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 Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles.  She enjoys helping others start and maintain a candle business.  You can find Laurie at http://la.Scentsy.usor http://www.ThrivingCandleBusiness.com

3. Load up your purse, briefcase and car with business materials. Make sure you have business cards, catalogs and recruiting information with you, everywhere you go. You never know when someone you meet will want information or a catalog.

4. Create a newsletter. What can you write about that others will enjoy learning about? If you don’t have a website to promote this newsletter, consider using a service like Yahoo Groups. I get a few newsletters via Yahoo Groups. This is a wonderful way to meet others and share your knowledge. Thousands of people search Yahoo Groups each and every day and just might be looking for the newsletter you’re offering.

5. Make a goal of talking to five new people every single day. This is different than the above suggestion of talking to two people about business. I’m suggesting that you make a point of introducing yourself and saying hello to five new people every single day. In one month’s time that is 150 people you will have met. There’s a good chance that of those 150 people, one of them knows someone who wants what you’re offering.

6. Reconnect with old acquaintances. Write an email or make a phone call and say hello to folks you have not spoken with in a long time. Just this past week, I was in a community and recognized a woman I had known from two years ago. I sent her an email, told her how wonderful it was to see her again, caught up with her and discovered she wants what I have to offer.

7. Make a point to learn new things this month. For example, I’ve never used Twitter. It’s my goal to learn how to use Twitter this month. What have you thought about learning more about? Make it a point to learn something new this month and to implement this new learning into your business.

About the Author: Audrey Okaneko has been working at home since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at www.recipe-barn.com Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

I’ve seen two very different philosophies on sponsoring. One philosophy is to sponsor many; some will stick, some won’t. The other philosophy is to sponsor just a few and then nurture them.

I believe the purpose in sponsoring others is to build a team. There is more than one way to build team. You can build a team sponsoring twenty people per month or you can build a team sponsoring just two people per month.

I’d like to share my thoughts on the two philosophies. I’ll start with sponsoring many. When you sponsor twenty people per month you are absolutely playing the numbers. Of these twenty people, you’ll find a few who just want product discounts. You’ll find a few who want to sell to family and friends and earn a little bit of supplemental income each month and you’ll find maybe one who asks questions and truly wants to build a business. The rest will never turn in a first order and will fade away. Again, this is not good or bad, right or wrong, these are just the statistics.

I often compare joining a network marketing company to either joining a gym or buying a magazine subscription. Your goal is to get the most for your money, to work out daily or weekly or to read each issue cover to cover. But the reality is many people set never set foot in the gym after the first week, or only skim issues of the magazine every other month. We think we want something today but by tomorrow it just is not as important as it was yesterday.

I say if you’re able to sponsor twenty people each month and have the time to truly help the one or two who want the help then go for it.

The other philosophy is to sponsor just one or two per month and invest your time nurturing them and working with them.

There are definite pluses to having just one person you’re working with. You have the time to really offer help and assistance. You’re able to walk them through each step of owning their own business. You’re able to spend a lot of one on one time with them. You’re also able to help them build a team by helping them meet others and offer the opportunity to others.

When you sponsor just two per month, you’ll still find those who just want a discount and those who want supplemental income, however I believe you’ll have fewer who drop off.

I’ve sponsored two people in a month and I’ve sponsored twenty people in a month. Either way, my goal is to continue to build my team and help those on my team achieve their own personal goals.

About the author: Audrey Okaneko has been in direct sales since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or you can Become a Tupperware Consultant. Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com