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One of the benefits of being a Scentsy consultant is that you are provided with a personal website where you can grow your team and take web orders.  You have the option of deciding on a name for your business or your web address. The address will look like https://whateveryoupick.scentsy.us (or .ca for Canadian consultants).  If you ask around you may get ideas on the “whateveryoupick” portion of your website.  Though the information below addresses six common errors when naming your Scentsy business website:

1. Double letters – particularly ss – i.e. janesscents you’ll lose people who never know if it’s one S or two.

2. Unkonventional spellings – kandles, etc. Generally you go with those unconventionals when what you really want is taken – meaning if wicklesscandles is taken and you opt for wicklesskandles you could inadvertently send people to wicklesscandles – someone else’s site.

3. Avoid dashes and dots – if you have to explain if it’s a dash or underscore, or dot, you’ll lose people.

4. ID numbers. In previous P&Ps we HAD to change our site and were not allowed to use that # in our address. Now the language is softer that you should or could change it. Though corporate has reminded us on a number of occasions to guard your ID# as you would your own SSN. That is the number that you need to login to sites or when you call corp. the first thing they ask for is your ID#. To avoid identity fraud and the possibility that someone can pose as you to change your account in any manner, don’t publish that number to anyone.

5. Anything that requires you to explain or further elaborate. If you respond “it’s mysite.scentsy.us” then most will be able to go there without problem. Even if you’re talking about publishing the site address, you want it to be easily memorable so they can go to it later, without the need to write it down for future reference.

If you have to audibly say – it’s “michelle” with two ell’s, or “for you” with the numeric 4, or “kathy” with a k…. anything that needs ‘fine print’ for someone to easily find you should be avoided. Even scents can be confusing – of course we all almost instantly think s-c-e-n-t-s but others may wonder if it’s sense or cents.

6. Think of connotation or what message are you sending and does it portray a professional image. Smell isn’t always a positive word where as odor isn’t either – though technically they simply mean or relate the the nose/olfactory. Smells is a verb, and not a noun, so if you’re making up a word to change it to a noun (as in such and such smells or sniff the smells) that falls under same as unkonventional spellings. Same for personal interests or hobbies – pookie.scentsy.us or squaredancer.scentsy.us may not be taken as seriously.

Before you flame me and defend your position why you may have chosen something similar to one outlined above, please keep in mind that these are not just my opinions, but also those of marketing and business guru’s when it comes to naming a business. I am also assuming that if you’re investing in a vinyl or decal then you are treating your business like a business and not as a hobby – else you likely wouldn’t go to the effort of marketing your business.

For those who are not business builders (and there are many, and that is totally fine and acceptable), then the naming conventions aren’t as important. I’m merely referring to business builders.

RYBLAB – Run Your Business Like A Business.

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. Read the rest of this entry »

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.)

Read the rest of this entry »