Home Party Solution will self-destruct in...

I've been hinting at this for a while. I want to need to blow up my website.

It's gotten so cumbersome, difficult to navigate, and frankly, it's not performing like it used to. There are too many buttons, too many ways to get lost, and too many processes we still need to handle manually.

I'm trying to streamline my life and my business, and I want it to be easy for Bonnie (my super duper assistant) to navigate everything we own.

So, we're blowing it up. Shortly.

We've already pulled Home Party Solution off the shelves (I think we've got 3 copies left), to prepare for the re-launch. Pretty soon everything else will be yanked, too. Direct Sales Jump Start will be going buh-bye, and my social media training (Twitter Secrets for Direct Sellers) will be completely re-vamped, too.

Which means, for a short period of time, the only programs I'll have running are my coaching, any speaking gigs I've scheduled, and my Marketing Mentor Program - which won't be accepting any new members.

So essentially, I'm cutting off my income so I can better serve you.

That almost doesn't make sense, does it?

If you don't know by now, I coached with @elizabethpw last year, during a time when she was going through some major transition. More than the things she coached me on, I was able to see what SHE was going through, and learn vicariously.

Elizabeth just remodeled her website. I was jealous. I've been plotting a revamp for a while, "and now it looks like I'm totally being a follower" (I say in my best Valley-girl voice).

Again, though, I can learn from Elizabeth. Her post outlines strategic choices she made to be sure she's actually getting paid for the work she's doing.

I've been reflecting on that. Some of what I was trying to accomplish has not worked the way I planned. I've been remiss in tracking because I've been too busy launching. But without tracking, I can't see what's working. Ack.

I've got html pages with outdated info that we crafted eons ago that I can't even figure out how to find, let alone edit. And people are still going there. Double Ack.

I've got about 30 domains. I actually manage about 7 of them. The rest are all ideas that haven't transpired yet - or are being re-directed elsewhere. Triple Ack.

I've got ownership of something like 6 blogs. I only frequent 2 of them. Ack-tastic.

So we're consolidating. Refining. Making something more effective. For you AND me AND my team.

But this stuff takes time.

The GOOD news is that we've already launched The Renaissance Mom, and that site is working fabulously. Going forward, there will be two major sites, The Renaissance Mom, and my site for all my direct sales-specific content. Yes, this blog will probably move. We're still figuring that out.

I've learned something else, too. But that's a post for my other blog.

At any rate, the newsletter will keep going out, there still be this blog (at least during the transition), but the rest is, as they say, history.

And the "new and improved", I think, is going to revolutionize direct sales training and coaching.

More on that in another post.

Sometimes, you have to shut down the whole store to do a full remodel. And this remodel will be like nothing you've ever seen before. I'm so excited to share it, and it's been a long time in the making.

I just hope it's not a long time in the presenting. A girl's gotta feed the kids!

The Direct Sales Conundrum: Embracing Entrepreneurialism

I have a few confessions to make:

1. I love direct sales. I love doing home parties, meeting people and making connections. I love seeing new faces and learning about new people. I love seeing the insides of other people's homes. Especially unique homes with stories. I love direct sales.

2. Direct Sales is not enough for me. Lest you think I'm greedy, I'm discovering that I'm not alone. I've coached dozens of direct sellers that are trying to find themselves in their business, and I've found out that they, too, feel like direct sales is not enough. It has nothing to do with the compensation plan, or feeling that they won't succeed. In fact, many of these women are VERY successful in their direct sales business. They just feel like there's something 'more'.

3. I am an entrepreneur. I mean that in the "I want something I can call my own, to grow from a seedling and watch it blossom and grow" sense of the word. By design, you never truly own a direct sales business. Sometimes, it owns you. yes, you can build a successful business in direct sales, but the busines you build is always "You, inc." and your direct salescompany is at best a wholesaler and partnerin your venture. You never really 'own' the company.

As an entrepreneur, I jumped from company to company trying to find that "right fit". Sometimes I juggled multiple company affiliations because I thought they'd work well together. And if I found a company that didn't see things my way, I'd jump ship - again.

For a long time, I thought it was just me, until I heard stories from other company hoppers. I thought there was a problem with me sticking to stuff. I thought it was my entrepreneurial ADD kicking in. And that's when it hit me.

I call it The Direct Sales Conundrum.

The problem isn't that you're flighty, or can't stick to one thing. It's not even the fact that you can't ever own the company - at least not entirely. It's the fact that you've hit the wall in your business between being a distributor and being an entrepreneur.

You're trying to force a square peg in a round hole.

Direct sales is amazing for entrepeneurs because it eliminates a lot of the original fears entrepreneurs have about going into business for themseves: your product, marketing materials and all the logistics of delivery are already handled - and you have a whole R&D team and corporate offices backing you up. You're not cash flowing that expense out of your own pocket. All you have to do is handle your personal book of business and manage your own clients - and train your team to do the same.

There are a ton of benefits for entrepreneurs to get their feet wet in a direct sales business model. The 'conundrum' comes when you're not happy with we feet, and are ready to jump headlong into the entrepreneurial pool.

The things that make direct sales great can be the very same reasons why entrepreneurs get listless in their business. Maybe you have some great ideas on how the company should create a new product, serve a new market, or provide better customer service (I sure did).

Those ideas alone would be enough to get soem entrepreneurs shifting in their seats. When you couple those ideas with a burning passion to see changes happening - and they're not happening - you can get downright frustrated in your business.

"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore." has been a war cry for entrepreneurs probably since the beginning of time. We get to the point where we crave something more than our direct sales business, but we're carrying around too much fear to make the leap into our OWN business.

Smell it? It's fear.

I've watched client after client wrestle with their own fear demons. Some were able to successfully build a direct sales business that brought them contentment. Others wanted "more" and struck out on their own.

The irony is that many of those people wanted to transition out of their "real job" and discovered they had only transferred assignments to a new company.

They were still working a job, they just had more flexibility.

What about you? I love direct sales, and will probably always be a consultant for a company that I love. I also embrace my inner entrepreneur in the other company I've built and the new brand I'm launching next year.

There's nothing wrong with realising that direct sales has serve its purpose in your life, and moving on to the next big thing for you.

There's also nothing wrong with loving a company and products that you are passionate about and sharing them with the world.

Whichever you decide, decide it for yourself. Live life and build your business without apologies. Make mistakes, take big leaps, grow your world and expand your mind.

Because if you don't, who will? You'll be that square peg trying to squeeze yourself into a place you don't belong.

#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.

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.

Speechless, An apology of sorts

This doesn't usually happen to me.

I started working on a blog post on October 29, and I saved it to review later...

...and later is still waiting to arrive.

Now I could say something about analysis paralysis, but the reality of why I held off on the post was that I was afraid.

I'm noticing some trends in the online world - and maybe it's because I've been around a while now - and these trends are bothering me in a BIG way.

My coach and pal (hope I'm not overstating that) @ElizabethPW made a remarkable post today about her experiences at Ali Brown's recent Shine event.

I told her she stole my blog post. Elizabeth has a great way of saying what other people are thinking. She's like the kid that's not afraid to tell the world that the Emperor is naked.

I heart her.

So as I wrestled with fear, she was stepping out to face the wolves.

It got me to thinking about the other things we think but don't say - things we need to say.

I don't usually get speechless, paranoid, or worried about the impressions of others. I'm kind of known as being blunt, direct, and sometimes a little terse.

I try to speak the truth in love - and sometimes I'm a bit too honest for my own good, so I'm told.

That's part of what curbed my tongue this time.

You see, being on "the inside" of an industry reveals a lot of dirty secrets. Part of me wants to keep my mouth shut because I'm afraid of getting tossed out on my ear once I start revealing all this stuff to the masses.

Then I'm reminded of Groucho Marx, who said he didn't want to be part of a club that would have him as a member.

In the past week, there's been a lot of soul searching, discussions, ranting, and whatnot. I thank God above that you aren't privvy to some of the stuff I've heard/dealt with in the past week.

There's just too much subterfuge in business that makes ding business hard. It doesn't have to be that way.

So in an effort to get clear on some stuff, there's changes coming - saying goodbye to some old peeps that just don't resonate with my new direction - and saying hello to new peeps that are going to rock your world.

You'll get my take on Shine, and lessons learned later this week. There were plenty, although not the ones you might think.

Oh! And I've created a new workout program for myself...

- it's called rocking the boat.

You have been warned.

Promote Yourself Without Being Pushy

On Saturday Night, I was party to the Annual Vampire Ball in my local community.

We all dress up like vampires and dance and carry on to support our local farmer's market. It's a good time for a good cause.

This year, we had 5 very talented bands performing. Voltaire was, of course, our returning headliner and while he wowed the crowed with his fun and entertaining songs, it's not him that I want to talk about.

Some of these groups just didn't have a clue how to promote themselves.

Here's what one band said during their set:

"um, yeah, we're (insert band name here). We've got a merch table in the back there if you're interested. Our website is: myspace.com/(band name) - if you want to learn more about the band."

There was more, but I hope you get the point. This very somber delivery (even if they were a goth band), didn't get people excited about what they had to offer. The fact is, they were probably one of the better sounding groups of the evening, and their marketing was awful.

In fact, when they were on stage no one danced, and most people were making a beeline for the bar instead of their merchandise table.

How could they improve? Here are some basics that anyone should consider to help promote themselves without beng seen as pushy:

1. get a domain name. Telling people you're on myspace only makes you look less comitted. Voltaire has a very active myspace page, but he still has his own domain name. If you're not keen on maintaining to web spaces, just re-direct the domain name to the myspace page. That way pople are typing in "bandname.com" rather than a longer myspace url (or facebook, or twitter, etc).

2. be enthusiastic about your work. If you've got product to sell ("merch" in the music world), you can be proud of the fact without being pushy. Instead of "hey, we've got a table full of merchandise in the back for you to look at" try this:
"If you really liked that song, it's on our XYZ album that you an purchase in the back of the room. There's also a ton of other groovy stuff and we'll even sign it for you when our sets done."
You're still telling people yo've got a merch table. You're also giving them two good reasons to come to the table - a personal autograph, and a way to purchase the song they just heard.

3. Interact with the people. If all you do is stand in a corner (or in the green room) until it's your turn to give your presentation, you're missing out on the opportunity to connect with your audience, and learn what they're all about. While the other bands were manning their merch tables both before and after their sets, this band was barely around - in fact because they drove from so far away, they were a little late in arriving.

4. Professionalism pays. Because they were tardy, they started off the evening on the wrong foot with not only the promoters, but the other bands because they appeared to be scrambling to get ready for sound check. The doors actually opened a few minutes late to the event, which is always a disappointment. When it's your job to be on time, even when you're coming from miles away, you need to do everything in your power to make it happen. The apparently apathetic response from this band about their tardiness did not go over well. We all know things happen, so take respnsibility and apologize for it. A response of "yeah, well we drove all the way here from the other side of the country" isn't good enough. To repeat that in your concert to the audience only makes you look unprofessional.

Scott Stratten talks about "pull and stay" marketing - the idea of engaging your potential customers clients in a way that draws the in, rather than leaving them with a half-hearted attempt at offering your wares.

You can make a person want to know more - want what you have to offer - without beating them over the head OR being apathetic about it. It begins by sharing your enthusiasm.

Trials, Tribulations and Thinking Big

"Failure is not an option." - Apollo 13, the movie

After an exhausting, inspiring, emotional, exciting, thrilling weekend with my mastermind - the first time we've all been together in the same place - my head is so filled with brainstorms, that you'd think there's a natural disaster going on in my head.

But I mean that in a good way.

As I sit here, picking the random numbers for my winners in my 12 week challenge, that quote came to my mind. It wasn't really said by anyone during the original Apollo 13 mission, but was the tag line for and one of the memorable quotes from the Ron Howard movie.

Ironically, it occurred to me that my whole life has used that phrase as a tag line.

I've been through a lot of "concentrated living" as someone once remarked to me. I was in my 20's at the time, and I've concentrated a lot more living in the decade or so since.

Maybe it's because of a childhood on welfare where my mom was able to make something from nothing every day. No one I know could make a dollar go farther - except maybe HER mom. Maybe it' just a strong work ethic that my Dad drilled into my head.

Whatever the source, I've never seen ultimate failure as an option.

There's a difference between intermedate and ultimate failure though, and this is where I've been stuck for a while.

See, not everything I do is a success - a shock, I know. :-)

In reality, not everything turns out as you would dream it. I have learned to define this as "intermediate failure". You know, kind of like "everything turns out good in the end, and if it's not good, it's not the end yet".

So if I'm not finding success at something instead of seeing myself at a failure point, I choose to renegotiate, reconnoiter, or navigate into a new direction that will ultimately bring me to success.

I hope that makes sense.

So for me, failure has never been an option, just a pit stop on the way to success.

People have remarked - "I don't know how you do it", "I don't know how you have come through so much, done so much, etc."

I just didn't see any other way. I don't think I knew failure was an option.

You can't quit when you fall off the horse. You get up, dust off, and get back on.
You can't quit when the bike tips over. You get up, dust off, and start pedaling again.

Perhaps it's persistance, determination. Who knows? The easiest way to look at it is that you choose to exclude failure as a permanent, ultimate option.

At least that's what I've learned this weekend. My business has evolved from throwing spaghetti on a wall, to a clearly defined objective. And even in that, I've discovered that there was even more clarity to be had.

And clarity makes all things new.

Forgive me if I sound a bit cryptic today. I'm tired, but excited about everything that's on the horizon for my business this year. With a cadre of amazing, brilliant women standing at the ready to celebrate and support me (and I them), there are so many options and possibilities for me now that I only imagined might have existed.

Clarity is transformative.

When you hit a wall, what do you do? Where do you stand? Are you so close to the wall that you can't tell the dimensions? Can't find a way around? Look behind you, or above you, or along the wall in one direction of the other.

Or call out for help.

Or start digging.

Or send up smoke signals.

Mark Joyner talks about "hitting it until you hit it". It's the same idea.
The means may not always bring about your desired end, but there's ALWAYS a option.

...And failure doesn't have to be one of them.

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!

The Power of the MasterMind

So today I'm hopping on a plane and heading to D.C.

Say a prayer for me for a safe flight, and for my husband for an uneventful week ahead.

This will be the first time since my son's health issues that I've left him alone with the kids. And I'm doing it again next month, too.

In my last few posts, I've talked about priorities and sacrifice. Today's Sweetest Day in the States, which is just another holiday cooked up by the greeting card industry to give Walentine's day a partner in crime.

So on a day of remembering your love, I'm leaving town.

I swear, it's not a Freudian thing.

This will also be the first time I've ever connected live and in person with the members of my amazing mastermind group.

These four fantastic women have made the commitment every week to hop on the phone, wherever they are in the world, and share their joys, concerns, wins, challenges, and ideas to help bolster each other, celebrate, and challenge both personal and professional growth.

Watch out Washington D.C.! If congress could work together like that, what an amazing country this would be!

In the months we've been together, there have been amazing milestones. Financial (the first $20,000 month), personal (dealing with serious family issues), and organizational (building companies from scratch right before our eyes). Breakthroughs, bonding and business building are a "weekly thang" for us. It's truly remarkable.

We've called in on vacation in Hawaii, while driving in the mountains, or having a sleep over at a friend's house. We've seen each other through family trials, business trials and courtroom "trials".

And for the first time ever, we're all going to be in the same room at the same time on Sunday.

Oh what a day that will be.

Now, I can't speak for the others in my group. But for me, this has been (and continues to be) one of the most powerful groups in which I have ever been involved. thanks to the support of these amazing women, I've watched my business and my life blossom into something I never expected.

To be frank, I came to the group thinking I had little more than my wild ideas to contribute. I felt like I was going to be pulling down the average with these amazing women.

You know the Jim Rohn-ism "you are the average of the 5 people you hang around most"? Well, I was worried that after spending most of the day with my children, I'd have little to offer these fine ladies.

And yet, this has been the most amazing give and take, idea-generating, business boosting group. And they all tell me the same thing - so I can hope that I've had SOME hand in all that positive energy going around.

I've been re-reading Think and Grow Rich this week as I prepare for both my trip to D.C. and to Ali Brown's SHINE event in Vegas. (shameless plug)

Regardless of your stance on the whole "law of attraction" philosophy, there's something to be said for having a mastermind type group. When you are able to brainstorm and bounce ideas off other people, inevitably, something bigger and better comes out of it.

For this reason, if for no other, I am a firm believer that everyone needs a mastermind of their own.

And so, I'm boarding a plane today, to not only connect with these wonderful people, but to share my gratitude in person. I already know there'll be laughter, tears and a ton of fun on this trip.

I'm also doing major league annual planning - something on a bigger scale than I've ever done before in my business. I'm nervous, excited and can't wait to report back all the exciting news and developments from the weekend.

Inspiration & Business: A Lesson in Consistency

Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated.



So have rumours of me being stranded and mugged in London - for those of you that haven't heard about my Facebook adventure. Someone hacked my Facebook page a couple of months ago, and fortunately, we caught it quickly, which meant little clean up on my end. YAY! The good news is that they didn't do a thing to my facebook fan page - and now we've got all kinds of people connecting with us on Facebook! Double YAY!



And so, between cleaning up all that hoo-hah, and the musical I directed this summer for a local theater company, the LIVE event in August, and the Direct Sales Super Summit that just ended... well, let's just say I've been busy.



Real busy.



And it begs the question - just how important is my blog in terms of traffic generation, lead generation and growing my business? I mean, this is part and parcel to what I teach my clients: build a website, create a brand, and market it like crazy so people will flock to you, rather than you having to chase after them.



I confess, my focus was elsewhere, and while I have some great news to share with you, I also want to be honest and tell you that yes, the number of people that read my blog went WAY down, as did the number of subscribers from my marketing actvities. In fact, there were a couple of weeks where I actually lost more subscribers than I added.



So the lesson in consistency was a hard one to learn - and if you've been following my ezine for any length of time, you'll know that it's not the only hard lesson I learned this month.



One of the things I toyed with was the idea of delegating my blog posts to "guest bloggers" or having my assistant post on my behalf, but I dismissed the idea almost as quickly. To me, my blog is my personal platform to cmmunicate with my readers. To have anyone else do it would take away some of that personalness. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but for now, if I can't post it myself, it won't get posted.



That said, watch what happens to my blog in the coming days - I'm implementing a new traffic strategy, beginning tomorrow, and running throughout the remainder of October. The challenge - a blog post every single day. EVERY day.



And tomorrow's will be a doozie.



You have been warned.

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

Target Marketing in Direct Sales (Part Two)

(This article, second in a series, is also an open letter to Direct Sales Industry Trainers)

I was on a call the other day that just blew my mind. I wish I would say it was a one-time deal, but as I spend more and more time "behind the scenes" in the direct sales training industry, I get more and more disenchanted with the prevailing attitude of fear, competition, and territorialism.

I take pride in the fact that I'm pretty clear on who I want to work with in my business. And I am also proud of the fact that, despite what many are calling the worst economic meltdown in the last century, in less than six months, I've already made more money than I did in all of last year.

Yet, I look at many of the other trainers, coaches and speakers in the industry right now and they're "rolling back prices to 1994!" in an effort to drum up business and keep "market share" as the direct sales training industry starts fracturing with the onslaught of new faces in the crowd - myself being one of them.

In fact, a quick look at Alexa.com revealed that my own website with online marketing training for direct sellers was rising in popularity - even more popular than several of the more well-known direct sales trainers on the web - while theirs were declining. And while Alexa isn't the most reliable source for web statistics, it gives you a quick glance at the trends online.

One of the reasons I created the Direct Sales Super Summit was so that we could bring together the thought leaders in direct sales training and share best practices to help consultants and leaders (at all levels) to grow their businesses even in a poopy economy - without bending them over for their last thin dime to do it.

But after talking with countless trainers in the industry, I'm a little fed up with what I'm hearing.
The way they talk about clients and customers in closed door sessions turns my stomach. This is just part of how one conversation went:

They want it all for free!
The only people who are spending any money right now are leaders.
I don't think they'll get it. I mean, I get it, but I don't think they do.
They don't understand the business side of things, and there's no point trying to teach them. They aren't that smart to begin with.

In essence, they think you are stupid and cheap.

The first time I heard this, I thought, "Well, gee, maybe I DON'T want to work with you if your customers are like that. That's not my target market."

But in the past four months, I've heard that same song and dance time after time from countless industry trainers in one way or another.

That tells me we have an epidemic on our hands - either the direct sales community at large is a bunch of bumbling tightwads, or the trainers in our industry haven't figured out that the gravy train reached the end of the line a decade ago. They can't rest on their laurels anymore and rely on their reputation to keep the income flowing.

Companies are tightening their belts, paying less for keynote speakers at conferences and conventions. Does that mean the companies are a bunch of dense penny pinchers, too?

Now, if they had said to me "Lisa, your content just doesn't fit my target market." then, I probably wouldn't be writing this today.

If they had said, "Sorry, Lisa! My promotional calendar is full, and I can't squeeze you in right now." I wouldn't be fuming like this.

But they didn't. So I am.

Are my customers and clients more intelligent than the average direct seller? Maybe. As much as I'd like to think so, I won't begin to speculate.

My Alexa.com profile shows that more of my website visitors have college degrees, so maybe I do draw a more educated clientele - which is part of my target marketing in the first place. But I've said before that it's not the paper that makes the person, it's the person that makes the paper.

Are my clients and customers more extravagant than the average direct seller? Doubtful. I charge (and get) upwards of $300 for an hour of my coaching time. My upper level coaching clients pay thousands to work with me in a one-on-one capacity every month.

They are not multi-jillionaires, they are hard-working people that have invested in themselves and see the value in what I have to offer to help them grow their business. I offer specific, results oriented information that is tailored to their specific situation. They see value in that, and are willing to pay for it.

But you know what? I give away a lot of FREE information as well. At this time, I am the only certified direct sales marketing coach in the world - and I could probably charge big bucks because of it. But because my passion is in helping consultants become successful, I also have a free online community, with complimentary resources, including a training program that teaches target marketing for direct sellers - in addition to my weekly ezine that goes out to consultants around the world.

My clients are not cheap, nor are they stupid. I would be willing to bet that the average direct seller isn't cheap or stupid either.

In truth, I think the real problem lies with trainers that haven't taken the time to target market effectively. In the good old days, there were 3 or 4 trainers and they shared the national conferences and leader retreats amongst themselves. Those days are long gone. Now, there are more people with a story to share, and audiences want to hear fresh, new content, not regurgitated material they've heard twenty times before.

They're not cheap, they're looking for real value.

Heck yeah, if I can find it for free, why should I pay you for it? If I've already heard you give the same talk 15 times, why would I pay to go hear it again? Some messages bear repeating, but there's a law of diminishing returns that says after I've bought the CD, seen the seminar, and own the video, I don't need to buy it again.

What do you have to offer that they percieve as vauable? If you find your distinctive value, people will gladly open their wallets and shop with you - even in a poopy economy. I'm living proof of that.

Real value lies in how you share and what you do that's unique. There are countless trainers that teach booking, selling, and recruiting - that's why I train on marketing methods - including online marketing strategies. I'm the only certified direct sales marketing coach in the world at the moment. There's value in being the first or the only. Problem is, so many of today's trainers haven't continued to innovate - instead, they've let the world pass them by. Now, they're competing on price, instead of asserting their unique value in the marketplace.

They're no longer unique - they're a commodity - bought and sold almost entirely on price.

People want to be valued - and they all believe their situation is unique.

In the medical profession, specialists command a premium for their time and services. They are so good at what they do that people are willing to pay more because they know the specialist will deliver the promised results.

The days of the generalist in direct sales training are fast coming to an end. Trainers and speakers need to face it, get over it, and figure out what they're going to do to re-establish their expertise in the marketplace.

There are trainers who tout that they're an expert on everything - booking, selling, recruiting, leadership, organizational management, time management, and now social media. PLEASE.

You can't be everything to everyone, so stop trying. It's smarter to partner with specialists that KNOW the content exceptionally well - plus it makes you look like a hero with your customers.

I firmly believe that any company that doesn't do target marketing will not be successful in the long run. You must know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, who your perfect fit customer is, and how to attract them, or you will not reach them.

Maybe these trainers are content with the customers they serve. It didn't sound like it to me.

I'm VERY happy to be working with my clients and customers. They are NOT cheap or stupid.

And if they're smarter than the average direct seller, so much the better!

===========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/

Direct Sales Coaches vs. Trainers: What's the Difference?

There's a heated discussion going on in the back rooms of direct sales companies across the country.



There's been a surge of people hanging up a shingle and calling themselves "coaches" in the industry...



"International direct sales coach and trainer"

"Direct sales coach and speaker"

"Direct Sales Coach and Trainer"

"Marketing Coach and speaker"

"Life coach"

"business coach"

"accountability coach"

"support coach"

"recruiting coach"

"Speaker, trainer, consultant and Direct Sales Coach"



These are just a few of the titles I've personally seen on websites of professionals in and around the direct sales industry that include the word coach. It's starting to perplex the Direct Selling Company owners to the point that they've started asking "so are you a life coach, a trainer, a speaker or what?"


Maybe I'm just getting snarky in my old age, but I like it when we call a spade a spade. It makes for clear, easy to understand communication.



I can understand some of the confusion. The dictionary offers a basic definition of trainer as an instructor or a coach. But the definition of coach is far more complex, providing a deeper insight into what a coach does, as opposed to just a trainer. The crux of the differentiation focuses on a personal element in coaching that depends on the person being coached.



For example:

1. private instruction, special instruction

2. private tutor employed to prepare a student

3. Baseball: a playing or non-playing member of the team... to signal instructions to and advise base runners and batters



In each of these more specific definititions the coach is working in a more private capacity - even individually - to help a specific person achieve a specific desired result that is tailored to the individual.



THAT'S coaching.



A football team may have multiple trainers, but only one Head Coach.



In my mind, trainers are people that develop or work with a system of achieving a desired result, and instruct you on how to achieve that desired result using their system.



Programs like Belinda Ellsworth's Power Hour come to mind. When Belinda speaks on the Power Hour, she's not coaching, she's training. It's the same message every time, because she's teaching you how to implement the same system. That's training.



A coach, on the other hand, would assess your current goals and issues, and help you determine WHICH training program would bring you the best results based on your individual needs.



Too many speakers & trainers today have appended "coach" to the list of credentials at the end of their name, and don't deserve the title.



And maybe I sound a little sour grapes about this, but hear me out.



In my previous post, I ranted a bit about how there are some well known speakers (because that's what they really are) in the industry that have started calling themselves "coaches" because that's the new buzz word in the industry. Yet they do absolutely no coaching. They have a few training programs, and speak at dozens of events every year and make a great living as TRAINERS and SPEAKERS.



They are NOT coaches.



The reason I'm ranting is because they spoil it for the rest of us who are actively coaching and serving as real coaches.



But I'm not even including myself in this equation. i'm still a consultant in the trenches and for the most part, I'm a rookie in the coaching industry. I wouldn't begin to compare myself to the more seasoned vets that grace the stages of national conferences on an annual basis (I'll leave that for you to decide).



I work to serve my clients in the capacity that best meets their needs. I'm not cranking out new (or recycled) products to train them how to do the same things they already know how to do (but don't).



I'm talking about the REAL coaches, who have a full practice, serving, guiding, instructing and supplying individual attention to their clients - helping them craft specific results based on specific concerns of the client. NOT a one-size-fits-most program.



No doubt those "one-size" programs are effective (or they wouldn't stay on the market for long), but by nature that is NOT coaching. It's training.



I foresee a day when coaches will need to be credentialed. And as such, I'm working on completing my own coaching certification this year. I'm so passionate about this, I'm applying to the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Education (CEU) credit for my live event in August.


We need to treat real coaches with a level of respect that most trainers have not earned:


You can't just call yourself a doctor, but a good (or bad) coach can have just as much impact on your well being.


You can't just call yourself a teacher (in most states), but a good coach can teach you more than you'll ever learn in school.


You can't just call yourself an attorney or judge, but a good coach can show you more truth than you ever knew existed.


You can't just sell securities, but a good coach can have an equally powerful impact on your financial condition


You can't just call yourself a cosmetologist, but a good coach can have just as much impact on your self image.


You can't just call yourself a psychologist, but a good coach can help you get inside your own mind and be equally effective at helping you be a "better you".



All of those professional designations come with a price, investment and a piece of paper. It's not the paper that makes the professional valuable. It's the commitment of the professional that makes the piece of paper valuable.



Coaches train for hours, and apply what they've learned to individual circumstances. They also work together in training situations - sharing and collaborating to advance the coaching profession as a whole for EVERYONE involved. They work at a higher level than a trainer - who may only be versed in a particular area of expertise. Coaches have a focus, but their focus is in bringing out the best in an individual or small group of individuals. That requires a multifaceted approach as unique as each client.



Julie Anne Jones is a GREAT example of a real coach. Not only does she have the piece of paper, she uses that knowledge to work intimately with coaching clients in a setting where they can achieve the best results for themselves - whether or not they need one of her training products to reach that result. And she may be a fantastic speaker (I've yet to hear her speak), but she's a COACH at heart: striving to improve the individual.



There are other trainers that are also excellent speakers: Belinda Ellsworth, Karen Phelps, Christie Northrup, just to name a few. But they are NOT coaches in the strict sense of the word. And many speakers are venturing into the training arena. Again, they are NOT coaches. They are leveraging their income and time by generating progams based on their popular talks. It's a great marketing strategy, but they are NOT coaching.



And with the economy on a roller coaster ride, I wouldn't be surprised if you start to see more people offering coaching as part of their product package. But unless the focus is on the client, and not the product, even THAT is not coaching!



You can call yourself a coach all you want (at least for now), but the reality is that a COACH and a TRAINER are not the same. I expect to pay more for a coach than I would a training program. A training program is a "cookie cutter" that can produce general results for a general audience. A coaching program is a tailored, specific program that focuses on my needs, what I want to accomplish and what my vision for my (life, business, etc) is.


Anyone who tells you different is selling you something.

SHAMEFUL Self Promotions & Predictions

Okay, I'm a little miffed here, and I'm calling people on the carpet today...

I have it set up to feed my blog posts to my page on facebook.

So in a recent post, I posed a question - and the answer, with a redirect to additional resources.
And wouldn't you know it? The VA of a very prominent direct sales coach posted on my facebook page with a pitch for HER products and services.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for sharing relevant content and cooperation in the industry.
But this was using social media the WRONG way.

I deleted the post.

Not because I think poorly of the coach. On the contrary, I've used her products and services myself and recommend some of them to others.

I deleted the post because it was off topic. Completely. I was talking about using online marketing to grow your business, and this person posted back with a recommendation for something that she ADMITTED wasn't related.

That's the equivalent of SPAM in social media circles, folks.

So, to help her save face, I deleted the post, rather than call her and her VA on the carpet in front of God and everyone on my facebook page.



Here's another GEM:
A different, well known direct sales trainer was promoting her upcoming teleclass on twitter. Nothing wrong with that. I think it's important to let people know what you're doing and how they can connect with you. Sending occasional tweets like that is great.

Then I posted something that she saw and she tweeted to me PERSONALLY with the same teleclass message - and asked me to retweet it for her.

So, because I was feeling snarky, I tweeted HER personally and asked her to retweet MY message as well.

Needless to say, neither of us retweeted the other.

Sadly, this so-called industry expert is also copy-catting other coaches, refuses to "play nicely with others" and hasn't learned her lesson on twitter yet.

I could go on about this kind of unprofessional behavior from several BIG NAME trainers that have decades of experience in the industry - and frankly, they should know better.

But they refuse to seek out professional help to navigate social media properly and provide VALUE to their followers, instead of just advertising their services.

*sigh*

I predicted this trouble MONTHS ago.

"Watch, as 'old school' direct sales trainers, and so-called coaches start jumping on the social media 'me too!' bandwagon", I said.

Consultants are watching these women to see how THEY use social media, and will imitate what they see. Sadly, I've already seen some great facebook groups get spammed by this kind of shameful self promotion. Anyone who tries this in my facebook group or online community gets their post deleted (the first time) or gets booted (repeat offenders).

There's a right way and a wrong way to connect with people on twitter, facebook, linked in and other social media spheres.

It doesn't begin by creating a page and plastering your links on every friend's wall or Auto DM'ing everyone that follows you to try your products and services.

When I was a teenager, I got a piece of junkmail from AARP.

Yes, the retirement mag - for "old folks".
Hey, I was 13 and had no idea why I was on their mailing list!

So I took their Subscription card, tore it into teeny weeny itty bitty pieces, placed it in an envelope with a note explaining that I was 13 and used their postage paid reply envelope to send it back to them.

I never heard from them again.

That's what I'd like to do with these insensitive 'coaches' (and I'm using that term LOOSELY) who ask me to retweet all their promotions, but don't have the common sense to have a conversation with me to connect with me as a person before asking me to help promote their regurgitated, "same old, same old" stuff.

And I know if they're doing it with me, they MUST be doing it to their followers - whom they see as nothing more than "sheep with wallets." To quote another direct sales trainer I spoke with.

It turns my stomach, and makes me wonder why I feel called to serve in this profession. I don't want to be lumped in their category. It makes me want to create an entirely new category of direct sales educational professionals - ones that believe in providing value and truly serving consultants.

There are honest, genuine, authentic, REAL coaches out there that serve direct sales reps with value. I've had the pleasue to work with some of them. I've also had the disdain of working with some of the other "industry leaders" that are so catty, and selfish that frankly, it makes me want to vomit.

And I just might piss a few of them off in this post.
*Tough.*

If you're mad, then you know who you are, and what category you belong in.

The reason these trainers are still seeing success is because they've ingratiated themselves with top income earners that see their teachings as comfortable. It's safe to recommend these trainers to their teams because the message is the same every single time you hear them speak.

And yet, it's the number one complaint I hear from direct sellers: "these trainers keep saying the same stuff over and over again. They don't understand that the industry has changed, and doing business today is different than it was 10 or 20 years ago when they were consultants."

Now, in defense of sesoned trainers (I won't even use the word "coach" because I don't want to offend the real ones), they are doing what they know works - because it worked for them.

In that respect, there's nothing wrong with that.

But just because it worked like gangbusters in 1974 doesn't mean it will be as effective in 2009 and beyond. Yes, it may still work, but there are dozens more effective ways of writing than quill and ink. Quill and ink still works, but I like blogging - it's faster, more efficient and economical in terms of scale and reach.

And now you see these arcane 'leaders' trudging (Some are even begrudging it!) into the online marketing/social media world. And they're clumsily leading their 'tribes' like the blind leading the blind.

I feel bad for all the consultants saying "I want to learn how to use facebook, twitter, and online marketing to grow my business just like [insert direct sales trainer's name here]"

There are answers out there that the so-called leaders aren't embracing.

What's my next prediction?
Watch for direct sales trainers to align themselves with social media people in new teaching programs that they can offer to their lists - even before they know what they're doing themselves. Then they'll start trying to jockey for being "the first" to offer a program like this in the industry to establish themselves as "the expert" in direct sales and online marketing/social media.

There arent very many of us in the industry right now - so be looking for a surge of so-called direct sales marketing "experts" to appear over the next 6-18 months. We've been quietly coaching and training for the past 2 years now, and after the DSA event in DC, more companies are looking for people to help them understand this perplexing 'new medium' for spreading the word about their business.

I also predict that you're going to see the companies that serve the direct selling industry looking for ways to capitalize on this trend and market to direct sales companies with a social media angle.

And in the meantime, there's going to be a flood of spam traffic to facebook groups and other social media sites that were once considered valueable networking arenas, just because people don't know better. The great groups will consider becoming private groups, and some may just dry up altogether.

All because of ignorant, shameful self promotion.

A Tale of Two Direct Sales Moms

Normally, I'm not one to go on about my kids. I like at least a small sense of anonymity and privacy for them, since they didn't choose to grow up in the limelight or the shadow it casts from being aimed at me.

And while this story isn't so much about them, they are involved, so I felt it only fair to warn you.

This story, however is a tale of two moms: one's an ambitious, "big thinker", who constantly strives to grow her business, builder her "empire" and make the world a better place for her clients and customers. She believes that she's the best product her company has to offer, and shares her time, talent and treasure to help others make the most of their business.

She does her momly duties, of course: getting up at the crack of dawn, tries to make sure the kids are fed and ready for the trip to school, and even shares her laptop with her 3 year old so he can get a jump start on academics at pbskids.org. She does her best to have dinner cooking and ready by the time her husband arrives home at 5pm and even manages to clean a little: a couple loads of dishes (by hand, of course), and sometimes gets the table set too!

She loves to entertain, has a big house with plenty of room for company and KNOWS how to cook. Her Momma taught her how to make virtually anything from scratch - except anything made with asparagus (her Mom HATED Asparagus), and she's quite a performer, too. Her haminess runs in the family: both her sons are musical and while her husband couldn't carry a tune in a bucket, they make for a cute "perfect" family photo.

She works with an INCREDIBLE support team that keeps her business running like a well-oiled machine, even in her sleep.

I'm sure you've figured out who this is, but before I do the big reveal, let's talk about our other mom...

This woman does her best to get to bed at a decent hour each night, but is usually up WAY past her bedtime. She's always got way too much on her plate, and sometimes finds herself wading through 4,000 emails in her in-box trying to find a message that was sent a while ago that she knows she needs to act on. She loves her two kids dearly, and her husband has his moments, too, but sometimes she'd just love to use the mute button on her remote control to find a little peace and quiet in the home.

She's lucky if she can find the time to take a shower in the morning, and occasionally brushes her teeth on the drive to take her oldest to school!

This woman is far from perfect. Her childhood is not something she looks back on with many pleasant memories: abuse, loneliness, and not many friends were hidden behind her very intellectual veneer. She's smart, but was never able to make friends easily, and to this day struggles with strong, lasting friendships.

Her husband and oldest son just don't see eye to eye, and it's a horrible point of friction in her family. She insists they fight like brothers, and hates "being in the middle" when things come to a head.

And if that wasn't difficult enough, now her oldest son is in the hospital. She's blessed to have a job that allows her to 'be there' for him when he needs her most, but struggles with the guilt of not being with her 3 year old son. Hubby's off at work during the day, and doesn't like hospitals, so hasn't visited his step-son much at all. She feels like her support system is crumbling around her ears...

hmm... those two people sound strikingliy different, don't they?

Yet the are one in the same.

This is probably one of the hardest, and most personal posts I'll ever make, but I'm at the point where I need to share this because it might just help someone else.

The beauty of direct sales is that we have the power to do as much or as little as we choose in our business. We control our income, our hours and the freedom we make for ourselves in this industry.

It has been an amazing blessing to me this past month as my son has moved in and out of hospitals while they work to find the answers for his pancreatitis.

And ironically, it has been my friends in the industry - my leader, fellow coaches, recruits and my clients and 'friends' on Facebook and twitter that have been the most supportive bunch of all.

I've gotten emails, calls, tweets and amazing shows of support from people that barely know me in real life. And I can't get my husband to take a day off from work to help around the house.

To be clear: we are not fighting about this. He has a horrible aversion to hospitals, and he's extremely busy at work right now. I wish he could be more supportive, but he's doing the best he can with his situation. Plus, we're grateful beyond grateful that he hasn't lost his job yet when so many others are struggling to survive! If it wren't for his job and his insurance, there's no telling how God would manage to cover the hospitalization & testing costs.

I've done some pretty BIG things this year in the face of a tightening economy - all when people said it couldn't be done. I took that a God's message to me that I was in fact heading in the right direction, and fulfilling his will to serve others the best way I knew how: as a direct sales consultant and marketing coach/mentor to the Direct Sales Industry. I've even started the ICF certification process to complete the requirements to make that an officially recognized designation.

I have a LOT on my plate - I almost always do. And I don't mind so much most of the time. I've got a fantastic business coach, and a new VA that I love - plus an assistant that's also a friend of my family and a powerful prayer warrior. I have a handful of really close friends that I know are praying me through all this.

And with the small exception that I wish my husband was a little more accessible, I have a LOT of peace in this whole ordeal. I can be at my son's bedside in the hospital and work from my laptop, or have a coaching call on my cell phone.

God bless technology!

My 3 year old is well tended by an incredible nanny that is also one of my team recruits for my direct selling business. My income continues to roll in on autopilot, my kids are tended, and I can focus on the needs of my oldest son right now.

But I'm FAR from perfect. There are days when I don't want to get out of bed - yes even while my kid's in the hospital. There are days when I don't even SEE the shower, much less take one (perhaps a little TMI, but hey, it's trh truth). And I know that the phrase "who has time to exercise" must have been coined by me - I have the spare pounds to prove it.

The office has clutter piles - like the rest of the house. And while I love to entertain, I very rarely do.

I struggle with self-esteem issues, even though I know my business is awesome and I'm serving some amazing women with an amazing mission that I KNOW God put firmly in my heart. I feel like I'm not moving fast enough, not doing near enough, to be the person God has called me to be.

This isn't a personal plea for people to feel sorry for me, or even to cheer me on. It's just a statement that I had to make before I exploded all over the place one day. And I figured that if I'm going through this, it's for a reason, and God placed it on my heart to share it in this manner today.

If I may be selfish for a minute: I want to know what's wrong with my kid. I want him to be okay, and I want to not have to worry about the cost of getting that answer. I want my husband to participate in all of this and realize how much he's needed around here. I also want him to know that I understand how he feels and that I'm doing my best to honor him and his needs, too. I want my
business to thrive and flourish and be a example of God's light in the world.

But most of all, I want to serve. And if this post does that for you, then once again God's got it goin' on, because I think that sharing this is one of the most 'out there' things I've ever done. I started a Facebook group a few weeks ago because He suggested it through a friend, and I've been amazed at how on target everything is. I'm learning each day that the more I listen to Him and follow his lead on even the most outrageous things, He provides. He doesn't fail. There are so many things I feel like I need to be doing on a daily basis, and God keeps it all in perspective. The peace I feel is directly related to a "system" he's shown me to help keep it all together - even when everything seems to be falling apart.

So it's a weird way to say thank you, but Thank You. I've got over 100 posts on this blog, and I did say there might be an occasional personal post about me or the kids. This was the best way I knew to reach out to all of you and let you know how much your prayers, words and thoughts have been a tremendous blessing this past month.

I know not what God's next move for me is in the great playbook of life, but I do know that I have to just keep on making the plays, and moving down the field until I reach whatever goal he has planned.

It's been a crazy start to 2009 - which means I know it's ging to get even bigger and better as it goes along. I hope you'll be on the ride with me.