All posts tagged direct selling

Four Ways to Make Sure You Perform at Your Best

Four Ways to Make Sure You Perform at Your Best
Four Ways to Make Sure You Perform at Your Best

Four Ways to Make Sure You Perform at Your BestIn order for you to work up to your potential, you must be in good physical and mental condition. The demands of a successful career in direct sales can sometimes be stressful, mostly because there is usually no one else to share the workload. You are not only your own boss, but also your own employee. If you find yourself feeling sluggish, unmotivated, or just disconnected from what you want to accomplish, here are four ways you can get back on track and create a ritual that will help you reach your full potential.
1. Eat foods that make you feel good and are healthy. This is often easier said than done, but eating a balanced and nutritious diet is beneficial in so many ways. You will look better, feel better, and have more energy. When all of these things are happening, you are free to concentrate on achieving your business goals. Tip: To accommodate a busy lifestyle, consider planning your meals a week at a time. Pick one day of the week to plan out meals for yourself and your family, shop, and prepare or cook what you can ahead of time. Freezer-friendly meals and slow cooker recipes are great for both healthy eating and convenience.
2. Get your body moving. Some people enjoy weekly yoga or spin classes at a fitness club, while others incorporate less formal exercise into their day. For example, put on your favorite song and dance in the kitchen as you get breakfast ready. Find a parking spot farther away from the building, take stairs instead of elevators, or take a walk on your lunch break. Physically active people enjoy better overall cardiovascular health. Think of how much more productive you could be with your blood flowing properly and your energy level steady throughout the day.
3. Write down your achievable goals for the day. Instead of a regular “to-do list,” jot down what achievable goals you’d like to accomplish for the day. Thinking in terms of “goals” rather than “tasks” puts more importance on how your daily tasks contribute to your business’ success and gives you a feeling of true accomplishment at the end of your day. Furthermore, by writing these goals down, you give yourself direction and will be more able to limit your distractions.
4. Focus on something that inspires and motivates you. Take some time for self-reflection to figure out what genuinely inspires and motivates you to be the best that you can be. Is it your children? Your quest for financial independence? A desire to positively affect others? Identify your inspiration and make it your focus each day. Use it to keep you on track and strive to do your job to the absolute best of your ability.

Keeping yourself strong in both the body and mind as well as staying connected to your emotions will serve you well in your professional endeavors. Incorporate these things into your life in ways that allow you to sustain them long-term. You are the only one who can do it, so believe in yourself.

Do you have anything to add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

Twist on Check Scam Targets Direct Sales Reps

Twist on Check Scam Targets Direct Sales Reps

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By Emily Patterson

Reps for direct sales companies like Avon, Thirty-One Gifts and Mary Kay are finding themselves the targets of a new take on the classic check scam. Scammers pose as new customers and try to con consultants out of hundreds of dollars.

How the Scam Works:

You are a consultant for a direct sales company, and you receive an email or text message from a potential customer. The exact details of the situation vary. The “new customer” may simply request to purchase a few products, but some scammers provide an elaborate back story.  In one recent version, the scammer alleges to be working on a movie filmed nearby and urgently needs makeup for the actors.

The request seems like an easy sale, so you prepare the products and receipt. Then, your new “customer” sends you an urgent message. There was some mix up, and she/he accidentally sent a check for far more money than the purchase amount. The customer suggests that you fix the mistake by depositing the check, keeping the money for the purchase and wiring the remainder to someone else.

The stories given vary. Sometimes you are asked to wire money to a “doctor.” Other times, you are supposedly sending cash to the daughter’s wedding planner. No matter the tale, a few things are for sure. The check is a fake, and, if you withdraw money against it, you are out those funds.

Tips to Avoid Fake Check Scams:

Whether you are a professional direct sales consultant or simply selling a few items on Craigslist, check scams are common cons. Here are some tips:

  1. Be wary of checks received from unknown individuals: When selling to someone you don’t know, it is safer to accept cash or credit card payments.
  2. Do not accept overpayments: Don’t take checks for more than the sales price, no matter what convincing story the buyer tells you.
  3. Do not wire money to anyone you do not know: Wired money is extremely difficult to trace, and you will not be able to recover these funds. The same goes for pre-paid debit cards, a new favorite payment method for scammers.
  4. Confirm before you withdraw cash: A check can take several days to clear, and, until then, you are responsible for any funds withdrawn against it. To make sure the check cleared, call your bank… not the telephone number listed on the check.

For More Information

To find out more about scams, check out BBB Scam Stopper.

DSEF and the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) foster 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. Visit www.bbb.org/us for more information.

Five Concepts to Improve Your Salesmanship

Five Concepts to Improve Your Salesmanship
Five Concepts to Improve Your Salesmanship

Five Concepts to Improve Your SalesmanshipAmong all your various responsibilities as a direct seller, don’t forget that the life blood of your business comes down to sales. A product or service has to be sold in order for you to make money. Improving your salesmanship can take your business to the next level, whether you just signed on the dotted line yesterday, or have been doing this for years while creating a large downline. The list below will help strengthen your salesmanship.

1. Imagine yourself as the customer. By putting yourself in the customer’s shoes, you can avoid doing anything that might cause a rejection. You’ll also be able to tap into what a potential customer truly needs from you. If you were the customer, what would you need to know before making a purchase? What problem do you have that can be solved? How can you be sure the product is of high quality and value? Considering a different perspective of a sale will allow you to address concerns and emphasize relevant information.

2. Don’t shy away from talking about money. Most people, understandably so, feel uncomfortable talking about money in any specific way. Avoid giving the impression that you are one of them. Discuss any financial talk in a straightforward, matter-of-fact way, and answer any questions honestly, thoroughly, and without hesitation. Potential customers are always wary of being taken advantage of, so demonstrate that you have nothing to hide and truly want to provide a valuable product or service to them. Talking about money is a necessary step toward closing a sale.

3. Take your time and be overly prepared. Do some research ahead of time to prepare for a sale. Who is the potential customer? Find out some background information to incorporate into your presentation. For example, your hostess has told you that most of her guests are her colleagues, mostly teachers and teachers’ aides. Ask some questions about the school, what subjects/ grade levels the guests teach, and what they might be looking for at that night’s party. Your customers will appreciate your attentiveness and interest in their lives and will be in tune to your desire to fulfill a need. Think of the time spent preparing as an investment in your business.

4. Be truly curious about your customer. If you aren’t genuine about helping others, it won’t take long for the customer to figure that out. Accept that truly caring about what a customer wants or needs is the key to earning trust and respect. Ask questions, listen carefully, and respond appropriately to the individual. No one is interested in a generic pitch, so adopt a curiosity that will benefit both you and the customer.

5. Always follow up promptly and thoroughly. Whether the sale is made or not, follow up with the customer in a timely manner. If the sale was made, find out if the person is satisfied with the purchase and what you can do if there is a complaint. If the sale wasn’t made, contact the person anyway to thank him or her for taking the time to speak with you. Following up consistently is a skill that will serve you well both personally and professionally.

It’s okay if you don’t feel comfortable playing the “salesperson” role, but adopting the concepts mentioned above will greatly improve your selling ability. What would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below.

Three Quick Tips to Improve Your Team

Three Quick Tips to Improve Your Team
Three Quick Tips to Improve Your Team

Three Quick Tips to Improve Your TeamOnce you’ve invested a great deal of time and effort into building your team, the next step is to invite success by helping them improve as individuals and as a whole. By doing so, everyone wins. Each member of your team will find individual business success and will be able to pass that on to his/her downline as well. When this happens, the financial benefits increase. In today’s post, we’ve selected three steps you can take right away to improve your team and subsequently grow your business.

  1. Help each person focus on his/her goal and future. Chances are that each person on your team has a different goal. Sally might just want to work a few nights a month and make enough to pay for her daughter’s dance lessons, while Jill, who recently lost her job due to downsizing, is determined to make her direct sales business a full-time job with a full-time income. Sally and Jill’s goals couldn’t be more different, so make sure that as a leader, you help them focus on the individual goal. Doing so will make it more real, and they will have sincere motivation because it comes from something they truly desire. Help each person visualize achieving the goal and define what needs to be done to get there.
  2. Provide mini workshops so they can learn new skills. As with most industries, direct sales is always changing and adjusting to meet the needs of its customers. Stay on top of industry trends, changes from the corporate office, and even newly created techniques for closing a sale or signing a recruit. Teach a mini-workshop or hold a training call if possible once a month to teach your team new skills. Professional development not only helps the individual improve a business, but it also refreshes people’s ambition and determination to succeed. Choose a different topic each time, make a brief presentation, do a Q & A, and then provide a call to action for your downline to put the information to use. As an added incentive, follow up at the next workshop with invitations for your team to share their successes and perhaps earn a small reward.
  3. Rally around a cause to bring your team together. It is easy to get caught up in one’s own needs and responsibilities when working in direct sales, so find a cause that requires your team to work together. Cooperation and collaboration fosters an environment of camaraderie and creates a culture of support among colleagues. For example, a local family is raising money to pay for the medical bills of a sick child. Aside from donating a basket of goodies to be raffled off at the fundraiser, a direct sales team leader called on each of her members in the area to attend the event with a guest from outside the industry. For those not in the area or simply unable to go to the fundraiser, she called on them to find another way to contribute. She created a competition of sorts among other direct sales team leaders she knew. Her team was motivated not only for the cause of the fundraiser, but also to win out over the other direct sales teams participating. They were able to work together and contribute generously to a worthy cause; furthermore, they got a chance to know each other better, which guaranteed support for each other going forward.

It is said that a leader is only as good as his or her team. There are so many reasons to invest the time into making your team the best it can be, so don’t let this responsibility fall by the wayside. You will not only be helping your own business, but you will be making a difference in the lives of others by contributing to their successes.

What quick tips do you have for improving your team? Please share below!

Four Quick Steps to Overcoming Mistakes

Four Quick Steps to Overcoming Mistakes
Four Quick Steps to Overcoming Mistakes

Four Quick Steps to Overcoming Mistakes

“You make mistakes. Mistakes don’t make you.” This quote by surgeon and author Maxwell Maltz speaks volumes about how to overcome your mistakes. We all make them in every aspect of our lives, but when you are self-employed, they can be especially devastating. Rather than dwelling on the mistake or pretending as if it never happened, here are four steps you can take right away to overcome your mistakes and keep moving forward.

1. Recognize that your ultimate goal is to improve and that mistakes are part of the learning process. No one is immune to making mistakes, and as someone who is always striving to better himself, embrace your mistake so you can learn from it. For example, a consultant new to her direct sales business, was asked by a customer if a particular pair of earrings was hypoallergenic. The consultant, instead of checking to be 100% certain, gave her best guess on the spot. She turned out to be wrong, causing the customer to complain about the product and return it for a full refund. The consultant was worried that she had made a bad impression on this customer and her friends from the party, but instead of letting it get the best of her, she realized that she is capable of overcoming this setback. It was surely a rookie mistake, and in the grand scheme of things, it wouldn’t make or break her business.

2. Find a way to rectify your mistake. The sooner you can do this, the better. Our jewelry consultant from the example above fixed her mistake by calling the customer to apologize for giving the wrong information, and also sent her a handwritten note with a $20 credit to use on a future order. She wanted the customer to know that she wasn’t a careless person, but that she was an honest businesswoman who made a beginner’s mistake. It was important for the customer to know that she truly wanted to rectify the situation.  If at all possible, fix your mistake so that you can begin anew without the worry of a previous error.

3. Forgive yourself. People in direct sales businesses are naturally ambitious and motivated to succeed. Because of this, we can sometimes be our own worst critics. Although it is good to hold yourself to a high standard, cut yourself some slack when you make a mistake. If you spend too much time beating yourself up about it, you won’t be able to get past it and possibly won’t be able to enjoy what you do. Forgive yourself so you can rebuild your confidence and move forward.

4. Give yourself an opportunity to vent your frustrations and express your emotions. It is unhealthy for you to keep your emotions bottled up. Confiding in a close friend or relative about how you are feeling or writing in a journal can be quite therapeutic. You’ll likely feel much better after venting and you can then continue to move ahead.

Mistakes are inevitable in any endeavor, so rather than letting them define you, embrace them by learning, improving, forgiving yourself, and moving on. You will be more successful in the long run if you do.

How do you overcome your mistakes? Please share your comments below!

Six Telltale Signs You Found a Leader

Six Telltale Signs You Found a Leader
Six Telltale Signs You Found a Leader

Six Telltale Signs You Found a LeaderSurrounding yourself with successful people plays a large role in your business success. An effective leader can mentor, motivate, and inspire you to do great things. You can likely look back on your years in school and identify a teacher or two who did any or all of those things for you. What did you achieve during your time with that teacher? The same goes for the real world of entrepreneurship. When looking for leaders to add to your circle and your business, here are some qualities to look for

  • The person gets things done. Not only can she be relied upon to keep her word, but she finds the most efficient way to meet her responsibilities. You can learn from people who maximize their time in such a way, as it allows them to accomplish more and to do it faster.
  • He/she has good social skills and is likeable. Most leaders have a natural way of relating to others and possess a certain amount of charisma. Others enjoy being around them, and they make for good company in both their professional and personal social lives. This likeable quality helps them earn respect and trust from their colleagues. Someone who can understand and relate to others can more easily lead those folks to achieve success.
  • A leader wants to achieve more. A leader never stops raising the bar. This person seeks continual improvement, and in turn leads others to do the same. In business, this benefits everyone. If each person in your upline is motivated to achieve more and passes that inspiration and knowledge on to you, you will achieve and continue it on to your downline. It is almost instinctual for a leader to frequently assess his or her set of goals to achieve long-term success.
  • The person learns quickly. This requires a great amount of focus, good listening skills, and a willingness to try new things right away. The ability to learn quickly allows a leader to acquire and master a large amount of skills, providing versatility that will serve him/her well in all aspects of the business.
  • He/she is organized. Organization is crucial to maximize efficiency and make time for income-producing activities. For example, since tax time can be stressful, many people have adopted a system that they keep updated throughout the entire year. When April arrives, filing taxes is easy and can be done quickly and accurately. One direct seller recommends his system of keeping his receipts in order by type of purchase instead of by month, so reporting his deductions the right way is much easier. If organization is not your strong suit, look to these people for guidance.
  • A leader understands the power of working as a team. No one finds success without the help of others in some way. Every man for himself does not work in direct sales. Working as a team has the power to bring success to everyone involved, and a leader not only understands this concept, but knows how to facilitate collaboration to make this happen.

Consider these characteristics when deciding with whom to surround yourself and who to emulate. If you have a good leader in your midst, take his or her advice to heart and use that person as a role model for how to achieve your goals.

What are some qualities of the leaders in your life? Please share your comments below!

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 5)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 5)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014

UPDATE: Big congratulations to our Friday winner: Jaime Tucker! 

In answer to our question, We’d love to know…which of the resources on our Resources Page was your favorite?, Jaime shared the following answer:

“Mobile banking.”

And the winner of the iPad mini is Carrie Douthit!! Congratulations Carrie! Here’s what Carrie said was her favorite resource:

“The technology and privacy information was the most useful to me. Thank you.”

Thanks to everyone for playing! And remember, you can access all of our free 2014 consumer protection resources at any time on this page: http://dsef.org/what-we-do/consumer-initiative/national-consumer-protection-week/ncpw-2014/

It’s the 5th and final day of our National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) celebration! We’ve already given away four amazing prize bundles, full of amazing products from direct selling companies, and today we’re giving away one more! We’ve also been highlighting some of the amazing resources available on the web to help you make informed choices as a consumer and business owner.

Each day this week, we’ve posted a question. When you use the NCPW resources we’ve provided to answer the question, you’ll be entered to win an amazing gift tote full of products from a number of generous companies in the direct sales industry. We’ve provided some bonus entry options as well.

We’re giving away a bundle of amazing products worth over $750 each day, so be sure to come back each day to enter!

Prize Details

Today’s winner will receive a bundle of products from over 20 DSA member companies, including at least one of the following from each of these companies:

On Friday, we will choose one name from among all entries throughout the week to win an iPad mini, donated by Mannatech. Winner will be announced Monday, March 10 on our Facebook Page.

Contest also sponsored by Nu Skin, who is generously providing program funding.

 

How to Enter

Simply leave a comment answering today’s question: We’d love to know…which of the resources on our Resources Page was your favorite? (Find all the resources on our NCPW resources page! – Opens in a separate window)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada, ages 18 and older.

Good luck, and don’t forget to tell your friends!

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 4)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 4)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014

UPDATE: Big congratulations to our Thursday winner: Tammy van Dongen! 

In answer to our question, What does a marketer need to have in order to claim that their product is non-toxic?, Tammy shared the following answer:

“Marketers who claim that their product is non-toxic need competent and reliable scientific evidence that the product is safe for both people and the environment.”

Here’s the link to enter Friday’s contest: http://dsef.org/2014/03/07/national-consumer-protection-week-2014-contest-day-5/

It’s one of our favorite weeks of the year…National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW)! It’s a time to highlight some of the amazing resources available on the web to help you make informed choices as a consumer and business owner. And since we love this week so much, we’ve decided once again to make it even MORE fun with a contest!

Each day this week, we’ll post a question. Use the NCPW resources we’ve provided to answer the question, and you’ll be entered to win an amazing gift bundle full of products from a number of generous companies in the direct sales industry. We’ve provided some bonus entry options as well.

We’re giving away a bundle of amazing products worth over $750 each day, so be sure to come back each day to enter!

Prize Details

Today’s winner will receive a bundle of products from over 20 DSA member companies, including at least one of the following from each of these companies:

On Friday, we will choose one name from among all entries throughout the week to win an iPad mini, donated by Mannatech.

Contest also sponsored by Nu Skin, who is generously providing program funding.

 

How to Enter

Simply leave a comment answering today’s question: What does a marketer need to have in order to claim that their product is non-toxic? (Find the link to the answer on our NCPW resources page! – Opens in a separate window)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada, ages 18 and older, and ends at midnight ET, Thursday, March 6.

Good luck, and don’t forget to tell your friends!

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 3)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 3)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014

UPDATE: Big congratulations to our Wednesday winner: Courtney Cates! 

In answer to our question, What are two things you should do if you know your email has been hacked?, Courtney shared the following answer:

“Have extremely strong passwords including letters and numbers, make sure that you have security on your computer, and remove malware.”

Find the link to enter each day’s contest here: http://dsef.org/2014/02/26/national-consumer-protection-week-2014-contest/

It’s one of our favorite weeks of the year…National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW)! It’s a time to highlight some of the amazing resources available on the web to help you make informed choices as a consumer and business owner. And since we love this week so much, we’ve decided once again to make it even MORE fun with a contest!

Each day this week, we’ll post a question. Use the NCPW resources we’ve provided to answer the question, and you’ll be entered to win an amazing gift tote full of products from a number of generous companies in the direct sales industry. We’ve provided some bonus entry options as well.

We’re giving away a bundle of amazing products worth over $750 each day, so be sure to come back each day to enter!

Prize Details

Today’s winner will receive a bundle of products from over 20 DSA member companies, including at least one of the following from each of these companies:

On Friday, we will choose one name from among all entries throughout the week to win an iPad mini, donated by Mannatech.

Contest also sponsored by Nu Skin, who is generously providing program funding.

How to Enter

Simply leave a comment answering today’s question: What are two things you should do if you know your email has been hacked? (Find the link to the answer on our NCPW resources page! – Opens in a separate window)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada, ages 18 and older.

Good luck, and don’t forget to tell your friends!

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 2)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014 Contest (Day 2)

National Consumer Protection Week 2014

UPDATE: Big congratulations to our Tuesday winner: Tammy Penny! 

In answer to our question, What are two things you should consider when deciding whether or not to purchase a service contract when buying a used car?, Tammy shared the following answer:

“Do you have to buy a service contract and does the service contract duplicate any warranty coverage.”

Find the link to enter each day’s contest here: http://dsef.org/2014/02/26/national-consumer-protection-week-2014-contest/

It’s one of our favorite weeks of the year…National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW)! It’s a time to highlight some of the amazing resources available on the web to help you make informed choices as a consumer and business owner. And since we love this week so much, we’ve decided once again to make it even MORE fun with a contest!

Each day this week, we’ll post a question. Use the NCPW resources we’ve provided to answer the question, and you’ll be entered to win an amazing gift tote full of products from a number of generous companies in the direct sales industry. We’ve provided some bonus entry options as well.

We’re giving away a bag stuffed full of amazing products each day, so be sure to come back each day to enter!

Prize Details

Today’s winner will receive a bundle of products from over 20 DSA member companies, including at least one of the following from each of these companies:

On Friday, we will choose one name from among all entries throughout the week to win an iPad mini, donated by Mannatech.

Contest also sponsored by Nu Skin, who is generously providing program funding.

How to Enter

Simply leave a comment answering today’s question: What are two things you should consider when deciding whether or not to purchase a service contract when buying a used car? (Find the link to the answer on our NCPW resources page! – Opens in a separate window)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

* Contest is open to residents of the US and Canada, ages 18 and older.

Good luck, and don’t forget to tell your friends!