Direct Sales Marketing & Mentoring- Nancy Sutherland

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Today I was featured on Wendy Y Bailey as an “Exceptional Expert”. I was thrilled and honored to be interviewed by her! We talk about some of the steps that I have taken to achieve success. I would love for you to listen to the interview. You can also subscribe above to my FREE weekly ezine and you will be one of the first to be notified of any new podcasts, or my upcoming new ebook!

To listen to more of Wendy Y Bailey’s “Exceptional Expert” interviews, click here.

Technorati Tags: Interviews, Nancy Sutherland, podcasts, Wendy Y. Bailey

Have you ever had the realization that there is a greater purpose for your life than that which you are currently experiencing?
Mark Semple CCC
www.successfultogethercoaching.com

It’s not that your life is bad right now, nor that you’re unhappy or discontent. It’s more a feeling that you’re not quite fulfilled.

Does this sound familiar?

The truth is that when you open up to the possibilities that are out there, you will never be the same again.

And, the more you learn and experience, the more you want.

You develop a clear image in your mind of the fulfilling life experience that you desire. It energizes you to just think about it. And, you know that it is happening for you.

Being connected to the vision of that which you desire is a crucial step in making your vision your reality.

Until that happens, your current reality is where you exist and operate. In essence, it’s the life you’re currently living.

Although you know it’s not about being focused on where you’re at, it can be interesting to stay in the space of where you want to be, while living your current life.

Especially when time is going by and it doesn’t feel like you are any closer to that which you truly desire.

Unfortunately, too many people decide that things aren’t going to change and they give up on their dreams to merely exist in their current reality.

So, what can you do?

The key is to be in the moment. More specifically, to be in the best possible space in this moment. Your life, business or relationship may not be in the optimal space right now, but you can be.

If you are focused on what is wrong or missing, guess what happens? If you are in the space of what is right and what you have to be grateful for – right now – you are aligning yourself with the right energy.

It is imperative to be clear and focused on what you want and where you want to be. Be careful to experience it as what is unfolding for you, and not a reflection of where you are not.

Remember always that what is meant for you cannot be lost.

As Marianne Williamson says “Go where you’re wanted, go where you belong.” If you are not in alignment with what you are focused on, ie: it’s not really optimal for you, you will either struggle unnecessarily, or you will not feel fulfilled when you achieve it.

Have you ever wanted to have something specific, or be a member of a certain group? Only to find out when you achieved it, that it really wasn’t that big a deal to you?

Being in alignment with that which you truly desire – that which is truly meant for you – is a key to being in the flow of manifesting it.

To stay connected with where your journey is going, feed it. You are receiving input from your current reality and daily life constantly. You know what happens if you are constantly exposed to negativity and that which does not serve you.

The simple act of choosing more optimal inputs will assist you in maintaining your desired space. The more you align yourself with energy that feeds your soul, your passion and your vision, the less negative energy you will absorb, and the more empowered and energized you will feel.

If your vision & dreams seem cloudy or distant, it may be because you are allowing your mind to get cluttered with that which obscures it.

Essentially, this is all about you. Find time to take care of you. To clear your mind and detoxify from the negative energy. To feed yourself that which allows you to see your dream more clearly.

Be mindful of who you interact with on a regular basis. It is said that you will be like the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most. Are you interacting with like-minded, positive, empowered people who see the world & future the way that you do? Or are you around people who are essentially toxic to you?

Makes you think, doesn’t it?

It is empowering also to remember each day that you are choosing. Regardless of where you are currently at, or what is happening in your life, if you are feeling like you are stuck, you are giving your power away. When you come from a space of choosing, you remain in your power and you stay connected with the right energy.

If you are doing all of the above and you still feel that your journey is not unfolding the way you desire, then it may be time to get an outside opinion. Connect with a coach or expert who you feel synergy with and allow them to assist you get clear on your opportunity.

Know always that there is never anything wrong. You simply do the best you can with that which you have at hand. As you learn more and as your awareness expands, you simply make more empowered decisions. It’s called experience, and there is only one way to get it.

No matter what, you simply are where you are right now – in this moment. It’s what is coming next that is the opportunity for change.

Be in the best possible space & energy in this moment, be clear on that which you desire and trust the process. Which includes the timing.

Enjoy your journey.

Mark Semple is a Certified Comprehensive Coach, Founder of Successful Together Coaching and the 2007 International Coach of the Year.
For more of Mark’s perspective on the success journey, visit http://www.successfultogethercoaching.com/

Technorati Tags: business, direct sales, home, partner, success, together, vision

Kate’s chair

Originally uploaded by jblyberg

Recently Michael Phelps was all over the news again. Not stories about his historic 16 Olympic medals, but a careless mistake that he made publicly. You might wonder why someone who has achieved such success do something to sabotage himself, possibly losing millions of dollars in endorsements. I see it all the time. Some of you may do it too in your direct sales home business.

Here are a few symptoms-

• Not even bothering to try something or set a goal because deep down you think “I’ll never make it, why get my hopes up only to be disappointed.’
• Shooting yourself in the foot after achieving a big goal. You are thinking-”Ok, I did it, but I don’t really deserve it, so I’ll let it go.”
• Settling for less. Being comfortable is easy. You think “why try for more because it could never happen to me.”
• Denial- you think “I don’t see this opportunity or solution so it doesn’t exist”.
• Having a Fatal Flaw- You take all the necessary steps to success but you have crucial personality problems that stop you like, bad temper, excessive drugs or alcohol, perfectionism.

If any of these symptoms sound like you it is linked to your “deserve level” What do you deep down inside feel that you really deserve? (not desire) Growing up we are told millions of negative thoughts that are embedded in our brain that can prevent us from achieving great things.  What do you say when you talk to yourself? Pay attention one day. Even make an exercise of writing it down. You will be amazed at how many times you say or think negative thoughts. That just lowers your deserve level even more.

How do you change things? The first step is awareness.  Mary Kay Ash always told us that God didn’t give you dreams that you will not also be given the tools to achieve them!  Whenever a negative thought comes into your mind, just “cancel, cancel” Just like as if you are changing channels on a television. Do you have positive affirmations that you are saying to yourself each day? Are you reading positive material and keeping yourself surrounded by positive people. If you want to achieve great thing, you can’t afford to spend time with negative people.

These principles will apply not only to those of us in Direct Sales, or home businesses, but to everyone. Don’t you really deserve more in your life? Let me show you how to begin to get it!

Technorati Tags: affirmations, motivation, selfsabatoge, success principles, visualization

Having grown up in the city of Pittsburgh during the 70′s when the first four Steeler Super Bowls were won, I became a fan for life, no matter where I live. While the excitement is still in the air from the Pittsburgh Steelers winning their Sixth Super Bowl, I’d like to share some of the things that can apply to our direct sales business, or any home business in general.

I watched this Super Bowl with my family in Pittsburgh, and it was the very best ever! ( not because my team won, but because so many records were broken.) I’m sure that there are more, but here are just a few of the records that were broken this Super Bowl Sunday:

• Most viewed television show ever!
• Harrison’s interception and 100 yard Touchdown for the Steelers!
• Pittsburgh Steelers first team to ever win six Super Bowls!
• Head Coach Mike Tomlin is youngest to win a Super Bowl! (he is only 36 years old)

How does this apply to our business? Each day is a new day and a chance to beat our best from yesterday, last year, or create a new beginning. Just because something has never been done before, doesn’t mean that you CAN’T do it! How many times have you been stuck with an attitude of defeat? When you tell yourself, “I could NEVER do that”, “I haven’t even come close to making that kind of money”, etc, you are stopping your business from moving forward.

When you reach a goal or do more than you ever thought that you could, it’s time to start again, with a fresh new audacious goal!  When I was crowned National Queen of Personal Sales in 2005, I immediately set a new goal- to mentor others who would like to achieve the same. In 2007, I mentored one of my Consultants to the National First Runner up(#2) in the Consultant Court of Personal Sales.  Because I was leading by example, I found myself as First Runner up in the Sales Director Court of Personal Sales that same night! But I was much more excited that I successfully led another woman to the top!  That is how it works in my Company. You get to the top by helping to take others with you!

So if you are discouraged today, or find yourself in a place where you don’t believe in your abilities, just know that God doesn’t give you dreams that He won’t give you the tools to make them a reality. Just NEVER GIVE UP. Sometimes it’s difficult, but you have to keep going. This poem has been on my desk for years. I’d like to share it with you.

Hold on to Your Dream

There is inside you all the potential to be whatever you want to be-
All the energy to do whatever you want to do.
Imagine yourself as you would like to be, doing what you want to do.
And each day take one step toward your dream.
And though at times it may seem too difficult to continue,
Hold on to your dream.
One morning you will awake to find tha you are the person you dreamed of being,
Doing what you want to do.
Simply because you had the courage to believe in your potential
And hold on to your dream.
(author unknown)

Technorati Tags: Pittsburgh Steelers, Records broken, SuperBowl 2009

This may sound to you like a project for you child in kindergarten, not something that can help your direct sales home business, but a goal poster is something that is necessary to complete your visualization of success.

Images that you create or select will cause an emotional response, making your goal an even more believable reality in your mind. It’s not important what you put on the goal poster, just find things that you really have a strong desire to become part of your life.

The images don’t all have to be related to your business. In fact, it’s better to balance it with things from every aspect of your life- family, business, spiritual, personal. For example, if weight loss is one of your goals for this year, you might want to put photos of images that cause you to feel as though you are in perfect health and fitness. Perhaps you are single and have a goal to change that this year. Find a photo of that “perfect” someone and visualize yourself having fun with him or her.

I can tell you for 100% certain that goal posters really work. Every single goal that I have accomplished in my 23 years of business was seen on a goal poster first. The year that my goal was to be Queen of Personal Sales ( that is, number one in the country) I borrowed a tiara from my “Power Partner” who had already achieved that goal. We took a photograph with me wearing the dress that I intended to wear on stage, with the sash, and the tiara. That became part of my goal poster. Not only that, I had copies all over the house!

The only problem that I encountered was weight related. The gown that I had visualized all year to be the one that I wore on stage, was a bit tight when it came time to wear it. My dear husband took out the seam on the side a bit where it would not be seen under the sash. I was that serious about my goal becoming a reality in every way.  Imagine my fear as I climbed the stairs on stage that the stitches would hold! ( Alex had a needle and thread in his pocket just in case)

How often should you make a new goal poster? I believe at least once a year, or whenever you have accomplished many of your goals. In the event that you have not yet completed the goals, you still need to create a fresh new poster, that will inspire you. Recycling the same goals and goal poster never works year after year!

Take some time today to create your goal poster. It does not have to appear professional, just personal. If you have a family, it’s fun to get them involved in making it. Did you know that people support that what they help to create? (even little people) This is another way of getting your family supportive of your business. The time will give you a great return on your investment!

Technorati Tags: affirmations, goal setting, goalposter, visualization

What do you immediately think of when people ask you about leadership? Most people think of either politics or the business world and the position that is either promoted or elected.  Did you know that this kind of positional power is NOT the same as leadership? Leadership is not something that can be given to you, it must be earned.In direct sales, it is vital to building your business.

John C. Maxwell says about the “Law of Influence”- ” If you don’t have influence, you will never be able to lead others. Leadership is not awarded, appointed or assigned. It comes from inflluene, and that can’t be mandated, only earned. Leadership is influence-nothing more, nothing less.”

In direct sales, churches, or other volunteer organizations the ability to lead others is move visible.  Without it, nothing happens. So if you want to grow your business or organization, the first and most obvious step is to grow your leadership.

You might think that there are born leaders. Of course that is true, babies are born every minute! Some will grow up to be great leaders, too.  What you might not know is that leadership is something that you can be intentional about growing. That will yield you a wonderful return on your investment because it will improve over time, causing exponential business success!

So how do you go about growing your leadership?  A good way is to find someone that you think shows influence and ask them to mentor you. Leadership can be caught as well as taught.  I have helped many women through my years in direct sales grow as leaders. In turn, they have helped others grow their leadership having a compound effect.

Another way is to read books on leadership, listen to materials on leadership and even attend events that are dedicated to educating you on this. I have been doing this for years. Remember school is never out for the pro.  If you have not already subscribed to this blog, it is a free resource that can assist you in your leadership growth. I regularly post on this topic and even have occasional FREE webinars on the subject.

Are you ready for taking your business or organization on the fast track this year? How you invest your time is as important as how you invest your money. Use it wisely.  Join me on my journey as I help you achieve excellence  in all that you do this year!

Technorati Tags: business coaching, John C. Maxwell, leadershipdevelopment

As 2008, quickly comes to an end, many of us are evaluating our business and looking for lessons (or excuses) for the outcome. This is also a great time to start planning our new year and how to make it not only better, but reach an audacious goal!  There is a secret that many don’t consider in planning- it’s the power of accountability and tracking! It all comes down to repetition. Here is how it works.

1. Tracking and repetition is the beginning of new thoughts and habits! To create a new habit or replace a negative thought with a new one, you have to repeat, repeat, repeat close together to get a new image! Repetition of tracking and accountability removes the doubt of where production and new growth will come from. You no longer question why you ‘don’t have results’ because either you  have results from increased tracking or you understand why you don’t have results once you are ready to write down what you did and there’s not much to write down. Repetition gives you Fair Averages, YOUR Averages
2. Repetition brings to the conscience mind the reality of  today! Today matters more than what we think that we are going to do tomorrow! We are by nature procrastinators. We think we’re doing more, doing better, because we think about working more than we do the activity of work that counts. So, accountability brings us the reality of today,by tracking your efforts and results you can see the reality of today.
3. Repetition allows us to create better habits. We all have ‘habits’. Are you on time or late? For me, the habit of being accountable with your time is the most important one to start with. Do you practice what you teach? The habit of remaining accountable, On Time and with the right activities creates the right habits. Once you own the skills and habits, you’ll be teaching to others, your new confidence becomes an undeniable magnet. These habits allow you to grow in Leadership on new levels with stability. Show me a leader who doesn’t own these habits, she may rise, but she’ll backslide because she won’t have taken full responsibility of basic habit of the accountability of being on time.
4. Repetition contributes to your personal integrity. It promotes you as a leader. You will find that you begin to receive the accountability that you want and need from those you lead! Without this accountability from those you lead, you will hit a road block in moving them because they’ll miss results and you won’t have the ability to show them specifically what are good at and what they need to master and improve on. This leaves you without valuable and specific direction that fits into their understanding of what they should be doing to get results. Even though you’ve told them what to do, if they aren’t consistently evaluating themselves and their consistency in the form of accountability, they will not comprehend what they should be doing!
5. You will begin to see an increase due to repetition! This leading by example will preserve the integrity of your business. When your business is not doing well, in most cases, if you allow yourself to track and evaluate, you will see that your activity is not where it should be. In most cases, repetition will cause the leader to focus on the income producing activities and adjust her schedule to put the prioritize them as the most important things to do! This brings increase

Start making a list of what habits that you are willing to change with your business. If you are already in a leadership position, by growing your leadership, your production of your team will be seen as well!

For more information on private and group coaching and to sign up for your FREE PRIVATE 15 minute strategy session with me, just fill out the form below!

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Technorati Tags: business coaching, goal setting, leadership growth, personal growth

I believe that the elements of greatness are in all of us. Some of you just haven’t discovered it yet! As we are winding down the year 2008, I am looking for some women that I can empower!  Could you be one of them?

Here are some of the things that I am looking for:

1. I am looking for busy women. I have found that busy women get the most done. In today’s economy is is not uncommon to find women who work more than one job and/or business while raising a family. Busy women typically are good time managers, and prioritize well.
2. I look for women who don’t already have a huge network of friends and family. That gives them a false sense of security in building a home business because friends and family are NOT usually the best customers. I will teach you how to grow your business using those who you haven’t met yet!
3. I am looking for women who don’t consider themselves the sales type. Learning to sell is a skill that I have been very successful in transferring to others! If you associate a sales person with someone who is pushy, that is not what I look for. Pushy people have difficulty building customers and relationships.
4. I am looking for women who can use some extra income to make ends meet. Although most women are not motivated by money, having the need for extra money will keep you going when times are difficult.
5. I look for women who are family oriented. I have found that women will do so much more for their family than they ever would for themselves. (that is their WHY)
6. I look for women who are decision makers. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Implementation is vital for success, not paralysis by analysis!

If you feel that you have at least 4 of these qualities, I would love to work with you. If you already have a direct sales home business, I can provide you with either private or group mentoring that will take your business to the next level if you are willing to take action! Maybe you are still looking for additional streams of income and haven’t decided on a direct sales company. I would love to talk to you and help you decide if my business is one that I can share with you. ( my personal team members receive my private mentoring for FREE!)

Here is my prayer for today-

“Give me an ambitious, hardworking woman, Lord

One who has determination and the guts to stick with it when the going gets tough.

One who sees potential in every situation and every person.

One who can be compassionate and understanding, but tough with her love.

One who runs like a thoroughbread, charges like a rhino, is loyal like a soldier.

Lord give me a woman who has dreams, goals and a vision of total success.

And God, when you do….

I’ll give her an opportunity equal to her ambitions.

I’ll give her encouragement and education.

I’ll agree with her and share my faith in you with her.

I’ll teach her to make you her partner.

I’ll teach her that with God all things are possible.

I’ll pick her up when she’s down.

I ‘ll push her when she needs it and slow her down when she’s going too fast.

I’ll nurture her belief in herself.

I’ll help her get up one more time.

And, with what she has and what we can give her,

We’ll have a real winner!

And before long, she’ll be saying,

“Lord, give me a woman with ambition too”.

Are you an answer to my prayer? Or maybe I am an answer to your prayer? Let’s find out- fill out the contact form below and let’s talk.

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Technorati Tags: building your direct sales business, business coaching, direct sales coaching, legitimate direct sales companies, looking for business mentoring, looking for business opportunity, make extra money in direct sales

Very early on in my direct sales business, I discovered that my goals exceeded  my recruiter’s and those above me in my upline. Although I had no previous success in sales (lowest in my girl scout troop in cookie sales), I loved the products that I represent and saw that they really worked! I wanted to become a super seller, then teach others along the way!

Although recruiting is an important avenue of income in most direct sales models, in my opinion, to experience lasting success, you must master not only team building, but personal sales and training others along the way.  It’s a personal choice. Anyone can recruit who has the desire to do that, but the other components are not always available. In my unit of independent beauty consultants, only about 5% even take advantage of the recruiting avenue of income, yet stay in the business for over a decade because of the skills they received from me on selling. They built a customer base for life!

Thankfully for me, in my Company, the founder was still alive, and made herself available to us. I decided to follow her lead rather than spending time looking for other mentors. I attended every possible event where she was speaking. I listened to audios, videos, and read her books. I adopted her as my second “mother”.

By doing so, I met other leaders along the way who also learned and shared with me. Was this a “get rich quick” operation? Certainly not in my case, it was more of a “get rich slowly”! I encountered many obstacles in my personal life along the way that would have stopped many. Making a choice to be a victor rather than a victim, I persisted through each and every challenge.

As women, one thing that I have learned is that there are many dramas in our lives. If you are not currently experiencing an obstacle, or setback, you are either getting ready to start one or just coming out of one! It’s all about perspective and attitude.  I made the choice to not accept any negative situation as permanent. Instead, I used it as a life lesson, finding a way over, under, around or through it, then encouraging others to do the same.

January 1 will be the 23rd anniversary of my home business, with no other job supporting me and my family along the way.  I still have a very successful home business that I have built one customer at a time, growing relationships along the way! I have mentored many women through the years, Each of their personal victories thrill me more than any of my own. Do I take credit for their success? No, nor do I accept responsibility for their giving up on their dreams or not taking action. Leading by example works- only if you are committed to following through with implementation quickly! Click here to read a testimonial from a recent success story!

As we approach the end of 2008, are you satisfied with your business, or frustrated? Now is the time to start investing in education if you want to see massive results in the new year. I recommend clicking on the link on the top right and purchase that paperback book. It’s easy reading and anyone in business can learn from it. If you haven’t already subscribed to my e-newsletter, click on the link at the top and add your name and email address. Or if you are ready to commit to growing your business, you can schedule a FREE personal strategy session via phone or skype with me by filling out either the contact form or the hourtown scheduling link on the right.

Technorati Tags: direct sales coaching, direct sales mentoring, leadershiptraining, leading by example

My favorite social media platform is Twitter, which is a micro blog. Within the parameters of 140 characters, you build relationships, share information, and sometimes even entertain. As it’s popularity increases, there are more “tools” to help you enjoy your Twitter experience even more. One of those is a site called “Quitter”. This will show you when people stopped following you and your most recent tweet. (with the assumption that the two are connected)

Here in my Direct Sales Blog, I would like to share the connections between “Quitter” and your home party plan business. Before I begin, I want to say that I don’t use “Quitter”. My presence on Twitter is authentic. I try to reach out and encourage, inform, and amuse my followers at all times. There is no value to me to know who stopped following me and when. Nothing at all would change as a result of knowing that. Perhaps they just don’t enjoy me, and that is fine. Sometimes it’s even a Twitter technical glitch that causes us to lose followers. So why waste time with this application? The only time that I have stopped following someone, it was because of either extreme negativity or continued bad language. It’s my choice. I don’t like to be around either.

In Direct Sales, we have the opportunity to try different marketing ideas. The year that I reached my goal of Queen of Sales, (number one nationally in my company) I tried more strategies than most do in a lifetime in business. In doing that I had my share of failures as well as successes. That year I found myself a “Power Partner”- someone who had already achieved that goal in the past. Even though some ideas worked for her, they didn’t work for me, while others were almost an immediate success for both of us. So how do you know when to quit?

Sometimes success is just around the corner. In my opinion many people quit too soon, missing out on the joy of reaching a goal. For example, if you are using a success strategy to book parties in your direct sales company, how long do you continue to use the current approach? Do you change course after just one or two tries, or do you continue? This is one of the things that experience will dictate, or having your own direct sales business coach.

Have you ever tried a marketing strategy that worked really well for someone else in your company, but didn’t work for you? How soon do you allow yourself to adjust, adapt, modify or change direction? Sometimes there are many deciding factors that make a difference in the results. For example, if you take an idea from someone who has an established business and try it with your new business, the results will be different. Some strategies work differently with different regions of the country or world because of local customs, traditions, or even demographics.

If you are new in Direct Sales, I recommend that you give it a year of honest effort before you give it up. If you don’t have the leadership above you to help you to reach your goals, find it somewhere else. Look for someone who has not only accomplished what you want in your business, but is still active in the field. Some leaders sit in their office creating “ideas” and document to support them with no practical experience following through with them.

When trying a new script for booking or team building, be sure to “test” it on more than just one or two people. When I create a script for the consultants who need that tool, I give myself permission to make many calls or presentations before I get it right. Everything is a constant controlled testing process, making the results better and better!

So what lesson can we learn from all of this? Stay the course. Find leadership and direction from those who have proven success is possible. Obtain your own success strategies, and follow through with enough time to evaluate the results.

Look for motivation and inspiration when you need it, and pass it on to others. Most important of all, persist, Don’t be a quitter. Fail often because success is often the result of those lessons learn along the way.

Be sure to sign up for my email newsletter! I am planning a FREE teleseminar in the near future with my “Power Partner”, Jacque Schumacher, who has also achieved National Queen more than once herself! An invitation to join us will go out to my subscribers first before we promote it anywhere else!

Technorati Tags: booking parties, direct sales leadership, make more money in direct sales, party plan success strategies