Problems, Four Great Ideas, and Houston

Hey, I hope you had a great weekend so far! We have snow where I live in VA with more on the way! It's beautiful for sure!

I also happened to get a nice email from Tom Schrieter a day ago. Since it has so many great tips, and since Tom is my favorite mlm "guru" (I am sure he doesn't like that word!), I thought I'd share it with you.

Take action with what he says and your mlm business can't help but grow!

Hi, Tom "Big Al" Schreiter here.

Great Idea #1: Problems with your downline?

Fix all of those problems now with Bob Newhart's five-minute YouTube video. You will love the ending:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYLMTvxOaeE


Great Idea #2: People hate phoning for appointments, but this could be fun!

How about a texting party? Instead of inviting your downline over on Saturday night to make phone calls for appointments, do this.

Ask each distributor to bring 30 or 40 mobile numbers of people they haven't approached yet, numbers from the newspaper, etc.

Send out the text offering an opportunity and wait for the replies. Maybe you could have a prize for the first reply, the most replies, etc. And there is no rejection. They will just be visiting with the replies to make an appointment for next week.


Great Idea #3: People don't "get it" . . . and even I don't "get it" . . . but it works. If you haven't signed up for Twitter.com, do it now. It has the same momentum Facebook had in the beginning, and you'll want to have your presence there.

The learning curve is . . . nothing. But, hang around for a bit, get some great resources from the posts, and gradually learn some strategies to use Twitter.com for your business.

It grows on you, and you graduate to more sophisticated strategies and understanding, oh my.

But don't let me ruin the surprise for you. Just sign up and start.


Great Idea #4: Get no-cost consulting and help on your online projects - Houston "Get It Done" Weekend, March 13-15.

This is awesome.

Would you like to find out how Art Jonak got over one million views of his YouTube video? (Yes, over one million!)

Want to learn some great Facebook and Twitter prospecting strategies, using special social networking psychology that appeals to the herd?

Yes, have a "Weekend with the Stars" on Friday night, all-day Saturday, and Sunday until 1pm.

During this time we'll have experts help you with WordPress, design your blog, set up your autoresponder, copywriting etc. Hey, we'll even help you shoot videos and post them "live."

Plus, there will be some "hands-on" classes where you can see live results.

And that's just the beginning!

Discover hypnotic headline writing tips (yes, you want to come, you can't wait to come), super marketing ideas, social networking and prospecting instruction and much, much more. So instead of reading manuals, why not spend a weekend and get your Internet and off-line sponsoring campaigns working for you now?

We'll eat together, work together, and see results together in an all-weekend bonding experience. We'll even stay in the same hotel together and use their conference room for our group "Get It Done" experience.

Don't put this off any longer. Get your online marketing rolling right now.

And, we are going to do this for zero tuition . . . only for FortuneNow.com annual members (hey, now you have a great reason to be an annual member.)

Requirements to attend:

1. Must read all the forum posts at FortuneNow.com
2. No tuition - this is just for annual subscribers to FortuneNow.com.
3. Very limited seating because of the nature of this intensive weekend.

Want to be one of the select participants? Send an email to Roxanne@FortuneNow.com and we'll send you the details and put you on the priority list.

Come on down to Houston for a great online marketing experience that will put prospects and money in your pocket.

Questions? Call Roxanne at 281-280-9800.

The fun of learning with a group. The exchange of ideas over Thai and Mexican food. And think about the relationships and possible joint venturing . . . wow!

Can't wait to see you here in Houston! (Plus, the hotel is right next to my favorite Mexican food restaurant.)

Tom "Big Al" Schreiter
http://www.Twitter.com/bigalmlm


P.S. Think Houston, March 13-15. Hang around with some cool online networkers and get help with your stuff.

P.P.S. Also, I will be in Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, Las Vegas and all over California during the first 12 days of March with workshops open to the public. Get the locations and details at: http://www.fortunenow.com/public/department33.cfm

Until next time,

Monique Hawkins
540-858-2885 anytime
Skype: Monique371
Be A Mentor With A Servant's Heart

P.S. Ask me about my 2 minute story.

P.S.S. Everybody knows you have to use the secret language when talking to prospects. It's all explained beginning on page 46 of this free ebook, Success in 10 Steps:

http://mentormonique.bigmlmtruths.com/?mad=9091

It is time...

...for you to join Classroom 2.0!

It's a great social networking site dedicated to teachers who are using Web 2.0 and collaborative technologies in the classroom.

Drop by my page when you get there and leave a comment!

How Your Friend's Blog Can Benefit Your Business

Here's a tip you can implement today.

To get more exposure for your online store/selling venue, trade blog posts with a friend. (You do have a blog, right??) Ask a friend with a blog if she'll write a guest post for you and offer to write one for her. At the end of the post include a brief bio, including a link to your own blog and, perhaps, to one of your online stores. (Leave it to one or two links; don't make it look tacky.)

Simply share a great tip or selling experience, something that will appeal to the audience of your friend's blog. You post hers, she posts yours and, voilà, you both have new readers and, hopefully, new customers.

It's a win-win situation!

P.S. I love Darren Rowse's blogging tips. Here's a book full of them: ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income Read the reviews and consider buying the book if you want to learn how your blog can benefit your business.

Seat Review - Singapore International Business (Raffles) Class

This week took me to Singapore for time with Asian based team members. Was my first opportunity to try out the (now not so) new Singapore Airlines International Business Class (or Raffles Class if you prefer). On the homeward leg I also had my first chance to fly the over-hyped Airbus A380.

I say over-hyped because I find the reactions of the passengers dumbfounding and a confirmation that great PR can convince the world of absolutely anything. At the heart of this PR blitz is to convince people that this is something different about the A380. I don’t see it. As human beings we are used to air travel and we are used to it in very big aircraft with lots of people. The SQ A380 only takes about 15-20% more passengers than the largest configuration of the 747. But the PR spin around the A380 has convinced travellers that something different is happening. People are shuffling with excitement at the gate before boarding, pausing on the gangway to take photographs, giggling with amazement that there are split levels for boarding and so forth. Yet at its heart it is just an airplane. Sure it is a little bigger and sure it is a little quieter but really it is just a plane. Anyway – back to the seat review.

Singapore business class remains a benchmark for the industry. The atte

ntion to detail from the staff is second to none. The smooth and diligent processes they have set up for managing the flow of food, entertainment and service perfectly matched my needs. But (and this is a big but) I don’t like the new seat. It is significantly wider than any business class seat in the sky. However the trade off on width has somehow had an impact on length. For a person who is more than 180 centre meters length of the seat is everything. Sleeping was better than sitting but I struggled to find the comfort levels that the old seat used to provide.



The BOOT rating for Singapore International Business Class is a 5 stars out of 6 or "Great Seat". Here is the detailed review (Details and scoring system for airline seat reviews)

Getting on Board	Score 1.0
As a biz class boarder it is always a joy to be able to sweep your way on board without queuing. All the major airlines have provided a dedicated channel for business class passengers but Singapore Airlines has managed to improve this process will a simple technique stolen from Walt Disney and your local bank. The gate queues in Sydney (both economy and premium) are separated by snake like marked out areas using ropes and poles. A simple thing but is makes the boarding process easier and faster for all.
The Seat	Score 0.5
If you read the description and saw the photos your expectations are that the new “mega seat” should be a hit. It is wide, it converts to a bed and has buttons and compartments for everything (including a do not disturb sign). But as wide and interactive as the seat is, it does not feel long enough. I could not get comfortable sitting. I always felt like I had to contort my legs into unnatural positions. When it came to sleeping it was like they were squeezing a herring bone experience out of a standard forward facing seat. By herringbone I mean the angular seating you see on Virgin-Atlantic Upper Class and the new Cathay Pacific business class. This meant I was sleeping on an angle on a straight seat. It felt odd and impacted on my rest. Unfortunately I think the new seats are a mistake. They are not a disaster but I now rank the BA, CX, VS, QF (flat) and old style SQ seats above this new seat.
The Service	Score 1.0
The attentiveness of the staff is world class. I feel they are completely committed to me enjoying the flight. The processes they have set up support meeting your needs quickly. Drink orders are taken before take off, ensuring speedy delivery of the first beverage after take off. Regular visits with water come without prompting or reminding. I have heard some criticise SQ staff as being too robotic and not being able to respond to out of the ordinary request. I have not found this. I love that each time I turn around looking for service it is there. Whenever I press the button for service someone appears. That I never seem to have to ask for a drink as the staff always seem to get to me first to ask me what I would like. Service is a nearly unmatched area of success for SQ.
The Food	Score 0.5
Fine. Good. Enjoyable. No Complaints. But (could you sense the “but” coming), it is not as good as it should be. Like all the big airlines, SQ opens their menu/dinner story with the names of their consultant chiefs. They list some of the most famous chefs in the world including Matthew Moran, Sam Leong, Gordon Ramsay, George Blanc and more. As a result you have expectations of the food being world class. Unforgettable. Unmatchable. But instead the food is (just) good. At times I found the food too complicated. Meaning that the flavours either did not match the description or there were too many flavours on the plate and they conflicted with each other. Not a strength.
The Entertainment	Score 1.0
If the measure for victory in the in-flight entertainment battle was the number of options, then Singapore Airlines would win by knock-out. Listed they have 112 movies, 181 TV shows and some 740 CDs available for video on demand. These numbers overstate the choice a little because some of the options are niche or targeted to specific audiences (ie 5 Musicals and 8 Operas listed in the movies option). But there is plenty to choose from and the system is easy to navigate. If I could find one area of criticism it would be that while there are an extra-ordinarily large number of TV shows to choose from I miss the great feature from Cathay where they carry a whole season of a show like “24” rather than just single episodes. The screen is enormous and the resolution near perfect – I am constantly amazed on competitor products how often I have to turn the contrast/brightness up to maximum yet am still unable to see all that is going on.
The BOOT factor	Score 1.0
Many examples of unexpected twists that heighten the experience. The iPod dock allowing me to land with a fully charged iPod. The large supply of magazines brought round to me rather than having to be found scattered around the aircraft. The size of the bathrooms, enabling me to get changed into comfortable clothes without needing to contort myself in a cramped and damp environment. These add so much to the enjoyment of the flight.
Final Score	5.0 - Good Seat

Details and scoring system for airline seat reviews

Thanks to alex-s over at Flickr for the photo

Do some business models perform better than others? A study of the 1000 largest US firms (Weill et al. 2004)

I will read through, hyperlink and briefly comment publications in this blog relating to business models and perhaps some of you will download, read, comment or discuss them with me. The first one is a study of the 1000 largest US firms, conducted at MIT Sloan in 2004.
Do some business models perform better than others? A study of the 1000 largest US firms (Weill et al. 2004)

The paper is a good academic exercise, and it is a difficult task the authors are trying to accomplish. The objectives are many:

1. Define four basic types of business models (Creators, Distributors, Landlords and Brokers)
2. Create 16 specialized variations of the above based on the type of asset involved (Financial, Physical, Intangible, or Human)
3. Classify 1000 companies' business models separately for each reported revenue stream
4. Draw conclusions on how each business model performs in terms of operating income, return on invested capital and return on assets.

Conclusions
The authors come to the conclusions that business models are better predictors of financial performance than industry classifications and that some business models do perform better than others. Specifically, selling the right to use assets is concluded to be more profitable and more highly valued by the market than selling ownership of assets.

As companies seldom explicitly report what business models they use, the authors did use financial reports and their own judgment to allocate revenue across different business models. This is not an easy task. I have worked with several companies using parallel business models where some have the objective to create a demand and increase the return for other business models. Think of companies selling low margin physical products to get customer lock-in for recurring high margin services, or companies providing consultancy services to enable technology and IP licensing.

It is an interesting article with an interesting conclusion. Several companies have over the last decade moved from business models based on transfer of ownership to right based or service based business models. One example is Rolls Royce that instead of selling the jet engine, it owns the engines and provide "power by the hour" by contract. Since its customers only make money when their engines are running, they only pay Rolls-Royce for that time. Rolls-Royce in turn promises to maintain it and replace it, if it breaks down.