By Dennis Bloom
When assessing what strategies, what factors lead to success, it is critical to look at every option you can. There are so many places to begin, and so many different conclusions you can reach.
While on this search, throughout my business career and especially in the course of creating a successful network marketing company with my brother, I determined that one of the most important items is the quality of consistency.
Consistency breeds familiarity, comfort, confidence and strength. (And in the case of business bottom line, no, familiarity does not breed contempt quite the opposite!)
As I ponder the importance of consistency in building a business (a network marketing business, yes, but also, really any business) and reflect on what I have experienced over the past forty years or so, I find that much to my amazement, the answer is simple, obvious and has always been the same.
Success in business is, without exception, all about the numbers. When we listen to those people who are at the top of their field state time after time that "success is a numbers game," it's not difficult to understand why they are at the top. It does not matter what their product or service may be, or whether they are with a large company or small.
Setting a Record: Not Easy, But Simple I learned this when I experienced my first real crack at the business world. Fortunately for me, I was exposed to a great business by one of the greatest salesmen and motivators in the history of
business: W. Clement Stone of Combined Insurance Company.
Mr. Stone was very clear about the importance of having a plan, knowing your presentation like the back of your hand and working the numbers. There were no exceptions to his rules.
I was in my early twenties when I worked for Combined and can still remember the sales presentation, word for word, that we were trained on. It was not an option; we learned it perfectly or we were gone.
Next (I remember as if it were yesterday), was the challenge that was put before us to meet our production goals. In the Combined system it was critically important to write 100 applications each week. This was the ultimate yardstick by which we were measured, and the criteria Mr. Stone used for recognizing and acknowledging his top performers. In order to write 100 applications each week, I had focused on writing at least 14 applications each and every day.
If it was ten at night and I had not done my 14 that day, I would visit gas stations and convenience stores until I got my numbers. I assure you, this process was very simple. Not very easy but very simple. The Power of Numbers Working the numbers was very important in this system; I knew that I had to make 300 to 400 presentations each week in order to write my 100 applications.
And that is exactly what I did. I held the Combined Insurance Company's consecutive week production record, with a string of 69 consecutive weeks of 100 applications or more each week. In fact, I've been told that my record may still stand today, 40 years later.
A couple of years ago I was in Atlanta conducting an opportunity meeting when I noticed there was a Combined Insurance meeting down the hall. Out of curiosity I wandered in to see what was going on; soon I found myself talking to the regional manager. I introduced myself and mentioned that I had worked for the company some years ago. The response I got shocked me. "Are you the Dennis Bloom? The one who held that incredible record of 69 weeks in a row?" Mind you, it had been almost 40 years since that record was set and it was still the subject of conversation.
My point is not that I set a sales record, but that anyone can accomplish great things if they understand the numbers it takes to achieve the desired results. Our network marketing business opportunity is no different from any other sales based
business.
You can clearly identify how many prospects you need to speak to for each sale you make. You can clearly identify how many prospects you need to speak to for each goal you set. Determine how much money you want to make; how many presentations and sales that will take; then how many prospects you need to speak to and you'll get there.
Use your marketing tools; use your training and skills; use your brains and spirit.
Follow up and speak to your prospects, and you will meet your objectives. It truly is that simple. The system works, if you work the system. I know; I've been there and done that. The numbers do not lie!
DENNIS BLOOM and his identical twin brother Daniel founded AmeriPlan together when
they were both 50 years old.
Mr. Bloom has also been a pioneer in several major business ventures.
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