The quaint streets of Sylva, North Carolina were my office last week. Yes, I was on vacation BUT I was also a walking billboard for my business. I started conversations and made connections. I have to admit, it was out of my comfort zone BUT the streets of NC seem so much more welcoming then the streets in NJ.
One of the best “perks” of being of being your own boss and have a direct sales business is I get to have total freedom on how I run my business. Honestly, running a successful direct sales business can become an all-consuming task. To keep that from happening, you have to stay on top of everything that’s going on in your direct sales business. I know, you are wondering is it worth all of the effort? Let me tell you – it absolutely is!
Here are some tips and tricks for keeping everything manageable:
#1 You need to stay hungry for success.
This is one of the toughest things for me. Set goals for your business around bookings, sales, and recruiting and create a strategy for going after them on a daily basis. This helps you to stay focus and succeed in all three areas. Not only will it help you to keep creative, but you’ll be modeling things that your team can follow to grow their business.
#2 Keep an eye on your business facts and figures.
Keeping you eye on the numbers doesn’t mean just checking your reports to see if you and your team has sales. I have gotten better with “organizing” my expenses BUT they still are not logged in my records. The bottom line is that if anyone asked me what it costs me to do business, I would have to just guess. This is not good. You need to “know your numbers” before the end of the year and doing taxes so you have a true read on how you’re actually doing in your business. This means you need to organize accounts, track expenses, and keep everything up to date so you know where you are at any given moment. I use a simple tickler file to organize expenses, now the key is to put them on the excel spread sheet every month. When you know your finances are in order, then you will know how your business is doing, NO, it isn’t much fun but if you do it at least once a month, life will be easier.
#3 Stay Educated and Execute what you learn!
Keep up to date on trends in your company and in the industry by reading magazines, blogs, and your company information and publications. Things happen and you need to be sure you’re on top of any changes as soon as they happen. Some would recommend reading newspapers like Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal because the information in these publications can have an impact on you even if it’s not business specific. I find some of the best information coming from expert emails and newsletters, like Julieann Jones or Becky Spieth or Desiree Wolfe. Reading is great but if you don’t DO SOMETHING with the information, there is no real value to you. If you read something which sounds like a good fit for your business, make a plan and take action to try it. Even if it doesn’t work out the way you planned, you’ll learn from the experience – win or lose.
#4 Social media – pick two!
Social media – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, SnapChat, Google Hangouts and the list goes on. It seems like every day there is a new spot to promote your business. Overwhelming? To me it is. The key is knowing where your target market hangs out. If most of your customers are on Facebook and Instragram, start there. Be consistent. Share and don’t constantly ask for sales. Don’t be that “pushy” sales person. You want to be seen as a trusted expert in your product area. I am consistent on Facebook by using Cinchshare. I LOVE it. The minimal cost allows me to plan my posts even when I am on vacation. CLICK HERE to get a free trial. Taking the time to post for a week will same you time and will help to increase your visibility online. This is a great way to keep things simple.
What are your best tips for staying on top of the “business” of your business (or home projects). Share them with us.
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 