Quick Tips for Selling

I am super pumped!!!  The new Fall Thirty One catalog is AMAZING!  I leave for National Conference in 6 days!  In the meantime, there is still time left in July – you know, the dreaded “J” month to be a selling ROCKSTAR…

Here are a few tips to help you in ending the month of July strong…..

1. PRETTY SELLS.

If you are in direct sales, you probably have a website from the company.  Maybe they supply you with awesome graphics which is great.  BUT we all want to stand out in the crowd right?  We are on Social Media, pushing products or a service with our own pictures.  Isn’t it how we will stand out.  Well guess what, if it doesn’t look nice, people won’t buy it.  Showing how a product can be used is one thing.  Staging a product to draw attention to it, or to entice some one to buy is totally different.  Pretty is in the eye of the beholder but regardless of your style, it needs to look polished and well put together. I will be honest, I am not the best at this but I don’t give up and neither should you.

2. KEEP IT SUPER SIMPLE.

A long time ago, someone told me if “it takes more than 3 clicks to buy something, people won’t buy it”.  So going on the same premise, if I have to go on a scavenger hunt to find what I want to buy, it ain’t going to happen.  The majority of the world is impulse shoppers, so you need to meet their need to shop.

When you post a picture (remember the pretty picture?), it should include a link to your website or where the person can buy it.  Better yet, when someone clicks on the picture, it should take them to the exact spot they can place an order.

3. LEVERAGE YOUR TRIBE.

Whatever you call your peeps, look at them as ambassadors. People expect us to rave about our products, why not encourage others to rave about them.  Testimonials are great but who will take the time to read them.  Why not ask your customers to… Share their pics on IG or Facebook using your products, have them tag you when they share it and create a specific hashtag so you can track them.  I have my customers using #hopespursecloset

4. FLASH SALES!

People love sales and when there is a time limit, they are more apt to act quickly.  Who doesn’t love a good sale, right?

Examples include:

• New Moon / Full Moon sales – lasting 24 hours only
• Business birthday or Anniversary (did you launch your site on a specific day?)
• Bored at Work sale – runs from 12-2pm ONLY.
• BOGO sales – who doesn’t love a good bundle?!
• Free Shipping Fridays

Vacation Veronica tends to pay a visit at the end of June and seems to stay right through August.  Then September hits and we find ourselves with no parties on the calendar and starting our business all over.  Why not do something different?

We may be halfway through summer break but there is still time to revive your business.  While you are sitting at the beach, or lounging by the pool, spend some time looking at your vices (bad business habits) and identify how you can transform them into strengths which result in sales or leads.

What are you going to do to transform your business before the end of the summer?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

 

Holiday Marketing

The week after Thanksgiving and my email inbox is overflowing with all kinds of offers and suggestions on what to get everyone on my Christmas list.  Most of them I delete while others I may glance out briefly to see if there is really anything that I or anyone on my list needs.  In most cases, nothing has jumped out at me.  In the midst of all of this, I have been thinking about what I am offering my customers this holiday season.  Are they just glancing at my emails and hitting the delete button?  Are they thinking about ordering and then they lose focus?  Here are some ideas from “the self-employed.com” website:

• Offer Holiday Bundles – not only will you increase sales and your commission check (if you are in direct sales) but it provides a discount to your customers.  There are many talented consultants with Thirty One who design bundles every month with the monthly customer special.  You can check out some of them on my Facebook Page.  I also have a VIP group for my customers and hostess where I am offering the 12 Days of Thirty One Christmas.  Each day has a different special available for that 24-hour period.
• Upsell Stocking Stuffers – you know that little something to add to a person’s stocking. Most direct sales companies have items that are $5 or less that are perfect for this.  Thirty One has rosettes ($5) , nail files ($2), Key FOB ($5), and custom address labels ($5). You could bag your stuffer up in a small timeless memory pouch ($5) and then wrap the present in the larger matching pouch.  Additional sales – bigger commission check.  The little things add up.  These smaller items are also perfect for teacher’s gifts, secret Santa or just a little something to give that surprise guest over the holidays or throughout the year.

I use Facebook and am now starting to use Linked In to expand my network circle.  Social media is HUGE now with everyone posting their company specials and looking to attract new or more customers.  Honestly, I am not sure if there is a tried and true way to make the most of the holiday shopping season without getting somewhat lost in the shuffle.

The greatest success comes from building relationships with your customers.  Remember those customers that always wait until the last minute to order – call them, remind them of the deadline to make sure they don’t miss out.  Have a wish list from a hostess or customer, ask her who you could contact on her behalf.  This is a HUGE help for those husbands who never know what to get their wives.  I even have “HINT, HINT Honey” pictures for wives to share with their hubby or special someone.

Off to make some phone calls to ensure that my customers receive their orders by Christmas.  What have you been doing to stand out from the crowd this holiday season?  Share your ideas with us.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!