Selecting a Direct Sales Sponsor
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It’s interesting to watch the ambulance chasing that occurs on the forums when someone pipes up and says, “I’m thinking about joining.” Immediately the grand scramble begins. It’s actually quite pathetic to see the vultures come out.
Just because someone PMs you first or happens to be a lead that corporate gave you does not mean that you have to sign with that person. Also just because someone has emailed and/or snail mailed you some information does not mean you are committed to joining under that person.
Take some time, do your due diligence and find the right sponsor for you. I would strongly discourage you from looking for the best offer. It won’t take you any time at all to find offers for free this or that if you join this team or that team. Or you can even find someone who will provide a way for you to join her team for free.
Consider this, if the company you are considering joining has a quality product and a compensation plan you can live with, then the only other element missing is finding support from a strong up line. Those who offer deals are essentially saying that they do not believe in the company offering or in her abilities to recruit and therefore feels the need to bribe you to join.
Company sponsored forums are chock full of consultants begging for help and asking the most basic questions in a public forum because they do not have the training and support required to be successful from their own sponsors. Yet these same people clamoring for help, are the ones who jumped on board with the person who offered the best deal. Go figure.
You as the potential recruit get to ask the questions. You are the interviewer. Ask some hard questions, such as:
· How long have you been with this company?
· What rank are you? Where is that in relation to the total structure?
· How long have you been in direct sales?
· Why did you choose this company?
· Are there days or hours that you are not generally available?
· What training is available from you and/or corporate?
· How did you receive your training?
· Do you attend seminars and convention?
· Have you won any awards from the company?
· How would you describe your personality style?
· What’s the worst thing you have to say about the company?
If you receive weak answers to these questions and yet still choose to sign with that person, all I can say is buyer beware. Would you rather go to a doctor fresh out of medical school, or one who is a veteran at his specialty? Would you use a financial broker who merely paid to get her license through a correspondence school? Or one who has a proven track record of producing results?
What good is a special offer if it is not backed by a strong warranty? Remember who is in the driver’s seat when it comes to selecting a sponsor for your direct sales business: You!
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 at home as an Independent Consultant and Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping others start a candle business. You can find Laurie at www.IncomeWax.com
June 29th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
[...] 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 [...]
August 7th, 2009 at 1:24 am
I completely agree. Too often people join with someone because they were enticed with an offer of free product or even paying part or all of their enrollment fees. This doesn’t mean that that sponsor is going to be there to help you grow your business and, it also doesn’t show that you are a serious business owner.