Stuck in the Mud – an a”mazing” experience!

Monday we had a fun “family night” activity.  Jim, the girls and I went to the corn maze and Pumpkin Patch out on Sauvie Island.  The corn maze covers acres and acres – that’s a lot of corn.  As we got ready to go, I questioned whether we should take boots or not – it hasn’t rained here in Portland for a couple of weeks (surprise, surprise) so I didn’t really think we would need them but decided to take them anyway.  Well – was I ever wrong and was I ever glad!  The maze was muddy – in fact the mud was probably 4 inches deep!  I learned some valuable lessons on our visit to the corn maze. 

As we made our way through the corn maze we had an aerial photo of what the maze looked like but no specific directions or map.  We were on our own.  Let me tell you, a maze looks a lot different when you are in the middle of it than it does from up above.  This is like starting a home based business.  Sometimes things look great from the view above or as you watch others do it but once you get started and are in the middle of the maze (business) it can be a bit disorienting and different.  Sometimes you just don’t know where you are, which way to go, or what to do!  Have you ever felt that way?

Fortunately for us, while we were in the maze, we met a “Corn Cop”.  “Corn Cops” are guys that walk around the maze to help people who just can’t figure out where they are or how to get out!  We met a nice one who gave us some helpful hints on which way to go (and which paths to avoid), but first we had to ask – he didn’t just volunteer the information.  He wanted us to try and figure it out on our own first.  Do you have a “Corn Cop” in your business? – of course you do!  You probably have an upline or sideline, networking buddies and a corporate office – all there willing to help – all you have to do is ask for help!  When you are feeling lost, disoriented and not sure which way you need to go – JUST ASK!

Did I mention it was muddy!?  We discovered as we walked along that we did okay in the mud as long as we kept moving.  We had a problem when we stopped – our feet were stuck in the mud!  The mud was so thick that it took a lot of tugging, pulling and energy to get our feet out of the mud once they were stuck.  This can also happen in your business – and it’s called losing momentum.  When you stop and start your business instead of keeping up a steady pace you lose momentum   Momentum is driven by consistency.  When you lose momentum, starting your business again can be a lot like being stuck in the mud – it takes a lot more tugging, pulling and energy to get going than it does to keep going.

So what can you do when you find yourself “stuck in the mud?  As I mentioned before –  ask for help.  Help can come in the form of an idea from a team meeting, an upline, a pacing partner, a company publication, a conference call or fellow team member. That one idea can be all you need to get “unstuck” and get moving again.  Momentum is the force that drives you forward and there is nothing more important to a successful business than a steady, consistent pace.  Next week I’ll share some specific tips for creating momentum in your business.

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Direct Sales Tips

Direct sale tips to help you succeed in business, grow your customer base, and increase income.

One of the things I have learned since being in direct sales is that the best places to pick up new tips for success  for my business is at other direct sales companies events and parties.  Sometimes as direct sellers we get so busy holding our own home events that we don’t take advantage of going to the “parties” that we are invited to by our friends.   Recently I realized that it had been a while since I had attended another company’s home event.  It just so happened that that same week I received a couple of invites to various home parties and I received a call from one of my customers who is a consultant in another direct selling company asking me to host a party for her.  This is not something I do very often as I am usually too busy holding my own home events but I love her particular company and their product and wanted some of their new fall pieces without having to pay full price (isn’t this what most hostesses want?!) so I said yes.It is amazing, even though I have been doing direct sales for 17 years, I learn some new tip or trick each time I attend a home party of another company. The consultants whose home events I attended have different “experience’ levels in direct sales but all had something to teach me.

The “newbie” – this young gal had only been with her company a few months.   Her sister-in-law was the hostess and the consultant admitted to me that she really wasn’t sure she was going to continue with the company.  She was mainly interested in getting the products she wanted for herself at cost.  She did a great job though – she had been trained well by her upline and did the things she was trained to do.  I loved that she got her audience involved – gave them each an opportunity to get their hands on the products and try them out.  We each were able to make our own “Coldstone” ice cream – and guess what – I bought the ice cream scoop that evening.  Tip:  Getting your customers to touch the product is so important whether you are passing it around the room, having them use it or trying it on.   Another “trick of the trade” she used was to do a drawing.  To insure she got everyone’s contact information she had us each fill out a slip for a drawing for some “free product” – even if you aren’t interested in buying anything you aren’t going to pass up on the opportunity to win something free!  Everyone filled out the form. The second event I attended was for a jewelry company and this consultant was also fairly new – she has been doing it less than a year and has begun to build a team.  She too did a good job of getting people to touch the product and try it on – (not really too hard when you are dealing with women and jewelry!)  Tip:  In the middle of the table was a card – on the card she had listed the first names of her last ten hostesses and the amount of free product they had earned at their party in one column and in the second column she listed what her profit had been from the party – it caught my attention!  Several days after the event I received an email from her – thanking me for attending the party and letting me know approximately when my product should be arriving – good follow-up!

The third event was the one that I hosted at my home.  This was a clothing company.  As each of my friends came into the house I greeted them wearing one of this season’s outfits (I got to pick something out from the rack of clothes the hostess brought with her – fun!)  As each friend arrived, they too got to pick out an outfit from the rack and put it on and we then each modeled for each other throughout the presentation.  Now I can tell you I bought the outfit I had tried on and I know several others did too – Tip:   I realize that letting your customers try on the clothes only works for clothing companies but – you can get your customers involved with YOUR particular product – touching and using the product as soon as possible! Get them involved from the minute they walk in the door, put your hostess to work helping you demonstrate too! – they are going to buy what they have used and touched!

So next time you are invited to a home party event – see if you can’t fit it into your schedule – think of it is as field research, part of the job.  Take the opportunity to talk to the consultant and ask her questions – watch what she does, how she does it and learn from her.  Think about how you can incorporate the tips and tricks you learn into your business.

Another thing I learned at a home event I attended several months ago wasn’t from the consultant but rather from my friend who hosted the event.  It really has nothing to do with direct sales but is a fun decorating tip that I have been using so I thought I’d pass it on!

 Tricks of the Trade for Direct Selling

If you have an island in your kitchen, like I do, it becomes the center of your kitchen and when I entertain and have parties I use the island a lot to serve off of but part of the island isn’t useable as a serving space because of the stove top.  Well, my friend had bought a simple black tray from Pottery Barn which she placed over the top of her burners (of course this only works if the burners are turned off!!) She then turned the tray into a “display” piece – using candles, flowers etc. to decorate it – it could also be used as a place for additional food serving pieces – I loved the idea and decided to recreate it.  It is also fun to use during the holidays and create little holiday “vignettes” on the tray.  The other great thing is – it covers over your dirty stove top!  I am including a picture of the Halloween vignette I have been using this month at a dinner party I hosted as well as the high school cast party I had at my house Saturday night!

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Celebrate being a Homebased Mom!

I love being a homebased mom.  I have been a homebased mom for 23 years since my first son Logan was born.  I have had a direct sales business for 17 years but had several other types of homebased businesses before that

One of the biggest “issues” I see with women having a homebased business is the guilt that some women feel.  They feel guilty because they are out doing a show or attending a meeting and not with their kids 24 – 7.  They allow their children to become an excuse NOT to do their business instead of a reason to DO it.  My children are the reason I have a homebased business – I do my business for my kids!

Being a homebased business mom has brought so many blessings and extras to our life – not all financial.  I decided it would be fun to ask my boys what their thoughts were on having grown up with a mom who worked from home.  I figured since they have been gone from home, (both have lived in foreign countries for two years) and been away at college that they might have a different perspective on what it was like to have a mom who worked from home. 

When I asked my boys what they saw as some of the “perks” to having a homebased mom they had some fun responses –

One of Logan’s responses was the following:

 “My mother has worked from home ever since I can remember.  When I was a little kid my front room used to be full of young women, (this was during my Children’s Sewing School days) who my mother taught to sew.  I loved it even though I was probably only six.  I got to go bug all the teenage girls and flirt with them.  I think that has helped me a lot with girls throughout my life (just kidding mom).Clark said “First off I think my siblings and I were better fed than any other family I know, my home was a great place to hang out with friends because there was always homemade cookies or something good to eat.   (I was probably preparing food for a team meeting or customer event)   Both boys mentioned the financial blessing my business is to our family but both also mentioned the benefits of having me at home.    Clark said, “The extra income that was brought in was a great blessing for our family, while at the same time Mom was always free to help us out or be there for us when we needed her.  She was always able to attend our activities, sporting events, and painfully suffer through several wrestling tournaments. (yes I did suffer!!) 

One of the best benefits of being a homebased mom is the flexibility it gave me in regards to my children.  Logan said, “Even though my mother has always worked I never remember her not being at any activity of mine.  My mother’s kids were her first priority,  I remember her many times leaving meetings early to come to my ball games or performances.  Even though she worked from home she was still more involved in my life then my friends mothers who didn’t even work  (I know there were a few games I missed but he doesn’t even remember that – the majority of time I was there and that is what he remembers!)

As I look at my “boys” – actually at the age of 21 and 23 they are really now “men” I can see the influences my homebased business has had on them.  My children have developed an “entrepreneurial spirit”.   When my boys were young they decided to earn some extra money one summer by building bird houses.  They built them (with a little help from dad) and then painted them (with a little help from mom) and then rented a booth space at a local farmer’s market and each Saturday they would sell their bird houses.  Instead of getting the “standard” high school job – working at McDonald’s etc. they have run their own business each summer – doing yard and landscaping work for others.  They made much more money than they ever would have working for minimum wage and had a lot more flexibility with their time. 

I believe my children have benefited and learned from the example of a mother who remained dedicated and committed to her business – even when times were hard, sales were down, classes weren’t there and recruits were few and far between.  They saw me work through those times and learn from it and they have become dedicated and committed individuals also.  They are resourceful, bright, successful and empowered to do what they want to do.

In honor of homebased moms and their kids, the DSWA (Direct Selling Women’s Alliance), of which I am a member, is sponsoring a “Party With Your Kids Week”. 

This campaign honors the fact that owning a home-based business is one of the most powerful ways to teach our children important life skills while bringing the family together. It’s a celebration of the freedom, independence and opportunities for personal growth that a direct selling business offers

  The DSWA has made a great Family Business Tool Kit available and it’s being offered f-r-e-e to anyone who wants it as a part of a campaign called Party With Your Kids Week happening October 20-27, 2007!The Direct Selling Women’s Alliance has put together an awesome collection of bonuses, some of which are listed below.

•  Inspiring tele-classes on turning your home-based business into a “family business”
•  Family-focused articles on balancing family and business with ease
•  Seek & Find games and crosswords for kids as well as teens
•  Family Goal Poster Night instructions for an evening of family fun and dreaming
•  Articles from top leaders on how to engage your kids in your business
•  A drawing contest for kids
•  A photo gallery where you can share a photo of your child helping you in your business
• Helpful Tips for running a home-based office with kids and Much, Much More!

This is all free so click on http://www.partywithyourkids.com  You don’t have to wait until the week of October 20th to start celebrating!   Start partying with your kids today and celebrate being a homebased mom!

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Need New Leads? – Part 2

So to finish up our post on asking for referrals from yesterday,  I wanted to share with you an idea you might want to incorporate into your business -once a year, send your customers a unique referral offer.  Promote it as a special campaign or event.  Hold a month long “Refer a Friend Month” ( am sure someone will come up with something more clever to call it)  The idea is that you promote a special time period to your customers (a month or so) where they will receive extra benefits for referring a friend to you.  You may want to take what you normally give for a referral and double it -since this is just for a limited time period you can afford to offer a little more than you usually do.  Be sure and tie the gift to “doing business with their friend” not just getting a name.  You could also give them a very small gift (costing you a few pennies) for each name they give you and then the larger gift/incentive when you actually do business with their friend.

You may want to tie this special promotion in with another customer event you hold each year or pick a month when business is slower and it could help boost your sales.

This special offer of course gives you an “excuse” to contact your customers to let them know about your special promotion and what they can receive for participating in it.  The follow up phone call is what will really help make it effective.  Notify your customers of it via email or mailing but to truly make it work you are going to want to get on the phone.  People are much more likely to respond to your offer during a personalized phone call then they will via email or having to pick up the phone and call you.  During your follow-up phone calls you may need to prompt them a bit as to whose names they could share with you – have them think of people on their school directory list, parents from the soccer team, cub scout den, their Christmas card list.  You will be amazed  how many people they can think of when you give them just a little prodding!

The most important thing is that you are ASKING for referrals – this can be a way to keep that “pipeline” continually full to overflowing!

If you have a special way in which you reward referrals in your business I’d love to hear!

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Need New Leads?

Last week during my coaching calls with team members there was a common theme that kept coming up – getting new leads.  Keeping your customer “pipeline” full of new names is an important part of keeping momentum going in your direct sales business.  When you begin your business, your family and friends become your first customers – people you know.  But  we all only know so many people and after we have contacted and shared our business with the people we know we may find ourselves with a “dry well” – we’ve run out of people to talk to about our business or have we?  Have you really “talked to everyone you know?”  Well maybe you have but I promise you, you have not talked to everyone that everyone you know knows!!

One of the benefits of having a direct sales business is that you establish relationships with your customers – hopefully they like you and they love your product!  A happy customer is the best form of advertising you can have – better than any form of paid advertising by far because that happy customer is going to tell others about you and your products.  That customer may need a little prodding and encouragement to share with her friends but that is your job!

If you have not done so already you need to develop a system for creating on-going customer leads which will give you an unending supply of new customers – that “pipeline” will always be full.  So how do you do that – well it’s actually quite simple – YOU ASK!

But first –

1.  Offer exceptional customer service.  When your customers are happy with your products and your service  they are more anxious and willing to share with their friends.  Always focus on your customers satisfaction first.  Once you know she is happy you are ready for step two.

2.  Always ask for the Referral – it’s that simple.  This can be done verbally at your home event after you’ve taken their order, during a  customer phone call, etc. or in a follow up email also.  You will have the most success getting referrals at the point of sale – that is when your customers enthusiasm is the highest.  Don’t miss that opportunity.

Let your customers know that you depend on and build your business through referrals.  “Suzy,  I am so glad you came to Mary’s show tonight.  I know you are going to love the products you have purchased.  I build my business on referrals from happy customers like you.  Like most of my customers I am sure you have friends who would love our(product) just like you.  Would you be willing to share the names of a few of your friends that I could contact and let them know about our great products.  (you can also use this same approach for asking for referrals for new team members!)

Your customers may or may not feel comfortable sharing their friends information with you.  If they don’t, encourage them to contact their friends and give them your information or forward your email to them and then ask their friends to contact you directly.  This is not the most effective way – direct contact from you is better – but this is another option when information is not given directly to you.

3.  Offer a referral gift to your referring customer – offering a free gift, or a discount on a product as a thank you for referring a customer to you is always a way to increase referrals.  The gift should be given to the referring customer after you have made contact with their friend and done business with them.  The gift does not have to be expensive – just valuable.  Of course a handwritten thank you note should also accompany the gift.

Find out as much information as you can about the person to whom you are being referred so you will know how you can help them.  You will also be able to personalize the call to them.

4.  Call the referred person ASAP!  Have a system for keeping track of those leads.  If I am at a home event I will write the name and number of the referred person on the referring customers order form and then transfer the information into my notebook when I get home.  I have a section in my daytimer for writing down referrals.  Also, have a system for connecting the referral with the referred.  In my customer data base I have a spot for keeping track of who referred them to me.  When you contact the referral you may begin the conversation as follows: “Hi Lisa, this is (your name) from (your company).  Your friend Katie gave me your name and number because she thought that you might be interested in learning more about (your product).  Is this a good time for you?”

5.  Call the person who gave you the referral and let them know the results, get them their gift for the referral.  Again, thank them for the referral and ask if there is anyone else they can think of that you might be able to help.

When a customer shares with you the name of one of their family or friends they are showing trust in you.  They believe in you and what you represent.  Prompt follow up and timely response on referrals shows that you are a professional and worthy of their trust.

Your happy customers are one of your most valuable business tools.  Do not ignore the opportunity to keep that “pipeline” full..

Provide great customer service, ask for the referral and follow through and you will find that your “well runneth over!”

Tune in tomorrow for another idea to promote more referrals from your current customers.

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Change of Seasons

Well, here in the Northwest, fall has arrived.  The trees are changing color, the furnace turns on in the morning, I can see my breath when I go out for my walk and the rains have arrived!  I love fall and all that comes with it – even the rain.  This past week I was having a conversation with a woman who had grown up back East and had just moved to Portland via a couple of years in California.  We were discussing how much we loved seeing the change of seasons and how much she had missed it while she lived in California.  She made the statement that it was “boring” when each season was the same.

That got to me to thinking about my homebased business and the different “seasons” I have been through the last 17 years.  First of all I am thankful that I have a business that is flexible enough to allow for different “seasons” and that although some of the seasons may have been easier than others they definitely weren’t “boring”.

There was the first season of my business – I was the mother of 3 small children, ages 2, 5 and 7.  I ran another homebased business (children’s sewing school) and I had a husband that worked 2-3 evenings a week.

Then there was the season of  being pregnant, adding a fourth baby to our family.

Next was the season where we were building a new home, living in a small apartment where my husband and I slept on the hide-a-bed in the living room with the new baby in a portable crib by our side for six months.  Holding customer events, open house etc. in this little apartment was an exciting “season”.

Then the season of moving into our new home, across town, which in Portland is like moving to a whole new city, meeting new people, making new customers etc.  A challenge but not “boring”!

Next came the season of teenagers – need I say more!  I always use to tell myself – when the kids get older, running a homebased business will be so much easier – guess what?  I was wrong.  It is not easier, only different.  Although I may be home alone during the day – those after school hours, evenings and weekends are crazy!  Trying to schedule in customer events, team meetings etc. can be a real challenge.

I know there are other seasons to come.  I look at many of my team members with such admiration and respect as I see them going through various “seasons” in their lives.  Several who are dealing with major health issues, multiple surgeries yet still work their business – in fact they have had record months while experiencing these seasons.  There is also the team member whose husband has undergone cancer surgery – she didn’t allow this “season” to slow her down.  She loaded him up in the motor home and took off driving to the next rally she had a booth at and had record sales!

What is it that has allowed me and these other women to weather the “seasons” and even excel during these times and what can help you to enjoy the “seasons” of your business?

 1.  A passion and love for what they do.  A real belief in the mission of your company.

2.  Consistent effort -treating your business as a business.  Your business is not something you do “when you have time” or “if it is convenient”  It is something you do on a regular, consistent basis.  The amount of time may vary for individuals but the one thing that is the same is that they work it on a regular basis – whether it is 20 hours a week or 5 hours a week.  They are consistent in their efforts.

 3.  Momentum- as a result of consistent effort they have created momentum in their business.  This momentum keeps them going through the rougher “seasons”.  The hard work and effort they put in during the easier “seasons” continues and pushes them through the hard times.

So whatever “season” it is you find yourself in with your business -love what you do, be consistent at whatever level you can and you will create momentum.  Most importantly –  enjoy it, make the most of it and remember – at least it’s not boring!

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