So Many people get into direct sales and really don’t know why! Other than they like the product! Loving the products are not enough though to be successful!
My Personal Story
I have been in the direct selling/ social selling space pretty much my entire adult life(wow that is crazy to think about!)
Teens
-I joined Mark (a teen brand of Avon) when I was a senior in high school, selling that was so much fun but did I really sell sell??? no not really, but I had lots of fun! My friend hosted my first in home party with me as a rep, it was so much fun!
-I turned 18 and upgraded my Mark stylist kit to a full Avon Rep and began selling the entire line of Avon! I can still remember going around my small town leaving catalogs in doctors offices, the bank, the dentist and the grocery store! I would take up a few orders here and there but nothing too serious.
-I really had no clue what I was doing other than I was having fun and getting a discount on some cool products!
Twenties
-In my early 20s I signed up to sell CTMH stamps which was my hobby at the time and therefore I felt it was a perfect fit. I was really interested in getting stamping and scrapbooking supplies for myself at a discount, what we often refer to as “kit nappers”
-I really had no desire to build a team or a business I just wanted the products at a discount.
-At 27 while shopping for Christmas gifts online I stumbled across this G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S logo it was pink and had a bow, it was love at first sight for me!!! I googled the name on the logo because I was for sure it was a trap! I contacted the company thinking what great gifts this would be! The lady talked to me for a few days and after she offered me to opportunity she sent a box of products I tried them on and fell in love I immediately signed up as a stylist!
-This was truly a ground floor opportunity with less than 100 stylists in the whole country and I was the only stylist in my entire state.
-I was with Ruby Ribbon for 8 years in the time I was with RR I learned how to work direct sales as a business! I learned how to build and how to lead a team and in one year I became the youngest leader of the company!
-I grew so much both personally and professionally, after 8 years I felt it was time for me to move on and focus my efforts elsewhere!
Thirties
-April 1st 2020, the irony is not lost on me April fools day while the world was falling apart. I joined another company–Park Lane. Because I had worked so hard at Ruby Ribbon, Park Lane brought me in as an area leader. My level will never go lower I can only grow here! I Love Park Lane, my plan is to be here long-term!
Through the years of working in direct sales I learned what a why is and why it is so important!
What is your why?
A question I was asked a lot in RR- I can still remember the first conference I attended and the speaker said “what is your why?” I scanned the room, all the other ladies knew their why, they were confident in their answer, I really didnt have a clue, when she got to me I said “To make a little extra money!” cheers all around, I figured that I was good with that why!
I quickly realized my why needed to be stronger than what it was
A Why you are deeply connected to
Your why should light a fire under you, should motivate you to work hard to achieve your goals!
Making a little extra money- The problem
- Money for what
- the terms “little” is playing small
- Vague statement
A better Why- Paying off my 25K student loan
- we know what we need money for
- we have a big goal
- specific statement
Now that we have a more specific Why we can begin making our goals and plans to achieve them by breaking them down into manageable steps
- 25K to earn to pay off student loan– how long do we want to work toward this goal?
- lets say 1 year(12 months)
- 25,000/12 months= $2,083 needed each month
- lets say 1 year(12 months)
- Lets say I earn 50% commission on my sales
- 2,083(amount needed to earn each month)/.50(commission %)= $4,166 sales per month required
- Lets say my average party/ show is $1,000 so that would mean I would need to book 5 shows each month at least
When I said I would like to earn a little extra month this couldn’t help me to set any goals, my why was not strong enough I did not rely the outcome of my why.
Personal attitude and buy in to your why
I have found that this is especially hard for me because I have a full-time career. So I say I need an extra $2,000 every month but if I didn’t hit my goal I just add some money from my day job, no big deal. This attitude of mine defeated the purpose of my why and did not help me to grow only held me back from achieving big things!
Make sure you stick to it!
If your why is to get your nails done every two weeks, do not contribute from your personal money. You have to hold yourself accountable if you are fully reliant on the money you earn from your direct sales business you will work harder to achieve those goals. If you keep saying that is okay you didn’t hit your goal and allow yourself to still get your nails done using your personal account. this will teach you that you don’t have to work your direct sales business because you can contribute from your day job!
Basically if you don’t work your direct sales business according to your why you don’t get your reward (your why)
In recap
- Be as specific as possible with your why
- Be deeply connected to your why
- Know your why everyday
- Visualize your why being fulfilled
- Stick to it
- Hold yourself accountable
- Know that the why can change