Now that we’ve gone over goal setting and tips for selling and booking, let’s talk about the one way that can generate a substantial and steady income for you… Direct Sales Recruiting.

The best way to grow your business and your income with direct sales is through recruiting. I actually prefer the word “team-building” instead because I think it sounds better.

If you’re new to it, you need to make sure you’re in the right mindset. So often I hear “I don’t know if they want to”, “I feel like I’d be bothering her”, “What if they say no?”.

My response to those — You don’t know until you ask, You’re not bothering them if you’re sincere in the opportunity you’re offering, and them saying “no” is really not the worst thing that could happen in your life. They say that for every 1 “Yes” you hear, you’ll hear 10 “No’s”. Each “no” just means you’re that much close to that “yes”!

Why Recruit?

Well, it’s more money for you, but look deeper to find the real reason.

For me, when I share the Thirty One opportunity with people it’s because of what the company has done for me, how well they treat their consultants, and what they stand for. If you truly love your company, why wouldn’t you want to share that with everyone?

(Visit www.mythirtyone.com/AmandaSmearman for more info)

The other company I sell for, Younique, one of the reasons I share that opportunity is because they are a brand new company and have tons of growing potential. They also have amazing cosmetics and a great support system among Presenters.

(Click HERE for more info on the Younique opportunity)

When you look deeper and realize exactly what you are offering people, it’s easier to get past those objections you’ve given yourself.

Sharing the Opportunity:

You should be sharing the opportunity at every party, vendor event, or other business function you attend. Carry a few “Think About It” packets with you on a regular basis. You never know when you’ll meet your next team member. These packets should contain your business card, a mini catalog (or brochure), and a flier of some sort that briefly explains the business opportunity. If your company does not offer those materials get creative and make your own! When you give those packets out be sure to take down some of their info as well so you can contact them a few days later to follow up.

At parties, just as we talked about planting booking seeds, you’ll want to do the same thing with recruiting. Remember, Don’t Dump & Pray…Plant the Seeds. Throughout your presentation throw in a few “seeds” that show people what they can earn from joining your team.

For example:

“I absolutely love this product! It does (give examples) and I personally love this one even more because I earned it for free through one of the incentives our company offered!”

Doing this throughout your presentation should speak to at least a few of the guests. Watch for reactions while you’re talking about the opportunity. Be sure to follow up with those guests at checkout to see if they’d like more info.

Hostess = Potential Recruit? 

In a lot of cases, your hostesses have a better chance of becoming your next recruit than anyone else. However, I do not offer the opportunity to all of my hostesses. Others may disagree with me but hear me out…

If you’re recruiting all of your hostesses, where are your parties going to come from?

I have several women who host for me a couple times a year and have multiple bookings from each party, or may only host once a year but can produce a HUGE party. These women I do not try to recruit. They are the heart of my business and I would have to start all over again if they were to join my team. Don’t get me wrong…if they wanted to sign up I’d welcome them with open arms because I know they could do very well. However, like I said, they are the heart of my business and I’d like to keep it that way

The Hostesses I do offer the opportunity to are the ones who may have booked from a party that was booked from one of my regular hostesses. This way I’m far enough down the line from that original hostess that I don’t really have to fear losing them.

Does that make sense?

Goals:

The number you set for yourself as to how many recruits you want to have in a month or year will depend on you and your business. My goal for myself is 1 a month. That will grow my team by at least 12 per year, not to mention if any of them recruit during that time also.

Using the tips above you set you on track for whatever your goal might be. Remember to not be afraid to offer the opportunity. You’re offering the chance to be self-employed, get out of debt, afford that dream vacation, or even maybe just being able to afford new school clothes for their kids.

Last week we talked about Booking Goals and Tips. This week we’re talking about what comes after you get those bookings… Selling. Using these direct sales selling tips can help increase your business.

So go back to last week, and see how much you said you wanted to make per month. Use that figure to determine how much you need to sell at each party. Let that number be your goal, not your limit.

Say you want to make $500 per month and want to do 1 party per week. If your company offers 25% commission, divide your $500 goal by 25% and you’ll see that you need to sell $2,000 per month. Divide that by your 4 parties, and you’ll need to average $500 per party.

So how do you get to that $500 (or whatever your magic number is)? Part of that answer is Hostess Coaching (which I will discuss in another post), but the other part is what you do.

Most importantly — Do not oversell the products. When you keep talking and talking about one item people tend to get board and turned off by it.

When showing products, answer these 3 questions:

1. What are it’s features?
2. What do you use it for?
3. Who would it make a great gift for?

These apply to most products whether it’s food related, cookware, organization products, cosmetics, homewares, or bags. When you answer those questions during your presentation you are sure to catch most, if not all, of the guests attention. If they can’t use it for themselves, maybe they know someone that they’d like to give it to as a gift.

Leave room for questions in your presentation. If you talk about every single detail of a product, then you leave no room for questions. When guests asks questions you can gauge what they like, what they don’t like and this will also help you start a conversation with them at checkout.

For example:

You: “So Karen, I know you had questions about “xxx” tonight. Is that something you wanted to add to your order?”

They may or may not, but if they decide to after you asked, you just increased your party sales.

Most companies offer products that naturally “go together” Whether its a collection of cookware or a travel bag and a cosmetic bag, be sure you know what products work best together.

If there’s a guest that is planning a vacation and they have added a travel tote to their order, offer them something that will complete a collection. If they are purchasing a Glass Pitcher for this Summer, offer them the matching glasses.

If your company offers monthly customer specials make sure that you are offering that to every customer at checkout that hasn’t already taken advantage of it.

Checkout:

I’ve mentioned this throughout this post, and if you’re not doing a proper checkout with each guest, then you might be missing out on more sales, your next hostess, or even your next team member.

I try to set up a small area at each party just for checkout. Whether its a spot at the kitchen table, the couch or anywhere else you can find space, it’s important to have a designated checkout spot. Guests can come to you as they complete their shopping and you can have all of your stuff set up to complete the checkout, including your calculator, booking calendar, hostess packets and recruiting packets. It keeps you organized and makes your job look super easy.

Next week we’ll talk about Recruiting!

Over the next 5 weeks I’ll be talking about setting goals for your Direct Sales business and tips to reach them. No matter what company you sell for, this all can apply to you. I think it’s imperative to set goals so you can see where you want to go, but knowing how to get there successfully is just as important.

First up — Bookings!

Let’s face it, without bookings most of us would never have got our businesses off the ground. Parties are where you meet potential hostesses, new customers and, even better, your next team member. Needless to say — Parties Are Essential.

Before you begin, think about how much money you’d like to make in a month. Be realistic here. We ALL would love to make $1,000′s of dollars a month, but that comes later .  When I first started my direct sales career, I wanted to make an extra $500 per month. I was a new stay-at-home mom who wanted to contribute to our income as well as be able to buy our son things without feeling guilty or taking away from grocery money. I also had dreams of a debt-free Christmas and vacations each year.

So whatever your goal is WRITE IT DOWN! Put it on your calendar, put it on a post-it note, set it as your wallpaper on your computer! It doesn’t matter what you do as long as it’s somewhere where you can see it and can keep it fresh in your mind.

Now, how many parties would you like, and do you have time for, each month? For me, I knew that 4 parties a month (1 per week) would help get me to my goal of $500 per month.

It’s important when you first get started that you have your first month and 1/2 booked. I recommend about 6 parties. You’ll get these from family, friends, and possible co-workers who want to help you out.

Even when approaching these first potential hostesses, be excited and enthusiastic about the products and your new business. When you share your excitement for something it spreads to others and they’ll be more willing to help you out and host a party for you!

From those 6 (or so) parties, you’ll continue to book out the rest of your 2nd month, 3rd month and so on. I aim for 2-3 bookings from each party.

So just how do you get those extra 2-3 from each party?

Plant the seeds. Don’t dump and pray…

You’re probably wondering what I’m talking about, aren’t you?

What sounds better?:

Once during the party — “If you’d like to host you’re own party, you’ll be able to earn some free products and other items that are just for our hostesses! If you have a huge wish list this is a great way to get your stuff for free or really cheap! Let me know if you’d like to host a party!”

OR

At the beginning of the party — “I’m so excited for Jane! We have an amazing Hostess program that will reward her with free products, 1/2 price items and even some products that are exclusive just for our Hostesses!” STOP TALKING ABOUT IT until…

During the presentation — “I love this product, it’s actually probably one of my favorites, and I love that Jane will earn this for free tonight!” AGAIN–STOP TALKING ABOUT IT until…

End of the presentation — “Jane, I want to thank you for letting me into your home tonight to share these products with you and your friends and family. I know you had a huge wishlist and I can’t wait to see how many things we can cross off that list with your free and 1/2 price credits!” AND AGAIN–STOP TALKING ABOUT IT until…

At checkout – “You seemed to really like a lot of the products I showed. Is there a date that you’d like to host your own party so you can earn them for free or 1/2 price?” 

Do you see what I did there? The first example is what a lot of people do, which I’m not saying in wrong, but it’s just not as effective when it comes to booking.

The second example allows you to “brag” about the Hostess benefits while not “dumping” it all on them at once. People who attend parties will sometimes tune out the booking part of the show because they either don’t think they want to host a party or just look at it as another “sales-pitch”. But when you “plant the seeds” you don’t seem pushy and they’re more likely to trust you.

By the time you ask at checkout they’ve already been thinking about it because of the booking seeds you planted during the presentation. Asking “Is there a date…” rather than “Would you like to host…” you are lessening their chance of just flat out saying “No”. Have your calendar out during this time too so they can refer to it if needed. Yes, they still might say “No”, but that’s okay. Even if you get a “I don’t know” or a “Maybe” offer them one of your Hostess fliers for them to look over when they have a chance. You might just turn that “Maybe” into a “Yes”.

Are you in Direct Sales? What tips do you have for successful booking? Share them below!

I consider your first 7 days with any direct sales company as the days after you order your kit. So, say you signed up with a company tonight, tomorrow would be Day 1. Don’t wait for your kit to arrive to get started. Get a jump on your business and you’ll be ready to go by the time your supplies land at your door.

Day 1:

Go through your calendar for the next 3 months and pick out dates that you’re available to do a party. I suggest at least 2-3 a week so your potential Hostess has a choice of various days. You want to be easy to work with and make the Hostess know that they are a priority. Having multiple dates open shows them this.

If your schedule simply won’t allow that many available times, that’s okay. Only do as much as you can.

Day 2:

Reach out to your friends and family to be among your first Hostesses. Book as many dates on your calendar as you can, but keep some open for potential bookings at your first several parties.

Day 3:

Train, Train, Train!!! If your company offers training online, DO IT! And don’t just limit yourself to just this one day. Training is something that should be continued at lease weekly throughout your career.

Day 4:

Head to the store! Depending on what your company supplies you with, you may need to add a few other business supplies to help keep you organized and get your going.

I recommend:

• Envelopes (large and small) for sending out brochures and catalogs to potential customers.
• Labels that you can print your name, phone number, email, and website on to place on the back of catalogs and other correspondence.
• Folders or large mailing envelopes that can be used as Hostess Packets or Recruiting Packets.
• Staples and/or paper clips
• File Folders – I have one for each hostess. This way I can keep track of her party orders and her rewards. This is also great to keep and refer back to a few months later if you’re looking to rebook her.
• Hostess and Customer Gifts – DON’T GO BROKE! My Hostesses go crazy over Bath & Body Works items. I stock up during their semi-annual clearance (when I also have a coupon) and literally pay pennies on the dollar for products. They love the hand soaps, candles, and pocket-bacs. If your company offers samples less expensive products I recommend grabbing a few of those as you get going in your business. One of the companies I sell for often offers $5 monthly specials. I always take advantage of those and use what I stock up on as Hostess gifts. The main thing to remember is that your cost of gifts per party should be a tiny percentage of what your commission will be.
• Copy paper to print out special fliers, etc.

These items should be plenty to get you started. Use this list as a guide. You may not need all of these items depending on the nature of your business.

Day 5:

Plan your parties! Now that you have some parties scheduled, it’s time to start planning them! If you Google “Direct Sales Party Games” you’ll find endless sites featuring ideas for fun and effective party games. Look for games that you can fit your presentation in to. Also look for games that you can use to book new hostesses!

Day 6:

Meet with your Sponsor or Director. I realize that this isn’t always possible. If you can’t meet in-person set up a time to call or chat some other way. Use this time to get any unanswered questions answered.

Day 7:

If your kit has not arrived yet, (and even if it has) use this day to TRAIN more! If you have your kit, go through the products. Make sure you know what they are, how they’re used, and any other details that may be applicable.

Keep this momentum up after your first week and you’re set up for success in your new business! Each of these items should take an hour or less each (with exception maybe of training) per day, and is well worth it to get you started.

Check out my websites:

www.mythirtyone.com/AmandaSmearman

www.youniqueproducts.com/AmandaSmearman

Disclosure: I am a consultant for Thirty One Gifts and a Presenter for Younique. My views that are expressed on this site are mine and do not reflect the views of the company.

Which Direct Sales Company is Right for You?

How to Choose A Direct Sales Company

I’ve been asked by a few people how to decide that a Direct Sales company is right for you. Having sold for several in the past and later deciding that the company/product was not for me, I’ve learned to evaluate a few things before diving in.

Just a little background about my experience first…

My first direct sales experience was when I was just 20 years old. I was planning my wedding and just wanted to earn some extra money to help put towards it. I made the decision and signed up with a well known company the same night. The first mistake I made was I hadn’t planned for the “work” that went into running a business, given that this was my first one. I stuck with this company for about 3 years, made some money, but ultimately decided that it just wasn’t for me.

Over the next few years I dabbled in a few other companies.  The main thing I learned in this process was that I needed to quit playing around and find something I love AND was going to make me money or not do it at all.

I took a few years off from Direct Sales (I also worked a regular job during all of this), and actually had no plans of doing direct sales again….Until September of 2011 when I was invited to a home party my best friend was having and I fell in love with the company, its message and, of course, the products. I spent the next week researching the company, the products, and most importantly gauging my friends and family’s interest in the products. Needless to say, I signed up and this company has been the biggest blessing in our lives.

One year later, I am told by a fellow blogger about a new company that was offering ground-floor opportunities. She sent me the full details on the company and what they were selling. At the time I had no plans of selling for a second company, but the opportunity of being on the “ground-floor” and the way they sell their products (mostly online), I knew this was something I’d regret not trying. So I signed up and I’m so glad I did.

So, how do you choose a direct sales company that’s right for you?

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you love the products?
• Does the company’s message speak to you?
• How will your friends and family take to the products? After all, they’ll most likely be your first hostesses and customers.
• How many other consultants for this company are in your area? While this should not discourage you, it is important to note.
• What % of your sales will you receive?
• Is their room for Team growth? 99% of the time the answer is yes. However if your area is overly saturated with consultants then you might have your work cut out for you when it comes to growing your team.
• What will you earn from your downline (your team)?
• How much do you need to sell in a specified period to stay active?
• If you become inactive, what do you have to do to become active again? Most companies just require you to submit an order of a certain amount, but be sure you know their time frames and make sure this isn’t going to be a problem for you.
• What will your business expenses be? For example, what do you get when you sign up? Is your website included or do you pay per month? How much are extra catalogs, order forms, business cards, etc.? Also keep in mind little things like Hostess and Door Prize gifts at parties.
• Do you have to keep products in stock? And is this a problem for you?
• Does the company offer incentives? This was a BIG one for me. I’m motivated by goals and when the company offers an incentive it motivates me to work harder so I earn it.

Using this list of questions should help you narrow down your search for the right company for you. You might even have more questions you’ll ask yourself besides the ones listed above. If you do, please comment them below so others can benefit too!

If you curious about the companies that I sell for you can check them out!
www.mythirtyone.com/AmandaSmearman
www.youniqueproducts.com/AmandaSmearman