Direct Sales Success: Resurrect Your Biz This Spring

I know it sounds like a bad Easter joke (and it probably is), but has your direct sales business been languishing this year?

After a busy holiday season, many consultants often go on hiatus, letting their business suffer in the interim, until the snow melts, the roads dry up, and the grass is green again. If you're one who schleps product from home to car and back, that can be a good reason to slow down. No one likes hauling stuff in the snow, but when business slows down, so does your income.

Few people leave direct sales because of a full calendar. The number one reason I hear is because they can't find bookings, can't close the sales - in short, there's nothing on their calendar!

So as we enter the second quarter of the year, take a moment to examine your goals. With the year 25% of the way behind us, are you 25% of the way towards your goals? For the average consultant (if they even have goals), the answer is not quite. And most of that is due to the fact that they let their business "slip" during the first few months of the year.

Well, now's the time to get crackin' and breathe some life back into your business.

Last week at our Small Biz Super Summit, Lisa Sasevich revealed a great technique to close more business without being salesy or pushy. Lisa is the author of "The Invisible Close" and she gave some great tips about using irresistible offers to encourage your audience to make a decision sooner, rather than later. Just yesterday, Daphne Bousquet shared with us the best strategies to make more money by hosting your own events. Here are just a few ideas you can implement to resurrect your business this spring:

• Make a time-sensitive offer. Most of our companies provide us with a monthly special. That gives your hosts and guests all month to make up their mind. Give them something special for taking action on the day of the show.
• Close the party AT the party. If you hostess coach in advance, you can remind your host that you are closing the show the night of the party. Make sure she has her catalogs, samples, and outside order forms well in advance so that she can get them out and get them back to you the night of her show.
• Host your own event. In your own home, or rent a small conference room. Be your own host. If you're using social media, make it a more informal "tweetup" kind of an event so that more people will come, try your products, etc. Then have a time-sensitive offer for people that book, buy or set up a recruiting appointment with you that night.

Time sensitive offers are just one great strategy to increase sales, bookings and recruit leads. Your company can't possibly offer a new special every day - but you can. It requires a bit of planning and forethought, but if you're running a real business, you need to be planning ahead anyway. 

Breathing life into your business can be as simple as a few tweaks to what you're already doing, or completely revitalizing the art of doing business. Either way, a resurrection will give you the forward momentum you need to have a powerhouse Summer. And as we roll into conference season, it's even more important to be hitting those goals!

You can do it!

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"Time-sensitive offer" is just one of the strategies I taught in my last Direct Sales 101 class, and here's what one of our first graduates had to say:

Well, I promoted to Team Leader, went from $300 in sales in January to $2700 in sales in February and $2000 in sales in March, and have 9 new shows on my calendar.  I want to take the early graduation discount :> 

You are, by far, the best direct sales/life coach I have ever had (and I have had quite a few!).  You have helped me to cut through my fear, my husband is now on board with my "hobby" business (as he called it!) and wants me to go full throttle, and I have been able to do things for my family that I haven't in the past.... I can't wait to see what you have in store for the rest of the year. 

Also, looking forward to the Small Biz Super Summit - what a lineup!

Lara Hall
Independent Passion Parties Consultant
www.LaraBHall.com

Direct Sales 101 will be re-opening soon. Look for more information in upcoming issues of "PartyOn!".

Direct Sales Mentoring: The Super Summit Shortens Your Learning Curve

Last year, I had a wild idea as I sat in my dining room on a Thursday night.

I fantasized about how cool it would be if someone would put together a teleseminar series for direct sellers who wanted to grow a real business, instead of an expensive hobby. There were a few live events targeted at leaders, and most companies have a national conference, but there was so much information regurgitation, that not much new was being shared in terms of what really works now.

And then I heard that voice.

"Why not you? Why not now?"

Oh, I got all kinds of internal resistance. 'But I don't know anyone. Who could I find to speak at this event?' And on and on.

I seriously didn't think I was qualified to do something like this. And several other more established direct sales trainers seemed to agree. I hit wall after wall trying to connect with some of the more well-known trainers in direct sales. They were either too busy, or unimpressed by what I was trying to accomplish.

They didn't understand online marketing, JV partnerships, or cross promoting to help one another. Frankly, their fear of competition prevented them from sharing this info with their own lists because they were afraid someone might steal their clients away.

But by Sunday night, I had secured 8 of the 15 speakers for my first event. I give a lot of the credit to twitter for that, because I was able to cut through the clutter and talk straight to several of the people I wanted to work with. In fact, I still do a lot of my connecting there.

And so it began. More than a thousand people participated in that first event. The response was so overwhelming that I was able to put together a second summit in the fall. In 2009, more than two thousand people registered for the summits.

It became clear to me that working with mentors from other business sectors was appealing not just to direct sales pros, but for all kinds of entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Why Work With Mentors?
Our third summit begins March 28, and the line-up is so powerful, that I know everyone that participates will walk away with at least one business building tool or strategy they can use right away to improve their business. That's the big reason I believe in mentoring so much. It helps you shorten your learning curve.


In direct sales especially, we can easily get stuck in a rut. We're learning from our up-line, or from other successful consultants and leaders within our company - and maybe from another direct sales coach or trainer. Often, though, the rut becomes 'incestuous'. We start copying each other, doing the same things, and not being as effective as we could be. Mentors break us out of those ruts, offering fresh perspectives, sometimes completely out of your original knowledge base.

Why Teleseminars?
The beauty of a teleseminar is that you don't even need to leave home, take off your slippers or comb your hair! It would cost a pretty penny to attend a live event that brings together a roster of experienced business professionals to speak at a 2 week event. The travel, day care and costs for room and board alone would prevent most direct sellers from participating. Plus, you'd be hard pressed to all these folks at the same event. It would just be too expensive! Teleseminars are truly the best of all worlds - expert advice that you can take action on right away, no travel required, and a minimal time investment to get on the call.

Mentors are experts in their given field. Mari Smith is an undisputed expert when it comes to Facebook Marketing. Lisa Sasevich is the champion of selling without being pushy - and you're not likely to see these folks at your national convention. The Super Summit gives you an opportunity to learn from the best minds in business for a very minimal investment. In fact, you can listen to all the live broadcasts for just $3.

We've got more than a dozen people sharing their genius at this summit - and they're not selling anything. You can take it all in, apply it to your business and go with a smile - for less than the cost of a kid's meal. Where else can you learn from so many mentors for such a small investment?

If you're serious about building a real business - not an expensive hobby - you'll want to develop a mindset of continually learning from mentors and experts that can help you grow your business successfully.

Direct Sales Success: Do You Feel Lucky?

With St. Patty's Day just around the corner, I thought it fitting to talk about being 'lucky' in your direct sales business. In truth, there's relatively little about direct sales that happens because of luck - specifically when it comes to being a leader.

In direct sales, there are all kinds of leaders, but nothing bugs me more than an 'accidental leader'.

These are the people that don't have a clue how they managed to achieve leadership. And leadership doesn't mean a title or a rank. It means anytime the consultant excels and is recognized for setting the pace. They can't tell you what they did to become successful, or share with you the secrets to their success.

It doesn't bother me that they have secrets. What bothers me is that they think they somehow got 'lucky' and success just fell into their lap.

Luck doesn't just happen. Seneca said "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity."

Indeed. There's a lot of preparation that goes on while we're waiting for that lucky break. We're putting together host packets, attending training meetings, learning about our products, and sharing that knowledge and enthusiasm with others.

So it always kind of irks me when a leader is asked how they won that prize, or how they achieved a goal and the answer comes back "I really don't know", or my favorite "I just talked to everybody."

The problem is that these accidental leaders are misinterpreting the question. They think people are looking for some ancient Chinese secret to success - when in reality, they were just being consistent in their business.

I know, that's about as sexy as quarterly planning, but hear me out on this. I recently sat down with Nicki Keohohou from the DSWA, and we talked a bit about the qualities of a leader. There's no magic pill here, it's about consistency, quality, and a commitment to excellence that permeates your entire organization.

The correct answer may not be glamorous, but there's nothing wrong with telling the truth:

"I held nine shows and booked three shows from each of those shows. I hostess coached like I was trained, and my shows averaged $550. So I was selling about $5000 a month, which just happened to be more than what everyone else did last month. If there's any luck, it's because no one else had a $5000 month, but you guys could all do what I just did. It's not magic. I don't have a lucky charm or anything like that."

People may not think it's a sexy answer, but there's nothing wrong with sharing the fact that direct sales is a business, and you have to work it like a business if you want to get paid like a business.

If more consultants and leaders were transparent about the work that was involved in being successful, we'd probably have fewer recruits looking for a magic pill. The recruits we DID have, would probably be more productive.


© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.

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USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/

Direct Sales Success: Misconceptions of Leadership

Often, I'm approached by direct sellers that want to move into leadership, but feel they don't have the necessary knowledge, skills or abilities to be a leader.

Bull!

There are a couple of misconceptions about leadership that prevent many would-be leaders from stepping into this role and earning the income they so richly deserve:

1. "I don't know everything!"
If you're brand new, people expect that you don't know everything. The more important point, however, is whether you can find the answers people are looking for. Train your team to try to find answers on their own and come to you when they get stuck. You should never position yourself as the know-it-all in your group because it stifles the leadership qualities in others.

In fact, make a decision now to empower your team to share knowledge, resources and best practices freely with each other.

Warning: in order for this to work well, you must have open communication on your team and a willingness to help one another. A rising tide lifts all ships - but only if all the ships are in the water.

2. "I don't know how to be a leader!"
If you've ever been a teacher, parent, or boss, you have some idea of what makes a good leader: patience, understanding, tenacity and vision (coupled with the ability to see through other people's B.S.) are a great start. In truth, most direct sellers are natural leaders because of their entrepreneurial drive and desire to help others.

When in doubt, look to people you would classify as lousy leaders for examples of what not to do. Likewise, learn from some of the great leaders of our time by reading their books and biographies. Model what works in your business.

Both of these excuses are easily vanquished for the person who truly desires to step into leadership. Here is a short list of recommendations for anyone considering a leadership role (in Direct Sales or otherwise):

1. Connect - with other leaders in other companies as well as your own. Leaders need a network that is strong and diverse. Look for people in other fields besides direct sales, too. This will broaden your horizons as well as your ability to relate to others.

2. Don't wait for permission - from your upline, your family, your friends - or even yourself. Great leaders step into their role with authority - and very often learn as they go. In fact, when you stop learning, you stop leading. Which brings us to...

3. Learn all you can - about your company, your products, your team and most importantly, yourself. This isn't an ego trip. If you really want to become knowledgable, you need to take time to learn new things. Then, SHARE what you've learned to help your team make fast progress.

4. Ask for help - from your leaders, a coach, a mentor - anyone that can shorten the learning curve and bring you to your goal faster. Be aware that any good help requires SOME kind of investment: time, energy, money, focus. You will only get out of it, what you put into it.

5. Relax. You're going to make mistakes along the way - the best leaders always do. Taking risks implies a certain amount of failure at some point. Leadership requires both a sense of humor and a thick skin.

True leadership comes from within. It's not some painted-on facade that you get to wear just because you've earned a certain amount of money or recruited a certain number of people. It's a powerful place of responsibility that anyone can step into - with a team of thousands, or a team of one.

© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.

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USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):

Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/

Direct Sales Success: Know Your Averages

In baseball, one of the key metrics used to determine a player's ability is their batting average.

The league leaders have an average around .350, which means for every 10 times at the plate, they hit the ball and get on base 3.5 times. Sixty-five times out of a hundred, they don't make it to first base.

And those are the league leaders!

Pitchers have a comparable measurement - the Earned Run Average (ERA). This statistic measures the number of runs in a game that are "credited" to the pitcher. In essence, these are the runs he gave up as a pitcher. The lower the number, the better the pitcher.

The league leaders fall in the 2.1-3.5 range. That means that even the best pitchers are giving up a few runs each time they take the field.

What about you? In the game (and business) of direct sales, you need to be tracking your own averages. In fact, there are 3 critical averages that you must track if you want to improve your business on a consistent basis - regardless of the economy. They are:

1. Your Show Sales Average (SSA). This metric tells you exactly what you can expect from every show you do. If you know that you're averaging about $350 in sales at each show you do, you can predict with a fair amount of certainty how much income you'll earn in a given month. You'll also be able to strategize ways to improve your show income. If you don't know your SSA, however, you'll always be guessing from one month to the next about how your income will look.

The SSA is an easy number to calculate. Take the total show sales you've had in a given period of time (a year is best) and divide it by the total number of shows you held to get those sales. Don't count individual sales or online income unless they are part of a show you can track. Just sales from shows and the total number of shows. If fifteen shows resulted in $15,000, you have a $1,000 show average. If fifteen shows resulted in $1500, you have a $100 show average. Your results will likely fall somewhere in the middle of hose two extremes. If you don't do shows, calculate your one-on-one's. Same math, different figures.

2. Your Bookings Per Show (BPS). This metric indicates the longevity of your business. If you consistently get 2-3 bookings per show, you have a healthy business that will continue to propagate itself with new parties. If you consistently book 1-2 parties per show, you're going to have a more difficult time keeping your calendar full. When you know this metric, you can start to take a look at the reasons for your booking success (or challenges). Sometimes, it's a matter of changing your verbiage at the party. Sometimes you realize you haven't been giving a booking talk at all. Sometimes, you hit on just the right combination of fun and education that gets people excited to want to book a show with you.

You can calculate your BPS almot as simply as your SSA. Simply add up the total number of bookings you've gotten in the past year (or 6 months), and divide by the number of shows from which they came. You are counting totals, not JUST the shows that held. Be honest with yourself. If you booked 10 shows and only 4 held, that's a different metric. We want to track the total number of bookings from each show.

This does bring up an interesting discovery. If you find you're booking a lot of shows but they aren't holding, chances are good there's a problem with hostess coaching or follow up. Or you're working with flaky people. Both problems can be easily solved with a little coaching. But you can't solve either problem if you don't know your BPS.

3. Your Recruiting Interview Percentage (RIP). This metric tells you how many recruits youll be adding to your team. This metric is a little more complex, because it's actually made up of TWO mathematical equations. First, you need the total number of guests/clients you've worked with in a given period of time. This can be a challenge, so when you first start tracking this metric, begin with the total number of guests at your shows. Over time you'll need to add in all the other people you share recruiting info with, but for now, stick with something a little easier to track. How many recruiting interviews are you scheduling from each show? Divide the number of recruiting appointments by the number of guests. This is your scheduling rate. Save that number for the next step.

Now look at your recruiting appointments. How many of them actually result in a new consultant joining the team? Take the scheduling rate from step one and divide it by this number. Now you have a percentage you can work with. For every hundred people you meet, that's the number of people that will likely join your team on average.

Let's look at an example. If you have 150 guests in a given month, and schedule 10 recruit interviews, you have a 6.6% scheduling rate. Of those 10 interviews, only 3 join the team. That means you have a 2.2% Recruiting Interview Percentage. For every 100 people you meet at shows, etc, 2.2 of them are likely to join your team.

Once you know these numbers, you can begin to see how easy it is to stay motivated. If you knew with a fair amount of certainty that you could turn 2 out of every 100 people into new recruits, you're much more likely to approach those 100 people in the first place. You're also much more inspired to want to IMPROVE that percentage so that you're not working quite as hard from the get-go.

When you keep close tabs on what I call "the BIG 3" in your business, you'll have a more consistent, stable income, with the power and ability to keep it growing, right at your fingertips.

© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.

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If you're interested in hearing more about the BIG 3, I will be chatting with Carrie Wilkerson on this topic during her Barefoot Bootcamp 2.0 happening this month. Yes, that's my affiliate link, but the videos are free, and very informative. I hope you'll check it out. Plus, if you sign up through my link for the event, you'll also get free access to my OWN Direct Sales Super Summit coming up in March!


USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!

Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/

Direct Sales Success: Expectations Set the Tone

When I work with clients on their target marketing, one of the biggest areas of contention is the realization that ultimately, everyone is not their target market.

No, everyone that fogs up a mirror is not your prospect. Neither is everyone who showers (if you're in skincare), everyone who eats (if you sell kitchen gadgets or food), or everyone with kids (if you sell toys or educational goodies).

You've got to be a little more specific.

For example, if you choose to service a local, offline, market, then people more than 100 miles from your home would not be part of your target market. This limits the number of people you can serve.

And that word, "limits", seems to put a stranglehold on a consultant faster than a rope 'n ride at the rodeo.

They want to serve everyone. Because if they don't serve everyone, how will they get enough clients for their business.

Then I try to remind them of this episode of I Love Lucy:


You can't possibly serve everyone and do a good job.
Really. You can't.

So, why not change your expectations? establish a market that you CAN serve, and that you WANT to serve.

And expectations go both ways. Be sure to let your target market know what they can expect from you, how you expect to serve them, and how they can expect to hear from you. here are some suggestions to help set the tone with new clients in your target market:

1. Lay out the ground rules from the get-go.
Tell them your guest lists typically have 40-50 names on them, and that you usually get them back within 3 days. If they have problems with that, you'll be more than happy to help them in person, or to direct them to another consultant that would be glad to work with them.

2. Express your excitement about helping your host have a successful show. Your best shows are going to have a certain number of guests (get this info from your statistics from last year). Let your hosts and guests know what they can expect if the evening is a success for everyone.

3. Decide in advance what kind of show you want to have. Leave nothing to chance. I have had success inviting my "go only" guests to other people's parties. If a guest says "I only go to parties, I don't host them" I put them on a list so that when I have a host that's struggling to get RSVP's, I can call them up and invite them to the party. The host thinks I'm her hero, and the guest appreciates being remembered and treated respectfully.


Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you're going to make the most of your business, policies and procedures. your home office lays the foundation, but the framework is built by you. Your expectations set the tone for the outcome of your parties AND your business as a whole.

Expect more to get more.

Direct Sales Success: From Strategy to Plan

Planning for direct sales success can be as simple as turning on a light switch, or as challenging as digging ditches. It all depends on your outlook.

My husband thinks 'plan' is a four-letter word. So I have to come up with "action items" instead of a plan. It's the only way to get anything done around my house.

But before I lay out my "honey-do" list, I have to envision my desired outcome. Then, I need to understand the important pillars of getting the job done.

The same hold true in your direct sales business.

Once you've laid a vision for your direct sales business, identified the goals and created a strategy around what the key areas of accomplishment are, we then get to "the brass tacks" of bringing that vision to life - creating the plan.

Once you've laid out you annual objectives, you've got to break that down into meaningful, manageable "chunks". For example, if your goal is to add 12 new personal recruits to your team, that breaks down to approximately 1 recruit each month.

But this kind of thinking is not likely to be accurate.

Consultants are trained to average their numbers out over the course of the year, which is a detriment. In reality, the bulk of our sales - the bulk of our business, really - comes during the last quarter of the year.

Now that doesn't mean to sit on your laurels until October. Far from it.

What it means is that you should plan appropriately and project reasonably for the year.

For example, if you look at your sales history and 50% of your sales happens from October to December, don't expect that you'll have an even time of things from January to June.

Forecast higher numbers in the fall and lower numbers in the winter.

This does two things:

1. It paints a realistic picture for your business
2. It shows you where your real opportunities lie

So if you've NEVER added a single recruit in February, you can choose to focus on that objective, or to play to your strengths instead.

This is how your business truly becomes your own.

If in March, you know there's a big bridal event that you're planning for, lay the groundwork NOW and know what your desired outcomes are. They may look something like this:

1. collect contact info for 300 leads
2. connect with 30 brides (preferably at the show)
3. book 10 parties/events from the bridal show
4. schedule 2 recruit interviews
5. sign one recruit

If there is a commandment in direct sales it should be "Thou shalt know thy numbers." You can't plan a realistic business year without knowing your numbers. How many interviews must you hold (on average) before you sign a recruit? How many people do you need to talk to before you can schedule an interview? How many leads do you need to make 30 contacts?

If you know these numbers, you can look at last year's data to break it all down. Here's a hypothetical example:

2009 Results:
Jan - 2 shows, 16 people, 1 recruit interview (did not sign)
Feb - 8 shows, 80 people, 3 recruit interviews (1 signed)
Mar - 10 shows, 85 people, 5 recruit interviews (2 signed)
Apr - 7 shows, 80 people, 4 recruit interviews (1 signed)
May - 16 shows, 150 people, 10 recruit interviews (3 signed)
Jun - 7 shows, 81 people, 5 recruit interviews (3 signed)
Jul - 4 shows, 55 people, 3 recruit interviews (2 signed)
Aug - 4 shows, 42 people, 1 recruit interview (1 signed)
Sep - 6 shows, 55 people, 2 recruit interviews (0 signed)
Oct - 11 shows, 140 people, 12 recruit interviews (5 signed)
nov - 16 shows, 225 people, 20 recruit interviews (10 signed)
Dec - 8 shows, 150 people, 10 recruit interviews (3 signed)

2009 - 99 shows, 1159 people, 76 recruiting interviews, 31 signed

These numbers reveal that for every 3 shows you hold, about 1 person will sign up. It also tells you that only aout 6% of your customers and guests will hold an interview with you, but that once you DO get them to schedule an interview, you will sign up about 40% of them.

It also shows you that June, July and January are your slowest months. this tells you that you can either take a vacation (if you're certain you'll not do any business during those months), or plan some new ideas for those months to boost business.

It also shows you that you're bringing a lot of team members on in the fall. How can you prepare yourself to have an eqally spectacular spring, and still be ready to bring on so many new recruits during the busy season?

Armed with your own numbers, you can plan a course for your entire year - without waiting to see what your home office will do in terms of incentives, prizes, bonuses or rewards.

You can also find the holes in your armor and fix them. If January is always slow, is it because you're so bogged down in December that you can't get things moving? If so, now you have ammunition to create a strategy to prevent this kind of problem at the end of this year.

You don't need a coach to tell you all of this. You can crunch these numbers on your own. But crunch them one way or another so that you can have a powerfully productive 2010!

© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.

USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):

Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com

#shine Wrap-up Finale: What I learned in Vegas

So you've seen my take on the good, bad and ugly at Ali Brown's Shine event. And if you missed it, check my previous posts.

Today, I wanted to boil it all down to what I actually learned and what my "take aways" were from this event.

I was fortunate in that I was able to spend a couple extra days in Vegas processing, filtering, connecting, and getting more clarity on how to apply everything I gleaned before, during and after Shine.

The biggest take away is that you really do get what you take. Everyone went in with so many varied opinions and ideas - some positive, some negative. But ultimately, each person makes an assessment as to whether or not they'd do it all over again. I definitely would go back because so much good came out of this event for me.

But I was looking for the good in the first place. It didn't come in all the ways I expected, or hoped, but there was a TON of value I never would have gotten had I not gone to Vegas.

For example, one of my core values is experiences. I love participating in and creating experiences where people can connect, share, grow and support one another. Love it, love it, LOVE IT. That's been the missing link in my business and my life, and I didn't figure that out until I was in the room watching a half dressed guy spinning heavy metal objects during the opening of the event. It wasn't the spinning guy that thrilled me (really. not my type), but the oohing and aaahing and "illegal" photography that the audience was doing that interested me. You could tell that people were raising their energy, getting excited, and wanting to find something exciting in this event.

It was all about the experience. And while I won't say I'm a seminar junkie, it does explain why I love direct sales so much - creating experiences for clients to really enjoy themselves and feel good about their own lives.

There Are A LOT Of People Looking For Clarity
Most of the women and men I met at Shine were looking or clarity, direction and the "How-to's" to grow their business idea. They are smart, hard working people, trying to "figure it out" - many trying to balance their heart with their head. The answers, most of the time, are already within us - or within arm's reach. And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to get the answers you need. You just need to know where to look.

I like reinventing myself
A couple of weeks prior to shine, I was at a mastermind retreat where I realized that one of the biggest thrills in my life is helping people get that "Ah-HA!" moment of clarity in their life. I've worked with theater owners, authors, actors, direct sellers, designers, small biz owners, and even heads of multi-million dollar companies. Sometimes it's the teeny weeny little idea that gets overlooked that puts everything into perspective.

So I created these "limited edition" business cards positioning myself as an idea coach and professional brainstormer - helping people get clarity or create new ideas to make their business profitable. It felt like being home.

I wasn't pigeon-holed into a niche, I could communicate effortlessly with all kinds of entrepreneurs - including a rocket scientist whilst in the airport - and offer substantive help that got peoples wheels turning.

I Like That! So we've created RentLisasBrain.com where I'll be doing more of that brainstorming and focus work.

People-Watching Pays
From the waitstaff to the sales reps on the main floor of the Venetian, to the other participants in the event, there was a lot to learn just by watching others. The way they carried themselves, what they said, what they DIDN'T say - there was free education all around just by keeping your eyes open.

Never Leave Anything To Chance
Anne McKevitt said this in an off-hand kind of way during her branding presentation, but it stuck with me. And as the event went on, I looked for places where Ali's team worked hard to leave nothing to chance. While we kind of had to work at applying a lot of the hidden lessons from Shine, this one idea gave me some new directions in my own life and business.

Everything Works. You Just Have To Be Tenacious.
Really. It doesn't matter what business model you choose, or how you set everything up. Every strategy that's being taught will work if you apply enough tenacity to it. Granted, some will work better than others, and not everything will be a perfect fit for you, but people wouldn't espouse it if it didn't work.

Which Means, It's Really About Resonance.
So while everything WILL work, finding the thing that resonates most with you is where you'll be most content. Then, even if it's not the most effective idea for others, you'll be happy and productive.

Bluntly, in the Internet Marketing realm, there are experts that tell you the best way to squeeze every dollar out of a prospect is with upsells, downsells, cross sells, and probably diagonal sells if they could figure that out. But most of us don't resonate with that, and "settle" for a happy medium - a balance of content and pitch that makes us feel we're providing value, developing relationships and getting compensated appropriately.

My action plan is to re-design my business around the way I would want to be treated as a customer - and as a human being. It costs more and means harder work, and it's worth it, because I'm proud of the end result, my true fans appreciate me, and they know what effort goes into producing a quality product. It also means more hands-on, personal interaction with me, because that's where I think people get the best results. And since I'm all about results, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Binders Suck
That was probably the second biggest disappointment of Day One. This gorgeous binder was at my seat waiting for me and inside was nothing but lined note paper and a "resource" section that was filled with Ali's products on discount. It felt like such a waste, even after we were given about 20 pages to plug into it.

I've never found a program where "the binder" met my expectations. It always felt like an overpriced way to share the powerpoint slides. So you'll very likely never see me doing any kind of binder.

Now I know from a sales perspective that when you put it in a binder, it's easier for the customer to lose pieces, which prevents refunds. But if I'm truly focused on helping my clients succeed, why do I want them to lose anything? More importantly, if they want to return it, I want to make that as easy as pie - especially in light of the new FTC rulings. I ONLY want to work with people that WANT to work with me and WANT to get results.

If I Build It (And It Rocks) They WILL Come
Out of one side of their mouth, experts tell you that there are industry "standards" about drop off rates, subscriber open rates, and conversion rates. They tell us to expect that kind of stuff. Then out of the other side of their mouth they talk about attracting perfect clients, abundance and the fact that there is only cooperation, not competition.

So if I subscribe to the abundance, attraction notion, it stands to reason that I can have an amazing business filled with people that love my style, my approach, my outlook and my content. The only thing really standing in my way is what I call the "Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome". We keep spinning our wheels when we know something's amiss, because we're told that it worked for someone else, so it should work for us - instead of trusting our instincts and doing what we know resonates more perfectly in our own world.

I've learned that trusting my gut and expecting - nay demanding - more for myself and my clients makes me a hero to my ideal clients. It's harder work, but it's better rewarded. The half-ass approach of doing the minimum brings people to you that want more than the minimum for minimum prices.

One of my lists has about 1700 people on it. Each subscriber on that list is worth over $100 to me (and growing). I learned at Shine that's an incredible value! And I cherish that, because it means that I'm doing all the right things to keep that list responsive and lucrative.

One of the concepts that Napoleon Hill talks about in Think and Grow Rich is doing more than you're paid for. Going above and beyond is expected anymore. Shirking will just cause you to end up with the dregs.

And just like the Field of Dreams, all the players didn't take the field in the beginning. But some of the players told other players, and eventually they DID show up.

Modeling Will Only Take You So Far - Then You've Got to Innovate
Learning from others is a great place to start when you're stuck, or have no idea how to begin. But there comes a point in time when you must break out of the ruts the other wagons have laid down and forge a path of your own. Otherwise, you're just a pale reflection of those that have gone before you.

I think of some of the greatest musicians of all time - they were all inspired by other great musicians. If all they ever did was model their heroes, everyone would be playing Purple Haze exactly the same way.

But when Hendrix played the National Anthem everyone stood up and took notice. Some people liked it, others were in shock, everyone said it was an innovative approach to an "old standard".

So I'm taking time to learn outside my own field and tap into the expertise of others that have nothing to do with my business - some of them long since dead. Newton, Asimov, Picasso, daVinci all are great sources of inspiration to cross- pollinate your brain and get you thinking outside the incestuous relationships within your industry.

Women Overcome
When put to the test, women are amazingly resilient, enduring creatures that put up with a lot of stuff. We're also deceptive, sneaky, tricky and cunning. We can use our powers for good or evil and when we choose good, the effect is exponential, trickling down through societies, permeating cultures, and changing the world.

Aside from the speakers, I met some incredibly remarkable women - some I was already following, and some new faces as well. Each of them has a wonderful gift to share and I'm confident they WILL share it because they are overcomers. Keri's ability to connect quickly makes it clear she's perfectly suited to social media coaching - despite what Anne might say. Jill's gift for writing is clearly evident in her manner of speaking. Cutressa's enthusiasm lights up her space and the lives of everyone around her - I think everyone knew Cutressa by the end of the event. MonSun, my Faerie Godmother, Sabine, and even Nicole (a client I met up with) all left a lasting imprint about who they are, what they want to accomplish in the world, and how they're taking action on getting it done. And they will, because they overcome. Not to neglect the dozens of other women at this event that I met - each was remarkable. And I know each will overcome. It's in their DNA, so to speak.

I Don't Need Permission. I Need Connections.
Kind of self explanatory. I realized that I can be anyone I believe I am - without waiting for confirmation, validation or recognition from some external source, be it a person, mastermind group, coach or other entity living or dead.

There's no "acting as if". I already AM, therefore, it's not acting.

I met a woman who dubbed herself My Faerie Godmother, and she told me things about me I've never shared publicly - and I couldn't explain it away. She told me about my mom, my kid, my husband and all the things I've been trying to live up to - or live down. The buck stops here. Now.

I'm "smarter than the average bear" and don't have to apologize for who I am. There are throngs of people that actually enjoy the part of me I've allowed to really shine through. That means regardless of my shape, size, texture or hair color (and yes it will stay blonde for many months to come), I'm me and that's groovy. I don't need your approval, program, group or seal of authenticity to be me.

What I do need is to continue to connect with people that expand my thinking like that. People that have viewpoints, clarity, confusion, directions, aspirations and energies that are different from my own. It's part of what drives me and helps me thrive.

Good Things Come To He Who Waiteth If He Worketh Like Heck While He Waiteth
This was actually a little plaque that hung over my Grandma's kitchen sink. There is a process to achieving success - an incubation period - and skipping steps only slows you down. Do things right the first time so you don't have to go back and do them again, and quit trying to get ahead of yourself. Life's not a race, it's a cruise. The buffet's pretty tasty and the view is spectacular fro all sides once you leave port.

So many of us are trying to hurry up and get rich/famous/successful, and we forget there's a process to this stuff. Wolfgang Puck was quoted in INC magazine as saying that slow and steady growth is the best way to ensure longevity in the marketplace. He's watched dozens of restaurants come and go that grew three times as fast as he has - and he's the one still standing.

I've been reading a lot of stories about entrepreneurs from the turn of the last century - some you've never even heard of for that very reason. They wanted to grow too fast, and ruined themselves. On the other hand, the prudent, judicious and successful entrepreneurs that are still known to this day, took their time to carefully grow their businesses in ways that would be sustainable. Don't trade a lot of money later for a little money right now.

I Like Being a Blonde
Several followers asked about the choice to go blonde, suggested I go back, and commiserated with me on the grey hair that lurks beneath the surface. The fact of the matter is I enjoy being blonde WAY more than I enjoyed having brown/grey hair, and it will likely stay that way for a long while. I can't say blondes have more fun, but I can say that I'm easier to spot in the crowd, and it's doing for me what I set out to do when I changed the color in the first place. Purple would probably have been just as effective, but I figured that was a little less professional.

I Like Rocking The Boat
Not to be cantankerous, but I like pointing out the stuff that doesn't work. I'm not trying to be a Negative Nelly here - it's not about being negative for negativity's sake. I think there's great value in sharing what works and what doesn't so that people can improve themselves. Not everyone will agree, I'm sure, and that's fine. They're not part of my tribe. Usually when I point out a faux pas, I'm quick to offer a solution if I can find one. That's how my brain is wired. Find a problem, find some solutions, fix it and move on. I'm not going to apologize for that anymore, I'm just going to rock it out!


So that's the gist. There's more, and I'll be sharing stuff as I go along and wriggle out of the new cocoon, but you get the idea of where I'm headed here. Your comments, thoughts and witty remarks are welcome feedback!

Definitions Make the Difference: #SHINE Wrap-up part Deux

I promised the good things that came out of Ali Brown's SHINE event - and here they are (if you missed yesterday's post, that's where I put the yucky stuff).

For as much as I was disappointed about Ali's content and delivery of the event, there were a TON of great things to take away from Shine. The first was the environment itself. Imagine a room of 450 entrepreneurs that are all on a journey of discovery and upleveling together. That's what Napoleon Hill talked about when he was discussing Masterminds. And his group was a cross section unlike any other. CEO's and start-ups, men, women, billionaires and people who spent their very last dollar to be at the event. Truly an amazing blend of people.

I pretty much had my values locked down before the event. So while I only took away a small a-ha from the values exercise, SO many people continued to talk about it well into Day three. I discovered that I value experiences, and that I need them - and that's something I didn't know about myself that will definitely change the way I approach business in 2010.

A ton of great new connections were forged. People that were silent followers were reaching out to say hi - and even thanks - to the ones they've been following. And those people were gracious, considerate, and even helpful at times. It was good to know that there were so many good folks at such a large event.

I left my laptop in the ballroom repeatedly and my bag was never touched. The integrity, compassion and genuine helpfulness of the attendees was tremendous. The bulk of the group were women, and all of them were genuinely appreciative of one another, willing to help each other, support each other, and cheer for each other. Often, when one person would voice a concern or an ah-ha, that person would be approached at a later time by a throng of attendees seeking to assist.

The speakers all shared some great sound bites. Julie Clark, an accidental millionaire, has worked hard to help children have better lives. She's overcome a few obstacles to do it. That story was well recieved. Barbara Corcoran was an absolute RIOT, being completely honest, blunt, and entertaining at the same time. The lessons from her Mother were priceless.

But the star of the show was far and away Marlee Matlin. Honest, direct, and uber positive, she shared her triumphs so candidly, interacted with participants and even spoke a few words. She shared the realities of being a wife, mom and business owner - the joys and struggles. That was something we could all relate to. I felt she was the most "like us" of the bunch of speakers.

Anne McKevitt was very approachable throughout the event. Answering most questions, and creating quite a stir in the back of the room between breaks. I stood off to the side a few times listening to her share stories, offer advice, and try to be a genuine help to the women in the room. I look forward to getting her slides from the presentation.

Ali provided some good overview material. The only piece of "deep thinking" was on day three, with Dr. Jill's TED video. That was a smart move on Ali's part. Call in a female brain expert to explain the abilities of the left and right brain. I've seen this video numerous times, and it never fails to impress.

The hot seats were fun and entertaining. You could see the wheels turning for these entrepreneurs - and they also made a ton of new connections after sitting in the "Ali Halo" for a few minutes. There was lotsof learning going on in the room.

I met a faerie godmother. For as open a person as I am, she was able to connect the dots on some issues I've NEVER publicly shared before. It was an eye opening experience for me. It answered so many questions, and raised a few more I'll be exploring in 2010.

My swipe file is FILLED with ideas from Ali's event. I learned a TON about how to effectively run a live event (and what not to do). I took more notes on that than anything else. Ali puts on quite a show, and anyone paying attention could see how much behind the scenes work was going on right in front of our eyes.

I also learned a TON about upselling a big ticket coaching product. Ali had dozens and dozens of women making a beeline to the front of the stage as the scantily clad Vegas showgirls brought the MPC applications to the front of the room. Ali used her clients as examples for each of the business blueprint "models" she offered, allowing her the opportunity to not only showcase her handiwork, but to get live testimonials from her clients.

The bulk of day two served to set up the pitch for her program at the end of the evening. Presenting James Roche to deliver content focused on helping people see the logical steps in building a business set him up as a content expert. Then drawing the connection that he'll also be teaching not one but two tracks for this year's MPC program got the crowd even more excited.

Ali sealed the deal for many with her promised live event mid 2010 all about setting up and running a multi-tier coaching/mastermind program, and free VIP access tonext year's Shine event for those that opted to join at either the platinum or diamond level.

This was a HUGE opportunity to observe the upsell, as well as cleve ways to pre-fill the seats for a live event.

We were also able to see and connect with people that were getting results. In a year of depessing economic news, it was good to hear that some people (myself included) were having their best year EVER in business. Many of them were doing something new, out of the box, or testing an entirely different market, but they were doing SOMETHING - and it was working. It wasn't one particular market that was seeing success, these industries were as varied as the women that worked them.

Michele DeKinder-Smith's JaneOutOfTheBox.com direct mail campaign was genius! Complete with what NOT to do, it was so cool to see what happened, what worked and what didn't in a way that we could translate into our own business. That was AWESOME!

You get what you take out of an event like this. I came not expecting much in terms of content (Ali was still creating content only a couple of weeks before the event, according to social media posts). My focus was on learning from others in the room, seeing what new "tricks" Ali had up her sleeve, and hearing from the celeb speakers.

The event totally matched my expectations, although I was hoping for more. When things become predictable for me, that's a sign that it's time to uplevel my thinking and connect with more ambitious folks. That was a huge take-away for me.

Whenever major upleveling happens in my life, it's usually coupled with a major weather disturbance (weird, I know). So after Sunday's earthquake AND the tropical storm we flew through on my way home, I knew I made a good decision to attend Shine - even if the content wasn't all that was promised.

So for as much belly aching as I did yesterday, you can see there was still a ton of awesome goings on in Vegas. Plus, I made a few new friends, and even spied a celebrity or two in the lobby of my hotel after the event. And yes, staying a couple of extra days definitely gave me time to get some clarity on my 2010 directions as well. New ideas, new biz ventures, and some great new connections means that 2010 will likely be my best year yet.

Bring. It. On.

Strategic Planning: A Gift and a Skill

So I'm getting out of the shower Saturday morning, and the phone rings.

At 6:30am. Highly unusual in my home.

It's my sister. She lives in Arizona, so it was 3:30 in the morning where she was.

Had she not been so pleasant, I would have thought the world was on fire.

She called just to catch up, see what's shakin' and share a little news in her life. She didn't know I was packing to get on a plane to D.C.

My sister works for an incredibly wonderful company and one of the highlights of the year was the fact that she exceeded corporate expectations by 132%.

So not only did she reach the goals attained by her company, she blew them out of the water.

And after I complimented her work ethic, I quickly joked that she just made it that much more difficult for herself the next year.

Then with all seriousness she revealed her strategic vision for the next 5 years - which didn't include staying in her current position as a sales rep. We talked about management opportunities and things she'd like to pursue - all of which are still on the table - and she laid out a definitive vision of how she'd like the next few years to go.

In that moment, it occurred to me that my sister has an incredible gift of foresight.

She worked at AOL (I can say this now) during a time of "save the customer no matter what" and could see there was no profitability in that. She got out just before her head own was on the chopping block - and she was one of the top performers in her facility, probably in the country!

She's always been two steps ahead (at least) when planning her career moves, and every time, her focus and determination have put her head and shoulders above everyone else in her organization.

As her sister, I'm uber proud. As a business owner, I'm impressed with her gift of vision and skill for strategic planning.

As a coach, I want to convey the lesson clearly to all of you: You can't sit comfortably. Ever. Even if you're outperforming your colleagues and besting your own performance by 130%, you can't rest on your laurels.

You need to have a vision for yourself, your life, your future.

Most people don't get into direct sales thinking they're going to be at the top of the food chain someday. Oh sure, they may win some recognition, earn a few incentive trips, but the real, underlying reason for direct sales has nothing to do with being a direct seller.

We have some kind of vision for our lives and see Direct Sales as the vehicle to take us there.

This is what I talk about when I talk about your "what" being more powerful than your "why".

Behind it all is some kind of vision of what you want your life to be like. How you see everything shaking out in the next few years - or at the end of your life, depending on how far out you plan.

I've learned that some people have an amazing GIFT for forethought and planning. It just comes naturally.

I've also learned that while my sister excels with the gift, I have learned the SKILL.

It's work for me to plan. I have to think and process and sift out tons of ideas. My head gets so cloudy with all the "what if"s and bright ideas that it's hard to see the forest for the trees - that's one of the reasons for this Mastermind planning session. To help us clear out and focus on the ideas that are most impacftul and significant to ourselves and our businesses. And while you're reading this, I'll be heavy duty in the thick of it.

Once I get clear, as I'm sure is the case for most people, the planning almost takes care of itself.

So to all of you that say "I'm no good at planning", I offer myself as the poster child of the unbalanced checkbook - even though I was a licensed financial planner, and the person who was voted most likely to succeed - and still feels the pressure of an unkept home.

This year I've already doubled my income - and tripled my profitability (probably quadrupled, but I don't have the final numbers for the year yet). And you can talk income all day long - it's the profit that counts. The key to all of that is clarity, focus and planning.

But as Robert Frost would say, I still have "miles to go before I sleep". With strategy and planning, I too will leave this weekend with a forward look into how I want my life to be - instead of letting life happen to my business and to me.

Eat your heart out, sister mine!

Enthusiastic or Pushy? What's the difference?

As a direct sales coach, I hear it all the time:

I don't want people to think I'm being pushy

There's a difference between being enthusiastic about your business and being pushy.

Pushy, to me, comes off more as bullying, or force-feeding your agenda on unwilling, or unsuspecting people.

Enthusiasm is a contagious attitude that is positive in nature.

One stems from fear, the other from faith.

In fact, the word enthusiasm is derived from the Greek, meaning "God inside". You've no doubt seen enthusiastic people, perhaps 'bouncing off the walls' a bit, as if the fire of deity burned within them.

Enthusiasm is a motivating, inspiring force. Pushy is an oppressive, demanding force.

As business owners, we need to realize that we can be enthusiastic, and even FIRM about our expectations without being pushy.

Granted, there will always be a small cadre of folks whom you can never satisfy. Someone will always find fault with you. This is not for those types - since you really shouldn't be building your business around them anyway! They're certainly not your perfect fit customer.

When you've developed a following of 'fans' - what I call "crack addicts", they will pick up on and share your enthusiasm.

Fans rarely (if ever) share your pushy attitude.

Let's look at an example of reasonable expectations and enthusiasm in your business - and when they might turn into pushiness.

You're at an event, demonstrating the versatility of your product. You begin to share how this particular product has saved you hours of time at home, and made your life less stressful and more enjoyable. You smile and others smile with you. People begin asking questions and you can tell you've hit on a topic of interest.

So far, you get high marks for enthusiasm.

Suddendly, you notice two women (we'll call them Jane and Mary) are asking the bulk of the questions. Both seem very interested not only in your product, but also in your business opportunity. You answer their questions, and Mary schedules an appointment to talk with you further.

Inside, you are doing the dance of joy. Your smile is as big as all outdoors. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and others begin to ask for additional information about your products - but not Jane.

At the close of the event, you pull Jane into a corner and begin to tell her all the wonderful reasons why she should take your information and set up an appointment to tal with you further. She politely declines and you insist that she'd be great at what you do and she should just take the packet and "sleep on it". She tells you she's not very good at sales, and you proceed to tell her why you felt the same way when you started, and that you found with a little practice you got pretty good, and now you're making good money each month and that she won't lose anything by just taking the packet and setting up a time to chat with you.

Okay. I hope you see where you went from enthusiastic to pushy. Assuming you do get Jane to set an appointment, it's highly unlikely that she'll show - or ever return your calls again.

Enthusiasm is one way of providing value to the world. We're helping others, sprading a positive message or positive energy in a way that seeks only to serve. When we're enthusiastic about our product, we want the WORLD to know how great it is.

But when someone disagrees, shows a lack of interest, or simply refuses to participate, we begin to feel as if WE'VE been rejected - and take that rejection personally. That's when fear - and pushiness - set in.

When "everyone else" was so excited about our offering, the enthusiasm was contagious. The moment we see someone who's not "on our side" we begin to think something's wrong - and we move away from helping the other person and move into defensive mode - trying to "overcome objections" and "close" them to a decision.

Some people just take more time than we're willing to give them to make a decision.

Here are a few tips to avoid feeling (and being) pushy:

1. Always ask yourself if you are providing a real value to the client.
Real value is in the eyes of the client, however, so this can get tricky. you may THINK you're providing something valueable - after all, you shelled out $5 per recruiting packet and it comes with free samples - but the client has no interest in joining your team, so they see no value in what you're offering.

2. Look to the client's desires first.
This ties into number one above. If you are seeking to understand what's important to your client at any given time, you will rarely be perceived as pushy. In fact, you'll be seen as incredibly helpful, somewhat refreshing and a nice, friendly person. Why? Because so few people take the time to care these days. Perhaps a client has difficulty expressing their desires. The act of seeking to understand them FIRST goes a long way towards building a lasting relationship.

3. Keep your mouth shut.
I wanted to say listen, but today, so many people are hearing what's going on and instead of truly getting to the heart of their client's issue, they're preparing their rebuttal or their comeback statement. This is something I STILL struggle with because my mind races a million miles a minute trying to find solutions for people. You have to close your mouth - including the voice in your head - and LISTEN to what your customers want and need. Ask them. Then shut up long enough to really hear what they're saying.

4. Vocalize appropriate expectations.
As a business owner, setting clear expectations of your customers does not make you pushy. It is completely acceptable to say "I'll call you on Tuesday to confirm" and then call on Tuesday. You've laid out an expectation, and it's your responsibility to follow up appropriately.

It's NOT appropriate to then call Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and THREE times on Saturday. THAT'S being pushy. There's probably a good reason why Jane isn't returning your call - and if you've "camped out" on her phone line every day for a week, chances are good she'll NEVER return those calls.

And I hear you asking 'but what do I do if they never return my call? Well there are two considerations here. First, did they REALLY want to talk to you in the first place? If you strong-armed them into accepting a call from you, they may be looking for any excuse to never return your call. Those are not perfect-fit customers, and you need to rid yourself of them ASAP.

If they are still very interested in connecting with you, try a postcard, text message or other means of contacting them.

Just make sure you don't do one a day for a whole week. There's keeping in touch, and then there's being desparate.

One is an act of enthusiasm. The other is an act of pushyness.

Online Marketing: 10 lessons from the James Ray incident

Many of you know I'm not a news watcher, so when my mastermind group shared the news about the James Ray 'death lodge' incident today, I was a bit taken aback, but not totally surprised.

I can't begin to comment on the tragedy that occurred, nor on anything that Ray represents. That's not what this post is about. Anytime someone dies unexpectedly - for any reason - there are questions, pain, and more suffering than anyone should ever have to endure.

I'll save that for others better qualified than I to investigate.

This is not to negate or downplay ANYTHING that happened in Arizona. On the contrary, these 10 lessons are important for everyone in business to learn - and fast, regardless of the outcome of the investigation:

First, at least one major media outlet was compelled to include James' twitter id in their article. James couldn't be reached for comment, so the outlet ripped quotes from his twitter page regarding the incident.

Lesson one: Make sure what you're sharing online is fit to print.
Lesson two: Even the media recognizes the marketing value of sites like twitter - and has no compunction about using it to THEIR advantage either!

At seeing his twitter id, I got curious - as I'm sure many others did. After a small amount of digging, I discovered that even after the news reports reaching national media, James' follower count continues to increase - by nearly a hundred a day!

Lesson three: Even bad press can bring you new followers
Lesson four: It doesn't mean those followers are quality - they could be waiting to watch you hang.

James has recently come under fire for his high-pressure sales tactics - in fact, many have alleged "brain washing" during this tragedy - to the extreme. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, our job is not to sell people stuff. Our job is to help people make informed decisions that will improve their lives.

Anything less than that, and we're doing a disservice to our clients and to ourselves.

James, one of the featured 'stars' of "The Secret" has been delivering a message of profound impact for years. Just because the messenger "falls from grace" doesn't make the message any less meaningful for the people it has impacted.

Often times we, as a society (even a global one) put a person on a pedestal that they do not rightly belong on. Remember, we are all fatally flawed. Again, this is not to downplay anything that happened in Arizona. But how often have we falling in love with the music of a singer, the athleticism of a pro ball player or the work of a master artist only to have our graven image of them dashed on the rocks when they inevitably mar our picture perfect image of them with some human error?

It doesn't negate the beauty of the work, only the character of the person. I know several people that have been positively impacted by Ray's message. The deep disappointment they are dealing with now, is difficult to navigate. AND there are fans of Ray's that are defending him to the end.

Lesson five: Never place yourself above anyone else. You are no more, and no less than any other human on the planet.
Lesson six: When you do your job well, you will have die hard fans that will follow you to the ends of the earth and defend your honor in any situation.


In reading the reports, I read the name "Howard Bragman" as Ray's Publicist. Bragman is considered one of the greatest PR guys in the industry. In fact, I just picked up his book "Where's My Fifteen Minutes?" at my local library last week, so I'm watching with interest to see how this shakes out. Jim Lampley said "When you're on the ropes, you want Howard Bragman in your corner." That's a quote from the back cover of Bragman's book.

No doubt, Bragman is keeping his client quiet until there's time to sort through everything - which is smart. While many people are railing agains Ray's silence, the WORST thing he could do is open his mouth and "insert his foot".

As a business owner, everything he has is at stake here - and he knows it (along with the rest of the world). He may be dying inside to offer apologies, or tell his side of everything (or not), but even a well-intended apology could come off as a makehift admission of guilt if the media has an opportunity to spin it.

I'm reminded of the fortune cookie where it's better to remain silent, than to open your mouth and "remove all doubt". Innocence (or guilt) should be determined by qualified authorities - and I ain't one of them.

Lesson seven: everything you say can be used against you in times of trouble. Make every word count
Lesson eight: even when you're trying to do right, it can be misconstrued, and you'll never make everyone happy.

We as a public, want answers. We as business owners need to look at this situation and learn.

Be proactive, remember we're dealing with people's lives - whether we sell shoes or inspiration. Whether we offer $.99 widgets or $10,000 week-long retreats. Whatever we're doing needs to be focused on serving others, providing value and reaping the benefits of the work we've done. That implies the work must be done before the reward is received.

Coaches, trainers and speakers need to be on the offensive here. In just a few short hours since I've learned of this tragedy, already the barrage of "snake oil", "shyster" and other epithets have already created a firestorm online. Let's be sure we're not slapping an unwarranted label on an entire industry just because things went awry. Should there be failsafes in place? Absolutely. Inasmuch as direct sellers have gotten a bum rap for the slimy, pushy salesmen that have weasled their way through our organizations, so too may we find the motivational industry likewise marred by this horriffic event.

Where's the justice in that?

Lesson nine: those who paint with broad brush strokes make great white washers
Lesson ten: It takes great effort and much patience to work with a detailed hand.

Probably not the lessons you were expecting, but I'm known for my irreverence.

When I originally created this blog - as "Real Life Marketing" - the objective was to show how we could learn significant lessons for marketing our business from the everyday things that go on around us. While this is one event I hope never becomes an every day occurence, you can certainly see the lessons we can all walk away with from this tragedy. There are others, to be sure. As business owners, we need to be mindful, and ever ready to protect ourselves, our investment and our business.

Home Party Solution 12 Week Challenge Contest

People have been asking me for months now if what I teach inside the pages of Home Party Solution will work for them - even if they don't have a network marketing, or direct sales business.

I love this question, because it means they haven't read the book yet. If they had, they'd know the answer is a resounding yes! In fact, I've been using some of the same strategies I teach in this book with my Simpleology Coaching clients - and many of them don't have a network marketing business of any kind. I've used these strategies with authors, owners of a theater, and other businesses that need to put a personal face on the work that they do.

While there are some aspects of the book that talk directly to people in the direct selling profession, the bulk of the book is geared to any small business owner.

If you are a micro biz owner, a solo-professional, or anyone trying to develop a personal brand online and attract more perfect fit clients using strategic target marketing, social media, websites, opt-ins and more, it's time to consider my 12 week challenge.

I'm even going to let a 6 lucky readers have access to the entire program FREE (with product and services totally nearly $10,000 for the 12 week program).

Intrigued? Read on...

The Home Party Solution 12 Week Challenge is a telecoaching program that walks you through the entire online marketing model I've used to create several successful businesses. We begin with mindset issues, then develop a "perfect fit" customer profile, and lay out the strategies you'll need to grow your business using personal branding and the power of the Internet. From websites to blogs to social media giants like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, you'll have everything you need at your fingertips.

And if you're like many business owners I know, it's hard to know what you'll be doing in 12 weeks, so if you need to miss a class, you'll even have the MP3's to listen to to keep moving forward, or to re-listen to a strategy you might have missed.

It's easy to enter. Just answer this question:

What is your biggest challenge with marketing your business online?

What you'll win:
All eligible entrants will get complimentary access to the March 2010 Super Summit Teleseries - and the audio downloads (a $100 REAL value, people paid that much for each of my two previous summits and March looks to be even MORE spectacular!).

10 winners will get a 1-on-1 Target Marketing Session with me ($175 REAL value - I charge and get $175 per half our of coaching). We'll spend 30 minutes honing in on your perfect-fit customer and develop a preliminary marketing strategy to help you reach your target market and attract customers you WANT to work with.

5 winners will get access to the entire 12 week challenge - including Audio downloads ($297 REAL value - only 175 seats will be available for this event - and the first 5 will be filled here!)

ONE Grand prize winner will get all of the above (That's a $472 REAL value, folks)

How to Enter:
Write a paragraph, describing your biggest challenge with marketing your business online - you don't NEED to be involved in a Direct Sales business to enter or win. Just write it up and post it either to your blog or facebook with a link back to this post. Then email us at lisa126-465599@autocontactor.com so that we know you're eligible for the prizes. You'll get a confirmation email right away.

You can also post your question here and then Share This Post on twitter or facebook (or both!).

Here's the link, if you want to tell your friends and neighbors: http://www.homepartysolution.com/contest

Aren't engaged in social media? You can still enter by emailing your entry to the email address above. All eligible entries will be posted to this blog, regardless of how you enter.

Contest Rules:
Winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries on October 20, 2009. Only one entry per email address is allowed. Winners will be notified via email and an announcement will be made on this blog.

Tomorrow, you'll learn more about the 12 week challenge. We begin October 26 and there's only 175 total spaces available, and tickets go on sale soon. If you purchase your ticket and are declared a contest winner, your purchase will be refunded.

Best of luck everyone!

Coaching vs. Mentoring: What's the Diff?

In light of the pre-launch of my new training and coaching program, Marketing Mentors, I wanted to define and distinguish between coaching and mentoring.

Most people don't readily acknowledge that there is a difference between the two.

For one, mentoring requires some level of "been there, done that" in order to be effective. in essence, the mentor comes alongside the mentee, to help them navigate the rough waters of their situation, and steer them to safer waters, generally based on their past experiences.

For example, if you wanted to learn how to jet ski, your brother-in-law who's been doing it for years, could mentor you, and show you how to jump the waves just like he does.

In business, if you wanted to increase sales using a particular technique, you would find someone well-versed in that technique and have them teach/train/mentor you in mastering that technique.

Mentoring is specific to the task at hand. If you don't have an area of experience related to the task at hand, you cannot mentor someone.

You could, however, coach them.

In fact, you may often find that coaches have very little practical experience in the specifi situations you face in your business. But a good coach doesn't need to, because they are not mentoring you. They are not showing you a step-by-step, "this is how I did it" process.

In fact, it's kind of the opposite. Coaches, work with you to help YOU develop your OWN process.

For example, I've never had the experience of personally dealing with the voice change that men endure when puberty converts those pure, pristing little boy voices into deep, brooding, "manly man" voices.

But as a vocal coach, I work with men who struggle with "smoothing out" the transition from different registers in their vocal range. There are specific techniques and exercises I can offer, have the man try, and they experience for themselves the benefits.

In addition, mentoring assumes a small layer of responsibility, whereas in coaching, the responsibility for growth and progress lies almost entirely in the hands of the person being coached.

A Mentor may say "try this, it worked for me". A coach will say "what do you think would work for you? Have you thought about this?"

While the words sound similar, they have entrely different meanings and semantics.

One of the things I pride myself on is the fact that I rarely recommend something if I haven't found success with it myself. If I can make it work, and be successful with it, I readily recommend it to my own team, as well as my clients and customers.

That holds true whether I'm working with Direct Sellers or if I'm selling a skin cream. I try to be authentic in my dealings, and let people know honestly what my reactions and successes/failures have been so that they can gauge their own personal level of potential success.

In it's purest form, those recommendations are a type of mentoring. So if I make a suggestion and it doesn't work, a mentee can come back to me and say "that didn't work. now what?"

That leaves me on the hook for a lot of potential blame, if I'm not choosing my words carefully and coaching my clients along the way.

A blanket recommendation rarely works for everyone - because we are not a one-size-fits-all society. We are different people with different needs and abilities.

Thus, for me, my mentoring always comes along with a healthy dose of coaching.

Asking powerful questions, seeking answers based on the specific needs of the client, but allowing the input to be driven entirely by the client is what coaching is all about.

For example, a client told me that she wasn't getting any shows on her calendar.

Instead of giving her a run down of "try this, try that" I begin with questions:
* do you know your show booking average?
* Do you know your show attendance average?
* Do you know your RSVP rate?
* What's your cancellation rate?

Notice I didn't say "how many people did you talk to today?" In business, when a company is stuck in a rut, sometimes it's more helpful to see the bigger picture (trends) than it is to focus on what's not working right now.

Interestingly enough, most consultants don't even know these basic business details.

So instead of showing them how to get more bookings, we look at how failing to know their business is a bigger problem that needs to be addressed.

And funny enough, when they start looking at those numbers, they start to see the answers:

"well, I'm only seeing 4 people at my average show. i guess I need to make sure my hostess gets those invitations out."

"People aren't RSVP'ing like they should. I guess maybe I should review the script with my hostess so she knows what to say when calling to confirm attendnce."

That, my friends is coaching. Like a birthing coach, I can't have the baby for you - or tell you how to do it right. I can only help you along, guide, you and keep you focused on the actions you already know are within you that need to happen to bring that baby out!

But coaching COMBINED with mentoring not only gives the coach more credibility, it also lends more empathy on the part of the coach.

When you're struggling with the same issues your mentor endured, the mentor can "totally relate to what you're going through." They can empathize with your frustration, and help you to see what the other side of that mountain looks like - because they have already crossed over - and you can, too!

It's a unique blend that I think strengthens the client relationship in a way that adds remarkable value, without placing the onus on the coach. Ultimately the responsibility for success lies firmly in the hands of the coaching client, and the empathy a mentor/coach might have for a specific situation can work to augment the coachign relationship and sometimes speed up the process that leads to success.

Rich rewards await those that work with either a coach or a mentor, and having both can be a blessing.

Income Producing Activites for Direct Sellers

In a previous post, I discussed Pareto's Law, the 80/20 Rule. And often, as was this case with this post, the comments come back like this:

"I *know* this. It's just hard to put into practice."

So I wanted to take a closer look at Income Producing Activities for Direct Sellers, as I research your most burning questions for an upcoming free teleclass for my subscribers.

Many direct sellers don't even know what their income producing activities (IPA) really are. Simply defined, IPA are any activities that directly generate income for you.

Most consultants think of this as booking, selling and recruiting. Most consultants would be wrong.

Let's look more closely at each of these activities and see if they meet our simple definition.

Booking parties is time-consuming. Even at the show, we're dropping 3-10 booking seeds to get 3-4 shows added to our calendar. When we look at industry statistics, 20% of your shows will cancel or reschedule. But in reality, it's not the booking that generates the income. Any consultant who's failed to follow up with a hostess, or forgotten to mail the invitations, or didn't confirm the booking has invariably lost a show (or had a mostly unprofitable one). Therefore it's not the act of BOOKING the party that produces the income, but rather hostess coaching and follow up that produce the income.

Dozens of industry trainers will offer you host coaching programs. The best one I've ever seen - and use myself, is Deb Bixler's Create a Cash Flow Show - which virtually guarantees you'll have a $1,000 show every time you do a party. And yes, out of full disclosure, that's my affiliate link. It give me credit for referring you to her website. I only recommend products I use and love. Deb's is one of the best on the market in terms of content and delivery. Her no-nonsense, build it like a real business approach is in complete alignment with the way I run my business, and she's a trainer of integrity.

So booking is NOT an income producing activity, per se. Hostess Coaching is. And often, this is the area in which we suffer most.

Selling is quite obviously an IPA, since the result of selling is that you earn income. Whether you're doing custmer care follow-up, reorder calls, or the show itself, I think that IPA is fairly self-explanatory.

Recruiting can be an IPA, but you need to check your company rule book. In nearly all direct selling companies, no one is paid for recruiting someone, but rather, is paid when that recruit meets a performance goal - selling a certain amount, getting "qualified" or some other performance based measurement.

In fact, many companies have strict rules AGAINST compensating a person for adding recruits to their team to avoid being considered a "pyramid/ponzi scheme". Ponzi was notorious for paying people in the pyramid a portion of the recruiting fee and there was no real product to sell - which ultimately meant the pyramid would crumble when people stopped signing up. The DSA and the federal government have some pretty strict rules about this.

So recruiting in and of itself is not an income producing activity, rather the income is produced based on team performance. But how do you encourage consultants to perform? Coaching. Thus COACHING your team is the income producing activity.

So aside from the actual sales process, the bulk of your income is derived fom your coaching activities - either with your hostess or with your team.

But where are we told to spent the bulk of your time? Booking, Selling and Recruiting.

Don't get me wrong, these are important activities, but when it comes to the 80/20 rule, Booking and Recruiting (also known as prospecting) shouldn't take more than 20% of your business time (they likely take up 80% of your time now). The remaining 80% of your business time should be focused on actual Income Producing Activities: SELLING and COACHING your hostesss and teams.

Yet this is the very complaint I hear over and over again: I don't have the TIME. Thus the need to streamline, automate, delegate and eliminate activities that don't fall into the most productive parts of our business.

Freeing yourself to focus on IPA isn't an overnight task. It takes time, but is critical to the overall success of your business. Top Direct Sales Leaders don't try to do it all themselves. Neither should you. Begin today by looking at what you could delegate, or things you know you're not good at that you could have someone else handle for you.

Take time to develop the list. Eventually, put a plan in place to start delegating. You'll free up your time to focus on making more money, which will eventually turn into freeing up more time because you won't need to work so much!

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Want more help understanding IPA and how to apply it to your business? Use this form to Ask Lisa your questions for an upcoming free teleclass about Income Producing Activities for Direct Sellers. The only certified Direct Sales Marketing Coach in the WORLD, Lisa Robbin Young can help demystify the business side of running your direct sales business. Visit her free online community for direct sellers today.

Direct Sales Reps Need a Blog

Blogs are a critical component to your online marketing strategy.

Many direct sellers, however are reluctant to get started for a variety of reasons:

* Lack of technical savvy
Direct Sales in general has been slow to embrace technology of any kind, and many long-term consultants are still faxin or calling in orders to their home office. The idea of having complete control over webspace can feel intimidating to someone who may only use their computer for checking email - or may not even OWN a computer at all.

* Lack of confidence
In a sea of home-party presenters, you might be surprised to know how many don't have the confidence to speak in public, and worse yet, don't believe they have the skillset to manage a blog of their own.

* Lack of funds
Many consultants believe that setting up a website or a blog can be costly and even more expensive for ongoing maintenance.

* Lack of time
Direct Sellers are notorous for spinning many platesand keeping many balls in the air. I frequently hear the "I don't have time for that" excuse.

In reality, there are simple, easy solutions to all of these issues. Blogs, like this one, are free to set up, use templates, and are quick to get up and runnig - often in less than 10-15 minutes. In fact, at my upcoming Home Party Solution LIVE Workshop, we'll be holding a race to see who can set up a blog the fastest. The point-and-click techology of Blogger and Wordpress make setting everything up a breeze.

The more important concern is one of content. "I'm not sure what to write about!" I often hear direct sales consultants exclaim.

This isn't a challenge either. Here are four tips to make blog posting a snap:

1. Write about who you are. This does not mean to post incessantly about how you're a consultant with XYZ company. What we DO is not the same as who we ARE. Maybe you're a mom, or a dog-lover, or a baseball fanatic, or a lipstick fiend. Find an uplifting passion - something that brings you joy, and you're sure to build a following of people that also share that joy, that passion, that resonate with you and want to hear more from you regularly.

2. Write about topics related to your product line. This can be a product review, but more importantly, it should reflect an area of expertise that's related to your product line. For example, one of my blogs is about skin care, and while I rarely post directly about my skin care company, I often post articles related to skin care. This is a topic we will cover in greater depth at my live workshop. In fact, we'll actually HELP YOU determine your area of expertise and get your first posts written at the event.

3. Get someone else to write for you. There are tons of online writers willing to share their content with you at no charge. This is content you can freely post on your blog or anywhere else online for that matter. By sharing guest content, you build even more credibility in the eyes of your customers, which can only help your business in the long run. Home Party Solution lists many reliable sources for free content to share on your blog or even in your newsletters!

4. Let someone else pick the topic. From reader surveys to paid endorsements for your blog posts, there are ways to post content related to what other people WANT to have you post. In fact, monetizing your blog is a great way to make it pay you for the time you spend posting.

In all, there are tons of ways to make building your online presence quick and painless. Fear is quite possibly the only thing holding you back at this point. As a Direct Seller, it is imperative that you take advantage of every possible marketing opportunity - including online tools like blogs. With over 15 million consultants in the US alone, online marketing is fast becoming the tool that distinuishes the leaders from the rest of the pack.

Blogs, like Social Media, are only ONE piece of the online marketing puzzle. You need a comprehensive marketing strategy that includes these elements to effectively dominate your marketplace. Blogs, are quick and easy, and no direct seller should be without one.

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Have more questions about marketing yourself online? Blogging is just one piece of the online marketing puzzle. Without an online marketing strategy (social media, etc), you may find yourself pulling your hair out and calling it quits before any real progress is made. Lisa Robbin Young is the only Certified Direct Sales Marketing Coach in the WORLD, and can take the guesswork out of using the Internet to promote your direct sales business. Visit the free online community for direct sellers today at http://www.homepartysolution.com

Direct Sales & Google: A Primer

Recently, I got a couple of emails asking about getting more visibility in google - including higher search engine rankings. While the whole of SEO is beyond the scope of this article, there ARE two easy ways to get yourself "noticed" by Google. One is fast, and wll get you to page one on Google within a day or two, the other may take more time.

The fastest and easiest way is to set up your google profile. Google allows you to great a profile page that shares a bit of who you are -including links to any of your websites.

This is a super smart tool for the direct seller who wants to drive traffic to a personal website (NOT your company site, unless that's permissible by your company). Simply add the URL's for any sites about you - including your facebook and twitter profile page. Add a recent photo, and you've got a great way to appear on the first page of Google any time someone Googles your name. Plus, with a VERY high page rank, Google profiles will lend credibility to your site, and increase your exposure.

Google also allows you to add your own URL to Google's database manually. This can take a lot longer for Google to index, because it prefers to find naturally linked sites, but I always recommend adding your site just to be on the safe side. Google never guarntees that a site will be included, and you need to make sure that you don't violate any company policies that your direct sales company may have regarding submitting their name to search engines.

I always recommend submitting your own sites - not those of your company - just to keep your nose clean. Plus, as I always say, YOU are the most important product your company has to offer, so promote yourself first!

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Have more questions about marketing yourself online? Google is just one piece of the online marketing puzzle. Without an online marketing strategy (social media, etc), you may find yourself pulling your hair out and calling it quits before any real progress is made. Lisa Robbin Young is the only Certified Direct Sales Marketing Coach in the WORLD, and can take the guesswork out of using the Internet to promote your direct sales business. Visit the free online community for direct sellers today at http://www.homepartysolution.com