Get Your Head in the Game and Succeed!

Have you ever heard the phrase, “Get your head in the game!”? It means that aside from being physically ready for a challenge, you must mentally prepare yourself as well. Mental strength is just as important a skill for success in your direct sales business. In today’s post, we offer some suggestions to help you strengthen your mind and equip yourself with the tools you need to face all that your business has to throw at you.

Set aside the things you have no control over. Dwelling on things over which you have no control will only bring you down and take precious time and energy away from doing the things you CAN control. Make a conscious choice to set aside what you can’t help, and move forward. Is your company retiring your favorite product that happens to be your personal best seller? Ok, you might take a slight hit at first, but you’ll find something else to put in the spotlight of your presentations. Spend your time finding that product and creating a new pitch around it. Bottom line: don’t sweat the small stuff.
Always act like you are in control. Sometimes, you just have to fake it ’til you make it. Even if you don’t know exactly what you are doing, always act like you do. Your confident demeanor will demonstrate professionalism, knowledge, and trust to your customers and colleagues. For example, let’s say you are in the middle of your presentation at a home party when some latecomers arrive. The hostess gets up to greet them, gets them a drink, and gives them a catalog. The newly arrived guests also say hello to the other guests and start some small talk as they haven’t seen each other in awhile. You try to regain the floor a few times with no success. Instead of acting flustered, as you probably feel inside, just pretend that this is part of the normal protocol and wait until everyone is situated. You won’t be able to control when guests arrive and how they act once they do, but you can control how you react to the situation. Always remain professional, and act calm and collected, even in a harrowing situation.
See your mistakes as lessons in life and business. Mistakes are inevitable; once you accept this fact, you will be able to take them in stride and recover quickly. Realize that mistakes are part of the journey, and use them as an opportunity to learn. Figure out where you went wrong, how to fix it, and what you can do to prevent the same mistake from happening again. This goes for your professional and personal life. You will be a much happier person with this attitude, and a more successful businessperson as well.
Celebrate the successes of others. No matter what you happen to be dealing with at the time, if your upline, downline, friends, or relatives are having success, be active in your role as someone who congratulates them. Don’t hesitate to give credit where it is due to a job well done, and you may even go so far as to learn from others’ successes when possible. Act as a supporter to those around you.
Don’t feel sorry for yourself. It’s okay and completely normal to feel down in the dumps when things aren’t going your way. However, don’t dwell on those negative feelings, as they tend to bog you down and keep you from achieving your goals. Acknowledge your own feelings, but move forward to what’s next. This will help you keep a steady momentum going in your business even when the unexpected happens. You will also strengthen your ability to bounce back from adversity.
Focus on improving with every step. Even when things are going better than you could have imagined, don’t lose focus or get over-confident. Always remember that there are ways to improve, and there is someone out there doing it better. With this mindset, the sky is the limit, and your mental readiness for a successful business will be within reach.

Just as a star athlete never stops conditioning his or her own body, you should never stop conditioning your mind. Mental strength can take you through the ups and downs of your direct sales business.

Which of your suggestions do you find the most helpful? Please share your comments below!

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How to Build Your Business on the Cheap

How to Build Your Business on the Cheap

One of the many advantages of a direct sales business is that for the most part, the initial investment is minimal, especially when compared to a traditional startup. Whether your startup cost is $100 or $1,000 though, it is important to keep costs down when you are just starting out or looking to grow your business. The good news is that it’s not necessary to spend a lot of money up front in order to build successfully. Here are some tips for building your direct sales business on the cheap.

Don’t pay for marketing. There has never been an easier time to market your business for free. Start with your social media presence. Most social networks allow you to create a page for your business. Take advantage of this option, and engage your contacts by regularly posting content that sparks an online dialogue. Check here for some effective ideas to get started on the most popular social networks. Aside from marketing online, however, you can easily market your business in more traditional ways. Always keep yourself looking professional when you’re out and about town, and arm yourself with business cards and some catalogs. Consider wearing a button advertising your business or if applicable, a noticeable product itself. People may ask you about your business, resulting in instant bookings or at least requests for follow-ups. Finally, don’t forget to post information about your business in community bulletin boards and similar places. Many businesses will also allow you to leave a catalog in their waiting rooms or reception areas as well.
Use the power of word of mouth. Get used to talking about your business in ways that are relevant to the conversation. Relay anecdotes, discuss how or why you got started, and what you’ve accomplished so far. Encourage other satisfied customers to do the same, as people take great stock in user reviews, both written and oral.
Before you spend money on something, ask yourself if the return is worth the expense. You’ll of course have to spend money on certain things, but make sure the return will be worth it. Although it may be tempting to buy a ton of promotional merchandise with your company’s logo and your contact information on it right away, it isn’t necessary to get a good start. Those types of purchases are best saved for when you’ve already started making a profit. Always think of your potential expenses as a possible risk. Think seriously about whether or not spending the money is worth the risk, and as your business grows, your needs and “risk factors” will change. Adjust accordingly.
Spend the least possible money to get your products/services to the market. When you do pay for getting your products to your market, do some research and comparison shopping to make sure you aren’t overpaying. For example, a friend has booked a home party for your direct sales jewelry business and is expecting a large amount of guests. If you are just starting out and don’t have a large inventory of samples, you might be worried that the guests won’t order as much as they would if they were able to try on the pieces. Instead of hurrying to order more from your company, ask your upline if you can borrow a few pieces for this one party since there will be so many people there. By getting creative and using resources available to you, it is possible to find ways to spend as little money as possible to get the results you want.

Building your direct sales business on the cheap is an effective way to maximize your investment and set yourself up for long-term success. What other suggestions do you have for building your business in an affordable way? Please share your ideas below!

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What Makes Your Business Better

Setting long-term goals for your direct sales business is an effective way to keep you focused and motivated to give it your all. As you likely already know, you should always aim to grow your business and move it forward. In doing so, take a look at how you operate certain aspects that could use improvement. In today’s post, we offer you some suggestions on where to begin.

How your products/services provide a solution – This is the foundation on which your marketing and sales pitch should be based. Educate yourself thoroughly about what problem your potential customers have, how they may have tried to solve it in the past, and how your product or service is the best solution. Furthermore, use this information to find your target market. For example, a skin care company that specializes in organic products has a line just for babies. A consultant for this company would want to know that many parents want to use shampoos and lotions without added chemicals that have unknown effects on the baby. Also, these parents have tried other organic products but weren’t satisfied with their effectiveness, fragrance, or price. Equipped with this information, the consultant would emphasize the quality of her product, how well it works, and how affordable it is. The bottom line is that this product solves a problem that many parents have with products they use on their babies every day.
Using real testimonies – Consider the level of importance internet shoppers place on reviews. Websites like Yelp and Angie’s List thrive on the fact that real people who have truly used the products and services have given their honest and unsolicited opinions. The advantage you have as a direct seller is that in using these testimonies, you can also personally explain a little bit about the customer making them. At a home party for example, while demonstrating a product, you can easily give a short anecdote about a customer from a recent party about how she discovered the product and why she loved it so much. These types of testimonies are especially meaningful because they are true, first-hand accounts.
Telling people what you are best at. Recognizing your strengths and playing them up is important, but don’t be afraid to share them with others. If you have a strong ability to remember names and faces after only meeting people one time, it’s okay to tell people that and demonstrate it. In the example above about using real testimonies, that would be an appropriate time to lightheartedly add that you have this unique ability that many people find fascinating about you. In addition to telling people about what you do best, find ways to show it in your interactions with customers.
Putting it in writing – You don’t need to draw up a formal contract in order to make something official, but putting things in writing does place a level importance on it that a verbal promise doesn’t necessarily have. For example, adding the phrase “call or text me at (your cell phone number) on your business card, gives customers permission to send you text messages, which may be more convenient than a voice call. Because it is in writing, they will feel comfortable doing so, possibly without having even met you first. Mean what you say and mean what you write. The strength of your word is a valuable thing in business.

In what ways have you tried to make your business better? Will you be putting our suggestions to use? Please share your comments below!

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Donors Make a Difference: Britney Vickery, CEO, Initials, Inc:

Donors Make a Difference: Britney Vickery, CEO, Initials, Inc:

DSEF’s programs and partnerships would not be possible without the support and engagement of our contributors and volunteers. We’re pleased to kick off a new feature—Donors Make a Difference—to highlight the tireless efforts of our valued supporters and advocates. Britney Vickery, CEO and Founder of Initials, Inc., ranked No. 762 on the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest-growing, privately held companies for 2013, recently spoke to DSEF about her—and her company’s—involvement with the Foundation.

How did you become involved with DSEF?

I had heard about DSEF, but I became more intimately aware and involved when I became Chair of the Direct Selling Association’s Education Committee. My eyes opened to all the opportunities that were right in front of us to help educate new groups of people about the power and magic of our amazing industry.

How do DSEF programs help Initials Inc., its salesforce, and the industry?

I believe that the DSEF programs help to broaden our scope and our influence. Simply put, the DSEF puts the word out there—the good word—about direct selling. The DSEF is more than just education, it is shaping and influencing the awareness of our business model— that gets me, and our salesforce, excited!

What specific DSEF programs are you most excited about?

DSEF’s college partnerships sing to my soul—when we champion our message and story on college campuses nationwide. The amazing students we reach may very well be our next rock star consultants, awesome corporate executives or founders of the next direct selling sensation! However, to be able to bring their gifts and talents to light in our industry, they have to first know about the business model. The students DSEF reaches through its programs are so hungry to see and understand business in a fresh entrepreneurial way— and they are the next chapter for direct selling!

Earlier this year, you joined DSEF Chairman John Parker (Amway), DSEF Vice Chairman Kerry Tassopoulos (Mary Kay) and Jeff Hanscom (DSA) at a Campus Event at the University of Georgia hosted by DSEF Board Member Dr. Brenda Cude, reaching nearly 500 students. Tell us about your experience.

It was a remarkable day! Not only was I given the platform to talk about being an entrepreneur, but I was also able to show students how I harnessed my passion for entrepreneurship through a very unique business model. Most of the students knew someone who had sold products through direct sales, but they had no idea how large and far reaching our industry was. And, since most of the students were focused on business or consumer goods, we engaged in robust conversations about our business model and the future of business in general. It was a day I will never forget and one I hope to have the opportunity to do again—it was electric!

Your company is a DSEF contributor and you also contribute personally. Why do you think DSEF is important?

There is no better model in the world that marries business and people like direct dales—there’s nothing else like it. I am energized by the empowerment that our unique business proposition gives to people. Once you have “caught” the bug you cannot help but want to see that message carried forward in a bigger way. This is what the DSEF provides—the Foundation is our voice to the world about who we are and why we are here. It is an honor to be a part of the DSA and an honor to support the DSEF. We are a blessed industry, and I am excited to see where we can go from here, together! We simply need to continue to fuel the DSEF so they can continue to share the good news of our industry.

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Premier Designs’ Bob Bolander Gives Students Insider’s View of Direct Selling

Premier Designs’ Bob Bolander Gives Students Insider’s View of Direct Selling

For decades, DSEF has held Campus Events at colleges and universities across the country, helping students and educators better understand the direct selling industry—both as a channel of distribution and as an entrepreneurial opportunity—and giving direct selling executives a chance to share their “real world” experience with tomorrow’s business leaders.

Earlier this month, DSEF sponsored such an event at Louisiana Tech University with Dr. Julie Guidry Moulard, the Balsley-Whitmore Endowed Professor, Department of Marketing & Analysis, College of Business. Bob Bolander, Vice President, Marketing Services, Premier Designs, traveled to Ruston, LA, and spoke to more than 250 marketing students and faculty.

“It was great to be able to share the passion I have for direct sales with the students at Louisiana Tech. There is such a need to educate our future business leaders about the advantages and opportunities that direct sales has to offer,” Bob says. “So few really had any idea what direct sales was all about and I would say none had ever heard of the Direct Selling Association. The faculty of the business school were even more interested to learn about direct sales and appreciated the opportunity the DSEF provided to them for this event.”

Impressed by meeting so many students who have a desire to make a difference and who are hungry for support, encouragement, direction and ideas, Bob plans to continue his involvement with LTU. He will host a group of students next spring at Premier Design’s product design center and manufacturing facility, and will also work with LTU’s Marketing Club to plan a community project.

“Bob’s visit was a tremendous success! Over 250 Louisiana Tech students heard Bob discuss how the direct selling industry affects the overall economy and, more importantly, how it offers individuals entrepreneurial opportunities,” says Julie. “These students now have an appreciation of the direct selling industry and how the Direct Selling Association brings credibility to the industry through its Code of Ethics. Bob also made one-on-one connections with several students and faculty members—connections expected to grow and develop in the coming years.”

DSEF, in partnership with DSA member company executives, will keep the momentum going with additional Campus Events throughout 2015, as well as ongoing engagement with academic influencers in other venues.

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A Note From Gary

A Note From Gary

As I approach the four-month mark in my tenure as Executive Director, I am increasingly excited about the opportunities before us as well as the recent momentum in support of our work. DSEF has a proud 40-year history to build on in advancing knowledge and understanding of direct selling among thought leaders and influencers in both the academic and consumer communities.

With this monthly update, we want to connect you more directly to the Foundation’s work and to the activities of your fellow company leaders who play an important role in our efforts to tell your story to important constituencies.

Continuing and expanding this collective engagement will be critical in the coming year as the Foundation intensifies our efforts to forge productive relationships with those who hold key positions of influence today and to connect with and equip those in academia who are preparing the leaders of tomorrow.

In the coming months, I look forward to meeting many of you personally and learning more about your businesses. Together, we’ll work to fulfill the Foundation’s critical role in advancing understanding of the importance of the direct selling channel to our economy and in providing entrepreneurial opportunities for millions around the world.

Gary M. Huggins
Executive Director, DSEF

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Making the Connection: Why DSEF Matters

Making the Connection: Why DSEF Matters

At the Annual Meeting in June, the Direct Selling Association’s outgoing chairman Orville Thompson, CEO, Scentsy, described how DSEF serves as the bridge to prominent academics and leading consumer protection voices—key influencers and opinion leaders who drive the national conversation about our industry’s reputation and its place in the economy. Watch what he had to say here.

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Three Ways to Find New Customers Online

With so much communication happening on social media and on the internet in general, it can be beneficial for you to take advantage of this resource. It is possible to find new customers online as long as you remember an important thing about direct sales: relationships. Even though you are venturing into cyberspace, building relationships is still a necessary part of running a successful direct selling business. Here are three ways for you to get started.

Join and interact with a group online. Most of the most popular social media sites have groups to join for special interests. For example, a new direct sales consultant found a group on Facebook specifically for work-at-home moms in her town. After joining, she promptly began interacting by asking questions, commenting on others’ posts when she had ideas to contribute, and sending friend requests to those she has met in real life so they could see each others’ news feeds. Groups such as these contain like-minded individuals who can join forces, network with each other, make referrals, and provide support. Local groups are especially effective because you can meet others initially in an online setting, but follow through in real life so you can continue building the relationship.

Follow and interact with online leaders in your industry. If you don’t already know the names of your industry’s leaders, make it your priority to find out. Ask your upline, refer to your company’s corporate website, and search other direct selling websites. Choose a few who seem to contribute regularly to online discussions (blogs, articles, etc.) and follow them on social media. Twitter is a great forum for such discussions, since the microblogging site provides maximum exposure. Once you get a sense of how these industry leaders interact, get in on the action. Post questions, share success stories, and retweet (repost with credit) posts that are important to you. Keep in mind that most industry leaders have thousands of followers, so you may not get a specific mention or reply, but you are continuing to learn from the best and getting your name and brand out there.

Start a simple blog and/or be a guest blogger for established sites. Start your own blog using a free web publishing service like WordPress or Blogger. Be yourself, share your experiences, and invite others to interact. You’ll make connections and continue building relationships that can translate into new customers. If you really enjoy blogging, offer your services to established sites in your industry as a guest blogger. You’ll make a bit of extra money and increase your name recognition.

The direct selling industry as a whole is continuing to evolve as we find new ways to use the internet to our advantage. Jump right in, use your existing people skills, and build those online relationships to find new customers.

Do you have additional ideas about finding new customers online? Please share them in the comments sections below!

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Three Quick Ways to Make Your Business Better

If you want long-term success in your direct sales business, your main goal should be to continually find ways to improve it. A flourishing business is one that moves forward and grows, rather than remains stagnant. Figuring out what to fix and where to start can seem like an overwhelming task, but in today’s post, we give you three things you can do right now to get started.

Identify the processes that work and fix the ones that don’t. A process works if it is efficient and either directly or indirectly helps your bottom line. For example, you have developed a rather specific protocol to follow after you’ve finished up a home party that has allowed you to book new parties consistently. If you find that month after month, you have worked your goal number of parties, then you know you are doing something right. Don’t change what is working for you; focus your energy on weak spots. Perhaps your party booking process is successful, but your opportunity bookings are few and far between. Assess what you currently do, why it isn’t working, and create an action plan to improve it.

Use solutions that speed things up and increase sales. With all the responsibilities you have in your business, it can be easy to get bogged down with tasks that don’t directly affect your bottom line. What solutions can be put into practice that will increase sales without a huge investment of time? Take a look at the structure of your sales pitch, practice upselling when customers order popular products, and seek referrals at each party. These are all quick and effective ways to improve your business where it really counts.

Keep track of your improvements. Doing so serves more than one purpose. First of all,when you need to make improvements, you can easily look back on what you’ve changed in the past for inspiration and motivation. Secondly, if you need to revisit a problem you’ve solved before, you can review what you did the first time as a jumping off point. For example, say you’ve recently noticed a slight dip in sales since your company released this season’s new catalog. You remember that you created and followed through with an action plan to increase sales in the early months of your business’s life. Since you kept track of it, you can review the steps you took and see what applies to your business today. You may even get some new ideas by looking back over some old ones. Keeping track of improvements also serves as a form of self-reflection, which is necessary for continual improvement.

Remember, to succeed in your business, it needs to move forward and constantly grow. Always be on the lookout for ways to improve upon your existing mode of operation. Seek help when necessary and use the resources available to you.

How will you use something on our list to improve your business? Please share your ideas and feedback below!

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How to Share Your Idea Quickly and Effectively

Have you ever felt pressured to convey your message quickly? Maybe as you walk into a coffee shop, an old friend is walking out. You stop for a couple of minutes to chat before she heads out on her way. During the chat, she asks you what you do for a living or what’s new these days. Depending on the circumstance, it may be necessary to make whatever you are saying as brief as possible. If you find yourself in such a situation, the following tips might help you out.

Start with the solution first. Since you don’t have time for a whole back story, you have to spark interest right away. By introducing the solution from the get-go, you’re capturing attention so that even if you have to leave out some details you deem important, the person will want to know more and follow through, perhaps at a later date. For example, your friend asks what you’re doing these days. As a new consultant for a nail wrap company, your response could be something like this: “You know how I always complain that I never have time or money for a manicure? Well I started using these cool nail wraps! I loved them so much, that I started selling them.” Your very first sentence presents a solution to a problem. This is especially effective when you know your audience has the same problem as well. Even if the rest of the conversation is rushed, the next time that person is thinking about doing their nails, she’ll remember your solution and will be more likely to either give you a call or respond with action to your follow-up.
Make it personal. This definitely requires either some prior knowledge about the person to whom you’re speaking or one or two smart questions to find out more about the person in order to customize your message. In the example above, the nail wrap consultant could mention that because her friend is home with her newborn baby every day, it’s understandable that getting to the manicurist can be challenging. She has then created her opening to briefly describe the product. If you don’t have that kind of personal information right away, have a couple of questions prepared that you would ask someone so your message can be more personal.
Give concrete, factual examples. Speaking in general terms comes off vague, generic, and irrelevant. Instead of saying, “These nail wraps are easy and affordable,” you could say, “A $15 sheet gives me 3 manicures that each last two weeks.” The latter gives specific information in the same amount of time as the former. Furthermore, it has more meaning, which will make it more memorable for the other person. Again, concrete examples should be prepared ahead of time for you to give when needed.
Don’t repeat yourself. Many people do this when they are nervous or anxious. Use other methods of emphasis besides repetition, which causes the other person to tune out. A good idea would be to record yourself in a hypothetical conversation in which you are trying to get to your point quickly. Make note of any repetition, and adjust accordingly. Practice often so you are always prepared.

Much of what you do as a direct seller requires quick thinking and strong communication skills. Our suggestions in this post should help you improve both of those things.

What would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!