A little over a year ago, Lorrie Stroud started a  call to help and support the women agents of United First Financial called the Women Agent’s Forum.  Little did she know that it would be over 900 members strong a year later.  I don’t think she could have imagined the amount of agents male and female that were looking for help and direction.  One year later, we now are know as the U1st Leading Ladies.

I entered on the scene to give my help and assistance.  I was able to bring my technical knowledge to the team.  We built a website, we record our weekly calls.  We have the pull and the reputation in the Company as one of “THE” groups to be a part of to find the help and support that agents need.

I an very humbled at being able to be a leadng this group with Lorrie and the hundreds of other United First Financial Agents.  We put a lot of time and energy into bringing the most up to date information and by featuring the top leaders in the company on our calls and website.  We have also had best selling author, Cynthia Kersey on our call as well.  She was able to share her Unstoppable Challenge with our group.  It is working wonders for those who were able to take part.  As a group we have also started giving back.  We headed up food drives at our Agent Trainings around the country.  We teamed up with UFirst Corporate and Feeding America to help local Food Banks in the cities we have our training meetings in.

It is so fullfilling to know that we have been able to give someone a direction, or a new idea, or the boost they need to make thier first sale.   So much has happened in our 1st year.  I, for one, can not wait to see what happens this next year!!

Have you ever googled direct sales? If you do, you will find that on the first few pages of your search on Google, it is all about Women. The statistics of Women and Direct Sales is staggering. You can find Direct Sales Moms, Home Party Plan Companies, and Work at Home Moms, just to name a few. The reason there is so much aimed toward women is because women make up 87.9% of Direct Sellers in the United States.

A survey was completed by the Direct Selling Alliance (DSA) based on numbers from 2007. They found that there were 15 million people in the United States alone, involved in Direct Sales. As I stated above 87.9% of the 15 million direct sellers are women. There was an estimated $30.8 billion in direct retail sales in 2007.

I am one of the over 13 million women in Direct Sales. I started with a Direct Sales company a little over 2 years ago. It was my first foray into this field of direct sales and entrepreneurship. I decided to get involved with this company because it complemented nicely with what I was doing at the time. I was an Account Executive for a Wholesale Mortgage Lender. The company I became an agent with is United First Financial, otherwise known as UFirst. UFirst developed a power program, called the Money Merge Account, which helps people pay off their debt, mortgage and consumer, at an accelerated rate. I figured that this is a fantastic program that Mortgage Brokers could have in their arsenal of products to offer their clients. It would set them apart from their competition. I went into with the attitude recruiting and spreading the word and not selling the actual program.

I still focus on the mortgage industry, but now I am more interested in the end user. This company and program have become my PASSION. I still want to spread the word to as many people as I can to help as many people as possible, but I want to help as many people as possible as well. My goal for 2009 is to help 50 or more families get on the path to Financial Freedom, by using the Money Merge Account. I also want to bring this business opportunity to 50 or more entrepreneurs. This company offers a very aggressive compensation structure as well as an amazing community of people that are involved. I have met and become friends with men and women all over the US and Canada due to UFirst.

If you are looking at Direct Sales opportunities, especially if you are a woman, take a look at United First Financial. We have agents that are stay at home moms, to teachers, to nurses, to financial planners, and mortgage brokers. Anyone with who is dedicated to helping others, this is the place for you.  If you are interested in the rest of the statistics from the DSA, click here.

United First Financial announced a new product called BizPack^TM. It is an all inclusive business suite to help small business and home based business owners have the edge they need in a competitive market. It will be the ALL IN ONE Business resource for marketing, managing, and personal development as well as money saving tools to help them succeed in the market place. Many systems tell you what to do but this system tells you how with the content to make you successful.

Millions of people will be entering the home-based business world for the very first time over the next two years, and they are going to be looking for a leader. You have an opportunity to capture their attention, establish a trusting relationship, and build a massive business while the rest of the economy falls apart.

Competition will always be fierce. But there is one strategy that always wins obviously that strategy is a winning system, and in a time when people are desperate for leadership, it can take you and your business to incredible new places. UFirst has built that winning system in our new product. Our winning system includes:

• Contact Management- Lack of follow up is one of the leading reasons sales are lost. Well it is time to change that. With the BizPack contact manager your life will change completely. This system will keep you up-to-date with your appointments either by email or text message. Whichever way you decide this system will fit your needs.

Another great feature that is built into the BizPack contact manager is the ability to setup and oversee your own drip campaign. Put your clients in the system and use the drip campaign to send them designated emails on a certain day and time. Let your email do the work for you. Many sales are lost everyday due to lack of follow-up. We will take the burden off of you and put it on the BizPack Contact Manager.

BizPack Video Now is a unique program that allows salespeople to stay on top of their clients interest in their product or opportunity. This program allows a salesperson to send a video of their choice to their clients. Nothing special so far, but with its unique tracking system it can put you and your business in a total different realm.

Its tracking system allows a salesperson to know when a client views the video and exactly how much of the video that client has watched. A client will no longer be able to tell you that they do not understand your program. You will know exactly when they stopped watching and exactly what part of your video they were able to watch. This can really change how you market, it also enables a hands off approach due to the tracking system.

• GoToMeeting™- GoToMeeting™ is a company that many people in the business world are familiar with due to their web conferencing system. GoToMeeting™ has been in business since 2004 and they have been bringing their blockbuster conferencing product to well over 1 million users.

UFirst has realized the importance of including this product for every client that purchases BizPack. Being that most companies and businesses are noticing a shift to the internet market, UFirst noticed the power that GoToMeeting™ could bring to their BizPack Suite.

The GoToMeeting™ product will allow up to 1000 attendees on any given conference call. What makes GoToMeeting™ products unique is that they allow you to screen share your desktop with all the attendees that are viewing your webinar or meeting.  GoToMeeting™ has added the ability to listen or talk on the webinar using your speakers and mic that are available on most computers today. Another feature that GotoMeeting™ has launched is the compatibility with Apple Computers.

• Personal Development - Stay motivated with a monthly dose of Success Magazine, the leading magazine for self help and self improvement. In addition, listen and learn from a monthly message from Mark Victor Hansen, the co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series. His insight will teach you the secrets of becoming a successful entrepreneur.

• UDeduct^TM- There are over 100 different deductions that many small and home based businesses are unaware of and may be eligible for. UDeduct is a revolutionary analysis tool that will show a potential client and/or recruit those legal tax deductions if they were to operate a legitimate small or home based business. We also have end user software built in that will follow and track actual business expenses. Once you show your prospects the legal and ethical deductions available for home-based business owners, selling this system will be a no-brainer.

• Business Marketing System-Teaches you how market at much lower costs on Google and similar services for pennies. This system includes email templates, a monthly client newsletter and auto responders integrated into the contact management system. In addition it teaches you how to send direct mail and market on the internet. This system will teach you how to keep in touch with your warm market and increase leads outside your warm market to increase sales. Many systems tell you what to do but this system tells you how with the content to make you successful. Marketing is the key to make you successful in any business. This system will allow you to attract new clients, potential agents and increase your bottom line.

All components of the system are integrated into one, easy-to-use portal for simple navigation -increasing your work productivity.

Opportunity

During our pre-launch period, there is absolutely zero barriers to entry. By registering now at no cost, you will automatically receive your personal replicated website. During our pre-launch phase we will waive the one time BizPack activation fee and the BizPack agent registration fee.

Not only does the BizPack continue to offer the financial benefits of the traditional UFirst compensation structure, but now you have the benefits of building a significant residual income, with no limit to the number of members you can add to your team!

What are you waiting for? If you have ever wanted to improve your financial future and be part of a ground floor opportunity, Register now, and secure your spot. Sign up for BizPack click here.

Kris, Faith, Melissa, & I

One of the unexpected benefits of being a part of United First Financial are the relationships that I have formed.  In the past 2 years I have had the opportunity to meet hundreds and hundreds of people that work for UFirst.  We are all hoping to achieve the same goal, to help as many people as possible get out of debt.

At the last event I attended in Orlando, Fl, I was able to meet Melissa Horen, Kris Seymour, and Faith DeWerd.  I had spoken to Faith on numerous occasions due the the U1st Leading Ladies Webinars.  Melissa and Kris I had just met on Thursday evening.  By Saturday night, I felt like we had known each other for years.  I am getting to meet other people, women and men, who are motivated, successful, and driven.

We never know where life is going to take us, but due to UFirst, I now have more contacts and relationships with people all over the US and Canada to aid me on my journey.  This is one more thing to be grateful for.

Brooke & Kim I Swung the Bat Award

This past weekend at the Orlando, Fl Super Regional, I was awarded one of my most coveted awards, the “I Swung the Bat”.  It is a bat that is engraved with the UFirst logo and singed by all the principles of our company.  Our company has awards that are baseball themed.  The “I Swung the Bat” award refers to those whom the Co-Founders of UFirst feel will the go to person when the count is full and the bases are loaded and there are 2 outs.  It is given to the person who they feel will take a chance and do something above and beyond what is expected.  My Branch Manager Brooke  Barnett was given a bat at a Virginia VIP about a year ago.  I knew that I had wanted to earn one myself.

I learned a big lesson over the weekend.  I am not very good at saying Thank you and accepting compliments and awards.  I am the type of person who is a giver.  I help, I encourage, I give praise.  I am not used to receiving and if I do receive I always downplay my role.  How silly is that.  I need to be confident in my abilities, that my abilities and my actions are good enough to deserve the award that I was given.  Confidence is a funny thing.  I can be and feel confident in myself and my abilities, but when you want recognition from those that matter, the little insecurities sneak in, the questions start, did I do it right, did I do enough, am I really deserving.   It is the “YABUTS”.  I am currently reading the “One Minute Millionaire” by Mark Victor Hansen and Robert Allen.  In the book, it talks about the ” Ms. Yabut”, the voice of doubt.  I have to deal with my own doubts and overcome them.  Crazy how timing is.  I read the book on my way to Orlando.  It is very funny how things happen in your life at certain times.  I will chalk this up to Life Lesson number 3000.

I want to personally thank Brooke for all that he has done to help me in growing my business and in my growth as a business woman.  His friendship and leadership means a great deal to me.  He has pushed me to grow and learn in ways I never thought possible.  Thank you to Skyler Witman, Matt Lovelady, Jonathan Bonnette, John Washenko, Mac Saunders, and Don Jorgensen for appreciating my commitment to U1st.  I am very excited and honored to be part of this special group who have already won the award.

I am in Orlando, Fl attending the United First Financial Super Regional. Brooke Barnett is currently holding a breakout training session on Internet Marketing. He is teaching a room full of UFirst agents the power of Internet Marketing. Brooke attained the highest level in the UFirst by using his knowledge in the Internet. He is sharing what he did to to get there.

He is also offering a Free 12 week Internet Marketing course. His 1st course started about 6 weeks ago. I am currently enrolled in that course and help out as a moderator. I have learned so much since day one. From the things that I have learned my website has steadily gained traffic and has moved up to the 3rd page of Google when you search Money Merge Account and United First Financial. My goal is to make it to the 1st page.

To sign up for Brooke Barnett’s course, go to www.ubranding.com.

Jackie Patrick is our guest speaker on the U1st Leading Ladies Weekly Webinar for October 20th.  She will be presenting on how she used home parties to start her United First Financial business.  She and her husband Casey have been prominent leaders with in UFirst.

I first met Jackie in March of 2007.  We both attended the first Boot Camp training that corporate held to teach us about Version 3 of the Money Merge Account program.  She one one of the first people I met.  We went out to dinner after the first day of 10 hours of training.  I could not believe that she came all the way form Virginia to attend the meeting.  We have been fast friends ever since.  Anytime I talk to Jackie she is telling me that she is just getting home from traveling around the country from helping train the agents in her organization.  She is someone I look to for inspiration.

Thank you Jackie, for your friendship.  Thank you, as well, for taking the time to join our calls and for giving us your valuable input.