catalog. Check around your house. How many catalogs do you have on your coffee table or night stand? See what I mean? Self-mailers work, not just because they are less-expensive to produce, easier to mail and look more professional, they work better than mailing pieces because, they are easier to read and stick around longer in your prospects briefcase, office or home!

In all the tests I've done, self-mailer have almost always out-pulled a traditional mailing piece 2 to 1. (The only excepting to this rule is photo-copied and poorly written self-mailers). What kind of mailing piece are you using? Is it a traditional 4-color brochure? Or, has your company found the effectiveness of using 1 or 2 color self-mailer? If they haven't give me a call. I'd be happy to give you or your company an estimate to how much it would cost to convert your mailing piece a great pulling self-mailer.

One last benefit of self-mailers. You can mail 6 sheets of 8.5 x 11 #20 bond paper for only 1 ounce. When folded in half and stapled in the center (more commonly known as a saddle stitched booklet), you've created a 24-page catalog. Your order forms or sign up sheet can easily be torn out by your prospect by including it on the next to the last page of your mailer. Or, if your order form is very large and needs to be a full sized 8.5 x 11 sheet, then you can insert it in the middle for an easy "pop-our" effect for your prospect. Either way, you're going to find that self-mailers are less expensive, convenient for both you, your downline and your prospect, and that they out-pull traditional mailing pieces!

Still want more proof that self-mailers work? Check out you mailbox. Since I developed the idea of using self-mailers in the MLM market, dozens of other companies have adopted the same idea. There isn't a week that goes by that my office doesn't receive 3 or 4 self-mailers promoting a MLM. One such company (a competitor of one of the MLM's I represent) even went so far as to COPY my design identically! I was disappointed to see that they didn't have the integrity to come up with their own design. But, it just confirmed what I already knew--SELF-MAILERS WORK! You know what they say, "Imitation is the greatest form of flattery". I guess I have some satisfaction that dozens of MLM's and independent distributors have just flattered me!

Getting your ad or post-card read by your prospect is the first key in getting a response. If they don't read you ad, they don't respond. So what are the key elements in writing a powerful and cash-pulling ad? Here are 10 key elements your ads, flyers, and post-cards need to have in order to be successful.

What are features? Features are facts about your product or service. Such as: price, size, availability, color, shape, etc. How do you turn your features into benefits? Simple. Ask this question about every feature you've come up with , "What problem does each feature solve"? By asking this question, you'll be able to turn your features into benefits.

Once you have a lists of benefits, you want to list them in order of the "benefit" to your prospect. In other words, lead with your best benefit and so on, in your ads. If making money by only sponsoring three people is your best benefit, then lead with that. If your biggest benefit is that your prospect will have more energy when taking your product, lead with that. Your prospects only interest is "what's in it for me?". They want to know what problem your product or service is going to provide. Anything else if just a feature.

This book for instance, solves a major problem--HOW TO MAKE MONEY IN MLM! Over 95% of the people who've joined a MLM have failed. That means each and every one of them needs to know how to make money in MLM--a huge market!

The other 5% want to know what I know, so they can be sure that they are doing what's right. They also want to have their downline read this book, so they get trained correctly also. This book solves a lot of MLM problems--that's why it pulls 2 to 3 time my advertising cost.

Make sure that all the copy in your ad focuses on your prospect--not you! If you have some sort of additional training, or if there is some sort of extra BENEFIT by joining with you in particular, list that in your ad. If you give away free leads or mailers then say, "Join in the next 30 days and get 30 free leads and 30 free post-cards! A $20 value". That's a benefit. Lead with the benefits.

The purpose of your headline is to get your prospects attention. Without an effective headline, your ad WILL NOT GET READ! A good way to write a powerful headline is to open any opportunity magazine and read every single headline! Then, practice writing your own. Brian Keith Voiles, one of the countries best copywriters, suggest that you write at LEAST 100 headlines about your offer before choosing one!

By the way, if you're really serious about learning everything, and I mean EVERYTHING there is to know about writing sales letters, display and classified ads, and brochures, you need Brian's new book, Advertising Magic: The Complete Guide To Creating hot Ads & Sales Letters That Work! This 320 page manual is available for only $99. Brian normally sells this manual; for $327 in his direct mail campaigns. But, I have worked out a super deal for you--a $229 savings!

To show you how great Brian's book works, check out the ad at the end of this chapter. After reading Brian's book, Advertising Magic, I wrote the ad for this book. Although I thought I was a good copywriter, I learned more after reading Brian's book than I had in the past 7 years. The proof is in the results! This ad has pulled 2 to 4 times it's cost every time I've used it--it's by far the best ad I've ever written--and I give the credit for it's success to Brian and his brilliance.

To order Brian's book, email me at ( www.FreeMLMNewsletter.com). Ask for a copy of Advertising Magic, and leave your phone number or email and I will get back with you with information to process your order. Then you can start writing good advertising copy that helps you pull in more distributors NOW!

One last tip I learned from Brian. If you're having a hard time writing you ad, then record the telephone calls you have with your prospects! If your telephone call is successful then it's contents will make a great ad!

If you plan on mailing a cover letter or create you own sales letter, then here's a few things you need to know before writing them.

First, you need to use the same formula for writing your sales letter as you do when writing your ad. That means you need benefits and you need a great headline.

Second, use bullets in your sales letters. Graphically, bullets look like this: