Why? Because they're not getting results they should be. They're throwing away money and wasting energy, unnecessarily. They don't understand why they can't recruit or refer others to do same thing. After all, they're presenting themselves as very professional, polished individuals. They're doing everything right - aren't they?

In order to answer that question let me put a little scenario in front of you ....

Your good friend (we'll call her, Susan) invites you to her home for a presentation centered around recruiting others to work from home, selling easily marketable baby products. Her home is so spotless - it's sterile. There are 39 other people there (most of whom you've never met). Some are stay at home parents. Others are corporate office workers. Susan is dressed in a business suit, as are some of others. Most of stay at home parents are dressed casually. The presentation is perfectly rehearsed, quite formal in its delivery, without a word spoken from anyone else. Afterwards, Susan brings out snacks of shrimp, an assortment of cheeses, cold cuts, fresh fruit and finger sandwiches along with wine, coffee, and herbal tea. Out of 40 people, one person sees opportunity that Susan has presented. A success, right? Wrong!

You may be reading this and saying to yourself "But she did get one person!" While that's true, flip side is that statistically, 20 to 30 people should have seen opportunity. So, what went wrong?

Regardless of fact that Susan has an opportunity that people should rightfully be jumping at;

• Susan had too many people in her home
• There were two distinctly different groups of people
• Her home was too perfect
• Susan was over-dressed
• The snacks and refreshments were too elaborate
• The presentation itself was too formal
• Everything was simply too much!

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Running a business, whether it be an offline multi-billion dollar company or an online part time home business, they share many similar traits.

One of biggest obstacles I have endeavoured to translate to many, many small business / home business people, is a very simple phrase......' Treat It Like a REAL business, Because It IS a REAL Business'.

The fundemental reasoning behind so many failures in small business, is clear lack of willingness to act like a real business. Many people may ' have a go ', they could ' give it a try ', or ' let's see what happens ' - all with the.. ' what have I got to lose? ' attitude. THAT, my friends, is one of biggest secrets to FAILURE.

OK - s let's assume that your small business / home business / BizOp etc., is NOT you main source of income. It is NOT responsible for putting food in you family's stomachs, it is NOT what keeps a roof over your head..... it is NOT sole form of income that you, your family and your Bank Manager rely upon.

So look at it like this. If it WAS, would you put as much effort into it as you do now? I can pretty much guarantee that your efforts would be substantially more, because everything relies on success of your business, via-a-vis money your business generates.

Well, now we have ascertained that you should be running it like a real business.......Are you?

> Do you have a business plan?

> Do you know each step that your business will take over next week, month, year, three years....?

> Have you prepared your agenda for acquiring new customers, products, joint venture partners?

> Do you have a time-table of events?

> How often do you research, analyse, read-up and check out your competitors?

> When was last time you contacted your client base?

> Do you offer them special offers, free resources and reports? What about surverying them and asking for their opinions?

> How often do you do all this?

> Does your business have a 'company objective'?

> Has your 'company' it's own 'customer mission statement'?

> Have you set yourself / your business targets....use my S.M.A.R.T. Principle...... .......targets which must be

= Specific.............. each item / area of business must be targeted spcifically.

= Measurable........ be able to measure your targets, how much, how often etc.

= Achievable........don't think that you can sell 2 million units if your competitors only sell 50 units.

= Realisitc.............. behonest with yourself. Can it be done?