Increase Your Sales

I know, it is getting close to Christmas and Vacation Veronica is ready to creep in.  You know who I mean…. the inner gremlin who tells you  “it is time for you to take a break” or “everyone is shopping at the malls” or any of the crazy thoughts which keep us from moving forward with our business during the busiest selling season of the year.

For me, I am at Day 2 of an event at AT & T in Bedminster.  My first time taking a big event like this in a long time but I am grateful for momma’s help.  A closed event for employees, and vendors.  Okay, so more about how to increase your sales….

No matter what your business, I know there are many of us in direct sales struggling with the same thoughts.  Some are shutting down their businesses getting ready for their own holiday while others are plugging along.  With so many exciting things happening at Thirty One with Customer Appreciation month coming and the NEW Spring Catalog Premiere, I am too excited to be winding down my business yet.  

For many of us, our direct sales business has been changing from home parties to parties dominated by social media.  From Facebook Live to Zoom parties to 31 minute parties to texting parties…. the home party has gone away for many.  I came across a blog by JulieAnne Jones which made me giggle. She starts off with:

I know, I know, your home party plan merchandise sells itself. I’ve heard that a million times from my direct sales clients and friends and I believe it…to a point.

So why does it make me giggle? Because I have said it a million times to potential hostesses when we are talking about booking a “shopping experience”.  Admit it, you have too. We know the “face to face” parties are where things really happen, right?  When people are having fun and you are providing them with solutions to every day problems, they will shop.  Believe it or not, there are ways to provide the same personalized shopping experience on social media but it is for a different blog post…

None of us want to be the pushy sales person BUT you need to be using some sales techniques or you are going to leave money on the table. Okay, maybe not literally but you will miss out on the opportunities in front of you…..

So here are some tips on how to maximize your sales at the end of your home party or at your social media base party.

1. A Wish List. This is a great way for your guests to keep track of the items they like and helps with checkout. Getting customers to tell you what their favorite products are or what is on their wish list is a great way to help them with the best deals when placing an order, hosting a party or joining your team.  I am going to create a google form for my online parties to not only be able to gather information on the guests but to ask for their “wish list” offering a ticket to be drawn for all who complete the form.  A minimal cost but worth it in the end.

2. Shopping.  Help you guests with shopping whether in person or online.  I have been utilizing the Tag Team version of a Facebook party and my guests loved it.  No need to go to the website.  Be sure you include how to shop in at the end of your presentation or during your social media party.  Make it easy for them.  Be sure to talk about customer specials, shipping times, etc.. This seems like a no-brainer but the truth is sometimes we forget something.

3. Provide a Nordstrom, not a Wal-Mart experience for your guests.  Honestly, this is my favorite thing to do.  Spending one on one time with guests.  I will help them find the best deals so they get the most value for their dollar.  Dedicated time to each customer to answer their questions and help them with choices will increase sales and build relationships which will lead to future bookings and sales.  I have been known to spend 45 minutes on the phone with a customer sending sample shots to them just to ensure they receive exactly what they are looking for in a product.

4. Add-on Products. Solution sets have always been a part of Thirty One’s party experience (as well as many other direct selling businesses) A core product teamed with two other products.  Asking guests if they want the monthly special is easy and usually a welcome reminder according to party guests. Your job is to know your merchandise and catalog so well you can suggest add-on products based on what your customers like (upsell).  A high percentage of people will say yes to relevant suggestions, increasing your bottom line.

So, which one of these tips are YOU going to implement to increase your sales for the rest of the holiday season? Better yet, what is YOUR best tip for increasing sales? Share with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Are You Taking Risks?

Risk is defined “as exposing (someone or something valued) to danger, harm, or loss.”  Honestly, how many of us actually take risks?  The truth is we take some risk every day – we drive a car with only a yellow line separating us from the other car, we fly in planes, and I am sure the list could go on.  Most of us don’t think of these things as risks, right?

Often, my fear of failing stops me from stepping out into uncharted territory. Although I believe that you learn from your mistakes, I am often hesitant to walk on a path that is less traveled. Taking a risk can sometimes mean just stepping out of your comfort zone.

I talk a lot about stepping out of your comfort zone . I believe that many of us don’t and as a result, we are kept from reaching our full potential and our goals in life and in business.  So whether you are jumping into a new job, a new relationship, a new business or anything else that takes you out of your comfort zone, here are some tips to determine if you should take a risk or not:

• Trust yourself. When you take a risk, you need to trust that you have the skills to reach your ultimate goal. If you lack self-confidence, the first step is identifying your weakness.  Then seek out others who can help you through the struggles.
• Think creatively.  Being unique is wonderful.  Standing out or above the crowd allows us to shine.  Remember that when you step outside of the box, you don’t want to loose sight of your vision/goal.  You can be creative while still  using some of the tried and true ideas that have helped others be successful.
• Know your field and product/service.  Love what you do and the rest is easy.  I have taken risks many times when it came to new jobs.  The secret to all of them was that I loved what I did.  I learned everything I could so that I could be an expert in that particular area.  If you are joining a direct sales company,  LOVE their products. Learn from those who have gone before you.  Take classes. Read books.  Network with others in your field and out of your field.

• Implement a support system and seek expert advice. When I stepped out of my comfort zone to join a direct sales company, I found an AMAZING support system in my upline and other Thirty One sisters. Find a network of professionals who you trust that can guide you in those areas where you are weak. Here are a few that have helped me:  Entrepreneurial Think Tank for Women, The Desiree Wolfe, Eryka Peskin, JulieAnn Jones, Britt Bolnick and the list goes on personally and professionally.

• Show courage. Sometimes it just comes down to – Do I have the courage to step out of my comfort zone and take a RISK. “By showing courage, you are also showing good leadership skills” – I never really thought about that.
  Never give up. Stepped out and it didn’t work out?  Maybe you didn’t get the response you were looking for?  Maybe you it didn’t turn out like you planned? Okay – build a bridge and get over it.  Learn from this and move on.
• Don’t listen to negatives.  Ignore Negative Nellie.  Stop talking to her since those negative thoughts will undermine your self-confidence. If she has taken up residence in your head – close the door on her and find some positive affirmations to keep the door locked. This is sometimes our biggest hurdle.

Risk means there is a potential for loss. It means that we are stepping out of our comfort zone and walking in FAITH. If the risk is God-centered, then he will lead us through it. Even if it is not a success or is a flat out FAIL, there is a lesson that can be learned. Step out of your comfort zone, take a risk and see where it leads.  What will you do today to step out of YOUR comfort zone?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Motivation

 We all know that motivation is the key to success in everything that we do but especially in direct sales or when you have your own business. Lack of motivation makes it hard to take action, and without action, your goals remain unfulfilled. Did you know that there is actually some types of motivation that hinder you rather than help you?  Everyone who reads this blog or knows me, knows that I am a HUGE believer of the Law of Attraction.  I may struggle practicing it some days BUT I never give up.

Based on that belief, If you’re motivated by what you don’t want to occur or what you’re afraid will happen if you don’t take action, that is that motivation that is keeping you from reaching your goal.  Think about it – are you ever excited and motivated to run away from something?  Are you motivated when you feel like you have to keep moving to stay ahead of what you’re afraid might happen?  Now, if you are being chased by a bear or something, yes that is motivating but I am talking about reaching your goals.

Everything starts with a thought, right?  So if you are thinking about what you DON’T want, you are creating more of those things that you wish to avoid.  Make sense?  Think of it this way, when you create a  a feeling or thought of what you don’t want, you are actually drawing it to you and giving it strength.

If you create a very clear picture of what you do want, decide how it would look, sound, and feel to have it, and then start moving toward that goal.  I struggle with the feeling side of this so it helps to talk it out with a friend; with their help (and asking me lots of questions) I can start to put that into a visualize.  It feels good when you are moving towards a goal.  Regardless of how big the steps are, you are creating positive energy and drawing those goals to you.  It feels good to move in a positive direction toward something you want.  When you focus your energy on what you want, the Law of Attraction kicks in.

When you are clearly focusing on your goal and visualizing how it will feel once you have it, amazing things start to happen.  Here are a few examples of mindset shifts you can make that will shift your motivation from moving away from to moving toward courtesy of JulieAnn Jones

• Change from: “I don’t want to be broke and I have to be able to pay off my debt” to “I’m abundant and I know money is flowing to me as I work toward my business goals.”
• Change from: “I have to get more bookings or my business is going to dry up” to “I am a booking magnet and I love doing parties for all of my excited hosts.”
• Change from: “I’ll never get everything on my to do list done. I have to work harder and longer to make it happen” to “I love taking positive action every single day with a clear plan and path to what I want to achieve.”

I know it can be tough.  It is amazing to me how changing just one or two words in a sentence (don’t want or have to get) can change the whole flow of the Universe.  It feels like magic.  Training your brain takes practice and you really just need to be intentional about opening the flow, getting out of your own way, and allowing what you need to come to you.

The best way that I have found to stay on top of this shift it to take a gratitude walk.  I don’t mean an actual walk although that is a great option BUT what I mean is to close your eyes for ten seconds a day and give thanks for the things that you already have.  When you feel positive about the amazing things you already have, whatever goal you’ve set for yourself seems within your reach.  If you do nothing else and just do this, you’ll be amazed at what starts to happen in your life and business.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Now What?

So, you decided to join a direct sales company for some extra money, some girl time. or fill in the blank.  Now the kit or enrollment package has arrived and you are wondering what you got yourself into, right?

I love these simple steps from JulieAnn Jones that breaks down the areas you will need to master to be a success in your direct sales  business.

#1: Parties and Bookings

If you joined a party plan business, this is the lifeblood of your business.  Now, there are a variety of different types of parties – home parties, catalog/online parties, Facebook parties, restaurant parties and open houses.  Honestly the best parties are home parties because face to face is the best way to build relationships and get more business.  Sales, sponsoring, and more bookings all flow from there.  Be ready to show potential hostesses why having their own home party is a great idea.

#2: Hostess Coaching

Your hostess is the key to a successful party, and parties are important (see #1 above). So a huge part of your job is creating a strong connection and building a relationship with your hostess.  When they are excited about the party (whatever form), it will get their guests excited and then they will want to book a party.  You want to make sure that they have everything they need to make their party is a success.

#3: Sales

I think this is almost as important as parties and bookings. You have to love your AMAZING product and use it.  I mean, how can  you tell people how wonderful it is, if you are not using it.  You don’t have to be “that pushy sales person” to be good at selling it.  “The key is to figure out how to share with people in a way that peaks their interest and desire to have your product.

#4: Sponsoring

I can hear the groans and see the rolled eyes.  A million reasons why you don’t want a team are already formulating in your head, right?  The truth is that to make any real money as a direct seller, you have to grow a team of successful consultants.  No, not an MLM scheme. You to create additional income as you support others and make money based on their efforts. Your mindset around building your team are crucial to your success in this area.  Honestly, I was there – I never wanted a team in the beginning. Now, I can’t imagine a world without the friendship in addition to their valuable addition to my business.

#5: Systems

I have learned the hard way that you will work harder when you don’t have a systematic way of working. That means you have to look at not only what you do on a consistent basis, but why you do it and, most importantly, whether or not it’s truly supporting you and your dreams.  As a leader, you have to make sure that everything you do is duplicatable and easy to teach your downline. Without this critical element, you truly won’t succeed as a direct seller.

You can grab a copy of JulieAnne’s “Book Yourself Solid In The Next 30 Days” roadmap by just subscribing to her mailing list.  Click here to grab your roadmap now!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Second Half of Year Success

Throwback Thursday is about succeeding…The picture was taken at one of my early Celebrate and Connect meetings.  These are bi-monthly meetings that I am honored to be able to host as a Director with Thirty One.  This AMAZING group of women came to learn how to be successful in their business.  I love that I can call many of these women friends, today.  We are more than just a purse thing!

Can you believe it?  I was a little overwhelmed when I saw this picture of the end of the year dates.  What kind of year have you had?  Honestly, mine has been filled with challenges.  I’m not going to sugar coat things, I have struggled in many areas of my life.  I have talked about starting over, hitting reset and doing things differently.  The truth is, I fall back into the same mindset.  What I realized is that as much as I dislike structure, I need it for my business.  I don’t just mean office hours, I mean a daily check list of things to do.  A daily push to step out of my comfort zone and be accountable.

That being said, I found some great tips courtesy of JulieAnn Jones to ensure that we achieve the goals that we set at the beginning of the year.  I want to challenge you to take a few hours and to look at your own business (or life).  Okay, if not a few hours at least some time to work through the lists.

The first step is to assess where you are, I don’t mean the should of, would of, could of things.  Let’s evaluate our results to date – the GOOD things.

List #1 – Write down all that you’ve accomplished so far this year and celebrate your successes! Way to go!

List #2 – Write down everything you still want to accomplish before the end of the year and create a plan for getting there.

List #3 – Make a list (as long as you can) of every single thing for which you’re grateful up to this point in 2015.

Focus on that gratitude for at least a few minutes every day for the rest of the year.  I actually have an alarm on my phone that rings and asks me “What are you grateful for today?”.  Some days, I sit and write it out; other days, I just speak it out to the universe.  It is important for me to stay positive.  Yes, I squirreled!

Back to the lists…. Now, that you know what you have accomplished up to this point, let’s look at where you want to be before December 31st. You are going to make three more lists for this:

List #4 – What did you plan to accomplish at the beginning of the year that you’ve haven’t gotten done yet? Make a list of at least three to five concrete goals.

List #5 – What ACTION steps can you begin to consistently take RIGHT NOW and for the rest of the year that will bring about those goals (be SPECIFIC)?

List #6 – What obstacles might get in the way of you taking those actions and how can you avoid them? Planning ahead can make a HUGE difference in your results.

Whether your goal is to lose weight, find a new job, book parties, sell a certain amount of products or grow your team – by writing these lists, you will be able to set a plan in motion to help you reach your goals.

What did your evaluation and plan look like at this mid-way point? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!