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!

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!

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Executive Spotlight: David and Bianca Lisonbee, 4Life Research

Today we’re thrilled to continue this series with David Lisonbee, 4Life Research Founder & CEO, and Bianca Lisonbee, Co-Founder & Chairwoman of Foundation 4Life. 4Life Research has been a big supporter of the DSEF for many years, and we’re thrilled to have the Lisonbees share their thoughts with you today. Enjoy!

Executive Spotlight: David and Bianca Lisonbee, 4Life Research

David and Bianca Lisonbee

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

We launched 4Life Research in 1998. Looking back, it’s more apparent to us now than ever that “Research” in our company name was no mistake. With a background in direct selling and health and wellness, we knew that in order to succeed, 4Life distributors would rely on our corporate commitment to scientific integrity. At the end of the day, product efficacy and differentiation play important roles in distributor success.

With this in mind, we have a Health Science Advisory Board comprised of doctors, researchers, academicians and scientists who inform our Research and Development Department led by 4Life Chief Scientific Officer Calvin McCausland, Ph.D.

Since 1998, 4Life has been granted nine worldwide patents (six from the USPTO) and more than 500 product registrations.

With a mature sales force, charismatic product line, global charitable organization (Foundation 4Life) and an opportunity that has produced significant growth every year since our inception, we feel we’re uniquely positioned as a global leader in the marketplace.

What do you love about your company?

Our distributors. Our employees. Our partnerships. The people. In fact, our corporate slogan is Together, Building People. Science is an integral part of our opportunity but it isn’t science for science’s sake. We commit ourselves to one-of-a-kind products in order to engage entrepreneurs with an opportunity to succeed. And in this industry, none of us go it alone. It’s a great honor to share and build successful lifestyles with people, and we’re blessed by the opportunity to build these lifelong partnerships with people here in our home state of Utah and in countries on the other side of the world. No matter where we go, we encounter people who dedicate themselves to our mission of improving lives in the areas of science, success, and service.

What makes your salesforce amazing?

Our network of global distributors spans 5 continents with corporate offices in 22 countries. As such, we enjoy a salesforce of great diversity. But wherever we go and whomever we build business with around the world, there seem to be numerous core values that we all share. Faith, for example. Our 4Life family encompasses great diversity. We break bread with people of all religious backgrounds. But no matter the religious backgrounds from which we each arrive, the distributors of 4Life tend to believe, not only in the importance of belief but also in the importance of respecting the beliefs of others. Then there’s the singularity of vision that we see in the actions of our leaders. 4Life distributors are committed to improving their own lives, as well the lives of others and because of this, they tend to be active and contributing members of their communities.

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

We train and promote the importance of ethical leadership. This year, 4Life was recognized with the Code of Ethics in Action distinction at the DSA Annual Meeting in Grapevine, TX. The Direct Selling Association created this symbol of consumer protection to select companies who go above and beyond the standard of commitment to communicating the importance of our industry’s Code of Ethics. We’re honored by this acknowledgement because it recognizes our commitment to the highest level of ethics in all areas of business.

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

We launched Foundation 4Life® in 2006 to build people, families, and communities wherever 4Life® conducts business, with a particular focus on the children of the world.

Today, we conduct work in more than 20 countries. Our projects are driven by the field so we always have people on the ground in communities where we work. This is important because we’re more interested in developing philanthropic partnerships than we are in one-off donations.

One example of our Foundation’s strategic initiative: We’re in the process of identifying specific communities around the world with 200-300 children each to develop a 5-6 year relationship. During that time, we’ll implement a sustainability program in conjunction with Feed The Children to focus on four primary areas: food and nutrition, health and education, water and sanitation, and skills for income development.

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

Support of the Direct Selling Education Foundation isn’t merely important – it’s essential. The primary function of the Direct Selling Association is to lobby and defend our industry’s market position.

The DSEF focuses on building public trust and understanding through partnerships, education drives, media initiatives and that kind of high level brand campaigning so important to the general perception of what our businesses are all about.

The DSEF works for each of us to preserve and improve a market climate of trust, which helps direct sellers prosper and thrive. Perhaps we should end by pointing out that DSA Membership does not include support of the DSEF’s work. 4Life’s support of the DSEF is an important responsibility.

Thank you, David and Bianca Lisonbee, for sharing your inspiring story with us. We are grateful for the support of companies like 4Life Research, that help us to spread the message of ethics, entrepreneurship and integrity around the world. We appreciate you!

From the DSEF: 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!

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Executive Spotlight: Angela Loehr Chrysler, Team National

Today we’re thrilled to continue this series with Angela Loehr Chrysler, the President and CEO of Team National, a company that provides membership savings with a wide variety of products and services in over 20 different industries. Team National has been a big supporter of the DSEF for many years, and Angela Loehr Chrysler is a member of the DSEF board. We’re thrilled to have her share her thoughts with you today. Enjoy!

Executive Spotlight: Angela Loehr Chrysler, Team National

Angela Loehr Chrysler

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

My company is Team National. My dad is the founder of the company. I started in 2000, helping him with some research.

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

I was in Medical Sales and was briefly involved with a direct selling company…right industry, bad company. They are no longer in business due to improper activities. It was a great learning experience.

What do you love about your company?

I love the people and the opportunity for us to help them change their lives, along with the lives of others around them.

What makes your salesforce amazing?

Great attitudes, fun people, entrepreneur spirit and the desire to help others grow and live their dreams.

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

Ethics and integrity are important to us, therefore it begins with us. We believe we need to lead by example. We need to communicate and model ethical behavior. One of our leaders often says, “Our actions must speak so loud people don’t need to hear what we are saying.”

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

We feel we need to share the blessings we have been given. We support local and national charities. We donate product and marketing tools to regional events to raise money for our Charities of Choice. We encourage giving back amongst our staff. We also get involved in local events such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, where we collected toys for kids. We walk with our staff in the Broward Humane Society walk for animals. We attend and sponsor a variety of charity events throughout the year.

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

DSEF helps us share the positive information about our industry. There are so many good things DSA companies are part of that we are thrilled to help DSEF tell the good stories and educate others about DSA as a whole. We are passionate about DSA and the opportunities with so many great companies and products. Therefore DSEF is a natural choice to help educate and communicate information about our industry that allows us the opportunity to help so many.

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

Free resource for you

Download our 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!

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Executive Spotlight: Joan Hartel Cabral, Vantel Pearls

Today we’re thrilled to continue this series with Joan Hartel Cabral, the Founder and President of Vantel Pearls, a company that features parties where oysters are opened and guests purchase jewelry made with the pearls inside. Vantel Pearls has been a big supporter of the DSEF for many years, and we’re thrilled to have Joan Hartel Cabral share her thoughts with you today. Enjoy!

Executive Spotlight: Joan Hartel Cabral, Vantel Pearls

Joan Hartel Cabral

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

I lived in Spain for 3 years. I moved there for the adventure, to learn Spanish and to enjoy the lifestyle. It was in Spain that I started my first business. I opened an Aerobics Studio in Denia, along the coast. My students found it very funny when I said “toque sus hombres” touch your men, instead of “toque sus hombros” touch your shoulders. I instantly loved running my own business and inspiring others to believe they could positively impact their own lives. After only 3 months, the Town Government endorsed my business and offered me a rent-free gymnasium.

What do you love about your company?

I love that our Vantel Pearls’ oysters are a metaphor for Life. Inside every oyster, there is at least one pearl. A pearl is formed when an oyster defends against a grain of sand or foreign particle. The oyster secretes layers and layers of nacre or mother-of-pearl around the irritant. When we have a challenge, how many of us, as oysters do, find the gift in it-actually turn it into something positive? We can learn to embrace transformational opportunities. The pearl is a creation of beauty from adversity. How fabulous is that?!

What makes your salesforce amazing?

Our Sales Team is truly amazing in the way they see all things are possible. They strive for excellence. They give back generously. They express gratitude to Vantel Pearls because they have learned that their beliefs and attitudes directly influence their choices and actions. They are connected to each other and support each other. They transform the lives of others knowing pearls make a woman feel beautiful on the inside. They are empowered women who are inspired to live authentic, joyous and abundant lives.

How do you ensure your company maintains the highest level of ethics?

Ethics is an integral part of the Vantel Pearls culture. We adhere to principles of integrity, our 8 Treasured Gems, which are incorporated into our meetings, our catalog, our manner of doing business.

Our Sales Team is held to high standards. In the event that an individual is outside the guidelines of our standards, their Agreement is terminated. We keep things very simple.

Our general objective is to grow organically and from that we build enduring loyalty.

What kind of social good campaigns does your company participate in or run?

Vantel Pearls offers early intervention education to children in schools and YMCA programs. When we present an unopened oyster and discuss how “ugly” the outer shell is and then open the oyster and discover the ‘beautiful’ pearl, with a specific format, the children open up about the name calling, harassment, and intimidation that occurs when teachers are not present. We have a full discussion without ever using the “bullying” word! We transform the conversation into believing in your gifts, non-judgment of others and a whole lot more! It’s the most amazing program providing self-esteem awareness. We plan to expand on this program and change the world!

Why do you think the DSEF is important?

We have been an active supporter of the DSEF for several years. The DSEF significantly promotes and educates the public about direct selling. I believe that our business model of direct selling can allow others to have a richer, more meaningful life. I believe direct selling empowers individuals to set their own goals, choose their own working hours, have financial independence and fulfill their own dreams. College debt is rising and personal debt is increasing. We have a growing crisis. Rather than encourage widespread borrowing, let’s promote a simple entrepreneurial plan that offers financial security and confidence. The insurmountable debt of our society needs attention and direct selling is an answer.

Thank you, Joan, for sharing your inspiring story with us. We are grateful for the support of companies like Vantel Pearls, that help us to spread the message of ethics, entrepreneurship and integrity around the world. We appreciate you!

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DSEF & CBBB: Who Called Me? How to Find Out

Who Called Me? How to Find Out

By Holly Doering

When you get a call from an unfamiliar number, call it back and there’s no answer, what do you do? Here is what I do. First, I go to a few websites where you can enter the number that’s bothering you and see if other people know who it is or what they want:

www.whocalled.us
www.800notes.com (for area-code 800 numbers)

You can also Google the number, or run it through an online directory likewww.411.com or www.anywho.com. Use an “area code locater” website to find out what city and state the call is coming from.

Stopping unwanted calls isn’t easy, but legitimate businesses should put you on their internal do not call list if asked. You can also try using a call blocker. According to the Who Called Us website:

Uniden DECT1288 blocks up to 20 numbers, plus Private and Unknown, with the reject tone, without ringing the phone.
Panasonic KX-TG106 blocks up to 30 numbers, plus all unidentified callers, with a busy tone, after the phone rings once.
JF Teck Caller ID with Ring Controller blocks up to 70 numbers, and can be set to always allow up to 100 to ring through.

If the pests won’t quit calling, you can contact your telephone company and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which runs the National Do Not Call Registry. You can also complain at the Federal Communications Commission website or by calling 888-225-5322.

Personally, I have found that signing up with the Do Not Call list and switching to an unlisted phone number have drastically reduced the number of nuisance calls made to my family. (Be aware that your status on the Do Not Call list doesn’t prevent alltelemarketing calls—there are exceptions for groups like charities.)

To sign up for the American Do Not Call Registry go to www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222 from the phone you wish to register. To sign up for the Canadian Do Not Call List, click here.

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.

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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How to Choose Social Media Tools for Your Business

How to Choose Social Media Tools for Your Business

When you begin to consider using social media marketing for your business, the choices can seem overwhelming. There are so many social networks out there, and will the time needed to do all of them really pay off in the long run? How do you choose what makes sense for your business?

Here’s a process you can use to help you decide and then use what you choose effectively:

Write down your goals for social media marketing: Are you seeking new customers, or looking to grow your mailing list? Are you interested in finding people that are interested in a business opportunity? By taking some time to consider your goals, your subsequent actions will be a lot more focused.
Define your target market: You must understand who you want to reach if you’re going to find them online. So spend some time narrowly defining your target market…their ages, education, income level, interests, etc. Then you can go and find them!
Figure out where your target market spends time online: Once you know who you want to reach, then do some research to find out where that target market spends time online. Facebook is a great place to find consumers, but if you’re looking for people interested in a business opportunity you may do better on LinkedIn. If you want to reach a more niche audience, perhaps the people you want to reach are on a more specialized network like fashionspace.com or wahm.com. Don’t just assume that the “biggies” are best for your business. Take the time to do the research so you know which network will help you reach the people you are looking for.
Decide how much time you can devote daily: This is also very important. If you’re a solopreneur, you’ve got a lot to do already, and adding the maintenance of dozens of social networks to your plate means that you won’t do anything well. Instead, narrow your focus to one or two social networks based on the daily amount of time you can invest. Remember, doing one social network well is better than spreading yourself too thin and leaving no impression on people at all.
Learn the social network before jumping in: Once you’ve got a short list of social networks that would work for your business, spend some time researching them. Talk to other business owners that have used them, and ask about their results and best practices. Read the terms of service of the network so you’re clear on what you can and cannot do as a business on the social network. And take some time to observe how others use the network at a personal level. If most people use the social network personally, you want to be sure your understand the norms and cadence of the interactions there, so you don’t come in like a bull in a china shop, alienating the very people you want to reach.
Commit daily: Once you establish your presence on the social network, realize it’s a daily commitment. Especially in the beginning as you’re building your momentum, it’s absolutely critical that you spend time every single day connecting with the people on your social network. Share great content, talk to people, answer questions. It’s the giving of yourself each day that builds the engagement that leads to new business.
Add your social networks to your offline marketing: Now that you’ve got an online presence, be sure to add it to your offline interactions. Add the URL of your social presence to your business cards and signage. Invite every customer to connect with you online. Let your in-person business contacts know about special “online only” offers that you provide online to encourage them to join you there. The beauty of the online presence is that you can connect with people a lot more regularly than just waiting to connect in person. Be sure every person you work with is invited to join you online.
Measure! This is perhaps the most important part of social media, and the one most often neglected by business owners. It’s not enough to set up your online presence and “feel” that things are going well. You must measure. The ultimate goal of any social presence is to convert contacts on your social networks to people that help you meet the goals you outlined in the first bullet of this article. So if you’re looking to build your mailing list, be sure you’ve got a way for people to sign up to do that, and call it out regularly on your social networks. Then measure how many people come to your sign up form, and how many get to the success page after filling it out. How many do you lose? If too many people are abandoning your form before completion, maybe you need to change your form. If your goal is to get more customers, then you should be measuring how many people are coming from your social network to your shopping page (or into your store…are you asking how they heard about you?), and then how many actually make a purchase after visiting. Google Analytics will give you a lot of this information. Make sure you’ve got it installed on your website, and are looking at the data regularly.

It’s not enough to just jump on Facebook because everyone else seems to be doing it. A measured, thoughtful approach to your selection of social media tools, and then measuring the results of your actions, will bring you much closer to your goals.

What social tools do you use? Why did you choose them? How are they working for you? Would love to read your thoughts in the comments.

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How to Use Fun to Increase Business

How to Use Fun to Increase Business

If you’re like most people, you can recall a joke or two that you learned in your childhood and still retell it perfectly decades later. The reason you remember those jokes is the power of humor. When we find something funny, it signals our brains to store it in our memory. Using this idea can be highly beneficial to your business. Read on for some tips on how to incorporate fun elements into your business and increase your bottom line.

Make marketing fun! Many successful companies have created brands that don’t take themselves too seriously. For example, a pet waste removal service by the name of Doody Calls is one of the most successful in its locality. Why? Its name is simple, memorable, and invokes a laugh, giggle or at least a smile at the sound of it. Consider using wordplay in your marketing materials; it‘s a great way to stand out from the crowd.
Encourage friendly competition. The reason that gamification has become so popular in business is because it caters to our innate needs for recognition, praise, and the ability to express or display our accomplishments (think trophies and badges). Companies like FourSquare and Shopkick have taken this to the next level by posting leader boards and reminding you where you stand among your friends. Even if you are just starting out, create small ways for your customers to “play” and compete with each other for special gifts and incentives.
Create a progress tracker. This works really well on websites, but could also be applied to tangible incentives, like punch cards. For example, when customers place an order on your website, incorporate a progress bar that displays how close they are to completing the process. They could even get an extra reward for completing a brief survey upon placing the order. You could also create a punch/stamp card or other reward system, similar to the one used by Subway, where your card gets stamped with the purchase of each sub up until the 10^th one that you get for free. Something so simple rewards loyal customers and motivates new customers to continually come back.
Bring some fun to professional development sessions/team meetings. Fun is a highly effective motivator, so incorporate it into the contact you have with your downline or other staff. Create a theme for the meeting and select an appropriate, upbeat song to play as people arrive. (A meeting about personalized customer service could kick off with “Any Way You Want It” by Journey.) Have people pair up to solve a quick riddle or conduct a brief interview with each other. When you make such events fun for your team, they will look forward to coming, and in turn will enjoy the work part of it even more. A happy team makes a motivated team.

It’s no secret that success in small business takes a lot of “blood, sweat, and tears” so to speak. However, making your business fun for yourself, your customers, and your team will increase your ability to maintain success in the long term.

How do you use fun to increase business? Please share your ideas in the comments section below!

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How to Use LinkedIn for Your Small Business

How to Use LinkedIn for Your Small Business

Raise your hand if you have a LinkedIn account.

Now raise your hand if you haven’t used it since you set it up!

If you’re like many business owners, you set up your LinkedIn account a while ago, but other than serving as an online resume you have no idea what to do with it. But now is the time to change that, because there are many features within LinkedIn that can help you market your small business.

LinkedIn is primarily a networking tool. It is excellent for helping you connect with other professionals with whom you might be able to do business. Whether that’s an employer/employee relationship, a joint venture, or someone that joins your direct sales team, you can find motivated, competent people to connect with for your business when you use LinkedIn effectively.

Here are some ways to take better advantage of your LinkedIn account:

Your Profile: Be sure that your LinkedIn profile is complete, and lists all of your experience. Why? Because when people are searching for other people to connect with professionally, they will find you based on the keywords you use in your profile. It’s also a way to highlight your professional experience when people come to check you out. The more experience you have, the more likely it is that someone will choose to work with you.
Recommendations: Think about Amazon.com for a moment. Why do you think they include a place for people to leave comments about products? It’s because we’re more likely to believe what other people say about something than what a manufacturer says about its own product. The same holds true for you! When your LinkedIn profile is full of recommendations about how great you are…how committed you are to the professional development of your team…how amazing it is to work with you…people are more likely to believe it! It’s the difference between the resume, and glowing recommendations. Make sure you ask lots of the people that have worked with you to give you recommendations on LinkedIn. It’s an online way to make sure everyone knows how committed you are to the work you do.
Groups: LinkedIn also offers Groups, which are an outstanding way to network with others around certain topics, and demonstrate your expertise. Simply search for Groups related to what you do. There are many groups set up for direct sales, product lines, professions, etc. Once you join a group, participate in the conversation, share useful resources, answer questions, and get to know people. As you share great content, people will check out your profile to see who you are (which is why it needs to be complete!) And you can also spark offline conversations with people that may lead to additional business relationships.
Answers: Another way to demonstrate your professional expertise on LinkedIn is through LinkedIn Answers. You can find Answers under the “More” section of the LinkedIn top toolbar. Simply browse through the question categories to find questions related to your expertise. Then provide answers to those questions that you can. The more questions you answer, the more you demonstrate your expertise to LinkedIn users, which can lead to future business.

Now all of this, of course, takes time. And you must determine that the target market you want to reach is on LinkedIn. But if LinkedIn’s user base is in line with your goals for social media, making good use of the tools available can help you network professionally and build more opportunities for your business.

Do you use LinkedIn for your business? Does it provide you with additional business opportunities? Would love to read your thoughts on this tool in the comments below.

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National Consumer Protection Week Treasure Hunt – Treasure #6

National Consumer Protection Week Treasure Hunt – Treasure #6

It’s National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW)!

At DSEF, we’re ready to help you discover all the treasures available to help you make better choices as a consumer and business owner. Answer a Treasure Hunt question each day and you could win a fabulous daily prize!

At the end of the week, we’ll award a Kindle Fire to the Grand Prize winner chosen from all the entries. But everyone’s a winner who takes advantage of these free resources designed to help consumers make better choices.

Click here to see our official rules and list of prizes.

About Today’s Prize

A ProPay® Merchant Account is the simplest, most secure way to grow your business. ProPay offers 7 easy ways to accept card payments–online or offline. Rates are very competitive for swipe and keyed transactions. ProPay offers live, toll-free customer support. This prize gives you a 12-month ProPay Merchant Account.

You’ll also receive a ProPay JAK™. A ProPay JAK™ is a mobile phone credit card reader that lets you securely process credit and debit cards in real-time on your iOS or Android phones and devices. With a ProPay Account, all you have to do is download the ProPay Application, attach the card reader, and go! Process credit and debit cards anytime, anywhere you have data coverage. And the ProPay JAK Mobile Card Reader is secure. Your customers’ payment card data is encrypted on its reader head (at swipe) ensuring your customers’ data is protected.

(Winner is responsible for credit card processing fees associated with account.)

Enter to WIN this fabulous prize by answering the questions below. All answers can be found by starting at our NCPW web page. (Click the link to open it in a separate window.)

So answer today’s Treasure Hunt question, and then tell a friend!

UPDATE: Congratulations to our day 6 winner Jim O’Sullivan!

Bonus Entries:

Like the DSEF on Facebook. Leave a comment telling us you’ve Liked our Page.
Follow the DSEF on Twitter. Leave a separate comment telling us you follow us.
Follow the DSEF on Pinterest. Leave a separate comment telling us you follow us.
Share this contest with your friends on Facebook. Leave a separate comment telling us you’ve shared.
Share this with your friends on Twitter. Leave a separate comment telling us you’ve shared.
Pin this on Pinterest. Leave a separate comment telling us you’ve shared.

Each bonus entry will count as an entry into today’s drawing. Many thanks to the DSA Supplier Members that have donated prizes to make this a fabulous contest, including GoldMail, VZN, SUCCESS magazine, Tony Jeary, ProPay and The Tammy Stanley Sales Refinery.

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National Consumer Protection Week Treasure Hunt – Treasure #5

National Consumer Protection Week Treasure Hunt – Treasure #5

It’s National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW)!

Click here to see our official rules and list of prizes.

About Today’s Prize

SMS Marketing (aka Texting) is often the best way to reach the next generation of prospects for your business. Text messages are read by 94% of recipients within the first 4 minutes! VZN is offering a 12-month VZN SMS Texting Account. This prize includes 1,000 messages/month and 2 keywords.

Let VZN show you how easy it is to start, manage and track your SMS mobile marketing campaigns.

Enter to WIN this fabulous prize by answering the questions below. All answers can be found by starting at our NCPW web page. (Click the link to open it in a separate window.)

So answer today’s Treasure Hunt question, and then tell a friend!

UPDATE: Congratulations to our day 5 winner Terry! Check our Facebook Page for a link to today’s Treasure Hunt question.

Bonus Entries:

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Share this contest with your friends on Facebook. Leave a separate comment telling us you’ve shared.
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