All posts tagged direct sales

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Friday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Friday!

It’s National Consumer Protection Week! Direct Selling Association member companies of the direct selling industry have long been consumer protection supporters, which is why we’re excited to promote this important event each year. You can learn more about avoiding fraud and scams in the marketplace on our National Consumer Protection Week 2015 page here. And tell your friends on social media, too, by using the hashtag #NCPW2015.

To help you learn a bit more about how the direct selling industry protects consumers and consultants, we’re having a contest! Visit our site each day this week to enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! We’re giving one away each day this week, Monday – Friday, March 2-6, 2015.

To enter, answer the question below. We’ll choose one correct answer at random to win. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Carrie, our winner for Friday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Thursday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Thursday!

It’s National Consumer Protection Week! Direct Selling Association member companies of the direct selling industry have long been consumer protection supporters, which is why we’re excited to promote this important event each year. You can learn more about avoiding fraud and scams in the marketplace on our National Consumer Protection Week 2015 page here. And tell your friends on social media, too, by using the hashtag #NCPW2015.

To help you learn a bit more about how the direct selling industry protects consumers and consultants, we’re having a contest! Visit our site each day this week to enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! We’re giving one away each day this week, Monday – Friday, March 2-6, 2015.

To enter, answer the question below. We’ll choose one correct answer at random to win. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Tracy Wolski, our winner for Thursday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Wednesday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Wednesday!

It’s National Consumer Protection Week! Direct Selling Association member companies of the direct selling industry have long been consumer protection supporters, which is why we’re excited to promote this important event each year. You can learn more about avoiding fraud and scams in the marketplace on our National Consumer Protection Week 2015 page here. And tell your friends on social media, too, by using the hashtag #NCPW2015.

To help you learn a bit more about how the direct selling industry protects consumers and consultants, we’re having a contest! Visit our site each day this week to enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! We’re giving one away each day this week, Monday – Friday, March 2-6, 2015.

To enter, answer the question below. We’ll choose one correct answer at random to win. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Wednesday’s winner, Carmen M. Garrett!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Tuesday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Tuesday!

It’s National Consumer Protection Week! Direct Selling Association member companies of the direct selling industry have long been consumer protection supporters, which is why we’re excited to promote this important event each year. You can learn more about avoiding fraud and scams in the marketplace on our National Consumer Protection Week 2015 page here. And tell your friends on social media, too, by using the hashtag #NCPW2015.

To help you learn a bit more about how the direct selling industry protects consumers and consultants, we’re having a contest! Visit our site each day this week to enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! We’re giving one away each day this week, Monday – Friday, March 2-6, 2015.

To enter, answer the question below. We’ll choose one correct answer at random to win. Good luck!

UPDATE : Congratulations to Tuesday’s winner, Jessyca Hovendick!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Monday!

National Consumer Protection Week Contest 2015 – Monday!

It’s National Consumer Protection Week! Direct Selling Association member companies of the direct selling industry have long been consumer protection supporters, which is why we’re excited to promote this important event each year. You can learn more about avoiding fraud and scams in the marketplace on our National Consumer Protection Week 2015 page here. And tell your friends on social media, too, by using the hashtag #NCPW2015.

To help you learn a bit more about how the direct selling industry protects consumers and consultants, we’re having a contest! Visit our site each day this week to enter to win a $50 Visa Gift Card! We’re giving one away each day this week, Monday – Friday, March 2-6, 2015.

To enter, answer the question below. We’ll choose one correct answer at random to win. Good luck!

UPDATE: Congratulations to Monday’s winner: Suzi Israel!

Targeting Potential Customers

Targeting Potential Customers
Targeting Potential Customers

Targeting Potential CustomersWhen you are on the lookout for potential customers, you want to make sure you’re focusing your energy in the right places. Remember that not everyone fits the profile, so spending time and money on trying to attract those outside your target demographic will be a waste of your resources. An effective way to find potential customers for your business is to ask yourself the following questions.

  • Can they afford your products/services? Of course, it’s impossible to know everyone’s financial situation, but you can get a good idea by looking for certain clues. For example, a consultant for a high-end ladies’ jewelry company should consider factors such as which town the potential customer lives in, if she wears designer clothing, if she drives a luxury car, etc. If your company sells products that range in price, consider the average and build an ideal customer profile from there.
  •  Are they the decision maker when it comes to the purchase? There are several different ways that people handle finances within their households. Some couples agree on a reasonable level of autonomy when it comes to making a purchase. Either person can buy groceries or even a new lamp for the living room without consulting each other, but neither would buy a car or book a vacation without both agreeing to it first. Be sure that the person you are targeting as a potential customer has the ability to make decisions about purchasing your products. This especially applies to products and services geared toward young children and teenagers. A skin care company’s acne treatment is mostly used by those between ages 15-21, but is almost always actually purchased by the parent. Whoever has the final say about a purchase is your potential customer. 
  • How much do they need the product/service?  Ask yourself if you are fulfilling a need or solving a problem for a potential customer with your product. Someone who will be returning to the work force after a long hiatus staying home to raise her children may need all new makeup and accessories to complete her professional appearance. A cosmetics or jewelry consultant would consider this person a potential customer because there is a certain level of need for the products and services offered. The most effective way to find out if a need for your product exists is to ask the right questions. Demonstrate a sincere interest in people by asking them questions about themselves. Give them an opportunity to talk about their family, interests, and hobbies. When you discover that the person needs your product, you’ll know you are talking to a potential customer.

Targeting your niche toward the right people will help you spend your time and marketing resources efficiently, which will in turn allow you to have long term success. By asking the above questions, you are creating a sort of customer profile that can be used to identify potential customers.

How have these questions helped you find your own customers? Are there any other questions you would add to our list? Please share your comments below!

How to Get People to Join Your Team

How to Get People to Join Your Team

How to Get People to Join Your Team from http://dsef.orgWhen you’re ready to take your direct sales business to the next level, recruiting others to join your team is the place to start. You have the potential to create a steady income stream while helping people achieve their own financial goals. In today’s post, we suggest some ways to build your downline and grow your business.

  • Share great ideas that help everyone. Whether the idea is your own or someone else’s, if you think it will help others, don’t hesitate to share it with your prospects. While presenting your opportunity to a recruit, for example, share an idea for having a successful launch party that worked for you. Your method will help the recruit by giving him or her a jump start on the business, and it will help you by finding customers for your downline. By sharing great ideas that are mutually beneficial, you generate excitement and enthusiasm about your opportunity, which will in turn increase your chances of signing your prospect.
  • Do both big and small things to help make your team members’ lives better.  After a team member’s initial launch and first few months working the business, it can be easy to lose touch or at least frequent contact. One small way of making your team members’ lives better is to check in regularly with words of encouragement, a motivational quote, or even a little gift of appreciation. On a bigger scale, you might host a weekend brunch at your house or local restaurant to reward your team’s hard work and accomplishment. Take the initiative to be a positive force in their lives. You can recruit others to join your team by introducing them to people in your downline who will attest to your role in their professional lives.
  • Stay optimistic and enthusiastic. Even if a prospect seems skeptical, unsure, or even confused about the opportunity, it is important to maintain a positive attitude and enthusiastic outlook about the business. If you don’t falter, he or she will notice that you are confident enough not to be shaken by a possible rejection.
  • Always do the right thing. There may be times when you are faced with some sort of conflict or dilemma. One direct sales consultant was excited to sign her very first recruit, but it became clear during the presentation that this person was so eager that she didn’t think to ask a lot of important questions that might sway her decision about whether or not to sign with the company. The consultant was tempted to ignore that fact and let the recruit sign on the dotted line anyway, but she listened to her conscience and offered the important information to the recruit as well as a chance to ask more questions. The recruit wound up signing, but even if she hadn’t, doing the right thing will allow you to never have to look back at your past action and feel guilty. Direct sales is about helping people, so your actions should always reflect that.
  • Listen more than you talk. A prospect wants and NEEDS to be heard. He or she may want to tell you why joining this business is even a consideration. And although, he/she may have lots of questions for you and provide you with plenty of opportunity to speak, make sure that you are doing most of the listening. By truly listening to others, we can tune into what their message is, and find effective ways to help.
  • Stay humble. No matter how high you climb to the top of that proverbial ladder of success, ALWAYS stay humble. Remember that there are always improvements to be made and higher levels to reach. Continue helping those who are just starting out, take compliments with gratitude and grace, and pay it forward. Your sincere humility will increase your likeability and have a positive effect on your business.

Building your team requires a lot of preparation, patience, hard work, determination, and the right mindset. We hope our list above gives you some guidance in getting started. What would you add to the list? Please share your comments below!

How to Get Your Customer to Buy

How to Get Your Customer to Buy
How to Get Your Customer to Buy

How to Get Your Customer to BuyWhen figuring out how to get customers to buy your product or service, it is often helpful to put yourself in the customer’s role. When was the last time you bought something? What about it made it interesting? Why was it appealing? What made you ultimately purchase it? Whether the most recent thing you bought was a box of diapers or a new car, the same principles still apply. Read our brief list below for tips on how to get your customers to actually buy your product.

  •  Make your product/service interesting and unique. In order to pique the interest of potential customers, emphasize your product’s unique qualities. What does it offer that competitors’ products don’t? For example, one company specializing in children’s meal time needs offers a line of sippy cups that help a toddler transition from a bottle to a regular cup. A customer can choose what kind of top to use like a spout or straw, which is a pretty standard choice when it comes to transition cups. The unique part about this company’s line of cups, however, is that if your child doesn’t take to a certain one, you can exchange the top free of charge until you find the one that your child prefers. As many mothers will tell you, this is a unique concept that prevents having to buy several different kind of cups to find one that the child will actually drink from. This company’s consultants most often highlight this feature and find it to be their top seller.
  • Make it easy to understand and use. Depending on what the product or service is, this can either be a simple job or something more complicated. Whichever the case, find a way to make sure the customer is completely confident using it independently. If the product has a multi-step process, allow customers ample time and plenty of opportunity to try it by themselves so they will have enough confidence to make the purchase. One beauty consultant, when giving makeup consultations, demonstrates the products on the customer. Once the customer is satisfied with the end result, the consultant creates a customized magnetic card that can be placed on a vanity or bathroom mirror while a customer applies her own makeup every day. Taking the time to do this for each customer proves financially worthwhile because even the most inexperienced people can easily understand and use the products.
  • Demonstrate that there are multiple uses and applications. When you show the versatility of your product, you are demonstrating that it has value. People are generally willing to pay a little bit more for something if they know it is of high quality, will last a long time, and can be used for more than one thing. Also keep in mind that different uses for something will appeal to different kinds of customers. A handbag that easily expands to a larger size will satisfy the needs of a young college student and a stay-at-home mother. Evaluate your customer base to decide how and when to highlight the versatility of your products and services.

The more you know about your products, the easier making the sale will become. Create interest, make it easy to use, and demonstrate versatility. What else would you add to our list? Please share your ideas below!

4 Ways DSA’S Code Of Ethics Protects You And Your Customers

4 Ways DSA’S Code Of Ethics Protects You And Your Customers

4 Ways DSA's Code Of Ethics Protects You And Your Customers

Ethical conduct is at the heart of good business decisions and these videos demonstrate this premise to consumers, entrepreneurs, direct selling executives, educators and public policy officials. Abiding by DSA’s Code of Ethics protects both the interest of consumers and sellers.

To learn more about direct selling ethics, please visit Direct Selling 411.

Ethics Initiative Videos

What Is Direct Selling?

What is direct selling? Let us show you what an ethical opportunity is all about!

What Is Direct Selling? (en Español)

What is direct selling? (en Español)

Intro to DSA Code

Learn more about what the code is, and why ethical companies comply.

Product Claims

Any claims a direct seller makes about a product must be truthful.

Ethics Initiative Videos

Meet a Direct Seller

Meet a direct seller who is learning to navigate the DSA’s Code of Ethics.

Product Buybacks

Learn about the buy-back policy that all DSA member companies adhere to.

Cooling Off

Learn how the “cooling off period” protects consumers from buyer’s remorse.

Earnings Claims

When recruiting someone into a direct selling opportunity, be honest.

How to Increase Your Luck And Opportunities

How to Increase Your Luck And Opportunities
How to Increase Your Luck And Opportunities

How to Increase Your Luck And OpportunitiesThere are many things in life that we cannot control, but your business doesn’t have to be one of them. Of course, luck does have a small part to do with success, but you can take actions to increase it. Don’t treat your business like a lottery ticket, doing nothing while hoping it works out. Take a look at our list of suggestions for increasing your luck and coming closer to realizing your dreams.

  • Lead with and focus on what you do best. Being aware of your skill set allows you to identify your own personal strengths. Use those strengths to make positive, memorable first impressions as well as integrating them into as much of your business as you can. For example, if you are quick-witted and easily make others laugh, don’t be afraid to lead off sales presentations, opportunity meetings, and even one-on-one introductions with a joke. Go a step further and integrate your unique sense of humor into all your business relationships when appropriate. When you can bring your strengths to the table, others will take notice.
  • Always be prepared. Although luck does play a small part in our lives, you can increase your chances of success by preparing yourself as much as possible. You wouldn’t go in to a final exam simply hoping that most of the questions are about topics you remember from the textbook; you would prepare yourself by reviewing the material, highlighting important points, and quizzing yourself before the day of the test. The same concept applies to your direct sales business. Rehearse your presentation before each party, even if you’ve been doing this for years. Create possible scenarios that might catch you off guard if you’re not ready. Calling a referral to book a possible opportunity meeting? Find out about the person’s interests and aspirations. Adequate preparation can be your most effective tool for finding success.
  • Be a connector to people and businesses. When you have a good experience with someone in business, take the initiative to share that experience with others. Be the one who refers friends, family, and customers to others without prompting. Put in a good word about your hair stylist to your cousin who is looking for a new place to go for a cut. Perhaps a customer is seeking out a service that you can’t provide; be the person who finds someone who does. Your role as connector will not be forgotten when an opportunity arises for someone to do the same for you.
  • Develop authentic relationships. This begins with showing a genuine interest in and sincere caring about others. Not all your relationships can or should be close ones, but they should all be authentic. People involved in your business in any way need to be able to trust you, be open with you, and want to be around you. Give others your full attention when interacting, and always follow through on your promises. Building good relationships is the foundation of a career in direct sales.

How do the items in our list apply to your business? Do you have any ideas to add? Please share your comments below