Direct Sales Home Business | Direct Sales Marketing & Mentoring- Nancy Sutherland

Dec 18

Welcome to my success blog where you will receive hope and inspiration, even during tough economic times! While you are here, don't forget to join my FREE Email subscription club. (There are also tons of FREE BONUSES!)
If you are looking for an answer to a prayer so that you can work at home - I can help you!
Subscribers are also the first to know when I do a podcast or webinar!We don't sell, rent, share your information ever.

images_sizedimage_110162154 The Mary Kay Party Makes A Comeback

Reporting
Jorge Estevez

MIAMI (CBS4) ―

numSlides of totalImage

A new trend has women looking for a way to make extra money. Not only are women working full time jobs, but they’re taking up a second part-time job in the beauty industry.

“I love the way the company works I love the way the products feel on my skin,” said Jackie Alvarez, who signed up to be a Mary Kay Consultant. She is enjoying the extra boost to her pocket book. Alvarez already works in human resources during the day.

“I want to have a baby within the next two years and my current income isn’t enough,” said Alvarez to CBS4’s Jorge Estevez, as she showed him her home office full of make up supplies.

Alvarez can make thousands a month, like with many reputable stay at home sales jobs. The money is something you are hoping will help get you ahead of the game. “Money doesn’t buy happiness but it opens doors, ” said Alvarez, who wants to supplement her family’s income.

In fact, reports suggest the Mary Kay Company has a seen a forty percent spike in women signing up to sell. and here is why, with most beauty companies there is no money up front and you get as much as fifty percent commission.

“I have noticed that a lot of women are coming to Mary Kay starting their business in Mary Kay because they spouses are loosing their business or their jobs or simply because they earn extra money,” said Leslie Martinez, Independent Sales Director for Mary Kay.

So with Mary Kay, Jackie is prepared for a downturn in the economy. “If I should loose my job. or if my husband should come into hard times with his business, then I have something to fall back on,” said Alvarez.

The Mary Kay Party Makes A Comeback - cbs4.com (Read the entire article here)

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON A DIRECT SALES BUSINESS CLICK HERE

Related Reading:

Mary Kay on People Management

Pearls of Wisdom with Mary Kay Ash 2 Cd Set 40th Anniversary Special Edition

Mary Kay Ash: Mary Kay, a Beautiful Business (Wizards of Business)

The Mary Kay Guide to Beauty, Discovering Your Special Look

Mary Kay on People Management

Technorati Tags: direct sales home business, direct sales work at home, directsales in any economy

Dec 8

Do You Have a Plan B? Now is the Time to Consider One!

As you listen to the news and other media continually report how bad the economy is, I like to deliver good news to you here in my direct sales blog.
According to the NY Times,
“Since March 2008, college-educated workers have been abandoning the labor force while high school dropouts have been joining it. Over the same period, the unemployment rate has risen more than twice as much for high school dropouts as for college graduates.”
The Job Market for College …

“The share of women with jobs has fallen almost two percentage points from the peak it reached in 2000; at no other point in the past 50 years has the share of employed women has fallen so much from its peak. “
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/workers-give-up/

What this means to me is, everyone should begin to consider having additional streams of income. Regardless of whether you have a job or another home business, now is a great time to explore the possibility of a legitimate “Plan B” for yourself and your family.

The good news is that the direct sales industry is growing every day. In fact, “The Pink Ladies Thrive in Bleak Economy”. I have had my direct sales business for almost 23 years now,( January 1 is my anniversary) with no other job along the way. What I have seen in previous down times in the economy are two things- an increase in home party demonstrations, and an increase in recruiting. Even during the great depression, alcohol, tobacco and cosmetics still continued to be viable businesses. (I won’t discuss the first two, but my experience is with the third category)

A direct sales home business is something that most people can start part time while they are working another job or choosing to stay at home with the children. (WAHM) In fact, over 80% start their business while working another job. This is an excellent way to discover whether being an entrepreneur is a lifestyle that you too can enjoy!

The first step is to find the direct sales company that you wish to represent. Every company has a different marketing plan, and also levels of training and support within. It would be best to find one whose products you really believe in because that enthusiasm can be important in helping you to make sales.

For me, the Company that I represent was a natural because I had already been using the products for years beforehand and knew how terrific they were. I was very excited to introduce these high-quality products to others, first as a hostess, then as a new consultant.

Many don’t consider the potential of developing reorders when you sell a consumable product. The reorder business is so good that many stop building their business and just maintain their existing customers, but stay in business for life.

Is it possible to make money in your direct sales company without recruiting? While with many companies, the answer is no, there are many other companies that the answer is yes. Although recruiting is a rewarding and lucrative avenue of income, if you have a great product to sell, there is money to be made with that alone. Only about 5% of the independent beauty consultants in my unit have ever recruited, but still enjoy the benefit of the direct selling and reorder business, staying in business for over a decade or more!

There is still time before the end of the year to start a home business and gain some valuable tax benefits as well for this year! (talk to your accountant for more details) What do you think? I would love to answer any questions that you have about direct sales here on this blog.

Some next steps-

For more information about a home business in direct sales, click here.
Leave me your comments or questions here on this blog.
Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and receive my new FREE EBOOK- “Secrets to Success in Direct Sales” ( limited offer)
For a free 15 minute strategy call with me via phone or skype, fill out the contact form below-
1. Your Name(valid email required)
2. Email(valid email required)
3. Website
4. Message(required)
5. phone number(required)
cforms contact form by delicious:days

Related Reading:

Network Marketing Survival 2: The Sequel to the Best Selling Network Marketing Survival Guide!
Direct Marketing Through Broadcast Media: Tv, Radio, Cable, Infomercials, Home Shopping, and More (NTC Business Books)
Step into Sales: Six Weeks to Successful Direct Selling from Your Home
Makeup Optional: Lessons I Learned Working From Home
Relic of '60s survives and thrives: Direct sales barely make a dent in traditional retail, but are gaining in popularity. (Cover Story).: An article from: Business Record (Des Moines)

Technorati Tags: directsales business opportunities, legitimate direct sales companies, make extra money in direct sales

Dec 2

Prepare Your Business For a Great Year in 2009

Now that we are in the last month of the year, the direct sales retail sales are booming and I am making each day count. What I am hearing from my consultants and coaching clients is not exactly the same thing. Some direct sales companies are not set up to stock inventory. So there is a cut off in December when you can still receive your purchases before Christmas. Even in my business where we stock inventory, there are frequently times when the sales exceed the products on hand. So after December 16, it would be safe to say that all direct sales companies are limited to selling the products on hand.

Does that mean that it is time to stop working and take the rest of the month off? Certainly not! December is a festive time of year where many people see and contact friends and family that they haven’t seen all year. What better time to tell them about your direct sales business, and do a “show and tell” presentation!

I continue to hold personal shopping appointments all the way up until a day or so before Christmas. Time management is crucial. There is still plenty of time to bake, visit friends, attend the children’s programs at school and of course, shop. It’s a matter of prioritizing. Set aside each night the six most important things that you want to accomplish the following day. (notice I said six, not sixty) Whatever you don’t finish, put on the list for the following day.

Start to create a list of people who are want to be a hostess in January. You will hear that a lot this month. Some of them may be recipients of gifts that you sell in December. Plan to spend fifteen minutes a day on the phone the week between Christmas and New Year contacting those people. If you wait until the first week in January, your business will be stalled for about a month, making it even harder to start again.

December is also a great time to send out greeting cards or emails to your customers thanking them for another year of business. That personal touch goes a long way towards growing the relationship and building customers for life.

Does your direct sales business include recruiting as an avenue of income? December is the best month for starting a new business. There are many expenses associated with starting a home business that can be a tax deduction!

The important thing is to make a plan, a marketing strategy for this month and stick to it. I am offering a free 15 minute strategy call if you would like my assistance in putting together your plan. It would be my pleasure to help you to finish off 2008 strong and make 2009 your best year ever! I have 23 years experience with the same company. I love empowering other women to succeed by sharing my skills with them!

Related Reading:

516X3K4FDWL._SL75_ Top Five Ways to Stay Motivated in Direct Sales

101 Great Mail-Order Businesses, Revised 2nd Edition: The Very Best (and Most Profitable!) Mail-Order Businesses You Can Start with Little or No Money

41yOuiBGMzL._SL75_ Top Five Ways to Stay Motivated in Direct Sales

Building Network Marketing Relationships With E-mail Marketing

Direct Media Technology Interactive Training Manager Version 5 12 Userpack Sale Component Including 12 Months Software Support

Selecting and training salesmen, and their relation to overhead and direct costs of marketing (American Management Association. Marketing executives' series)

Direct Media Technology Interactive Training Manager Version 5 11 Userpack Sale Component Including 12 Months Software Support: Dmt Int Train Manager 11 User Comp

Technorati Tags: goal setting, home business motivation, work at home challenges

Oct 31

Aptitude or Attitude?

In honor of upcoming Veterans Day, this is a guest post by my husband Alex Sutherland. Alex is a retired U S Army officer who works full time with me in my business. His insight combines what he has learned in the military with what we do in my direct sales business. Read Alex’s guest post this week on EMail Our Military’s Blog!

DISCOVER THE 80/20 RULE:

What is the 80/20 rule? Fully eighty percent of your success as a WAHM will be determined by your attitude and only twenty percent by your aptitude. Some people feel that attitude is ninety percent of success in all human endeavors involving other people. People will always follow leaders who exemplify this practice. DEVELOP A POSITIVE ATTITUDE: A positive mental attitude, or a constructive and optimistic way of looking at yourself and your work, goes hand in hand with sales success in every field and in every market. The development of this unshakable attitude of cheerfulness and enthusiasm is your springboard to greatness as a salesperson, no matter what is going on around you. Never share your personal problems with your subordinates. Do people feel motivated after speaking with you; or do they feel drained listening to all your problems? LEARN YOUR PRODUCT WELL: The twenty percent of sales effectiveness that comes from product knowledge and professional selling skills is terribly important as well. It is only when you are thoroughly knowledgeable about what you are selling and thoroughly skillful in your ability to present it effectively that you develop the calmness and confidence upon which a positive mental attitude depends. Write down key points and practice a few times to polish your presentation. UPGRADE THE QUALITY OF YOUR THINKING: The quality of your thinking determines the quality of your life. Be a victor not a victim. If you improve the quality of your thinking, in any area, you improve the quality of your life in that area. By using your mind, your ability to think, you become a creator of circumstances rather than a creature of circumstances. In other words, when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. You move from being powerless to being powerful. You determine everything that happens to you by the way you think about it, in advance. You may not be what you think you are, but what you think, you are! CHANGE YOUR INNER ATTITUDES OF MIND: The most rapid and positive changes in your personality and your sales results come about when you change your thinking about yourself and your possibilities. When you reprogram your sub-conscious mind so you feel a sense of unshakable optimism and self-confidence, every part of your life begins improving immediately. As William James of Harvard wrote in 1905, “The greatest revolution of my generation is the discovery that individuals, by changing their inner attitudes of mind, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” EXPECT THE BEST:

Be on time, organized and well dressed/groomed. Remember first impressions are indeed lasting ones. Have you ever noticed how different you are treated when you dress sharply? People do notice and are always more receptive when you smile. The very best salespeople have an attitude of calm, confident, positive self-expectation. They feel good about themselves and they have absolute faith that everything they are doing is contributing toward their inevitable success. They are cool, relaxed, happy and cheerful about their lives and their careers. They know, deep in their hearts, that they are good at what they do, and their customers know it as well. Often, their customers decide to buy from them even before they’ve made a sales presentation or described their product or service. They are the champions, or superstars, of selling everywhere, and you can be one of them by developing the same attitudes and attributes that they have.

ACTION DRILLS: Here are two things you can do immediately to put these ideas into action: First, resolve today to develop and cultivate an attitude of calm, confident, positive expectations towards yourself, your customers and your career. Expect the best! Put up goals and positive affirmations where you will see them first thing in the morning. Second, take complete control of your thinking and concentrate on the solution rather than the problem. Look for the good in every situation. Be positive and cheerful, no matter what happens. Remember, in the end your attitude will be instrumental in a positive outcome to any endeavor.