In the 16 years I’ve been doing direct sales, I’ve seen these 10 mistakes made over and over again. Let’s chat about what they are and how you can avoid making them.
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Getting past these 10 mistakes most direct sellers make might take some time and effort. I still find myself reevaluating with several of these to make sure that I’m serving myself and my business in the best way I can. Just know that some of these are a process and not a one time fix.
1. Not Asking
Your friends and family aren’t mind readers. You need to ASK them if they would be interested in hosting a party, would come to your launch party or join your business. They won’t just make this connection when you let them know that you started your business. Open your mouth and ASK!
2. Afraid of Being Pushy
Make a list of things a “Pushy” person does. (ex. Not taking no for an answer, not listening when you talk, making your buy stuff you don’t want). Are these things that you do? Probably not! Pushy people don’t have any kind of gauge for their pushy-ness, so the fact that you are worried about being pushy means that you are not. Just listen to your friends, family and customers. HELP them and you will never come off as pushy!
3. Working, but not working…
Things like making an image, organizing your office or desk (again) or re-creating a document might be useful, but they aren’t going to make you money. Spend your time on tasks that will help you make money like booking parties, finding and booking events, or talking to people who might want to join your team. This will get you the biggest BANG and help your business SKY-ROCKET!
4. Being a Bother
You will never, ever “bother” me if you have a question. Part of what I LOVE doing is helping you in your business. When you have a question, ASK me! If the kids are screaming in the background or I’m in church or something, I will get back to you as soon as I can, but don’t hesitate to ask!!
5. Do as I Say, Not as I Do
You are an example for your friends and family. Be sure to have your own party or open house every so often to show them how much fun it can be and your success too. You never know when they are watching you, so set the example. It is FUN and a great reason to hang out and reconnect too!
6. Information Overload
Sometimes when I get nervous or excited, I talk WAY too much! Slow down, share a little and then listen. Whether the person you are talking to is interested in your business, hosting a party, or buying some jewelry, try to say 2-3 sentences and then ASK them a QUESTION. This will keep their interest and not overwhelm them with details.
7. Re-inventing the Wheel
A lot of times when we start something new we get ALL excited to find our own way of doing things. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, there are others who have been where you have been! Follow the path that they have navigated to get the MOST success most quickly. When you have those basics mastered, feel free to try something new! This is where “If it Aint Broke, Don’t Fix It” comes in handy. While there are a LOT of great ideas out there, I don’t want you to get discouraged if things don’t work out. Once you have mastered the basics and have started making great money, this is when you can experiment and discover new ways to make things work.
8. School’s Out
There are always ways we can tweak what we are doing to make our business, lives or relationships stronger. It is important that you attend trainings and find other ways to continue to grow both personally and professionally. There are SO many great trainers and inspirational thinkers that can help you along the way. If you need some suggestions, Ask! (see #4)
9. No Set Hours
The best way to EXPLODE your business is to decide ahead of time WHEN to work. Choose the days 4-6 weeks in the future that you want to work and highlight those days. Decide what times you will work and then WORK IT BABY!!! If you don’t have a party or an event scheduled and you set that time aside for work, use it to make phone calls to people who might be interested or to past hostesses. This might be a work at home business, but you still have to choose time to WORK!
10. Not Following Up
Believe it or not, people are watching you! The things you post on Facebook, the success and failures you have. I have had friends and neighbors call me after an entire year and tell me they want to join or host a party. Sometimes the timing is wrong and other times people just want to see your success before they jump in too! Be open about your business and follow up with people when they show interest in hosting a party or joining us! You just never know WHEN the time will be right.
Call Challenge:
The challenge for today is to choose ONE of these things you want to work on. A lot of times, it gets overwhelming to try to fix everything all at once and instead, we never start. Choose 1 of these 10 things and work on getting better in that area. When you feel you have accomplished what you want to with that, choose a second. Post what number you are going to work on in the comments along with your first steps you are taking!
Show Notes
Top 10 Mistakes and How to Avoid them – printable show notes