Easy Sale - Fact or Fiction?

We have all had customers where EVERYTHING we sell will work for them.  Then there are those times when sales are not easy.  You know, the Negative Nellie customer who thinks that nothing you have is right for her but she will still look.  Curiosity will get them every time.  As Julie Anne Jones says, as long as there is a small interest - you have a chance for a sale, a party or a recruit.

As I wind up the week talking about sales and customers, I found the "Profile of an Easy Sale" in the Direct Selling Education Foundation.  They identify 4 basic steps which are now becoming my way of doing business.

1. Identify the right product for the right client.  If you have defined your target market then make sure you have products that solve their problems.  Since my target market is all women who are looking for organization solutions, I make sure that I highlight things that will help to make their life easier and less of a hot mess.  I have even begun doing "product experiences" for those customers who want to see my product but do not want to host a party.  This is a private showing based on what they have told me they are looking for or the solution they need to a problem.
2. Develop and cultivate relationships.  This is key to all direct selling businesses.  Once you have a relationship, whatever the basis is, your sales pitch now becomes a solution to their problem instead of hard sell. Customers buy from people they trust and as a result this will generate more referrals as well as reorders.
3. Once you have a relationship with your prospect, find out what their likes and dislikes are.  Practice the 10-second rule from Deb Bixler.  Ask an open ended question and then LISTEN!  Whether it is at a home party or a product experience, I find out what problem my customer is looking to solve then make a suggestion of a product.  Ask questions about other solutions they have tried and you will quickly learn what they like and dislike.
4. Finally, make the sales process quick, simple and easy.  The easier the better.  I usually tell my customers picking the product solution is the easy part, the tougher decisions come when you have to decide print and personalization options.  I make it as "painless" as possible so that they are not overwhelmed.  

What is your current approach to selling?  Are you a hard seller - sure that your product is the only one for EVERY customer?  Or, are you about building relationships while sharing your business with potential customers?  We all have different styles, talents and gifts - if your current approach isn't reaping the benefits that you want, maybe it is time to change.  Please feel free to share your thoughts?  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Selling Tips

I don't profess to have all of the answers, in fact some days I truly believe that I don't know anything when it comes to selling.  No, I am not going to be "Debbie Downer" but  I also don't want anyone reading this to think that my business never experiences the roller coaster of sales.  For some people selling comes natural - my mom, Joan Heldreth,  is like that.  I truly believe that you could sell anything.  I remember when she was a manager of a bakery - people would come in for 1 item and leave with a bag full of things that she suggested (sold) to them.  I always wondered how she did it.  I envied her and her ease with making a sale.

As I entered the world of direct sales, I was now the one "selling" my products.  I found an article on this exact subject on the Direct Selling Education Foundation website.  Here are some of the tips that they shared:

• Ask questions to quickly find out what the problem is and/ or what the customer needs.  In the party plan business, everyone is expecting the sales pitch.  You know the 100 reasons why they absolutely NEED your product.  STOP!  Your customers and the potential ones will be more open to what you have to say if you have something that will help THEM!  Sometimes they don't know that that is but if you have a SIMPLE solution to make their life easier, they are going to listen.  You have to LISTEN to them.
• Use language that is simple to understand.  Talk to people about your business as if you would talk to a friend.  Remember that you need to build a relationship with people in order for them to connect with you and your product.  Don't use acronyms or things that they aren't familiar with to try and impress them.
• Create and describe a picture for the customer.  Encourage your customer to imagine what their life would be like if they used XYZ product.  For example, if their children's sports equipment is rolling around in the trunk of the car.  Suggesting how easy it would be if everything was in one bag would be and as a result, no lost sports equipment and more space in your trunk.  Having had a daughter in sports, life would have been easier if some of those things weren't forgotten or lost in the trunk of the car.
• Ask more questions and listen carefully to their answers.  When a customer says "no" or is hesitant, I stumble sometimes depending on how far we are in the relationship building phase.  I am always worried about being perceived as pushy but as long as I remember to focus on what the customer needs and not let my own needs get in the way, it all works out.
• Think of yourself as a guide.  LISTEN and help your customers navigate through the roadblocks - color, style, price, value, etc.  Offer solutions that address their concerns - sometimes this will work, sometimes it won't.  Remember that a no now may mean not at this time.  

I love the quote "the art of selling is one that can be developed over time".  I am grateful for that or I would have given up in my first few months of direct sales.  Thank you Mom for showing me how easy selling can be when I use these tips - see, you thought I wasn't paying attention all of those years, you were a great example for me.  

What selling tips do you have?  Please feel free to share them.  I look forward to hearing from you.  Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!  

Blogging - Share What You are Learning

Since I was challenged almost 2 months ago - thank you Vanessa Coppes, I have been asked by lots of people why I do it, how I do it and most of all my favorite question "will people read it?".  

Why I started is because it was a challenge that had an accountability factor to it.  I have read many blogs  and enjoyed them but always thought it was something for "other" people to do.  I was curious about blogging and had always wanted to start one.  So, when Vanessa Coppes  challenged me to write for 30 days - I was ready to take the challenge.  Now, my why is to get all of the "stuff" that is in my head out.  I used to tell new employees who wanted me to share everything that I knew - just keep asking questions because I don't know what is in my head.  Sometimes I amaze myself.

How I do it is just by writing like I would talk to someone.  Sometimes I write about personal struggles or business tips that I read or just sharing some amazing personal development items.  I make notes on my planner on topics (words or phrases) that will motivate me to write when I get stuck.  I just read an article by Belinda Ellsworth  that talked about sharing what you are learning so that you can remember it better.  What a great way to start blogging?  As you learn something - share it.  Of course some of my learning lessons seem like they should be no-brainers but I am a slow learner.  I always say that is because I am OLD, you know creeping towards that Senior Citizen classification. 

Will people read it?  I am still amazed (and humbled) that people actual read my blog.  The numbers may not be great but it is the emails and the comments that are shared on a personal basis that touch my heart.  No, you may not become a professional blogger.  No, you may not have thousands of readers.  What you may have are friends, family, employees, team members or followers who not only read what you write but will share it.  I share my blog on Facebook for all to see.  Most people don't comment on the blog publicly but they do write me or tell me when they see me about something I wrote and how it helped them.  It is the person in Weight Watchers who is inspired to keep going.  It is the team member who finds encouragement or an idea to help their business.  That is who I am writing my blog for.  

The direct selling business is all about building relationships and I am building relationships every day through my blog.  Some people I already know while others are learning who I am.  When all is said and done, if I have helped one person to smile or get through a day - my job is done.  What do you have to share?  Remember it takes 21-days for something to become a habit - so try it everyday for 30 days.  Then, if you want, do it weekly.  Try it.  Don't let fear stop you from building relationships or sharing your knowledge.  Believe me you probably have more to share then you think - I know I am finding out that I do.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Networking Mistakes

Many of you know that I am BIG supporter of networking for my business and yours.  An article in Direct Selling Education Foundation  focused on "Three Networking Mistakes" and before the light bulb went off - I am sure that I made them.  Entering room filled with people that I didn't know was definitely out of my comfort zone.

1.  Focus on building relationships.  This is part of long-term planning because if your contact can't help you now, they may in the future be a customer or know someone who can use your product.  This should have been a no-brainer since this was key when I worked as a Social Worker.  I now look at people as connectors (for lack of a better word).  They may or may not be my customers but as they get to know me, they will happily refer me (and my products) to other customers.  A key example is a customer, Heather, who is also a vendor/crafter.  We met, she bought product and now is my biggest promoter.  She tells everyone how much she loves her product (and me).  We are building a relationship as I help her with her "new" craft business sharing tips and ideas.  

2.  Don't play the role of counselor; keep the conversation social and friendly.  WOW!  this also seemed so basic.  When asked what I do, I share about Thirty One but then try to focus on the other person, practicing Dana Wilde's 10-second rule.  This leads into the next mistake..

3.  Digging too deeply into people's lives makes them uncomfortable.  By using the 10-second rule I have learned to just stick to the "general" areas of a person's life without getting too personal.  Of course, the social worker side of me loves to know more but I am learning that it isn't important in my direct selling business.  Knowing basics MAINLY helps me to remember tidbits about people that I meet so that when we meet again, I can talk to them in a little bit more detail.  For example, after the initial basic meeting; the next meeting I will be able to call children and/ or hubby by name or ask about their job.

Networking has been a key to growing my business over the last several months.  We all will make mistakes but we need to learn from them, bless and move on.  What advice would you give for successful networking?  Please share your comments below!

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

Standing Out in Business

I was told, along with many others, to succeed in business you need to set yourself apart for your competition.  This was easy for me to do when I was in the non-profit world, my work including grant writing success, program development and networking helped me to rise to the top - even when I least expected it.  

As I entered the world of Direct Sales, setting myself apart from other consultants from the same company was going to be a little tougher.  We are all given the same tools to use - scripts for parties, amazing products, catalogs, scripts for recruiting and the list goes on.  My biggest problem was (and sometimes still is) learning which of these tools best fit ME! Which party presentation was easy for me, especially since I have always disliked public speaking?  Which follow-up was I going to use (okay, so I am still working on this and it is an ongoing struggle)?

According to Direct Selling Education Foundation, here are some things that can help you to stand out in your business: 

1. Deliver great value – Offer excellence for a great price.
2. Offer more choices in your products/services than your competitors.
3. Make the sales process more convenient, easier and quicker than your competitors.
4. Make it easy to find and contact you – use memorable business cards, post information on how to reach you through social media networks, post your cell number and promote testimonials.
5. Share your sense of passion and excellence for what you do – make sure you come across passionate, caring and willing to do what it takes to earn your customers’ loyalty.
6. Follow up immediately after the sale and continue on-going follow up.
7. Anticipate your customers’ needs and help them with solutions.
8. Ask for feedback and act upon those suggestions.
9. Continue to improve.
10. Be a connector and networker – help your customers find solutions to their needs, even before they know what they are, and engage in becoming friends with everyone you meet.
11. Stay current in your area of expertise – keep up with professional training, industry trends and share innovations with your customers.
12. Be positive and approach everything with a can-do attitude.
13. Strive for excellence every day.
14. Be more personable, friendly and approachable.
15. Become solution oriented.
16. Be creative and innovative while also following through.

One of the greatest compliments that I got was from another direct selling consultant.  Lissa had attended one of my parties and never mentioned that she was in direct sales.  I ran into her several times after the party since she coordinated events for one of the local schools.  Out of the blue, Lissa called me one morning and asked if she could take me to breakfast - she wanted to pick my brain.  As we sat down and began talking, she pulled out ALL of my communication & written follow-up that I did after the party.  She proceeded to tell me how impressed she was - WOW!  I was shocked!  But since that morning meeting, I have heard from my hostesses and customers that "it was easy having a party with you - your follow-up was great", "our orders looked so nice when they came in".  So, I have found one of my ways "to stand out" without even trying.  I simply applied what I learned in the business world - communication is the key to success - to my direct selling business and TADA! It works!  Is it hurling me to the top of the ladder? No!  Does it have people banging down my door?  No!  What it has done is to help me build a reputation with my customers and their friends which will ultimately help me to gain the business that I want - BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS is key to BUILDING YOUR BUSINESS.

Check out "Business Owner's Road Map to Success" by the Direct Sales Education Foundation for more great tips.

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!