Direct Sales Marketing & Mentoring- Nancy Sutherland

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Most of you have seen all over the television and media how Direct Sales home businesses are the answer for many women who are looking to make extra money or replace income that was recently lost. Many of my family and friends have been asking me how this is possible during what many call a recession.  I believe that there are several reasons, but to me the most significant it the competitive edge! Not everyone is taking advantage of this, are you?

Now that I have your interest, I will tell you what that competitive edge is- the ability to get your favorite products FOR FREE when you love it , but just can’t afford it.  When I contact my customers to see if they are running low on any of their favorite products or if they would like some pampering, many of them say, “I would love to, but I can’t afford it right now”. I then proceed to get her “wish list”.  She then becomes my business partner as I coach her as to how she can get everything that she wants for free- as a hostess! This can be done in her home, or about 80% of my customers like to come to my Beauty Boutique for their pampering, and they love coming with friends, making it a party.

Others choose to do a web party. They simply send their coworkers, or family and friends to my personal web site to shop. They enter the hostess name in the comments section because I usually have more than one web party going at all times. With a web party, there is no limit to how many can participate, so all of those small purchases add up. (In my company there are 90 products for $10 or less!)

When a customer tells me what she wants for a reorder, I then I ask her would you like to pay for that or get it free? Most ask what I mean by free and I explain to her how she can get it. In my experience during recession times there is more women who are willing to do parties, and much more recruiting as a solution for many women.

Are you using that competitive edge? Or are you trying to make your money without it? You will notice an immediate increase in income when you DECIDE to take advantage of it!

(For more information on whether a direct sales business could help you with your financial situation, fill out the contact form above for a free consultation with me)

Technorati Tags: Directsales home parties, home party success, recession proof business

Everyone today is looking for a shortcut or a secret- a faster, easier way to success as a direct sales consultant. You can find reports, manuals, audios, all over the internet. The fact that they exist, means there is a big demand to find the answers. I believe that there is only one secret for success no matter what direct selling or MLM company you are part of. Today I’m going to share that with you! SHHHH!

The secret is called “leading by example“. I have seen all too many times where people claim that they don’t have to sell or do anything, just get other people to do it. In my direct sales company that would never work, although some people have tried and failed with that approach.

How can you ever expect others to follow you along a path that you have not already walked upon? Although team building is a lucrative avenue of income in direct sales, you must have a loyal customer base to support the commission structure, or eventually the company will not last. I have NEVER asked my direct sales consultants to do anything that I am not also personally doing in my business, or recently have done it. That is what leading by example is all about.

How did I discover this secret? I promoted myself to the position of Sales Director in my second year in business. In order to accomplish this, you must demonstrate your ability to both sell the product and build a team along the way. That is not enough. You must also learn the ability to lead them to their own path of success.

My first year as a Sales Director, I had a consultant set a goal to do something that I had never done. When she was struggling with that goal, I felt incompetent to help her. As a result, she gave up on this goal. That was a breakthrough for me. I made a decision then, to take her goal and accomplish it, paving the way for others to follow.

That was one of the most difficult things that I have done in my over 23 years in business, but the experience was so worth it. When I reached that goal, I felt confident to lead others in a much better way. I have been doing it ever since.

If you are in direct sales, or considering this type of home business, take a look at the people who will be training you. Are they active in the field? Do they continue to train you for years to come, or only care about getting you started and attending events? This is an important consideration, and a valuable lesson for anyone in leadership. It won’t be a secret for long, though. My hope is that you pass it on!

Technorati Tags: directsales consultant, leading by example, secret to success in direct sales, success in direct sales, team building in direct sales

Sometimes fear can become so prominent in our mind that it prevents us from doing anything. It’s like the monster in the closet in “Monsters Inc”. Have you ever felt that way?

Did you know that there are no monsters in a direct sales business? Some Companies are better than others ( in my qualified opinion) Once you have done you research on the business that you are considering, don’t wait too long to start!

There is something called “paralysis by analysis” that happens when you spend too much time reviewing the same information. There comes a time when you need to TAKE ACTION!

My father was an entrepreneur and one of his favorite quotes was “Don’t just stand there, do something, even if it’s wrong!” What he meant by that is you will learn from the experience, even if it is a mistake.  Courage is NOT the absence of fear, it is the ability to feel the fear, and do it anyway!

Here are a few things to consider before you take action:

• Do you have a good relationship with the person who will be responsable for training you? Do you trust him/her?
• Does the Company that you are considering have a good support system for you. What do they provide for you? (i.e. a web site, events, accessible staff to answer questions, product knowledge, etc.)
• Does the Company that you are considering have a buy back guarantee, eliminating a financial risk? ( mine does)
• Is there a consumable product with an already established demand for it as part of the marketing plan?
• Are you trainable?  This sounds like an odd question, but through the years, I have found people that thought that they had a better way of doing things before they were willing to try the methods that were already getting good results.

There is never a perfect time to get started. That is like waiting for all of the traffic lights to turn green before you start into town.  Once you have done your research on your business, give yourself 24 hours for what I call the “shower test”. That is, if you find yourself thinking about the business at unusual times like driving the car, cooking dinner, in the shower, etc,, that is your heart telling you that you need to give it a try. You will never know unless you try. I’d much rather be a “I’m glad that I did” kind of person instead of a “I wish that I had” person!

JUST DO IT!

Technorati Tags: are all direct sales companies the same?, directsales recruiting, fear in direct sales, how to decide which direct sales company, legitimate direct sales companies

Although I am writing this from the direct sales or party plan business, perspective, what I am teaching is important for any industry. Recently I had a woman contact me online looking for a direct sales consultant. She had attended a “party plan” type show and had purchased over $100. The consultant that she purchased the products from charged her credit card and promised delivery within a week. This woman started by calling the hostess to see if she had her order. The hostess, not only didn’t have the products, but had no information on the consultant’s contact number.(phone, internet, etc.) It had been a month since the party.

Where has accountability and integrity in business gone? My word is my bond. Has the business world changed so much that people aren’t expected to stand behind what they say? I believe that one of the reasons that I have built a loyal customer base that have not only stayed with me for decades, but shared their daughters and daughter in laws with me, giving me second and third generation customers! (I am still very active in my direct sales business and will be for life)

There are times when things come up that prevent us from holding a commitment. For example, a sick child, a snow storm, or even an injury may prevent us from returning a call or showing up for an appointment at the designated time. However, I believe that making contact with the customer or prospect immediately, and letting them know is crucial for growing that relationship.

Another aspect of integrity is over delivering what you promise. There is so much deception out there in advertising and marketing. The consumer needs to know that they can trust you. That will bring you more referrals and future business as well.

One thing that you are NOT accountable for is how other people respond. For example, my independent beauty consultants are trained by me and my coaching clients are instructed to follow my lead in dealing with customers. If they choose not to do that, I get upset, but must remember that it is not my responsibility for the outcome, just the education.

I am in a leadership position in a local BNI Chapter. Integrity is one of their principles and in my opinion, the key reason that organization is so successful. Members must agree to a code of ethics and can be removed by violating the principles.

I have always been taught and pass on the concept of the “Golden Rule”- that is simple; just treat others as you would want to be treated. That concept is part of many success stories of companies and organizations around the world.

Do you have an integrity standard with your home business?  Can you see the value in developing trust and building relationships? What do you think?

Technorati Tags: business ethics, integrity, party plan demonstrations

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