A direct sales business might be exciting in the current financial state. This is why almost everyone is giving the idea a shot. No resumes or interviews are necessary; no capital is required to set it up. So, is it possible to gain success in direct sales business? What steps might be taken to be sure of one’s achievements?

1. Set targets and find ways to achieve your goals. Whether you need to make plenty of money on your child’s school tuition, an automobile payment or a cooking area remodel; working in direction of something tangible is significant. Break your long term goal into small sections. How much of work will it take in order to be able to earn the money you must attain? Share your dreams with your spouse, your supervisor or an associate and ask the person to review on a weekly or daily basis.

2. Working at home means you are your own manager. It means you will have no one to guide you to let you know how to proceed every day. Make a daily ‘to do’ list about tasks to be completed.

3. Stay positive with enthusiasm. Try to always have a look at the benefits in every situation. Once you experience troubles, plan to check them out since challenges will assist you to expand stronger. Staying positive with your team members is also important to succeed. Make sure that you don’t complain about your business in front of your wife as she could ask you to quit. Getting the support of one’s spouse is actually another essential key to be able to succeed.

4. A No is definitely one stage closer to a ‘Yes’. Don’t create a ‘no’ individually. If an individual says no to your account he is just saying no to what you’re offering, but he isn’t rejecting you as a person. When you’re first beginning your small business and refining your own technique, those statistics might vary somewhat. However, know that you simply must work ahead several ‘nos’ since you get closer into a ‘yes’ slowly.

This way, you can slowly start progressing well in direct sales business.

James Corrol Hamilton is a professional marketer, who went full time in 12 months. In Direct-marketing industry. To Find out more about James, click http://jameschamilton.com

You can also learn more about growing a successful business.
http://www.sponsorrepstoday.com/

If you are with one of the Direct Sales companies and trying to build a portion of your business online, it is very important to get involved with popular online social media networking sites like Twitter.com. When new business professionals start marketing their businesses on Twitter, they often make a big marketing mistake by tweeting out massive amounts of business spam messages instead of trying to network and get to know their followers.

When people join social media networking sites, they don’t want to be spammed 24/7 with business messages. They do want to learn more about the company or business they are following along with the products you are marketing…but…they also want to engage in meaningful conversation with that company’s consultant who is doing all of that Tweeting. In the case of Direct Sales…that means they want to engage in meaningful conversations with YOU.

When it comes to marketing your business on Twitter, here are a few important tips that you should know.

1. Try to engage your followers by asking them questions or asking them for their opinions on the products you are trying to market.
2. Don’t make your Tweets all about business all of the time. Mix them up with some general chit chat topics. You can discuss non-confrontational current events or daily life topics with your followers.
3. Don’t have every Tweet contain a link to your web site. That is viewed as link spam and is often reported by followers to Twitter as spam.
4. Offer up some general Direct Sales, home business, networking, marketing, etc. types of tips that you find beneficial that you think other’s would be interested in. You can visit other web sites that offer home business resources and tweet out links to those articles if you are not great at sharing your own business tips. In addition, if you enjoy great inspirational business quotes, tweet out a few of those a day too!
5. Never send out out direct messages to followers with your business information in it unless that specific person has asked you for the information.
6. Never send @ mentions to people who are not following you advertising your products or services. This is considered to be @ mention spam and is reported by followers to Twitter. If people want to follow you or they want your information, they will request it from you.
7. Make sure your profile page is filled out correctly with a working live link to your web site or blog. Many times when I click on profile page links they are broken and incorrect. In addition, you will need a business logo or a photograph of yourself to use as your avatar. No one enjoys seeing the Twitter standard bluebird avatar when they are talking to someone.
8. Don’t bombard your followers with too many tweets! People will quickly unfollow someone who sits on there 24/7 sending out hundreds of messages.

Marketing your Direct Sales business online can be a profitable endeavor if it is done correctly and if you work on it consistently. By following the tips I have outlined above you will have more success with your marketing efforts on Twitter.

Shelly Hill has been working successfully from home since 1989 in Direct Sales. Shelly is the owner of the popular Work At Home Resource Site called Work At Home Business Options at http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com where you can find free Direct Sales articles, home business tips and free resources to help you build a strong Direct Sales home business.

If you’re in direct sales, do these mistakes sound familiar to you?

#1. Talking to everyone about your new business without pre-qualifying them first. -It’s understandable because you’re excited and want everyone to know. You’re also told to tell your friends, family, neighbors right away about your business.

This isn’t bad advice but there’s a difference between telling someone that you just started a new business versus “I think it’s an amazing opportunity and you should consider joining too”. I’ve certainly done it and it’s a typical rookie mistake.

If the person you’re talking to doesn’t seem interested, don’t keep hammering away. Try not to convince others why it’s such a great opportunity. If someone’s interested, they’ll ask for more info.

#2. You don’t have to sell because the products sell themselves. Really? If that was true you’d see more direct sellers in business wouldn’t you? Products don’t sell themselves. If you’re told by your uplines or direct sales company to wear the jewelry, you are marketing the product.

We’re bombarded with product promotions, movies, events, everywhere we look. Why? Because products don’t sell themselves – the right kind of marketing does.

#3. Over-promising the opportunity. Yes, direct sales is a simple business but only in concept. Your job is to sell products and sponsor a team. The latter is optional depending on your goals.

The concept is simple. But before a sale takes place, there are pre-selling steps you must master.

That’s one of the biggest obstacles for direct sellers because most people that joined the direct selling business don’t have the skills to sell and market their business. So they go around looking for anyone that seems interested.

It’s simple to sell a few products and even recruit your friends at the beginning. But if you want to growing your business long-term, you’ve got to get real, and learn how to build your business like a real business.

#4. Leading with the products instead of offering a solution. There are millions of products on the market. Truthfully, your company product isn’t all that unique. Consumers are bombarded with the abundance of product choices.

For example, you can offer product samples to try before they buy. You can follow up with phone calls or emails to offer your assistance. This isn’t something you’re going to get from a regular store.

#5. Using the old methods of marketing. I’m not suggesting you abandon offline traditional methods completely.

But you need to consider the return on your investment based on the products you’re selling. If you’re selling $10 candles or lip gloss, is it the best investment of your money to spend hundreds of dollars on a local ad?

As a small direct seller, your budget is limited. That means you’ll need to be creative and explore different ways to promote your business based on the type of business you’re in.

Thanks to the internet, there are many free and effective ways to generate leads painlessly that brings results.

Learn how to generate more targeted-leads using article marketing, blogging, and internet marketing. Download your FREE Report for tips to grow your home based business. Just visit my site –> http://www.marketingdirectsales.com

Lately, have you been thinking if opening business is right for you? If so, you will need to make lots of decisions before your grand opening. Make decisions about which products to sell and where to set up shop. You may wonder how paying customers will find you. Maybe a direct sales business is a better choice? There are lots of specialty businesses to consider. If a flexible schedule is desired, the home party business might suit your needs.

An established company has a successful home party plan model. Selling wares at parties have been profitable for many years. After joining the business, you are considered an independent distributor. You will become authorized to sell products and conduct business. Money can be earned from commissioned sales based on the total retail sale amount. When you share the business opportunity with others, you will recruit team members to start their own businesses. Customers and extra team members will create unlimited income.

Who needs the hassle of finding a building to rent? You have a home based business. Make your office in your own home. Working at home is comfortable and flexible. In your home office, you decide how much inventory to keep. Business transactions can occur anywhere you choose.

Sustaining a business means scheduling home parties to distribute products. By this technique, you will have access to future customers. As a new entrepreneur, you have the freedom to schedule your work. You also choose what days to work around important family obligations. Use home parties to network and grow your business.

Small sales businesses are sponsored by a larger company. Established larger companies are equipped to give needed support to independent distributors. They are responsible for business tools, catalogs and business forms. Handling inventory and delivery is taken care of by the parent company. The parent company is in charge of products being offered to meet seasonal trends and purchasing patterns. Customers appreciate the personal service by an independent distributor.

Customer reward programs keep your business growing. Most companies have monthly sales specials to keep a fresh and exciting purchasing appeal. As an entrepreneur, you have the relative freedom to operate your business to successfully generate unlimited funds by satisfying your customers. Happy customers become frequent buyers by scheduling more home parties.

Being successful in a direct sales business is a wonderful opportunity to own your own business. The home party plan is a highly effective marketing technique to accommodate the needs of a flexible business. Withstanding years of surviving in the business world, being a home based independent distributor is great option for some entrepreneurs.

Eric McMillan is an interweb marketer and entrepreneur. Visit his site for more info on the direct sales business. If you are ready to get started in the direct sales business, visit Eric’s site to day for a free 7 part training series. Click Here Now!

Direct or Party Plan selling companies sign up thousands of new consultants every year. Most join with excitement, energy and desire, yet fully a third of those never put in their first show. What happens?

One – Unrealistic Expectations – Especially if someone has never been in direct sales before, they tend to expect everyone to react to the product the same way that they did. When hitting the first negative reactions or not supportive friends or family, they fold. Solution? First, be honest that not everyone is going to want the products they are selling. Second, teach them how to ask for customers who will.

Two – Inadequate Training – The very nature of direct selling dictates that the new consultant, who is often an independent contractor, has to be willing to TAKE the training that is offered. And, sadly, many do not have a clue what to do, but will still fail to take advantage of available training opportunities. As a sponsor, consider having the training conversation BEFORE the sign-on-the-dotted-line conversation. We all want our teams to grow, but a team full of people who are not selling is just an address list.

Three – They Give Up Too Easily – The rule-of-thumb that it takes ninety days to really get a direct sales business rolling is very true. So, it can be hard to convince that new consultant who did not get any bookings at her first (and only scheduled) show to keep working. There ARE ways to sell the products that are not home parties. However, many of these lead to bookings for shows. Have you shared with your consultants the use of free classes or public speaking to attract new contacts? If you are very solid at getting bookings, it can be tough to make these suggestions to someone who is struggling. In general, proactively offer assistance once, and tell them point blank if they want more help, they need to ask for it. It is definitely a balance between being supportive and being overbearing.

The bottom line is that qualifying prospects as to what they want from the business and what they expect from it and from you can go a long way to ensuring they at least get out of the starting gate. There is definitely a point where you have done what you can and should. The next step is up to the new consultant.

Copyright 2011

I would like to offer you a FREE copy of my ebook “New Start to Great Start – Let’s Get Your Party Plan Business Started!” Whether you’re just getting started, re-starting, or helping someone start, this 30-page book is chock full of ideas, inspiration, and how-to’s for any Party Plan Direct Seller! Get yours here http://sellmoretonight.com

Kimberly Bates, Chief Genie
http://yourideagenie.com
Licensing Profiting from Your Passions (R) Career Coach

After 7 years of loyally buying from the same tree farm lot, I vowed this December to never buy from that farm again. The reason I made that decision is actually the same reason many customers that are pleased with a company will take their business and go elsewhere. The reason is Company Indifference.

Here’s an interesting statistic regarding why customers quit buying from you and take their business elsewhere:

• 4% Feel the pricing is unfair. They aren’t given enough “value” reasons to stay. (Check that out, only 4% leave because of price. This alone should convince you that a good sale isn’t what keeps most customers around!

• 9% Could no longer be serviced. They move their location, pass away, or their needs change (Obviously, you can’t prevent this one)

• 12% Are disappointed with the company (Most business owners/entrepreneurs think this is the #1 reason).

• 16% Accept a competitive offer. You aren’t there, but your competition is! (Visibility is key)

• (Hear the drumroll!) – 55% of customers take their business elsewhere because of “Company Indifference” or “No Contact”. (In other words, over half of your customers leave you because you show no interest in keeping them around!)

When you add up the last two reasons (A Competitive Offer and Company Indifference) you discover that 71% of lost customers actually value you and/or your company and only take their business elsewhere because they feel that you don’t value them.

And I just happen to have the perfect case in point!

I won’t ever own one of those fake Christmas trees. 10 years of living in Oregon has me spoiled. Every year on the day after Thanksgiving, our family took a wonderfully romantic drive into the hills to one of our favorite tree farms (we had a couple of favorites to choose from) and cut down our holiday tree for the season.

We built so many mini traditions into that one that I could write a book as opposed to an article. Suffice it to say, it was a great disappointment when we moved to Phoenix, Arizona where trees in grocery store parking lots are the closest thing to a tree farm you can find.

Our first year in Arizona I felt more disappointment than excitement the day we went to get a tree. Now picture that disappointment transform to satisfaction as I meet a family of Oregonian tree farmers managing the tree lot we chose. Then imagine the delight I felt when I recognize their tree farm name as one of the farms we frequented. As we shared some of our hilarious tree stories with them, they laughed and shared tales of being in a long line of family tree farmers.

Before we left, they suggested we sign their guest book so they could send us a postcard the following year informing us where their lot would be located. I was delighted to oblige.

The following year right around Thanksgiving I received a post card from the farm as promised. However, in addition to letting me know the tree lot’s up-coming location, the postcard itself was a 10% off coupon on any tree purchase. Naturally, I returned and recognized the tree farmers as soon as I walked on the lot.

The next year I started looking for their postcard (key point) as the Thanksgiving holiday approached. When it arrived in the mail, I felt a sense of relief along with the anticipation of meeting up with the now familiar Oregonians. As I walked on to their tree lot that year, I felt a sense of pride to be one of their loyal customers (another key point).

The third and fourth years were a near exact repeat of the previous paragraph. Again, I received the postcard almost as soon as I started looking for it and was thrilled to buy from the same tree farmers’ lot.

However, the fifth year I again started looking for their postcard the week of Thanksgiving, but it didn’t show up. I thought I was just eager and that it would soon arrive, but it didn’t. In addition to that, I didn’t see their sign at any of the tree lots nearby.

Just when I thought I’d have to buy from another farm (and a major point here is that I didn’t want to do that), I saw their sign one day as we were driving into the shopping mall, 5 miles south of their previous location! Now let me help you understand what that means here in the 5th largest city in the United States. Within 1 to 2 miles of my house, there are 4 tree lots during the holiday season. Within 3 miles, there are 8. Just imagine how many within 5 miles. Get the picture? Lots of competition!

I didn’t understand why the ONE year my favorite tree farmers needed to let me know their location more than ever before, they hadn’t, until I arrived on the lot. My favorite farmers weren’t there. They had obviously hired out that part of the business to someone else. When I explained to the new people that I was lucky to find them because I hadn’t received the yearly postcard notification, they apologized and offered me the 10% discount I was accustomed to receiving.

The sixth year I didn’t receive a postcard in the mail, but I discovered my favorite tree lot located right next to our favorite privately owned coffee shop. This time I met a different couple managing the lot than the year before. When I informed them that I hadn’t received a postcard this year again, I was told that they were now sending the notices by email and that one could print off the coupon. Hmmm. That would have been nice to know AHEAD OF TIME!

I was beginning to feel like a jolted lover, but because of the years of good experiences, I wanted to give them another chance (another key point) by filling out the “new” guest book and supplying my email address for them to contact me the next year… which brings us to the 2007 holiday season.

Did I receive a postcard this past year? Of course not. How about that email? No. I did, however, find them located once again near my favorite coffee shop. This time when I asked why I didn’t receive a postcard or an email, the gentleman (a completely new face again) told me others had mentioned the same thing but that he didn’t know anything about it.

You know the decision I made that day. And the reason I made it wasn’t because I didn’t like the tree farm anymore. It wasn’t because I was sore at the owners for outsourcing the tree lot part of the business. It wasn’t because I didn’t like the new people managing the lots. And it certainly wasn’t because I couldn’t save a whopping 10% on a tree!

I made the decision to take my business elsewhere from now on because after 7 years of loyally buying from the same company, I feel unvalued; I feel their indifference to me. I can’t help thinking that if it’s not worth it to them to stay in touch with me, they must not care whether or not I buy from them – so I won’t. I’ll buy from someone else.

What can you do differently or more frequently this year to show your customers that you are anything but indifferent to the business they give you?

About the Author

Tammy Stanley directs The Sales Refinery, a sales training firm that assists sales professionals generate more business through powerful marketing, selling, and leadership strategies. Get her FREE report,”3 Simple Secrets to Attracting More Business” at http://www.tammystanley.com

If you own a business whether online, offline, big or small, every business needs leads.

Not only do you want more customers but you want repeat customers to buy again and again. And happy customers to refer your business to others.

What is your plan for attracting more leads?

Will you use paid advertising? Print or online? What is the cost of the advertising? If you’re selling $10 candles or other low-end products, would it make sense to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on ads?

Most party plan consultants are part-timers or seasonal. Few are in the business to build it big. You need to consider the return on your investment if you’re using paid ads.

As an independent consultant, your marketing budget is limited. Consider leveraging free online resources to build your business.
Think about how you want to spend your time and how you’re going to attract qualified leads. Determine what makes the most economical sense for you.

Here are some tips on attracting more leads to your party plan business:

Everybody is not your customer. You must narrow your target market – define your ideal customer – and focus on attracting their attention.
This means, know where they hang out online and go marketing where they are.

#1 Go marketing where your prospects are. Specifically, if your target audience are party planners, sign up for niche groups in direct sales. You’ll find hundreds of niche groups on Ning.com.

Join and participate in the conversation. Set up a profile. Add a RSS feed so your blog updates are posted automatically.

#2 Paid online advertising. If you’re using paid advertising, consider ads that are targeted to your niche: home party plan directories.

These directories are visited by women and stay-at-home-moms that might be interested in a part-time opportunity with your company. Depending on what your niche is, consider advertising that fits the demographics you’re aiming for.

#3 Free lead generation with content creation. This is my favorite strategy. Not only it’s free publicity but there are countless benefits from using content creation from writing articles.

It’s not the newest or sexiest of all the marketing strategies but it works and this method delivers targeted and consistent traffic which means new leads to your party plan business.

**Janette Stoll helps direct sales consultants generate targeted leads from article writing and marketing. Her blog is visited by thousands of work-at-home professionals monthly. Sign up for your FREE 10-Part Mini Course on article writing and marketing. Or click here –> http://www.janettestoll.com

If you want to generate more bookings in your direct sales business, and you want to generate those bookings with ease, you need to look at reasons why your prospects would want to book a home party with you in the first place. Most direct sales consultants think that the reason their prospects book a home show is to get free product, and that’s why they almost always lead with getting free product as the reason to book a home party.

What if you could improve your results by digging deeper and finding an even more compelling reason to book a home show, would you want to do that? If so, pay close attention to the marketing lesson within the following story of how I developed a large group of people to want something I offer.

There’s really only one reason people read my weekly ezine. Some would say that they read it because they learn so much from it. Others would say they read it because they think I’m such a good writer. But those are not the real reasons why they read it. There’s truly only one reason they read it at all.

The real reason my subscribers read my weekly ezine is that I present them with an offer they can’t refuse while signing up for my it. Here’s my offer: “Learn 3 simple secrets to building an empire in your direct sales business by giving me your first name and email address.” You see, the real reason my subscribers read my weekly ezine is that I begin by generating their interest with an offer of something they actually want. So what does all this have to do with you and achieving success in your direct sales business? Keep reading because you’re going to start seeing some similarities.

A major point I want you to understand is that no one reads my ezine because I say, “Hey, wanna get a free ezine targeted to the direct sales industry from me every week?” It’s true that I could have asked that of each of my subscribers, and maybe a few would have said, “Yes.” But the majority probably would have said, “No thanks.”

Likewise, you can jump-start your direct sales business once you pick up the phone and simply ask a few casual acquaintances if they would consider hosting a home party demonstration to get some free products. However, asking someone to host a home party demonstration for that reason would be similar to me asking you if you wanted to get a free weekly ezine. However, even that activity can generate bookings in your calendar, therefore, another major point is: Activity overrules inactivity any day of the week.

But the secret to generating new bookings with ease is identifying something that your prospects would love to have and then presenting those prospects with an irresistible offer. You have to get inside your customers’ shoes and really ask yourself, “What do my customers actually want?” If you think the answer to that question is “free products,” you haven’t thought much about your prospects.

Let’s look at my offer. When I thought about my prospects I knew that I could offer them a free weekly ezine filled with direct sales tips and direct sales strategies. But I had to ask myself, “Do my prospects actually want that?” In order to discover the answer to that I simply pictured my prospects going to bed at night and not being able to fall asleep. What was keeping them awake? Well, certainly not this thought, “Oh, if only I could get a free ezine targeted to direct sales! Then every thing would be all right.” HA! FAT CHANCE!

I knew that if anything in their business were keeping them awake at night it would have something to do with difficulty, how this business isn’t as easy as they thought it would be. Then I thought about things that could really help make this business easier. And ultimately I narrowed those things down to three things. Still another major point is that I didn’t just say “3 Things to…,” I said, “3 Simple Things…” You see, I know that my ideal prospects want and need simplicity in their business because their lives are already busy and complicated enough as it is.

The other thing I considered was that the bigger my prospects build their business, they not only earn more money, they experience leverage. By the way, “leverage” is another word for “opportunity” in project/risk management. By telling my prospects that I had 3 simple secrets to building an empire in their direct sales business, I capitalized on several of their desires – simplicity and leverage of time and money.

Hey, I can actually picture my prospects going to bed at night wishing they knew an easier way to make money and wishing there were a few more hours in the day! Do you ever go to bed with either of those thoughts?

What I’ve just shown you is the secret to generating new bookings with the people and strangers you meet every day. Offer a solution to one or more of their challenges. Stop offering free products (for example: a free facial) and start offering something they want (for example: taking 3-5 years off their face). You need to think about the problem to which your products are the solution. Yes… this just might require some deeper thinking on your part. Final major point: if you skip this, you’ll be veering off the critical path to building a truly successful direct sales business.
About the Author

Tammy Stanley directs The Sales Refinery, a sales training firm that assists direct sales consultants generate more business through powerful marketing, selling, and leadership strategies.

Get her FREE report, “3 Simple Secrets to Building an Empire in Direct Sales” at http://www.tammystanley.com

In direct sales there are always opportunities to become a leader of other people. Sometimes known as down line or recruits, they become a part of our team. Sometimes leaders feel compelled to become responsible for their teams overall performance. They fret and sweat and break their own backs to try and make others successful. Giving others leads and recruits to boost their numbers. Finding new customers to place orders to keep the sales where they need to be. Basically doing everything to support someone elses business in order to make yours successful, to get that extra bonus check or promotion.

But my question is Has It Been Worth It?

If you have been doing so much work for others, have you been able to keep your business where it should be or could be?

And if the other rep is not as compelled as you are to be successful and quits their business in a few months, you have just lost everything you put into that others business.

I would suggest that you take the time to step back and look at your business and how much you actually do for others and maybe look at some tough questions and alternatives.

• Are you helping or hindering that other persons business?

• Are they going to be able to learn and grow their own without your help someday?

• Interview your new potential people. Do they have experience in sales? How much are you going to have to help?

• Learn when to let go and let them fly

• Lead by example and they can copy You

• Give them the tools and the expectations and they can be successful if they want to.

• Know that some will and some won’t. Don’t take it personally.

• Know that they have to have the drive inside but you can inspire it.

Teach your recruits to fish. Don’t give them the fish and expect then them to have a strong business. Teaching is powerful and it will make you a stronger leader.

Copyright Chris Carroll All Rights Reserved

Chris Carroll is a sales professional that has made direct sales her business of choice and enjoys sharing with others. You can sign up for tips on managing and increasing your business at her site http://DirectSalesTalkradio.com/blog You can also find her at her business site http://ShopOnYourSeat.com

Over the weekend, my husband and I went to check out a newer timeshare in town. We already own a timeshare, but the sales person we spoke with described this place in such a positive way that we thought it would be worth investigating. And the added benefit was that we could observe their sales process, which is always a learning opportunity.

This time we were both anything but impressed. I could go on and on about the things that the different sales people did that only damaged the relationship they were trying to build. But the ultimate blow came at the end of the day.

I have only been to a few timeshare presentations. At this one, they began by grouping about 8-10 couples and taking them to a boring little room with a salesman, who delivered an hour-long talk about all the reasons you “should” be a timeshare owner.

I wrote, “should” because he truly said, “you should” this and “you should” that throughout his presentation. This is probably one of the biggest No-Nos in sales. As adults, we like to be spoken to like adults. No one prefers to be treated like a child. As soon as anyone says, “you should,” he/she is using the language of a parent, not an adult. Who wants to take their time to go to a sales presentation and be told what they should be doing? Oh, but I digress.

After that “sweatbox” presentation, each couple met with another salesperson, who then tried to close just that couple on buying a timeshare. If the couple said, “No,” as we did, the supposed Big Kahuna, the ultimate sales guru, was brought in to close the deal.

I have to admit, I was expecting some great salesmanship from him. But once I saw him in action, I understood why his whole sales force was anything but persuasive. His means of building rapport consisted of bashing his competition. And here is the kicker… he KNEW that we owned a timeshare with the company he was bashing! I hope you know that’s just foolish.

In so many words, he told us that we were dumb to have invested with that company instead of his. I can think of better ways to build rapport with one’s prospects, how about you?

On the opposite side of the spectrum is the company with which we own a timeshare. To begin with, the sales people there did not group all of us together and send us to a sweatbox. Instead, a sales person greeted each couple and then escorted that individual couple somewhere beautiful and comfortable at the resort.

The saleswoman who met with us spent her time asking us question after question about us and our family. After thirty minutes or so of a truly fun “Kaffee Klatsch,” this woman really understood our challenges and our desires. Instead of telling us what we should do, she empathized that our schedule did not allow much travel time, although it seemed like we wished it did. She then suggested that we take advantage of the special offer they had going on by getting the smallest timeshare unit, until our schedule could allow for more travel time.

Hmm… which one would you buy from, if you wanted a timeshare?

When you bash your competition, you run the risk of insulting your prospects, that have potentially bought from your competition. This is definitely important in the world of direct sales and network marketing. If the prospect you are talking to has not already sold for a direct sales company or been with another network marketing company, he/she could easily have a few friends who have. You do not ever want to run the risk of bad-mouthing a company with which your prospect previously was or currently is affiliated. You also do not want to run the risk of bashing products that your prospect might actually like. Let your prospects bad-mouth, while you just listen.

In addition, if the only way you can talk about your company or your products is by bashing another’s, what you actually broadcast is that you don’t have many beneficial things to say about your own. Sit down and decipher the most beneficial benefits of your company and its products. Prospects find acclaim far more convincing than slander. It’s good to remember the old saying, “If you sling mud, you are bound to get it on yourself.”

It never benefits you to belittle or defame your competition. By doing so, you don’t make yourself look better than it; you make yourself look worse.

About the Author: Author and Sales Trainer, Tammy Stanley assists direct sales entrepreneurs generate more business with powerful marketing, selling, and leadership strategies. Click here to get her FREE REPORT,
3 Simple Secrets to Building an Empire in Direct Sales