Team Building

Direct Sales Sponsoring

7 February 2018 By LA Leave a Comment

If you are in direct sales, and want to maximize your earning potential, then sponsoring other people is part of the plan.

There are two 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.

Sponsoring others is how consultants build their team. There is more than one way to build a team. You can build a team sponsoring fifteen people per month or you can build a team sponsoring just two people per month.

Sponsoring Many

When you sponsor fifteen people per month you are absolutely playing the numbers. Of these fifteen 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.

Joining a network marketing company is similar to joining a gym or subscribing to a members only website.

With a gym or website membership, your goal is to get the most for your money, to work out daily or weekly or to read and participate in the forums and task suggestions. But the reality is many people set never set foot in the gym after the first week, or only skim posts or visit websites periodically. We think we want something today, but by tomorrow it just is not as important as it was yesterday.

If you’re able to sponsor fifteen people each month and have the time to truly help the one or two who want the help – then go for it.

Sponsoring One or Two

The other philosophy is to sponsor just one or two per month and invest your time nurturing 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 you may have fewer who drop off.

I’ve sponsored two people in a month and I’ve sponsored fifteen 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.

If you’re looking to join a direct sales company, please consider Scentsy. I joined Scentsy in 2006, and would not still be here if it wasn’t the amazing company that it is.

Please Like, Share or Post a Comment

Need 600 Extra Dollars a Month?

3 February 2018 By LA Leave a Comment

What would you do with an extra $600 a month?

Six hundred dollars a month could sure help with health insurance premiums; vacation money; car payment; student loans; credit card debt; orthodontist payments; a new roof or to save for retirement.

You can earn it on your schedule, when It’s convenient for you.

Here’s how you can earn $600 a month:

Join Scentsy for $99 or $49 – your choice (plus $10 shipping & your local sales tax).
Share Scentsy with others – $2,000 a month
Earn 30% commission = $600

You’ll be in business for yourself, but never by yourself. I’ll help you along the way.

Ready to get started? Join here or contact me so we can talk about all things Scentsy!

Please Like, Share or Post a Comment!

Who Are You Following?

20 September 2017 By LA Leave a Comment

If You Want to Be Successful, Do What Successful People Do.

Are you hanging out with other successful consultants? Are they really successful? Or do they appear successful?

True, few us really know what kind of numbers others are actually pulling, but there are a couple clues to give you an indication.

Those who are the most successful are not spending a ton of time hanging out with other consultants, especially those who aren’t on their team. Instead, they’re off elsewhere, working one on one with new and potential team members, hosts and customers.
Those who are most successful don’t announce they are doing fabulous – they just are.

Club #Hashtag

I see consultants clamoring to be part of a #hashtag group of people. I’d rather clamor to set myself apart and be noticeable as a stand-alone instead of following others in a crowd.

Well That’s Not Quite Accurate, Is It?

I see consultants both online and in person who project themselves are pretty darn successful, but in reality, they should be focused on their own business before hailing themselves as one to follow. And I get it. You certainly don’t want to share that you suck or your business is going in the toilet. And I get the idea of dress for the part you want, not what you currently have.

However, I know for certain some consultants who aren’t getting the results they’d have others believe.

The Solution

How are you to know who are the ones really kickin’ it and who are the wanna-bes? Well, you could ask privately if they’re willing to share actual results. Or you could just not follow others or hang out with other consultants. Instead, be your own person. Take advantage of your company training center for advice, wisdom and tips, and go be your own Rockstar.

Please Like, Share and Post a Comment!

Throw Out That List of 100

15 September 2017 By LA 4 Comments

**If one more direct selling company or sponsor encourages new recruits to Make a List of 100 People You Know, I’m going to stick a fork in my eye!**

I’m talking about the practice of spamming the snot out of their friends, family and acquaintances. It goes against the entire concept of target marketing and finding a niche. No wonder the direct selling industry still has a bad reputation in some circles.

This archaic and tired practice claims that if you make a list of 100 people to hound, it’ll be your first networking contact list that will supposedly help launch your new direct sales career. Although, whether you’re selling candles, jewelry, kitchenware, makeup, home decor or any other product offering, wouldn’t you have better results if you presented your new product line specifically to the people whom you believe could benefit from and enjoy your goods?

Market to Those Who Have a Specific Want or Need

This concept of making a list of 100 is ridiculous. What if your dental hygienist started a business selling metal widgets that would help expedite an automobile factory manufacturing process? If this person made a list of 100 people she knows and included you in that list to push her steel vehicle widgets on, you’d think she was totally off her rocker for wasting your time. Yet as direct sellers, we’re supposed to do just that; having no regard to market to those who have a specific want or need.

Instead of investing precious time trying to list and then contact all of the people you know such as: Family, Friends, Neighbors, Your friends’ parents, Your parents’ friends, Your parents’ colleagues, Your children’s friends’ parents, Classmates, Alumni of any school you attended, including high school, Members of the local chamber of commerce, Members of your church, temple, or other faith-based groups, Professors, Teachers, Mentors, Former Bosses, Former or current colleagues, Former or current customers, Former employees whom you managed, Members of the YMCA, YWCA, or other clubs, Members of professional groups to which you belong, Members of a service organization (e.g. the Rotary), School committee members, Counselors, Friends from military service, Coaches (in sports, arts, hobbies, etc.), Your doctor, Your lawyer, Your insurance agent, Your accountant or tax preparer, Your auto mechanic, The manager of your favorite coffee shop, The bartender at your favorite watering hole, The owner of maitre d’ of your favorite restaurant, Your barber/hairstylist, Your mortgage broker, Your real estate broker, Your veterinarian, Your dry cleaner, Any shop or business owners who know you by name (especially in “˜high touch’ businesses like art dealers, florists, dress shop managers, wedding planners, wine dealers””people who have long conversations with others), Any acquaintance who owes you a favor, spend some time defining your target market.

The Likely Results of Spamming the Above List:

You’ll ostracize yourself from them so that in the future they’ll be forced to check Caller-ID before taking your call or find themselves suddenly running late for an appointment and need to promptly depart your presence.
You may get a few mercy purchases from those who have a hard time saying no because they don’t want you to feel discouraged.
If you stumble upon someone who is genuinely interested in what you’re offering, it is mere statistics. If you spray enough bullets you’re bound to eventually hit something. But is that the reputation you really want to start off with? Or would you aim narrow, and therefore miss narrow?

I’m Not The Only One Who Believes This Way

Leslie Truex of Work at Home Success agrees, “Having a business is about finding the market that wants your product/service, not brow beating people you know into supporting you. Plus if you’re successful without the list, your recruitment may go up because talking to friends and family is a major reason why many people avoid direct sales and you’ll be able to show them how to do it without a list.”

Further, Adriaan at Direct Sell Assistant concurs that “90% of new consultants will stay with this list and expect to make a lot of money. I wish more people that get recruited are rather shown how to market a product and find new customers, than to write down that list of a 100.”

If You Said Yes …

Lastly, if you’ve signed up for a company that has a fantastic product line, don’t you think you should be able to find others who enjoy and benefit from it as much as you do? No need to approach your auntie who has severe allergies to buy your candles or your sweet bald mechanic about your organic shampoo. Just because you may know 100 people, doesn’t mean they’d be good customers.

My advice: It’s 2017, time (way past time) to throw out your “List of 100 People You Know.”

*I originally wrote this post in 2008, and periodically revise it to ensure it’s still current.

Please Like, Share, and Leave a Comment Below!

Busy or Productive – Round 2

29 July 2017 By LA Leave a Comment

Are you busy? Or are you productive? One gives you little time for important things; the other helps your business and positively affects your bottom line.

I talk about this a lot.

I don’t spend much time online with consultants other than my own team, because I try to practice what I preach, which is head down, bum up, laser focused on your own business. Nonetheless, I still manage to see plenty of posts by other consultants who are spending their time on activities that are not helping to grow their businesses. They may be busy; but they are not productive.

Numbers don’t lie.

These busy consultants keep thinking what they’re doing helps. Yet their numbers show otherwise. They’re not getting the sales, bookings or new team members that they are aiming for. Why? Because they’re busy doing other activities that won’t sustain or increase their business.