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If
you can't read this, select
here.
Dear
Friends and Colleagues,
Lots
to talk about this month. We're starting a 'Bloggers' Boot
Camp' for November and the SIMB Holiday Catalog is now
online! We're also actively taking Live Presentation
bookings for 2007, so if you're thinking about it, now's the
time!
Lots
of interesting things happening in the stamping world,
too. Some good, some bad. Read on for more info.
Finally,
a piece of holiday advice... book your January workshops
now! If you wait too long, your customers are going to be
in holiday mode and non-committal about bookings...and you're
going to have a weak start to the New Year!
Enjoy!
John
John
Sanpietro
Personal
& Professional Development Coach
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this issue |
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Bloggers'
Boot Camp
and
Blogging Teleconference CD Info
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If
you missed the chance to participate in our
teleconference, “Blogging
Your Way to Success!” you can still take
advantage of the CD
pre-order special - $12.99 ($2.00 off) plus
free shipping.
The
CD covers:
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The
difference between a blogsite and a traditional
website
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Why
blogsites are better than traditional websites
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How
having a blogsite instead of a website can save you hundreds of dollars
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Why
Stamping Business Owners need a blog
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Step-by-step
overview to setting up a web domain and blog
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Downline
blogsites
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How
to market your blog
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and
the extensive Q&A session at the end of the call
To
order the CD, just use the link below:
Order
the CD
Currently,
we are also running a holiday special of 10% off all
orders over $25 (see item below).
If you’d like to take advantage of that, click
on the “Continue Shopping” button after you order
the CD, and you’ll be taken to the SIMB Holiday
Catalog. Your
CD Pre-Order will count toward your $25 purchase.
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We
are also starting a month-long
Bloggers’
Boot Camp,
for anyone interested in getting step-by-step
assistance in setting up and marketing their
blog (and nobody will be kicked out - see
sidebar item). To sign up, please use the link
below:
Sign
up for the Bloggers' Boot Camp
The
Bloggers’
Boot Camp
is $49.50 ($55 – 10%), and all members receive
the following:
- 4,
60-minute conference calls
(November 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 10:00 p.m.
eastern) where we’ll discuss, in depth and
detail, how to set-up and market your blog
step-by-step.
On these calls, you’ll be able to
hear me and I’ll be able to hear and
respond to you.
- Access
to recordings
of any calls you miss
- A
free copy of the CD,
“Blogging Your Way to Success!”
- Access
to the password-protected SIMB Bloggers Blog.
On the blog, you’ll find all notes
and references from our calls, as well as a
slew of additional articles and information
relating to maximizing the effectiveness and
success of your blog.
- 10%
off any additional product orders
made at the same time (just click on
‘Continue Shopping’) you sign up for the
Boot Camp
Upline
Referral Bonus: Get 3 of your downline to sign
up, you get in at half-price. Get 6 to
sign up, you get in free! Remember,
the Boot Camp is limited to the first 100
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Selling
the Kit as Product and
Actively
Recruiting Discounters...
BAD
IDEAS!
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I'd
like to discuss two trends I've seen over the last
month, and why I think they're bad ideas for building
your business.
1.
Actively recruiting Discounters
When
you tell a customer that they can sign up just to get
all future purchases at the member discount, you're
recruiting a 'Discounter.' Discounters are not the
same as 'hobbyists.' Discounters do not sell to
other customers. They purchase enough on their own
to meet their minimums. When someone asks you to
sign up for this reason, you can't say no, but actively
soliciting them is a bad idea that costs you money.
Let me know you how:
Assuming
you make 30% commission on a customer and 6% commission
on a first-level downline, you're only making 1/5 of the
commission on a Discounters' purchase. For
example, if your customer ordered $300 in product, you
make $90 ($300 X 30%). If your discount downline
purchases $300 in products, you only make $18 ($300 X
6%). Therefore, you lose $72 per quarter or
$288 per year in profit for every customer you turn into
a Discounter. Even if the Discounter purchases
more than they would have as a customer, they would
have to purchase five times as much product for you to
just break even!
Everyone
has a story of someone who started out as a Discounter,
but built a great business, but that's the exception...
and you can't run your business on exceptions.
Besides, even if 1 out of 8 Discounters moved on to
become hobbyists or more (a very optimistic number), that
one person would have to sell $33,600 annually for you
to make up what you're losing on the other seven!
($288 X 7 = $2016. $33,600 X 6% = $2016).
2.
Selling the kit as product
I've
seen several examples this month of people who are
selling the kit as product and neglecting to mention
that buying the kit also makes you a business owner.
At
best, this is deceptive advertising. At worst, its
downright deceitful! Why hide the business
opportunity? Are you ashamed of it? You
shouldn't be. YOU signed up for it!
More
likely, you're just uncomfortable talking about
it. If that's the case, too bad! Even if
this makes it easier, its wrong to mislead people, and
it gives them a negative impression of you AND your
company. Direct sales already gets has a bad
rap. Don't help it along!
A
few months ago, you may remember that Congress was
considering passing a law requiring that direct sales
representatives provide certain information to potential
recruits before they sign up. The bill failed to
pass, but actions like this just guarantee that it will
come up again.
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How
Do YOU Define Success?
(or
are you letting someone else
define
it for you?)
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One
of my clients recently told me the following story:
I
was speaking to a colleague about coaching and the
colleague pointed out that, since I started coaching,
my sales were down. She asked me, what does
that say about coaching?
I
replied that my sales were down, but my profit was up
AND I didn't feel like quitting anymore.
While
I think that story says a lot of good things about
coaching, I think it says even more about how you define
success. Who's
definition of success are you using? Yours or
someone else's? Do you even have your own
definition of success? Remember,
sales doesn't necessarily equal profit. A large
business doesn't necessarily equal a happy, or
efficient, business owner. And success comes in
many forms.
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A
Few Spots Left for New
York and Seattle...
Now
Booking 2007 Presentations!
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 "John
is the BEST business speaker in our profession!"
- Glenda Travelstead
There
are still spaces available for the live presentations
I'm doing in New York and Seattle in November.
On Friday
and Saturday, November 10th and 11th, I'll be in the
Seattle area. I'll be presenting my Advanced
Marketing and Recruiting Workshop on the
evening of the 10th, and Five
Steps to a Successful Home-Based Stamping Business
on the morning of the 11th.
On Saturday,
November 18th, I will be giving my Get
On The Phone! presentation. This will be
part of a full day program taking place in Armonk,
NY. In addition to my presentation in the morning,
there will also be demonstrations, make-and-takes, lunch
and a swap.
If you would like more information about these events,
and/or registration information, please e-mail
me.
We
are now booking 2007 live presentations! If
you would like more information about booking John for an appearance in
front of your group, send
us an e-mail, or select
here for more information.
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Holiday
Catalog Now Online!
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 If
you're looking for gifts for your downline that will
help them build their business, or would like some of
these tools for yourself, check out the SIMB
Holiday Catalog!
The
Catalog is filled with lots of items to help any
stamping business owner earn more money, recruit more
downline and become more successful.
Use
this link to access the SIMB
Holiday catalog.
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Sample
of the Month
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Submitted
by:
Ann
Clemmer
Sets:
Yule Bits and Borders
C/S:
Real Red Always
Artichoke,
Sahara Sand
Accessories:
Grosgrain
Ribbon,
Vintage Brads,
Colored
Brads, Glue Dots
Congratulations
to Ann,
who
wins a $10 SIMB Gift
Certificate! WE
NOW HAVE OVER 450 SAMPLES and are adding more and more to the
Samples Section of our website every day. We
are now looking for
Christmas
and
Holiday
samples!
If
you would like to submit a sample to be considered for
Sample of the Month and the Samples Section, just send
me a scan via e-mail, or mail your sample to: John
Sanpietro, Stamping Is My Business!, 36 Fir Street, Jay,
NY 12941. Please
include your name, e-mail address, phone number and all
materials used to make your sample.
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Book of the Month
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 The
One-Minute Manager
by
Kenneth
Blanchard and Spencer Johnson
This
book is a classic that everyone should have in their
business library. It's an easy-to-read guide to
positive, effective management.
The
book is really a great guide to time-efficient
management strategies that can benefit anyone who has a
downline or would like to have one someday.
Select
here for more information from Amazon.com.
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Stamping
Business Q&A
I
Was Recently Kicked Out of a Training Program. Does That
Mean I Should Quit?
Absolutely
Not!
Over
the last month or so, I've received several e-mails from
individuals (or their upline) who have been kicked out
of a training program because they failed to complete a
required assignment. Some of them are now
considering whether or not they should continue trying
to build their stamping business.
The
answer is - you should definitely continue to
build your business! You can absolutely
have a successful stamping business!
Training
programs that hold the participant to certain
obligations can be difficult for the majority of
stamping business owners (SBOs).
Think
about it... If you pick 20 SBOs at random, you're going
to find 20 different people in 20 different
situations. To ask and expect all 20 of them to do
the exact same thing is unrealistic.
Just
because you don't fit into someone else's mold doesn't
mean you can't build a successful stamping business
using your own mold (see 'How Do You Define
Success' below).
So,
don't give up!
(If
there's a question you'd like answered, or a topic you'd
like me to cover, feel free
to
send
me an e-mail)
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Testimonials... |
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John
is the BEST business speaker in our profession!
-
Glenda Travelstead
I bought your
book after convention this summer as a result of talking to
one of Stampin' Up's rising stars that credits your mentorship to her
business' success. Your perspective has really helped me to focus my
business. I started three new clubs this fall and got my first
recruit. So far, everything that I have implemented from your book
has benefited my business.
- CM,
Washington
I've
heard other coaches and one in particular I seen in person really creeped
me out! I've seen you in person
also and definitely didn't get that...you are very professional and have
some great answers!
- KS,
Michigan
I just want to say a great big THANK YOU for an incredible "live
presentation" that I plan on turning into an incredible business
life. I am truly grateful for your down-to-earth teachings. I
found your presentations inspiring, encouraging, and adaptable.
- SD,
Alberta
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Quick
Links...
Order
the Electronic Version of "Stamping Is My Business!"
Order
the Printed Version of "Stamping Is My
Business!"
Order
one of the SIMB Training CDs
Join the Stamping Business
Coaching Group
Find out how to book John to speak live to YOUR group
Learn
more about the SIMB Referral Program Sign
up for 1-on-1 Coaching
Sign
up for an @StampingIsMyBusiness.com e-mail address
Order
the "Stamping Is My Business!" Tote Bag Stamping
Is My Business! Homepage
E-mail
Me
Past Newsletters
October,
2006
September,
2006 August,
2006
July,
2006
June,
2006
May,
2006
April,
2006 March,
2006
February,
2006 January,
2006
December,
2005
November,
2005 October,
2005
September,
2005
August,
2005
July,
2005
NEWSLETTER
ARCHIVE
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Companies I Use
People
always ask me what companies I use to run my home-based
business. The links below are all companies I work with
and recommend:
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