For some consultants, talking with people they do not know is no big deal.  Yet for others, the hardest element in promoting their direct sales business is opening their mouth to talk with strangers.  It truly does get easier with practice, though let’s face it, some people will never be terribly outgoing.  These cautious, observant people can be just as successful as those with sanguine temperaments.

Two questions I am frequently asked is “How do you approach people?” and “What do you say to the waitress, store clerk, receptionist, etc.?”

If you want an easy to remember lead in, one that is almost guaranteed you will not receive any rejection, try this:

“If you know anyone who likes [product], could you please pass this along?” Then hand the person a business card, sample, or catalog.

Most people will not refuse to take it.  Worst case is that they make take it, and later throw it away; but then you still were able to get out of your comfort zone and practice talking to people.  Best case is that you could get a new customer or recruit out of it.

This is a non-threatening approach because the person you’re talking with doesn’t immediately get on the defensive thinking you’re trying to sell anything; you’re merely asking for a referral.  The person you’re talking with could very well be the person who loves candles, lotions, supplements, jewelry or cooking.

Try those 13 words and then let me know it goes.

If you know anyone who likes [product], could you please pass this along?

Before I get accused of plagiarism, something for which I have high distain, allow me to tell you that I found the information below on Evan Carmichael’s site. It is taken from an article, same subject, by author Cyle Greenwell.  Ok, now that I’ve given credit where credit is due, how’s about we get on to finding out what separates successful people from unsuccessful people?

Step 1: Follow the proven system. If you wanted to be successful in real estate, wouldn’t you find someone who’s successful in real estate and then do what they do?

Step 2: Don’t quit. A lot of people quit their direct sales business before they can become successful.  They think they are going to get rich quick, but when that doesn’t happen, they quit. No successful direct seller ever thought to themselves, “If I don’t make it big in the next six months, I’m going to quit.”

Step 3: Be a Fisher rather than a Hunter. Being overly aggressive means that you are a hunter. When an animal is being hunted, it runs because it doesn’t want to be caught and killed. When you are fishing, you attract people. (note: there is much more excellent on point info on this fishing analogy in the original article).

Step 4: Work hard. Your direct sales business may be a flexible, lucrative business; but it’s still a business. It’s not a hobby. It takes good old fashion hard work.

Step 5: Work harder on yourself than you do on your job. Your business is limited to the size of your own personal growth. Income rarely exceeds personal development.

For Cyle’s entire article, click on Evan’s link above.

Dealing with Difficult Team Members in Your Direct Sales Biz? Read on …

I learned something recently, not everyone thinks I am as wonderful as I do.  Just kidding, I’ve known that for years.  That wasn’t a new revelation.

I received an email recently that could peel paint off prison walls.  ‘Have to admit that at first I thought WTH! Well, because 99% of it was unfounded, inaccurate and it blind-sided me.  It came out of nowhere.  Clearly I am not on this person’s Christmas list.  After the shock of it wore off and I shared it with two close professional associates and confidants, their remarks were “she must be on some funky medication that caused her to be delusional, confrontational and totally off her rocker”, and “don’t tell me, she’s a spoiled 30 yo who has a false sense of entitlement.”

No worries, I would never use this person’s name or break any confidence. No one knows the identity of this person unless she has chosen to disparage me to others.  Who it was in this particular case is of no importance, however it is a very real topic that happens to most of us who spend any time in Direct Sales.  It’s important to have the knowledge in your tool box so that you know how to deal with these kind of people, when situations like this arise.

Sadly, this person must really be struggling with something, as her note made her look like a buffoon.  Regardless, I hope she is ok and whatever is causing her unbalance works itself out.  I harbor no ill feelings and wish her well; I have always liked this person.  Besides,  I certainly couldn’t take such an attack seriously.

You can please some of the people all of the time, all of the people some of the time, but you can’t pick your friend’s nose, or whatever that saying is!  Point being, once you’ve earned senior ranks in your direct sales business and you manage a large organization, this also equates to more people to complain about you.   It happens to all of us.  Don’t let it crush you.

Of course no one likes to hear such disrespect, insults and untruths.  But how do you recover?

1. You may be tempted to fire off an email in kind, telling the sender where to go.  Fight the urge. Remain professional. Sleep on it for a night. Rehashing, point counter point and providing documentation as to the error of her ways would solve nothing.
2. Look at the attack as an opportunity for self inspection.  Is there any truth to the slander and accusations?  Be honest with yourself.  If so, take it as an opportunity to learn and grow.  No one is perfect.  But if after you honestly consider the bull..oney that was flung in your direction, and you can sleep well knowing that you are not what the person says you are and that you are not guilty of the false accusations, then let it go.
3. Consider there may be factors in that person’s life causing such bizarre behavior.  You have no idea what people are going through.  Your difficult team member could be taking infertility medication which has been known to cause severe mood swings, agitation and unexplainable outbursts.  She could have just found out a loved one is ill, or her relationship is on the rocks.  Who knows? It could be any number of things.  But don’t take it personally. Rise above the fray.
4. If someone asks to be left alone, respect that.  Entering that bee hive will solve nothing.

Lastly, as Don Enck, of http://liveyourbest-life.com/ recommends with regard to dealing with difficult team members, “Take a close look at your team. Is this [negative] perspective the view of all your people? Or, are the ones who are kicking it and busting their butt the ones who are coming to you…no matter who you are perceived to be…for leadership and guidance? Experience has been that the PITA people are the ones who voice the most displeasure. Focus your energy on the ones who are doing the work. They say “like attracts like”. Be who you are. The right ones will come to you. The others will slowly drift away or adapt and come to learn that you really are a very genuine warm hearted leader. Be yourself. That’s where you shine!”

Now that I have room on my fireplace mantle where I thought my Miss Congeniality Award trophy would go, I’ll have to find some other tchotchke to put in its place!

About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business. You can find Laurie at https://la.Scentsy.us, http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com or http://www.Twitter.com/thrivingcandle

Direct Sales offers the opportunity to learn from a number of people within your upline.  As your downline grows you will/can have hundreds or thousands of consultants within your group.  Once you reach senior ranks, time management skills are key to a successful business; the ability to set priorities is paramount if you are going to lead a large organization.

While I would not dare complain about having of team comprised of hundreds or thousands of consultants, having a large group does present some unique challenges; one being returning emails and phone calls.

The information below is actually for those consultants who leave messages for their sponsors, directors or managers.  Whether your leader has 20, 200, 2,000 or 20,000 consultants on the team, the information below is relevant.

If your voice mail sounds like anything below, you may not get a return phone call – either not in a timely fashion or possibly not at all:

1. Hi, it’s me, give me a call.  (Me?  Who is me?)
2. Hi, it’s Sara, can you call me please? (I have 13 people named Sara. How am I to know which one?)
3. Hi, this is Jane Doe.  I have some questions. Can you call me please? 123-555-2345 (Name is good. Number is even better.  “I have some questions” is far too ambiguous.)
4. Hi, this is Jane. I know you are busy.  I had really hoped to be able to talk to you.  I really could use some help.  I need some ideas.  I don’t know what to do. Blah Blah Blah… ninety seconds still talking, talking, talking about how you’re getting ready to get ready but yada yada yada …. Another three minutes later, still rambling about how I know you’re busy but wah wah wah. (Where to start with this one?  A five minute voice mail will never be listened to; absolutely no specifics – neither specific about what questions or specific about has been done up to that point, and absolutely no respect for the leader’s time to drone on and on and on).

Don’t assume your number came through on Caller ID, even if it does, yours could be in company with dozens of other calls. Make it easy for the person you called to call you back.  Don’t assume the caller knows who you are.  Err on the side of caution: This is Jane Doe is much better than just Jane or worse yet, Me.  You may think you’re creating intrigue by saying “call me” or “I need to talk to you”, but the truth is, if it’s not important enough for you to leave a subject, then it may not be important enough to return.

Also, respect your leader’s time.  “I somehow double charged a host’s credit card and instead of charging it $400, it charged $800 and she’s at the grocery store now and her card won’t go through!” might get a quicker response than “How do I order the new catalogs that I will need to use four weeks from now?” Wouldn’t you agree?

Or “I watched and listened to all the training modules. I asked people I know if they wanted to host a party. I set up a display and I still can’t get any bookings; can you help?”  Might get a call quicker than “I’ve done everything, nothing works, no one wants to buy any.”  (Really? Everything? No one?)

Don’t forget to leave your area code when leaving a phone number if you’re calling out of your local area.

The very best voice mail you could leave is one that is brief, yet chock full of information.  For example:

Hi, this is Jane Doe, I’m a consultant in your group, on Sue Smith’s team. I have a quick question about compensation.  I looked in the XYZ Guide but I’m still a little confused and just need some clarification.  Can you please call me at 123-555-2345. I’m on Mountain time and it’s now 5:30pm on Tuesday, August 3.  Again, it’s Jane Doe, 123-555-2345, thanks!

Hopefully, if you’re guilty of leaving sucky emails, you’ll now see the error of your ways.  From this point forward you’ll be able to leave a detailed, concise voice mail message and reap timely benefits because of it!

About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business. You can find Laurie at https://la.Scentsy.us, http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com or http://www.Twitter.com/thrivingcandle

On more than one occasion someone has informed me that I come off raw or that I have a chip on my shoulder.  I’m sure this post will spark similar reactions.

For the record, I don’t have a chip on my shoulder, but I am very anti-fluff.  I tend to just say what is on my mind, and yes sometimes my delivery is a little edgy for some.  I do not apologize.  WYSIWYG – What You See Is What You Get!

While there are some very successful men in direct sales, a majority of direct sellers are women.  Working with a vast group of women can be challenging.  For what it’s worth, I’d rather have a male boss and a male roommate over a female any day.  There are a lot of emotions and hormones that come with teaming with large number of women.

If I had to single out one area that I could live without when it comes to direct selling, it’s the plethora of nonsense that I hear or read about on a daily basis.  Consultants are so busy worrying about what other consultants are doing.  I sometimes think I am surrounded by sixth graders.

She said this; why did she say that?  Did you know what so and so did?  You are not going to believe what she is doing now! She’s talking behind my back.  She’s jealous.  She got upset because I yada, yada, yada. You are not going to believe what she said to that prospect?  I saw her at a vendor event and she… And so it goes.

Awk!  People, just go sell the wax! (or makeup or kitchenware or home décor).  If you would spend 90% of the time minding your own business, and 10% keeping others out of yours, think how much more productive your business would be.

Surprisingly, there’s another group of consultants who are in denial. Pay attention, because I could be talking to YOU.  Yes… you!  You may not be the one gossiping about others, but you have been made aware that it is happening in your own team/leg.  Yet, if you feel the need to call me to tell me about consultant drama, as described as above – it’s still nonsense. It’s the same thing!  I don’t have time for nonsense, and neither should you.

I love helping my team members grow their business.  I will talk to consultants and prospects all day long, every day to help them understand processes, compensation, brainstorm, develop action plans, etc.  I love that.  But I don’t have a very sympathetic ear to listen to what I consider is “Your lips are moving, but all I hear is blah, blah, blah.”

You may not even know you’re doing it.  Take inventory of what comes out of your mouth.  If you don’t know that you’re spewing nonsense, believe me – others know it.  One litmus test is that you may find that you’re connecting to voice mail more often or if you do connect to your upline, she frequently only has a very brief amount of time to spend with you. Pay attention to these signals.

Starting immediately, get back to business.  Work your business.  Enjoy your business.  Refuse to entertain nonsense – both on the giving and receiving end.

Summertime. Beautiful sunrises, fresh air, sunny days, gorgeous sunsets. Who could possibly work inside when it’s so inviting outside? Staying motivated can be challenging, no doubt. Follow these five tips to help you ensure your business doesn’t suffer this summer.

1. Work outside whenever possible. Can you take your laptop outside? It can be difficult to see the screen if the sun is blaring so sit under an umbrella at the picnic table. Do you need to sharpen the saw? Read a great motivational or how-to book while at the beach. Need to make some a phone calls? Step out on the deck to talk. The more often you allow yourself to be outside, the less you’ll be longing to be out there.
2. Early to rise. Get up a little earlier than norm so that you can hunker down and work for four hours before the children wake or before it gets too warm outside. That way you will have already put in a half day of work and you can play outside for a chunk of the day.
3. Barter with yourself. Trade time off for work accomplished. Tell yourself (or your children) that if you work x-number of hours, first, then you can have equal amount of time off to go to the park, pool or other fun summer activity. It’s child-rearing 101, “Clean your room, then we can go to the beach.” Do some work first, and then you can have fun in the sun.
4. Outsource. You don’t need to be super mom and do everything yourself. The benefits to outsourcing are many. This summer work smarter, not harder. Perhaps now would be a good time to hire a VA and delegate some of your workload. That way you can spend time working on the bare necessities and relax while other needed, but not vital, duties are in the capable hands of a virtual assistant.
5. Deal with it. Deal with it? You’re, thinking, “What the heck kind of advice is that” right? Well, what kind of businessperson are you? Are you a fair-weathered entrepreneur? Or when the going gets tough, the tough get going? Think of it like exercise – you may not always want to do it, but you know it’s necessary. Instead of longing for what you don’t have (time outside in the sunshine) consider what you do have inside: A fabulous business that is important to you; air conditioning (maybe or at least a fan!); skin that is not getting sunburned and wrinkly; no mosquito bites, and support from your fellow home based business owners!

Enjoy the summer; it’s hard to be disgruntled when the sun is shining! Stay focused; stay motivated; stay safe; and most importantly have some fun while you’re at it!

A perfect summer day is when the sun is shining, the breeze is blowing, the birds are singing, and the lawn mower is broken. – James Dent

About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business. You can find Laurie at https://la.Scentsy.us, http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com or http://www.Twitter.com/thrivingcandle

I’m always looking for books to read that will help my own business.  I found one that was published over 20 years ago. It is an easy read and has some unexpected low hanging fruit (simple ah-ha moments) that will help any start-up business owner or anyone who needs a little inspiration to recharge an existing business.

One Smart Cookie: How a Housewife’s Chocolate Chip Recipe Turned into a Multimillion-Dollar Business: The Story of Mrs. Fields Cookies by Debbi Fields

This book was published in 1987 and the content is still relevant today. Whether a direct sales consultant, freelancer, WAHM-wannabe or any other entrepreneur this book will inspire you; and is sprinkled with humor. Debbi was a stay at home wife and mom who took her passion to build a thriving business doing what she loved.

Mrs. Fields Cookies is a true success stories.  The book talks about her guiding principles and some the struggles she encountered starting her business. She rejected conventional advice with regard to marketing and promotion. Debbi and her husband focused first on making a spectacular cookie, then coupled it with sales staff training and customer service to become a multi-million dollar franchise.

If you’re thinking of starting a business or just needing some motivation to get you through the slower summer months, I highly recommend you grab a copy of this book.

If you’re looking to join a direct sales company it’s a good idea to interview more than one sponsor before deciding with whom to sign.  There are many factors to consider.  I’ve heard some interesting comments with regard to signing with a seasoned consultant.

While I fully agree that you need to mesh with whomever you agree to have as a sponsor, I’m still somewhat baffled why someone would choose to go with a new consultant versus a veteran one.

I’ve heard the argument “how can new people ever build a team if people don’t sign with them because they’re new?”  I get that if your warm market wants to come along on your new journey with you you can all learn the business together from your upline.  Your warm market (friends, family, acquaintances) will support you and won’t expect you to know the answers.

But why would a new person want to start actively recruiting others before she herself has had an opportunity to learn the business?  And more importantly why would a potential recruit who is interested in starting a direct sales business want to have a sponsor who is also new?

Consider a hair stylist.  Would you want to have your locks cut and colored by someone fresh out of beauty school or someone who has been working on hair for years?  What about a doctor?  Do you want an experienced doctor or a med student?   Do you want your student getting the bulk of his/her education from a student teacher or from a teacher with tenure?

I contend that new direct sales consultants should focus initially on sales and on learning the ins and outs of the business.  Be selfish and soak up everything there is to know about the compensation plan, the policies and procedures and become an expert on your product line.  Then the recruits come as a result of your working your own business and then you’ll be well positioned to build a strong team.

When you are new and share your new business with others, it is true that sometimes others will flock to you and “want in”.  By all means if recruits come to you, sign them, just be sure to disclose that you are also new and still learning the ropes.  Don’t mislead people with your experience.

I actually had someone tell me that they would not sign with a Director because “she’ll be very demanding and expect you to report in your progress and attend meetings and, and, and…”.  Well that is certainly a misnomer.  I mean some Directors might roll that way; but surely not all.  And if that style isn’t your cup of tea, that’s an area that could be discussed while you’re interviewing potential sponsors.  But I definitely would not intentionally stay away from signing with a Director simply because you envision boot camp and a drill sergeant.

Lastly, if a newer consultant promises you the world if you sign with him/her, consider the offer carefully.  If he/she offers you freebies such as a website, more product than comes in the starter kit or exclusive coaching, a red flag should go up.  Any direct sales company should have a complete starter kit. If you truly think that you’re going to need extras right away, more so than what is included in your company kit, then perhaps it’s not the right opportunity for you.

Also, if your starter kit does appear to have everything you need to get started, why is the new consultant giving away his/her profit and time to leer you onto her team?  Does this person appear desperate?  Or lack sound business practices?  Will you also be expected to give away freebies that come out of your own pocket to recruit people?

Lastly, if it appears that the new consultant you are considering joining with has some unique skill set that he will teach you, also look at the knowledge, skills and experience with that direct sales company.  Someone can be a whiz at closing the deal or at Internet marketing, but if she doesn’t quite yet grasp the compensation or policies of the company, how beneficial really is the offer of the less experienced consultant?

Now before all the new consultants spam me with nastygrams about how I was once new too, yada yada yada, please don’t miss my main points which are:

1.    If you are a new consultant, please learn your own business well before actively recruiting others, whom you are responsible to train and mentor and
2.    If you are considering a direct sales opportunity and are serious about running your business like a business, then wouldn’t you want to learn from the person who has the greatest knowledge, skills and abilities with that particular company and industry?

Do your due diligence with both which company and which sponsor and you’ll be off to an exciting career in direct sales.

About the Author:  Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles.  She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business.  You can find Laurie at http://la.Scentsy.us or http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com

As I drove down to Notre Dame recently, I encountered four different construction zones.  Though being that a majority of my trip entailed travel through Michigan, and Michigan is known for our two seasons of driving: “snow” and “construction”, I shouldn’t have been surprised.

Needless to say, I had a plethora of time to think about various areas of interest.  Among the many topics of thought that graced my mind, one in particular correlated to what we do with our down time; specifically down time within our businesses.

We all have things that we should do, but there aren’t always tasks that we have to do. Those required responsibilities are easy.  We have to do them; so we do.  But when your engine is idling, or creeping at a whopping 9 mph, do you utilize the time wisely?

Illustratively, every business has seasons.  In some direct sales businesses, the fall traditionally ramps up for the busy season. If your product line would make excellent gifts, then October and November should be peak sales.  But what happens at the tail end of December when Christmas cut-off has come and gone?  Furthermore, what will you do in January when consumers are financially strapped?  Or perhaps your slow time is during the summer.  Whenever your slow season, make wise choices for how you use your time.

If you find yourself with some down time and your business is stuck in traffic, you have three detours you can take:

Route A.  Get irritated because you’re stuck just sitting.  No matter how many times you honk the horn or shout naughty words at the driver in front of you, you’re not moving forward. Perhaps you’ll just quit driving from now on; you don’t need the headaches!

Route B. Do your own thing. Maybe you can go around on the shoulder.  Or maybe all those people in front of you in line aren’t as innovative as you. Perhaps you can take a short cut and jump to the front sooner. Why bother with rules, you can outsmart them.

Route C.  Enjoy the slower pace; after all, you’re not very self-disciplined to just be still. Realize that the slow down is beyond your span of control and use the time to brainstorm or dream big.  Or give yourself permission to just check out from thinking for a while and let your mind wander. (Just be sure to multi-task and keep your eyes on the road).

Odds are you’ve taken at least two of these detours before.  Route A serves no useful purpose except to increase your blood pressure.  Route B on rare occasions may prove fruitful.  Yet generally only serves to put you further behind. Route C seems to be the best route to take. Wouldn’t you agree?

So the next time you aren’t getting the results you’d like with your business, don’t just get mad and quit (don’t even utter the words “This is crap, I quit!”). Also don’t try to re-invent the wheel. Take a fresh look at your corporate training material and start with the basics. What are the leaders in your company doing?  Instead, take Route C – and just accept that you have some down time for a reason and make the best of it.  Embrace the time to recharge, renew and refresh.

Once you make it out of the construction zone, you’ll be a better “driver” for it.

About the Author:  Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles.  She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business.  You can find Laurie at http://la.Scentsy.us or http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com

Remember as kids we could say things like “Mind you own beeswax!” or “Don’t be a Buttinski!” While such comments may not bode well for you as an independent consultant, the advice is sound.

A dear friend once told me to spend 90% of my time minding my own business and 10% of the time keeping others out of my business.  That is some of the best entrepreneurial advice I ever received (it’s relevant to non-work related life too).

Specifically I’m referring to independent consultants of the same company – any company, it happens industry-wide – spending waaaaaaaay too much time worrying about what other consultants are doing. If they spent a fraction of the time tending to their own business they wouldn’t have time to get their panties in a wad over what other consultants are up to.

I fully embrace that if you are made aware of someone who is participating in a bona fide compliance infraction and it can hurt your own business or the company as a whole, then you should make the powers-that-be aware of the situation.  This type of issue is not what I am referring to.

But rather I am talking about the tattletalers.  Again, no matter what company you represent I’m sure you see this on some scale.  A prime example of this time consuming whining is eBay sales.  As far as I know, most direct sales companies prohibit consultants from retailing on eBay.  Yet on any given day you can search a particular direct sales company and find hundreds or thousands of listings of product. That’s a fact.

Yet consultants want to take up time on message forums or complaining to upline and anyone else who will listen that “So and so has listings on eBay!”  Then to consume even more time, these folks also take time to email the seller and attempt covert action of uncovering the consultant’s real identity.  “I wrote the seller and just casually asked if they had any other items available or if they could order more!”

People!  Mind your own business!  Just go sell the wax [or jewelry, or makeup, or kitchen gadgets or lotions and potions or whatever product you sell]. Let your corporate office handle these issues.

“But… but … they’re taking my customers away,” you sadly lament.  No.  No those who purchase from eBay are looking for a bargain.  They buy on eBay so that they don’t have to pay retail or attend a home party or deal with an overly eager consultant.  Those are not your customers.  Besides, the sellers often are losing money after they pay for the cost of goods sold, then eBay and PayPal fees.  So let them continue to lose money.

Instead of worrying about what other consultants are doing, get tunnel vision for your own business and you’ll start to see profits soar.

Remember this mantra:

1. Sell the [insert your product line here]
2. Get others to sell the [insert your product line here]
3. Repeat

Simple, right?  Now go mind your own beeswax and make it a productive day.

About the Author:  Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles.  She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business.  You can find Laurie at http://la.Scentsy.us or http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com