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!

 

 

Is Your Facebook Group a Flop?

Do you have a direct sales business?  Are you trying to reach new customers or maybe just get your name out there?  Or do you have a customer group and all you hear is crickets?

Truth be told, I hear crickets ALOT.  There are days when everyone is joining in the fun (like for a contest or to give an opinion) then there are days when I can’t even get a “like” on a picture.

I have been looking for the right mix to keep things going in my group.  It is a lot of trial and error. So, I have been on the hunt for tips to get things moving again…

I started my VIP group because everyone does in direct sales, right?  Facebook is crazy! Who can figure out who is going to see what post?

#1 – Get to Know Your Tribe

I thought I knew my tribe – women who enjoyed hearing about the products I sell along with tips on how to use them. Some days I wonder.  You need to get to know them better. This way you can have conversations and get to know how you can better serve them.

#2 – Market Research

Okay, I am not talking about a full research study.  Listen to the questions being asked and the conversations happening. Then create your posts around those questions. It’s what your audience wants and you are just answering the need.

#3 – Accessibility

Being active doesn’t mean you are obsessed with posting and responding to your group, you are just accessible to your followers.   Check in periodically during the day so when they ask you a question, you can send a comment, and as a result they feel more connected to you.

#4 – Be the Authority

Having your own group will make you an authority in your own niche. Don’t let it scare you – if you don’t know, find out.  You want to be the go-to person and viewed as an expert in your field.

#5 – KLT 

You want to build your know-like-trust factor.  Being in business,  we know you are genuine and likable, so it will be easy to build your know-like-trust factor just by being you and providing AMAZING value to your tribe.

#6 – Promo

Believe it or not, your main goal is NOT to promote your offers, but it is a nice perk.  Your captive audience, know, like, and trust you so they will take you up on your offers. Just don’t slam them every day!

#7 – Help Others

This is the most important thing as far as I am concerned – you get to help your tribe. You have the chance to help out wherever and whenever there is a need. Someone asks a question, you can help by giving advice.  Maybe they need to vent about something (anything).  You get to be the listening ear.  I love being able to help so many on a daily basis.  Above all else, provide value for your audience.

Of course, once you get to know them, you will need to know how to get them to engage in the group.

The best advice I go was to have a customized URL for your Facebook group. I love saying, “Come join us on Facebook at Hope’s Purse Closet”.  Potential members can search for the link and it pops right up.

How many Facebook groups do you belong to?  Have you noticed, they all have a daily thread or theme days?  Some will take a topic to talk about, or ask a question, or allow others to promo their business. Daily threads work are great for participation.

Here are some ideas:

Motivation Monday
Tasty Tuesday
Ask Me Anything
Promo Day
Friday Free for All
Small Business Saturday
Sunday Self-Care

The key is to have a mix of general conversation starters, industry related threads, and promotional opportunities for the members.  To help things along, you will want to be the first to post a comment in the thread to get it rolling.

As the group grows, schedule a monthly rotation of the threads instead of weekly to keep things fresh.  I’m working towards this in my VIP group, just trying to find the right mix.

I believe in consistency in your posts so I use Cinchshare to help me keep consistent.  I have 2 posts a day in my group which are scheduled and then I add to it as I find random things.  I know, it kind of goes against the recommendations BUT I did say my group was a work in progress.  If you use a scheduler, be present in your group.  It doesn’t mean you should not stop in, comment or respond in a timely manner to comments.  I have alerts set up so when people comment, I respond in a timely manner.

I would love to have you share your best suggestions for getting and keeping your Facebook Group engaged.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

\

 

Will I Be Accountable?

It is New Year’s Day and for some, it means nursing a hang over while others are ready to jumpstart their resolutions.  Eager to start a new year by letting go of whatever happened in 2016. Letting go is hard but it is when we let go of the past we can quickly move into the promise of the future.

The last year has been a tough one in so many ways for me BUT I am looking forward to starting fresh.  A new me for a new year.

This year’s word is ACCOUNTABLE.  By definition, it means:

: required to explain actions or decisions to someone
: required to be responsible for something

YIKES!  I must admit each time this word popped up as I was searching for “my word”, I quickly tossed it aside.  Fear of failing.  Fear of having to explain my actions.  Fear of letting others down.  You get it, right?  Being accountable would mean I need to share my dreams with others (pretty easy).  I would need to share my plan (not so bad)  I would need to share my successes and my failures in working towards my plan.  Okay, this is where it gets a little tricky for me.  I am great at helping others to achieve their goals BUT honestly, I am not the best at taking my own advice.  This word would mean I need to be utterly transparent.  It means I would need to step further out of my comfort zone then ever before.  It means I would need to learn to love myself (the good, the bad and the ugly) unconditionally.  Yes, Negative Nellie and Doubtful Debbie came to call.  They stayed for about a week while I wrestled through this.  I was not very optimistic.

Then I prayed, I shared the word with some of my tribe and prayed some more.  The result was no matter how hard I prayed or asked for another word, ACCOUNTABLE kept rearing its head. So, with a humble heart, I began to accept this as my word.  Being accountable means in all areas of my life not just my business.  It means watching what I eat to beware of allergies.  It means working my business as a business. It means being fully transparent in my relationships.  It encompasses every aspect of my life which is scary as HELL!

To make it a little easier, I have used the letters as an acronym to come up with the following:

When broke down into these manageable steps, being accountable doesn’t seem so bad.  I have found (I think) an accountability partner and we will work together to reach our goals this year.  I will let down the walls to let others in so I can build lasting relationships which will lead to success.

This year’s goals are:

1. Reach my goal weight by maintaining the new eating plan.
2. Be consistent in my business with book, sell, recruit.
3. Nurture my relationships with my hubby, family and friends
4. Pay off some of my credit card debt.

For those of us who have set goals, you may say – these aren’t good goals.  They are not measurable nor do they have a time frame and you would be right.  I have found those types of goals (resolutions) fall by the wayside and are never obtained.  So, this year I am trying by first laying out my general goals, setting a plan each month to achieve them and then being accountable for each step I take.  The results will be – GOALS MET!

Do you have a word for 2017?  What drew you to the word and what does it mean to you?  Share your word with us…

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Cheerleaders VS Naysayers

 

“Stop hating yourself for everything you aren’t. Start loving yourself for everything that you are.” ~Unknown

We all have negative thoughts that stop us dead in our tracks.  They can kill our happiness and drain our self-confidence.  Did you ever notice that the trail those negative thoughts take depends on who is around us?

When we are in public, we can “fake it till we make it”.  We can squash those negative, stuffing them down deep.  They are like a kettle waiting to boil.  We push ourselves to smile, laugh and engage in conversations.

Then when we are alone or start to confide in others, two things can happen.  First, those thoughts start to boil to the surface with lots of “should’ve”, “could’ve” or with comments like stupid, fat, dumb entering our head.   The simmer turns to a boil and we are drowning in negativity.  You share those feelings and you get  more negativity or your feelings are discounted. Strengthening the inner gremlins instead of defeating them.

Or, the second scene is my favorite. Are lives are filled with cheerleaders who help us to defeat those inner gremlins.  Those who help encourage us through good times and bad.

Are you surrounded by cheerleaders or naysayers?

Think about the people in your life that are your cheerleaders. Cheerleaders are people who’ll rah rah you when you’re up, and who will bolster you when you’re down.  Make a list.

Now, think about the Naysayers.  This are the opposite of your cheerleaders.  Can you list 5 people in your life that are a Negative Nellie?  Yes, write them down too.

I love this quote by William Gibson:

“Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.”

Look at your lists.  Think about how you feel about YOURSELF when you are around the cheerleaders versus the naysayers.  Who would you rather surround yourself with or have in your life?

Are there some people that are on both lists?  Yes, one person can be a cheerleader in one area and a naysayer in another.  Maybe they support you in your personal life BUT when it comes to your dreams or desires in business, they become Doubtful Debbie (or Dan).  Maybe they support your business but are highly critical of your ability to be a parent or wife.  Hopefully, you don’t have many that are on both lists.

Does the list make you a little nervous because some of the people you love (maybe even live with) are on the naysayer list?  I remember that feeling and I was scared!  I mean how could I not be around these people.  I knew that I needed to protect ME so that the inner gremlins that were lurking in the shadows did not grow into full fledge monsters.  I did that by taking baby steps and yes, some of those people are still in my life.

We ALL need more cheerleaders in our lives.  Think about the people who energize you.  The people who make you feel good when you are around them.  It is time to add more of these people to your community.  Maybe it means stepping out of your comfort zone and meeting new people.  Maybe it means building that relationship with someone you met.  The end result as you begin to do this will be that the naysayers will begin to go away.  Okay, it may not be as easy as that but it will happen.  Those that are sitting on both sides may change to being just on one list – hopefully, a cheerleader.

As you increase your confidence and squash those inner gremlins, the naysayers will not want to be around you.  They may write you off as “you’ve changed”. Or they will attack your ability to be a friend.  The truth is that they will look outside of themselves for the problem instead of looking at themselves.

When you clear away the naysayers that are filled with criticism and negativity, the truth can shine. You’ll learn to appreciate your unique strengths and attributes.  You’ll feel happier instead of  being a prisoner of those inner gremlins.  You will SPARKLE!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!