Finding Your Nussentials Product Niche

Or, finding out who you want to "talk" to.

Customers are the lifeblood of your business, despite what you may have heard to the contrary.

Having retail customers means you don't have to "go out of pocket" for your product points. Not having to go out of pocket means you can take some time to build up your business, without pressure. If you can't get paid because you can't afford to buy your product requirements each month, how likely are you going to be out there recruiting? How long do you think you will last? Gather customers early and often. Remember, this is where your "residual" income comes from. Since customers are so important to your success, we will cover a capture system for product customers first.

Before you can build an effective "capture system", you need to know whom you are trying to reach. To help you with determining your "who", ask yourself these questions:

• What is it about Nussentials that first grabbed you?


• What was your first product?


• How did it make you feel?


• How do you feel about it now?


• How long have you used it?


• What results do you have that someone else might be interested in?


• What can you speak about with passion and credibility?


• What worked for you?

If you build your capture system based on what captivated you, you speak with more authority, more believability, and much more persuasion. People who are seeking these same results will perk up their ears and listen to what you have to say.

Let me give you an example from my personal experience:

My Mom is diabetic and has been for 35 years. Her blood sugar fluctuates wildly and all efforts to get it stabilized have met with failure, despite changing insulin types.

Blood sugar that gets too high or too low causes serious damage to her internal organs, decreasing her "longevity".

There have been several times she went into a coma in her sleep! We would be unable to wake her and had to call 911 to have her taken to the hospital to get it back under control.

Sitting in the waiting room waiting to hear if they were able to bring her out of the coma were some of the worst memories I have. She has to draw blood and take her sugar levels about 10 times a day. Her poor fingers are like a pincushion and remain sore from all the sticks to get her blood. She has to wear socks to bed because the circulation in her feet is so poor. Danger of losing toes is a real threat she had to deal with every single day.

About 4 months ago, she started taking MORE! daily. Her next trip into the doctor surprised both her doctor and us. Her sugar levels were stabilizing. The high's previous to taking MORE! were 600+ and she was experiencing that several times a month. The highs after starting MORE! didn't top 350 and weren't happening nearly as often. She has continued to take her sugar several times a day to monitor it, but the results so far are very encouraging.

The result she is happiest with?

The feeling in her feet has returned and circulation is back. She doesn't have to wear socks to bed anymore! Her doctor told her she had never in all her years treating diabetics, ever seen that before!

Now, do you think if I addressed that niche, spoke from that experience, that I could get people having a similar problem to listen? And if I was careful and didn't offer a cure, but rather an experience and the possibility that it could work the same way for them, do you think they would take the next step with me? Of course they would if they are diabetic or know someone that is.

Here is why... have you even been to an event or party, and run into someone with the same name? Isn't there a bond immediately? Do you talk with that person? In the example about MORE and my Mom, I am calling a name. All those with the same name will perk up and listen. So, who's name are you going to call?

Another example from my personal experience to help make the point:

I am single Mom, Grandmother of two toddlers (ages 3 and 1), entrepreneur and building my Nussentials business in my spare time. In other words, I am burning the candle at both ends. I work late into the night (3:00am), but the grandkids get up pretty early (5:00am some mornings).

In order to stay awake, I drink a lot of caffeine daily. Each morning, I would also have a RedBull. Sometimes again in the afternoon. Because of all the caffeine in my system, I would wake up repeatedly during the night, robbing me of the much-needed rest when I would allow myself to lay down. Without the proper rest, I needed caffeine to get through the day. See the vicious cycle?

I started drinking one ounce of Nussentials ALERT! in the morning and another at lunch time. I have energy all day long but come bed time, that's when it got really good for me. I fell asleep faster, slept deeper and got more healing and rejuvenating rest. Even though I am only sleeping about 6 hours a night (on a good night), I feel better, more mentally clear than I have since I was in my twenties. So, I call the name of everyone who is burning the candle at both ends, who has trouble sleeping because of all the caffeine they drink during the day to stay awake.

You aren't going to be able to address all the needs of all the people, don't try. Nine out of ten people you speak to won't be interested, get over it. Figure out what name you are, what name you want to call, and then research that market. Then, you are talking to the 1 of 10 that want to hear what you have to say.

Suggestion:
Make a list of the things that Nussentials products have done for you or someone close to you. Figure out what name that is. Google words that you would search for if you were looking for that product. Keep a list of those words and we will compare it to the actual research step later.

Candles Of Our Future

Infiniti Team For Nussentials: Candles Of Our Future: More Info About Nussentials

Candle Cautions

Healthy Alternatives to Paraffin
By Bill Strubbe

Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine.

Last year, while rearranging the paintings in her living room, Cathy Crystal noticed black smudges on the walls around the frames. Baffled, she looked around and discovered similar "ghostings" surrounding the electrical outlets and air conditioning vents. "We don't allow smoking in our house, and we have a vent over the stove," recalls the herbalist and nutritionist in Santa Cruz, Calif., "so it didn't make sense." It wasn't until a week later, while lighting a constellation of votive candles on the mantle for an evening soiree, that the source of the soot suddenly dawned on her. The American Lung Association and the Environmental Illness Society of Canada both in recent years issued warnings that candles are among the most common unrecognized culprits of poor indoor air quality.

David Kraus, an air quality engineer and former employee of the Florida Department of Health, says that paraffin candle soot is similar to that released by diesel fuel, and since 1992 the rate of complaints received rose from two a year to two a week. BSD or "Black Soot Deposition" damages paint, curtains, wallpaper, upholstery, clothing, and the ventilation or H/VAC system, not to mention human skin and lungs. Microscopic soot particles, which penetrate deep into the lungs, are responsible for aggravating respiratory illnesses and pose significantly higher risks in children, who have faster respiration rates.

The State of California, under its Proposition 65 Safe Drinking Water and Toxic
Enforcement Act of 1986, identified a toxic stew of ingredients released by candles: acetone, 2-butanone, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, cresol, chlorobenzene, carbon monoxide, cyclopentene, ethylbenzene, phenol, styrene, tetrachloroethene, trichloroethene, benzene and tolene, the last two determined by the EPA to be possible carcinogens. Due to lack of regulations, candle manufacturers and retailers are not required to list or disclose toxic compounds in their products, nor do they have to supply a list of ingredients upon consumer requests.

"We do know that there are irritants in the burning of paraffin and petrochemicals," explains Chris Molinari, vice president of global communication at Aveda, which uses only beeswax and essential oils in their candle products. "And from a sustainability perspective, as a brand, we do not use any materials that are not from renewable sources."

The health hazards of paraffin fumes are exacerbated by health spas and massage therapists who often, in order to create a tranquil ambiance, burn candles in what are typically small, confined, airtight studio spaces. While a therapist imparts the benefits of their training and healing skills, the air that both client and therapist breath is seriously compromised with toxins emitted by even a single candle. "My massage room is quite small," explains Bill Murphy, a San Francisco massage therapist. "When I would burn votive candles -- sometimes as many as four or five -- I would begin to feel uncomfortable, overcome, suffocated. And that was before I heard
about the hazards of paraffin.

Now, even though they're more expensive, I only burn beeswax and soya candles." As Murphy has discovered, not all candles are toxic. The offending culprits are paraffin, colorants, synthetically scented oils, and lead wicks. The most common fuel used in the candle industry is paraffin, the final refining product extracted after asphalt. This "bottom of the barrel" grayish-black sludge is then decolorized with 100 percent strength bleach, creating toxic dioxins. It's further processed using more carcinogenic chemicals, tinted with synthetic colorants, and artificially scented with chemicals producing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) -- the gases eroding the ozone layer and contributing to the greenhouse effect.

The Solutions

The unprecedented growth in the last decade of the candle market has motivated many companies -- Nussentials, Body Shop, Gap, and Banana Republic -- to introduce candles into their product line. With research indicating that fragrance intensity influences sales, manufacturers have exploited the trend of aromatherapy by simply dumping synthetic oils -- much of which does not completely combust -- into paraffin candles and claiming dubious benefits to health and well-being.

"Very few candle manufacturers use pure, essential oils, largely because of the expense," explains Kelly Hollandazzaro, spokesperson for the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), a professional organization actively involved in educating the public and manufacturers about true aromatherapy.
"If a candle is scented of, say for example, coconut, watermelon, or cranberry, it is not natural because there is no essential oil for those scents. And massage therapists burning synthetic scented candles in their studio are more likely to cause allergic reactions. I use only unscented soy or beeswax candles."

NAHA recently developed quality standards for a "True Aromatherapy Product" seal -- look for a TAP sticker -- to help guide consumers. Other possible hazards are unsuspecting wicks. A study done by the University of Michigan School of Public Health found that a candle burning with a lead core wick for an hour raises lead poisoning inside a home to unsafe levels. Maryanne McDermott, executive vice president of the National Candle Association (NCA), says that even though U.S. candle makers voluntarily agreed 25 years ago to prohibit lead wicks, some
candles -- primarily imports -- sold in the country have lead in them. (To determine if a wick has a lead core, rub a piece of paper on the tip of the wick to see if it leaves a mark.) Fortunately for the romantics among us, safe alternatives do exist. Beeswax, derived from Mother Nature's flowers, is nontoxic, naturally aromatic, and the only fuel that emits beneficial negative ions when burned, thereby removing positively-charged particles of dust, pollen, mold, mildew, and toxic emissions from rugs, paint, and construction materials from the air. But beeswax supplies are limited, making them expensive, a beeswax votive costs about $2, a paraffin votive about 50 cents.

Another renewable, nonpolluting, and moderately priced source of candle fuel is soya wax. Fourteen years ago, when Michael Richards' client, The Body Shop, requested costcutting measures on their beeswax candles, the Iowa candle maker began experimenting with vegetable-based waxes. With the help of the Soy Bean Council of Iowa he eventually created a viable market for what had become a surplus item. Richards currently uses only about 2 million pounds of soy oil a year, but hopes the amount will increase as the health hazards of paraffin become better recognized.

In 2000, after Richards learned about and then confirmed paraffin's toxicity through a controlled experiment -- even high quality paraffin generated considerable soot, while beeswax and soya produced little measurable soot -- British Petroleum sued to stop him from publicly speaking out about the results. (The NCA similarly threatened the American Lung Association with legal action.) Though the court ruled in Richards' favor, the National Candle Association sent letters to him and some of his wax customers threatening legal action claiming he lacked scientific basis for disparaging paraffin. Richards no longer manufactures candles, but now operates the Candle College to train cottage industry chandlers. The NCA's response comes as little surprise because the oil industry holds a dominant position in the candle business. (Three companies account for about 80 percent of the candle business.) Not only do they sell their byproducts to the candle industry, but business people from the petroleum industry sit on the board of the NCA.

"Soya candles comprise only about 1 percent of the market. They're a little more expensive (a soya votive runs about 75 cents) than paraffin, but as we educate consumers and manufacturers and capture more of the market, the price will even out," Richards says, explaining that about 8 to 10 billion pounds of paraffin are used annually in the United States: 33 percent for candles, the rest in milk cartons, food packaging, wax paper, etc. "About 18 billion pounds of soy oil are produced every year, so we have the capacity to replace petroleum wax without having to plant more soy beans. We're part of a much bigger revolution.

Many, if not most, of the products we now make from petroleum will be replaced within 15 years by plant-based products."

Bill Strubbe is a freelance writer and massage therapist from Oakland, Calif

Using Signature Lines To Prospect

Reprinted with permission from MLM - Behind The Curtain

Signature lines are a great way to prospect and make the most of a medium you are already using. You already send e-mail’s to friends, family, and business colleges but perhaps you don’t want to present your opportunity outright to them. Let’s face it, most of us have been in more than one network marketing opportunity and have “burned some bridges”. Adding a compelling signature line to your e-mail’s allows you to say whatever you want, provide a “link” to your marketing web page and do it without any pressure or obligation.

Think about it, how many emails do you send out every day? How many of these forwarded jokes, pictures, stories and things of that nature, do you receive every week?

Why not put your email to work for you by adding a link or two to your signature file? That’s all it takes! You can start as simple or as fancy as you’d like. You do want to get your readers attention though. Your signature line should make a statement, ask a question, or intrigue them in some way.

Right now, a lot of people that you email on a daily basis may not be interested in building a long-term residual income with your business opportunity. But imagine if one of them just found out she is pregnant and wants to explore options working from home. Or another gets injured on the job, and needs to make ends meet with something they can do lounging at home. Your link is there, quietly beckoning. “Click on me, I am offering you a chance to change your life”. Okay, I am exaggerating a little, but you get my point. A compelling signature line is a must.

In most email clients such as Outlook, Outlook Express, and some online email sites, you can create more than one signature file so that you change it up from time to time. And you should use a different one when emailing the same group more than once a week. You should never miss an opportunity to display your links though. You never know when someone’s situation or circumstances change or they are secretly unhappy with their present occupation. Suddenly, someone you least expect may be interested in what you have to offer, whether it’s a product or a business opportunity.

The idea is to get as much exposure for your business or products as possible. Maybe one of your friends has a slow day at work and clicks on one of your links out of boredom and ends up making a purchase. Cha-ching.

You may also want to consider all the funny stories, pictures, jokes that inevitably end up in your inbox. Imagine what would happen if you just forward them to 5 people, who forward them to 5 of their friends. Suddenly, your signature links have the potential of reaching hundreds of people. And did I mention, it’s free?

To make this even more effective, take it a step further and add your link right above the story, joke or picture, with a little “brought to you by www.your-domain-name.com.”

Now, I am making a couple of assumptions..

a) I am assuming you have a “place” to send your prospects that explains your business opportunity for you. That’s the www.your-domain-name.com we were talking about.

b) I am also assuming you have a method there for them to “raise their hand” when they are interested. They have to be able to let you know in some way.

These are absolute requirements to make the most of this method of prospecting.
Purpose of signature line

* Helps you sort and prospect without talking to people initially
* Provides *people* an opportunity to see what you are doing without pressure
* Makes it “their” idea
* Gets forwarded to other people, extending your personal reach

Sort People Effortlessly

Now, let’s go into a little detail about each of these. What do I mean by “sort”? Well, let’s say you send an email to a group of friends, perhaps a joke you received or a link to a particularly good website or YouTUBE video. Some of those people are successful in what they are doing, and some are not. It’s not up to you to decide which is which. THEY’LL do that. If they are unhappy in their current situation, they will be open to looking elsewhere, meaning they just might click. If they are happy in what they are doing, they might click because they know someone who isn’t happy or could use extra money.

Get Your Message OUT There, With Zero Pressure

Signature lines are your silent partners in that they “prospect” without pressure, without obligation, without you having to say a word! You didn’t ASK them to click a link or read more about your opportunity.. your signature line is just there, taunting them, intriguing them. A well-written signature line can be more powerful than the *3 foot rule*, your circle of 40 or whatever other “marketing” ideas your upline has.

It’s Always Better When It’s Their Idea

See, it’s MUCH better when taking some action is their idea. Most people will resist, JUST TO RESIST. It’s ingrained, particularly if they have had, or know someone who has had a *bad* network marketing experience.

Extend Your Personal Reach

There is another advantage to signature lines in emails. It extends your reach for you. When you send an email to a friend or family member that is cute, funny, news worthy and is passed along, your signature line is passed along with it. Think about the possibilities here. Imagine sending an email that lands in someone’s inbox who is unhappy with their income/job/situation. They might not know you, or maybe only know you only by name, but here is a chance for you to reach out to them.

Let’s cover some examples of signature lines and where you would use them.

• On All Outgoing Emails You Send (even replies)
  On All Posts You Make In Forums
  On All Replies You Make In Forums
  On All Posts You Make In Your Blog
  On All Comments You Make On Other Blogs

Let me give you an example to help you understand the value here. Not long ago, I joined a new network marketing company called Nussentials. I built a website and started advertising “Work From Home And Create Wealth” on Google’s Adwords. At that time, less than 3 months ago, 100% of the traffic (or visitors) I got was from those paid ad’s. Once I started using signature lines posting in my blog and submitting articles to the article directories, I started getting traffic I wasn’t paying for. Now, just 3 months later, almost 30% of my web traffic comes from these sources. Those are visitors I didn’t pay for.

30% of my web traffic by taking a few minutes and setting up a signature line. Hmmm.

I also created a video to help demonstrate this process which you can view here. It's also called Using Signature Lines To Prospect

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