My vision in direct sales

I have made tens of thousands of dollars a month in direct selling (which was a big deal in the 1980s), and I know dozens of people who have earned that much and even more. But if I hadn’t had a very strong vision of what I wanted and why I wanted to succeed, I would have given up. If you don’t have a clear vision why you should continue to work through the challenges, you’ll be tempted to quit, too.

When I first began a career in direct sales, selling crystal, my vision was to be a rock and roll star. I know that sounds funny, but it’s absolutely true. I was a drummer in a rock band, and our gigs weren’t paying my bills. So I needed to earn money in a job with a flexible schedule that didn’t interfere with drumming and that also let me sleep in a bit on mornings after I played. Direct selling fit the bill — and paid the bills.

A few years later, I traded in my dream of being a rock star for the dream of staying home with my new baby girl. I began to take my direct sales business more seriously so I could still contribute to our household income and afford some luxuries like tiny cute outfits for her. Once again, direct selling fit in with my schedule and helped me earn money during hours that my husband could be home with our daughter. It allowed us to save substantial money for things like family trips, groceries, and yes — tiny cute outfits.

After having two children, my vision for myself and my business was to reach the top of my company’s career plan, earning a six-figure income by the time I was 30. When I was 28, I changed companies and had to start my business completely over. My goals changed (more on goals in the next section) — but my vision never did. And three months before my 30th birthday, I was promoted to the top of my company, earning $10,000 a month.

My vision now for my business is to make my training and consulting company, Step Into Success, a one-stop-shop for corporate offices, direct selling leaders, and representatives for all their direct selling and marketing needs. My vision is to continue to build my already successful business, so I can spend more time with my husband, children, and grandchildren.

Your vision will change

Your vision will change. So don’t worry about trying to create a vision that will address every possible detour your life might take. In fact, your vision will continue to change throughout your life as you reach important milestones. Once you reach one milestone, you set a new vision for what you want in life and in business.

I’ve always updated my vision in ten-year increments — when I was 20, 30, 40, and so on. I didn’t always reach every goal, and I didn’t always get there the way I thought I would. I definitely had some bumps and detours along the way. But almost every time, I ended up where I wanted to be.

To succeed in direct selling, you must have a vision of why you want to succeed in this business.

Being a leader and helping others with their vision

According to my focus groups and industry surveys, only about 1 percent of people are born with the natural ability to help others create a vision. The rest have to develop the ability to mentor through practice.

When you join your company, your leader will sit down with you and discuss the career plan and ranks within your company, as well as the qualifications to achieve them. According to your company’s career plan, you technically become a leader when you start to bring other people into the business and achieve a leadership rank within the career/compensation plan.

But being a leader doesn’t happen automatically when you hit a leader rank in your company’s career plan. Part of what it means to be a leader is the ability to inspire others to discover their vision and their success story. You must become a student of it and help others find their why. Find the fire in your belly and then help others find the fire in their bellies. See Chapter 17 for more on what it means to be a leader.

The real gift when it comes to vision is when you master helping others achieve their vision. When you begin to see results in people’s lives that you touch and truly inspire, it is the most rewarding feeling in the world — far beyond any financial measure.

Building vision in others is important because it helps them remember why the challenges are worth going through. As a leader, you know that whether it’s a busy personal schedule, an unorganized calendar, or personal situations, there will be challenges to building your business!

When those challenges come, your representatives will need to be able to focus on the vision they’re working toward, so the challenges are in perspective. The majority of your team members may not have a clear vision of what they want in life, so when the challenges come, they focus on the challenges. By helping them build vision, you give them staying power.

Goals don’t have to be scary

Maybe you are afraid to set goals because you fear they are too daunting or challenging. Nonsense! For one thing, goals don’t have to be stupendous. People think goals need to be life-changing. That couldn’t be further from the truth.

Goals are exactly what you need them to be. A goal could be creating an Instagram account, calling five people, or recruiting a new team member. You may be in this industry as a hobbyist or for some part-time income to help pay for the everyday things in your life like dance lessons, gas, groceries, and so on. That is your vision for your business, and your goals will align with that.

If you don’t hit a goal, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed. To my way of thinking, there are no failures in business or in life, until you fail to try again. If you are driving and miss a turn, for example, or go the wrong way, you don’t just give up on reaching your destination. If you’re using GPS, it will take a moment and say, “Recalculating route.” It doesn’t say, “Okay, you’re a loser, you went the wrong way, just turn around and go home.” You follow the recalculations and get yourself back on the route.

Goals are not scary. Fear paralyzes people, and most of the time, it is fear that stops them from setting goals. Fear they will fail and what others will think. Now, if I said I’ve never been afraid, well, that simply wouldn’t be true. But I don’t let it stop me. I ask myself, what’s the best thing that could happen? And what’s the worst thing that could happen? If I can live with the worst, then I move forward and strive for the best. And most of the time, I land somewhere in between. Everything in life is either a blessing or a lesson, as they say.

Goals don’t need to be life-changing. They can be simple, actionable, measurable steps that will keep you on the road to your vision. And you can always reset your goals depending on your personal situations. Don’t let other people’s opinions worry you, especially if you don’t reach a goal. Most people will actually admire you for doing something because they are still usually sitting in the same place.

Setting intentional goals: The five Ds

Your goals may change over time. You may need to do things differently, or your goals may not work anymore, or you may find better ways to get to the end of the race. Goals help you measure your success on your way to your vision.

I believe that when you put your vision out there, or even just say it out loud to yourself, that is when things actually begin to happen. Some call this the Law of Attraction — the idea that like attracts like, and positive thoughts bring positive things.

Regardless of whether the Law of Attraction has an effect or not, when you are more aware of what you want, you’re more purposefully pursuing it. So, really knowing what you want from your life and from your business can only help you develop your commitment to your business and your success story.

Goals are a way to break down your vision into manageable steps. Look closely at your vision. What steps, or goals, will it take to get there? For example, if you want to take your loved ones to Disneyworld, you need to determine how much that trip will cost. Once you know the dollar amount, you can easily plan how you are going to achieve that in commission.

Think how many parties do you need to book, how many tradeshow events you need to do, how many more products you need to sell, and how many one-on-one appointments do you need to schedule. Those can become goals.

Random acts get random results. Be intentional. If you’re specific about your goals, you are being intentional. Make things happen instead of waiting for things to happen.

Follow my Five Ds of Setting Intentional goals to help you create the steps that will lead to your vision and develop your success story.

Your 15 minutes on host coaching

Often hosts complain that they booked a party and the representative didn’t touch base until two days before the party. So spend 15 minutes touching base to make sure you’re keeping your host excited, engaged, and informed.

I use a ten-contact time system for host coaching (see Chapter 10) which can be utilized with the Power Hour. Use folders to help you organize your pending hosts, so you can always keep an eye on who you’re reaching out to. When you have multiple books, it’s easy to forget who and when you’ve reached out to your hosts. And that’s how people fall through the cracks.

Your 15 minutes on booking

Now you’re ready to spend 15 minutes solely focused on contacting people to schedule a party with you. By booking during your Power Hour, you’ll soon sharpen your skills speaking the language of booking by doing multiple booking calls during a single short block of time.

Whenever you add a name to the Booking Leads (or Recruiting Leads) folders, be sure to make a note of the circumstances. For example, if your lead told you she wanted to have a party when her kitchen remodel finishes in six weeks, then make a note of those details — and mention them during your call. Your call to her would sound something like this:

• “Hi, Mary! This is Belinda. Have I caught you at a good time? Great! The last time we chatted you were remodelling your kitchen. How’s that coming along? Wonderful! I’ll be so excited to see it. The reason I’m calling is you asked me to give you a call when the work on your kitchen was finished so that we could go ahead and set a date for your party. What do you think would work better, a weekday or a weekend?”

When you follow up with a lead, make a reference to why she wanted to delay. This shows her that not only do you remember her, but that you care about her. Then it will come off as a friendly call and not a sales call. And remember, the key is to build relationships with our customers and leads.

When you get a booking, immediately make another booking call. It’s not time to celebrate yet! The excitement from the previous yes will still be with you, and you will discover that the language you used from the last call will come easier to you. This will build your confidence, and people will notice that. People will always mirror the energy you give to them — if you sound hesitant, nervous, or desperate, they will pick up on that too. In fact, you can reference the prior call to show your new lead that you are busy, energetic, and in high demand. You can say something like this:

• “I just spoke with my last host and she is going to do a margaritas and manicures party. Do you think that’s something your friends would enjoy also?”

Your 15 minutes on recruiting

Recruiting is the one area of your business where timing is everything. When someone has expressed interest but then says no, that doesn’t mean no forever or that they don’t like you. It just means right now isn’t the right time.

People’s lives change. This is why follow-up is so important. Previous leads showed interest about your opportunity, which is why they’re in your lead notebook. But just because the timing wasn’t right at that time doesn’t mean it won’t be right sometime in the future. If you get a no or a not right now, don’t just say, “Okay” and forget about it. Ask her if you can keep her informed with specials, especially those to do with the kit. Say something like this:

• I totally understand, Sarah. I want you to feel confident in this business when you start. Is it okay for the time being that I keep you on my list? I would love to keep you informed on upcoming specials we have, especially starter kit specials.

When you talk to recruit leads in a friendly and casual way, just as you do when you’re doing a customer service call, you build a relationship. And that means they’ll come to know and trust you, rather than feel like you’re bugging them.

Your 15 minutes on customer service

During this 15 minutes, you simply contact people who have previously ordered from you and ask if they’re enjoying the products they purchased. After they say yes, ask if they would like to add another specific product to their collection. Tell them about a current sale or special or ask if they need to reorder more of their original purchase. It’s a good idea to know what they ordered last, and you should be prepared to tell them what the specials are this month.

• “With Mother’s Day right around the corner, I wanted to find out if I could help you with any special ladies in your life, including yourself.”

Direct sales companies say that only one to three percent of direct sellers do re-servicing calls. When you don’t make these calls, you’re leaving money on the table. Someone, either another representative or competitor, will pick that money up. Great customer service is incredibly important not only to your sales, but also to your bookings and recruiting. So be sure to make these calls. The results we have documented is that it can increase your business as much as 50%.

My 2+2+2 program (discussed in Chapter 13) teaches that you should follow up two days after a purchase to thank the customer, two weeks after that to ask how they are enjoying the product, and two months after that to see if they would like to re-order. It’s important to follow up with your clients and continue to keep in contact with them. It helps create loyal customers.

However, don’t overdo it either! You want your customers to feel like when you call, that it is a service to them — one that they appreciate.

The power of focus

For a lot of people, the idea of focusing on something with undivided attention seems almost impossible. There is just too much to do and there are too many interruptions.

In business, you normally find yourself in one of two situations:

• Situation 1: “Omigosh, I need to call this recruit lead, put this order in, and make coaching calls to my three hosts.” You have so much going on that you can’t focus on completing any one project. In this case, you’re not focusing on anything, and you’re not producing any results.
• Situation 2: “I have no business. I don’t know where to begin. I’m feeling so bad. I don’t even have any good leads.” You have let fear paralyze you. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by all the tasks you have to do, the end result is so stressful that you don’t even know where to begin — so you don’t.

With the Power Hour, you learn to take each task and break it down, making it easy and well prioritized, and giving you a starting point.

There’s no way around it: Focus takes focus. Everything else in your life needs to be put away for 15 minutes, so you can focus your undivided attention on the priority at hand. It is easier than it sounds. You can do anything for 15 minutes! Do it with the prize in mind — at the end, you’ll have achieved what you wanted. You’ll have results, and the next block of 15 minutes will be even easier.

The power of commitment

Commitment is one of the most important promises you make to everything and everyone in your life and business. You need commitment to get anywhere, and you absolutely need commitment to succeed with your direct selling business.

Commitment means saying what you’re going to do — and doing it. It means respecting your relationship with yourself, and with others, enough to follow through with what you have promised. There will be days when you’ll be tired, and perhaps even wishing the host would call and cancel the party. You will even be tempted to cancel it yourself.

Your reputation as a businessperson is always on the line. Honoring your commitment means your customers never have to question whether they can rely on you to provide the products and services they want to purchase.

Be in it to win it. Your commitment to your vision is a powerful thing. Your commitment to show up when you really want to give up is the secret to achieving your vision and making it a reality. Success doesn’t happen overnight in direct sales, so continue to see the people, fill in your pipeline, and keep making calls. You need to stay committed to achieving those goals.

You’re going to have bad parties. Your host may not invite people. Your best recruit may quit. Are these reasons to give up on your dreams? Not a chance. You need to stay committed to your vision of why you got in direct selling to begin with. Don’t let circumstances discourage you and steal your commitment. You come back and make the next day better. Don’t talk about it for days on end. The longer you talk about it, the longer you live in that place. Remember, what you focus on is what you will get.

The power of consistency

Consistency is doing something again and again. It is making your effort a habit. Consistency can help make your business successful.

Habits are consistent. Habits are just the things that you do continually. Once, probably a long time ago, you made the choice to do it consciously, liked the reward enough to do it again, and continued to do until it became part of your natural flow. Whether it’s a good or a bad habit, if you practice it consistently, you become successful at it.

Direct selling is a simple business, and you can be very successful just by learning and practicing a few basic skills and repeating them over and over until they become habits. (One of the very best habits you can form is the Power Hour.)

Whether your goal is to work your business part-time or full-time, you will have to schedule time to make phone calls, follow up with leads, and do your parties. One of the most important things you can do is set a work schedule and stick to it. Set aside the appropriate time in your calendar to work your business. Schedule your work time and write it in your calendar, just as you would a doctor or dentist appointment.

One reason I was so successful as a direct seller is that I had a regular schedule and I stuck to it just as if a boss set it for me. On Mondays I coached my team. On Tuesdays I made follow-up calls. On Wednesdays I ran errands and handled personal business. On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays I held parties. My schedule was always consistent, and it helped prevent procrastination.

Don’t forget the Power Hour, discussed earlier. It helps you concentrate 15 minutes at a time on building your business. Consistency is easier when you realize you don’t have to do it for the entire day. In short bursts, something can become a habit. Every time, begin with your vision and goal in mind, see the reward ahead, and give it your full focus … consistently.

I’ve had moments — even whole days — when I just didn’t feel like doing something. On those days, I have to get flat-out honest with myself. I have to ask myself: What if I gave up today? And: Do I want to stay where I am, getting what I’ve always gotten — or would I rather power through and keep myself consistent so that I reach my goals and realize my vision?

It’s important to accept that you will have days like this. You’re human, and your brain wants to stay with the pathways it has always taken. But you’ve already decided on a new course, you have the roadmap, and you are headed to your destination — if only you can stay consistent.

Here are some things you can do to be more consistent:

• Call an accountability buddy. Your best bet is to call your friend who is great at tough love and have them whip you into shape. They’re the one that will make sure you’re not listening to the part of your brain that’s trying to talk you out of doing something.
• Understand the implications of your choice: You can not do it today, and have to start fresh tomorrow without the reward you’d receive today — or you can power through your inconsistent feeling and just get it done, and get the reward.
• Ask yourself some questions: What would someone you admire do in this situation? What would happen if the Olympic athletes skipped their training on the days when they didn’t feel like it? Think about who admires you. Will your kids be getting a good role model if they see that you decide you “just don’t feel like it” today?
• Review: Look back at your goals and vision, and at your progress so far. Are they worth putting on the shelf because you don’t feel like getting results today?

You can pay the price of discipline, or you can pay the price of regret. Yes, it’s about being consistent, and doing it today and every day. But it’s not about what you get today. It’s about what you’re becoming: successful.