Let’s Get Unstuck Together!

WOOHOO!  It is Wednesday – the last day of the month and a day we are going to CELEBRATE you!

How many of you woke up this morning, and hit the snooze button?  How many of you buried your head under the covers for just a few minutes more?

I will admit, that is me most mornings.  I could use the excuse of health challenges but that isn’t always the case – sometimes, I just don’t want to get up.  Have you been there?

What happens if you just push yourself to move – put those feel and on the floor? The simple key to moving forward (or getting up) is ……….

“The key is to get your feet on the ground and keep them moving!”

Simple, but so true.

In that split second when you decide to sit up, swing your legs over the side of the bed, stand up and start moving – something happens.  You have made the conscious decision to say, “No. I’m getting up now,” and then followed through with action steps.  Once I start moving, I keep moving!   There is no turning back.  There is a sense of accomplishment!  What about you, do you feel that little tingle of pride. “You did it! You didn’t feel like it, but you got moving.”

Success is a series of good decisions.  When you stack them up one on top of another;  you build a wonderfully successful life. I know, getting out of bed doesn’t seem so major, right?  But the actions that you took to do that can be applied to other areas of your life.  One small step at a time….

It starts with getting up early so you can meditate or work out.  Then it moves to choosing the grilled fish off the menu instead of fried (eating healthy). When you approach a big decision that needs to be made – break it up into small decisions.  It can start with saying “no” to an opportunity that will lead you away from your vision rather than closer to it.

So what keeps you procrastinating? Will you head to the gym or come up with an excuse? Will you sit down and work on that project or turn on the television?

Here are 4 Ways to Get Unstuck in Five Seconds courtesy of Valerie Burton:

1. The person that you’ve been procrastinating about reaching out to – when you finish reading this, contact them immediately. Don’t wait until later. Do it now – while your motivation is high. 
2. That thing you need to say, but can’t seem to muster the courage? Remember this: All you need to do is open your mouth and say it – honestly and kindly. That’s all that is standing between you and standing in truth.
3. Ask for help from someone who is a “mover.” Sometimes we just need to get around somebody with vision, someone on the move. High energy is contagious.
4. Stop thinking about your problem and think about a solution. Ask, “What’s the next easiest step that will move me towards what I want?”

In what area of your life do you feel stuck right now?  Let’s change it TODAY! Let’s enter September ready to move forward and be unstuck.

Feeling stuck and being stuck are not the same. Feelings are honest, but they are not necessarily the truth. Feelings come from thoughts – what you say to yourself about your dilemma. Change your thoughts and you change what you feel. Change what you feel and you change what you do.

Staying stuck is a choice. Move towards what you want. Even if it is a baby step, get moving!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

BINGO Fun

Happy Saturday Everyone!

I LOVE Tastefully Simple  and how easy it makes my life.  I also have found that I LOVE Younique .

So I have decided to team up with the wonderful Nicole  and Rose to host a BINGO event on Thursday, April 14th.  It will be held at Wurlitzers on Route 9 in Toms River.  Doors will open at 6:30PM and BINGO will start at 7PM.  9 games for $10.  Additional cards can be earned or purchased for $2 each.  Lots of fun and prizes.  CLICK HERE to get in on the fun.

Some of my TS favorites:

Onion Onion is the BEST way to add the onion flavor to a recipe WITHOUT the mess of chopping and crying. I use it is my meatloaf and chili.  I love that there is no chopping and complaining about my burning eyes.

Being gluten-free, I do like the GlutenFree Vanilla Bean Pound Cake Mix. I didn’t even know it was gluten free!  These are my top two but many of the TS products are staples in my cabinet.

As for Younique, they are best known for their mascara BUT I don’t use any because of my glaucoma.  I am really careful about any eye makeup.  I did find the Beachfront Bronzer and use it all year long.  Quick and easy for a glow that reminds me of summer.

So, mark your calendar and join us for some fun.  Want to know how YOU can host your own BINGO event?  We can do a FREE event (WHAT??) and you can raise money for your favorite cause. Ask me for the details.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

You and Your Hostess – Better Together

 

If you are in direct sales, and more importantly, in a party plan business, you know that the bulk of your business is going to be a result of your parties – home, online/catalog or Facebook.

Amazing women are going to host parties.  They are going to welcome their friends and family into their home with the expectation that they are going to buy your products.  PLUS, you are hoping that they will host a party with you and invite their friends to come back for more products.  In the midst of all of this you are hopefully building a relationship with these woman.

These ladies are going to get down and dirty with you – they are going to know how you work. You are going to help them by showing them how to have a successful party when YOU hostess coach.   They are going to learn about the business – your business (and whether it could be for them).  They are going to know the ins and outs of your hostess reward program.  Of course all of this is based on the fact that you do your job right!

So far it seems like they are doing all the work, right?  So she is expecting to be HOOKED UP!

Here is where you come in…..Picture it: she is hosting and getting her friends to buy, come to a party, join a party, sacrifice family time, etc.  Trust me she wants to be hooked up so she is getting the best bang for her buck. .

YOU are going to:

• work your tail off to get her as many orders as you can!
• work with her every step of the way through hostess coaching!
• work with her to get her those spare specials, if it is possible.
• want her to get as much as possible, for as cheap as possible.

Now, I am sure you have heard that it is not a good idea to let your guests or your hostess take those spare specials.  To be honest, this has never hurt my business.  Picture the guest who really wants the special but may not be able to afford much.  Maybe it is an either or situation.  Maybe if she spends the $35 to qualify for the special, she won’t be able to afford the special.  Wouldn’t it be better to help the guest out instead of not having a sale at all?  Listen to what your guests are saying so that you can help your hostess get it all.

It helps you out by building a relationship and loyalty especially with your hostess.  It lets her know that you listened to her wish list, her desires, her needs and what she is wanting!

Do what it takes man, so long as its legal and within your company’s guidelines!

I promise you this, when you work hard for her, she will work hard for you and she will be back. She will become very loyal and so will her friends cause she is going to talk you up!

Good customer service is SO hard to come by these days, be that GOOD customer service!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Monday Morning Ramble

It’s Monday morning.  For some (like me), I love Mondays.  I get to spend the day with hubby who is off. There is nothing on my calendar after a few morning hours in my office.  We will head to lunch and if it is nice, maybe even head to the lake to take a walk.  It is the perfect way to continue a fun filled weekend!  At Saturday’s craft show I got to catch up with some old friends then again with even more at St. Paul’s Annual Variety Show.  On Sunday I got to make some new friends while helping a Kathryn get some FREE Thirty-One products.  We were #bettertogether with Thirty-One and Pink Zebra.

This is the FIRST Monday in a LONG time that I am stuck!  Yup, not sure what to talk about…..So, I am going to “ramble” about some thoughts I had while I was on the road this past weekend.  As I used my GPS, I thought about a picture that I used to have hanging in my office:

Okay, I know it is a little strange but for awhile it kept me focused on my business when I was in my office.  It kept me from getting lost in the black hole of social media.  The work I did in my office was all income producing in an effort to build my business.  Then I thought, what is someone put one of those “pocket cams” on me for a week, what would they think is important to me based on how I spend all my time.

YIKES!  I don’t know about you but that could be a little scary.  I mean most of us can talk a good game, right?  We can share our values, our beliefs and even our “why”.  We can share our material wants and needs. We all carry around a picture in our head of what’s important.  You could give someone a visual picture of what is important to you.  BUT if they shadowed you for a day or a week, what would they say?  We can put words to things but what about that old saying “actions speak louder than words”.

So the question is, do you spend a lot of time on certain activities? Honestly, the typical assumption is that if it’s important, we spend more time doing it.  BUT, does that really tell the whole story.  Maybe you spend most of your life at work.  Does that make it most important? As for me, I think that “quality time” should definitely replace “quantity of time” as a way to determine importance.  For me, it can all be summed up in 6 words:

Giving myself away so others smile.

So, how will you SHOW people what’s important in your life?  Believe it or not, when you find your answer, then your true self is obvious to everyone. So, let YOUR sparkle shine today!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Business Marketing

It is Friday and for many of my Thirty One sisters, they are headed to National Conference in Columbus Ohio.  This is  my favorite time of year for so many reasons but the BIGGEST one is that as Thirty One sisters, we are better together.  Together we celebrate our achievements.  Together we encourage each other through the hills and the valleys of our business.  Together we reward each other with hugs and high fives.  Although I have always been a team player, working solo (especially in my grant writing days) seemed to be my favorite mode of working – that is so different now.  I thrive when I am surrounded by the love and support of my Thirty One sisters.  I will be with you in spirit this year as I celebrate, encourage and reward you from a distance.

I started thinking about some other things that are better together like peanut butter & jelly, wine & cheese and sugar & spice.  Then I start thinking about the different ways that we can market our business.  I know a strange transition but it happens that way some times.

For many in direct sales, we have lean business budgets because our goal was to make money when we joined NOT spend it right?  But we need to keep ourselves front and center with our potential customers.  What makes them think of YOU when they are ready to buy?  Is it that they carry your products or use them on a daily basis?

 

Here are some inexpensive ways to advertise your business when you are out and about:

 

1. iPad, iPhone or laptop “skin”

I think this is a great idea.  I am always either on my iPhone or my iPad.  My phone currently has a plain cover and doesn’t tell anyone what I do.  My iPad is the same.  I am going to create a skin for my iPad and cell phone, so no one will miss a chance to know what I do.  I mean I usually wear a Thirty One shirt and I ALWAYS am carrying a Thirty One bag but by using my visual brand, what a great conversation starter!

 

2. Social media

Everyone is on social media – all or some but at least one if they are in business.  There is Facebook, Twitter and YouTube which offer space to say who you are and what you do. Then there is Periscope and LinkedIn.  Personally, why not use these platforms as an opportunity to remind your friends and family what you offer?  How about using business images or sayings on your profile headers, add photos of you at work (everyone loves a party), your company logo or a recent company training, instead of a photo of your dog or a pretty sunset.  I think personal things are important too but there should be a 80/20 split on your personal page.  Remember sharing is caring.

3. Social events

Step out of your comfort zone which can mean getting out of your current networking circles. Scary, right?  Find new events where media and decision-makers are mingling which might earn you some free publicity.  Get involved with causes that are near and dear to your hear.

 

4. Video

This is becoming something that I am more comfortable with the more I do them.  Practice makes perfect, right?  The use of video is growing every minute.  Make them short and to the point.  Think about the videos that you watch and what makes you click them or not.  Have real world videos like your team at work and play, highlight product demonstration or give virtual tours of your office.  Things that would let people get to know you and your company product.  I am doing videos on my Facebook parties and getting a lot of positive feedback.  Thank you to the Tag Team Peeps for their ideas.

 

In the past, it was sell, sell, sell.  Today, it is more about positioning yourself so that customers think of you when opportunities arise.  What is your best tip for sharing instead of selling?

Have  ThirtyOne-derful day!