When someone mentions direct sales in conversation, I see people cringe! That is crazy to me as Direct Sales Companies have been around MANY years and are such a great way to earn an income. Yet the reason people cringe…..social media has gone direct sale crazy! Every time I scroll through my newsfeed, I see a gazillion posts claiming people are earning great money posting online, or have a magic product to solve all your needs. That is why people cringe! Or the best….when you get a friend request from someone you haven’t seen in 10 years, and they instantly ask you if you want to buy something from them. AWKWARD!
Do’s and Don’ts Of Direct Sales
I personally have worked in direct sales for 5 years. It has allowed me to pay off my school loans, buy a beautiful home, send my kids to extra curricular activities, go on vacation, buy a fence for our yard, build a HUGE back deck, even pay off my car!! The list goes on and on! Needless to say, I love direct sales!!! But to be successful in it, you have to do it the RIGHT way! That means getting off social media, getting outside your comfort zone, talking to people, and building relationships. One quote I have always loved, is “sell the problem you solve, not a product”. This is so true! Stop trying to sell things, and start listening to what people need!
One reason I have this blog is because I’m a firm believer in not everything works for every person. I make a really good income in my job, but I don’t poach my friends and bug them to do this with me! I have friends in many other direct sales companies and we all respect each other, and our businesses! Yes we help each other out and buy from each other, but we don’t spam, don’t bash other companies, or pressure people. I think one of the main things you need to be successful in a work from home business is class. It goes a long way! Here are a few more of my Do’s and Don’ts of direct sales.
Things NOT to Do…..
Spam People This is such a big way to lose potential customers! A few things that make it spam…messaging someone asking them to buy/host a party/share a post. Friend requesting a person and immediately asking them to try your product, or adding them to your group. Joining a group and posting “buy my products” non stop. Posting about your products on social media multiple times a day. All this is spamming. Direct sales is about sharing and advertising in a respectful and classy manner.
Be Fake Gotta love when that person you haven’t talked to in 10 years invites you to their online party, you shop from them, then never hear from them again. Or the first time you reconnect with an old friend on facebook, they message you with “hey, you have to try my magic product…” Or the best! “lets meet for coffee” and then they pull out their inventory for you to shop on the spot. No No No No!! Be sincere! If you are reconnecting with an old friend, don’t you dare mention your company! If they ask what you do, share in a few words then move on. If they want to know more, they will ask YOU! I may eventually (like months after we have reconnected if the relationship is in a good place
Tell Lies This is another I see often in direct sales. Many people live with the motto “Fake it til you make it” No, just NO! Be honest!!! If your business is just getting started, don’t say you are making tons of money. Say “I’m just getting started but hope to earn a great, full time, income one day!” Or another is “get paid to post on social media”….yep that’s another no no! Unless you are really getting paid, by social media, then don’t say it like that! Say “sell products and get paid” because you really only get paid when the products sell! Or “my team is growing like crazy” when in reality they have one person who is REALLY working the business side.
No income claims, no fake lifestyles…that can hurt people if they think they can quit their job and earn big bucks right away. Be honest, have integrity, and always remember to present yourself and your company in a positive and truthful way. ((You can also get in SERIOUS trouble from your company for doing these things. It’s against the policies of the Federal Trade Commission))
((Always ask to see what someone has earned for the past year! I found many people will show you their biggest check, but not their smallest. Or even their average for a year! Always ask. I got tricked myself because of this so make sure you see what they are truly earning before doing business with them. It also shows you if they are a truthful person or not!))
Be Rude You think this would be common sense in life…but nope! Be respectful to people! If you just start a new business, do not right away message every person you know! I’ve been a work from home Mom for 5 years and I always find it funny the people who have NEVER supported my business, but are the FIRST to ask me to buy from them. Karma people! Also, kindness is just something we need more of! In every situation, use kindness! If someone doesn’t want to work with you, that’s ok! If you ask someone for details on what they do, always respond even if it’s to say “no thank you”. Remember to treat other business owners how you would want to be treated!
Company Jump Yes it can be hard to find a good company to work for, but what I see all the time is people jump from one to the other to see where they can make a big buck fast. It can take 5 years to build a successful business, and each time you jump, you lose potential customers! I personally don’t buy from people who do this, nor would I ever sign up to be a business partner with someone like that. The reason is, they are supposed to train me, but what if they jump to another shiny new company? I’m left all alone! Build a reputation! Build it slow and steady. Be the type of person people trust and want to work with.
Don’t Work For Multiple Direct Sales A few reasons behind this and a whole blog coming on the topic. One reason, it’s not allowed! Just about every company out there has a policy on it if you take the time to research and learn. Some do allow you to work for more than one, BUT you can’t post them both on your social media accounts, or have products that are similar. Many also do not allow you to recruit business partners if you work for multiple companies. The reason is, your time would be split training two teams and people would be neglected. It also tells people you aren’t making a good income if you have to work two jobs. Most people don’t want to work two jobs! Pick one!! The more time you work toward building it, the more successful you will be!
Things To Do….
Share what you LOVE. This is what can be amazing about direct sales! You get an inside review from people you trust! The other day I was thinking of buying something, so the first thing I did was ask my friends for their opinions on it! Direct sales gives you a chance to buy an amazing product, from someone who loves it enough to sell it as their job, and you also can show support of your friend, instead of a giant corporation where the CEO could care less if you shop from them. Share your products, why you love them, why other people love them, why you choose to sell them, why you love the company. Share, don’t sell!
Utilize social media respectfully. Starbucks make over a million dollars in one day with their unicorn drink being posted on social media. That shows you social media is a powerful tool! If used the correct way. People were sharing the drink, what they thought of it, how it truly tasted….none of them were trying to sell it! Remember that, when you share something, it work’s much better then selling. A few tips on social media (I’ll keep it short as I could go on all day about this!)…
Don’t over post! Social media experts recommend 1-3 times a day to post. Too much and it’s seen as spam and less and less people will actually see your posts. Too few and you aren’t relivent.
Use the 90/10 rule. 90% of my posts never have anything to do with my business. It’s just my life! 10% might be about my work, or the lifestyle I’m thankful for. It’s better to do less business otherwise people will unfollow you, then they will never see a single post!
Present yourself in a positive manner. If you are using social media to find customers or business partners, make sure your social media presence is uplifting, positive, respectful, and drama free. Try not to complain (yes life is tough but you can share in a good way such as “I had a rough day but I’m thankful to know tomorrow will be better”). Try to focus on the positive in every situation. People do NOT want to work with those that complain all the time, it will bring them down to! Create a social media presence that other people would want to be a part of. Social media gives you an inside peak in someone’s lives, so it lets them know if that is a life they want to be apart of. Make sure your pictures
Invest in your business A lot of time I hear from people who say they want a job that won’t cost them a dime, and that is just NOT realistic. Especially if you are building your own business! I first started working from home as a personal trainer, and every 2 years I pay a hefty chunk to renew that certification! Most jobs do require some type of costs, and that’s ok as it’s an investment! Just make sure it is a realistic investment. I see a lot of work from home jobs that charge you $500-$1000 or more to join….that is NOT very relastic. One thing I always ask those people is how long did it take you to make that back? Ask that questions, request proof! Don’t just throw down your credit card. Things I do encourage….small thank you gifts for customers. It could be as simple as just a card, but something to show you appreciate them. Also, offer fun deals if it helps you get close to your goal! For example, one of my friends sells jewelry and was close to a $500 bonus. She offered each purchase over $50 a free ring. It cost her $25 to do that, but she got her bonus so yes she was out a total of $100, but she pocketed $400 in her bonus plus more from commission. That is a good investment! Also things like social media training’s (make sure you use LEGIT ones, the new popular thing is for people to claim to be a social media expert and teach you how to succeed when in reality they themselves aren’t successful), networking events, ways to advertise your business, those are all good investments!
Set Long Term and Short Term Goals This is something I highly encourage with people I work with! Decide each month what your goal is, but also set a long term goal. For example if you are brand new with a company, your short term goal might be 10 customers your first month. Your long term goal for a year from now might be 50 customers plus 5 people to work with business with you. The short term goal helps you focus each month, and the long term goals gives you something to keep pushing for plus lets you know what your progress is. I also recommend sharing your goals with something so they can help hold you accountable and can give you tips and a push when you need it!
Be Realistic Work From Home jobs are NOT get rich quick jobs. In fact, they often take more take to start pulling in a good income. BUT! What if you worked hard for 2 years, and then for the next 40 years, you are your own boss! Wouldn’t that be worth it??? I think so! This summer my family took 3 different vacations! Each day with my kids, we did whatever we wanted! I have that flexibility not because I am lucky, but because I’m willing to work harder than anyone else to hit my goals. That is what is takes to be successful working from home….hard work! You also need to be able to see the long term benefits. Many people focus on instant gratification and don’t think about where they could be 2, 5, or 10 years from now!
Use Manners You would think this is common sense, but nope! In the past 5 years, I have encountered it ALL! People standing me up, asking for free stuff then pulling a vanishing act, asking for information and then never responding, even people asking me to buy from them, but never once asking what I do….you name it, I’ve seen it haha. It still shocks me so one thing I tell everyone, treat others how you would want to be treated! Yes I am always happy to help someone in a new business, but please remember to do the same! Treat social media the same as talking in person! If someone messages you, don’t ignore them, just say no thank you. Never ever ever bug people. If they say no, respect them and walk away! Manners will get you so far! Be classy, don’t start drama, be negative….be so positive that people want to be around you all the time! Trust me, how you act rubs off on others!
Remember direct sales are a wonderful way to earn an income, if you do them the right way!
And for everyone who dislikes direct sales, still support your friend! You never have to buy from them to support them1
