2010 February | The Cory Alan Marketing Blog

I will not try to persuade you to join or not join Jusuru, nor will I try to sell you something else instead. What I will do is point out details about Jusuru and share valuable information that will help you to make that important decision on your own.

Network Marketing or the world of MLM is a great industry and has as many benefits as it does pitfalls. Joining any Network Marketing Company is an important decision that requires your careful consideration. You plan to invest your hard earned money, dedicate precious time, and put your reputation behind the company you represent. We know that most successful people stick with one company and don’t jump from one to another every time something new comes along. Therefore, take some time and make your decision wisely.

Founded in late 2009, by Asma Ishaq, Jusuru is based in Anaheim, California. Ishaq is the EVP of Biocell Technology LLC and a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and Rice University. She is an active philanthropist and has arranged for a percentage of the Jusuru sales to be donated to non-profit organizations. The leadership team is referred to on the site, but not described in much detail. That is a concern from the start.

The product claim is that “Jusuru Life Blend” is a nutraceutical that is based on the science of their patented BioCell Collagen II that contains Collagen Type II, Chondroitin Sulfate and Hyaluronic Acid. It is believed to support joint and skin health. Along with Resveratrol the French Paradox for life extension, it also contains vitamins and minerals with essential fatty & amino acids. They claim that these ingredients are of the highest quality although you will not find any NSF certification on their product.

I have always been reluctant to get too excited about a “Super Juice” even though we know companies like XanGo have had incredible success. Many feel the surge for super juices is on the decline and in a challenged economy many are unsure about pushing a $40 bottle of anything. (I’m guesstimating $40 here because their site doesn’t disclose any retail information.) I did see that the initial sign up is $39.95 for a distributor kit, but no price on the product. Of course there is also the issue of pasteurization, which in almost 99% of the products we buy, is what we see on the label even if it’s no longer in the product when we consume it. “Hot Fill” or pasteurization is known to kill or destroy as much as 40% of all the nutrients at the point of bottling, let alone what happens during its shelf life.

Doing further research it appears Jusuru’s key ingredient, BioCell Collagen II, is used by a lot of other manufactures. These manufactures purchase it directly from their parent company BioCell Technology and then put their own label on it. This is my next concern as successful new companies usually have a “stand-alone” product exclusive to them. Unfortunately if other products are using the “key” ingredient, it no longer makes it a unique product.

The one unique thing I did notice in this particular opportunity was the different way they explain their compensation plan. Their claim is, “By sharing Jusuru Life Blend with your network, you’ll help others look and feel their best, all while earning a rewarding income. Multiple income streams enable a Jusuru Independent Representative to begin earning immediate income, while developing a long-term business that pays residual income as their organization grows.” What I see is a 7 level uni-level plan plus a matching bonus paid to higher-level leaders. The basic uni-level is where you participate in the first four levels while having a “Venture” status. This requires a minimum $140 monthly order and it pays out a total of 18% on the 4 levels, if you have personally sponsored 4 people which two of them have personally sponsored 2 each. In the MLM world, 80 to 90 percent of all affiliates will not even reach this point. Then it pays out a matching bonus in the “Endeavor Classification” which requires 5 personally sponsored people all buying product each month and two of which have sponsored at least 3 each. Confusing? This is just the first part of the compensation plan.

I’ve learn to look at what you have to pay each month, $140; and then see how many people it will take to at least break even. (This will give you a good idea if the plan will promote high levels of attrition – which you DON’T WANT!) It appears it would represent at least 20 people in your organization that are buying product every month – until you were making enough to at least cover your monthly auto-ship. (Excluding Fast Start)

Now they also have a Fast Start Bonus that pays you on all the orders your recruits place in the first 60 days. This bonus starts at 15% and builds to 20% after you are in the 3rd Venture Classification. Also, you can earn this for 3 levels and as high as 20/10/10 percent, after you become an Endeavor.

Most top Network Marketing Companies pay out a total of 40 to 55% of their wholesale price in commissions. A quick review of this plan appears to have only 18% going to the masses, and the rest of the monies are to the Leaders or people with organizations of more than 100 active people enrolled.

All of these details can be overwhelming to sift through and compare. Over the years I have learned to look for these key facts and I use How to Select a Network Marketing Company by Daren Falter, as my base standard.

To review, here are the four main things you should look for:

1) Original “Stand Alone” product with a reasonable price point

2) Management Team made up of Experienced Professionals
– at least one having been a top distributor in prior company

3) Is the Company Strong and over 3 years old?
– remember most Network Marketing Companies fail in the first 2 years

4) Does the compensation plan provide a way for the masses to cover their product cost?

Jusuru doesn’t meet all the above criteria. But, if you like the product and feel it is helping your joints and skin, and you can honestly say that you would buy and consume it even if you were not involved in the business opportunity and you are willing to have an auto-ship for $140+ a month for at least 6 months to a year so that you can build an organization of 20 to possibly 30 active distributors so that your residual earnings are enough to cover 1 case a month of your auto-ship, then dive right in!

What I would rather see you do is, if you have decided that Network Marketing is for you, first secure the talent or ability to attract quality prospects without going broke. Why get yourself tied into some monthly auto-ship that may just start stacking up in your garage, when the key factor that will make you successful in ANY HOME BASED BUSINESS, is the ability to attract quality prospects.

What if you first focused on learning how to generate 10 leads a day, for whatever business you may want to build, before signing up to Jusuru? Plus, while building your lead generation system you might just find a better place to direct your 10 leads a day.

Whether or not you decide that Jusuru is for you, I wish you all the prosperity you desire. Get your “horse” out in front of your “cart,” learn what successful leaders in top network marketing companies do.

Filed under: Marketing Blog — Tags: Jusuru, Jusuru Review, top network marketing companies — Cory Alan on February 26, 2010 @ 5:21 PM

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Twitter Marketing Strategy; To Tweet or Not – Cory Alan

I avoided Twitter, made fun of it and repeated stories I had heard from people I know loosing friends to “twittering”; they no longer could share a car ride, enjoy a meal or even simple conversation because their friend was so obsessed with the latest “tweet.”

When Twitter first became popular I shared this sentiment:

“What could be more annoying and less useful than a site where thousands of people are given 140 characters to shout out about what they’re doing at every moment of the day? The amazing thing is that enough people out there think this mindless stream of ephemera (“I’m eating a tangerine,” “I’m waiting for a plane,” “I want a Big Mac”) is interesting enough to serve as the basis for a viable advertising platform.”

But after fellow marketers I respect reintroduced me to Twitter as a tool to complement their present strategies, I took notice and soon began to see the advantages of the “follower.” I was hooked.

Here’s what I learned. Created in 2006, by Jack Dorsey, Twitter is a free online service that allows you to broadcast short messages (140-character limit) to your friends or “followers.” You too can specify your own list of people you want to follow. Many think of Twitter not so much as a social network, but as an information network. It tells people what’s happening in the subjects they care about as it is happening in the world.

Twitter is an invaluable tool for any social marketing strategy and is one of today’s hottest new trends on the Internet. Not sure if it’s for you? Even Microsoft’s founder and the world’s richest man, Bill Gates, has a Twitter account. You can start following him at @BillGates. Oprah tweets, celebrity Ashton Kutcher even beat CNN’s breaking news feed and was the first Twitter account with one million followers.

Still, with its incredible popularity and growth, many in the marketing world continue to debate whether Twitter is a total time vacuum or a marketing tool you can’t live without. I believe its value is based on how you chose to use it.

Personally, I’m not one to chatter with friends via texting or glued to current media events via my cell phone. I still like the phone and of course emails. But I have found that Twitter is an important part of my overall social marketing strategy.

Everyone uses Twitter differently. So what’s the big deal; how should you be using Twitter in your marketing strategy? For over a year now, many have claimed that Twitter is the #1 traffic builder for their blog. I do see the spikes in traffic from cross-linking my posts to Twitter.

Twitter is an opt-in world, so if you don’t find someone’s tweets interesting, you simply stop following that person. Originally, I used Twitter to have a following that shared a common interest about new articles I was posting on my blog concerning Internet Marketing. Later, I found myself not only using it as another outlet for exposure, but also as a marketer it was useful to follow market leaders, competitors, bloggers, speakers, and authors in my niche. It became a great way to follow people I found interesting and wanted to keep up with. Twitter is like a cyber press release, but only from the people whose news you care about.

Keep in mind that although we are focused on business with promotion being the number one priority, Twitter is about give and take. If you just use it to push your stuff, you’ll be zapped in a zano-tweet-second, translation- blocked for good. Twitter is not about pushing content or your agenda, it’s about give and take.

Follow / Following / Unfollow

Many take the approach, “Anyone that won’t follow me, I’m not going to follow back.”

Follow - Twitter is similar to your RSS. Who you follow is basically who – or what information – you subscribe to. Remember it’s an opt-in system. If you’re using Twitter for marketing purposes then you want to follow the market leaders and the news sources in your niche. Don’t worry whether they follow you back. Seriously. The point of following is to get the news and updates that you prefer. Period.

I use a “Tweet Adder” to build my base of contacts or “followers” that I think may be interested in my content. I do unfollow people that have not accepted my invitation to follow me after three days. I do this to keep my ratio fairly even. The people I follow based solely on their content I am not concerned whether or not they follow me.

As I mentioned earlier, I seek people that may have an interest in what I’m doing. Twitter tools, like “Tweet Adder”, give you the ability not only to follow specific people, but also to follow people interested in specific topics. Tweet Adder offers specialized search tools that I use to build my list of followers. These tools allow me to capture people tweeting about my specific topics and keywords. Note, when building a list use keywords similar to what you would use on a capture page including your competitor’s name.

Following - I don’t spend much time checking to see who is following me. In fact, I turned off email notifications because I found it pointless and didn’t need more spam to clear out each day. Your focus should be on building a very specific following, not on who is following you. Unless you notice that you are attracting the “wrong people” in which case, rethink your search words.

You want to regard “building your following” as you would “building your leads list.”

Unfollow - Some people will unfollow anyone that won’t follow them, or who unfollows them.

You should unfollow anyone you no longer want to follow. It’s not rude, if that person is consistently off topic to what attracted you to them in the beginning, you should set them free! As I said earlier, the followers I request to join me using the adding software, I do unfollow after a few days if they don’t accept my request. This is a completely different group than the people I choose to follow based on their content that attracted me.

These are just a few ways to utilize Twitter. As you integrate this tool into your social marketing strategy you will learn more tactics to maximize Twitter World.

Twitter Marketing Strategy

Make sure you have a Twitter Marketing Strategy. Keep it simple, and tweet consistently. If you don’t have a specific goal or strategy, Twitter will surely become a “time vacuum” for you.

Initially I only used Twitter as a way to increase exposure for my other strategies. Then I realized I could also build a following of like-minded people that would find value in my information. Every time I announce on Facebook that I have posted new content on my blog, a tweet is automatically sent to my followers using a plug-in I installed. Then everyone that is following me can view my new posting and even better, if they like what they see, they may re-tweet and share the information with all their followers. You can see how this can maximize your exposure! Here’s an important tip, be sure to keep your tweet to 120 characters or less for easy re-tweeting. As tweets are re-tweeted they pick up characters.

“Be sure you are always providing new content that has value. You want your followers to be loyal and to have interest in what you are sharing. That is why you need to define your target market and your offers, and create a strong message-to-market match.”

Keep an eye on your followers and their mindset. Figure out why they chose to follow you, and make sure your updates, topics, products, website or blog continues to deliver on that attraction. If they did follow you specifically for those reasons, and you don’t deliver, then you are letting them down. And we know that means a “unfollow click” is coming.

Building a following on Twitter should be viewed much the same as building a lead list. You definitely want to provide quality over quantity with your Twitter marketing strategy. The more focused your topic and readership, the more productive you will be – and the higher your click-through and conversion rates will be.

Marketing is not spam. Sharing resources and links is not spam. As long as you respect your followers and continue to provide them with “real value” information they desire, you are providing a service. Not Spam. Just remember to ask yourself this about your social marketing strategy, “Why are people following me and am I delivering what they seek?”

Your Twitter marketing goal should be to tweet useful information that is of specific interest to your followers. Twitter is a place where you can be more personable and even more intimate, but you want to maintain your professional character and your integrity at all times.

Remember that Attraction Marketing is the “Key” and that you want to build Relationships.

ENGAGE your followers.

In addition to staying current on news, information and conversations in your niche, and increasing your viewership and traffic, Twitter is a great way to engage your target market in productive relationship building conversations.

Here are just a few ideas that I’ve seen work incredibly well for my social marketing strategy:

Host a contest on Twitter. For examples, search “Twitter contest” at Google.

Encourage your followers to ‘tweet you’ questions, favorite links, resources, and tips or personal experiences about your topic. Using your content blog is a great way to craft new and interesting posts. Use Twitter to really engage your target market in conversations about your industry. What do they need, what do they love, what really frustrates them?

Compile the feedback and share it in a post. Once published, thank your followers and give them the link to check out the results. Not only will you be making connections with your prospects, they will appreciate your genuine interest and you will be able to gain valuable insight that will help you tailor your Twitter marketing strategy to better serve them.

There are so many more good reasons to create a social marketing strategy, than to not. Start building your group of targeted followers with your own Twitter marketing strategy now.

Filed under: Marketing Blog — Tags: social marketing strategy, twitter marketing strategy — Cory Alan on February 24, 2010 @ 5:21 PM

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Network Marketing Training, is Duplicating the key?

Have you heard and been convinced that the best way to succeed in your Network Marketing business is to duplicate a product, system or approach throughout your organization?

Did you know that 99% of the people in the network marketing industry never achieve a full-time income? Maybe duplicating “that” is not what you should be looking for. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just become a magnetic force that attracts success?

If you’re not satisfied with your results, maybe the answer is making a complete 180-degree change. Not just a change in your system, but also a change in the way you think about it. This happened to me. I was so focused on finding a “better lead source”, making hundreds of calls to genealogy lists, offering product samples, then having to follow up all the while continuing to look for more systems to help me chase more people to sell more and so on. I was so absorbed in chasing leads that I was unable to even consider another way to achieve my goals.

Is this “rat race” really what the successful Networkers are doing day in and day out? Doesn’t seem that way. They have people flocking to them and joining their businesses. I know they’ve put in long hours and made sacrifices, but they appear to be distributor magnets. How did they become that way?

If they can do it…so can I

I had heard about an approach where you get people to pursue you. Imagine that! What I didn’t realize at first was that I was going to have to change the way I thought about my business before I would experience the same.

It wasn’t until I was at a low point with no motivation and stuck with an organization of people seemingly not doing much of anything when I picked up and read “Magnetic Sponsoring,” by Mike Dillard. When I actually sat down and read his training course it all became very clear to me.

I needed to make a complete turn around in the way I prospected. I had to stop thinking that the answer was buying more leads and hounding people; and instead use the same energy, time, and money to learn how to become more attractive. And I’m not talking new hairstyle. How can I have people chase me and join my opportunity?

You will learn that people have a subconscious attraction to people that have what they want. People hate to be sold on, but love to buy. You need to have what people want and they will naturally be attracted to you.
The more valuable you become to others, the more they will seek you out. This is the secret!

And here’s the best part that I discovered when I first started, you don’t need to be an expert or guru, just know a bit more than they do and you’re instantly in a position of power, value and attraction. As you continue to gain more value and knowledge to share with your followers or prospects, you may just one day realize that you, too, are the “expert” or “guru”!

Mike helped me to better understand this philosophy when he used this quote from Perry Marshall the expert in Pay-for-Click marketing strategies,

“Nobody who bought a drill actually wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. Therefore, if you want to sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes – NOT information about drills!”

So, if you’re unhappy with your results so far, love the idea of people chasing you, spending most of your time helping people that really want it, and becoming the Successful Leader that attracts a following, I strongly recommend you open your mind and get your hands on a copy of Magnetic Sponsoring, by Mike Dillard.

He will lay out the secrets of Attraction Marketing Psychology, lead you through the marketing training step-by-step and show you ways to become a Leader that people seek, teach you how to position yourself as an expert, and help you to attract the best prospects. This way you only spend time offering your product to people who are already inclined to purchase it!

Because this great course and philosophy has done wonders in re-directing my whole outlook and approach, I strongly urge you to make Magnetic Sponsoring your FIRST STEP. Not only is it the best $39 I have spent on education, but after accepting Dillard’s approach, you too will never write an email, answer someone’s question on the phone, or for that matter do much of anything the way you use to. Therefore, before you spend too much time marketing your product or even yourself, get informed.

Learn how just a simple change in attitude can dramatically alter your results with Magnetic Sponsoring. This new dynamic approach will complement a powerful system that will help your organization with network marketing training. Watch your business explode!

Filed under: Marketing Blog — Tags: magnetic sponsoring, network marketing training — Cory Alan on February 23, 2010 @ 9:50 PM

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Find a New Job, Not Find a New Job

More people are thinking about finding a new job than ever before. I believe with today’s economic climate and uncertain future, most quickly put the idea on hold feeling fortunate just to be employed and not a statistic in the rising unemployment rate. A fear many people act on allowing it to paralyze them and keep change at bay.

While many people are choosing to “stay put” in their old jobs, it doesn’t lessen the truth that many are still needing to find a second job to make ends meet. Some people are seeking more work to supplement their income, overcome employment fears, and replace the lost security suffered when retirement accounts diminished in 2009.

When we start to feel the financial pinch our first thought, or only thought, is that we need to get a new job. But is this really the best answer and only choice? If we truly want things to change, maybe not.

Have you ever found yourself saying, “I wish I could quit my Job,” or “I’m tired of going from job to job,” or even, “I can’t keep working this hard, I’m getting too old for this.” Well, you’re not the only one muttering these words.

What if we need a change of Quadrants, not a change of jobs? What is a Quadrant? A well known writer, Robert T. Kiyosaki, came up with that phrase and defines it in his Rich Dad series, “CASHFLOW Quadrant.”

CASHFLOW Quadrants are used to describe and illustrate four different categories people fall into with reference to their income or the way they make a living.

E Employee, a person that receives their income from a job with a regular paycheck from a company or business that they do not own. This is the E quadrant.

S Self-Employed, also includes a small business owner. If you are a small business owner, a specialist such as a doctor or lawyer, or a commissioned sales person like a Real Estate Agent or Stock Broker you are part of the S quadrant.

B Business Owner, which would also be someone that is self-employed but who owns a business that employs over 500 people. Even if you don’t work at the company, but you own it, you are in the B quadrant.

I Investor, this person receives the bulk of their money from personal investments. As an investor you fall into the I quadrant.

An interesting fact about these Quadrants is that people within the same group usually share core values. The people in the S quadrant share a value of independence and having the freedom to do what they want. They are usually hard-working people such as insurance brokers, real estate agents as well as educated professionals such as doctors, lawyers and accountants who do not belong to a large medical, legal or accounting firm. An “S” is often paid by commission or by the amount of time they spend on the job

B Quadrant people may share different values. Many look to the leaders in their field and work on their behalf. “B’s” don’t usually have the “John Wayne Approach” of business wanting to do all the work themselves and tend to be flexible. Great B examples are Thomas Edison, founder of General Electric; Henry Ford, founder of Ford Motor Company; and Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, all are examples of exceptional B’s.

Differences between S and B quadrants can also be found in the way people are paid. Usually a B quadrant person can leave his or her business and still get paid. In most cases, if an S quadrant person stops working, they also stop earning.

The last or fourth quadrant, I, represents people that value financial freedom. They love the idea of their money working instead of themselves. Doesn’t matter what industry they’re in, it could be real estate income property, stocks, bonds or even gold coins. Whatever it is, including a business they own as an investment, earns money or grows in value without them having to “work” or tend to management on a regular basis.

So now that you know about the Quadrants, I will ask you again. Do you think that you need to find a new job to make things better? Or do you think the answer may be in a Change of Quadrants?

There is a great book that I found through a friend of mine, Corey Citron. An incredible Network Marketer, Corey is a founder of a new and dynamic company called Yoli. Over lunch he recommended that I read Robert T. Kiyosaki’s book, The Business School For People Who Like Helping People, an easy 120 page read, that will help you realize if Network Marketing or building a MLM Business is right for you.

Personally, I enjoyed the book so much and have read it several times, that now I send a copy with an encouraging statement written on the inside cover to every new affiliate that joins my Primary Business.

“Work full time at your job for a living, while you work part-time with a Network Marketing Business to build your Fortune” – Jim Rohn (paraphrased)

To discover and better understand the world of Network Marketing and how it can help you change your present Quadrant into the one you desire – I strongly recommend you order a copy of Robert T. Kiyosaki’s book, The Business School For People Who Like Helping People.

Before you begin the grueling process to find a new job, order a copy of Mr. Kiyosaki’s book and learn about the Network Marketing (MLM) Industry. Find the best ways to market yourself online and start your work from home business today.

Filed under: Marketing Blog — Tags: Find a new job, Work from home business — Cory Alan on @ 1:51 PM

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