Why do so many women feel uncomfortable approaching others about their network marketing or direct sales business? They believe in their product, they believe in themselves, they know their business opportunity can literally change lives, yet they hesitate. Can you relate? If so, it’s likely that you’ve been taught a way to recruit others that feels a bit “unnatural.” You may have been instructed to use a cheesy script or “old school” technique that can leave you feeling like a bad used car salesperson.

Does It Have to Be This Way? – Absolutely not! Fortunately, there is a different approach to sponsoring that will make this experience so much easier for you (and believe it or not – you’ll even come to enjoy it!) Women who use this approach feel so much more comfortable and confident when talking about their opportunity (and therefore take more action and get much better results than ever before).

By following this simple five-step process you’ll engage people in meaningful conversations. They’ll trust you, be a lot more open-minded, and seriously consider whether your business opportunity can help them achieve their goals. The best part? You don’t have to leave your integrity at the door.

Five Steps to Elegantly Recruit New Business Builders

Step 1: Serve, Don’t Sell – “Recruiting with integrity” is about service, not about selling. You’re not out to convince people to join your business, but to see if you can make a positive difference in their lives.

Before approaching anyone about your business, decide to come from a place of curiosity and non-attachment. Check your agenda at the door and put other people’s needs and desires first. Your prospects will pick up on your sincerity, and be more open to your questions and suggestions.

Step 2: Listen More, Talk Less – Many women (blame it on our enthusiasm) talk too much when sharing about the business. We can go into (overwhelming) detail about the compensation plan, the history of the company, or the science behind our products. We can unintentionally hijack the conversation (and leave our poor prospects staring blankly at us with that “deer in the headlights” look)!

When you are recruiting someone, spend the majority of your time listening. Ask questions to find out what is meaningful to them. Ask about their job, income, family life and kids. What are their goals? What is their ideal lifestyle? Aim to spend 80 percent of your time listening and only 20 percent talking.

By listening and asking questions you’ll learn key information about your prospect’s main problems, concerns or dreams, and how your business could possibly help them in these areas. Without uncovering and connecting to their most important problems or desires, any information you share about your business won’t carry much weight.

Step 3: Have Nothing to Hide – Many of us have been taught ways to snag prospects into discussing the business (without being completely upfront about our intentions). Ultimately, this approach just doesn’t work. People can smell your insincerity a mile away. You may get them to agree to a meeting, but they won’t be truly interested in what you have to say (and chances are, will make a last minute excuse and now even show up).

It’s better to be direct and sincere. Tell people you have a business opportunity that could possibly be very helpful to them. Point out the benefits that are relevant to them (and you know what’s important to them because you’ve listened, asked questions, and uncovered their motivation). Share how you think your business can help them reach their goals, then ask if they’d be willing to sit down over lunch or coffee to learn more.

Step 4: Take the Pressure Off – When you meet over coffee, start by taking off the pressure. People will fear that you’re going to try to sell them something they don’t want. Tell them upfront: you’re not there to convince them of anything-you just want to educate them about your business so they can make an informed decision. Let them know you only want them to join the business if it’s an absolute fit (and mean this!) and there are no hard feelings if they say “no.”

By being completely honest and up front, people will trust you more. They’ll feel more comfortable answering your questions, and you’ll be more “attractive,” especially to the more polished professionals or business people in your warm market.

Step 5: Be Willing to Not Sponsor People – So you’ve come from a place of integrity, listened, asked questions and removed any pressure. You’ve finished your coffee, but your prospect seems only mildly interested-what now?

You’re far better off sponsoring a few people who are serious about your business than many people who are not. Trust your gut (as hard as that may be!). Don’t waste time and energy trying to recruit someone who’s just not a fit – it won’t be a workable situation for either one of you.

Knowing when to let go of a prospect (and move on to someone more qualified) will give you the confidence to act with integrity. There are plenty of people who want what you have. Be brave enough (and picky enough) to find them-then everyone wins.

Sonia Stringer is a professional speaker, coach and popular mentor to women in the network marketing/direct selling profession. Known as “The Women’s Business Coach,” she is fast becoming the “go to expert” for women who want to build a 6-7 figure business from home. Sonia’s unique approach can help you earn a great income AND set up your business so you have more time (to spend with your family or doing what you love). Visit her website and to grab a free copy of her audio CD, “Six Figure Success Secrets for Network Marketing Women”. http://www.SavvyNetworkMarketingWomen.com

Is someone a leader because they have a title in a company? Maybe, but it takes more than a title.

It’s not  just about having a team or being in charge of a group of people. Nor is it just about being a department head and in charge of budgets, giving reviews, and going to meetings. Sure that and more is important but we’re talking about being a leader.

What is it that defines a leader? There are tens of thousands upon thousands of managers, supervisors, directors, and more in the workforce. If the employees were asked if their manager, director, supervisor is a leader, what would be the response? It is my belief that a leader would ask that question to the employees. What better feedback can someone get, than the people that are affected by that person?

There are many things that define a leader and below are listed a few of them.

1. A leader is involved.  – Some would say they are involved because they are at work every day. That’s not what I mean. It is knowing what is going on with the employees and the work being performed. Leadership is being proactive rather than reactive. Leadership involves identifying potential problems and solving them, allowing employees to make decisions, and finding new and innovative ways. It is about getting the team to think and solve.

2. A leader has a vision. – Vision. Where are we going? It’s a wonderful thing. If it becomes the same day after day and the employees do not know what they are working towards, if anything, it will affect attitudes and productivity. Boredom makes the mind wander with it becoming the chore of sameness. No thinking is required. Challenge them. Get ideas. How can it be done smoother or better?

3. A leader believes in the team. – We see it in sports a lot, or dramatic plays, or school concerts, projects, etc. where having someone believe you will make a difference gets the adrenaline flowing. There is a feeling of winning and certainly not wanting to disappoint. There are great feelings about being able to complete the task and get recognized for the effort. Even daily when the leader believes in the team it makes a huge difference.

4. A leader serves the team – Yes you implement planning and it is you that sees it is carried out. Yes the employees need and should do their jobs at all times. Yes it is you making correction along the way. And yes it is you making some very hard decisions along the way. Yes it is your responsibility as the leader, to have the best team possible perform daily. But it is also part of being a leader to not blame but instead get the obstacles out of the way that may include further training, adjustments, different or better equipment, or finding new ways.

5. A leader mentors. – Who inspires you as a leader? Why? It’s probably someone who gets awards. Someone who get things done and is on time. Probably someone who is talked about well by the team members. It is a person who cares about the job, the employees, and the company. It is also someone who holds the lines, expects a lot, but is extremely fair to people. And it is someone who listens to the team to name a few. A leader will find the strengths in each member of the team.

Leaders are always becoming. By that I mean they are bettering themselves, are not afraid to learn more, can listen, try new things, and care about the team. Leaders can see where things need to go and plan to get them there. They are involved with seeing what is and is not working. Leaders are about doing what it takes to serve the customer.

In any direct sales business there is the opportunity to lead, develop and train a team that you have brought together by recruitment. Some recruiters may be experienced at leading and developing a team. Some may be inexperienced. There certainly is a lot to learn and an even greater amount that you need know to be able to train others.

One thing that is imperative as a team trainer is to lead by example. Sure, it is easy to tell someone how to properly run a business and how to recruit and train a team. But in a direct sales business, leading by example is the easiest way to teach and show others how to be successful at their business of choice.

If you as a leader and team trainer expect your recruits to book and hold 2 shows a week, then you need to be booking and holding 3 or more shows a week. Similarly, if you tell people that it is easy to recruit 5 people a month, you need to be adding 5-7 a month.

Showing people how to work their direct sales business speaks so much louder than someone who tells people how to run their business. Your team will respect you and follow What you do if you are showing them How you do it. You know what happens if you tell people what to do… some people may get their back up.

If you want to be a strong and effective team trainer, take your knowledge that you have learned through trial and error and share it with your team. I think that leading by example is the only way that you can be truly train and lead your direct sales team into higher levels of success.

What do you think?!

Copyright Chris Carroll and DirectSalesTalk.  If you see this on any other site without my byline, please let me know.

Direct Sales Games For Fun Meeting – One activity that is part of running a direct sales business is to hold regular team training meetings. As the owner of the business, you would hope that your team would be motivated to come to the meetings just to take in the helpful information that you will be offering. But the thought of a team sales meeting can work to de-motivate sales people if they are not fun.

Making sure that your team meetings are fun so that the consultants continue to come back is essential. If there is one thing that your team will not tolerate is a boring team meeting.

That is why you should consider using themes for your next meeting.

When you use a theme for your team training meeting, you build anticipation for the meeting among your sales people. Preparing for a theme can also make the meeting more fun for you. When you send out the invitations to the team sales meeting, use that moment to plant the seeds of anticipation for your upcoming training session.

"Fight the Tumbleweeds" Meeting Theme – Generating revenue during traditionally slow parts of the year can be a challenge. If you want to put together a training session that helps your sales professionals gather business in the off months, then use an Old West theme.

Put the picture of a tumbleweed on the invitation and let your sales people know that your training session will help them clean up their one-horse town and bring income back to their wallets. The tumbleweed represents the prospects of low sales and the solution is your training session.

"The Buffet" Meeting Theme – In the direct sales business, it is important that each consultant maximize revenue at every event. Use the image of a buffet as the line of products laid out for the customers to choose from. Your training session will show your sales people how to use add-on sales to increase revenue. It is like someone piling on items at a buffet. The more interested the customer is in the products, the more she or he will want them. You could even hold the meeting at a buffet restaurant to drive the point home.

One of the ways that you can entice your sales team to attend a training meeting is to tease them with a theme. When you use a training meeting theme, it can be easier to grab your team’s interest and help them to remember the material you are teaching. Stay focused on one topic per meeting, and create a theme that your team will never forget.

When you incorporate this them and other direct sales business tips into your business you will never worry getting the consultants to the meetings again. Learn more about fun team meetings for all companies at: http://www.CreateACashFlowShow.com.

While you are a direct sales professional one of the hurdles you will likely have to climb over is how to sell to people who aren’t in your general area. One of the most basic concepts of direct sales business organizations is the home party strategy, nevertheless you can extend to a much wider amount of people and expand your earnings if you take your online business online and present your social in a chatroom. How’s that work, you ask. Let us show you how to host a direct sales party online!

Step-By-Step Plan To Throwing A Direct Sales Party Through the Internet

1) Attendance – Create a listing of individuals who attend your party. Similar to a home party, you may likely desire to go with a coordinator and allow her choose the attendees.

2) Online Webinar – Opt for a chat room to host the party on or an online conference room. A chat room will allow you and your partygoers the option to remain at their desktop computer and type to be a part of the conversation while an online conference offers people the option to listen in and take part with the help of their home phone, Skype, or by computer typing according to the webinar room features and functions. Likewise, there are outfits that specialize in hosting online direct sales parties.

3) Pick A Date – Mark well the time zones your party guests live in to plan when hosting the party will be the most convenient for all guests.

4) Send Out Invitations – You can post your party invitations via e-mail and make sure to add instructions on how to get access to the chat room or online meeting room.

5) Before the Party Preparation – Ahead of the party ensure you’re prepared with links to your products and product descriptions. If you’re employing an internet conference room relatively often you will be able to include photographs, PowerPoint slides and provide clickable website links right on the screen throughout the demonstration. You may also mail materials to all your attendees prior to the party so they have easy access to the material you are presenting.

You may likewise wish to generate a script for what you are going to point out and what you would like to do throughout the party. This will help you stay on the subject and keep the party to the elected amount of time.

6) Party Time. – Make certain you log into your party ahead of your program. You won’t want other people to get there before you show up. Once almost all of the people have turned up, you will have to introduce yourself, thank your guests for coming and you can even play a game to get each person prepared. A basic game to play on the web is a search the product directory game. Give prizes to the winners.

7) Give Your Presentation. – In addition to offering your products, make sure to speak about special deals you have taking place like cost-free shipping for purchases over a specified amount or a free product with every purchase. Consumers relish special prices and giveaways, use this and make your party attendees feel important and valued simultaneously.

Finish the Party On Schedule. – It’s important to keep the party to a stipulated period of time. For many, an hour or so with the computer and/or phone is plenty of time. Say thanks to everyone for coming, let folks know how they can get involved and develop into direct sales consultants themselves and be sure to give your contact details and web site address once more. also beneficial if you let people know they have a day or two to place their order and still receive your special promotion.

9) Continual Follow Up. – It’s definitely helpful to send a thank you to people who go to your online party. In your thank you make sure to include your web site address, your contact details and a reminder about particular product offers they can benefit from.

Hosting an internet party is much the same as hosting a house party except they are generally a bit more cost effective for you, you do not have to purchase products to demonstrate with, and you do not need to get cleaned up to attend. Indeed, you can host an online party in your underwear. Ultimately, they are an excellent way to broaden your customer base and connect with friends and family everywhere throughout the world.

And now I would like to invite you to visit my online marketing success blog, The Project Marketer! Visit our Direct Sales section and learn even more about throwing successful online direct sales parties: http://www.ProjectMarketer.com

A great friend of mine sent me this article this morning and I wanted to share.  I think a lot of times we get caught up in building our direct sales team we forget about why we actually started our business…..the passion for our products.  Don’t sell yourself short!

article via directselling411.com

I was suprised today when I came across a January post on bloggingstocks.com characterizing Avon’s corporate restructuring plan, which began back in 2005, as necessary because of a flawed business model – reliance on recruiting, and not enough recruits to be had. It’s an interesting, if somewhat naïve, assertion about a company and business model that are more than 100 years old – having survived decades of economic ups and downs and societal shifts.

It’s particularly interesting given Avon’s positive early 2008 forecast – predicting mid-single digit growth in 2008 despite a questionable U.S. economy, according to this Reuters story. It hardly seems like a company in trouble.

Even more interesting are the post’s assertions about the direct selling model in general.

Point #1: Companies “live and die by how many new representatives they can recruit.”
Nope, that statement misses the point entirely. Of course recruiting is a critical part of the direct selling model, but companies rely on those recruits to sell products, not just to sign up. Recruiting alone doesn’t result in income for sales reps or the company. With low start up costs (usually less than $100, and in some cases, far less than that) money is made in direct selling when products move. Products move when sellers sell product.

Point #2: “While MLM companies like to focus the public’s attention on the selling of products, the reality is that it is through the recruitment of new representatives that these companies grow.”
No, the reality is it’s still product sales that matter. If a company has 10 reps that each sell $5000 in products, that’s always going to be better than having 100 reps that sell $100 each. Just adding more representatives doesn’t increase profits – which is why many direct selling companies are focusing on making the “career opportunity” more attractive. By nurturing promising recruits to sell more and, yes, recruit more motivated sellers, sales and profits rise. Any business, direct selling or otherwise, has an interest in cultivating leaders who can be top performers and inspire others to do the same, thereby building the business. Not everyone will rise to the top, but those who do will be the next leaders.

Point #3: “Representative turnover is high, however, in large part due to the fact that the representatives don’t make much money from selling products.”
Turnover in direct selling averages about 56%, comparable to turnover in retail, which is about 53%, not really that notable. Yes, there are plenty of people who try direct selling and decide it’s not for them. There are also lots of people who might try a new brand of cereal and decide it’s not for them either. That doesn’t make the cereal bad, and quite frankly the financial risk for either scenario is about the same. But beyond those who just decide not to continue, you have the equivalent of seasonal workers in direct selling (who may sign up and drop out every year like clockwork) and you have people who achieve their modest goals and then see no need to continue, each of whom contribute to the turnover rate, but none of whom is unhappy with their experience.

Point #4: “My hope is that this outdated method of doing business is something that more and more women are avoiding.”
Sorry to disappoint, but more and more women are choosing direct selling because it offers a flexible alternative to a 9-to-5 job. There’s minimal upfront cost, low risk (especially given the generous buyback DSA members are required to offer) and ultimate flexibility. When fears of recession are rising, people are looking for additional income sources – and direct selling provides a perfect fit. Combine that with relatively low-cost, consumable products that the average consumer doesn’t abandon in slow economic times, and both recruiting and sales are in a position to increase.

Point #5: “With over 99% of distributors losing money in the MLM schemes, it’s no wonder that recruiting representatives may be harder and harder.”
It’s absurd to believe that 15.2 million American direct sellers (and 60 million sellers worldwide) are the mindless followers suggested by this assertion. With $32 billion in sales in 2006, direct selling provides opportunity and success for millions every year. As in any type of business there are people who are not successful. However, there are many more who achieve their goals – both financial and non-financial – and consider their direct selling experience to be a fulfilling one.

Considering all these points reminds me what a solid business model direct selling really is. Companies like Berkshire Hathaway, Hallmark, Reader’s Digest, Jockey, The Body Shop and myriad others operate, or have invested in, direct selling companies – something they wouldn’t be doing if the model were questionable. So, don’t count the Avon lady out quite yet – she’s alive and well.

Written by Amy Robinson
Many know me as SVP and CMO at the Direct Selling Association, but I have two more important roles – a consumer and mother who knows what it’s like to want it all. I have seen so many people find success in direct selling, but I know there are a lot of people who have questions about this method of buying and selling. Through this blog I want to promote a meaningful discussion that will help connect people with answers and connect direct selling companies with the issues they need to address. Read more about this blog in my first blog post.  Follow along by grabbing the RSS Feed.