4 Pillars of Direct Sales Success

In all my years as a consultant, coach and trainer, the one thing I’ve NEVER heard anyone say is this:

“When I was a kid, I always dreamed of becoming a direct sales consultant.”

I’m still waiting for that day.

The reality is that nearly every single direct sales professional comes into this industry because it is a means to achieve something else.

• Paying for a child’s college education
• Getting out of debt
• Having some extra spending money, or to just make ends meet
• Earning a few vacations (all expenses paid, of course)

And yet few direct sellers understand that when they sign on the dotted line, they are actually going into business for themselves. You have just started your very own business! Now you have a whole new set of challenges:

Building a Team that Sticks

If you’re a direct seller focused on growing a sales organization, it can be very tempting to sign up anyone that can fog up a mirror.

After all, they’re grown ups and should be able to understand what they’re getting themselves into, right?

Not really.

In this age of info-overload. So many people skim the fine print, and just trust that you’ll provide all the pertinent details. Then, a few months later, when they’re barely treading water, they either get frustrated and start blaming you, or they silently drop off the face of the earth.

It doesn’t have to be that way for you or for them. Instead of signing up anyone with a pulse, focus instead on building a team that sticks. By that, I mean a team that produces consistently over time with relatively stable levels of business activity.

Wait! I hear you rolling your eyes at me. “It’s easier said than done!” you protest. My team is full of “tire kickers” and would-be “kit-nappers” that just haven’t given this business a fair shake.

Allow me to be curt for just a minute as I remind you that when you point your finger at your team, there are three more fingers pointing back at you:

Handle ‘Big Rocks’ to Gear Up For The New Year

It’s one of the biggest mistakes direct sales consultants make during the month of December.

They stop working their business.

They take a break, enjoy the holidays, and stop reaching out to their clients, leads and hosts.

Then, they have to start all over again in the new year.

In no other industry do we see such a full-scale shut down. Even in the automotive industry, when plant “changeovers” are scheduled during the holiday “shut down” period, there are still people in the plant, getting ready for the next model year. You’ve no doubt heard the direct sales axiom “so goes January, so goes the year”. Just because it’s harder to reach your hosts and clients, does not mean you should stop working your business.

So how can direct sellers continue to work their business, attend to holiday details, and still manage to save their sanity?

Be Booked Solid for 90 Days

Direct Sellers have been taught for years to “book in close” and keep your calendar full for the next two weeks. We use phrases like “21 up” and “3-2-1″ to keep focused on the short-term goal of keeping this month’s calendar full.

It’s killing your business.

Direct Sales Tips: 5 Host Coaching Rules For Holidays

As the Holiday selling season rolls into full swing, I hear from clients even more about the biggest fear most direct sales consultants face: being pushy.

With your hosts being busier, it becomes even more important to stay in contact with them. Yet, time and again, consultants come to me asking about the best way to do it without appearing pushy.

Here’s the thing, hosts need you to stay in contact with them. You may be booking parties further out (and I hope you are!), which means if you want shows to hold, you need a contact plan to keep your hosts on track.

This is where most of you will fall down. It’s

In direct sales, the phrase “host coaching” has an ominous cloud around it. Frankly, a better word for it is host training.

I’ve learned in life (and in direct sales) that you train people how to treat you by the behavior you tolerate from them. Expect better to get better.

Here are 5 tips I use to help train my hosts in having the best show possible: