Sponsoring

Bribing People to Join Your Direct Sales Team

13 February 2018 By LA 2 Comments

“Join My Team and Get a FREE xyz!”

I’ve been around direct sales for many years, 2018 marks my 30th year in the industry. I’ve seen a number of phases or sales tactics come and go. One that has continued to stick around is the practice of many desperate direct sellers attempting to bribe recruits into joining their team. “Psst – over here. I’ll give you this if you join my team. Hey! Hey! Over here, I’m offering this, my offer is better than her offer.”

Desperation

I don’t understand why some would lower themselves to increase team members. Whenever I see “Psst, over here honey, join my team” all I can think of is a line of prostitutes standing on the street corner, with Johns passing by, ogling at the goods, looking for the best offer.” Okay, that may have been a little harsh. How about this one? Little Suzy is throwing a temper tantrum in the store and mommy says, “If you stop screaming, I’ll give you a new dolly.” Little Suzy stops screaming and gets her dolly. Mommy may be out $30 but so what, she manipulated the result she wanted. Who really won here? Right – Suzy did.

Return on Investment

Consultants who feel they need to give away the milk for free rarely receive a ROI (return on their investment). Sure they get recruits. Sure they may have the numbers to meet their qualifications – short term. But are they truly recruiting team members who are joining because they believe in the product and want to work the business? Or are they getting people who mostly just want to see how much stuff they can get for little money?

Unethical Sponsors

It’s also unethical, unprofitable and in most direct sales companies it’s prohibited by policy, thereby making the consultant out of compliance. Do you really want to join with someone to be your leader and mentor who either has blatant disregard for company policies or who hasn’t bothered to read and understand them?

Since my daughters were old enough to have money, I’ve taught them the importance of understanding they do not need to buy their friends and to be weary of friends who use them for their money and their generosity. Yet these consultants who offer to give xyz for those who join their team don’t seem to see that they’re being used.

Who wants friends (or team members) who are only in it for the extra freebies? Personally, I’d be embarrassed to be advertising, “Join my team and receive a free xyz.” Many people read that as “Join my team because I’m desperate and have to bribe people to join and I like to be used for my free stuff and don’t really worry about having quality team members who want to be here.”

What’ll You Give Me?

I worked with a potential new team member for an extended period of time – more than a few emails and a few questions. She continued to ask me IF she joined my team would I be able to give her xyz? I could have easily promised her I would just to lock in the deal. Aside from the fact that I wouldn’t or couldn’t do that, I saw a huge red flag about the character of the person attempting to play both sides against the middle to get the best deal for her.

The best deal for her would have been to sign up with a proven leader, but if she were merely after freebies, then it’s probably good that she went with the consultant who was out of compliance by agreeing to a recruitment enticement.

Re-evaluate

If you are currently bribing people to recruit new team members, then perhaps you should take a hard look at your opportunity. If you don’t honestly believe that your business opportunity or your starter kit is a good value, then it may be time to look for another opportunity. Additionally, if you have someone knocking at your door for the best offer, and it doesn’t include your knowledge, skills and abilities, I’d throw that minnow back in without giving it a second thought. There are plenty of other fish in the sea. Some will. Some won’t. So what. Someone’s waiting.

Scentsy?

If you’re considering joining Scentsy, see why I may be a good fit as your sponsor. Then join here.

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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.

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Would You Rather Join With an Eeyore or a Tigger Sponsor?

3 July 2014 By LA Leave a Comment

Attitudes are contagious.

If you spend time with someone who is always crabbing and complaining, it too can drag you down. It won’t be long before you also start to adopt nonproductive emotions and attitudes.

Likewise, if you spend time with those who are positive, chipper and generally happy, it’s easy to maintain your own peaceful, joyful attitude.

Some say opposites attract, but I disagree. Like attracts like. I consider myself pretty positive. I embrace living in the moment and appreciating each moment. I don’t sweat the small stuff … and it’s mostly all small.

If you’re a direct sales independent consultant you know that you have a two-fold business, sales and sponsoring. If you’re having a hard time team building, take a look at what type of recruits you may be attracting.

Are You a Tigger?

Tigger personality Tigger is genuinely friendly and bouncy. He likes to sing, “The wonderful thing about Tiggers is I’m the only one!” He is cheery, positive, sweet and energetic. He’s FUN to be around. See for yourself.

Or Are You an Eeyore?

Eeyore is a pessimistic old grey donkey. He lives in the southeast corner of the Hundred Acre Wood, in an area labeled “Eeyore’s Gloomy Place: Rather Boggy and Sad” Have a look.

Like Attracts Like

I see direct sales consultants on forums and Facebook complaining or finding reasons to be upset about one thing or another. It’s no surprise their business isn’t going well. It’s no wonder they’re not building strong teams. They are leading by example, but not a very good example. [Read more…] about Would You Rather Join With an Eeyore or a Tigger Sponsor?

Top 3 Ways to Look Desperate with Scentsy Recruiting

7 March 2014 By LA Leave a Comment

You can find much information on building your direct selling business. There are plenty of books, articles and blogs on what some deem as best practices to recruit.

What you won’t find too much of is what not to do. If you don’t recruit the right way you just come off looking desperate.

If you are already thinking, “But that’s not focusing on the positive, Laurie” let me say that I am positive that if you are currently engaging in any of the actions below; and if after you read this you find yourself with a new awareness that what you’ve been doing isn’t necessarily a best practice, I am positive you will see an increase to your down line.

1. Join My Team and Get:

Bribing people to join your team is numero uno on my list desperate recruiting moves.

Do you really want team members who are just there for the freebies?
It looks like your company’s business opportunity and/or starter kit isn’t good enough to stand on its own.
How is this any different than the little elementary school girl who couldn’t get anyone to play with, so she gave away her cookies at lunch just to have friends?
It’s sending a message that your mentoring and coaching skills leave much to be desired. Otherwise you wouldn’t devalue what you have to offer.
Based on the percentage of royalties, commissions, or leadership bonus (whatever you want to call it) you will receive on your new recruit’s sales, have you calculated how much she/he will need to sell before you merely break even on your give away?

2. I Only Need Two More People To Qualify for the Trip [Read more…] about Top 3 Ways to Look Desperate with Scentsy Recruiting

Join My Team and Get a Free x

20 November 2012 By LA Leave a Comment

That’s a pretty enticing subject line, isn’t it? Who doesn’t love freebies? I know plenty of potential direct sales consultants who shop around for the best offer. “What will you give me if I join your team?” “What joining specials are you offering?” This is actually problematic for a number of reasons, so I thought it’d be a good topic to discuss.

I believe what I am about to say is true for many direct sales companies, but I only have intimate, first-hand knowledge about how Scentsy works. Therefore I’ll address this using Scentsy as an example, but I suspect the information may be transferrable to many other companies.

Scentsy policies strictly prohibit any recruiting specials at all. This means a consultant cannot promise if you join her/his team to give you a free product, website, business supplies, pay for your starter kit or anything else with any monetary gain or value at all. Nothing. Yet on any given day you may find consultants posting online some recruiting enticement. “Join My Team and Get a Free”¦”

If you’re just looking to collect starter kits and get freebies, then you probably don’t really care if it’s against corporate policies or not. However, if you’re looking to start a business or to earn some extra income, this is something you may want to pay close attention to. This likely means that you will be enrolling with a sponsor who either has blatant disregard for policies or who hasn’t read the policies and isn’t knowledgeable about the inner workings of the company. Either way, it’s not a positive way to start a business relationship. If they’re cheating or are ignorant to the rules, do you really want this person as your mentor? [Read more…] about Join My Team and Get a Free x