My Instagram account is pretty thriving. I post at
least three or four times a day, about half of which
is a marketing or personal development related message.

 

The others are things that are fun and meaningful
to me...food photos, fitness, meditation and tai chi,
and of course...juggling videos.

 

One of the photos I put up yesterday was of a gorgeous
avocado. I cut it in half and took a shot of it before I
sliced it up and put it in my salad. 

 

So far, so good. 

 

56 likes later, someone put the following comment
underneath it...

 

 

and then her Avon sales page.

 

Nope. No way I was letting that pass with just a delete.
Maybe a year ago when I was just figuring Instagram
out. But not now.

 

So I commented back...

 

 

There was a bit more back and forth in public.
Then she wrote me back privately.

 

Turns out she is a genuinely nice person who really
didn't understand the problem with what she was doing.

 

And just in case you don't either...

 

 

Chips do. Salsa does.

 

Not Avon.

 

And putting your links on top of stuff that has
nothing to do with the topic at hand makes
you look silly. And amateur. And desperate.

 

More than that, being a home business professional
means you have to be present for your prospects.

 

You have to listen. You have to figure out what
their needs are and see if you can meet them.

 

Sometimes you won't. And that's OK.

 

But to prospect everything that moves (and
goes in guacamole)...that isn't professional.

 

And make no mistake...the only people who make
long term money in home business are the ones
who act like professionals.

 

That's another reason I "SMH' when I see people
saying "earn quick cash for Christmas." 

 

It doesn't work that way. It's never worked that way.
And for people who know better and still market
that way, it's unprofessional.

 

The end of the story: my new friend totally got it.
She's new, and was just doing what someone told
her to do, which is spam posts that have a lot of likes.

 

Now she's on her way to building her business
on a much better foundation. 

 

She'll have to keep learning. I pointed her towards 
the best home business trainer I know to pick up
some more free pointers. 

 

And she's probably going to have unlearn a few
things about abundance and self-development.

 

We've all done versions of this. I know I have.

 

If you want to do more. If you want to have the
money and the lifestyle that comes with home
business success, never mix your avocados
with your Avon.

 

Be real. Be fun. And be professional.

 

Talk Soon,

Larry