Jan Ruhe is a remarkable woman, author, entrepreneur and network marketer. I’ve never met her personally, but her story puts me in complete awe. She has achieved INCREDIBLE success with Discovery Toys, a direct selling company specializing in children’s toys. I first learned about her in the book “The Ultimate Guide to Network Marketing” by Dr. Joe Rubino, and have been a fan ever since.
Here are a few facts about Jan Ruhe:
- More than 30 years with the same MLM Company
- Her team has generated more than $1 billion in sales for the company
- She has trained more than 75,000 people worldwide
- She is a trainer, speaker and consultant, but most importantly she still actively builds her business
- She has authored 14 books to include: Fire Up Forever, Getting to the Top, Rhino Spirit and many more
SOURCE: These facts came from her bio in the book and her website.
What I’d like to do today is share some of my favorite Jan Ruhe quotes from the book “The Ultimate Guide to Network Marketing.” These are quotes that I highlighted when I read the book and really resonated with me. I will also provide my take on each quote.
# 1 “Spend the first two weeks of the month selling your company’s products and spend the last two weeks heavily recruiting those who express and interest in your income opportunity.”
My Take: Jan Ruhe is a big fan of the party plan, and for good reason. It works! As a distributor, you need to make retail sales if you want to make a profit in your business. This puts immediate profits in your business, so you can pay your expenses, advertise and grow your team. Focus on getting customers first and let your sponsoring of distributors by a byproduct of getting customers, rather than the other way around.
# 2 “Focus on getting 52 or more home parties scheduled every year.”
My Take: Anyone can book one party a week. There is no excuse not to. By doing one party a week you will have no trouble finding new customers and new people to sponsor. The more you do, the more momentum you create in your business.
# 3 “The more home parties you hold, the more you will realize that, unfortunately, so few people are fired up about anything in life.”
My Take: Most Americans, and people from other countries, are satisfied with the status quoe. Most people are unhappy and broke, but aren’t willing to do anything about it. You’re simply looking for people who are looking for a better way or a Plan B.
# 4 “There is a day that you get into network marketing, but nothing happens until the day network marketing gets into you.”
My Take: Until you REALLY believe in the industry, it just won’t work for you. You have to have BELIEF in yourself, your company and the industry. You have to KNOW that things will work out for you IF you do the work. You can’t fake belief.
# 5 “The fortune is in the follow-up. Leads are only hot for 24 hours.”
My Take: You already know this. The longer it takes you to follow up with someone the less responsive they will be. The best time to call a lead is RIGHT NOW. The money really is in the follow up. Follow up and keep following up.
# 6 ” The way to the top in network marketing is to have thousands of distributors each doing a little bit. Keep your presentations at a home party to less than 20 minutes.”
My Take: I say this time and time again, but to achieve lasting success in network marketing you need to have lots of people doing a little bit, not a few people doing a lot. You want people (thousands of them) each ordering the prodcuts every month, with a few customers and a few people sponsored as distributors under them. That’s where the big, lasting money comes from in MLM.
# 7 “Network marketing is not a job. It’s a way of life.”
My Take: This is so true. This industry is definitely a way of life. Once you’ve experienced some success and been in the industry a few years, it changes you. It’s a lifestyle. I call it the network marketing lifestyle. Residual income, time freedom and working from home are all wonderful things. Once you’ve had a taste of success in this industry it’s hard to go back to a job.
# 8 “Find mentors who will encourage you, who will lift you up and give you new ideas.”
My Take: We all need a mentor. Professional athletes, politicans, actors and successful business people all have a mentor or coach. So should you. Look for someone in your upline who is successful and willing to help you. Ask them for advice and listen. Do what they recommend. If you can do that, you will really shorten your learning curve.
Final Thoughts
In summary, Jan Ruhe is the ultimate Discover Toys and network marketing success story. She has so much knowledge and wisdom about our great industry and she really does a lot of great things to share her knowledge and help improve the reputation of our industry. If you have ever met her, or worked with her personally, consider yourself blessed.
If you enjoyed the post, please share it on Facebook or leave a comment below. I look forward to hearing from you.
Connect with Jan Ruhe
Chuck Holmes
20+ Year Network Marketing Professional
Top Earner & Top Recruiter
Email: mrchuckholmes@gmail.com
P.S. Learn how to grow a successful network marketing business. Secret tips, training, and practical ideas. Free training delivered by email.
Wow! Jan Ruhe certainly sounds like an impressive person! And great quotes! I agree that all of them are great advice for someone in network marketing. I especially agree with number 7. Network marketing IS a way of life, and I think more people would be successful if they realized that.
These are some excellent quotes. Even for a person that is not with Discovery Toys, there is a lot we can learn from these quotes…
#1: My spin on this is: No matter your business, you need to organize a routine that works. I am a author and I can use the same principal. I spend 1 week writing and the next week marketing my books. This works.
#3: So True! If we can show these same people a reason to be fired up, it will be a plus for them and a super plus for us.
#5: Leads are hot only for 24 hours. When you get a lead, I say get with it immediately! Sometimes even 24 hours is too long.
#8: There are many people who are great at criticizing. When you find someone who is good at lifting you up instead of kicking you while you are down, keep them close.
Great post Charles!
Thanks for sharing your insights.