How to Wow Your Customers

How to Wow Your Customers

You’ve most likely had memorable customer service experiences, both good and bad. How did your impressions of those businesses influence your decision to return?

A customer’s experience has virtually everything to do with whether or not he or she returns to your business. By providing exceptional customer service complete with the “wow” factor, you can be confident that you are creating a loyal clientele who will help you grow your business.

Here are some suggestions for how to wow your customers by going the extra mile.

Provide rush orders. This service can be especially helpful when a customer is seeking a last-minute gift or needs something in time for a business trip or vacation. If you are able, it’s a good idea to offer this service free of charge or for a discounted rate. Doing so demonstrates that your customer’s need comes first, and that person will certainly not hesitate to patronize your business again and recommend you to others.
Make special deliveries. You can do this to save a customer the shipping cost or even just to provide an extra convenience. Not many businesses make “house calls” anymore, so offering this service will definitely impress your customers. You could even promote this service when people are especially busy, like around the winter holidays or during prom/graduation/wedding season. Your competitors are probably not making door-to-door deliveries, so this will also give you a leg up on them.
Give small thank-you gifts. The best way to do this is to personalize the gifts you provide. For example, you might have a customer who regularly makes purchases from your line of all-natural moisturizers. She has recently announced she is expecting another baby, so the next time she comes in for her moisturizer, consider giving her a sample-sized bottle of your chemical-free baby shampoo. You’ll be thanking her for her loyalty and showing that she is more than just a sale because you’ve been paying attention to not only what she buys, but what is happening in her life, and how you can fill a need. She’s unlikely to forget you exceptional service.
Offer special discounts for special dates. Perhaps you take 10% off an order on a customer’s birthday, or give a voucher for a free dessert on a wedding anniversary. Again, it pays to get creative about how you can implement this service. You’ll be giving your customers an incentive to do business with you, and they’ll appreciate your desire to recognize their special day.
Get involved in their passions. If you can find a way to relate to what your customers are passionate about, you will be giving them a great reason to give you repeat business. For example, one of your customers has mentioned that he is putting together a fundraiser to get a local park renovated because he really wants his children to have a safe place to play. As a local business owner, you could donate a gift basket as a giveaway or even provide a service for the event such as free program printing. Your customers will always remember that you have something important to them in common, and will be impressed by your commitment to their interests.

How do you provide outstanding customer service? Please share your ideas below!

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DSEF & CBBB: Study Finds Cut-Price Merchants Less Reliable; Reflected in BBB Ratings

DSEF & CBBB: Study Finds Cut-Price Merchants Less Reliable; Reflected in BBB Ratings

By Holly Doering

Remember that scene in “Guys and Dolls” where the band girl’s grandfather gets a screaming deal on a street watch? And then it turns out to be fake? Well, online merchants who use dollar signs and advertise low prices in search engine results may be the equivalent of that street vendor. Loud voice, low price, but if it breaks, you’re on your own.

Researchers in a recent University of Iowa study performed 243 internet searches on Google, Yahoo and Microsoft for digital cameras made by major manufacturers and sold online. They looked at how search engine results on the first few pages correlated to merchants’ BBB business reviews.

The study found that merchants who used dollar signs in their Google results earned markedly lower grades from the BBB. In addition, many of the merchants who appeared only in the paid results received low marks from the BBB. Iowa’s Professor Gautam Pant stresses that this doesn’t mean all retailers in the paid results are less reliable. But it does mean that merchants who can’t compete on reliability can get more visibility by paying for results.

Pant also found a correlation between lower price and lower reliability. “Merchants who can’t compete on service attract customers using the lure of a good deal,” he says.

Remember, reliability is an important consideration when making a major purchase. You can always Start With Trust by checking the company’s track record at www.bbb.org. Selecting a purchase on price alone can lead to trouble.

The study “Can visible cues in search results indicate vendors’ reliability?” was published recently in the journal Decision Support Systems.

DSEF and Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) fosters honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visitwww.bbb.org/us for more information.

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Tips to Improve Your Online Site

Tips to Improve Your Online Site

Today’s technology provides a great number of conveniences that have changed the way everyday tasks are completed. For example, twenty years ago, if you needed to find the phone number or any other information about a business, you opened up the yellow pages, or perhaps you splurged and called 411 to get what you needed.

As you know, all that has changed. The first place most people go when they need information about a business is the internet. You’ve probably done it hundreds of times: Google the name of the business, scan the first couple of results, and click on the one that appears to be the business’s official site. If designed well, you are quickly able to find it from that Google search, find contact info, business hours, product info, testimonials, etc.

Because of the way consumers look for businesses today, having an effective web presence is essential. Here are some tips for improving your website so customers can easily find what they are looking for.

Keep it simple. A site that is uncluttered is much easier to navigate and takes less time to load, especially for users accessing it from a mobile device. Evaluate your current content and get rid of anything that isn’t absolutely essential. Keep your calls to action simple, based on your goals. You should even also simplify the font used to make sure it’s legible and appropriate. There’s nothing worse than having to click through an untidy site that is chock full of needless html coding or flash animation, or whose menus are not easily found. Tip: Identify five business sites that you find easy and pleasant to use, and model your own after the qualities that you feel are the most user-friendly.
Use call to action buttons to your advantage. Call to action buttons (Submit Order, Start Download, Add to Cart, etc.) are designed to get the user to act on something, so they should definitely stand out. Make the buttons larger than the font on the rest of the page, and use a bright color like orange to differentiate them from other text. Remember that your call to action buttons should “command attention without overwhelming your design.” Source
Provide testimonials with photos. Any business can say good things about itself, and consumers are often skeptical. That’s why testimonials are so important. Visitors to your site want to know how real people felt about their experiences with you. Including photos with your testimonials will make them even more relatable and real to your potential customers.
Keep it updated. All hyperlinks should be functional and relevant, any online ordering system should contain current products and pricing, contact information should be accurate, etc. Set yourself monthly reminders to visit your own site as if you were a first time viewer. Click around the entire site, testing out links and reading any copy. If something is out of date, fix it immediately.
Include a description of your business. You might have an “About” page that includes a mission statement and a brief description of the products/services you offer. Be smart about how the description is worded, as it will affect your SEO (search engine optimization). Remember how most people’s first step is usually a Google search? You can improve your website’s visibility if you use key words that someone might use in a search. For instance, if you sell all-natural cleaning products, you should include words such as: green, chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, and organic. Such terms are most likely to be used in a search, and you want your site to pop up in the first page or two of results. There is no shortage of resources for improving your SEO, such as SEOmoz for those just getting started.
Create an interesting “About” page. This portion of your site should be interesting and personable. Do this by making the copy easy to understand and written in your own unique style that feels professional, yet conversational. Also, be sure to include a call to action button on this page like “Learn More” (links to more specific product information) or “See How It Works” (links to a video demonstrating the product).
Include a blog. A blog serves the purpose of providing answers that potential customers may be searching for, while also providing the fresh content that Google loves when determining the order in which it displays search results. Write a blog at least 2-3 times per week that provides content related to what you have to offer, without being an ad. For example, if you sell jewelry, you might write about current fashion trends and how to wear jewelry with different outfits. The blog gives visitors a reason to keep coming back to your site, and to tell their friends about it.

A site that is user-friendly and full of valuable information can be a major asset to your business. Use your own experiences with both effective and ineffective sites to decide how you want yours to look. What other tips do you have for improving your site? Please share your ideas below!

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Better Networking

Better Networking

Whether you own a storefront business or operate from your home, relationship-building plays an essential role in your business. Networking has the potential to provide many opportunities such as word of mouth marketing, potential customers, and mutually beneficial partnerships with other small business owners. Read the following tips on how to make the most out of the time you invest in networking.

Be generous in giving out referrals. Referrals are as valuable as gold in the small business world because receiving one provides a basis on which to build a relationship as well as giving you a foot in the door when making that initial contact. In order to receive more referrals from others, offer them to other fellow small business owners. It is human nature for people to return a favor; just think about the last time someone gave you a referral. Didn’t you want to give them something in return to show your appreciation? The more referrals you pass on to others, the more likely they are to pass some on to you.
Look beyond your target market. Although the bulk of your time should be spent focusing on your target market, it is still a good idea to look beyond that demographic in order to connect with new people. For instance, a seller of women’s beauty products caters mostly to her target market of young professional women. However, at certain times of the year such as Valentine’s Day and Christmas, she markets her business to men in search of thoughtful gifts to give their girlfriends or wives. She holds men-only shopping events in which a guy can feel comfortable shopping in a “girl’s store”, and she encourages them to bring some photos of that special lady so she can help guide him toward the appropriate products. When the men come away with a good shopping experience and a grateful girlfriend, they are likely to return as loyal customers and recommend her business to their buddies, dads, and brothers.
Develop a reputation for excellence. In these times of economic hardship when mostly everyone is looking for the best deal, people are still willing to pay a little more for a quality product and outstanding customer service. Make each customer glad that he/she chose you to do business with instead of a competitor by providing those two things. Additionally, find ways to make customers feel special each and every time they shop (not just the first time when you want to make a good first impression). If you can consistently provide what your customers wants and needs and do it in a way that they will enjoy, then you will begin to build a reputation for excellent business practices. Customers will recommend you to others, and you will become a trustworthy and dependable force within your niche. Remember that this takes time, so be patient, persistent, and always put forth 100%.

Just like any other skill, networking requires practice in order to improve. Follow the tips mentioned above and always seek out other resources to stay aware of current networking trends. How do you improve your networking skills? Please share your comments below!

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3 Effective Ways to Market Your Business

3 Effective Ways to Market Your Business

Imagine if you were planning a major celebration, such as a wedding. You’ve spent days and weeks planning the perfect theme, venue, food, music, etc. As amazing as this party could be, it simply wouldn’t happen if you didn’t send out invitations. Without invitations, no one beyond your close circle of family and friends would even know about the event. This same rule applies to your business. Marketing your business is mandatory for bringing in customers, but you should also think of it as an ongoing process instead of something you do once in awhile when sales are starting to lag. Here are three effective ways you can market your business and bring in customers.

Tap your customers’ passions. It’s no secret that successful entrepreneurs know how to educate their customers on what they need as well as how the product works. However, people aren’t usually as interested in what they need as they are in what they really want. Find out what your customer is passionate about, what motivates that person on a daily basis, what he/she really enjoys doing, etc. Your marketing materials are much more likely to bring in customers if you appeal to a customer’s lifestyle/culture rather than the product itself. For instance, if you are selling all-natural cleaning products, an advertisement stating that customers will get “10% off if you stop by all this week” will likely get overlooked. On the other hand, if your message says, “We’ll provide you with all your green cleaning needs because your family’s well-being is our #1 priority,” you’ve now tapped into your customer’s desire to eliminate harsh chemicals from the home. People respond better to messages they care about than they do to sales talk.
Get involved in your community. Being a part of your community offers wonderful opportunities for networking, service-sharing, customer service, and marketing. Even better than that though, is demonstrating your commitment to give back. By participating in community events and hosting your own events, you will be more recognizable to others, and they will be more able to relate to you because like them, you are interested in the community’s well-being. For example, a local contractor builds the central display for the town’s annual festival for free, makes himself available for free estimates for neighborhood residents, and is regularly seen his children’s baseball games and school fundraising events. Because he is a visible part of the community who frequents the same local spots as his customers, they are more likely to remember who he is and trust him to do the job well.
Make customers feel special. Word of mouth is a powerful thing, and customers are happy and excited to recommend you to others after they’ve had a memorable, positive experience patronizing your business. We live in tough economic times where getting the lowest price has become a top priority for most people, and lots of businesses that can offer competitive pricing don’t have time for superior customer service. Find ways to personalize your products and services, such as including a handwritten thank you note with your customer’s order. Being kind and attentive to customers is an effective and low-cost way to market your business.

How have you been able to use our suggestions? What are some other ways to market your business that have worked for you in the past? Please share your comments below!

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On the Road to Success: A Resource for You

On the Road to Success: A Resource for You

Starting a direct selling or small business is a lot like driving a car. You are in complete control of where you are headed and how fast—or slow—you get to your destination.

But on those days when the road gets a little bumpy and unfamiliar, wouldn’t it be nice if there was a road map to help navigate through those roadblocks that can cause your business to stall?

Well, guess what? There is.

DSEF has added another tool to its rich archive of resources to help small business owners implement innovative ideas to take their businesses to the next level: the Business Owner’s Road Map to Success, a free, downloadable ebook.

The Foundation continuously provides informative and helpful content on its blog that offers direct sellers insight on a variety of topics, from finance and ethics to sales and personal development. Those blog posts form the basis of the 53-page ebook.

“The DSEF blog posts collected in the Business Owner’s Roadmap to Success reflect the Foundation’s commitment to championing ethical entrepreneurship and standing up for consumers on behalf of the direct selling industry,” says Nancy Laichas, DSEF Director of Marketing & Communications. “This free e-book gives direct sellers—and any small business owner—actionable techniques to increase their confidence, reach their goals, deliver outstanding customer service and operate with the highest of ethics.”

Jennifer Fong, the Founder of Jen Fong Media LLC, worked with her team to create the ebook, which was made available in May through DSEF’s Facebook page.

“We looked at all of the great content that DSEF had been putting out, because there is so much that business owners can use to build their businesses,” says Fong, whose company manages DSEF’s social media presence. “We wanted to put it together in a package that would make it easy to take to the field.”

The Foundation’s goal was to help entrepreneurs, including direct sellers, learn the skills necessary to become successful small business owners, and provide seasoned veterans with techniques and ideas to help them grow their businesses. The ebook offers success tips for everything a small business owner needs to master—from business planning and ethical selling to creating a success mindset. Sections include:

Do What You Love
Business Planning
Targeting and Identifying Your Customers
Finding Prospects and Customers
Ethical Selling and Marketing Yourself
Generating Leads
Leading a Team
Success Mindset

“The response has been tremendous,” Fong says. “We’ve had a ton of people download it and people call us to tell us they love it.”

Leigh Bordelon, Field Training Specialist at Shaklee Corporation, is one of those people who found the ebook extremely helpful. Bordelon, who teaches Shaklee Independent Distributors how to market their businesses online and use back-office tools, incorporated the ebook into her training.

“I found it easy to understand and easy to implement,” says Bordelon. “My audience is, for the most part, new to any form of technology, even the computer itself. So they can use this book to take specific steps to build their businesses and reputations online.”

Coletta Haskin, a long-time Shaklee distributor, says the ebook helped her improve her leadership skills.

“I learned that, in spite of my mothering spirit (wanting to help them rather than letting them go), I may be holding them back,” says Haskin. “The ‘Leading a Team’ section reinforced what I needed to do years ago, which was to delegate the task so their reliance is not totally on me. Yes, be there for them, help them, show them, and say now it’s your turn.”

Learning to challenge her team was another tip Haskin picked up from the ebook. “I have challenged them to think outside of the box with Bold Goals and Dreams,” she says. “They might have been fearful in sharing them, but each member was made accountable for what they really wanted. When the team member accomplished their goal, the whole team would get excited.”

Haskin also liked that she could show her distributors that they don’t have to run a blog themselves, but could partner with several bloggers and write a single article every so often to drive traffic to their retail sites. “That takes a lot of pressure off of a distributor so they can continue to focus on their core income-producing activities,” she says.

“I learned for myself so many easy ideas to help distributors find even one marketing idea that ‘fits’ for them. This ebook will build confidence in our distributors because you’ve made it so easy to understand and follow,” Haskin says.

If you feel like you are spinning your wheels in regard to generating new ideas for your business, download the Business Owner’s Road Map to Success ebook today.

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DSEF Welcomes John Parker, New Chairman of the Board

DSEF Welcomes John Parker, New Chairman of the Board

John Parker is used to being in situations that are a little scary and uncomfortable, whether it is surfing the world’s oceans or spending several years overseas in a completely different culture.

What he likes about those situations are the challenges posed—the process of getting through them, to him, is the ultimate reward.

This month, Parker, Vice President and Chief Sales Officer for Amway, will take on another challenge as the new Chair of the DSEF Board of Directors: to guide the Foundation as it works with its many partners to execute programs that promote ethical entrepreneurship and champion consumers rights on behalf of the industry.

“The DSEF does so much in terms of bringing credibility and understanding about our industry to key influencers,” says Parker, who is also a member of the Direct Selling Association Board of Directors. “By building those relationships with individuals and establishing partnerships with some really respected organizations, it creates an environment in which we can have others tell our story in a compelling way and speak for us in times of crisis. I think there is just a lot of power to that.”

Parker assumes his new position with a focus on a few key initiatives, such as the Direct Selling Entrepreneur Program, a new community college curriculum developed in partnership with NACCE (National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship), and the CBBB (Council of Better Business Bureau) program, which helps DSEF spread the message of the direct selling industry’s commitment to ethics and trust in the marketplace.

Parker would also like to expand the global relevance of DSEF, which already successfully supports consumer welfare globally through such programs as APEC /CEPI (the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Consumer Education and Protection Initiative). From his extensive international experience, Parker knows that international markets could benefit from a variety of DSEF programs.

Charlie Orr, Executive Director of DSEF, thinks Parker’s knowledge and experience will be a great asset to the Foundation and its Board. “He brings both a domestic and global perspective,” says Orr. “And he knows and respects the distributor mindset as well as anybody in our industry.”

Parker’s knowledge of the distributor mindset comes from nearly two decades of working with Amway distributors around the world. Parker joined the company in 1993 as a Distributor Relations Sales Manager and assumed several management roles within the company over the years, including Chief Marketing Officer.

In 2007 he was named President of Amway Japan, where he led all operations for one of Amway’s largest affiliates. “It was a fantastic experience, both personally and professionally,” says Parker. “It was an opportunity to experience a very different culture. I think my children will forever see the world differently. Certainly I will forever see the world differently.”

Parker’s time in Japan provided him with a new global perspective of the industry. “It was interesting to see the challenges the direct selling industry is going through in Japan. Some markets are a little more organized than others, but as a whole the industry has very similar issues around the world,” he says. “I had a better understanding of that within the context of Japan, and now that I’m back here, we’ll be able to support our business and the industry as we try to improve the environment for direct selling in Japan.”

Living in a foreign country was similar to his time spent at the University of Notre Dame, where Parker was a member of the varsity golf team and earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. “The two experiences are not all that different,” he says. “Being an expat in another country—typically folks are there four or five years—you are thrown into a strange environment with other people going through the same thing at the same time, which is kind of like college. You build these deep relationships quickly and build on the friendships, just like you do in college.”

And just as he sees similarities in those two experiences, Parker also sees a connection between sports—he is an avid surfer and golfer— and the direct selling industry.

“We think about our industry as individual distributors doing their thing—and they are—but it’s also a community, a team environment,” Parker says. “If direct selling were a sport it would be a team sport. because the encouragement, the community and the social dynamic of direct selling make it more than just people selling products and getting compensated for it.

“The relationships are probably the things that make the industry so special,” Parker continues. “And I think that’s true in sports as well. You have a feeling about your friends and your teammates that you carry with you your whole life. I think our industry is very much the same way. We are out building businesses but we are also out building friendships. I think that is a pretty great part of the industry and a pretty special part of life.”

Parker’s new team at DSEF will include two new members to the Board: Orville Thompson, CEO of Scentsy, who will also serve on DSEF’s Executive Committee, and John Wadsworth, President of Morinda Bioactives.

“As we welcome our new Board members, I am looking forward to having their perspective and guidance as we continue to grow our existing signature programs and pursue several new exciting strategic opportunities,” says Orr.

Orr also acknowledged outgoing Board members Heather Chastain (Celebrating Home), Al DiLeonardo (CUTCO/Vector Marketing), Sandy Spielmaker (Amway) and Jim Stitt (CUTCO/Vector Marketing) for their contributions. “I thank them for their service and their support over these last several years,” he says.

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How to Run a Great Contest on Facebook

How to Run a Great Contest on Facebook

Running a contest on Facebook is a great idea because it not only engages your community, but it gives you something new to talk about. Both of these things attract new people to “like” your page and can help bring in new customers and prospects. However, if not done properly or effectively, a contest can backfire and turn people away from your page or worse; you could lose your page altogether if you don’t abide by Facebook’s terms of serie. Use the following tips to help you run a successful Facebook contest.

Decide on an outcome. If you have an objective or ultimate goal for your contest, then you will be more equipped to create one that is successful. For example, your goal may be to build up your mailing list or referrals, to introduce your product line, or to compile customer testimonials to use in future advertising. Keep your goal in mind when working out the details for how the contest will operate. This will help you keep it straightforward, user-friendly, and easily shareable.
Carefully choose your contest type. There are a myriad of ways to run a contest including photo or video contests, essay contests, trivia, or sweepstakes. Once you’ve decided on your desired outcome, make sure the type of contest and the motivating prize you choose will help you achieve your goal. Consider your target market and what they will be willing to do. For example, let’s say your target market consists mostly of career-minded professionals in the corporate sector. If you design your contest in such a way that there is too much work involved to enter, like one that requires a 5-minute viral video, you will be very disappointed with the small number of entries you get, if any. Ask yourself what your target market will be willing to do for the chosen prize. In the example above, if the chosen prize is a one-time voucher for 10% off the next purchase, chances are slim that your potential customers will put much time in for a glorified coupon. A better choice would be a free gift basket of their choice of up to 5 products or one year of unlimited free shipping. Get creative and think about the kind of contest that you would want to enter.
Use a third party app. Because of Facebook’s Promotional Guidelines, which prohibit the use of any Facebook features (comments, likes) as requirements to enter, third party apps are a requirement for running a contest. Unfortunately, these apps are not always free to use, but there are some inexpensive ones such as Wildfire or Google Docs that make running your contest easy to do. Tip: If you have a blog, consider accepting entries via comments on the blog using a service like Rafflecopter. Don’t risk losing your Facebook page because you weren’t willing to pay for a 3^rd party app.
Don’t run the contest for too long. A contest that runs for a more than a few days to a week will most likely lose its steam long before the end date. Keeping in mind what people have to do to enter, choose a time frame that is reasonable enough for any necessary preparation, but tight enough to maintain interest.
Promote! The best way to promote your contest is to ask people to share it. Ask in person, post about it every day on your Facebook page, and/or add a widget on your blog such as a countdown ticker. Encourage others to click the “share” button to help you get the word out, and explore the use of Facebook ads to attract new people in your target market, as well as engaging your existing community. The more you ask people to share your contest, the better turnout you will have.

What experiences or ideas have you had for running a successful contest on Facebook? Please share your tips in the comments section below!

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DSEF by the Numbers

DSEF by the Numbers

The Direct Selling Education Foundation has a tremendous impact on the way people view the direct selling industry. Since it was founded in 1973, the Foundation has been building strategic partnerships to create educational programs that serve the public, champion ethical entrepreneurship and protect and support consumers.

“It is through our partnerships that DSEF continuously preserves and improves the market climate of trust, which helps direct sellers prosper and thrive,” says Charlie Orr, DSEF Executive Director.

Here is a look at some of DSEF’s accomplishments over its 39-year history:

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Executive Spotlight: Heather Chastain, the President of Celebrating HOME

Executive Spotlight: Heather Chastain, the President of Celebrating HOME

From the DSEF: We’re excited to continue our blog series featuring top executives in DSEF-supporter direct selling companies today! Every few weeks we’ll introduce you to another top executive, and they’ll share their thoughts on Direct Sales, Ethics, Social Good, and why they support the DSEF.

Today we’re thrilled to continue this series with Heather Chastain, the President of Celebrating HOME. We’re thrilled to have Heather share her thoughts with you today. Enjoy!

Executive Spotlight: Heather Chastain, Celebrating HOME

Heather Chastain

What is the name of your company, and how did you become involved with the company?

The name of my company is Celebrating HOME. Celebrating HOME was formed 4 years ago through the combination of Home & Garden Party and Home Interiors. I served as President of both Home Interiors and Home & Garden Party and the opportunity to combine the best of both and relaunch under a new brand was extraordinary.

What did you do before you got involved with the company?

I have been involved in direct selling for the past 17 years serving at BeautiControl (a subsidiary of Tupperware) before moving to Home Interiors in 2006. My background includes experience in several disciplines including manufacturing, operations as well as marketing and field sales management.

What do you love about your company?

I love that Celebrating HOME believes in supporting the total person. We recognize that men and women are many things – they are parents, friends, neighbors, members of their community as well as direct selling professionals. We are committed to helping people become stronger individuals – regardless of their background, education or income level.

What makes your salesforce amazing?

Our salesforce is truly remarkable. Their resilience during such massive change has been very impressive to see. They have passion for what they do and, most importantly, a heart for everyone. They are real people, many from humble backgrounds and they are living first-hand the transformative impact that this industry can have on an individual life.

Ethics is an integral part of DSA membership. How do you ensure your company maintains the highest level of ethics?

Our company has a strong foundation in Christian values and we promote honesty and integrity in all that we do. This makes it fairly easy for us to ensure that all our representatives keep a standard that DSA can be proud of. Of course, we talk a lot about it, too. We make sure that we remind all our leaders at every opportunity that this adherence to a high ethical standard is what sets us apart from so many other organizations out there. We link to the DSA code on our website and make sure that our field promotes that to their prospects as well as customers.

Social good is another essential element of direct sales. What kind of social good campaigns does your company participate in or run?

Our company launched the Celebrating Hope foundation last year. This was a way to focus our long history of giving under a common umbrella. While our field has raised significant money for charities like Habitat for Humanity, American Cancer Society, Make A Wish, Wounded Warrior and Living Water Foundation over the years, they are all linked by the common element of helping bring families together.

Your company has been a Direct Selling Education Foundation supporter. Why do you think the DSEF is important?

The DSEF is a critical element for DSA member organizations. They are on the front lines, building trust in the marketplace and enhancing the industry’s reputation for all of us. The real question is why would a DSA member company NOT support the work that the DSEF does? They are committed to educating government officials, consumers and prospects alike about all the good things that Direct Selling brings to so many people across the nation.

Thank you, Heather, for sharing your thoughts with us. We are grateful for the support of companies like Celebrating HOME, that help us to spread the message of ethics, entrepreneurship and integrity around the world. We appreciate you!