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Although, you run your own business, when you start in direct sales there is another person you should think about when it comes to your success. Your up line leader, or the person who recruits you that you’ll train under, is an extremely important person to your business. Because sponsors are so significant, you’ll want to choose wisely when signing up in a down line. Here are some more things to look for in a direct sales sponsor.

1.    An up line leader who knows the company and product very well.  The more your sponsor knows the business, the better she will be at teaching and motivating your team.

2.    Someone with a positive outlook on business and life in general will go a long way. If you have an up line leader who likes to gossip or has a negative attitude all the time, chances of her being able to encourage you during the down times will be slim to none. Look for someone who has a natural knack for creativity, because these slow times will require you to use your noggin and come up with things that will help you pick up sales, continue making money, etc.

3.    Consistency is important in a leader. Look for someone who communicates regularly with the team via meetings, telecons or message boards. You want to learn from someone who is successful so don’t try to reinvent the wheel with your business. If you have an up line leader who isn’t growing it might be a better idea to find someone else to join under if you can.

4.    A good leader realizes it’s not all about her. You should look for someone who loves helping her team succeed. One who is willing to share the ropes and teach others based on what works and what doesn’t. She allows you to learn from her mistakes and gives you ways to avoid them. When you succeed she is just as happy as if she had met one of her own goals.

5.    Find someone who has a good reputation in the business. If someone has made a bad name for herself or the direct sales company, your chances of overcoming that negativity with customers will not be easy. It can be done, but it will very hard and can hinder your own business success.

You want to find an up line leader who is dependable, determined and has a natural willingness to see you succeed. She should know what she is doing and be able to teach, motivate and encourage her team. Find a team who possesses a leader with these qualities and you’ll be well on your way to a successful direct sales business.

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

Tags: Direct Sales Sponsoring, Direct selling

This entry was posted on Monday, January 19th, 2009 at 10:07 pm and is filed under Team Building. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.