Even though, we're just starting to see the April showers and early flowers, now is the time to start planning out your Summer business schedule.
If it seems this year as though I'm harping on planning, there's a method to my madness. We've just wrapped up the first quarter of the year. Nearly 1/3 of 2010 is GONE, and what do you have to show for it in your direct sales business?
Bookings beget bookings, and if your calendar is looking thin now, imagine how barren it will be come July!
The school year is coming to an end, and families are planning their vacations, getaways and summer activities now. As a business owner, you need to be on their radar, and plant the seed now that a Summer show is just the ticket to reconnect, relax, and enjoy good times with friends.
Contact the hosts from last Summer now, and give them first dibs on your calendar. Just like Christmas, you can have a full Summer schedule if you give people plenty of notice. In my business, I rarely booked a show closer than 3 weeks out because I need that time to get out invitations, and do effective hostess coaching. The exception to this was repeat hosts. They are usually already schooled on how I run my business, and are quick to get all my show requirements (like guest lists) back to me in plenty of time for the event.
Repeat hosts are your best testimonials, because they liked your work enough to invite you back! You owe it to yourself to reward them with the best spots in your calendar.
Words to say:
"Hi Sally, this is Lisa (with ABC company). I'm planning now for my summer schedule. It may be a little early yet, but I know that my most successful parties are the ones that are planned in advance. Since you're one of my repeat hosts, I want to say thank you by giving you first dibs on my Summer show calendar. You held a Chocolate Lover's party last June and it was such a blast. What theme would you like to try this year?"
Assume the booking. Your repeat hosts already know you do business, and know what to expect from you. If they're not interested, they'll tell you right away. Instead, assume they love you so much they want to repeat that amazing experience they had last year. Build up the excitement and re-establish the emotional high they had at their last party by mentioning positive memorable moments from the last party. It's a psychological trigger that puts them in a positive frame of mind to book their next show with you.
If you're new to Direct Sales, or re-starting your business like many teachers I know, it's even more imperative that you start now to secure shows for your Summer calendar. Consider asking one of the parents from your child's class to host a get-together during the Summer. Or better yet, host your own and double dip on host benefits as well as your consultant income. An early summer barbecue can have the guys hanging out at the grill, the kids playing in the back yard, and the women shopping from their seat in the comfort of your home. Worried that your house is too small? Host a series of parties to invite your child's best friends over a few at a time.
Summer events are also a great way to bring in new business. If you sell a product that you can demonstrate, consider teaching a course during the summer related to your product line. Renting a small hotel conference room or even a large dining room in a restaurant can bring in new customers interested in learning the how-to of your product, and lead to big sales at the end of the session. Just be sure that the focus of the class is not selling stuff, but teaching skills. Not only can you generate revenue from the sales of products, but also from registration fees from the class. Check with your local community education office for opportunities to share your expertise there as well. Many of the Summer session classes are being decided right now.
However you choose to grow your business this summer, now is the time to start planning. Look at your own family commitments and decide when you're available to work your direct sales business. Being in business for yourself gives you some flexibility, but if you let the entire Summer pass you by, you'll miss out on a great income potential as well as those highly-coveted fall bookings. For a great Fall, you need a great Summer, and Summer selling starts by booking shows now.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lists. Show all posts
In Direct Sales: 5 Tips to Save on Your Taxes
As a business owner, at least here in the United States, Ben Franklin reminds us that there is at least one certainty in life: taxes. As a direct seller, you may have opted to build a small "side gig" to earn a little extra operating funds for trips, to give your family a little "more" or just to fund your shoe shopping habit.
Ultimately, though, if you're producing revenue, you've got a business, and Uncle Sam wants his due. Even if you're not profiting from your direct sales business, there may be some taxable situations that will effect you.
Mind you, I'm not a tax professional, but my friend, Scott Lovingood is, and he shared some great tips on his call for the Small Biz Super Summit this Spring. While the deadline for filing your taxes for 2010 may have passed, now is a great time to consider ways to get your finances in tip top shape this year.
1. Keep good records. Even if you put all your receipts in a shoe box, at the end of the year, you're going to need to refer to them to prepare your taxes. The better records you keep, the easier it is to complete your taxes and defend yourself should an audit occur. One particular area that Direct Sales Pros tend to overlook is mileage. Keep a mileage log so that you can track all the miles you drive to and from your shows. It adds up over the course of a year, but if you don't keep track, you can't claim the deduction! At 50 cents a mile, every two miles you drive is a dollar back in your pocket come tax time!
2. Be aware of special deductions. Certain entities (like an LLC, for example) can alter your taxable benefits. Home based businesses have special deductions. Knowing this can save you thousands on your taxes.
3. Tax rules change all the time. One of the first tasks to outsource may very well be your bookkeeping. Tax pros spend all day every day staying on top of the tax code changes. They can take that responsibility off your plate so you can focus on making money.
4. Run your business as if the IRS were going to audit you at any time. Chances for an audit are small, if you fall within the "norms" the IRS uses to evaluate businesses. However, a business can be randomly selected for an audit at any time. If you're running a real business, keeping business and personal expenses separate is just one way to help the IRS see your business as a going concern. Setting up a business account, having a business phone (that's only used for business) are not only potential deductions, they help the IRS to see that you're serious about growing a real business, not just having an expensive hobby. Hobby income must be reported, but hobby expenses are NOT deductible.
5. Close your books at least quarterly, if not monthly. By balancing your books each month, you have a better look at cash flow projections, income and expenses BEFORE the end of the year. If you have a major influx of income, you might even be required to pay quarterly taxes. If you are not balancing your books each month, you should at least balance them every quarter (most businesses do). You may avoid some of the tax penalties that can occur if you don't pay those taxes on time.
Running a business from home means a lot of potential tax savings - trips to fun locations for your national conference could become deductible on your taxes at year end - but only if you're running a business and keeping good records (other rules may also apply). It is up to you as the business owner to keep track of everything. Start now (if you haven't already) to see success the next time your taxes are due. When in doubt, consult a tax professional to help you get the most out of the tax benefits a home business provides.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine athttp://www.homepartysolution.com/
Ultimately, though, if you're producing revenue, you've got a business, and Uncle Sam wants his due. Even if you're not profiting from your direct sales business, there may be some taxable situations that will effect you.
Mind you, I'm not a tax professional, but my friend, Scott Lovingood is, and he shared some great tips on his call for the Small Biz Super Summit this Spring. While the deadline for filing your taxes for 2010 may have passed, now is a great time to consider ways to get your finances in tip top shape this year.
1. Keep good records. Even if you put all your receipts in a shoe box, at the end of the year, you're going to need to refer to them to prepare your taxes. The better records you keep, the easier it is to complete your taxes and defend yourself should an audit occur. One particular area that Direct Sales Pros tend to overlook is mileage. Keep a mileage log so that you can track all the miles you drive to and from your shows. It adds up over the course of a year, but if you don't keep track, you can't claim the deduction! At 50 cents a mile, every two miles you drive is a dollar back in your pocket come tax time!
2. Be aware of special deductions. Certain entities (like an LLC, for example) can alter your taxable benefits. Home based businesses have special deductions. Knowing this can save you thousands on your taxes.
3. Tax rules change all the time. One of the first tasks to outsource may very well be your bookkeeping. Tax pros spend all day every day staying on top of the tax code changes. They can take that responsibility off your plate so you can focus on making money.
4. Run your business as if the IRS were going to audit you at any time. Chances for an audit are small, if you fall within the "norms" the IRS uses to evaluate businesses. However, a business can be randomly selected for an audit at any time. If you're running a real business, keeping business and personal expenses separate is just one way to help the IRS see your business as a going concern. Setting up a business account, having a business phone (that's only used for business) are not only potential deductions, they help the IRS to see that you're serious about growing a real business, not just having an expensive hobby. Hobby income must be reported, but hobby expenses are NOT deductible.
5. Close your books at least quarterly, if not monthly. By balancing your books each month, you have a better look at cash flow projections, income and expenses BEFORE the end of the year. If you have a major influx of income, you might even be required to pay quarterly taxes. If you are not balancing your books each month, you should at least balance them every quarter (most businesses do). You may avoid some of the tax penalties that can occur if you don't pay those taxes on time.
Running a business from home means a lot of potential tax savings - trips to fun locations for your national conference could become deductible on your taxes at year end - but only if you're running a business and keeping good records (other rules may also apply). It is up to you as the business owner to keep track of everything. Start now (if you haven't already) to see success the next time your taxes are due. When in doubt, consult a tax professional to help you get the most out of the tax benefits a home business provides.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine athttp://www.homepartysolution.com/
Direct Sales Success: Resurrect Your Biz This Spring
I know it sounds like a bad Easter joke (and it probably is), but has your direct sales business been languishing this year?
After a busy holiday season, many consultants often go on hiatus, letting their business suffer in the interim, until the snow melts, the roads dry up, and the grass is green again. If you're one who schleps product from home to car and back, that can be a good reason to slow down. No one likes hauling stuff in the snow, but when business slows down, so does your income.
Few people leave direct sales because of a full calendar. The number one reason I hear is because they can't find bookings, can't close the sales - in short, there's nothing on their calendar!
So as we enter the second quarter of the year, take a moment to examine your goals. With the year 25% of the way behind us, are you 25% of the way towards your goals? For the average consultant (if they even have goals), the answer is not quite. And most of that is due to the fact that they let their business "slip" during the first few months of the year.
Well, now's the time to get crackin' and breathe some life back into your business.
Last week at our Small Biz Super Summit, Lisa Sasevich revealed a great technique to close more business without being salesy or pushy. Lisa is the author of "The Invisible Close" and she gave some great tips about using irresistible offers to encourage your audience to make a decision sooner, rather than later. Just yesterday, Daphne Bousquet shared with us the best strategies to make more money by hosting your own events. Here are just a few ideas you can implement to resurrect your business this spring:
Breathing life into your business can be as simple as a few tweaks to what you're already doing, or completely revitalizing the art of doing business. Either way, a resurrection will give you the forward momentum you need to have a powerhouse Summer. And as we roll into conference season, it's even more important to be hitting those goals!
You can do it!
Direct Sales 101 will be re-opening soon. Look for more information in upcoming issues of "PartyOn!".
After a busy holiday season, many consultants often go on hiatus, letting their business suffer in the interim, until the snow melts, the roads dry up, and the grass is green again. If you're one who schleps product from home to car and back, that can be a good reason to slow down. No one likes hauling stuff in the snow, but when business slows down, so does your income.
Few people leave direct sales because of a full calendar. The number one reason I hear is because they can't find bookings, can't close the sales - in short, there's nothing on their calendar!
So as we enter the second quarter of the year, take a moment to examine your goals. With the year 25% of the way behind us, are you 25% of the way towards your goals? For the average consultant (if they even have goals), the answer is not quite. And most of that is due to the fact that they let their business "slip" during the first few months of the year.
Well, now's the time to get crackin' and breathe some life back into your business.
Last week at our Small Biz Super Summit, Lisa Sasevich revealed a great technique to close more business without being salesy or pushy. Lisa is the author of "The Invisible Close" and she gave some great tips about using irresistible offers to encourage your audience to make a decision sooner, rather than later. Just yesterday, Daphne Bousquet shared with us the best strategies to make more money by hosting your own events. Here are just a few ideas you can implement to resurrect your business this spring:
- Make a time-sensitive offer. Most of our companies provide us with a monthly special. That gives your hosts and guests all month to make up their mind. Give them something special for taking action on the day of the show.
- Close the party AT the party. If you hostess coach in advance, you can remind your host that you are closing the show the night of the party. Make sure she has her catalogs, samples, and outside order forms well in advance so that she can get them out and get them back to you the night of her show.
- Host your own event. In your own home, or rent a small conference room. Be your own host. If you're using social media, make it a more informal "tweetup" kind of an event so that more people will come, try your products, etc. Then have a time-sensitive offer for people that book, buy or set up a recruiting appointment with you that night.
Time sensitive offers are just one great strategy to increase sales, bookings and recruit leads. Your company can't possibly offer a new special every day - but you can. It requires a bit of planning and forethought, but if you're running a real business, you need to be planning ahead anyway.
Breathing life into your business can be as simple as a few tweaks to what you're already doing, or completely revitalizing the art of doing business. Either way, a resurrection will give you the forward momentum you need to have a powerhouse Summer. And as we roll into conference season, it's even more important to be hitting those goals!
You can do it!
==========
"Time-sensitive offer" is just one of the strategies I taught in my last Direct Sales 101 class, and here's what one of our first graduates had to say:
Well, I promoted to Team Leader, went from $300 in sales in January to $2700 in sales in February and $2000 in sales in March, and have 9 new shows on my calendar. I want to take the early graduation discount :>
You are, by far, the best direct sales/life coach I have ever had (and I have had quite a few!). You have helped me to cut through my fear, my husband is now on board with my "hobby" business (as he called it!) and wants me to go full throttle, and I have been able to do things for my family that I haven't in the past.... I can't wait to see what you have in store for the rest of the year.
Also, looking forward to the Small Biz Super Summit - what a lineup!
Lara Hall
Independent Passion Parties Consultant
www.LaraBHall.com
Direct Sales Success: Misconceptions of Leadership
Often, I'm approached by direct sellers that want to move into leadership, but feel they don't have the necessary knowledge, skills or abilities to be a leader.
Bull!
There are a couple of misconceptions about leadership that prevent many would-be leaders from stepping into this role and earning the income they so richly deserve:
1. "I don't know everything!"
If you're brand new, people expect that you don't know everything. The more important point, however, is whether you can find the answers people are looking for. Train your team to try to find answers on their own and come to you when they get stuck. You should never position yourself as the know-it-all in your group because it stifles the leadership qualities in others.
In fact, make a decision now to empower your team to share knowledge, resources and best practices freely with each other.
Warning: in order for this to work well, you must have open communication on your team and a willingness to help one another. A rising tide lifts all ships - but only if all the ships are in the water.
2. "I don't know how to be a leader!"
If you've ever been a teacher, parent, or boss, you have some idea of what makes a good leader: patience, understanding, tenacity and vision (coupled with the ability to see through other people's B.S.) are a great start. In truth, most direct sellers are natural leaders because of their entrepreneurial drive and desire to help others.
When in doubt, look to people you would classify as lousy leaders for examples of what not to do. Likewise, learn from some of the great leaders of our time by reading their books and biographies. Model what works in your business.
Both of these excuses are easily vanquished for the person who truly desires to step into leadership. Here is a short list of recommendations for anyone considering a leadership role (in Direct Sales or otherwise):
1. Connect - with other leaders in other companies as well as your own. Leaders need a network that is strong and diverse. Look for people in other fields besides direct sales, too. This will broaden your horizons as well as your ability to relate to others.
2. Don't wait for permission - from your upline, your family, your friends - or even yourself. Great leaders step into their role with authority - and very often learn as they go. In fact, when you stop learning, you stop leading. Which brings us to...
3. Learn all you can - about your company, your products, your team and most importantly, yourself. This isn't an ego trip. If you really want to become knowledgable, you need to take time to learn new things. Then, SHARE what you've learned to help your team make fast progress.
4. Ask for help - from your leaders, a coach, a mentor - anyone that can shorten the learning curve and bring you to your goal faster. Be aware that any good help requires SOME kind of investment: time, energy, money, focus. You will only get out of it, what you put into it.
5. Relax. You're going to make mistakes along the way - the best leaders always do. Taking risks implies a certain amount of failure at some point. Leadership requires both a sense of humor and a thick skin.
True leadership comes from within. It's not some painted-on facade that you get to wear just because you've earned a certain amount of money or recruited a certain number of people. It's a powerful place of responsibility that anyone can step into - with a team of thousands, or a team of one.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Bull!
There are a couple of misconceptions about leadership that prevent many would-be leaders from stepping into this role and earning the income they so richly deserve:
1. "I don't know everything!"
If you're brand new, people expect that you don't know everything. The more important point, however, is whether you can find the answers people are looking for. Train your team to try to find answers on their own and come to you when they get stuck. You should never position yourself as the know-it-all in your group because it stifles the leadership qualities in others.
In fact, make a decision now to empower your team to share knowledge, resources and best practices freely with each other.
Warning: in order for this to work well, you must have open communication on your team and a willingness to help one another. A rising tide lifts all ships - but only if all the ships are in the water.
2. "I don't know how to be a leader!"
If you've ever been a teacher, parent, or boss, you have some idea of what makes a good leader: patience, understanding, tenacity and vision (coupled with the ability to see through other people's B.S.) are a great start. In truth, most direct sellers are natural leaders because of their entrepreneurial drive and desire to help others.
When in doubt, look to people you would classify as lousy leaders for examples of what not to do. Likewise, learn from some of the great leaders of our time by reading their books and biographies. Model what works in your business.
Both of these excuses are easily vanquished for the person who truly desires to step into leadership. Here is a short list of recommendations for anyone considering a leadership role (in Direct Sales or otherwise):
1. Connect - with other leaders in other companies as well as your own. Leaders need a network that is strong and diverse. Look for people in other fields besides direct sales, too. This will broaden your horizons as well as your ability to relate to others.
2. Don't wait for permission - from your upline, your family, your friends - or even yourself. Great leaders step into their role with authority - and very often learn as they go. In fact, when you stop learning, you stop leading. Which brings us to...
3. Learn all you can - about your company, your products, your team and most importantly, yourself. This isn't an ego trip. If you really want to become knowledgable, you need to take time to learn new things. Then, SHARE what you've learned to help your team make fast progress.
4. Ask for help - from your leaders, a coach, a mentor - anyone that can shorten the learning curve and bring you to your goal faster. Be aware that any good help requires SOME kind of investment: time, energy, money, focus. You will only get out of it, what you put into it.
5. Relax. You're going to make mistakes along the way - the best leaders always do. Taking risks implies a certain amount of failure at some point. Leadership requires both a sense of humor and a thick skin.
True leadership comes from within. It's not some painted-on facade that you get to wear just because you've earned a certain amount of money or recruited a certain number of people. It's a powerful place of responsibility that anyone can step into - with a team of thousands, or a team of one.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Direct Sales Success: Incentivizing Hosts
As I coach my hosts, one of the things I often do is include incentives for the actions I want them to take.
Frankly, if my host and I are a partnership, it's important to me that she keeps up her end of the partnership. My job is to help her have the most successful show possible: happy guests that spend lots of money so she gets tons of free and half priced products.
In my experience, there are a few things that help make a show successful right from the get-go:
1. plenty of guests
2. outside orders
3. bookings before the show
If those things are in place, the show is a success before I even arrive. Plus, it helps me to know I'm already making money on this show before I even head out to do the party.
The best way to encourage your hosts to demonstrate this kind of behavior is to incentivize their actions.
I use a special business card sized "cheat sheet" (that I share with my Direct Sales 101 clients) that outlines exactly how I will reward my host for helping me make the event successful.
But you don't need to be a client to do the same thing. Here's what I recommend:
1. decide what are the most important outcomes from your show (bookings, sales, recruits, etc)
2. decide what actions are required to get those results (calls to make, guests at the show, etc)
3. figure out how much of that burden should fall on your hostess (creating a guest list, making RSVP calls, etc)
4. decide what kind of incentives you can give your hostess for completing those actions.
It can be as simple or as complex as you'd like. My primary focus is always on the guest list. That's my insurance policy for a successful party. The better the guest list the more successful the show, almost across the board. I would offer a small gift to my hostess when her guest list contained 40 or more different names and addresses.
Gifts don't need to be big or fancy, but they should be commensurate with the reward you're getting in return. For example, if I had a host that collected $500 in outisde orders, I might give her a $10-20 gift on top of her host bonus rewards. That's $500 I didn't really have to work for, and that's my way of thanking her for making our partnership successful. On the other hand, if she collected $20 in outside orders, I might offer her a free sample product or an extra draw from my mystery gift grab bag. Think about your gifts as if you were the one receiving them. Would you feel special or truly appreciated? If not, it's probably not a gift worth offering.
When you incentivize your hosts, you train them to perform their duties and "keep up their end" of the business relationship. Set the expectation for success. You are not a slave. You are a partner in a successful business endeavor. Train your hosts so that they know what it takes to have a successful show.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Frankly, if my host and I are a partnership, it's important to me that she keeps up her end of the partnership. My job is to help her have the most successful show possible: happy guests that spend lots of money so she gets tons of free and half priced products.
In my experience, there are a few things that help make a show successful right from the get-go:
1. plenty of guests
2. outside orders
3. bookings before the show
If those things are in place, the show is a success before I even arrive. Plus, it helps me to know I'm already making money on this show before I even head out to do the party.
The best way to encourage your hosts to demonstrate this kind of behavior is to incentivize their actions.
I use a special business card sized "cheat sheet" (that I share with my Direct Sales 101 clients) that outlines exactly how I will reward my host for helping me make the event successful.
But you don't need to be a client to do the same thing. Here's what I recommend:
1. decide what are the most important outcomes from your show (bookings, sales, recruits, etc)
2. decide what actions are required to get those results (calls to make, guests at the show, etc)
3. figure out how much of that burden should fall on your hostess (creating a guest list, making RSVP calls, etc)
4. decide what kind of incentives you can give your hostess for completing those actions.
It can be as simple or as complex as you'd like. My primary focus is always on the guest list. That's my insurance policy for a successful party. The better the guest list the more successful the show, almost across the board. I would offer a small gift to my hostess when her guest list contained 40 or more different names and addresses.
Gifts don't need to be big or fancy, but they should be commensurate with the reward you're getting in return. For example, if I had a host that collected $500 in outisde orders, I might give her a $10-20 gift on top of her host bonus rewards. That's $500 I didn't really have to work for, and that's my way of thanking her for making our partnership successful. On the other hand, if she collected $20 in outside orders, I might offer her a free sample product or an extra draw from my mystery gift grab bag. Think about your gifts as if you were the one receiving them. Would you feel special or truly appreciated? If not, it's probably not a gift worth offering.
When you incentivize your hosts, you train them to perform their duties and "keep up their end" of the business relationship. Set the expectation for success. You are not a slave. You are a partner in a successful business endeavor. Train your hosts so that they know what it takes to have a successful show.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Direct Sales Success: Know Your Averages
In baseball, one of the key metrics used to determine a player's ability is their batting average.
The league leaders have an average around .350, which means for every 10 times at the plate, they hit the ball and get on base 3.5 times. Sixty-five times out of a hundred, they don't make it to first base.
And those are the league leaders!
Pitchers have a comparable measurement - the Earned Run Average (ERA). This statistic measures the number of runs in a game that are "credited" to the pitcher. In essence, these are the runs he gave up as a pitcher. The lower the number, the better the pitcher.
The league leaders fall in the 2.1-3.5 range. That means that even the best pitchers are giving up a few runs each time they take the field.
What about you? In the game (and business) of direct sales, you need to be tracking your own averages. In fact, there are 3 critical averages that you must track if you want to improve your business on a consistent basis - regardless of the economy. They are:
1. Your Show Sales Average (SSA). This metric tells you exactly what you can expect from every show you do. If you know that you're averaging about $350 in sales at each show you do, you can predict with a fair amount of certainty how much income you'll earn in a given month. You'll also be able to strategize ways to improve your show income. If you don't know your SSA, however, you'll always be guessing from one month to the next about how your income will look.
The SSA is an easy number to calculate. Take the total show sales you've had in a given period of time (a year is best) and divide it by the total number of shows you held to get those sales. Don't count individual sales or online income unless they are part of a show you can track. Just sales from shows and the total number of shows. If fifteen shows resulted in $15,000, you have a $1,000 show average. If fifteen shows resulted in $1500, you have a $100 show average. Your results will likely fall somewhere in the middle of hose two extremes. If you don't do shows, calculate your one-on-one's. Same math, different figures.
2. Your Bookings Per Show (BPS). This metric indicates the longevity of your business. If you consistently get 2-3 bookings per show, you have a healthy business that will continue to propagate itself with new parties. If you consistently book 1-2 parties per show, you're going to have a more difficult time keeping your calendar full. When you know this metric, you can start to take a look at the reasons for your booking success (or challenges). Sometimes, it's a matter of changing your verbiage at the party. Sometimes you realize you haven't been giving a booking talk at all. Sometimes, you hit on just the right combination of fun and education that gets people excited to want to book a show with you.
You can calculate your BPS almot as simply as your SSA. Simply add up the total number of bookings you've gotten in the past year (or 6 months), and divide by the number of shows from which they came. You are counting totals, not JUST the shows that held. Be honest with yourself. If you booked 10 shows and only 4 held, that's a different metric. We want to track the total number of bookings from each show.
This does bring up an interesting discovery. If you find you're booking a lot of shows but they aren't holding, chances are good there's a problem with hostess coaching or follow up. Or you're working with flaky people. Both problems can be easily solved with a little coaching. But you can't solve either problem if you don't know your BPS.
3. Your Recruiting Interview Percentage (RIP). This metric tells you how many recruits youll be adding to your team. This metric is a little more complex, because it's actually made up of TWO mathematical equations. First, you need the total number of guests/clients you've worked with in a given period of time. This can be a challenge, so when you first start tracking this metric, begin with the total number of guests at your shows. Over time you'll need to add in all the other people you share recruiting info with, but for now, stick with something a little easier to track. How many recruiting interviews are you scheduling from each show? Divide the number of recruiting appointments by the number of guests. This is your scheduling rate. Save that number for the next step.
Now look at your recruiting appointments. How many of them actually result in a new consultant joining the team? Take the scheduling rate from step one and divide it by this number. Now you have a percentage you can work with. For every hundred people you meet, that's the number of people that will likely join your team on average.
Let's look at an example. If you have 150 guests in a given month, and schedule 10 recruit interviews, you have a 6.6% scheduling rate. Of those 10 interviews, only 3 join the team. That means you have a 2.2% Recruiting Interview Percentage. For every 100 people you meet at shows, etc, 2.2 of them are likely to join your team.
Once you know these numbers, you can begin to see how easy it is to stay motivated. If you knew with a fair amount of certainty that you could turn 2 out of every 100 people into new recruits, you're much more likely to approach those 100 people in the first place. You're also much more inspired to want to IMPROVE that percentage so that you're not working quite as hard from the get-go.
When you keep close tabs on what I call "the BIG 3" in your business, you'll have a more consistent, stable income, with the power and ability to keep it growing, right at your fingertips.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
If you're interested in hearing more about the BIG 3, I will be chatting with Carrie Wilkerson on this topic during her Barefoot Bootcamp 2.0 happening this month. Yes, that's my affiliate link, but the videos are free, and very informative. I hope you'll check it out. Plus, if you sign up through my link for the event, you'll also get free access to my OWN Direct Sales Super Summit coming up in March!
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
The league leaders have an average around .350, which means for every 10 times at the plate, they hit the ball and get on base 3.5 times. Sixty-five times out of a hundred, they don't make it to first base.
And those are the league leaders!
Pitchers have a comparable measurement - the Earned Run Average (ERA). This statistic measures the number of runs in a game that are "credited" to the pitcher. In essence, these are the runs he gave up as a pitcher. The lower the number, the better the pitcher.
The league leaders fall in the 2.1-3.5 range. That means that even the best pitchers are giving up a few runs each time they take the field.
What about you? In the game (and business) of direct sales, you need to be tracking your own averages. In fact, there are 3 critical averages that you must track if you want to improve your business on a consistent basis - regardless of the economy. They are:
1. Your Show Sales Average (SSA). This metric tells you exactly what you can expect from every show you do. If you know that you're averaging about $350 in sales at each show you do, you can predict with a fair amount of certainty how much income you'll earn in a given month. You'll also be able to strategize ways to improve your show income. If you don't know your SSA, however, you'll always be guessing from one month to the next about how your income will look.
The SSA is an easy number to calculate. Take the total show sales you've had in a given period of time (a year is best) and divide it by the total number of shows you held to get those sales. Don't count individual sales or online income unless they are part of a show you can track. Just sales from shows and the total number of shows. If fifteen shows resulted in $15,000, you have a $1,000 show average. If fifteen shows resulted in $1500, you have a $100 show average. Your results will likely fall somewhere in the middle of hose two extremes. If you don't do shows, calculate your one-on-one's. Same math, different figures.
2. Your Bookings Per Show (BPS). This metric indicates the longevity of your business. If you consistently get 2-3 bookings per show, you have a healthy business that will continue to propagate itself with new parties. If you consistently book 1-2 parties per show, you're going to have a more difficult time keeping your calendar full. When you know this metric, you can start to take a look at the reasons for your booking success (or challenges). Sometimes, it's a matter of changing your verbiage at the party. Sometimes you realize you haven't been giving a booking talk at all. Sometimes, you hit on just the right combination of fun and education that gets people excited to want to book a show with you.
You can calculate your BPS almot as simply as your SSA. Simply add up the total number of bookings you've gotten in the past year (or 6 months), and divide by the number of shows from which they came. You are counting totals, not JUST the shows that held. Be honest with yourself. If you booked 10 shows and only 4 held, that's a different metric. We want to track the total number of bookings from each show.
This does bring up an interesting discovery. If you find you're booking a lot of shows but they aren't holding, chances are good there's a problem with hostess coaching or follow up. Or you're working with flaky people. Both problems can be easily solved with a little coaching. But you can't solve either problem if you don't know your BPS.
3. Your Recruiting Interview Percentage (RIP). This metric tells you how many recruits youll be adding to your team. This metric is a little more complex, because it's actually made up of TWO mathematical equations. First, you need the total number of guests/clients you've worked with in a given period of time. This can be a challenge, so when you first start tracking this metric, begin with the total number of guests at your shows. Over time you'll need to add in all the other people you share recruiting info with, but for now, stick with something a little easier to track. How many recruiting interviews are you scheduling from each show? Divide the number of recruiting appointments by the number of guests. This is your scheduling rate. Save that number for the next step.
Now look at your recruiting appointments. How many of them actually result in a new consultant joining the team? Take the scheduling rate from step one and divide it by this number. Now you have a percentage you can work with. For every hundred people you meet, that's the number of people that will likely join your team on average.
Let's look at an example. If you have 150 guests in a given month, and schedule 10 recruit interviews, you have a 6.6% scheduling rate. Of those 10 interviews, only 3 join the team. That means you have a 2.2% Recruiting Interview Percentage. For every 100 people you meet at shows, etc, 2.2 of them are likely to join your team.
Once you know these numbers, you can begin to see how easy it is to stay motivated. If you knew with a fair amount of certainty that you could turn 2 out of every 100 people into new recruits, you're much more likely to approach those 100 people in the first place. You're also much more inspired to want to IMPROVE that percentage so that you're not working quite as hard from the get-go.
When you keep close tabs on what I call "the BIG 3" in your business, you'll have a more consistent, stable income, with the power and ability to keep it growing, right at your fingertips.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
==========
If you're interested in hearing more about the BIG 3, I will be chatting with Carrie Wilkerson on this topic during her Barefoot Bootcamp 2.0 happening this month. Yes, that's my affiliate link, but the videos are free, and very informative. I hope you'll check it out. Plus, if you sign up through my link for the event, you'll also get free access to my OWN Direct Sales Super Summit coming up in March!
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Create an Editorial Calendar for Your Direct Sales Business
Magazines and periodicals have a nifty little tool that lays the groundwork for every issue they print. The editorial calendar guides the topical content for each article in a particular issue.
The most logical direct sales equivalent is our monthly host or guest specials - which are usually set up by our companies, and fed to us no more than a month or two in advance.
That's not the most effective way to create a strategic plan for your business year.
The solution is to create your own "editorial calendar" of sorts.
Each month of the year represents at least one new reason to contact your clients. In fact, this is one of the strategies I'm teaching in depth in my new Direct Sales 101 small group coaching program. An editorial calendar is a great guideline for both your newsletter AND your parties/presentations, because:
1. It allows you to have a plan in place for each month of the year at the beginning of the year - regardless of what your company proposes.
2. It puts YOU in control of your business instead of waiting for details from your home office.
3. It gives you the ability to create special connections with your clients by tailoring your offerings to their needs/desires.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few sample ideas for a monthly newsletter, based on holidays. Remember that most people will place orders in the month BEFORE the holiday, so plan ahead with your offerings:
January: Love, Valentine's Day, Showing Your Love
February: Luck of the Irish, St. Patty's Day, Go Green
March: Spring, Easter, April Showers (showers of money for great recruiting, or baby/bridal showers)
April: Mother's Day
May: Father's Day
June: Independence Day (U.S.)
July: End of Summer
August: Back to School
September: Halloween
October: Being Grateful
November: Christmas
December: New Year, New You, New Products
These samples don't begin to cover topics that are product or service-specific to your company. You are truly only limited by your imagination. Have a bi-weekly or weekly newsletter? Sprinkle in a few more topics that are related to each month, or to a specific product that your company may be featuring.
An editorial calendar doesn't chain you to sticking to these topics, but it does give you a safety net that will keep your business growing throughout the year - even when you're not sure yet what your home office has planned. You won't be scrambling, trying to figure out what to do. You'll have a confident plan of action that will move your business forward throughout the year.
Billion-dollar business woman Anne McKevitt said something to me that hit home: "Never leave anything to chance." By taking the reins of your promotional and publication schedule, you're not leaving your direct sales success to chance.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
The most logical direct sales equivalent is our monthly host or guest specials - which are usually set up by our companies, and fed to us no more than a month or two in advance.
That's not the most effective way to create a strategic plan for your business year.
The solution is to create your own "editorial calendar" of sorts.
Each month of the year represents at least one new reason to contact your clients. In fact, this is one of the strategies I'm teaching in depth in my new Direct Sales 101 small group coaching program. An editorial calendar is a great guideline for both your newsletter AND your parties/presentations, because:
1. It allows you to have a plan in place for each month of the year at the beginning of the year - regardless of what your company proposes.
2. It puts YOU in control of your business instead of waiting for details from your home office.
3. It gives you the ability to create special connections with your clients by tailoring your offerings to their needs/desires.
Not sure where to start? Here are a few sample ideas for a monthly newsletter, based on holidays. Remember that most people will place orders in the month BEFORE the holiday, so plan ahead with your offerings:
January: Love, Valentine's Day, Showing Your Love
February: Luck of the Irish, St. Patty's Day, Go Green
March: Spring, Easter, April Showers (showers of money for great recruiting, or baby/bridal showers)
April: Mother's Day
May: Father's Day
June: Independence Day (U.S.)
July: End of Summer
August: Back to School
September: Halloween
October: Being Grateful
November: Christmas
December: New Year, New You, New Products
These samples don't begin to cover topics that are product or service-specific to your company. You are truly only limited by your imagination. Have a bi-weekly or weekly newsletter? Sprinkle in a few more topics that are related to each month, or to a specific product that your company may be featuring.
An editorial calendar doesn't chain you to sticking to these topics, but it does give you a safety net that will keep your business growing throughout the year - even when you're not sure yet what your home office has planned. You won't be scrambling, trying to figure out what to do. You'll have a confident plan of action that will move your business forward throughout the year.
Billion-dollar business woman Anne McKevitt said something to me that hit home: "Never leave anything to chance." By taking the reins of your promotional and publication schedule, you're not leaving your direct sales success to chance.
© 2010 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com/
Direct Sales Success: Expectations Set the Tone
When I work with clients on their target marketing, one of the biggest areas of contention is the realization that ultimately, everyone is not their target market.
No, everyone that fogs up a mirror is not your prospect. Neither is everyone who showers (if you're in skincare), everyone who eats (if you sell kitchen gadgets or food), or everyone with kids (if you sell toys or educational goodies).
You've got to be a little more specific.
For example, if you choose to service a local, offline, market, then people more than 100 miles from your home would not be part of your target market. This limits the number of people you can serve.
And that word, "limits", seems to put a stranglehold on a consultant faster than a rope 'n ride at the rodeo.
They want to serve everyone. Because if they don't serve everyone, how will they get enough clients for their business.
Then I try to remind them of this episode of I Love Lucy:
You can't possibly serve everyone and do a good job.
Really. You can't.
So, why not change your expectations? establish a market that you CAN serve, and that you WANT to serve.
And expectations go both ways. Be sure to let your target market know what they can expect from you, how you expect to serve them, and how they can expect to hear from you. here are some suggestions to help set the tone with new clients in your target market:
1. Lay out the ground rules from the get-go.
Tell them your guest lists typically have 40-50 names on them, and that you usually get them back within 3 days. If they have problems with that, you'll be more than happy to help them in person, or to direct them to another consultant that would be glad to work with them.
2. Express your excitement about helping your host have a successful show. Your best shows are going to have a certain number of guests (get this info from your statistics from last year). Let your hosts and guests know what they can expect if the evening is a success for everyone.
3. Decide in advance what kind of show you want to have. Leave nothing to chance. I have had success inviting my "go only" guests to other people's parties. If a guest says "I only go to parties, I don't host them" I put them on a list so that when I have a host that's struggling to get RSVP's, I can call them up and invite them to the party. The host thinks I'm her hero, and the guest appreciates being remembered and treated respectfully.
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you're going to make the most of your business, policies and procedures. your home office lays the foundation, but the framework is built by you. Your expectations set the tone for the outcome of your parties AND your business as a whole.
Expect more to get more.
No, everyone that fogs up a mirror is not your prospect. Neither is everyone who showers (if you're in skincare), everyone who eats (if you sell kitchen gadgets or food), or everyone with kids (if you sell toys or educational goodies).
You've got to be a little more specific.
For example, if you choose to service a local, offline, market, then people more than 100 miles from your home would not be part of your target market. This limits the number of people you can serve.
And that word, "limits", seems to put a stranglehold on a consultant faster than a rope 'n ride at the rodeo.
They want to serve everyone. Because if they don't serve everyone, how will they get enough clients for their business.
Then I try to remind them of this episode of I Love Lucy:
You can't possibly serve everyone and do a good job.
Really. You can't.
So, why not change your expectations? establish a market that you CAN serve, and that you WANT to serve.
And expectations go both ways. Be sure to let your target market know what they can expect from you, how you expect to serve them, and how they can expect to hear from you. here are some suggestions to help set the tone with new clients in your target market:
1. Lay out the ground rules from the get-go.
Tell them your guest lists typically have 40-50 names on them, and that you usually get them back within 3 days. If they have problems with that, you'll be more than happy to help them in person, or to direct them to another consultant that would be glad to work with them.
2. Express your excitement about helping your host have a successful show. Your best shows are going to have a certain number of guests (get this info from your statistics from last year). Let your hosts and guests know what they can expect if the evening is a success for everyone.
3. Decide in advance what kind of show you want to have. Leave nothing to chance. I have had success inviting my "go only" guests to other people's parties. If a guest says "I only go to parties, I don't host them" I put them on a list so that when I have a host that's struggling to get RSVP's, I can call them up and invite them to the party. The host thinks I'm her hero, and the guest appreciates being remembered and treated respectfully.
Ultimately, it's up to you to decide how you're going to make the most of your business, policies and procedures. your home office lays the foundation, but the framework is built by you. Your expectations set the tone for the outcome of your parties AND your business as a whole.
Expect more to get more.
Direct Sales Passion: Are You Faking It?
'Tis the season when most companies begin their Leader Retreat events.
These are the rallies and propaganda fests where the company leaders can celebrate their accomplishments, learn best practices and get a glimpse of some of the new products for the new year - and maybe even bring some home with them.
But you know what? Even if you're not 'qualified' to attend, you may still be one of those consultants that's out-performing your leader. All it takes is a little passion.
That's what happened to me.
A few years back, I qualified to attend the leadership getaway that my then-company hosted for their leaders. I had been encouraged by my upline leader to strive to attend, reach all the goals laid before me, and work like heck to walk across the stage at Leader Retreat.
I'm not one to do 20 parties a month, so I figured I'd shoot for the goal of $5000 in sales during the first 6 months of the year, which were usually the toughest months of the year in our company.
I think I ended the period with about $7800 in sales, doing about 8 or 9 shows during that time. There were several people on our team that also achieved that $5000 goal, but because they weren't leaders, they couldn't go to Leader Retreat.
One consultant had over $15,000 in sales and missed qualifying as a leader by one recruit.
It was disappointing to me that other people who out performed me were not able to attend the event and celebrate their success. Imagine my surprise when my own leader didn't even walk across the stage with me.
Talk about "faking it"! Here she was pushing (and I DO mean pushing) all of her team to achieve these goals, get qualified for on stage recognition, and all the while she was barely doing the minimums to keep her title. She did, however, earn a nice chunk of bonus compensation for all the work we did to help her keep her title.
One of the nice things abotu Direct Sales is the compensation leaders can earn for helping their teams achieve levels of success. I have no problem with that. However, there's a problem when a leader is doing "just the minimums" and encouraging her teams to go for the gusto.
There's no congruency. She got paid despite the fact that several of her personal recruits out-performed her and eventually promoted above her. Consultants began to talk, and in less than a year, many of her recruits had lost faith in her, stopped attending her meetings, gave up, or left the company completely.
When people find out you're faking it, it's just too much of a let down.
Why was it that our team was able to achieve a goal that our own leader did not?
Passion.
First, we believed in our leader. She was a little on the pushy side, but we believed that she had our best interests at heart. Once we learned she was faking it - putting on a good show to bump up her tea numbers, but doing the minimums herself - we weren't as keen to be workhorses for her next big award.
Second, we caught the vision of an idea that was greater than our circumstance. We wanted the recognition that we thought would come from achieving something remarkable. It set us on fire. We became passionate - about our goal, our product, and about getting the message out to as many people as we could. Those of us that achieved those goals went on to bigger things within the company.
Our leader? Not so much. She was content to talk a good game, but when it came to playing the game, she was riding the bench. Ultimately, that leader left the company for what she thought were greener pastures. But her problems followed her. She was looking for other people to do the work for her. Instead of leading by example, she was ligthing the fire under her recruits, and sitting back to watch how far they would take her.
That was the final realization for me that not every leader knows more than I do when it comes to growing my business and defining my success.
In direct sales, like in life, faking it only works for so long - either your recruits pass you, or they give up on you and look to other leaders in the company to give them solid direction and advice. That's what happened to my leader. Imagine how much more successful she could have been if she'd been practicing what she was preaching!
It's one thing to be passionate about something and actively share it with your team and the world. It's something else to just "talk a good game" and not work your business with enthusiasm. People talk, and it's only a matter of time before you're found out.
If you've been in the business for a while, and feeling like the passion is fading, here are a few tips to help you re-kindle the romance with your direct sales biz:
1. Remember what it was like when you were brand new. It was a time of discovery. What are ways you can tap into that sense of awe and discovery in your business? Try a new product, find a creative use for an old product. Talk with someone you DON'T know at the home office.
2. Share your favorites. You have a list of products you love (if you don't, why are you in this business in the first place?). Think of other people that would love them for the same reasons and invite them to experience the product - no strings - in a complimentary session. Woo your customers back (maybe a few that you haven't talked with in a while) with a free sampling, or a thank-you event that doesn't end with a sales pitch.
Alternatively, if it's appropriate, make a donation to a local shelter - anonymously - of your favorite products. The gratitude will be overwhelming.
3. Bring in the kids. If it's appropriate for your product, invite the kids in and shoot a video of THEM doing a presentation with your products. talk about FUN! You'll not only get a good laugh, you'll get to see how your KIDS view the way you do business.
These are just a few ideas you can use to bring back some of the fun and excitement to your business. Seeing the way you build your business through your new consultant's eyes can often refresh a leader that's gotten a little complacent or jaded in their business.
A little passion (that's genuine) goes a long way. Eventually, if you're faking it, you'll be found out.
© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com
These are the rallies and propaganda fests where the company leaders can celebrate their accomplishments, learn best practices and get a glimpse of some of the new products for the new year - and maybe even bring some home with them.
But you know what? Even if you're not 'qualified' to attend, you may still be one of those consultants that's out-performing your leader. All it takes is a little passion.
That's what happened to me.
A few years back, I qualified to attend the leadership getaway that my then-company hosted for their leaders. I had been encouraged by my upline leader to strive to attend, reach all the goals laid before me, and work like heck to walk across the stage at Leader Retreat.
I'm not one to do 20 parties a month, so I figured I'd shoot for the goal of $5000 in sales during the first 6 months of the year, which were usually the toughest months of the year in our company.
I think I ended the period with about $7800 in sales, doing about 8 or 9 shows during that time. There were several people on our team that also achieved that $5000 goal, but because they weren't leaders, they couldn't go to Leader Retreat.
One consultant had over $15,000 in sales and missed qualifying as a leader by one recruit.
It was disappointing to me that other people who out performed me were not able to attend the event and celebrate their success. Imagine my surprise when my own leader didn't even walk across the stage with me.
Talk about "faking it"! Here she was pushing (and I DO mean pushing) all of her team to achieve these goals, get qualified for on stage recognition, and all the while she was barely doing the minimums to keep her title. She did, however, earn a nice chunk of bonus compensation for all the work we did to help her keep her title.
One of the nice things abotu Direct Sales is the compensation leaders can earn for helping their teams achieve levels of success. I have no problem with that. However, there's a problem when a leader is doing "just the minimums" and encouraging her teams to go for the gusto.
There's no congruency. She got paid despite the fact that several of her personal recruits out-performed her and eventually promoted above her. Consultants began to talk, and in less than a year, many of her recruits had lost faith in her, stopped attending her meetings, gave up, or left the company completely.
When people find out you're faking it, it's just too much of a let down.
Why was it that our team was able to achieve a goal that our own leader did not?
Passion.
First, we believed in our leader. She was a little on the pushy side, but we believed that she had our best interests at heart. Once we learned she was faking it - putting on a good show to bump up her tea numbers, but doing the minimums herself - we weren't as keen to be workhorses for her next big award.
Second, we caught the vision of an idea that was greater than our circumstance. We wanted the recognition that we thought would come from achieving something remarkable. It set us on fire. We became passionate - about our goal, our product, and about getting the message out to as many people as we could. Those of us that achieved those goals went on to bigger things within the company.
Our leader? Not so much. She was content to talk a good game, but when it came to playing the game, she was riding the bench. Ultimately, that leader left the company for what she thought were greener pastures. But her problems followed her. She was looking for other people to do the work for her. Instead of leading by example, she was ligthing the fire under her recruits, and sitting back to watch how far they would take her.
That was the final realization for me that not every leader knows more than I do when it comes to growing my business and defining my success.
In direct sales, like in life, faking it only works for so long - either your recruits pass you, or they give up on you and look to other leaders in the company to give them solid direction and advice. That's what happened to my leader. Imagine how much more successful she could have been if she'd been practicing what she was preaching!
It's one thing to be passionate about something and actively share it with your team and the world. It's something else to just "talk a good game" and not work your business with enthusiasm. People talk, and it's only a matter of time before you're found out.
If you've been in the business for a while, and feeling like the passion is fading, here are a few tips to help you re-kindle the romance with your direct sales biz:
1. Remember what it was like when you were brand new. It was a time of discovery. What are ways you can tap into that sense of awe and discovery in your business? Try a new product, find a creative use for an old product. Talk with someone you DON'T know at the home office.
2. Share your favorites. You have a list of products you love (if you don't, why are you in this business in the first place?). Think of other people that would love them for the same reasons and invite them to experience the product - no strings - in a complimentary session. Woo your customers back (maybe a few that you haven't talked with in a while) with a free sampling, or a thank-you event that doesn't end with a sales pitch.
Alternatively, if it's appropriate, make a donation to a local shelter - anonymously - of your favorite products. The gratitude will be overwhelming.
3. Bring in the kids. If it's appropriate for your product, invite the kids in and shoot a video of THEM doing a presentation with your products. talk about FUN! You'll not only get a good laugh, you'll get to see how your KIDS view the way you do business.
These are just a few ideas you can use to bring back some of the fun and excitement to your business. Seeing the way you build your business through your new consultant's eyes can often refresh a leader that's gotten a little complacent or jaded in their business.
A little passion (that's genuine) goes a long way. Eventually, if you're faking it, you'll be found out.
© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com
Direct Sales Success: Lessons from 'The Wrong CEO's"
Merry Christmas! Just had to get that in before the article:
On twitter the other day, someone tweeted a post about "celebrating the wrong CEO's". The article, from the Harvard Business Review, talks about the metrics we SHOULD be using when we celebrate the accomplishments of CEO's.
Too often, the media darling of the minute is someone that has made a big success, turnaround, or otherwise made a 'big splash' in the short term.
Instead, the article asserts we should be looking at the integrity of the long-term record of these CEO's - how thay have performed overall - before we start handing out awards and patting them on the back.
I found an immediate correlation to Direct Sales leadership and had to shake my head.
All too often, companies bestow big prizes, gifts and awards on the "top" recruiter, sales leader, etc, and yet, the next year, that same leader is nowhere to be seen in the company hierarchy, let alone in the top rankings of the company. We laud and honor these big achievers, and don't think about the message that's being sent to our teams.
For years, I've used a combination of recogniton to help celebrate the right people, and still encourage leaders (and consultants) to strive to achieve more. Including longevity, consistency and what I like to call "repeat offenders" in the recognition encourages everyone to do their part to grow your organization - AND their own personal business.
I've only seen a handful of Direct Sales/Home Party companies that actually include this kind of recognition at the corporate level, and to me it seems like a no-brainer.
As a business builder, you want people who are in it for the long-haul, yet companies usually offer a 3-month incentive for consultants to stay on board. The industry statistics show that most consultants drop off after abotu 3 months. Belinda Ellsworth is noted for reminding people that at all times "a third are coming, a third are going, and a third are staying". Then what are we doing to encourage retention beyond those first 3 months?
While I didn't have the biggest team in my company, I had a solid team with average longevity of over 2 years, and an attrition rate under 20%. That means for every 10 people I signed up, less than 2 quit and most of them stayed longer than 2 years.
I don't usually talk about those numbers, mostly because I didn't think it was a big deal. But this year, I've realized it's a HUGE deal. There are hundreds, if not tens of thousands of leaders in this industry that are pluggin along, actively working thier business, being consistent, but that will probably not ever be in the top 10 or 20 of their companies. They'll never walk across the stage and win the awards that other leaders will, when THEY are the unsung heroines of most Direct Sales companies. These folks are working their businesses consistently - and isn't that what we want in our business?
I watched this happen first hand in one of my former companies. Sitting at one of my first ever National Conferences, I watched my own leader and her upline teach a class about recruiting - because my leader was the top recruiter for the company that year. What wasn't made public was that she earned that title because she promoted to Director because she transferred half her team from her former company to ours. By the time the next national confernce rolled around, she wasn't even an active consultant anymore, let alone a leader!
And yet, at that conference, we were led to believe she had the golden ticket to promoting to director in less than a year. Well, I don't know about you, but that feels kind of dishonest to me. Our company never remarked about it, and there was never an asterisk placed by her name in the "record books", and yet, we were all talking in hshed tones about how "she didn't really earn that title fairly".
She earned it fairly, she just shouldn't have been the one teaching strategies that she herself didn't use to attain that title. And everyone in the room knew it.
As a consultant, you need to be watching your leaders - even if your leader is MIA. Watch other leaders that are "doing things right" with a track record of longevity. find out what works for them and find ways to incorporate those strategies and tools into your business.
As a leader, you need to be honest with your teams. If you rightfully earned a title, stop fretting about competition, and help them learn how you did it. A rising tide - particularly in direct sales - raises all ships. Plus, they'll be ready to share with you when they are having successes of their own.
As company owners, we need to be looking for ways to recognize our ranks that will inspire others and not put the brass ring out of reach for the workhorses of our company. It's not hard to recognize people who consistently submit shows, regardless of the show size. Or to recognize people who consistenly add one new recruit every month. Leaders should be giving recognition for the daily actions (making the calls, holding the shows), but it's the company responsibility to encourage retention in meaningful ways beyond the almighty dollar.
In fact, the potential cash bonus is usually much less an incentive than the marketing potential of a professionally written press release or feature in the monthly magazine that helps build their crediblity in a way that directly connects them back to your brand in a positive way. It also shows potential recruits that you don't need to be the tops in the division, just consistent - something that is more attainable for more people.
This is a topic I harp on about once a year, but only because I'm so strong a proponent. I know people who tirelessly do everything their leader tells them to, and still get beat out month after month for those top slots. What a great way to recognize them for doing what we really want them to do - build a strong solid business that's designed to last a lifetime.
On twitter the other day, someone tweeted a post about "celebrating the wrong CEO's". The article, from the Harvard Business Review, talks about the metrics we SHOULD be using when we celebrate the accomplishments of CEO's.
Too often, the media darling of the minute is someone that has made a big success, turnaround, or otherwise made a 'big splash' in the short term.
Instead, the article asserts we should be looking at the integrity of the long-term record of these CEO's - how thay have performed overall - before we start handing out awards and patting them on the back.
I found an immediate correlation to Direct Sales leadership and had to shake my head.
All too often, companies bestow big prizes, gifts and awards on the "top" recruiter, sales leader, etc, and yet, the next year, that same leader is nowhere to be seen in the company hierarchy, let alone in the top rankings of the company. We laud and honor these big achievers, and don't think about the message that's being sent to our teams.
For years, I've used a combination of recogniton to help celebrate the right people, and still encourage leaders (and consultants) to strive to achieve more. Including longevity, consistency and what I like to call "repeat offenders" in the recognition encourages everyone to do their part to grow your organization - AND their own personal business.
I've only seen a handful of Direct Sales/Home Party companies that actually include this kind of recognition at the corporate level, and to me it seems like a no-brainer.
As a business builder, you want people who are in it for the long-haul, yet companies usually offer a 3-month incentive for consultants to stay on board. The industry statistics show that most consultants drop off after abotu 3 months. Belinda Ellsworth is noted for reminding people that at all times "a third are coming, a third are going, and a third are staying". Then what are we doing to encourage retention beyond those first 3 months?
While I didn't have the biggest team in my company, I had a solid team with average longevity of over 2 years, and an attrition rate under 20%. That means for every 10 people I signed up, less than 2 quit and most of them stayed longer than 2 years.
I don't usually talk about those numbers, mostly because I didn't think it was a big deal. But this year, I've realized it's a HUGE deal. There are hundreds, if not tens of thousands of leaders in this industry that are pluggin along, actively working thier business, being consistent, but that will probably not ever be in the top 10 or 20 of their companies. They'll never walk across the stage and win the awards that other leaders will, when THEY are the unsung heroines of most Direct Sales companies. These folks are working their businesses consistently - and isn't that what we want in our business?
I watched this happen first hand in one of my former companies. Sitting at one of my first ever National Conferences, I watched my own leader and her upline teach a class about recruiting - because my leader was the top recruiter for the company that year. What wasn't made public was that she earned that title because she promoted to Director because she transferred half her team from her former company to ours. By the time the next national confernce rolled around, she wasn't even an active consultant anymore, let alone a leader!
And yet, at that conference, we were led to believe she had the golden ticket to promoting to director in less than a year. Well, I don't know about you, but that feels kind of dishonest to me. Our company never remarked about it, and there was never an asterisk placed by her name in the "record books", and yet, we were all talking in hshed tones about how "she didn't really earn that title fairly".
She earned it fairly, she just shouldn't have been the one teaching strategies that she herself didn't use to attain that title. And everyone in the room knew it.
As a consultant, you need to be watching your leaders - even if your leader is MIA. Watch other leaders that are "doing things right" with a track record of longevity. find out what works for them and find ways to incorporate those strategies and tools into your business.
As a leader, you need to be honest with your teams. If you rightfully earned a title, stop fretting about competition, and help them learn how you did it. A rising tide - particularly in direct sales - raises all ships. Plus, they'll be ready to share with you when they are having successes of their own.
As company owners, we need to be looking for ways to recognize our ranks that will inspire others and not put the brass ring out of reach for the workhorses of our company. It's not hard to recognize people who consistently submit shows, regardless of the show size. Or to recognize people who consistenly add one new recruit every month. Leaders should be giving recognition for the daily actions (making the calls, holding the shows), but it's the company responsibility to encourage retention in meaningful ways beyond the almighty dollar.
In fact, the potential cash bonus is usually much less an incentive than the marketing potential of a professionally written press release or feature in the monthly magazine that helps build their crediblity in a way that directly connects them back to your brand in a positive way. It also shows potential recruits that you don't need to be the tops in the division, just consistent - something that is more attainable for more people.
This is a topic I harp on about once a year, but only because I'm so strong a proponent. I know people who tirelessly do everything their leader tells them to, and still get beat out month after month for those top slots. What a great way to recognize them for doing what we really want them to do - build a strong solid business that's designed to last a lifetime.
Direct Sales Success: What's Your 2010 Strategy?
So now we've got a vision, what about a strategy?
You've probably been hearing a lot about Social Media strategies lately, and yes, that's important, but it's only part of the picture for a business strategy.
If you're serious abut growing a business, and not just having direct sales "hobby" income, you need to plan specific strategies for generating leads, and converting those leads into more bookings, sales and recruits.
Social media are tools you can use as part of that strategy. But if you put all your eggs in the social media basket, you're missing the boat.
Jennifer Fong, one of the foremost authorities on Direct Sales and Social Media often says that you need a strategy to attract the right people to your business. You have to know WHO and WHERE they are before you can determine WHAT tools are effective in reaching them.
Part of developing your strategy means identifying your target market. I hope by now, you've gotten the message that everyone is not your target market. In fact, if you're brand new in direct sales, I hope you'll take a serious look at what kinds of customers are your "perfect fit". This is a term I use for the people that make it easy for you to do business - the kind you actually WANT to work with.
If you're not new to direct sales, and you've already got a laundry list of clients that are not your "perfect fit", this is a great place to start looking at your target marketing strategy. One of the great things about deciding WHO you want to work with is that the crums you no longer want to work with will either drop off the face of the earth, or get their act together. Before that can happen, though, YOU need to make some decisions.
* What was the best party/sales event you ever attended? What made it the best?
* What was the worst party/sales event you ever attended? What made it the worst?
* What was your top selling show? Was it worth all the work?
* What was your top booking show? Why was it so successful?
These are just a few of the questions I ask clients when we do a target marketing strategy session. The answers to these questions will give you a good idea of:
* What you enjoy most about the work you do
* The kinds of people that you enjoy working with
* Where to draw the line (some times the money doesn't matter, it's still not fun!)
* The elements of a succssful show
From here, you can craft a strategy to attract the kinds of people to your business that will help meet your "perfect fit customer" profile.
If you're already a member of our online community, you have free access to my 30-day target marketing program. In January 2010, we'll be launching an entire course focused on helping you develop a clear vision for your target market (oops! I think I just let the cat out of the bag!).
Until then, keep in mind, as you peruse your customer lists, the kinds of people you'd LOVE to work with, and start figuring out where you can meet them. This isn't about excluding others, or NOT doing business with people just because they don't meet your requirements. It IS about taking control of your business, and running it like a real business owner - because that's what you are.
© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com
You've probably been hearing a lot about Social Media strategies lately, and yes, that's important, but it's only part of the picture for a business strategy.
If you're serious abut growing a business, and not just having direct sales "hobby" income, you need to plan specific strategies for generating leads, and converting those leads into more bookings, sales and recruits.
Social media are tools you can use as part of that strategy. But if you put all your eggs in the social media basket, you're missing the boat.
Jennifer Fong, one of the foremost authorities on Direct Sales and Social Media often says that you need a strategy to attract the right people to your business. You have to know WHO and WHERE they are before you can determine WHAT tools are effective in reaching them.
Part of developing your strategy means identifying your target market. I hope by now, you've gotten the message that everyone is not your target market. In fact, if you're brand new in direct sales, I hope you'll take a serious look at what kinds of customers are your "perfect fit". This is a term I use for the people that make it easy for you to do business - the kind you actually WANT to work with.
If you're not new to direct sales, and you've already got a laundry list of clients that are not your "perfect fit", this is a great place to start looking at your target marketing strategy. One of the great things about deciding WHO you want to work with is that the crums you no longer want to work with will either drop off the face of the earth, or get their act together. Before that can happen, though, YOU need to make some decisions.
* What was the best party/sales event you ever attended? What made it the best?
* What was the worst party/sales event you ever attended? What made it the worst?
* What was your top selling show? Was it worth all the work?
* What was your top booking show? Why was it so successful?
These are just a few of the questions I ask clients when we do a target marketing strategy session. The answers to these questions will give you a good idea of:
* What you enjoy most about the work you do
* The kinds of people that you enjoy working with
* Where to draw the line (some times the money doesn't matter, it's still not fun!)
* The elements of a succssful show
From here, you can craft a strategy to attract the kinds of people to your business that will help meet your "perfect fit customer" profile.
If you're already a member of our online community, you have free access to my 30-day target marketing program. In January 2010, we'll be launching an entire course focused on helping you develop a clear vision for your target market (oops! I think I just let the cat out of the bag!).
Until then, keep in mind, as you peruse your customer lists, the kinds of people you'd LOVE to work with, and start figuring out where you can meet them. This isn't about excluding others, or NOT doing business with people just because they don't meet your requirements. It IS about taking control of your business, and running it like a real business owner - because that's what you are.
© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com
#shine Wrap-up Finale: What I learned in Vegas
So you've seen my take on the good, bad and ugly at Ali Brown's Shine event. And if you missed it, check my previous posts.
Today, I wanted to boil it all down to what I actually learned and what my "take aways" were from this event.
I was fortunate in that I was able to spend a couple extra days in Vegas processing, filtering, connecting, and getting more clarity on how to apply everything I gleaned before, during and after Shine.
The biggest take away is that you really do get what you take. Everyone went in with so many varied opinions and ideas - some positive, some negative. But ultimately, each person makes an assessment as to whether or not they'd do it all over again. I definitely would go back because so much good came out of this event for me.
But I was looking for the good in the first place. It didn't come in all the ways I expected, or hoped, but there was a TON of value I never would have gotten had I not gone to Vegas.
For example, one of my core values is experiences. I love participating in and creating experiences where people can connect, share, grow and support one another. Love it, love it, LOVE IT. That's been the missing link in my business and my life, and I didn't figure that out until I was in the room watching a half dressed guy spinning heavy metal objects during the opening of the event. It wasn't the spinning guy that thrilled me (really. not my type), but the oohing and aaahing and "illegal" photography that the audience was doing that interested me. You could tell that people were raising their energy, getting excited, and wanting to find something exciting in this event.
It was all about the experience. And while I won't say I'm a seminar junkie, it does explain why I love direct sales so much - creating experiences for clients to really enjoy themselves and feel good about their own lives.
There Are A LOT Of People Looking For Clarity
Most of the women and men I met at Shine were looking or clarity, direction and the "How-to's" to grow their business idea. They are smart, hard working people, trying to "figure it out" - many trying to balance their heart with their head. The answers, most of the time, are already within us - or within arm's reach. And it doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to get the answers you need. You just need to know where to look.
I like reinventing myself
A couple of weeks prior to shine, I was at a mastermind retreat where I realized that one of the biggest thrills in my life is helping people get that "Ah-HA!" moment of clarity in their life. I've worked with theater owners, authors, actors, direct sellers, designers, small biz owners, and even heads of multi-million dollar companies. Sometimes it's the teeny weeny little idea that gets overlooked that puts everything into perspective.
So I created these "limited edition" business cards positioning myself as an idea coach and professional brainstormer - helping people get clarity or create new ideas to make their business profitable. It felt like being home.
I wasn't pigeon-holed into a niche, I could communicate effortlessly with all kinds of entrepreneurs - including a rocket scientist whilst in the airport - and offer substantive help that got peoples wheels turning.
I Like That! So we've created RentLisasBrain.com where I'll be doing more of that brainstorming and focus work.
People-Watching Pays
From the waitstaff to the sales reps on the main floor of the Venetian, to the other participants in the event, there was a lot to learn just by watching others. The way they carried themselves, what they said, what they DIDN'T say - there was free education all around just by keeping your eyes open.
Never Leave Anything To Chance
Anne McKevitt said this in an off-hand kind of way during her branding presentation, but it stuck with me. And as the event went on, I looked for places where Ali's team worked hard to leave nothing to chance. While we kind of had to work at applying a lot of the hidden lessons from Shine, this one idea gave me some new directions in my own life and business.
Everything Works. You Just Have To Be Tenacious.
Really. It doesn't matter what business model you choose, or how you set everything up. Every strategy that's being taught will work if you apply enough tenacity to it. Granted, some will work better than others, and not everything will be a perfect fit for you, but people wouldn't espouse it if it didn't work.
Which Means, It's Really About Resonance.
So while everything WILL work, finding the thing that resonates most with you is where you'll be most content. Then, even if it's not the most effective idea for others, you'll be happy and productive.
Bluntly, in the Internet Marketing realm, there are experts that tell you the best way to squeeze every dollar out of a prospect is with upsells, downsells, cross sells, and probably diagonal sells if they could figure that out. But most of us don't resonate with that, and "settle" for a happy medium - a balance of content and pitch that makes us feel we're providing value, developing relationships and getting compensated appropriately.
My action plan is to re-design my business around the way I would want to be treated as a customer - and as a human being. It costs more and means harder work, and it's worth it, because I'm proud of the end result, my true fans appreciate me, and they know what effort goes into producing a quality product. It also means more hands-on, personal interaction with me, because that's where I think people get the best results. And since I'm all about results, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Binders Suck
That was probably the second biggest disappointment of Day One. This gorgeous binder was at my seat waiting for me and inside was nothing but lined note paper and a "resource" section that was filled with Ali's products on discount. It felt like such a waste, even after we were given about 20 pages to plug into it.
I've never found a program where "the binder" met my expectations. It always felt like an overpriced way to share the powerpoint slides. So you'll very likely never see me doing any kind of binder.
Now I know from a sales perspective that when you put it in a binder, it's easier for the customer to lose pieces, which prevents refunds. But if I'm truly focused on helping my clients succeed, why do I want them to lose anything? More importantly, if they want to return it, I want to make that as easy as pie - especially in light of the new FTC rulings. I ONLY want to work with people that WANT to work with me and WANT to get results.
If I Build It (And It Rocks) They WILL Come
Out of one side of their mouth, experts tell you that there are industry "standards" about drop off rates, subscriber open rates, and conversion rates. They tell us to expect that kind of stuff. Then out of the other side of their mouth they talk about attracting perfect clients, abundance and the fact that there is only cooperation, not competition.
So if I subscribe to the abundance, attraction notion, it stands to reason that I can have an amazing business filled with people that love my style, my approach, my outlook and my content. The only thing really standing in my way is what I call the "Emperor's New Clothes Syndrome". We keep spinning our wheels when we know something's amiss, because we're told that it worked for someone else, so it should work for us - instead of trusting our instincts and doing what we know resonates more perfectly in our own world.
I've learned that trusting my gut and expecting - nay demanding - more for myself and my clients makes me a hero to my ideal clients. It's harder work, but it's better rewarded. The half-ass approach of doing the minimum brings people to you that want more than the minimum for minimum prices.
One of my lists has about 1700 people on it. Each subscriber on that list is worth over $100 to me (and growing). I learned at Shine that's an incredible value! And I cherish that, because it means that I'm doing all the right things to keep that list responsive and lucrative.
One of the concepts that Napoleon Hill talks about in Think and Grow Rich is doing more than you're paid for. Going above and beyond is expected anymore. Shirking will just cause you to end up with the dregs.
And just like the Field of Dreams, all the players didn't take the field in the beginning. But some of the players told other players, and eventually they DID show up.
Modeling Will Only Take You So Far - Then You've Got to Innovate
Learning from others is a great place to start when you're stuck, or have no idea how to begin. But there comes a point in time when you must break out of the ruts the other wagons have laid down and forge a path of your own. Otherwise, you're just a pale reflection of those that have gone before you.
I think of some of the greatest musicians of all time - they were all inspired by other great musicians. If all they ever did was model their heroes, everyone would be playing Purple Haze exactly the same way.
But when Hendrix played the National Anthem everyone stood up and took notice. Some people liked it, others were in shock, everyone said it was an innovative approach to an "old standard".
So I'm taking time to learn outside my own field and tap into the expertise of others that have nothing to do with my business - some of them long since dead. Newton, Asimov, Picasso, daVinci all are great sources of inspiration to cross- pollinate your brain and get you thinking outside the incestuous relationships within your industry.
Women Overcome
When put to the test, women are amazingly resilient, enduring creatures that put up with a lot of stuff. We're also deceptive, sneaky, tricky and cunning. We can use our powers for good or evil and when we choose good, the effect is exponential, trickling down through societies, permeating cultures, and changing the world.
Aside from the speakers, I met some incredibly remarkable women - some I was already following, and some new faces as well. Each of them has a wonderful gift to share and I'm confident they WILL share it because they are overcomers. Keri's ability to connect quickly makes it clear she's perfectly suited to social media coaching - despite what Anne might say. Jill's gift for writing is clearly evident in her manner of speaking. Cutressa's enthusiasm lights up her space and the lives of everyone around her - I think everyone knew Cutressa by the end of the event. MonSun, my Faerie Godmother, Sabine, and even Nicole (a client I met up with) all left a lasting imprint about who they are, what they want to accomplish in the world, and how they're taking action on getting it done. And they will, because they overcome. Not to neglect the dozens of other women at this event that I met - each was remarkable. And I know each will overcome. It's in their DNA, so to speak.
I Don't Need Permission. I Need Connections.
Kind of self explanatory. I realized that I can be anyone I believe I am - without waiting for confirmation, validation or recognition from some external source, be it a person, mastermind group, coach or other entity living or dead.
There's no "acting as if". I already AM, therefore, it's not acting.
I met a woman who dubbed herself My Faerie Godmother, and she told me things about me I've never shared publicly - and I couldn't explain it away. She told me about my mom, my kid, my husband and all the things I've been trying to live up to - or live down. The buck stops here. Now.
I'm "smarter than the average bear" and don't have to apologize for who I am. There are throngs of people that actually enjoy the part of me I've allowed to really shine through. That means regardless of my shape, size, texture or hair color (and yes it will stay blonde for many months to come), I'm me and that's groovy. I don't need your approval, program, group or seal of authenticity to be me.
What I do need is to continue to connect with people that expand my thinking like that. People that have viewpoints, clarity, confusion, directions, aspirations and energies that are different from my own. It's part of what drives me and helps me thrive.
Good Things Come To He Who Waiteth If He Worketh Like Heck While He Waiteth
This was actually a little plaque that hung over my Grandma's kitchen sink. There is a process to achieving success - an incubation period - and skipping steps only slows you down. Do things right the first time so you don't have to go back and do them again, and quit trying to get ahead of yourself. Life's not a race, it's a cruise. The buffet's pretty tasty and the view is spectacular fro all sides once you leave port.
So many of us are trying to hurry up and get rich/famous/successful, and we forget there's a process to this stuff. Wolfgang Puck was quoted in INC magazine as saying that slow and steady growth is the best way to ensure longevity in the marketplace. He's watched dozens of restaurants come and go that grew three times as fast as he has - and he's the one still standing.
I've been reading a lot of stories about entrepreneurs from the turn of the last century - some you've never even heard of for that very reason. They wanted to grow too fast, and ruined themselves. On the other hand, the prudent, judicious and successful entrepreneurs that are still known to this day, took their time to carefully grow their businesses in ways that would be sustainable. Don't trade a lot of money later for a little money right now.
I Like Being a Blonde
Several followers asked about the choice to go blonde, suggested I go back, and commiserated with me on the grey hair that lurks beneath the surface. The fact of the matter is I enjoy being blonde WAY more than I enjoyed having brown/grey hair, and it will likely stay that way for a long while. I can't say blondes have more fun, but I can say that I'm easier to spot in the crowd, and it's doing for me what I set out to do when I changed the color in the first place. Purple would probably have been just as effective, but I figured that was a little less professional.
I Like Rocking The Boat
Not to be cantankerous, but I like pointing out the stuff that doesn't work. I'm not trying to be a Negative Nelly here - it's not about being negative for negativity's sake. I think there's great value in sharing what works and what doesn't so that people can improve themselves. Not everyone will agree, I'm sure, and that's fine. They're not part of my tribe. Usually when I point out a faux pas, I'm quick to offer a solution if I can find one. That's how my brain is wired. Find a problem, find some solutions, fix it and move on. I'm not going to apologize for that anymore, I'm just going to rock it out!
So that's the gist. There's more, and I'll be sharing stuff as I go along and wriggle out of the new cocoon, but you get the idea of where I'm headed here. Your comments, thoughts and witty remarks are welcome feedback!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Why Blogging May NOT Be For You
When developing your online marketing stratey, ivariably, the questions of blogging come up.
"Should I or shouldn't I?"
"How often?"
"Is it profitable?"
"How do I monetize it?"
"Should I have more than one?"
And these are just a handful of questions I've been asked in the past.
I enjoy blogs and blogging. But blogging may not be for you.
Uh-oh, another rejection of online marketing strategies?
Naaahh... Just a reality check for people that suffer from shiny object syndrome.
In all seriousness, I think blogs are an important component in your online marketing arsenal - but only if you are ready for it.
Blogging takes time - believe it or not, blogging is one of the most mind-taxing social media strategies. There are ways to minimize the time investment, and we'll talk about that in my 12-week challenge program, but even so, there's a time committment involved to write/edit/review posts and respond to comments.
While I'm a big fan of blogs and encourage people to start with a blog instead of a website, there are times when this just doesn't make sense.
Blogging takes consistency - people that are following your blog will be looking for your posts on a regular basis. If you're unable to post consistently, people stop following your blog.
That doesn't mean you have to post every day - and you can win back some of your readership if you get back on the posting wagon. It means that whatever you choose to do, you need to be consistent about it. More frequent posters will have more frequent readers - and the faster you can build rapport with our readership, the sooner you can build the bridge from online acquaintance to business partnership - which is the whole point of doing this in the first place, right?
Well, not exactly, but I'll share about that in another post.
Blogging takes quality content - this is a non-negotiable. Regardless of the frequency or even the topic, there's got to be quality information in every post you make. You can post once a month with killer content and people will look forward to that post all month long. But if all you're posting is "my company's the best thing since sliced bread", you'll turn off readers faster than "The Clapper".
And no, it doesn't need to be perfect content - grammatically excellent, without a single spelling error - but you should strive for perfection.
When you see an error (or someone points it out to you), correct it. We all know nobody's perfect. It takes a level of integrity to acknowledge our mistakes, correct them and beome a better person in the process.
Blogging needs an "end game" - blogging for bloggin's sake isn't a bad thing - and it's done frequently. Blogging for business, however, needs to have a desired end result. It could be a call to action at teh end of the post, a newsletter opt-in on the blog itself, or links within the post copy. There's got to be a reason for all this blogging - and the more transparent you are, the less it looks like you have something to hide.
So when you're contemplating adding blogging to your online marketing strategy, consider the issues above. Not sure your'e ready for a full-blown blog? Try a micro-blogging platform like Twitter. It's a great place to get your feet wet in the meantime.
"Should I or shouldn't I?"
"How often?"
"Is it profitable?"
"How do I monetize it?"
"Should I have more than one?"
And these are just a handful of questions I've been asked in the past.
I enjoy blogs and blogging. But blogging may not be for you.
Uh-oh, another rejection of online marketing strategies?
Naaahh... Just a reality check for people that suffer from shiny object syndrome.
In all seriousness, I think blogs are an important component in your online marketing arsenal - but only if you are ready for it.
Blogging takes time - believe it or not, blogging is one of the most mind-taxing social media strategies. There are ways to minimize the time investment, and we'll talk about that in my 12-week challenge program, but even so, there's a time committment involved to write/edit/review posts and respond to comments.
While I'm a big fan of blogs and encourage people to start with a blog instead of a website, there are times when this just doesn't make sense.
Blogging takes consistency - people that are following your blog will be looking for your posts on a regular basis. If you're unable to post consistently, people stop following your blog.
That doesn't mean you have to post every day - and you can win back some of your readership if you get back on the posting wagon. It means that whatever you choose to do, you need to be consistent about it. More frequent posters will have more frequent readers - and the faster you can build rapport with our readership, the sooner you can build the bridge from online acquaintance to business partnership - which is the whole point of doing this in the first place, right?
Well, not exactly, but I'll share about that in another post.
Blogging takes quality content - this is a non-negotiable. Regardless of the frequency or even the topic, there's got to be quality information in every post you make. You can post once a month with killer content and people will look forward to that post all month long. But if all you're posting is "my company's the best thing since sliced bread", you'll turn off readers faster than "The Clapper".
And no, it doesn't need to be perfect content - grammatically excellent, without a single spelling error - but you should strive for perfection.
When you see an error (or someone points it out to you), correct it. We all know nobody's perfect. It takes a level of integrity to acknowledge our mistakes, correct them and beome a better person in the process.
Blogging needs an "end game" - blogging for bloggin's sake isn't a bad thing - and it's done frequently. Blogging for business, however, needs to have a desired end result. It could be a call to action at teh end of the post, a newsletter opt-in on the blog itself, or links within the post copy. There's got to be a reason for all this blogging - and the more transparent you are, the less it looks like you have something to hide.
So when you're contemplating adding blogging to your online marketing strategy, consider the issues above. Not sure your'e ready for a full-blown blog? Try a micro-blogging platform like Twitter. It's a great place to get your feet wet in the meantime.
Enthusiastic or Pushy? What's the difference?
As a direct sales coach, I hear it all the time:
There's a difference between being enthusiastic about your business and being pushy.
Pushy, to me, comes off more as bullying, or force-feeding your agenda on unwilling, or unsuspecting people.
Enthusiasm is a contagious attitude that is positive in nature.
One stems from fear, the other from faith.
In fact, the word enthusiasm is derived from the Greek, meaning "God inside". You've no doubt seen enthusiastic people, perhaps 'bouncing off the walls' a bit, as if the fire of deity burned within them.
Enthusiasm is a motivating, inspiring force. Pushy is an oppressive, demanding force.
As business owners, we need to realize that we can be enthusiastic, and even FIRM about our expectations without being pushy.
Granted, there will always be a small cadre of folks whom you can never satisfy. Someone will always find fault with you. This is not for those types - since you really shouldn't be building your business around them anyway! They're certainly not your perfect fit customer.
When you've developed a following of 'fans' - what I call "crack addicts", they will pick up on and share your enthusiasm.
Fans rarely (if ever) share your pushy attitude.
Let's look at an example of reasonable expectations and enthusiasm in your business - and when they might turn into pushiness.
You're at an event, demonstrating the versatility of your product. You begin to share how this particular product has saved you hours of time at home, and made your life less stressful and more enjoyable. You smile and others smile with you. People begin asking questions and you can tell you've hit on a topic of interest.
So far, you get high marks for enthusiasm.
Suddendly, you notice two women (we'll call them Jane and Mary) are asking the bulk of the questions. Both seem very interested not only in your product, but also in your business opportunity. You answer their questions, and Mary schedules an appointment to talk with you further.
Inside, you are doing the dance of joy. Your smile is as big as all outdoors. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and others begin to ask for additional information about your products - but not Jane.
At the close of the event, you pull Jane into a corner and begin to tell her all the wonderful reasons why she should take your information and set up an appointment to tal with you further. She politely declines and you insist that she'd be great at what you do and she should just take the packet and "sleep on it". She tells you she's not very good at sales, and you proceed to tell her why you felt the same way when you started, and that you found with a little practice you got pretty good, and now you're making good money each month and that she won't lose anything by just taking the packet and setting up a time to chat with you.
Okay. I hope you see where you went from enthusiastic to pushy. Assuming you do get Jane to set an appointment, it's highly unlikely that she'll show - or ever return your calls again.
Enthusiasm is one way of providing value to the world. We're helping others, sprading a positive message or positive energy in a way that seeks only to serve. When we're enthusiastic about our product, we want the WORLD to know how great it is.
But when someone disagrees, shows a lack of interest, or simply refuses to participate, we begin to feel as if WE'VE been rejected - and take that rejection personally. That's when fear - and pushiness - set in.
When "everyone else" was so excited about our offering, the enthusiasm was contagious. The moment we see someone who's not "on our side" we begin to think something's wrong - and we move away from helping the other person and move into defensive mode - trying to "overcome objections" and "close" them to a decision.
Some people just take more time than we're willing to give them to make a decision.
Here are a few tips to avoid feeling (and being) pushy:
1. Always ask yourself if you are providing a real value to the client.
Real value is in the eyes of the client, however, so this can get tricky. you may THINK you're providing something valueable - after all, you shelled out $5 per recruiting packet and it comes with free samples - but the client has no interest in joining your team, so they see no value in what you're offering.
2. Look to the client's desires first.
This ties into number one above. If you are seeking to understand what's important to your client at any given time, you will rarely be perceived as pushy. In fact, you'll be seen as incredibly helpful, somewhat refreshing and a nice, friendly person. Why? Because so few people take the time to care these days. Perhaps a client has difficulty expressing their desires. The act of seeking to understand them FIRST goes a long way towards building a lasting relationship.
3. Keep your mouth shut.
I wanted to say listen, but today, so many people are hearing what's going on and instead of truly getting to the heart of their client's issue, they're preparing their rebuttal or their comeback statement. This is something I STILL struggle with because my mind races a million miles a minute trying to find solutions for people. You have to close your mouth - including the voice in your head - and LISTEN to what your customers want and need. Ask them. Then shut up long enough to really hear what they're saying.
4. Vocalize appropriate expectations.
As a business owner, setting clear expectations of your customers does not make you pushy. It is completely acceptable to say "I'll call you on Tuesday to confirm" and then call on Tuesday. You've laid out an expectation, and it's your responsibility to follow up appropriately.
It's NOT appropriate to then call Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and THREE times on Saturday. THAT'S being pushy. There's probably a good reason why Jane isn't returning your call - and if you've "camped out" on her phone line every day for a week, chances are good she'll NEVER return those calls.
And I hear you asking 'but what do I do if they never return my call? Well there are two considerations here. First, did they REALLY want to talk to you in the first place? If you strong-armed them into accepting a call from you, they may be looking for any excuse to never return your call. Those are not perfect-fit customers, and you need to rid yourself of them ASAP.
If they are still very interested in connecting with you, try a postcard, text message or other means of contacting them.
Just make sure you don't do one a day for a whole week. There's keeping in touch, and then there's being desparate.
One is an act of enthusiasm. The other is an act of pushyness.
I don't want people to think I'm being pushy
There's a difference between being enthusiastic about your business and being pushy.
Pushy, to me, comes off more as bullying, or force-feeding your agenda on unwilling, or unsuspecting people.
Enthusiasm is a contagious attitude that is positive in nature.
One stems from fear, the other from faith.
In fact, the word enthusiasm is derived from the Greek, meaning "God inside". You've no doubt seen enthusiastic people, perhaps 'bouncing off the walls' a bit, as if the fire of deity burned within them.
Enthusiasm is a motivating, inspiring force. Pushy is an oppressive, demanding force.
As business owners, we need to realize that we can be enthusiastic, and even FIRM about our expectations without being pushy.
Granted, there will always be a small cadre of folks whom you can never satisfy. Someone will always find fault with you. This is not for those types - since you really shouldn't be building your business around them anyway! They're certainly not your perfect fit customer.
When you've developed a following of 'fans' - what I call "crack addicts", they will pick up on and share your enthusiasm.
Fans rarely (if ever) share your pushy attitude.
Let's look at an example of reasonable expectations and enthusiasm in your business - and when they might turn into pushiness.
You're at an event, demonstrating the versatility of your product. You begin to share how this particular product has saved you hours of time at home, and made your life less stressful and more enjoyable. You smile and others smile with you. People begin asking questions and you can tell you've hit on a topic of interest.
So far, you get high marks for enthusiasm.
Suddendly, you notice two women (we'll call them Jane and Mary) are asking the bulk of the questions. Both seem very interested not only in your product, but also in your business opportunity. You answer their questions, and Mary schedules an appointment to talk with you further.
Inside, you are doing the dance of joy. Your smile is as big as all outdoors. Your enthusiasm is contagious, and others begin to ask for additional information about your products - but not Jane.
At the close of the event, you pull Jane into a corner and begin to tell her all the wonderful reasons why she should take your information and set up an appointment to tal with you further. She politely declines and you insist that she'd be great at what you do and she should just take the packet and "sleep on it". She tells you she's not very good at sales, and you proceed to tell her why you felt the same way when you started, and that you found with a little practice you got pretty good, and now you're making good money each month and that she won't lose anything by just taking the packet and setting up a time to chat with you.
Okay. I hope you see where you went from enthusiastic to pushy. Assuming you do get Jane to set an appointment, it's highly unlikely that she'll show - or ever return your calls again.
Enthusiasm is one way of providing value to the world. We're helping others, sprading a positive message or positive energy in a way that seeks only to serve. When we're enthusiastic about our product, we want the WORLD to know how great it is.
But when someone disagrees, shows a lack of interest, or simply refuses to participate, we begin to feel as if WE'VE been rejected - and take that rejection personally. That's when fear - and pushiness - set in.
When "everyone else" was so excited about our offering, the enthusiasm was contagious. The moment we see someone who's not "on our side" we begin to think something's wrong - and we move away from helping the other person and move into defensive mode - trying to "overcome objections" and "close" them to a decision.
Some people just take more time than we're willing to give them to make a decision.
Here are a few tips to avoid feeling (and being) pushy:
1. Always ask yourself if you are providing a real value to the client.
Real value is in the eyes of the client, however, so this can get tricky. you may THINK you're providing something valueable - after all, you shelled out $5 per recruiting packet and it comes with free samples - but the client has no interest in joining your team, so they see no value in what you're offering.
2. Look to the client's desires first.
This ties into number one above. If you are seeking to understand what's important to your client at any given time, you will rarely be perceived as pushy. In fact, you'll be seen as incredibly helpful, somewhat refreshing and a nice, friendly person. Why? Because so few people take the time to care these days. Perhaps a client has difficulty expressing their desires. The act of seeking to understand them FIRST goes a long way towards building a lasting relationship.
3. Keep your mouth shut.
I wanted to say listen, but today, so many people are hearing what's going on and instead of truly getting to the heart of their client's issue, they're preparing their rebuttal or their comeback statement. This is something I STILL struggle with because my mind races a million miles a minute trying to find solutions for people. You have to close your mouth - including the voice in your head - and LISTEN to what your customers want and need. Ask them. Then shut up long enough to really hear what they're saying.
4. Vocalize appropriate expectations.
As a business owner, setting clear expectations of your customers does not make you pushy. It is completely acceptable to say "I'll call you on Tuesday to confirm" and then call on Tuesday. You've laid out an expectation, and it's your responsibility to follow up appropriately.
It's NOT appropriate to then call Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and THREE times on Saturday. THAT'S being pushy. There's probably a good reason why Jane isn't returning your call - and if you've "camped out" on her phone line every day for a week, chances are good she'll NEVER return those calls.
And I hear you asking 'but what do I do if they never return my call? Well there are two considerations here. First, did they REALLY want to talk to you in the first place? If you strong-armed them into accepting a call from you, they may be looking for any excuse to never return your call. Those are not perfect-fit customers, and you need to rid yourself of them ASAP.
If they are still very interested in connecting with you, try a postcard, text message or other means of contacting them.
Just make sure you don't do one a day for a whole week. There's keeping in touch, and then there's being desparate.
One is an act of enthusiasm. The other is an act of pushyness.
5 Ways to Build a Responsive List
The money is in the list. That's what today's marketers will tell you.
But that's a half truth. The money is in the responsive list.
The phone book is a great example of a list that is mostly worthless for marketing purposes. Yes, there's money to be had in that list, but the time and effort you'll expend trying to extract it could be put to better use labeing your catalogs.
You need a responsive list. You may have heard me talk in the past about creating a customer crack addiction. These are customers that are so excited about working with you, that they're almost addicted to what you have to say, and more importantly, what you have to offer.
It's been said that if we only had 1000 true fans, most of us could live a comfortable lifestyle. These 1000 true fans would flock to our classes, devour everything we ever teach them, and be the first to own one of everything we've ever offered.
Yet, most of us are quite content to take whatever we're given and keep our mouths shut.
If you are truly building "You, Inc.", you need to consider how to gro a responsive list. Take a cue from Aunt Barbara.
You can visit youtube on any given day and you'll see dozens of videos from "Aunt Barbara" - a Tupperware representative with a twist - HE does all of his parties in drag, dressed as a quintessential 1950's marm, complete with the beehive hair and the red lipstick.
This guy sold over $100,000 in Tupperware last year and was featured on MSNBC. He's created a following of fans that enjoy his irreverent, on the fringe style of Tupperware parties, and they watch his videos religiously.
While you may not be ready to dress in drag, there are ways to build a responsive list that can have you seeing six figure sales as well.
1. Video. Sites like youtube and viddler not only allow you to post videos, you can create whole channels for your content, and promote them as well. Videos that go viral - like Aunt Barbara - mean more eyeballs. More eyeballs convert to clicks, clicks convert to buyers. Video is fast, and still forgiving. You don't need to be perfect, just genuine.
2. Ezines. Still the tried and true way to regularly reach your "tribe" of faithful, ezines are still effective. They target your market and provide you with a level of credibility when used consistently. If you can't be conistent, though, avoid getting started with ezines. Responsive lsis will come to expect them like clockwork.
3. Articles. Related to ezines, but not exactly the same, posting articles on article sites like ezinearticles.com can help drive traffic and build your list as well.
4. Blogs. A great way to generate a lot of traffic, it can be tricky to convert blog readers into list members without a strong call to action to do so. Make sure you have some sort of opt-in link or subscription form near every post to ensure those that want to sign up will.
5. Social Media. This is a fantastic way to create a following, but like blogs can be tricky to convert followers into list members. Post too many links, and you're seen as spammy. You really have to walk the line and provide a lot of value for this to be effective. When done properly, though, your social media fans will be some of your most vocal advocates in the marketplace.
Once you start building a responsive list, you'll quickly see a return on your investment of value. People that complain about giving away free content to their lists are generally the ones still using a phonebook instead of a targeted list of raving fans. People want good reasons to do business with you, and they want to be sure you're the real deal. Giving value first goes a long way toward building a responsive list, and each of these methods provides value in a real, tangible way for minimal expense.
© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com
But that's a half truth. The money is in the responsive list.
The phone book is a great example of a list that is mostly worthless for marketing purposes. Yes, there's money to be had in that list, but the time and effort you'll expend trying to extract it could be put to better use labeing your catalogs.
You need a responsive list. You may have heard me talk in the past about creating a customer crack addiction. These are customers that are so excited about working with you, that they're almost addicted to what you have to say, and more importantly, what you have to offer.
It's been said that if we only had 1000 true fans, most of us could live a comfortable lifestyle. These 1000 true fans would flock to our classes, devour everything we ever teach them, and be the first to own one of everything we've ever offered.
Yet, most of us are quite content to take whatever we're given and keep our mouths shut.
If you are truly building "You, Inc.", you need to consider how to gro a responsive list. Take a cue from Aunt Barbara.
You can visit youtube on any given day and you'll see dozens of videos from "Aunt Barbara" - a Tupperware representative with a twist - HE does all of his parties in drag, dressed as a quintessential 1950's marm, complete with the beehive hair and the red lipstick.
This guy sold over $100,000 in Tupperware last year and was featured on MSNBC. He's created a following of fans that enjoy his irreverent, on the fringe style of Tupperware parties, and they watch his videos religiously.
While you may not be ready to dress in drag, there are ways to build a responsive list that can have you seeing six figure sales as well.
1. Video. Sites like youtube and viddler not only allow you to post videos, you can create whole channels for your content, and promote them as well. Videos that go viral - like Aunt Barbara - mean more eyeballs. More eyeballs convert to clicks, clicks convert to buyers. Video is fast, and still forgiving. You don't need to be perfect, just genuine.
2. Ezines. Still the tried and true way to regularly reach your "tribe" of faithful, ezines are still effective. They target your market and provide you with a level of credibility when used consistently. If you can't be conistent, though, avoid getting started with ezines. Responsive lsis will come to expect them like clockwork.
3. Articles. Related to ezines, but not exactly the same, posting articles on article sites like ezinearticles.com can help drive traffic and build your list as well.
4. Blogs. A great way to generate a lot of traffic, it can be tricky to convert blog readers into list members without a strong call to action to do so. Make sure you have some sort of opt-in link or subscription form near every post to ensure those that want to sign up will.
5. Social Media. This is a fantastic way to create a following, but like blogs can be tricky to convert followers into list members. Post too many links, and you're seen as spammy. You really have to walk the line and provide a lot of value for this to be effective. When done properly, though, your social media fans will be some of your most vocal advocates in the marketplace.
Once you start building a responsive list, you'll quickly see a return on your investment of value. People that complain about giving away free content to their lists are generally the ones still using a phonebook instead of a targeted list of raving fans. People want good reasons to do business with you, and they want to be sure you're the real deal. Giving value first goes a long way toward building a responsive list, and each of these methods provides value in a real, tangible way for minimal expense.
© 2009 Lisa Robbin Young.
USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE!
Please do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):
Lisa Robbin Young is a certified direct sales marketing coach, teaching direct sellers to grow their business like a real business instead of an expensive hobby. Sign up for her free weekly ezine at http://www.homepartysolution.com
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