The Secret To Long Term Success In Direct Sales

The Secret To Long Term Success In Direct Sales

Ongoing Professional Development: A Key to Long-Term Success in Direct Sales

Continuing your education is a critical ingredient to the long-term success of your direct selling business. Make sure to take advantage of your company’s training and educational offerings such as webinars, monthly conference calls and, of course, your company’s annual convention. You’ll also want to participate in training offered by your upline and regional leaders. And, if you are in the Ann Arbor areas, you can soon take a direct selling entrepreneurship course at your local community college!

The Direct Selling Entrepreneur Program (DSEP) is a thirty-hour, non-credit course designed to help independent representatives—and those interested in exploring a career in direct selling—operate stronger, more profitable businesses. Through this personalized approach to entrepreneurship, any small business owner or independent contractor can learn real-world skills to start or grow a successful business. If you’re a direct seller, or considering a career as a direct selling business owner, this course is a great way to gain small business management skills such as:

Business Operations
Using Technology
Goal Setting & Future Strategy
Marketing & Selling
Communication
Financial Management
Leadership & Ethics

Direct Selling Entrepreneur Program at Washtenaw Community College

Where: 4800 E. Huron River Drive

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Morris Lawrence Building

When: Tuesdays, Thursdays 6:00 p.m. – 8:55 p.m. Oct. 7, 2014 – Nov. 6, 2014

Cost: Register by Sept. 30, 2014, for a reduced tuition rate of $125. After Sept. 30, tuition is $325.

Register: Click here.
For more information, call (734) 677-5060 or email ecdevelopment@wccnet.edu. DSEF thanks Amway for its support in bringing DSEP to the Ann Arbor area.

Taking a course like this is a great way to learn how to bring your business to the next level. Remember that you should always aim to move your business forward, and that requires commitment to ongoing learning. Seek out opportunities to learn more about the direct sales industry, keep up with current industry trends, improve your salesmanship and learn ways to efficiently run your business more efficiently. DSEF will announce more courses soon, and you can check for the updated schedule here.

What are some ways that you have continued your education? Would you consider taking a course like this? Please share your comments below!

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Four Tips to Build Your Personal Brand

As a direct seller, your company has its own ways of promoting its brand. However, you are responsible for making it your own and improving upon the individual qualities you bring to your brand. In today’s post, we give you four tips to help you do just that.

Give your clients ways to promote your brand. Engage customers in creative ways that will allow them to get a conversation going about your products and services. For example, use your Facebook page or Twitter feed to start a top ten list. A consultant for a company that sells manicure quality nail wraps held a contest in which her clients posted pictures of themselves wearing outfits that coordinated with their nails. Anyone subscribed to the page could vote on the best photo. The winner got a free gift, and the clients got new ideas for how to use their wraps as well as inspiration to try new ones. This type of engagement was the consultant’s way of getting to know her clients and giving them a fun way to promote her brand.
Always keep your word but also exceed it. In a business where you likely have many competitors who can offer similar products and services, your word is one of your greatest assets. If you say you will do something, there is no option other than to do it. Take this idea a step further whenever possible. For example, a customer needs her order rushed to be delivered in time for a loved one’s birthday. As the consultant, you say that you’ll personally put the order in first as well as double checking with corporate to make sure it was received and will arrive on schedule. After doing so, you get the product from the hostess when she receives it and hand deliver it to the customer. Going above and beyond your responsibilities increases your credibility; your clients will also associate your reliability with your brand.
Focus on being the best at one thing at a time. Although it is important to have lofty goals for your business, don’t try to take on too much at once or you’ll risk burning out. Choose one aspect of your business at a time to become the best at. For instance, you aspire to be the best on your team at getting guests at your parties to book their own parties and keep their dates so the party actually happens. Invest your time and effort into creating ways to get potential hostesses excited about having a party and following up effectively. While working toward this goal, focus exclusively on it until you’re ready to move on to the next one. You’ll be able to make yourself stand out, therefore improving your brand.
Continue to improve and be better than your competitor. The best way to begin besting your competitor is to gather information about how the competitor does business. The nail wrap consultant researched similar companies, emailed some of their consultants, and attended some parties as a guest. She was able to take mental notes about what she did and didn’t like about the business as a whole. When she signed with her chosen company, she knew exactly how she wanted to improve upon the competition’s ways.

Use your strengths and unique qualities to improve your brand. Your clients and prospects will associate you with those attributes and pass along a good word to their friends and families. How can you use the tips from our list? Please share your ideas in the comments below!

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Targeting Potential Customers

When you are on the lookout for potential customers, you want to make sure you’re focusing your energy in the right places. Remember that not everyone fits the profile, so spending time and money on trying to attract those outside your target demographic will be a waste of your resources. An effective way to find potential customers for your business is to ask yourself the following questions.

Can they afford your products/services? Of course, it’s impossible to know everyone’s financial situation, but you can get a good idea by looking for certain clues. For example, a consultant for a high-end ladies’ jewelry company should consider factors such as which town the potential customer lives in, if she wears designer clothing, if she drives a luxury car, etc. If your company sells products that range in price, consider the average and build an ideal customer profile from there.

Are they the decision maker when it comes to the purchase? There are several different ways that people handle finances within their households. Some couples agree on a reasonable level of autonomy when it comes to making a purchase. Either person can buy groceries or even a new lamp for the living room without consulting each other, but neither would buy a car or book a vacation without both agreeing to it first. Be sure that the person you are targeting as a potential customer has the ability to make decisions about purchasing your products. This especially applies to products and services geared toward young children and teenagers. A skin care company’s acne treatment is mostly used by those between ages 15-21, but is almost always actually purchased by the parent. Whoever has the final say about a purchase is your potential customer.

How much do they need the product/service? Ask yourself if you are fulfilling a need or solving a problem for a potential customer with your product. Someone who will be returning to the work force after a long hiatus staying home to raise her children may need all new makeup and accessories to complete her professional appearance. A cosmetics or jewelry consultant would consider this person a potential customer because there is a certain level of need for the products and services offered. The most effective way to find out if a need for your product exists is to ask the right questions. Demonstrate a sincere interest in people by asking them questions about themselves. Give them an opportunity to talk about their family, interests, and hobbies. When you discover that the person needs your product, you’ll know you are talking to a potential customer.

Targeting your niche toward the right people will help you spend your time and marketing resources efficiently, which will in turn allow you to have long term success. By asking the above questions, you are creating a sort of customer profile that can be used to identify potential customers.

How have these questions helped you find your own customers? Are there any other questions you would add to our list? Please share your comments below!

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How to Get People to Join Your Team

How to Get People to Join Your Team

When you’re ready to take your direct sales business to the next level, recruiting others to join your team is the place to start. You have the potential to create a steady income stream while helping people achieve their own financial goals. In today’s post, we suggest some ways to build your downline and grow your business.

Share great ideas that help everyone. Whether the idea is your own or someone else’s, if you think it will help others, don’t hesitate to share it with your prospects. While presenting your opportunity to a recruit, for example, share an idea for having a successful launch party that worked for you. Your method will help the recruit by giving him or her a jump start on the business, and it will help you by finding customers for your downline. By sharing great ideas that are mutually beneficial, you generate excitement and enthusiasm about your opportunity, which will in turn increase your chances of signing your prospect.
Do both big and small things to help make your team members’ lives better. After a team member’s initial launch and first few months working the business, it can be easy to lose touch or at least frequent contact. One small way of making your team members’ lives better is to check in regularly with words of encouragement, a motivational quote, or even a little gift of appreciation. On a bigger scale, you might host a weekend brunch at your house or local restaurant to reward your team’s hard work and accomplishment. Take the initiative to be a positive force in their lives. You can recruit others to join your team by introducing them to people in your downline who will attest to your role in their professional lives.
Stay optimistic and enthusiastic. Even if a prospect seems skeptical, unsure, or even confused about the opportunity, it is important to maintain a positive attitude and enthusiastic outlook about the business. If you don’t falter, he or she will notice that you are confident enough not to be shaken by a possible rejection.
Always do the right thing. There may be times when you are faced with some sort of conflict or dilemma. One direct sales consultant was excited to sign her very first recruit, but it became clear during the presentation that this person was so eager that she didn’t think to ask a lot of important questions that might sway her decision about whether or not to sign with the company. The consultant was tempted to ignore that fact and let the recruit sign on the dotted line anyway, but she listened to her conscience and offered the important information to the recruit as well as a chance to ask more questions. The recruit wound up signing, but even if she hadn’t, doing the right thing will allow you to never have to look back at your past action and feel guilty. Direct sales is about helping people, so your actions should always reflect that.
Listen more than you talk. A prospect wants and NEEDS to be heard. He or she may want to tell you why joining this business is even a consideration. And although, he/she may have lots of questions for you and provide you with plenty of opportunity to speak, make sure that you are doing most of the listening. By truly listening to others, we can tune into what their message is, and find effective ways to help.
Stay humble. No matter how high you climb to the top of that proverbial ladder of success, ALWAYS stay humble. Remember that there are always improvements to be made and higher levels to reach. Continue helping those who are just starting out, take compliments with gratitude and grace, and pay it forward. Your sincere humility will increase your likeability and have a positive effect on your business.

Building your team requires a lot of preparation, patience, hard work, determination, and the right mindset. We hope our list above gives you some guidance in getting started. What would you add to the list? Please share your comments below!

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How to Get Your Customer to Buy

When figuring out how to get customers to buy your product or service, it is often helpful to put yourself in the customer’s role. When was the last time you bought something? What about it made it interesting? Why was it appealing? What made you ultimately purchase it? Whether the most recent thing you bought was a box of diapers or a new car, the same principles still apply. Read our brief list below for tips on how to get your customers to actually buy your product.

Make your product/service interesting and unique. In order to pique the interest of potential customers, emphasize your product’s unique qualities. What does it offer that competitors’ products don’t? For example, one company specializing in children’s meal time needs offers a line of sippy cups that help a toddler transition from a bottle to a regular cup. A customer can choose what kind of top to use like a spout or straw, which is a pretty standard choice when it comes to transition cups. The unique part about this company’s line of cups, however, is that if your child doesn’t take to a certain one, you can exchange the top free of charge until you find the one that your child prefers. As many mothers will tell you, this is a unique concept that prevents having to buy several different kind of cups to find one that the child will actually drink from. This company’s consultants most often highlight this feature and find it to be their top seller.
Make it easy to understand and use. Depending on what the product or service is, this can either be a simple job or something more complicated. Whichever the case, find a way to make sure the customer is completely confident using it independently. If the product has a multi-step process, allow customers ample time and plenty of opportunity to try it by themselves so they will have enough confidence to make the purchase. One beauty consultant, when giving makeup consultations, demonstrates the products on the customer. Once the customer is satisfied with the end result, the consultant creates a customized magnetic card that can be placed on a vanity or bathroom mirror while a customer applies her own makeup every day. Taking the time to do this for each customer proves financially worthwhile because even the most inexperienced people can easily understand and use the products.
Demonstrate that there are multiple uses and applications. When you show the versatility of your product, you are demonstrating that it has value. People are generally willing to pay a little bit more for something if they know it is of high quality, will last a long time, and can be used for more than one thing. Also keep in mind that different uses for something will appeal to different kinds of customers. A handbag that easily expands to a larger size will satisfy the needs of a young college student and a stay-at-home mother. Evaluate your customer base to decide how and when to highlight the versatility of your products and services.

The more you know about your products, the easier making the sale will become. Create interest, make it easy to use, and demonstrate versatility. What else would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

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Three Keys to Establishing a Loyal Customer

When trying to establish loyal customers, put yourself in their shoes. Surely, you are a loyal customer of a business yourself. Perhaps you always get your hair cut and styled at the same salon, or maybe you grab your coffee from the same deli each day, even though you pass three other coffee shops on your way home. What is it about the business that keeps you coming back to only that place? When did you decide that you wouldn’t frequent any other competitor’s business? Asking yourself these questions and following our suggestions will help you create loyal customers.

Focus on the individual. From the very first interaction you have with the customer, demonstrate your genuine interest in him or her as an individual with unique needs and concerns. In making conversation, remembering one or two details about the person will serve you well in the future. A customer interested in skin care products for her teenage daughter mentions that this purchase is part of her high school graduation gift. In subsequent meetings, the consultant usually starts off by asking how the daughter is enjoying college and how the mother is adjusting to an empty nest. These types of details shows people that they are more than just customers to you, and your interest in their lives will make them happy to bring you repeat and exclusive business.
Make sure you have enough time for the person. Once your business really begins to grow, (this is a good thing!) you likely won’t have as much time to spend on each customer as you’d like. If this is the case, make sure that you make time for your potentially loyal customers. Make a personal delivery on your way to pick up your kids from soccer practice, send a quick text message asking how he/she likes the newest product, etc. If the person reaches out to you at a time when you can’t return the call right away, send an email to say you’ve gotten the message and are looking forward to returning the call; provide a specific date and time you’ll call back. In doing so, you are showing the customer that he or she is important to you and you appreciate the loyalty.
Ask; then really listen. Asking the right questions is a smart way to engage a customer, but it doesn’t end there. Truly listen to the answers, and consider going so far as to jot down a summary of the conversation afterward. Refer to your notes regularly to keep the customer’s needs in mind and stay proactive in satisfying them.

Always remember that whatever product or service you are selling, you are in the business of people. Be kind, caring, and genuine, and you’ll already be one step closer to achieving a loyal customer base.

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

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Four Quick Tips to Stay on Task

Direct sellers need to have a strong sense of self-discipline in order to succeed. When you are answering only to yourself, it is crucial to eliminate distractions and stay on task for both your daily and long-term projects. Here are our four simple suggestions for doing just that.

Get involved with activities that help your business. This means everything from professional development workshops held by those in your upline to more informal lunches with colleagues or prospects. Find ways to incorporate your business into things you already enjoy doing. For example, Heather, a direct sales consultant for a company that provides fitness programs and equipment, integrates fitness into her daily life. Aside from working her business, she follows her company’s exercise programs regularly and once a month, invites a few friends over for group workouts. She leads a small group of friends to try a new workout, then serves healthy snacks and bottles of water afterwards. By doing this, she is able to stay healthy, work her business, and make time to socialize with her friends all at the same time.

Make sure that your business utilizes your strengths and passion. Heather already had an interest in health and fitness, so it made sense for her to choose a wellness company to sign with. She enjoys learning about how to create and maintain a healthy lifestyle, and she is passionate about educating others who struggle with this to do the same. Because she gets so much joy out of helping others achieve their fitness and nutrition goals, it’s easy for her to stay on task. Even when it gets hard to stay the course, her passion for what she does and her ability to do her job well prevent her from getting off track.

Focus on small positive improvements. When there are things you want to improve about your business, it can be overwhelming to figure out where and how to begin. Start small to build momentum. It can be as simple as re-organizing your desk or purging a filing cabinet drawer, but once you get a few small tasks accomplished, you will be motivated to take on bigger, long-term projects.

Make sure the business gets you excited. As with any job, if you don’t enjoy what you do, it will be that much more difficult to succeed. Tap into your interests and passions to get excited about your business. When you can do this, you can get others excited about what you are offering and build lasting professional relationships.

The longer you work your business with focus and passion, the easier staying on task will become. Involve yourself in business-related activities, make small improvements, and create excitement within yourself about what you’re doing. What would you add to our list? Please sound off in the comments section below!

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Experience of Lifetime Auction Sets DSEF Fundraising Record

Experience of Lifetime Auction Sets DSEF Fundraising Record

At this year DSA’s Annual Meeting, the Gala Celebration on June 2, held some extra suspense for attendees as they vied for exotic getaways and exceptional products. In addition to the presentation of awards, the evening included an Experience of a Lifetime live auction benefiting DSEF.

“The excitement of DSEF’s auction was literally jaw-dropping as direct selling executives competed for great auction items and the opportunity to support our Foundation,” said DSA President Joe Mariano. “I’m hoping the auction will become a ‘signature’ event for DSA’s Annual Meeting.”

Serving as the event’s auctioneer, Craig Fleming, President, Global Direct Selling Division, ServiceQuest, kept the crowd energized as they bid on items donated by Amway, CUTCO, Mannatech, Nu Skin, USANA and WineShop At Home, raising more than $154,000 for DSEF.

Among the evening’s winning bidders were Truman Hunt, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nu Skin Enterprises, and Orville Thompson, CEO of Scentsy Inc. The two went head-to-head competing for the chance to attend an Orlando Magic game in the Founder’s Suite—as the guest of Amway’s Chief Sales Officer John Parker and President Doug DeVos. When the bidding topped $50,000, John, who also serves as DSEF Board Chair, agreed to offer the package twice, raising $100,000 for the Foundation in a matter of minutes.

“I was pleased to be able to participate in DSEF’s Gala auction and feel privileged to be a part of the great work that DSEF is doing to educate people about our business channel,” said Truman, who also was the winning bidder for a complete set of knives donated by CUTCO.

In addition to the Amway’s Orlando Magic package, Orville was the winning bidder for the Pirate’s Cove package donated by Nu Skin—a three-night stay for 30 people at a 22,000-square-foot, pirate-themed mansion in Boulder City, NV.

For Orville, whose winning bid for Pirate’s Cove was $20,000, the auction provided the chance to help the Foundation achieve its vision of a global marketplace that respects and appreciates direct selling. “DSEF serves as the bridge between the direct selling industry and traditional centers of influence such as academia, government and many others,” he said. “Without its outreach and education, the extraordinary work of direct sellers to enhance the lives of millions through great product, inviting cultures and financial opportunities will not be sufficiently understood, represented and appreciated.”

Before the evening was over, attendees also had the chance to bid on a Hawaiian vacation. With a $7,000 bid, Jeannette Mills, Executive Vice President, Take Shape for Life, beat out her competitors and will spend a week on the beach in Maui, courtesy of Mannatech. Stan Fredrick, Mannatech’s Chairman of the Board and Chair of DSEF’s Development Committee, was overwhelmed by the generosity of Jeannette and other bidders. “This was the first auction we’ve held, and we look forward to making it a part of future Annual Meetings,” said Stan, whose $3,000 bid earned him a case of WineShop At Home’s Artisan 5. “Craig did an excellent job of making it exciting and fun for the audience.”

When the bidding kicked off for USANA’s Sky or Ski Excursion, Traci Lynn Burton, Founder and CEO of Traci Lynn Fashion Jewelry, said her adrenaline took over. “‘Fearless’ is what I felt when I decided to bid on the skydiving adventure!” said Traci, who bid $5,000 to go skydiving with USANA’s CEO Dave Wentz. “I also have great respect for Dave and trust him to throw me out of a plane. I love the work of DSEF, and my company and I support the foundation. I believe it must be well-funded to continue its educational mission because we all benefit, we all win!”

The Experience of a Lifetime Auction helped DSEF exceed its goal for the 2014 fundraising year, which ends June 30. “My personal thanks to all who participated in the DSEF Auction at the Gala,” John Parker said. “Thanks to your generosity—and in particular Truman Hunt and Orville Thompson—we raised more than $150,000! This money will help fund the great work done by our Foundation!”

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Elizabeth Owen Newest Member of DSEF’s Circle of Honor

Elizabeth Owen Newest Member of DSEF’s Circle of Honor

In 1988, DSEF created the Circle of Honor award to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Foundation. On June 2, 2014, at the Gala Celebration during DSA’s 2014 Annual Meeting, DSEF named Elizabeth Owen as the newest member of the Circle of Honor. “Elizabeth is a perfect inductee to our Circle of Honor,” said Joe Mariano, DSEF President. “She’s a principled consumer leader with years of passion about and understanding of how direct selling serves and protects consumers.”

During her two terms of service on the Foundation’s Board of Directors, Elizabeth’s outstanding leadership—and her ability to fully understand DSEF’s & DSA’s missions from both a consumer protection and business perspective—translated into DSEF developing effective and balanced programs that won the respect of consumer advocates nationally.

“While it is an incredible honor to be given this award, it has already been my honor to be a part of an industry that I have grown to appreciate and respect,” Elizabeth said. “It has been my honor to work with people I have grown to love as family; and it has been my honor to further the worthy mission of the Direct Selling Education Foundation.”

Throughout her career in consumer protection, Elizabeth has been a constant presence both on the state and national scene. As the Director of the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, she lobbied state government for better consumer protection laws. During her stint as consumer reporter for NewsChannel 5, the CBS affiliate in Nashville, her viewers depended on her for the latest in consumer protection advice. And she served as the Executive Director of NACAA—the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators—representing consumer protection agencies across the US.

Over twenty years, Elizabeth supported numerous Foundation consumer protection programs with diverse groups that included law enforcement, military and the disabled. She also represented DSEF at international consumer protection programs held in Moscow.

And, when the direct selling industry was faced with the potentially devastating, disruptive and unnecessary regulation of the Federal Trade Commission’s proposed rule on business opportunities, Elizabeth, in her capacity as NACAA’s Executive Director, provided invaluable and balanced comment to the FTC on the impact of the proposal on consumers and direct sellers.

“I am awed to have my name added to the Circle of Honor,” Elizabeth said. “These are people I consider as heroes, and I am humbled by the trust this honor signifies.”

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Networking on Steroids: DSEF Sponsors Guerrilla Mentoring Workshop

Finding an effective mentor can greatly enhance your business and personal life. In fact, studies show that having five mentors can boost your confidence and your success. To show DSA Annual Meeting attendees just how effective mentoring can be, DSEF sponsored a Guerrilla Mentoring workshop led by Kathy Korman Frey, CEO of the Hot Momma’s Project, the world’s largest women’s case study library. DSEF partners with the Hot Momma’s Project in support of its Global Case Study Competition.

At the interactive workshop, held June 3, participants used Kathy’s proprietary process, adapted from a million-dollar executive peer mentoring technique, to solve real challenges in real time, walking away with actionable steps to better their work and personal lives.

“The Guerrilla Mentoring session was highly interactive and resulted in some fantastic action items, realizations, and what I call ‘mass mentoring.’” said Kathy, who is also Entrepreneur in Residence, Women’s Entrepreneurial Leadership at the George Washington University School of Business. “By the end of the session, when participants were sharing their takeaways, they also mentored an entire room of their peers. Thanks to DSA and DSEF for bringing our special process to its members. What a great group.”

Elena Panos, Vice President of Training at Shaklee Corporation, enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate with her peers. “As a first time attendee, I was impressed with the workshops!” Elena said. “Guerrilla Mentoring with Kathy Korman Frey allowed me to meet and share with other participants during the interactive table activities.”

Because of DSEF’s ongoing support of the Hot Momma’s Project, Kathy is offering to bring her Guerrilla Mentoring process to DSA member companies at a discount. Additionally, Kathy will be a featured speaker at DSA’s fourth annual Women’s Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 30, 2014. The by-invitation-only gathering is planned for women who are direct selling company owners and top-level executives. For more information, contact Nancy Laichas.