I have always struggled with the concept,”working smarter”. I think it is finally starting to sink in…. since I have my own business. Over the last week or so, I have been talking to friends in direct sales who have been feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Some because of life while others are learning to find a balance between home, work, business and family.
Working my Thirty One business full time can sometimes feel like I am spinning my wheels. Now if I could lose weight while doing it, it would be perfect but sadly, it just seems I spin my wheels and get stuck in non-productive activities.
Building a direct sales business (or any business really), doesn’t have to be overwhelming or stressful. The best part of direct sales, is the ability to make your own hours so whether you have a few hours a week or several hours every day to work your business, you want to be able to get results and reach your goals, right?
So, since you aren’t loosing any weight by spinning those wheels, why not try these five ways to work smarter in your direct sales business (or with any goal).
#1. Know your goals & break them down into action steps.
The best way to work smarter is to actually know what your goals are and the activities you need to be doing to reach them. I am great for saying I want to make “$1000 or more per month income from my business” or “I want to promote to Senior Director” but knowing what the steps are to get there are not always as easy. Saying it is great. The truth is you need to break it down into smaller milestones and activity goals so you know what to focus on each day, week & month to reach them. Sometimes it is easier said then done.
How many parties/shows/demos will it take per month? How many customer orders? Of course recruiting plays a big part, so how many do you need to add to your team? Honestly when breaking down my goals, I focus on things I have control over. Yes, team sales play a factor because I can’t control what someone else does in their business. Break down your goals, how many parties or customer orders do you need each month? How many active team members do you need to promote? Once you have the monthly activities, you can break them down even further to weekly goals and daily activities.
#2. Work your Business Like a Business.
I know you have heard it 1,000 times. If you want to earn the income of a business, you have to treat your business like a business. If you have a “day job”, think about the things you do going into work on a regular basis to earn a paycheck. Yes, it is the same with a direct sales business. Your business is “flexible BUT NOT optional”. You still have to put in the hours and work to have a paycheck and grow your business. Create a schedule to work your business which fits into your current lifestyle and family.
#3. Focus on Income Producing Activities.
This is an area I struggle in. Now you have a schedule, you are ready to treat your business like a business by learning where to focus your limited time. I sometimes find myself wasting time on things which don’t generate income or move me closer to reaching my goals. Social Media can be a time sucker. Re-creating tools and training can be a waste of time. What are income producing activities? Things which lead to a cash transaction like customer orders, parties, recruiting and team building. You should focus 80% of your time on direct marketing, follow up, building relationships, holding parties, recruiting, and helping your team build their business.
#4. Set up Streamlined Systems
Systems equal success & less stress. I can attest to this since I have set up a system which seems to work, at least with follow-up. I am still a work in progress for hostess coaching. Don’t have a system? Start by writing all the things you do in each area of your business. Now, write down the ones you should be doing but aren’t. Where can you batch similar tasks together to save time? Can you delegate activities? How about automated emails or training videos or documents with frequently asked questions you can refer people to? With these things, you can streamline the processes in your business so you don’t jump around or or miss out on important steps in your business.
#5. Develop a mindset of success & stop procrastinating.
Don’t let your fears rule your thoughts. Don’t let procrastination hold you back. Don’t make excuses. Procrastination is the #1 killer of productivity. It is a form of fear. It means stepping out of your comfort zone. YIKES! Scary stuff, right? The only way to overcome procrastination is to make a real commitment to reaching your goals. Have a plan, have set goals with activities and have an accountability partner to connect with to help you stop procrastinating.
Basically, ask yourself these three question before you do any activity:
- Is this going to get me closer to my goals?
- Will this make the best use of my time?
- Does this honor my mission in life & business?
If the answer is yes, go for it! What is keeping you from reaching your goals?
Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!
Hope Wissel 