We all want to find the “right” person as we grow a sales team. While sales success stories are more often built than found, here are seven qualities that often lead to direct sales success. Look for them as you work on building your team!
1. Busy Person: Busy people get things done. They know how to rank and manage their time.
2. Not the “Sales Type”: Look for people who are more informative than pushy. They attract, not attack!
3. Doesn’t Always Know a Lot of People: Family and friends will help them get started. Your task is to support them in developing a customer base that will keep them in business. These people want to learn how to meet the people.
4. Has “More Month than Money”: They come to make more money. They are goal oriented and ambitious.
5. Family Oriented: The needs of their family motivate them. They don’t use their families as an excuse, but as a reason to go the extra miles. They want more for their families and want to set a good example for their children.
6. Generally Happy with their Lives and Looking for More: Some want more self-confidence and personal growth. Some feel they lost their own identity as mom, wife, etc. Some want to own their own business.
7. Decision Makers: Successful women take advantage of opportunities. There is never a perfect time to begin something new. The lights are never all green at the same time.
Many new leaders who recruit people are concerned about being too “pushy” with the new person, or that they will “overwhelm” the new team member.
If you don’t help someone make money right away, you run a big risk of losing them.
They may never get started.
They may stop returning your calls.
They may not attend your conference calls or meetings.
They may not “get” the big picture.
They may mentally “check out”.
The facts are that the majority of people, who start strong, stay strong in direct sales. Of course, there are the exceptions. You will hear “I came into Company XYZ and fell in love with the product, now I am building a team.” Get real. That is the exception. The majority of people who join in direct sales do not make a full-time income. As a leader, you may want to increase the percentage of business builders with these three practical steps.
Tell them they can make money in their first week if they follow your lead. You know they can make money by sharing the product, Too many times we fail to assure them they can if they follow the simple steps of success.
Create a short list (30 people) with them. Did you notice I said with them? Over the years, we have watched so many people assume a new person can make a list. Doing it with them helps you address issues like pre-judging, fear, and words to say. Immediately, not after they went away and tried to make a list on their own.
Make a sales call with them. Simple, easy and I would guess that most of you reading do not do this part. You tell them to share. You tell them to book parties, and you don’t show them how. Study after study shows that adults learn best by being shown what to do?
These simple steps don’t take much time. You can teach them to every single recruiter on your team. Of course there are other things that you will want to share later, but first, help them make money.
I thought my life was starting to hit the skids. You know that feeling. It’s the one where you can’t do enough, you can’t do it right, you don’t get paid what you are worth, you have some new aches, nothing tastes good. Get the picture? Once you start down that path it just leads to darker areas.
And then I found out that a friend’s husband passed away from lung cancer. Six months ago he seemed healthy. Now he’s gone. My life didn’t seem so bad any more. I had just forgotten to count my blessings.
Blessings are those unearned gifts that you receive every day. They aren’t earned; they are just given. When you stop to recognize them, your life feels fuller. There is one simple step to filling your life with blessings.
Stop and count your blessings. In a notebook by your bed, list three things that you received that day for which you are grateful. After a while, you will start to see the blessings. You will savor the unearned grace that is in your life that you didn’t see.
When you look, you will find. As a leader, you need to recognize the blessings that your team brings to you. When you start to see these as gifts and not underpaid dues, your leadership will show their blessings.
Try this challenge: put a notebook by your bead for 30 days and then tell me what you have found.
How many of you have as many parties on your calendar as you want? Do you have a few more times in your schedule that you’d like to hold a party? Do you realize that more income and great incentives are just a few parties away?
Booking parties is the lifeblood of your business and becoming a booking expert is the answer to having the datebook of your dreams? Dream a little right now! What would you dream of if you had more income from your parties each month? How would it feel to qualify for the incentive trip that your company is offering right now? What will you think when you start receiving the gifts you’ve qualified for just because you added a few more parties to your calendar. It all starts with giving Booking Bids at your parties.
Here’s some tips booking bids that will help you do this:
Always set a booking goal at the beginning of each month. Write it down and keep it in front of you at all times.
Give yourself a check-up from the neck-up! Are you going to “try” to make your goal? Or are you going to make it no matter what! Have you ever noticed that people who will “try” to do something, never get it done? Your attitude makes the difference!
Words are important when giving your bids. Choose them carefully.
Here are some examples to say to the guests at a party:
Always use the word “when” not “if” when talking about booking. “Here’s one of the gifts you get when you have your party. You just love it for_________. Be thinking of a good time in the next couple of weeks to have a get together.”
Paint word pictures. “Picture yourself enjoying this______ when you get it. You’ll just love the way it________. (Share the benefits)”
“Have you had a “girl’s night out lately”? When you book a party it’s so fun to get the girls together. Everyone enjoys it.”
“When you book your party tonight, you’ll be helping the Hostess get her gift (share what the Hostess is working for).
“When you book a party tonight on one of my Special Dates, you’ll get to choose a gift from my Special Basket. (carry a basket with products, game prizes, samples, etc. that you can give to those who book.)
When doing the demo, look at the guest that you’ve really connected with and say…“Mary, I’d love to have a party with you…be thinking about a good time and we’ll talk more about it after the party.” (Smile and nod at her as you say it.)
When you don’t have a product and a guest asks about it, say: “I don’t have that with me tonight. I’ll be sure to bring it when you have your party. Be thinking of a good time. I’d love to show it to you and your friends.”
“Having a party is so easy and fun and you’ll really love all the gifts you’ll get! Be thinking of a good time to get your friends together.”
You won’t want to use all these bids at the same party. Choose 3-4 bids you’ll want to use at your next party. It’s important to say your bids with confidence! To help you do this practice saying your bids in front of a mirror until you can make them your own. At the party, be sure and follow up with each guest individually to get the date set in your calendar.
Remember: You’re not through ‘til you date two. The more confident you are in giving booking bids, the faster you’ll fill up your calendar and enjoy the perks of a solid party business.
As leaders in Direct Sales, you welcome many new members to your team. Great leaders have a system for on-boarding new team members. Without a system to orient new people, there is a remarkable pattern of failure. Activity, productivity, and satisfaction are the lowest in new consultants who started with little or no help. Even self-starters, like many of you, complain that they wish they would have had more help at the beginning.
These systems vary from the simple to the complex. You, the leader, must decide what your system will be. In spite of what many trainers out there tell you, there is NO one system that works for every organization. However, more important than you using MY system, it will help you to think about what a new Consultant needs, what you want them to learn, and then develop your personal system.
You may have had lots of support or very little, but here are some common traits of a new Consultant. We use the acronym “ACE” to help you remember what a new team member needs.
Assurance: They may be a little fearful: “What have I gotten into?” They need assurance from you that they have made the right decision. They are all wondering if this might work for them. They need assurance from you that they can be successful.
Clear Directions: They need the next steps to begin their journey. It is important to keep the directions in bite sized pieces so you don’t overwhelm a new person. We use an exercise when we coach top leaders to discover the most important directions a new person needs. List every single activity you want the new team member to carry out in their first month. Next, chose the top three activities that you feel are most important. Continue prioritizing the next three so that you can give them small bites of directions. They need to know some specific activities that successful new Consultants do. Consult your company’s training.
Expectations: New people need to know the working expectations. They need you to be clear about what they can expect from you and what you expect from them. Simple expectations like returning phone calls, attending conference calls. Take time to write ideas about what they can expect from you and what you expect from them. Think about the expectations of your company.
You can create your system by yourself, with other leaders on your team, or partnering with a coach. In this way, you will find the best system for you and your way of doing business.
Direct sellers have one great thing in common with every other entrepreneur. Direct sellers are self-employed. When you think about it, it really does avoid a lot of confusion.
Self-employed workers never have the opportunity to forget it. When they work, they make money. When they don’t, they don’t. And if they ever stop believing it, the empty billfold quickly reminds them.
When you are self-employed, everything matters in one way or another.
You learn to master your time to make more money.
You know what activities need all of your attention and which one shouldn’t get any.
You can network for fun and profit.
And you know that you are the most important cog in your business and your life.
I am grateful to have been in direct sales and to spend most of my time coaching direct sellers. Watching and supporting people as they cultivate this mindset gets me jazzed. The coaching question is not “Are you responsible?” but “what can you do with your responsibility?”
The gurus of direct sales know that the self-employed mindset can bring success in every business venture. Zig Ziglar expressed it this way: “If you don’t think as a self-employed person, you will eventually become an unemployed person. It doesn’t make any difference who signs the paychecks; you really do work for yourself.”
Even a great idea doesn’t work unless you do. Anyone who is out of bookings is usually not asking enough people. If one booking method is difficult for you, then try another, but try something! Remember the only way to build your business is to keep that date book as full as possible!
Before you say that a new idea does not work, you should try it at least five times. Here are some extra booking suggestions that may work for you. Why not use them to have a booking contest for yourself, and book more presentations than ever! You can do it!
1. Learn and use the booking techniques in your manual. They really work!
2. Keep a list of all the people you know. Don’t assume that one will say “no” – ask! You may be surprised!
3. Go through your customer list and make a list of people with birthdays this month. Call each one and have her book a party so you and her friends can help her celebrate. Take a wrapped gift, decorated cupcakes or cookies with you to the party! Your hostess will love it!
4. Call customers and tell them you’re in a contest and need a couple more parties to win. (You are always in a contest!)
5. During your “Company” anniversary month, call your first hostess and book them for a repeat party. Take a small “anniversary” gift to thank them again for helping you start in your business.
Focus one week at a time. Ask yourself “how many bookings do I have this week?”
Which booking idea will you use today to make your business successful?
If you are like most of us, you wish people had a big “R” on their forehead indicating that they would like to join your team! However, you can increase your recruiting awareness as you look for people who would benefit in joining your company.
Here are some helpful tips to discover future recruits on your team.
Someone who loves your product: The majority of people who sign up for a direct selling company have a love for the product. Pay attention to people who show a lot of interest and affiliation with your product.
Someone who loves you: While not all of your friends and family will share your enthusiasm for what you are doing, many direct sellers sign up because they are affiliated with their sponsor. If you hold influence in their life, you may hold influence in their business decisions.
Someone who dislikes their current job: You can learn a lot by listening to what others have to say about their job. If they don’t feel that they are in the right place or feel their skills are not being used, it may be time for them to “test drive” a change by joining you part-time.
Someone who dislikes their current financial situation: This one is tricky because sometimes people are unwilling to change what they are doing to change their financial situation. Watch for clues that they are really tired of debt, or living paycheck to paycheck, and avoid painting an “easy money” out with your opportunity.
Someone who is looking for a part-time job: Most people looking for a part-time job would like to add to their current income. Position your opportunity as something that will pay more than part-time hourly work.
Someone who has an entrepreneurial spirit: You will meet people who want to be in control of their future, want the unlimited income of owning their own business. When you hear these clues be ready to paint a picture of the unlimited opportunity your company offers.
Don’t wait for someone to show interest before you spark their interest. Be genuinely interested in people and ask them lots of questions. You will get to know them better and the conversation will usually lead to someone asking, “What do you do for a living?”
I have followed PostSecret for several years now. Without stealing too much from the Frank Warren video, PostSecret is an active mail community. Since 2005, postcards are sent to Frank Warren who chooses at least 10 and puts them online every Sunday.
PostSecret shows the power of sharing. It has remained an advertising free site for seven years and has spawned several books. There are also versions in French, German, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Norwegian.
If you have never visited the site, please do so. The emotional depth poured into a postcard is astounding. Secrets are scary things. They encompass elements that we don’t want to share and yet they make us feel compelled to tell someone; to unburden ourselves. I think that the postcards are probably the first step in that journey.
The people who send in cards are ordinary, and yet the depth of passion shown in what they send is mind stopping. I often wondered if it is possible to capture their feelings beyond just the momentary glimpse we get.
Frank Warren shares some of his insights of what has blossomed. It’s well worth 12 minutes.
Please share your thoughts, and don’t keep them a secret . (I had to say that.)
There are so many things to do in your direct selling business; it is sometimes hard to make time for recruiting. Even when you know how important it is, you can let a week go without spending quality time working on growing your team.
When you do make time for recruiting, the benefits are enormous. Consistently bringing in new people to your team will consistently grow your group volume, leadership pool, and your income. Here are a couple of ways you can make time for recruiting.
Schedule time each week: Decide how much time you want to devote on building your team and block off times to work on recruiting. Honor that time as if you were in an important meeting. Don’t use that time to answer emails, phone calls, or office work. Work on recruiting. Calling, setting up conversations, getting referrals and following up on prospective team members are the key activities for this scheduled time.
Measure your activities: If you want to conduct ten recruiting conversations each week, then hold yourself accountable to the activities. You may not get a new sign up each week but you can control the number of conversations you have.
Reward yourself for time spent on recruiting: Find a personal reward system for yourself based on your activities or hours spent on recruiting.
When you make time for the important income producing activities, like recruiting, you will increase your success. What do you do to make time for recruiting?
We all want to find the “right” person as we grow a sales team. While sales success stories are more often built than found, here are seven qualities that often lead to direct sales success. Look for them as you work on building your team!
Many new leaders who recruit people are concerned about being too “pushy” with the new person, or that they will “overwhelm” the new team member.
I thought my life was starting to hit the skids. You know that feeling. It’s the one where you can’t do enough, you can’t do it right, you don’t get paid what you are worth, you have some new aches, nothing tastes good. Get the picture? Once you start down that path it just leads to darker areas.
How many of you have as many parties on your calendar as you want? Do you have a few more times in your schedule that you’d like to hold a party? Do you realize that more income and great incentives are just a few parties away?
As leaders in Direct Sales, you welcome many new members to your team. Great leaders have a system for on-boarding new team members. Without a system to orient new people, there is a remarkable pattern of failure. Activity, productivity, and satisfaction are the lowest in new consultants who started with little or no help. Even self-starters, like many of you, complain that they wish they would have had more help at the beginning.
Direct sellers have one great thing in common with every other entrepreneur. Direct sellers are self-employed. When you think about it, it really does avoid a lot of confusion.
Even a great idea doesn’t work unless you do. Anyone who is out of bookings is usually not asking enough people. If one booking method is difficult for you, then try another, but try something! Remember the only way to build your business is to keep that date book as full as possible!
If you are like most of us, you wish people had a big “R” on their forehead indicating that they would like to join your team! However, you can increase your recruiting awareness as you look for people who would benefit in joining your company.
I have followed 
There are so many things to do in your direct selling business; it is sometimes hard to make time for recruiting. Even when you know how important it is, you can let a week go without spending quality time working on growing your team.
