I subscribe to far too many mailing lists.
My assistant creates filters in my gmail account so that I can sort the wheat from the chaff on a regular basis, but even I recognize I'm still on far too many lists. Some lists I'm not even sure how I got there - or they only send me an email once every blue moon, so I forget to unsubscribe before I hit the delete button.
Today, I got an email from one such list. But I shan't be unsubscribing just yet.
One little sentence saved him from the dung heap.
Normally, I don't like ezines that force me to click through to read the article. But his title was compelling, revealing the business trend we witnessed in 2009 - how 7 figure companies were fast dwindling into 5 figure companies due to a failue to adapt to change.
The one little sentence that caught my eye (despite the problems with formatting on the page)?
"It takes us longer to convert a lead into a customer but it is much more gratifying in the end."
Hello! Welcome to the world of marketing your business!
Gone are the days of sticking a business card in your prospect's face and expecting them to buy a couple hundred dollars worth of your product. In fact, Bob suggests that going after bigger ticket clients is actually a better strategy because they understand the value of your product, and are less likely to shop based solely on price.
The reality of that, however, is that people who shop based on value take a little more time to assess, resolve and decide to make the purchase.
I'll have a guest that attends 3 or 4 parties before they ever purchase a thing. I'm on the verge of writing this person off as uninterested just as they are whipping out their checkbook to pay for a $300+ order.
I wish I was joking, but I'm not.
See, the flip side to our "instant gratification" world is that there are still people that believe in taking their time, doing things the right way, and NOT rushing into anything. In our rush to service the next in line, we sometimes forget what serving our clients is really all about: finding their needs, and helping them make decisions that will improve their lives.
And sometimes it takes more than four point two seconds to determine if the value of your offering really is better than the other guy. Sometimes value is determined by how much time you actually SPEND WITH the client.
This isn't just a direct sales application. This is a life application. Our best friends are usually the ones we've known the longest - or it at least "feeeeels like we've known them foreeeeeeeever". Longer relationships are much more gratifying.
That's the dilemma of social media. So many direct sellers have jumped on the SM bandwagon thinking it's the road to fast riches. NO. Just like eveything else bout direct sales, it's not get rich quick. It's get rich by building relationships - on a national platform instead of a local one.
So if someone sold you that bill of goods, my apologies. The strength in any relationship - business or otherwise - lies in the number of genuine, valueable connections you have with that person. Sometimes you can take shortcuts, but you can't short circuit the entire process.
© 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
Showing posts with label internet marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label internet marketing. Show all posts
Deception-Success Connection Dilemma: #SHINE Wrap-up Part 1
This wrap up has many facets. As such, I wanted to make separate posts for each of them. A lot of good came from this event. A LOT. And I will give ample room on this blog for that. But I'm a "bad news first" kind of girl, so here's where it gets a little - as my friend ElizabethPW would say - snarky.
So I didn't plan on going to the Ali event for content. In fact, after hearing Ali herself profess to watering down her content at previous event, I really wasn't expecting much. I looked at this as an investment in meeting new people, forging some great new business conacts, firming up some online friendships in real life, and possibly getting some content along the way.
In fact, the content was frosting. I was hoping for some face time with the speakers, but it was made clear early on that we probably wouldn't get that. So I expected a big pitch for her Platinum/Diamond program along with a sprinkling of ideas from Think and Grow Rich and some business math - since she told us to bring our calculator.
I pretty much got what I expected, which is all at once disappointing and promising at the same time. Day one was by far the most content packed day of the event - but mostly it was the inner game of business. As I had recently come from a mastermind goup meeting of my own, I had already done the values activity, and made light work of that task. For the investment, Day one was really where the hard work of the event happened.
A lot of people took a lot out of the values exercise. People talked about it all of the three days we were in session - and it was a great way to start the event. In fact, if it weren't for one glaring issue on day one, I would have said it was the best day of the entire event.
And no, I'm not talking about the fire alarm. That was incredibly hysterical.
The problem I had was that after the values exercise, Ali openly revealed that "truth" was one of her top 5 values. I'm all for truth, and I think it's great. I also know that we all lie, so there's a very fine line you have to walk as a public persona that values truth so highly.
So imagine my shock and awe when both of Ali's speakers for day one openly admitted to lying in order to achieve success. Julie Clark, founder of Baby Einstein lied to a buyer, telling her that the previous buyer "loved her video and was planning to put it on the shelves in the stores", when in fact, she hadn't even heard back form the buyer in the first place. Anne McKevitt lied about her age after running away from home to score a job with celeb hair stylist John Frieda.
Some people I talked to said "Hey, you do whatever it takes." or "Act as if, right?" Everyone has their own ethics barometer, and I'm not here to debate that. What bothered me was that Ali said she valued truth, and then put two very successful women on her stage that openly admitted to lying.
That REALLY bugged me. She didn't call them out on it or anything. If truth is such a highly valued commodity in Ali's world, why was it so lacking in two of her featured speakers? The message I walked away with is "the truth is okay, but you have to lie if you want to be successful." I tweeted about it several times because it really got to me.
These women were incredibly inspiring - from an "over come any obstacle" standpoint. I'll talk more about that on my next post.
Then there was a short message from one of the three event sponsors. And by short I mean incredibly long and unintelligible to an audience that doesn't do much in the way of day trading. And why did only one sponsor get to speak from the stage? Did the other two not pay enough? That seemed goofy to me. I know that they sponsored the VIP party, but MichelePW sponsored the sponsored the elegant morning breakfast on all three days, which was far more valuable to the entire group. She could have given a USEFUL presentation that would have captured the hearts of all in the room. She's a COPYWRITER after all!
The last bummer of the day was Anne's lambasting of branding. She began with a graphic depicting the top of a soda bottle, a coffee cup, a tennis shoe, and a hamburger - all unidentified. She then asked us to write down the first brand that came to mind.
Her point was to convey the power of branding. But her point got lost in translation as she proceeded to tear apart nearly every woman in the room by telling us we're wasting time on social media, that we shouldn't put our twitter id or picture on our biz cards, and that glossy stock screams cheesy "realtor" or something to that effect.
She further went on to say that we needed a business name that tells people exactly what we're about, and that if our tagline could do it, then we were "okay", but that we really needed a name that was clear to identify.
Ironically, the four brand names that were most popular in the above mentioned quiz? Coke, Starbucks, Nike, McDonald's - NONE of which tell you a damn thing about their product.
Anne tried to construct a corporate advertising brand on a personal/personality-based branding frame. In several of the inpromptu moments when Anne was "cornered" between sessions, she was found analysing and collecting business cards, telling people what was "wrong" with them. At least three times I heard her tell people that if they couldn't afford to spend the few hundred/couple thousand dollars to have a quality business card designed and printed, that they shouldn't be in business.
Them's hard words to swallow in a room of people where many spent their last penny (and then some) just to get to the event, let alone order business cards.
And yes, my card totally violated the Anne McKevitt rules of engagement. It was a temp I made on glossy stock just for the event with my pic, twitter id and a blurb on the back that said we met at Shine.
They're collectors items now. hee hee.
But as an Idea Coach, I had three people approach me to help them come up with a new name for their business based on Anne's suggestions - and they were able to find me again in that sea of people because my picture was on my card! How sad is that?
Day two began by trying to play catchup on content that we couldn't finish thanks to the fire alarm. Unfortunately, what I was HOPING would be implementation and strategy to help us make use of the business models she provided, ended up being overview. I can already read the diagrams, thanks. Overview wasn't particularly value added to me.
Ali was clever in that she was able to sprinkle in more testimonials about how her current clients were successful with the business models - and nearly all of them ended with some kind of "you're the best!" testimonial for Ali's MPC program.
Knowing Ali's live event format, I expected testimonials, but I expected them to come during the panel in the evening (and I wasn't disappointed). I also expected them to be subtantive - especially in light of the new FTC rules taking effect Dec 1 (A question Ali wouldn't field during her Q&A session). I even expected a session with James Roche to set the positive frame of his role in the MPC program, and his session on the entrepreneur's path wasn't too bad.
Barbara Corcoran was a pip - and I enjoyed her stories immensely. I didn't enjoy the recurring theme of having to BS her way to billions, which again seemed to be the antithesis of what Ali said she held as a core value (truth).
The highlight of Day two was Adam Haroun's makeover during the late night hot seats. He was able to immediately see the value of his offerings, and make some powerful connections to grow his business - something I think we were all hoping would happen for us on day two.
Day three was incredibly rushed. In fact, the peer-to-peer reviews were what I was waiting for all weekend - and they never materialized. Ali didn't even have time to complete a portion of the event and promised to continue it on a teleclass at a later date. I'm wondering how the return policy will be affected by this turn of events.
The business plan was an interesting cross between vision board and action plan, but seemed to lack substance. There were a lot of A-ha's being shared, and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's TED video about the left and right hemispheres of the brain drew quite a response. Highlight number one of Day three.
When it came down to "studying" Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich, I chuckled at Ali's gaffe, when she said she wished there were "Cliff Notes" for the book. Apparently she didn't know it was taken from a much larger work of Hill's -so in essence it WAS the Cliff Notes. Hee hee. Ultimately, though, Ali let the audience lead this session with their own a-ha's, and shared relatively little insight of her own.
And no, we didn't need a calculator. Ever.
We did need a few tissues either from laughing too hard or crying a bit at the AMAZING Marlee Matlin. I was disheartened to hear that of all our successful speakers, it was the most honest, hard working, no b.s'ing of the bunch that didn't have a multi-million dollar company under her belt.
But perhaps, that's because her definition of success is a more holistic one.
Marlee was definitely Highlight number ONE of the entire event.
And yes, we did contact Ali's team about the content that wasn't delivered. They indicated they're "checking into" it to see what Ali plans to do.
I can't help but wonder as a handful of folks are actually speaking out about the daashed expectations and disappointments at Shine, how many other people are watching the empress and not telling her she's unclothed?
So there's the ugly, the bad, and some of the good.
More good to follow. Promise.
So I didn't plan on going to the Ali event for content. In fact, after hearing Ali herself profess to watering down her content at previous event, I really wasn't expecting much. I looked at this as an investment in meeting new people, forging some great new business conacts, firming up some online friendships in real life, and possibly getting some content along the way.
In fact, the content was frosting. I was hoping for some face time with the speakers, but it was made clear early on that we probably wouldn't get that. So I expected a big pitch for her Platinum/Diamond program along with a sprinkling of ideas from Think and Grow Rich and some business math - since she told us to bring our calculator.
I pretty much got what I expected, which is all at once disappointing and promising at the same time. Day one was by far the most content packed day of the event - but mostly it was the inner game of business. As I had recently come from a mastermind goup meeting of my own, I had already done the values activity, and made light work of that task. For the investment, Day one was really where the hard work of the event happened.
A lot of people took a lot out of the values exercise. People talked about it all of the three days we were in session - and it was a great way to start the event. In fact, if it weren't for one glaring issue on day one, I would have said it was the best day of the entire event.
And no, I'm not talking about the fire alarm. That was incredibly hysterical.
The problem I had was that after the values exercise, Ali openly revealed that "truth" was one of her top 5 values. I'm all for truth, and I think it's great. I also know that we all lie, so there's a very fine line you have to walk as a public persona that values truth so highly.
So imagine my shock and awe when both of Ali's speakers for day one openly admitted to lying in order to achieve success. Julie Clark, founder of Baby Einstein lied to a buyer, telling her that the previous buyer "loved her video and was planning to put it on the shelves in the stores", when in fact, she hadn't even heard back form the buyer in the first place. Anne McKevitt lied about her age after running away from home to score a job with celeb hair stylist John Frieda.
Some people I talked to said "Hey, you do whatever it takes." or "Act as if, right?" Everyone has their own ethics barometer, and I'm not here to debate that. What bothered me was that Ali said she valued truth, and then put two very successful women on her stage that openly admitted to lying.
That REALLY bugged me. She didn't call them out on it or anything. If truth is such a highly valued commodity in Ali's world, why was it so lacking in two of her featured speakers? The message I walked away with is "the truth is okay, but you have to lie if you want to be successful." I tweeted about it several times because it really got to me.
These women were incredibly inspiring - from an "over come any obstacle" standpoint. I'll talk more about that on my next post.
Then there was a short message from one of the three event sponsors. And by short I mean incredibly long and unintelligible to an audience that doesn't do much in the way of day trading. And why did only one sponsor get to speak from the stage? Did the other two not pay enough? That seemed goofy to me. I know that they sponsored the VIP party, but MichelePW sponsored the sponsored the elegant morning breakfast on all three days, which was far more valuable to the entire group. She could have given a USEFUL presentation that would have captured the hearts of all in the room. She's a COPYWRITER after all!
The last bummer of the day was Anne's lambasting of branding. She began with a graphic depicting the top of a soda bottle, a coffee cup, a tennis shoe, and a hamburger - all unidentified. She then asked us to write down the first brand that came to mind.
Her point was to convey the power of branding. But her point got lost in translation as she proceeded to tear apart nearly every woman in the room by telling us we're wasting time on social media, that we shouldn't put our twitter id or picture on our biz cards, and that glossy stock screams cheesy "realtor" or something to that effect.
She further went on to say that we needed a business name that tells people exactly what we're about, and that if our tagline could do it, then we were "okay", but that we really needed a name that was clear to identify.
Ironically, the four brand names that were most popular in the above mentioned quiz? Coke, Starbucks, Nike, McDonald's - NONE of which tell you a damn thing about their product.
Anne tried to construct a corporate advertising brand on a personal/personality-based branding frame. In several of the inpromptu moments when Anne was "cornered" between sessions, she was found analysing and collecting business cards, telling people what was "wrong" with them. At least three times I heard her tell people that if they couldn't afford to spend the few hundred/couple thousand dollars to have a quality business card designed and printed, that they shouldn't be in business.
Them's hard words to swallow in a room of people where many spent their last penny (and then some) just to get to the event, let alone order business cards.
And yes, my card totally violated the Anne McKevitt rules of engagement. It was a temp I made on glossy stock just for the event with my pic, twitter id and a blurb on the back that said we met at Shine.
They're collectors items now. hee hee.
But as an Idea Coach, I had three people approach me to help them come up with a new name for their business based on Anne's suggestions - and they were able to find me again in that sea of people because my picture was on my card! How sad is that?
Day two began by trying to play catchup on content that we couldn't finish thanks to the fire alarm. Unfortunately, what I was HOPING would be implementation and strategy to help us make use of the business models she provided, ended up being overview. I can already read the diagrams, thanks. Overview wasn't particularly value added to me.
Ali was clever in that she was able to sprinkle in more testimonials about how her current clients were successful with the business models - and nearly all of them ended with some kind of "you're the best!" testimonial for Ali's MPC program.
Knowing Ali's live event format, I expected testimonials, but I expected them to come during the panel in the evening (and I wasn't disappointed). I also expected them to be subtantive - especially in light of the new FTC rules taking effect Dec 1 (A question Ali wouldn't field during her Q&A session). I even expected a session with James Roche to set the positive frame of his role in the MPC program, and his session on the entrepreneur's path wasn't too bad.
Barbara Corcoran was a pip - and I enjoyed her stories immensely. I didn't enjoy the recurring theme of having to BS her way to billions, which again seemed to be the antithesis of what Ali said she held as a core value (truth).
The highlight of Day two was Adam Haroun's makeover during the late night hot seats. He was able to immediately see the value of his offerings, and make some powerful connections to grow his business - something I think we were all hoping would happen for us on day two.
Day three was incredibly rushed. In fact, the peer-to-peer reviews were what I was waiting for all weekend - and they never materialized. Ali didn't even have time to complete a portion of the event and promised to continue it on a teleclass at a later date. I'm wondering how the return policy will be affected by this turn of events.
The business plan was an interesting cross between vision board and action plan, but seemed to lack substance. There were a lot of A-ha's being shared, and Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor's TED video about the left and right hemispheres of the brain drew quite a response. Highlight number one of Day three.
When it came down to "studying" Napoleon Hill's book, Think and Grow Rich, I chuckled at Ali's gaffe, when she said she wished there were "Cliff Notes" for the book. Apparently she didn't know it was taken from a much larger work of Hill's -so in essence it WAS the Cliff Notes. Hee hee. Ultimately, though, Ali let the audience lead this session with their own a-ha's, and shared relatively little insight of her own.
And no, we didn't need a calculator. Ever.
We did need a few tissues either from laughing too hard or crying a bit at the AMAZING Marlee Matlin. I was disheartened to hear that of all our successful speakers, it was the most honest, hard working, no b.s'ing of the bunch that didn't have a multi-million dollar company under her belt.
But perhaps, that's because her definition of success is a more holistic one.
Marlee was definitely Highlight number ONE of the entire event.
And yes, we did contact Ali's team about the content that wasn't delivered. They indicated they're "checking into" it to see what Ali plans to do.
I can't help but wonder as a handful of folks are actually speaking out about the daashed expectations and disappointments at Shine, how many other people are watching the empress and not telling her she's unclothed?
So there's the ugly, the bad, and some of the good.
More good to follow. Promise.
Target Marketing Online: Where to look first
My biggest challenge with marketing online is finding people who would be truly interested in the business either as a customer or a distributor. Advertising on other sites is OK, but can get expensive. So, I need to find a better way to connect with people to get the message out. I have been writing guest articles on general marketing and follow up techniques for direct sales. My articles include a simple demonstration of how my business/product can help them personally connect with customers for less money and time. I have had a few leads, but need to get the word out to more people. I know my product can help them get more referrals and reorders. I just need to find the prospects!
This is one of my favorite questions. In an industry where we've been trained that "anyone with a pulse" is our prospect, it's ironic that so many people building an online presence can't seem to find anyone interested in what they have to offer. Then the question comes: how do I find prospects?
Several entries in the 12 week challenge contset have a similar theme. But this entry outlines at least SOME strategy: advertising.
While it's true that advertising is a fast way to bring in leads - when done properly - it's also true that it's a fast way to lose money - when done improperly.
So what can we do as business owners to attract our perfect fit clients to us?
First, we have to know who those perfect fit clients are. In direct sales, we actually have multiple "customers" - or actual clients, our hosts, and our recruits. In small business we may also have multiple customer types depending onteh products or services we offer.
The challenge is that no one approach will work for everyone. There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to marketing (online or offline).
That's one of the reasons you'll see the same print ad in different magazines with different models. Same content, same poses, same message, but the models have different hair, skin or makeup coloring. It's why you don't see ads for bikini waxing in ESPN magazine.
Because different things appeal to different people.
Just like Super Bowl ads and print magazines, online marketing is not suitable for everyone.
Uh-oh, do you feel another marketing bashing coming on?
Wait. There's more.
You can't use the same message to attract everyone.
For example, if your goal is to increase sales, you need to be looking for BUYERS. If you're looking to increase the number of recruits on your team in a direct sales organization, you need to be looking for business builders.
You won't always find those people hanging out in the same online or offline "places".
Different bait for different fish, so to speak.
Once you've developed a perfect fit customer profile, only THEN can you truly consider the likely places to find them.
For example, if your perfect fit customer is a 30-something single mom, probably a lawyer, who lives in your local community (let's say Peoria, IL), then do a google search for women lawyers in Peoria, IL.
My search yielded the women lawyer's directory pretty quickly:
http://www.womenlawyers.com/states/il.htm
Who says you can't find your target market?
So my first question to people is always: Do you really know who your prospects are? If you can identify a true demographic - right down to the color of their fingernails - it's actually like shooting fish in a barrel anymore.
They're everywhere - particularly online - and with online marketing, you don't have to limit yourself to a local area! In most cases you can attract a global, if not national audience.
I live in Michigan. The bulk of my direct sales customers are Internet leads that don't even LIVE in my state - and have NEVER met me. In my coaching business, many of my clients are on the Eastern seaboard states.
I'm a no-nonsense, play no games kind of girl. I tell it lke it is, and rarely sugar coat - mostly because I never really learned how. Easterners from New York, Maryland, Delaware, they understand that, they're attracted to that - thus, they find me.
Not everyone is my customer. I embrace that and play to my strengths. That's not to say I wouldn't enjoy having a few more clients in Arizona or California (I love reasons to travel!), but I also don't focus a lot of time spinning my wheels when I know I have a huge untapped market with people in areas I already serve.
Again, it comes to focus. Pick one thing and focus on that. If you're young in your small business, focus on increasing sales and market share - on getting your name out there, being seen and getting seen. Build some stability into your business and "grow slowly" as Wolfgang Puck said in Inc Magazine.
If you're a seasoned business owner, consider laying a foundation for expansion in your marketing. Direct Sales Leaders should focus on team building and establishing a persona for your organization - one that follows you to whatever company you may end up with. One web page can't be all things to all people. So stop trying.
If you have multiple markets, multiple segments, multiple perfect fit customers, create multiple approaches to reach them. People are not cookie cutters, and we don't all respond the same to every marketing piece. We are savvy, we need multiple contacts, and you can't jsut click your heels together three times and get us to buy into your message.
You MUST establish a level of KLT: know, like and trust.
But that's for another post another day. Tomorrow perhaps.
Today, know that your biggest successes will come from the moments of clarity you can build into your business. The more clear you can be on what you want, the easier it is to attain that want.
Otherwise, you'll be scratching your head, because you can't see the forest for the trees.
In the 12-week challenge, we'll devote time to not only identifying your perfect fit customer, but analyzing where you can find them, crafting a message and offer to attract them, and ways to connect with them that are meaningful. There's still time to enter the contest, and tickets for the program went on sale yesterday. You can purchase your tickets here before we're sold out. Only a total of 175 "seats" are available for this event. when they're gone, they're gone! Winners will be announced October 20, 2009.
5 Ways to Build a Responsive List
The money is in the list. That's what today's marketers will tell you.
But that's a half truth. The money is in the responsive list.
The phone book is a great example of a list that is mostly worthless for marketing purposes. Yes, there's money to be had in that list, but the time and effort you'll expend trying to extract it could be put to better use labeing your catalogs.
You need a responsive list. You may have heard me talk in the past about creating a customer crack addiction. These are customers that are so excited about working with you, that they're almost addicted to what you have to say, and more importantly, what you have to offer.
It's been said that if we only had 1000 true fans, most of us could live a comfortable lifestyle. These 1000 true fans would flock to our classes, devour everything we ever teach them, and be the first to own one of everything we've ever offered.
Yet, most of us are quite content to take whatever we're given and keep our mouths shut.
If you are truly building "You, Inc.", you need to consider how to gro a responsive list. Take a cue from Aunt Barbara.
You can visit youtube on any given day and you'll see dozens of videos from "Aunt Barbara" - a Tupperware representative with a twist - HE does all of his parties in drag, dressed as a quintessential 1950's marm, complete with the beehive hair and the red lipstick.
This guy sold over $100,000 in Tupperware last year and was featured on MSNBC. He's created a following of fans that enjoy his irreverent, on the fringe style of Tupperware parties, and they watch his videos religiously.
While you may not be ready to dress in drag, there are ways to build a responsive list that can have you seeing six figure sales as well.
1. Video. Sites like youtube and viddler not only allow you to post videos, you can create whole channels for your content, and promote them as well. Videos that go viral - like Aunt Barbara - mean more eyeballs. More eyeballs convert to clicks, clicks convert to buyers. Video is fast, and still forgiving. You don't need to be perfect, just genuine.
2. Ezines. Still the tried and true way to regularly reach your "tribe" of faithful, ezines are still effective. They target your market and provide you with a level of credibility when used consistently. If you can't be conistent, though, avoid getting started with ezines. Responsive lsis will come to expect them like clockwork.
3. Articles. Related to ezines, but not exactly the same, posting articles on article sites like ezinearticles.com can help drive traffic and build your list as well.
4. Blogs. A great way to generate a lot of traffic, it can be tricky to convert blog readers into list members without a strong call to action to do so. Make sure you have some sort of opt-in link or subscription form near every post to ensure those that want to sign up will.
5. Social Media. This is a fantastic way to create a following, but like blogs can be tricky to convert followers into list members. Post too many links, and you're seen as spammy. You really have to walk the line and provide a lot of value for this to be effective. When done properly, though, your social media fans will be some of your most vocal advocates in the marketplace.
Once you start building a responsive list, you'll quickly see a return on your investment of value. People that complain about giving away free content to their lists are generally the ones still using a phonebook instead of a targeted list of raving fans. People want good reasons to do business with you, and they want to be sure you're the real deal. Giving value first goes a long way toward building a responsive list, and each of these methods provides value in a real, tangible way for minimal expense.
© 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
But that's a half truth. The money is in the responsive list.
The phone book is a great example of a list that is mostly worthless for marketing purposes. Yes, there's money to be had in that list, but the time and effort you'll expend trying to extract it could be put to better use labeing your catalogs.
You need a responsive list. You may have heard me talk in the past about creating a customer crack addiction. These are customers that are so excited about working with you, that they're almost addicted to what you have to say, and more importantly, what you have to offer.
It's been said that if we only had 1000 true fans, most of us could live a comfortable lifestyle. These 1000 true fans would flock to our classes, devour everything we ever teach them, and be the first to own one of everything we've ever offered.
Yet, most of us are quite content to take whatever we're given and keep our mouths shut.
If you are truly building "You, Inc.", you need to consider how to gro a responsive list. Take a cue from Aunt Barbara.
You can visit youtube on any given day and you'll see dozens of videos from "Aunt Barbara" - a Tupperware representative with a twist - HE does all of his parties in drag, dressed as a quintessential 1950's marm, complete with the beehive hair and the red lipstick.
This guy sold over $100,000 in Tupperware last year and was featured on MSNBC. He's created a following of fans that enjoy his irreverent, on the fringe style of Tupperware parties, and they watch his videos religiously.
While you may not be ready to dress in drag, there are ways to build a responsive list that can have you seeing six figure sales as well.
1. Video. Sites like youtube and viddler not only allow you to post videos, you can create whole channels for your content, and promote them as well. Videos that go viral - like Aunt Barbara - mean more eyeballs. More eyeballs convert to clicks, clicks convert to buyers. Video is fast, and still forgiving. You don't need to be perfect, just genuine.
2. Ezines. Still the tried and true way to regularly reach your "tribe" of faithful, ezines are still effective. They target your market and provide you with a level of credibility when used consistently. If you can't be conistent, though, avoid getting started with ezines. Responsive lsis will come to expect them like clockwork.
3. Articles. Related to ezines, but not exactly the same, posting articles on article sites like ezinearticles.com can help drive traffic and build your list as well.
4. Blogs. A great way to generate a lot of traffic, it can be tricky to convert blog readers into list members without a strong call to action to do so. Make sure you have some sort of opt-in link or subscription form near every post to ensure those that want to sign up will.
5. Social Media. This is a fantastic way to create a following, but like blogs can be tricky to convert followers into list members. Post too many links, and you're seen as spammy. You really have to walk the line and provide a lot of value for this to be effective. When done properly, though, your social media fans will be some of your most vocal advocates in the marketplace.
Once you start building a responsive list, you'll quickly see a return on your investment of value. People that complain about giving away free content to their lists are generally the ones still using a phonebook instead of a targeted list of raving fans. People want good reasons to do business with you, and they want to be sure you're the real deal. Giving value first goes a long way toward building a responsive list, and each of these methods provides value in a real, tangible way for minimal expense.
© 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
The Power of a List
Whenever clients ask me why they need their own (opt-in) list of contacts and customers, I tell them this:
"She who controls the list controls the marketing message."
Then, I usually recount one story or another I've gathered from other consultants. Like the consultant that joined a new direct sales company after her previous company closed their doors. With less than a week to finalize any outstanding orders, most consultants are left cobbling together customer order forms, old guest lists, and email contacts as they try to rebuild their business with a new company.
Or perhaps you've left your company for "greener pastures" as did one top income earner I know. Eventually several of her downline team mates joined her. Naturally, you're going to let all your past hosts and customers know about your the change. In doing so, you just might end up like she did - slapped with a lawsuit for "enticement". Her former company claimed that she was using confidential company information that was owned by the company to "harvest" customers and consultants, causing them thousands of dollars in lost business.
If you look at most direct sales consultant agreements or policy manuals, you'll see wording that says all customer and consultant lists belong to the company, and that you are granted a license to use that information as long as you are a consultant. Customer lists are confidential, and considered an important "trade secret" that could cause financial harm should they fall into the "wrong hands".
Now, I'm not trying to put the fear of God in you. As a business owner, you need to be aware of all the details of any contracts/agreements that you sign. Make sure you're reading the fine print in your consultant agreement and policy manual.
You hold NO ownership claim to any list that is controlled by your direct sales company.
That means whenever a client or lead visits your company sponsored website and signs up for the company sponsored newsletter, they are part of the company sponsored marketing system and their contact info is essentially owned by the company.
It doesn't matter if the client is a lead from another state or your great Aunt Margaret. The company owns the lead.
As a business owner, YOU need to have a list that you control. As the owner of "You, Inc.", you have a right to contact, market and serve anyone on your own list. Having your own marketing list - that your clients have agreed to be on (they have opted in) - provides you several walls of protection.
Legal protection
If you have clients that opt-in to your list BEFORE you recommend your company products or services, you can prove that they were YOUR leads first. It's as easy as having them sign up for your monthly newsletter (not the company newsletter, YOURS). When leads opt-in, they have given you written permission to be added to your marketing list.
Don't just add people to your list, or you could be accused of violating CAN-SPAM regulations. Get their permission. If they're really your customers, they are usually happy to grant you that permission.
Portability & Flexibility
When you control the list, you determine how and when they are contacted. You can send them ANY message that is in alignment with the purpose of the list. Don't send cooking recipes to a list about financial managment. You assume responsibility for any and all messages going out to your list. It is also your responsibility to keep the list clean.
Plus, if you move to a new company, you can take that list with you. If you use a mailing list service, you can automate a lot of the work, and make updating a snap!
Relationship Building
As the market continues to evolve, being able to communicate effectively with your audience begins with building a relationship built on trust, identity and likeability. If your leads don't know, like and trust you, they won't follow you from one company to another. Having your own marketing list, allows you to update them on the happenings in your life - not just the hot special your company has this month.A company can only develop a product centric relationship - because they don't know your clients like you do. By sending out periodic updates about some of the personal aspects of your life, your clients get to learn more about who you are as a person, not only as a sales rep.Like Jeffrey Gitomer says:All thing being equal, people want to do business with friends. All things being unequal, people STILL want to do business with friends.
Real businesses own their list, treat it like gold, and protect it like Fort Knox. You should too.
© 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
Twitter Tips for Direct Sellers
As a target marketing specialist for direct sales reps, I spend a lot of time testing new strategies to help direct sales reps reach and serve their customers. My current favorite is twitter.
Twitter is an obvious choice for connecting real time with friends or followers. It's quick and relatively easy to navigate. Simply create an i.d., and start looking for people to spread your message.
The trouble comes when a person is brand new and has no idea how/where to begin.
Twitter is not a platform for heavy selling. Rather, it's a great place to introduce yourself, share more about who you are, and then open the door to potential business ventures. Heck, you only have 140 characters per tweet, and if you want people to share those tweets, you need to keep it under 120!
In the interests of ettiquette, here are a few simple tips to help direct sellers make the most of twitter:
1. Be genuine. This is at the heart of everything twitter represents. Select a user name that reflects who you are, rather than your product or company name. In fact, most companies prohibit use of their name in that manner anyway, so why risk it?People will gravitate to who you are first, THEN to what you offer.
2. Provide value. You've heard me say this time and again. People are always asking themselves, "why should I believe/listen you?" We are deluged with thousands of "advertising" messaged every single day. Your tweets need to stand out, provide value to your market and serve the very people you're trying to reach.
3. Be personal. By that, I mean resist the temptation to automate your folowing/unfollowing or direct messaging. There are appropriate ways to use automation with twitter. I've tested dozens of applications that were developed to maximize the efficiency of twitter. My results conclude that Autofollows and autoDM's just cause trouble.
Take the time to make the connection manually - which will avoid the need to unfollow at a later date. Yes, it means your number of followers may grow more slowly, but you can be sure that the followers you do have are actually INTERESTED in what you have to say.
4. Be patient. If you're being true to who you are, you're not likely to get a million followers overnight, but you WILL generate a following of people that know like and trust you. Word will spread as your followers share your message with their followers.
This is why I stress that social media and online marketing does not replace your home party business, but is an additional marketing component to running your business like a real business. Yes, there are people who have all but retired from doing home parties, but it didn't happen overnight. Don't fool yourself into thinking that a twitter account (or any single marketing strategy) is the fastest way to riches. It can help increase your reach dramatically, but it's certainly not an overnight solution.
==========
Want more help understanding twitter and how to apply it to your business? Explore Lisa's course: Twitter Secrets 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.
© 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 use target marketing to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Register today for her free member community & target marketing program for direct sellers at http://www.homepartysolution.com
Twitter is an obvious choice for connecting real time with friends or followers. It's quick and relatively easy to navigate. Simply create an i.d., and start looking for people to spread your message.
The trouble comes when a person is brand new and has no idea how/where to begin.
Twitter is not a platform for heavy selling. Rather, it's a great place to introduce yourself, share more about who you are, and then open the door to potential business ventures. Heck, you only have 140 characters per tweet, and if you want people to share those tweets, you need to keep it under 120!
In the interests of ettiquette, here are a few simple tips to help direct sellers make the most of twitter:
1. Be genuine. This is at the heart of everything twitter represents. Select a user name that reflects who you are, rather than your product or company name. In fact, most companies prohibit use of their name in that manner anyway, so why risk it?People will gravitate to who you are first, THEN to what you offer.
2. Provide value. You've heard me say this time and again. People are always asking themselves, "why should I believe/listen you?" We are deluged with thousands of "advertising" messaged every single day. Your tweets need to stand out, provide value to your market and serve the very people you're trying to reach.
3. Be personal. By that, I mean resist the temptation to automate your folowing/unfollowing or direct messaging. There are appropriate ways to use automation with twitter. I've tested dozens of applications that were developed to maximize the efficiency of twitter. My results conclude that Autofollows and autoDM's just cause trouble.
Take the time to make the connection manually - which will avoid the need to unfollow at a later date. Yes, it means your number of followers may grow more slowly, but you can be sure that the followers you do have are actually INTERESTED in what you have to say.
4. Be patient. If you're being true to who you are, you're not likely to get a million followers overnight, but you WILL generate a following of people that know like and trust you. Word will spread as your followers share your message with their followers.
This is why I stress that social media and online marketing does not replace your home party business, but is an additional marketing component to running your business like a real business. Yes, there are people who have all but retired from doing home parties, but it didn't happen overnight. Don't fool yourself into thinking that a twitter account (or any single marketing strategy) is the fastest way to riches. It can help increase your reach dramatically, but it's certainly not an overnight solution.
==========
Want more help understanding twitter and how to apply it to your business? Explore Lisa's course: Twitter Secrets 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.
© 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 use target marketing to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Register today for her free member community & target marketing program for direct sellers at http://www.homepartysolution.com
Twitter Mass Suspensions & Direct Sales Implications
In a recent post by Jennifer Fong about Social Media Automation the case was made that automation negates the relationship building experience. This is one time when Jen and I disagree.
Jen's article highlights the recent mass suspension of thousands of twitter accounts - including some of the very big name twitter users (like @marismith). The claim was that a spam cloud struck twitter (a spam attack on the servers), and twitter took swift, albeit overzealous action to quell the onslaught. users were quick to point to automation tools and sites like TweetLater as the source of the problem. TweetLater was quick to deny any wrongdoing.
Whatever the case, it appears that Twitter set up a few security screens that these suspended users found themselves trapped in. Perhaps the most likely culprit (and we may never know for sure) is the dreaded "autofollow". This automation tool allows you to automatically follow back anyone that is following you. Designed as a time saver for people that were collecting and manually approving hundreds of new followers each day, autofollow has essentially degenerated into a weapon of mass destruction for twitter spammers.
I firmly believe that autofollow should be banned - likewise autoDM (automatically sending private messages when a person starts following you). I've said before this is the equivalent of leaving voicemails - or worse - the pre-recorded messages that telemarketers play when they call YOU! Argh!
Can you tell it drives me nuts?
That said, I think there are plenty of times when it is completely acceptable to use an automated method of posting to your twitter account - most of which have to do with extended absences from the computer:
Your followers aren't all in the same time zone. If you have followers all over the globe, and you're only online from 1-2 in the afternoon, it's harder to connect with them. A scheduled tweet gives you the ability to appear in their tweetstream and stay "top of mind" when they are more likely to be on twitter.
You've got an event coming up. Daily reminders of upcoming events are totally appropriate. Scheduled tweets allow you to broadcast a quick reminder at a designated time of day, so that you don't have to be sittin right in front of your computer when you should be getting ready for your event. When I am prepping for a teleclass (for example), I will post 3-4 tweets in the 2 hours before the call to build excitement, generate interest and get those last minute sign ups.
You're creating a series of helpful tips. When I launched #dstips a couple of months ago, I scheduled each tip to go out once per day. Over the course of a moth I was able to provide valueable strategies and ideas that were re-tweeted across not only twitter, but facebook as well. I simply don't have time to sit down every single day to do that kind of thing. The result? ot only did I get more followers, but I created a movement of direct sales trainers on twitter sharing ideas on a regular basis. #dstips now has daily posts from about a dozen different trainers and thought leaders in the direct sales industry.
I'm a big fan of batching my time, and it makes more sense for me to do all of those posts at one time, scheduling them to go out over a period of months, than it does to disrupt my daily routine to sit down and type out one tweet. It may seem trivial, but those minutes add up.
The key is discretion. Jen and I have both mentioned before that the power of social media lies in the relationships you build and the abilty to spread your message quickly. But you also have to remember that social media isn't jsut about relationships,there has to be a payoff in the end to make it profitable for the direct seller - and that means being frugal with your time on sites like twitter and facebook.
The big misnomer in these arenas is the number of "friends" or "followers" you have. You don't want followers, you want relationships. People that have 50,000 or 2 Million followers can't possibly be connected to all of them - probably not even a tenth of them.
So what's the point?
For direct sellers, the value in social media isn't how quickly you can add followers, it's how well you build solid relationships that translate into income. Otherwise, why are we using it in the first place? It's still marketing, and the ultimate point of marketing is to generate income.
Automation done apropriately, streamlines your process, enhances your strategy, and makes you more effective.
And you don't need thousands of "fans" to do it.
Jen's article highlights the recent mass suspension of thousands of twitter accounts - including some of the very big name twitter users (like @marismith). The claim was that a spam cloud struck twitter (a spam attack on the servers), and twitter took swift, albeit overzealous action to quell the onslaught. users were quick to point to automation tools and sites like TweetLater as the source of the problem. TweetLater was quick to deny any wrongdoing.
Whatever the case, it appears that Twitter set up a few security screens that these suspended users found themselves trapped in. Perhaps the most likely culprit (and we may never know for sure) is the dreaded "autofollow". This automation tool allows you to automatically follow back anyone that is following you. Designed as a time saver for people that were collecting and manually approving hundreds of new followers each day, autofollow has essentially degenerated into a weapon of mass destruction for twitter spammers.
I firmly believe that autofollow should be banned - likewise autoDM (automatically sending private messages when a person starts following you). I've said before this is the equivalent of leaving voicemails - or worse - the pre-recorded messages that telemarketers play when they call YOU! Argh!
Can you tell it drives me nuts?
That said, I think there are plenty of times when it is completely acceptable to use an automated method of posting to your twitter account - most of which have to do with extended absences from the computer:
Your followers aren't all in the same time zone. If you have followers all over the globe, and you're only online from 1-2 in the afternoon, it's harder to connect with them. A scheduled tweet gives you the ability to appear in their tweetstream and stay "top of mind" when they are more likely to be on twitter.
You've got an event coming up. Daily reminders of upcoming events are totally appropriate. Scheduled tweets allow you to broadcast a quick reminder at a designated time of day, so that you don't have to be sittin right in front of your computer when you should be getting ready for your event. When I am prepping for a teleclass (for example), I will post 3-4 tweets in the 2 hours before the call to build excitement, generate interest and get those last minute sign ups.
You're creating a series of helpful tips. When I launched #dstips a couple of months ago, I scheduled each tip to go out once per day. Over the course of a moth I was able to provide valueable strategies and ideas that were re-tweeted across not only twitter, but facebook as well. I simply don't have time to sit down every single day to do that kind of thing. The result? ot only did I get more followers, but I created a movement of direct sales trainers on twitter sharing ideas on a regular basis. #dstips now has daily posts from about a dozen different trainers and thought leaders in the direct sales industry.
I'm a big fan of batching my time, and it makes more sense for me to do all of those posts at one time, scheduling them to go out over a period of months, than it does to disrupt my daily routine to sit down and type out one tweet. It may seem trivial, but those minutes add up.
The key is discretion. Jen and I have both mentioned before that the power of social media lies in the relationships you build and the abilty to spread your message quickly. But you also have to remember that social media isn't jsut about relationships,there has to be a payoff in the end to make it profitable for the direct seller - and that means being frugal with your time on sites like twitter and facebook.
The big misnomer in these arenas is the number of "friends" or "followers" you have. You don't want followers, you want relationships. People that have 50,000 or 2 Million followers can't possibly be connected to all of them - probably not even a tenth of them.
So what's the point?
For direct sellers, the value in social media isn't how quickly you can add followers, it's how well you build solid relationships that translate into income. Otherwise, why are we using it in the first place? It's still marketing, and the ultimate point of marketing is to generate income.
Automation done apropriately, streamlines your process, enhances your strategy, and makes you more effective.
And you don't need thousands of "fans" to do it.
Target Marketing in Direct Sales (Part One)
(First in a series)
I previously posted a video on this very topic, and it seems the time has come for further discussion of target marketing as it relates to direct sellers.
Gone are the days when you could naievely suggest that a product "sells itself" or that your catalog has "somehing for everyone" inside.
Let's be realistic. Not everyone will buy your product, or attend your party. It's foolish to think so, and even more foolish to try to convince potential reprsentatives that direct sales is "easy money".
Direct sales is a lot easier than, say, digging ditches. It is NOT, however something for everyone.
One of the phrases I like to use is "Direct sales is something anyone CAN do, but not everyone will."
Likewise, there is also a target market for your particular product or service - including your compensation plan and hostess package.
The sooner we, as direct sellers, embrace that idea, the better.
It also goes withouth saying that the sooner direct sales companies relay this message to their field, the more profitable they will become.
Frankly, every direct sales company on the planet aleady has a target market in mind when they develop their products and services. They would be out of their minds if they didn't. For example, Mary Kay does NOT cater to hundreds of thousands of men in the world. Their market is very clearly a female market, with particular demographics to drill down even further.
Theirs is not a clientele that frequents Wal-Mart (on the whole). They have a target profile of customers, reps and leaders that they know will be best suited to their products and services.
How do I know? Look at the catalog.
Look at any catalog for that matter. Right there, within the pages, you'll see pictures denoting a certain kind of lifestyle, maybe even models depicting a certain age range for a particular product.
Every successful company in the world has a target market.
Why not you?
As direct sellers, we are told to talk to everyone - and you've heard me rail on this before. I'm even seeing more and more direct sales trainers and speakers hop on the "something for everyone" bandwagon in an effort to book more events on their calendar (I'll blog on this issue later in the week).
NOBODY - and I mean this - NOBODY has something for everyone. No one can be an expert at everything, and it's silly to even pretend you are in this age of specialities.
In fact, it's our specialities that make us unique and valuable in the world. Generalists find that they lose out to experts that have a very specific niche. I'm seeing it right now as I watch other direct sales trainers "losing market share" to less experienced trainers that have a strong, proven area of expertise.
Don't let yourself fall into this trap.
Get clear on who you love serving. As a coach, I make it clear that I only work with people that are serious about growing a profitable direct sales business - not an expensive hobby. I love the reaction, the interest and the level of commitment these men and women bring to the table. I never have to doubt if my client is going to do their homework, because I've weeded out the "tire kickers" in my business.
Who do you love serving? Sketch out a profile of your ideal customer. Get detailed. Perhaps you already work with an ideal client - perhaps your ideal is a blend of several people you work with. If you have no customers, begin idealizing and sketch out what you think/feel would be a perfect-fit customer for your business.
Then do the same thing for your perfect-fit recruits/team members.
A surprising thing will happen.
When you build it, they will come. It takes some effort (I'll talk more about this in a future article), but it does happen.
===========WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE?
You may, so long as you do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is the founder of HomePartySolution.com, a free online community for direct sellers. Lisa is a certified direct sales marketing coach helping consultants and leaders use the Internet to grow their direct sales business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Register today for her free target marketing program for direct sellers at http://www.HomePartySolution.com
I previously posted a video on this very topic, and it seems the time has come for further discussion of target marketing as it relates to direct sellers.
Gone are the days when you could naievely suggest that a product "sells itself" or that your catalog has "somehing for everyone" inside.
Let's be realistic. Not everyone will buy your product, or attend your party. It's foolish to think so, and even more foolish to try to convince potential reprsentatives that direct sales is "easy money".
Direct sales is a lot easier than, say, digging ditches. It is NOT, however something for everyone.
One of the phrases I like to use is "Direct sales is something anyone CAN do, but not everyone will."
Likewise, there is also a target market for your particular product or service - including your compensation plan and hostess package.
The sooner we, as direct sellers, embrace that idea, the better.
It also goes withouth saying that the sooner direct sales companies relay this message to their field, the more profitable they will become.
Frankly, every direct sales company on the planet aleady has a target market in mind when they develop their products and services. They would be out of their minds if they didn't. For example, Mary Kay does NOT cater to hundreds of thousands of men in the world. Their market is very clearly a female market, with particular demographics to drill down even further.
Theirs is not a clientele that frequents Wal-Mart (on the whole). They have a target profile of customers, reps and leaders that they know will be best suited to their products and services.
How do I know? Look at the catalog.
Look at any catalog for that matter. Right there, within the pages, you'll see pictures denoting a certain kind of lifestyle, maybe even models depicting a certain age range for a particular product.
Every successful company in the world has a target market.
Why not you?
As direct sellers, we are told to talk to everyone - and you've heard me rail on this before. I'm even seeing more and more direct sales trainers and speakers hop on the "something for everyone" bandwagon in an effort to book more events on their calendar (I'll blog on this issue later in the week).
NOBODY - and I mean this - NOBODY has something for everyone. No one can be an expert at everything, and it's silly to even pretend you are in this age of specialities.
In fact, it's our specialities that make us unique and valuable in the world. Generalists find that they lose out to experts that have a very specific niche. I'm seeing it right now as I watch other direct sales trainers "losing market share" to less experienced trainers that have a strong, proven area of expertise.
Don't let yourself fall into this trap.
Get clear on who you love serving. As a coach, I make it clear that I only work with people that are serious about growing a profitable direct sales business - not an expensive hobby. I love the reaction, the interest and the level of commitment these men and women bring to the table. I never have to doubt if my client is going to do their homework, because I've weeded out the "tire kickers" in my business.
Who do you love serving? Sketch out a profile of your ideal customer. Get detailed. Perhaps you already work with an ideal client - perhaps your ideal is a blend of several people you work with. If you have no customers, begin idealizing and sketch out what you think/feel would be a perfect-fit customer for your business.
Then do the same thing for your perfect-fit recruits/team members.
A surprising thing will happen.
When you build it, they will come. It takes some effort (I'll talk more about this in a future article), but it does happen.
===========WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE?
You may, so long as you do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is the founder of HomePartySolution.com, a free online community for direct sellers. Lisa is a certified direct sales marketing coach helping consultants and leaders use the Internet to grow their direct sales business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Register today for her free target marketing program for direct sellers at http://www.HomePartySolution.com
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