There are hundreds of thousands of direct sales consultants. Within your own company there are likely thousands of fellow consultants, also known as competitors. What makes you special so that customers and recruits should do business with you?

Consider this: Quick, take 10-15 seconds to list as many toothpaste brands as you can. Tick tock … no, really, do it, now. (Insert Jeopardy music here). Okay, how many did you list? I’m guessing maybe three – five different brands. Did you know there are over 100 brands of toothpaste?

Think about why you remembered those that you listed. Those companies are clearly doing a good job with branding. Generally a company will set themselves apart by highlighting a particular benefit – they’re the most efficient, or the tastiest, or the longest lasting or most convenient, or most versatile or any number of factors. What most will not want to be known for is being the cheapest. Competing on price isn’t generally a good idea.

Now think about your own direct sales business. While there is a corporate office and there are the products, essentially you are the company. You are the face that represents those products and that business opportunity. If you’re a real gem, customers will be pleased with the company. If you’re a doozy of a consultant, there’s a chance you’ve ruined the whole company for many customers. (more…)

One of the reasons I have been successful with my direct sales business all these years is because I run my business like a business. I consider profit margins. I look at getting the best return on my investment and I consider all actions I do to determine if it is in the best interest of my business.

My degree is in business administration, so perhaps that’s why I look at my direct sales business with a different set of eyes than many independent consultants who aren’t able to see they’re losing money. If I started a business (joined a direct sales company, aka Business in a Box) I’m doing so to earn a profit. Otherwise it is just an expensive or fun hobby.

With that above preface let’s have a family roundtable meeting about Swap Groups. For those unfamiliar with what I’m referring – it’s typically on online group, generally on Facebook, where various direct sales independent consultants get together to help each other by being forced to buy from each other. The rules can vary but the concept is similar in each group. Unless it’s a cookie swap or Christmas ornament swap I am against direct sales swap groups and here’s why: (more…)

Have you heard the rumor that the J-months (January, June and July) are slow for many direct sales businesses?  Don’t believe it! It’s false! Of course they will be slow if you stop working your business, but that’s a given.

Keeping Working Your Business in the Summer

Direct sales takes a unique balance of working for the future and working for the now. If you look too far in advance you’ll sacrifice your current month. Take advantage of current customer and host promotions and events that may be ideal for gift giving. However if you don’t fill your calendar in advance then your future months will be unproductive. It’s a bit like having to pat your head and rub your belly at the same time. It can be done if you focus. (more…)

Does your direct sales business offer any products that could be enjoyed by children? If so, host an art contest. Advertising the contest and the final submissions will increase exposure to your business.

How to Organize an Art Contest

There are a couple different ways you can do organize it. You could host a local art contest at your home or local property, with permission of the property owner of course.  You could also open it up online to accept electronic submissions.  Host a Sidewalk Chalk competition and/or other mediums such as print ads, murals or posters.

Then determine what age group for whom you want to open the contest. If your company offers scented stuffed animals you could select a younger starting age than you could if you sell jewelry that may be more enjoyed by tweens or tweens.

Next determine the criteria. Make sure the contestants include your company name, website address and perhaps a slogan or product image of their choosing that must be included in their artwork.

If doing a Sidewalk Chalk local contest, set a date, make sure there is plenty of sidewalk space, supply the chalk and pray for good weather.  Provide simple snacks, such as lemonade and popsicles for all artists and have something available for the taxi drivers, i.e. adults who may likely accompany the minor and possibly shop at your open house or catalog party while their little Picasso is working on the winning entry.

Take lots of photos of the event and post the results online.

You can make it as simple or as complex as you want. You can have random, non-partial judges pick a winner or you can have the contestants help spread the word online with a voting (most likes wins) option.  Grand Prize would be a prize package of your company products or a gift basket.  Runners up could also win something and all other participants receive either a sample or coupon or some token award for participating.

Let your imagination guide you on how elaborate and widespread you want to organize your Direct Sales Art Contest. I would encourage you to use the artists to help you spread the word about your business.  Be sure to come back and comment or send links if you hold an art contest for your business so we can help spread the word.

‘Tis the season to set up shop at vendor events, craft shows, expos and fairs. Rather than give you a long list of things you can do to ensure a successful show, it’s easier to highlight what not to do at vendor events.

The Perfect Bad Example.

1. I approached a vendor to find her in one booth representing two different direct sales companies. This is generally prohibited by most companies, as a conflict of interest. Even if it’s not a policy violation, it sends a horrible message that she’s not doing well enough with either to sustain her. (more…)

Spend the next two minutes with me and I’ll show you how to be memorable and effective the next time someone asks “What do you do?” or “Tell us about your business.”

Business networking the old fashioned way, in person, can be uncomfortable or awkward if it’s not an activity you’re used to doing. It takes a little bit more than tweeting or updating your status electronically. As you’re mingling or going round-robin around the table talking about your business you’ll want to make a lasting impression.

You can find a host of resources on crafting your 30-second elevator speech. I prefer the K.I.S.S. method -  Keep it Short and Simple (or Keep it Simple, Stupid). Rather than making it a thesis project, I like something that’s easy to remember and easy to employ. Here it is: (more…)

If you can complete a jigsaw puzzle, you can have a successful direct sales business.

Puzzles and direct sales – you’re not seeing the correlation? Read on.

My name is Laurie, and I am a jigsaw puzzle addict.  Time seems to stand still when I am buried in 1,000 puzzle pieces. “Just one more piece… then I have other things I need to get done. Okay, just one more.” Suddenly hours have passed. Such dedication. Such a sense of accomplishment.

I just picked up a new puzzle this weekend when I was at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. It was 1,000 pieces and the theme was my beautiful state of Michigan. I started it Sunday night and by Monday evening it was completed.

As I was working on the puzzle I was thinking about all the similarities between putting the pieces together and owning your own direct sales business.

Problem solving – I know that I need a black flat piece with an innie on the left and an outtie on the right. Now all I have to do it find that piece. I have to actively look for it. Also whether I’m working on my Scentsy website or overcoming objections from team members or potential recruits, I have to actively seek out exactly what I need. (more…)

Direct sales consultants often get frustrated when their business starts off great then quickly fizzles out. This frequently happens because their family and friends initially support their new business venture by buying product and hosting parties. In some aspects this gives the consultant a false sense of success and how easy this business is.

After the family and friends have all the product they need (and probably some they don’t need) then the consultant finds herself in the NFL (No Friends/Family Left). Family and friends are considered a warm market – the people she knows. Once a consultant hits the NFL then it’s time to branch out into a cold market.

A cold market doesn’t necessarily need to be complete strangers.

It could include a hair stylist, a mom from a child’s school, the mailman or the cashier at the local grocery store.  To succeed in direct sales, and to build and maintain a business requires relentless positive action. It requires getting out of the warm market and sharing the product with people who aren’t considered family and friends.

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Are you a victim or a survivor? Your mindset determines how far you will soar.

Whenever I hear direct sales consultants lament that they never hear from their sponsor, it instantly causes me to delve further. Rarely do they mean that they contacted their upline with a question or concern and never heard back. Instead they generally make this complaint with a victim mentality.

What I mean by that is frequently those who complain that they never hear from their sponsor are the ones who aren’t doing well in their direct sales business. They’re also the same ones who haven’t taken an initiative or responsibility to get the information they need. These are the consultants who tend to blame others for their own failures.

Ouch! Harsh words, I know.

I also realize there are exceptions to every rule. I am aware there are some horrible sponsors out there who need to take non-leadership roles if they aren’t going to lead their teams. These situations are not what I’m referring to here and now. I’m talking about the independent consultants who sit back and wait for their sponsor to hold their hands and tell them what to do every step of the way. These are the consultants who consider themselves victims. (more…)

Everyone loves to hear their own name.  Nothing gets your attention more than hearing your own name. Why? It connects you. We often find ourselves being connected more to a person who personalizes relationships with names rather than with pronouns or just nouns (sir, ma’am, miss, hon, sweetie).

Direct sales is all about building relationships. People like to do business with those they know, trust or like. If you want to increase your sales, bookings or recruits, one small word can make a huge difference.  That word is [Name].  Whether you’re talking with someone face to face, on the phone, or typing, using a person’s name will help your build relationships.

Using a person’s name will make you more approachable and more likable.

Don’t believe me? Try it. I challenge you for the next seven days to go out of your way to use others’ first name.  When you’re out and about and see someone with a name tag, use it. Next time your barista hands you a White Chocolate Mocha, thank that person using the name on the name tag.  No name tag? That’s easy – just ask, others are happy to tell you their name because they love to hear their own name.

When the waitress approaches the table and says “I’m Laurie, and I’ll be taking care of you today” – how many times has “Laurie” walked away and you never heard or didn’t pay attention to her name? As soon as someone introduces themselves to you or answers your question inquiring what their name is – repeat it back.  The correct response to “I’m Laurie, and I’ll be taking care of you today” – would be something like “Thank you, Laurie”.  Or “May I have a cup of coffee please, Laurie?”

There are plenty of tips and techniques on how you can remember names.

The easiest for me is simply to repeat it as soon as you hear it, and use it frequently.

Remember the scene from the Parent Trap (the remake with Lindsey Lohan) when she keeps calling Dennis Quaid “Dad”? Annie, pretending to be Hallie, goes home to Napa instead of England so she can meet her father, who doesn’t expect anything out of the ordinary. Their conversation goes like this:

She runs to embrace him with a big smile, saying, “Dad! Finally!” The father tells her he missed her and a lot had been happening. Annie responds, “A lot’s been happening to me too, Dad. I mean, I feel I’m practically a new woman!” (more…)