Does Your Family Support Your Network Marketing Business?

When I began my business my husband was wonderful. He would bathe the kids. He would make dinner. He would even run errands. He did all of this to allow me time to work on my business. This was actually pre-internet days and so my time was spent almost entirely on the phone talking to those who had expressed an interest in either my company or my team. Without his support, I'm not sure I could have balanced being a mom, a wife and having a business.

As I started to build my business I was finding that other women did not have this kind of support. In fact I was learning that the support I had was very unique. I began looking for ways to support my team members in getting support at home for their businesses. I would like to share some of the ideas that I've seen work:

1. Set business hours. The hours can be flexible and they can change from day to day, but have a schedule in writing that the whole family can see. They'll know that from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. you are working but they'll also know that at 8:00 p.m. you can read stories, help with baths and follow your families' bed time routine.

2. Use the time when you're alone to be out in the community. For example, many work places will allow lunch time parties. If you can, schedule a party from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. and then another from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. Make your demonstrations short and get two parties done in one lunch time. If you're hosting evening parties away from your family, schedule two in one night. Make your first one from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and your second one from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. This gets you two parties in only one night away from your family.

3. Book tables at shows and fairs and bring the family. My family used to love fair days. They got to walk around the fair, see everyone in the community who came by and of course they got junk food. Your family is together when everyone participates.

4. Set specific hours that you'll be online. I know for many, myself included, I can lose two or three hours checking mail, reading message boards, checking Facebook etc. Schedule the hours you'll be online and stick to it. One woman I know has an auto-response set up on her email that basically says, "I got your email, I'll answer within the next 24 hours." This lets others know when they can expect to hear from you and it acknowledges that you did indeed receive their email.

5. Talk to your spouse. Share your expectations of him/her, or the kids and of the business. Sometimes sharing your business goals and sharing your expectations can help your spouse understand and better support your efforts.

Try these five tips and see if you can get a bit more family support for your business. Everyone will be happier and your business will grow.

Does Your Family Support Your Network Marketing Business?

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