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Does Your Business Have a Personality?
As business owners, we can all take a lesson from this company. If their philosophy and personality are shining through on a website – so much so that it makes customers want to throw money at them, then refer others, plus create quite a viral buzz, they must be doing something right.
I recently stumbled upon a company that is oozing with personality. I chose to do business with them because they had the item I was looking for at a reasonable price; but more so because of their fun personality. They made me want to give them my hard earned dollars. The fact that they are a fellow Michigan business was just an unexpected bonus.
For starters, I checked their return policy because I was purchasing a gift. Theirs is one of the best return policies I’ve ever seen:
OUR GUARANTEE
If you aren’t thrilled with your purchase, return it AT ANY TIME as long as IT’S IN SELLABLE CONDITION and as long as you aren’t dead. If you are dead, your heirs can still return the goods but they should probably keep them in your honor. We are fully available to answer all your questions and advise you. We were voted “Best Virtual Boot, Clothing, Gear fitters” by made up customer #323. Load bearing climbing equipment like a harness or carabiner, and all Gift Cards, are final sale and cannot be returned. So, if you don’t like your climbing stuff just hang it on your wall to impress your friends and if you don’t want your Gift Card, use it as a ruler.
Oh yeah, proof of purchase required for all returns. IF YOU RETURN THE PRODUCT(S) IN UNSELLABLE CONDITION we will ship the product back to you and will NOT PROVIDE YOU WITH A REFUND. Sorry for being so mean about it.
After I placed the order, I received this ditty:
Your Order Has Been Placed
Way to go. You’ve won the best email receipt we’ve sent out all day. We recommend either printing this receipt and framing it in your foyer or using it as a screensaver. It would probably also be nice for you to forward it around to a couple friends and maybe even an enemy or two.
If you’re bored, check us out on Facebook or Twitter. Our CFO said he doesn’t understand why anyone would use Twitter. He also thinks that a narwhal is a made-up animal. Please don’t tell anyone about it. Continue reading
Can Anyone Successfully Work From Home?
I recently saw an article titled, “Anyone Can Be a Direct Seller”. I emphatically disagree. Anyone cannot be a direct seller. If anyone could, there would be many, many more that do.
Lest you think I am anti-direct sales; on the contrary, I have had a home based business since 1988 and currently lead a large successful organization. I love being in this industry, else I would not have stuck around for the past 23 years. I simply do not agree with the statement that anyone can be a direct seller.
According to the Direct Selling Association (DSA) the average direct seller in the United States earns $2,400 per year. Clearly with any statistics or averages, those numbers tell us what we want them to tell us. And an average means there are plenty who earn far less, as well as plenty who earn far more. Also, less than 9% of all direct sellers work their business thirty hours or more each week. Continue reading
Are Business Meetings and Team Meetings Synonymous?
In the direct sales industry it’s not uncommon to have team meetings on a monthly or quarterly basis. If you have the same organizer(s) or presenter(s) each time, team members can get a feel for what to expect. Then once realistic expectations are set, it will decrease the likelihood of consultants being disappointed because they were hoping to learn something different at the meeting.
It’s been my experience that there are basically three types of meetings in direct selling:
- Get together and share ideas
- Awards, announcements and maybe a presentation
- Classic business meeting, where it’s all about the training and information
In my opinion, the first two are more typical of what you see in direct sales and more indicative of team meetings. Many enjoy this and that’s why they attend meetings. I, on the other hand, am all about option 3 – the business meeting. My knowledge, skills, abilities, experience and education are all in business, so I tend to treat my business and my mentoring of team members more like a traditional business.
I am used to and prefer meetings that have an agenda that is floated around prior to the meeting and ones that start on time and end on time. We’re all busy people; tell us what we need to know, stay on track, and let us get on with the rest of our day. I pride myself that I RMBLAB (Run My Business Like a Business).
I’m all for team bonding, acknowledgement and celebration but my opinion is that it doesn’t belong in an event called a meeting. I would prefer to see it called a Team Celebration or something of that nature. If I went to something called a meeting and it wasn’t meaty with information, I’d be disappointed and frustrated as my time is at a premium.
So what’s my point? Where am I going with all this? Continue reading
Assertive or Aggressive?
Don’t you just love it when you walk into a store or onto a car lot and the salesperson, who obviously works on commission, instantly pounces on you? You mean you don’t crave that instant attack of desperation? No – me neither. I don’t know anyone who does.
Yet I see it all the time from new direct selling consultants – both online and offline. These desperados are under the false impression that there is a race and the first person to pounce on a potential gets the big prize. Personally, I run the other way when I see someone chase ambulances. There are some who “call it” (remember when you were little … the person who “called” the front seat first, was the lucky person to sit next to Mom?) Hard up new consultants will be all over the poor innocent person who just has a simple question and will announce to the world “PMing you (sending you a Private Message) now!” Meaning to the other forum participants and lurkers: I am sitting here, desperate; doing my impression of a vulture, and by my “calling it” no one else can address this person who has questions.
Personally the passive stance works much better for me. I make myself and my candle business visible. I try to help others who have questions without expectation of them buying or signing with me. I can honestly say that I have never asked for the close – contrary to recruiting gurus. Yet I have a very successful team of consultants who are with me because they chose to be – not because I force fed them and shoved myself down their private message inbox.
Make sure you are not sending the message that you are desperate. There’s a difference between being assertive and well, just obnoxious. There are more leads available than anyone could possibly ever get to; chill, relax and enjoy your business.
About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a WAHM from Michigan. She started her first home business in 1988. As a single parent, Laurie has supported her family by working out of her home. She is currently an Independent Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. You can find Laurie at http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com and http://la.scentsy.us
Feel Like Your Sponsor is Getting a Free Ride?
It’s not uncommon to hear direct sales consultants lament about how irritating it is that they are doing all the work and their upline is just getting a free ride. Generally this isn’t the case; it only appears so because some downline members don’t see the big picture. That said, there are indeed some instances when an upline should be providing more training to downline members. In most direct selling companies there is a systematic approach to take care of these situations. However, this type of genuine lack of responsibility is not what I am referring to today.
Rather today I am referring to the self motivated, go-getter type consultant who has the inner drive and objective to build a successful business, yet they chose to sign up with someone who does not share the same level of career aspirations at this time. Blow is a perfect example of what I’m talking about. After reading it perhaps you’ll have a different perspective.
Disgruntled Consultant: It’s just frustrating because she does it more for personal use and also has her best friend under her as well. Heck I even asked her if could join. But now I’m over here working my hiney off and in return she gets a free ride and promotes. Isn’t that nice for her and she has never sent me anything in return.
Upline Response: Well, as far as your sponsor is concerned, a few things to keep in mind, she is certainly welcomed to be a part time seller, casual user. The company doesn’t require her to be a business builder. And it sounds as though she did not actively recruit you, because you stated, ‘you asked to join.’ I sometimes I hear third hand how some are upset because they think they do all the work and I get paid off of it. Actually that is partially true – because that’s how our compensation is set up. It’s just a fact with a two-tiered compensation plan. Continue reading
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