Personal Goals – In Life and Direct Sales

When I was a kid, I was a big reader. I read everything. My grandmother, Missy, would buy me books (Nancy Drew, Babysitters Club), and I would be done with them by the end of the day. Book-a-saurus Rex.

Then I went to college.

Since there was so much required reading, I didn’t have time for personal reading. Or I felt guilty reading for “fun” when I was supposed to be “working” (i.e., reading college textbooks).

Liz finally reading for fun...

After undergrad, I started graduate school and most of my “outside reading” was related to my content area (psychology). I wouldn’t really call it reading for “fun.” I finished my MA and found time for hobbies again and started reading more, but still I was usually reading non-fiction.

Then I started my PhD program. After that reading anything that wasn’t a textbook or journal article (or textbook for a class I was teaching) was laughable. I do that all DAY, why would I want to read for FUN?! And then there were kids…and reading for fun really just wasn’t feasible for me.

So why do I tell you this? For two reasons. This year, in January of 2015, I was on Goodreads and saw that they were doing a reading challenge. It basically asked you how many books you wanted to read in 2015 and would track it for you (and remind you, “Hey, you’re behind yo”). I thought, “Well, I could definitely do one per month if I read at night after the boys went to bed.” So that would be 12. But instead of just putting my goal at 12, I put my goal at 15. While this may not seem like that much of a difference, for someone who went from reading nothing every day for “free reading” to reading more than a book a month would be a stretch. Creating a goal that was outside of my comfort zone pushed me to go outside of my comfort zone. I knew 12 would be easy, so I made it a little above easy. I also wanted to do this because I remembered how much I enjoyed reading – I could get lost in a good book, and I wanted to be able to do that again. I needed a hobby that would increase my happiness.

How does this apply to you? This should be you in your business.

• Think about your goal for the next year. Remind yourself why this is your goal.
• Add some to it.
• Break it down month by month, week by week, heck, day by day if you have to!
• Write it down.
• Make yourself accountable (but Goodreads won’t email you to stay on track).

My goal for the next year is to hit a lifetime milestone of $30,000 in sales with my jewelry business. I am currently at $21k. I would like to do this before my 2-year anniversary (May 1) but that would mean I would have 4 months to do that, and honestly I think that would be setting myself up for failure because I know the months that are between then and now are not high sales months. So my goal is to do it before my 40^th birthday, which is November 14^th.

That means I have 10 months to do $9,000 in sales – that’s $900 per month in sales. Let’s go for $1,000 per month since we receive $50 in credits for every $500. I could even break that down further into $250 per week in each month.

Since a goal without a plan is a wish, my next step is to sit down and figure out exactly how I’m going to do that. Three parties per month (with approximately $300 in sales each) minimum plus one vendor event (to expand my network) plus consistent online selling. There’s my plan, but now how to implement – find vendor events, find hostesses, you get the deal. Set up my calendar to figure out when my available dates are. Look for (and book) local vendor events that I could attend. Figure out when important dates for possible fundraisers are and commit to donating a percentage of my commission to a related cause. Over-schedule parties around holidays (Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day) to make up for months that may not possibly do as well (i.e., SUMMER).

Now that I have a plan, I need someone to be accountable to besides myself. My team leader, Leslie, is a good friend and can give me the “B please” talk when I need to hear it, so my next step is to talk to her about my goal, show her my plan, and help her help me be accountable. If she wants, I’ll even poke her about her own personal goals as well.

And the writing it down part?

Just did it.

You read it.

$30k by November 14^th, 2016 baby.

Breaking down goals like this may seem like a lot of work, but you know what? The work is “front loaded” meaning it happens a lot at the beginning but once you implement it, you check in on it to make sure it’s working (and adjust the work, not the goal if it’s not). I’d love to add an “and that’s it” to that but…making $9k in sales in 11 months for someone who usually sells $500 or less per month isn’t a “and that’s it.”

But I’m doing it.

Watch me go.

So what’s your goal? Shout yourself out in the comments. I want to hear your business and/or personal goal. Read more (how much more)? Lose weight (how much)? Make sales? Grow your team? Save for a house? Whatchu got?

Do you find my posts useful? If so, sign up to receive emails in your in box whenever I post – on the right put in your email under Follow By Email! Also, sharing is caring – share my posts with other direct sellers you know so they can check it out! Join the Direct Sales Mavens Facebook Community here and let’s help each other achieve our goals!

Positivity – It’s Not Just a Pretty Word

Being involved with three direct sales companies, I follow a lot of Facebook groups and direct sellers.

I love seeing how ladies (typically in my industries) push each other, cheer each other on, and help each other to succeed. I love seeing that. It makes me so happy to see a positive post in the communities I follow.

And then…

You know where I’m going.

• Our quality sucks.
• Our shipping is slow.
• I can’t make any sales, how is everyone else making so many sales?
• Why won’t anyone buy from me?
• Why can’t I get customer service on the phone RIGHT NOW?

I could go on and on. But I won’t because that’s anti the point of this post.

You’ve heard it before – you get back what you put out into the world. As a leader in one of my companies, I see these “I can’t make any sales and the company sucks” posts and think, “Well…hm. I wonder if this same attitude is the one that you throw out there to your customers.” Because, well, that would make sense.

If we are positive in our lives, if we are optimistic and positive in what we put out into the world, then we will see the positive results.

The direct sellers who are the most successful aren’t the ones with the most friends (although I’ll talk about that in a second). They are the ones that are optimistic about their business even when it isn’t going as well as they want and are persistent. By persistent I don’t mean they call the same customers until they buy – by persistent I mean that these ladies (and gentlemen) continue to push even when they are not reaching the goals that they want.

As a leader, the hardest thing I hear is, “I’ve been with the company for 2 weeks and I haven’t made a sale. This isn’t for me.”

What?! If you’re job searching for 2 weeks and don’t get hired, do you give up? If you’re dating someone for 2 weeks and you haven’t discussed marriage, do you move on? One of the leaders I worked with early in my career told me, “Direct sales isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon” and this is what I remind all of my team members. You’re not going to “get rich quick.” You’re going to build and build and build to reach the goals you want (which includes a sustainable business). Period. And I will tell you, a lot of the people who start off “with a bang” (making $10k in their first 60 days, for example) end up “burning out.” Their network dries up, they don’t expand, and by the 3^rd month it’s hard to make a sale because they have exhausted their network.

So why do some direct sellers have a lot of friends, what I alluded to before? Because they are a beacon. Because people are drawn to them like a bug to a light. They are bastions of positivity. And I’m not talking “kittens and rainbows” positivity where “EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!” all the time. Successful direct sellers are the people we want to emulate, personality-wise and behavior-wise. And who wants to be a negative crank ass? Very few people in the world would check that box on purpose.

Successful people are optimistic (but not unrealistically so) and despite adversity, they keep going. The way to get customers to you is to be the person they want to be. Listen more than you talk. Remember things about people that are important to them. Ask people to talk about themselves; notice what interests them and pursue that conversation.

Does this mean that you should walk around pretending to be happy about everything and pasting a fake smile on your face? No. It means that you need to take a good hard look at what you’re putting out into the world (and what you’re posting on social media). If I see one more “My life sucks” post followed by a “Shop my boutique” post, I swear, I’m going to send the link to this post to EVERYONE who posts like that. Selling and negativity JUST DON’T WORK. People associate you with what you do, say, post, etc.

So, any ideas why you can’t make a sale? Do you need to focus more on long-term positive outcomes (optimism)? Do you need to bring more positivity to the world (and your sales)? Do you float your dirty laundry to the world on social media then expect people to buy from you?

Just sayin…

Do you find my posts useful? If so, sign up to receive emails in your in box whenever I post – on the right put in your email under Follow By Email! Also, sharing is caring – share my posts with other direct sellers you know so they can check it out! Join the Direct Sales Mavens Facebook Community here and let’s help each other achieve our goals!

Doin' the Direct Sales Holiday Hustle!

Today is the end of November.

SERIOUSLY how did that happen? It was just the summer I swear. Geeze.

But we have been talking about this season, prepping for this season, and getting ready to rock our businesses for this season for A WHILE so we’re good, right?!

If your December isn’t looking so hot, we have about 14 days (or until your company’s shipping cut off) to rock your businesses’ socks off. Today we’ll talk about a couple of tips to do that.

• First, party. Party this week. Period. Online, find a hostess, in-home, do something. People who are still shopping can be interested in your products for gifts so get a party going.
• Offer personal shopping for customers who don’t have time to shop. Offer to send them a set (2 or 3) of suggestions from your company based off their giftee and their price range.
• Use your company’s promos to purchase “cash and carry” items for after the shipping cut off. Figure out what your most popular items are and have some on-hand for those last minute shoppers.
• If your company has promos this week then run them INTO THE GROUND. Push those promos to your customers until the promos are DEAD. As I tell my team, “Use and abuse them.” They are there to help your customers, help you, and to help your company of course. The first two are the most important ;)
• Talk to men. Many (not all, but many) guys are last minute shoppers OR they don’t really know what to buy. Help them! Call, text, Facebook message them asking about their shopping, how is it going, and is there anything you can help them find? Price range and some info about their giftee(s) please!

As I have said in a previous post, after your shipping cut off your business will get a little dry which is actually a little nice if it’s been a hectic few months for you! What can you do after your shipping cut off is over?

• Plan New Year’s Eve Prep parties – bring your outfit and let’s get it accessorized!
• “I didn’t get what I wanted for Christmas” parties – December 26^th there will be people who were gifted cash or received an item they didn’t want – maybe they will want to shop your site? Offer a mystery hostess party online for those who didn’t get what they wanted.
• Send digital holiday cards to your customers – show them they are appreciated. Make them personalized. Make your customers feel IMPORTANT. Because they are.
• Start booking into winter and spring! Figure out when your new product launches were last year and talk to previous hostesses about hostessing again.

While these are some suggestions, I want to hear what you’re doing this week to #holidayhustle your business. Go to the Direct Sales Mavens Facebook page and let’s talk strategies! Share your strategies with other direct sellers and let’s help each other brainstorm!

Do you find my posts useful? If so, sign up to receive emails in your in box whenever I post – on the right put in your email under Follow By Email! Also, sharing is caring – share my posts with other direct sellers you know so they can check it out! Join the Direct Sales Mavens Facebook Community here and let’s help each other achieve our goals!

Promoting Your Business at Halloween

Happy Zombie Week direct sellers! Yes, it’s almost Halloween (which means it’s almost Thanksgiving, which means it’s almost Christmas…ahhh!). Hopefully you’ve been planting seeds about your business for the holidays as I talked about HERE, but if not, Halloween is a great time to start!

Our pumpkins - the left was done by my artist husband, the right my 5 year old son

How can you promote your business at Halloween? A couple of fun ideas:

• Dress as your business. Are you a jewelry lady? A lash lady? A Posh lady? Do you have a way to “wear” your business or “dress like” your business? If so, do it up! And don’t make it “meh,” make it cray-zay! Boring isn’t remembered, but that lash lady who wore the big clown sized pink glasses with 1-inch plastic lashes? She gets remembered (even if it’s because she’s funny). Sell jewelry? Go big – put on all the statement pieces you can without dragging yourself down the street.
• Attach business cards to the candy you give out. If you’re the one at home handing out candy, then have two buckets – one for the kids (no cards) and one for the adults. Adults get a business card (even a post card sized one would be better) with info about your business and/or opportunity PLUS a piece of chocolate. You know why? As a parent I can tell you that when the candy haul comes home, the kids go through it and want all the good stuff (read: chocolate). So make a special treat just for the parent – their own chocolate.
• Give out business cards if you’re walking the kids around. If you’re a parent who is walking around with their kids (dressed as your company of course), then hand out cards to the people who answer the door. Give THEM a chocolate too (remember, the kiddos want to take all the good stuffs).

Tips on Promoting Your Business this Halloween

If you’re using larger cards or even making a little note with candy attached, what should be on it? What are some ways to plant seeds for holiday gifting (what can be called “gardening”)? What are your goals for the next few months? Sales? Recruiting? Both? Always be sure to include your contact info, your link, and your social media links.

• Have some cards that tell people about your product and how YOU can help THEM with their holiday gifting. Let them know if you have free shipping, will gift wrap for free if they are local to you, and any other perks for shopping with you. Let them know you’re available via email or phone call to help with gift selections.
• Let them know about any future open parties you are having. Are you having a party at your house within the next few weeks? Put the date and time on your card and invite them (and suggest they bring a friend)!
• Suggest they hostess their own party for holiday giving. “Oh what fun it is to shop with my friends in my own living room…hey!” Include your hostess benefit info as well as some options (1 hour party, online, etc.).
• Tell them about your opportunity! Let them know they can make holiday cash by helping others find their holiday gifts by joining your team. Let them know you want to talk to them personally about the opportunity and offer to schedule a time to meet up to chat.

Have a happy Halloween ladies and gents! I would love to hear some more ideas from you (and your team/business) in the comments below!

Do you find my posts useful? If so, sign up to receive emails in your in box whenever I post – on the right put in your email under Follow By Email! Also, sharing is caring – share my posts with other direct sellers you know so they can check it out! Join the Direct Sales Mavens Facebook Community here and let’s help each other achieve our goals!