March 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Apathetic Entrepreneurs (and what you can do if you are).

Reading an article on entrepreneur.com sent my pissed meter off the charts. It seems that “People get cynical and apathetic for good reason”.

While this may happen with long-time employees and some long-term contractors, it is NEVER acceptable for entrepreneurs. It’s an oxymoron. An abomination. All too common.

If you can’t get, and stay, excited about what your product or service does for your customers or clients, you need a to take a serious look at your vocation. Seriously.

So how do you stay excited about it? It is so simple it’s almost absurd. You share your story; about how your product changed someone’s life, or how your service helped alleviate someone’s pain. Share other people’s excitement and that will keep you excited. The benefit is that you’ll serve more people, earning more as a natural consequence, and have more success stories to tell.

Don’t tell me a story about why you can’t do more, sell more, earn more. Tell me a story about how someone’s life is better because you’re in it.

Filed Under: Business Development, General News, Leadership Development, Personal Development, Sales Tagged With: , , , , , , ,
March 28, 2009 By 1 Comment

Know, Like, and Trust?

This has come up a few times over the last couple of days and I thought I would share my thoughts. The basis for this post is the sales “truth” that people only buy from you if they like you.

I agree. So what’s the easiest way to illustrate this? Here’s the foundation I use to build my relationships.

Prospect Me
K Know Knowledge
L Like Listening
T Trust Time

Lets look more closely at each one:

K:

Your prospect has to “know you” (or at least know about you) which can be done it a couple of ways.
1) Self-Promotion. This can include both advertising and authoring – ezine, blog, tweeting, etc.
2) Referral (with edification this is the most powerful way – bar none)

The bottom line here is that you have knowledge that the prospect needs. For you to move to the next two steps the prospect has to find value in that knowledge and want to know more. Once the prospect confirms he has a resource to ask questions it it your responsibility – to yourself and your company – to be of service.

L:

The fastest way to achieving likability is by listening. Powerful questions produce powerful results. How can you know if your product or service is a good fit for your prospect if you don’t dig deep into the motivation for seeking change? If your prospect had the answers he wouldn’t need you!

Hint: Like does not necessarily mean they agree with you – and often they won’t. If you approach the conversation in a non-judgemental way you will always have a positive outcome (whether you make a sale or not).

T:

The T I’m discussing here is Time. Relationships take time – you can’t rush it or you’ll blow the like right out of the water. So many Internet marketers want to run in a jam their product or service down the prospect’s throat. Big No-No!

Take time to ask questions and provide service to solidify the relationship. Once the sales process is complete you’ll have a vocal proponent of your wares. It essential to your longevity that it is viewed in a positive light!

(The obvious but unspoken T is Truth. Truth is so essential that it’s considered a given. If you are being untruthful in your approach you’ll reap your just rewards – it’s only a matter of, you guessed it, time.)

By all means leave your thoughts.

To your success!

Filed Under: Business Development, Leadership Development, Personal Development Tagged With: , , , , ,
March 11, 2009 By 3 Comments

Direct-sales jobs lure the unemployed

 

Thanks to Randy Gage for the heads up on this. The original article at the Miami Herald is here

By SCOTT ANDRON
Posted on Mon, Mar. 09, 2009

At Janine Rodriguez’s office, overtime has been slashed, bonuses have vanished, employees are getting laid off, and she’s getting nervous about her own job. Her solution: Spend two nights a week cooking at the homes of strangers, in front of an audience of the host’s family and friends, pointing out the virtues of cheese graters, garlic presses and other culinary tools. All are made by a company called The Pampered Chef, and she’d be happy to sell them to you.

As the job market continues to deteriorate, more people are choosing the same route as Rodriguez, looking for alternative ways to make a buck.

Laid-off construction workers become handymen for hire. Ex-bankers start doing people’s taxes. College grads join yearlong volunteer programs.

And some, like Rodriguez, try direct sales. Whether it’s selling cosmetics, kitchenware or life insurance, people who may never have considered a career in sales are embracing the occupation to supplement dwindling income or to tide them over until they find a job in their chosen field.

The Direct Selling Association says the number of people involved in that line of work increased by an average of 8.4 percent a year during the last two recessions.

”As the job market contracts, people look for other ways to supplement their income and their family’s income,” said Marla Gottschalk, chief executive of The Pampered Chef, which is owned by investment guru Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

”Anyone can be successful in this business,” Gottschalk said. “You just have to have the desire to do it.”

Bruce Nissen, a labor sociologist at Florida International University, said many people participate in direct sales during a recession only because they can’t find a traditional job.

”In a robust economy with plenty of jobs available, this is a small niche,” Nissen said. “But just now, during the recession, more and more people are becoming desperate.”

Florida’s unemployment rate hit 8.6 percent in January, the highest since 1992.

Lost overtime, which has cost Rodriguez more than $400 a month, has been a motivating factor for her.

RESPONSE TO WORRIES

Although she would like to keep her job of 22 years with a financial-services company, she also wants to make up what she used to earn in overtime and worries about being laid off.

”I’m hoping to hang on till I’m 55, but I’m not sure I can make it,” said Rodriguez, who turns 51 on Monday.

So, in the meantime, she cooks for The Pampered Chef — well, really for herself, since she’s an independent businesswoman rather than a Chef employee.

”I’m doing something I love to do,” said Rodriguez, a single mother from Plantation. “My family will tell you I’m a great cook.”

Incomes from direct sales vary widely, depending on the product, the salesperson’s experience and how much time they spend on their business. The Pampered Chef said a person who makes two presentations a week can expect to earn $750 a month, working about 10 hours a week.

Participants are also rewarded for recruiting other salespeople and typically get a small percentage of the newcomer’s sales.

Kelly Salsamendi, who has been working with The Pampered Chef for 11 years and recruited Rodriguez, said she works about 20 hours a week and makes about $30,000 a year. She is also home-schooling her three children and helping her husband with his pest-control company.

BIG MONEY

Both Avon and The Pampered Chef said their most established, full-time salespeople make six figures, although they acknowledge that it’s rare.

”I love my business,” said Salsamendi, of Fort Lauderdale. “I love the products. People are cutting down on luxury items, and I’m selling something people can buy and justify and feel good about. I’m not seeing that recession in my business. I’m seeing growth.”

While Avon, Pampered Chef and Tupperware are true direct sales, other businesses use variations on the direct-sales model.

Take the website Delivery.com, which allows users to type their address and order food, groceries or other merchandise from participating neighborhood restaurants and shops.

To attract more restaurants and customers, Delivery.com asks users to serve as salespeople. If they sign up a restaurant or store, they get 25 percent of the website’s commission on each order from that business. The commission rate is 5 percent to 7 percent, so the take for a user/salesman would come to about 30 cents for a $20 order.

That could stack up if the restaurant gets a lot of orders through the site.

Signing up consumers to use the site also results in a commission on each order they place.

Then there’s New York Life Insurance Co. Unlike true direct-sales companies, New York Life actually takes on its salespeople as employees — with health insurance and a retirement plan, but no salary.

The company helps newcomers get licensed to sell its products and provides training and office space, but salespeople set their own hours. It’s not for everyone, and turnover is high, but the company always needs people, said David G. Walter, a partner with the firm’s Doral office.

Recruiting is Walter’s job, and he says interest now is high: “A lot of people are out of work. We are constantly interviewing. Last week, I had 13 interviews. Normally I would have like six.”

The direct-sales industry says its model is appealing during a recession, because of these characteristics:

• Easy and inexpensive to start. The Pampered Chef sells a start-up kit with samples, catalogs (in English or Spanish) and other materials for $155. Avon is willing to front merchandise to its representatives, who pay for it when the end-customer pays.

• Budget-friendly products. While not necessarily cheap, the industry’s products may appeal to the budget-minded shopper. For example, people who hesitate to buy a new outfit might buy a new piece of jewelry or lipstick. ”People don’t stop buying during a recession,” said Amy Robinson, president of the Direct Selling Association. “They just buy less or buy different.”

• A sense of control. During a recession, job-seekers may send out dozens or even hundreds of résumés and still not find work, an experience that can make people feel unable to control their own fortunes. But direct-sales companies suggest to people that if they follow the instructions and work hard at it, they’ll make money.

Not everyone is a fan of direct sales, however.

Direct-sales companies generally don’t offer health insurance, although some firms do offer group discounts. And there is no base salary and no paid vacation.

”The only way to make money on a lot of these things is to impose on your friends,” said FIU’s Nissen.

The industry seems to have taken some criticisms to heart. For instance, the Direct Selling Association expects members to follow a long code of ethics.

One of the code’s provisions requires companies to take back inventory that a salesperson can’t sell — a rule intended to prevent firms from sticking participants with unwanted merchandise.

And Salsamendi said she urges new salespeople to quickly move beyond friends and family. ”You can’t build a business and sustain a business on your friends and family,” she said.

Miami Avon representative Sonia Saenz said her friends and acquaintances are glad to buy from her.

”They just buy it from me instead of a store,” Saenz said.

Start the process Today! Visit my online store here

Filed Under: Direct Sales, General News, Network Marketing Tagged With: , , , , ,
March 7, 2009 By 2 Comments

Bad economic times open door for direct sales

Detroit News website here.

By Yennifer Youssef
Published: Wednesday, March 4, 2009

That ring at your door or on your phone could be Avon calling.

Or Amway.

Or a host of other direct-sell companies, thanks to a tumbling economy that has sent thousands of laid-off and struggling workers in Metro Detroit and across the nation signing up to sell cosmetics, jewelry, cleaning products and pet supplies to help make ends meet.

Recessions have historically meant a jump in the number of people selling products person to person — that is, knocking on the doors of family and friends and hosting sales parties — though figures for 2008 are not yet available, said Amy Robinson, a spokeswoman for the Direct Selling Association.

In 2007, the association counted 15 million direct sellers with sales totaling $30.8 billion — both figures are slightly down from the year before but do not reflect the impact of the economy’s nosedive in late 2008.

“Looking at the indications, I would say yes, things are good (for direct sales companies),” Robinson said.

Michigan-based Amway Corp., for instance, has seen double-digit increases in applications to sell its cosmetics and cleaning products. Avon Products Inc. saw a 1 percent jump in sales representatives in the last quarter of 2008, and Tupperware Brands Corp.’s sales force grew by 100,000 last year.

Direct selling is an attractive option because it has no overhead and it gives sellers an opportunity to socialize and network, which could lead to a permanent job, said Charles Ballard, an economic instructor at Michigan State University.

“It makes more sense than some alternatives like staying at home and looking at the want ads,” he said.

Company applications soar

Amway, the Ada-based company that sells cosmetics and cleaning products, has seen an 11 percent jump in applications in the past year, said Jim Payne, executive vice president.

“When the economy goes bad, it does bode well for our industry,” he said. “While it’s early in the year, we see solid evidence that more people are interested (in selling Amway products.)”

Tupperware’s sales force increased to 2.3 million from 2.2 million in the past year, according to the Orlando, Fla.-based company.

And interest in selling Avon Products, which specializes in cosmetics and jewelry and boasts 500,000 representatives in the U.S., also is on the rise.

“We have seen an increase in interest, especially during these tough economic times,” said Lindsay Blaker, an Avon spokeswoman. “It’s definitely a help for people who need a second income.”

Selling Avon products has become a lifeline for Christine Few.

The 42-year-old Lincoln Park resident, laid off from her sales job at a welding company, began selling Avon in May. She earns $300 to $400 a month and uses the money to help foot the family’s food bill.

“I’ve always been sales oriented,” she said, adding she also enjoys the freedom of being her own boss and a flexible work schedule so she can take care of her two kids. “I don’t have to worry about anyone being sick because my business still goes on.”

Buyers become sellers

Rebecca Godin of Roseville started selling jewelry with Dallas-based Premier Designs Inc. in February to earn extra money so she and her husband can pay down their mortgage. She hopes to dedicate six to 12 hours a week to selling high-fashion necklaces, earrings and other accessories, besides working her full-time job as a foreman and purchaser for Phillip’s Sign and Lighting in Harrison Township.

“It’ll help me to make extra money so that my husband and I can eventually move and start a family,” said Godin, 32.

The recession has changed the scope of questions about another direct sell company, Shure Pets, said founder Andrew Shure. In the past, consumers would ask about the Chicago-based company’s line of pet products, which include botanical shampoos, canine breath mints and organic catnip. Now, they want to know how to go about selling the products.

“At first, they had a buyer mentality,” Shure said. “Now, they have a seller mentality. People who contact us are much more interested in ‘How can I make money?’ ”

Jenny Andrews, 34, of Battle Creek, is among them.

She became a consultant for Shure Pets in December after losing her job as a promotions contractor. So far, she’s held six parties, making an average of $100 per party. She’s also recruiting other sellers, earning extra money.

“I never thought I’d do it,” she said. “But it hasn’t been a hard sell on my end.”

This is why it is so important to select the BEST company for you from the very beginning. View why my company has been chosen the #1 choice by distributors for the last 10 years.

Filed Under: Direct Sales, General News, Network Marketing Tagged With: , ,
March 1, 2009 By

People turn to “network marketing” in soft economy

Thanks to John Fogg at the excellent Fogg Blog for the heads up on this!

NBC13.com article with video here

By Chris Pollone Reporter
Published: February 17, 2009

BIRMINGHAM, Ala—While her husband was searching for full time work, Jennifer Grissom of Birmingham decided to make a little money on the side on top of her full-time job.

“I had to find some way to get an extra line of income that worked in the hours I had available to me,” she said.

Since November, Jennifer’s been selling skin care products for Arbonne International.

The company relies on a network of sales consultants who recruit other people to sell the product as well.

The more people a sales consultant recruits, the bigger her potential earnings are.

It might sound like a pyramid scheme to some, but marketing experts say it’s not.

“These are legitimate businesses, though you want to make sure you’re working for a good business, always,” Dr. Betsy Holloway of Samford University’s Brock School of Business said.

It’s called “network marketing” or “multi-level marketing” (MLM) and it’s been around for decades.

Companies like Amway, The Pampered Chef, and Tupperware work under similar arrangements.

Doctor Holloway said direct retail like this has been growing for a decade, and there’s potential for it to get even bigger.

“I think in today’s economy with the layoffs that we have and people desperate to find work, there’s going to be increased demand in these sorts of opportunities.”

Jennifer Grissom said she had to overcome a preconceived stigma of network marketing and the fear of rejection we all have.

“It’s not easy, but it is simple,” Grissom said.  “You just have to be able to understand it, and be enthusiastic, without being annoying.”

She’s exceeding her expectations just three months after starting.

Experts advise if someone wants you to join a network marketing opportunity, take time to research the company.

Check to see if it belongs to the Direct Selling Association, a group that holds companies to strict standards of operation.

They say that can help ensure you’re joining a legitimate business, and not signing up for a risky scheme.

This is why it is so important to select the BEST company for you from the very beginning. View the Direct Selling Association News article about my company here.

Filed Under: Direct Sales, General News, Network Marketing Tagged With: , ,