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Marketing

Are You Memorable?

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Is Your Direct Sales Business Memorable?

My feet didn’t even hit the floor this morning before I had an internal conversation. “What day is it? What do I have to do today? Oh. It’s Wednesday. It’s humpppppppp dayyyyyyyy!” I instantly thought of the Geico commercial where the camel walks around an office trying to get people to say that it’s hump day.

Recalling that ridiculous commercial, I smiled, felt ready to take on the day and launched myself from bed. As I was shuffling down the hallway to go make coffee, the commercial was still on my mind and I may have even continued to say “humpppppppp dayyyyyyyy!” [Read more…] about Are You Memorable?

Are You Open for Business?

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open for business

Do your customers know you exist?

A few months ago a local small business closed. Not long after that we saw a construction crew in there remodeling for a new business to open in the same building. After a period a time there was new signage out front.   It was a tiny pet grooming salon. Yay! My hound dog always needs her nails trimmed.

Every time we drove past there was never any cars in the lot, nor did we see any lights on. It was a small corner building, so it appeared it could have easily been owned by a sole proprietor who worked limited hours. That’s not terribly uncommon with start-ups.   At some point a paper “Open” sign appeared in the window.

I’ll cut to the chase – it’s been months. Literally months, and I have never once seen the lights on or anyone inside and certainly no cars outside. This building is right up the street from me so I drive past it frequently. There aren’t any posted hours on the door either – just the paper OPEN sign. Yet it is never open. I have also never seen any kind advertising or marketing about the place.

This made me think about some independent consultants with their direct sales businesses.

People have to know you exist and know how and when to contact you before they’ll consider doing business with you.  You can’t just sign up, get a website and hope the customers will flock to you. [Read more…] about Are You Open for Business?

Do Your Neighbors Know What You Sell?

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partiesI heard a sad direct sales story recently.   A consultant was invited to a home party by one of her neighbors. She was hosting a party for all her friends, relatives and neighbors. It was going to be a big bash and fun time. The consultant felt ill when she learned her neighbor was hosting a party for the same company that the she represented. The consultant who was going to be facilitating the party was not even on the consultant’s team.

When the consultant told the neighbor that she too sold for the same company, the neighbor looked perplexed and said, “Oh. Did you just start?”   The consultant hung her head in shame and mumbled that she had been a consultant with that company for almost five years!

WHY DIDN’T THE NEIGHBOR KNOW THAT?

To make matters worse, the night of the party there were cars lined all up and down the street. Some even parked in front of the consultant’s house. The consultant listened to the guests having fun outside by her neighbor’s pool. There were laughing, and playing games and having a great time.

THE RIPPLE EFFECT

It doesn’t end there.   A few days later the neighbor saw the consultant outside by the mail box and asked her why she didn’t come over to the [Read more…] about Do Your Neighbors Know What You Sell?

5 Clever Ways to Work Your Direct Sales Biz on the Holidays

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fireworksHappy 4th of July! I hope you’re enjoying a great day as we celebrate our independence. Did you work your direct sales business today or did you take today off?

Every holiday when I suggest consultants work on getting sales during their holiday gatherings some look at me like I have three heads. I think some of think I’m suggesting that in the middle of Easter dinner or during fireworks you open up your rolly suitcase to have an impromptu product demonstration with your auntie and mother-in-law.   Gosh no! That’s beyond tacky.

When you own your own business, “working” can take on many forms.

When I suggest working your business during holiday gatherings, I mean to do it very subtly then let them bring it up. If you shove it down their throats you’ll be in the NFL (No Friends/Family Left). It also means should an opportunity come up briefly, and I do mean briefly, to mention your business, take that opportunity. If the door is open, walk through.

Using Scentsy as an example, but you can substitute your own product line – you get the picture:

  1. After coming out of the bathroom or helping to clean up dishes, use a little dab of your scented hand lotion. [Read more…] about 5 Clever Ways to Work Your Direct Sales Biz on the Holidays

Marketing With Business Cards

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Scentsy business cardI received a phone call from a potential customer.   It started something like this, “My daughter left your card on our kitchen table, and we’ve been looking for something like this for a long time.”   At the conclusion of the call I asked her if she knew where her daughter received my card. “In the bathroom at such and such place.”

Bathrooms are my favorite place to advertise.   Where else do you have such a captive audience?   I leave cards in the bathroom sta11 above the toilet paper; and also on the sink near the soap.  Absolute worst case is that some employee (or competitor) picks up my cards and throws them away; or perhaps I receive a phone call from management – which, by the way, in the seven years I’ve been doing this, has never happened.  But if management were to call and say “No, no, shame, shame – everybody knows your name”, well then I am a firm believer in it is better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. Besides, you have a yet another prospect to listen to your 30-second commercial. Sometimes you need to color outside the lines (within reason of course!)

I even have my family involved.  Now when we’re out to eat and one of them asks if she can use the restroom, she always follows it up with “did you leave cards yet, or should I do it?”   Like mother like daughter.

Movie theaters are another one of my favorite places to do the mad dash. Our local theaters have over a dozen stalls per bathroom – perfect! I don’t frequent bars anymore, but there’s another place where woman frequent. No bathroom is sacred! Any place that has a public bathroom will receive my calling card:  Grocery store, mall, bagel shop, dentist’s office, doctor’s office, chiropractor, zoos, gas stations, you name it. Strategically placed cards here and there are fine, just be thoughtful and not litter or spam – there’s a fine line between the two.

Make sure you always carry plenty of cards with you.  I make it a contest to see how fast I can rid myself of each box of 250 cards; I challenge myself to 500 per month! When you give someone your card, always give two – one for them to keep and one for them to pass on. Build your business with referrals.

What are you waiting for? Equip yourself with your business cards and start spreading the love!

About the Author: Laurie Ayers is a Michigan work from home mom and a Superstar Director with Scentsy Wickless Candles. She enjoys helping men and women start and maintain a home based business in the US, Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Australia, Austria, Poland, Spain, France, Germany, Ireland and the UK. To download a FREE Start Up Guide which provides more details about how to start a home business as well as to learn about our compensation plan go to https://www.thrivingcandlebusiness.com/how-to-start-a-candle-business/