Archive for the 'Direct Sales' Category

Guest Post – Attract Good Direct Sales Consultants

Wednesday, September 26th, 2012

A good direct sales consultant that can help you grow your business can be hard to find. The process of attracting new consultants begins with a good recruiting program and continues with a strong business model. The best way to make sure that you are able to grab the interest of the best party consultants in your area is to offer opportunity that is second to none.

Direct Sales Professional Reputation

Your reputation is based on how professionally you conduct yourself at all times. When you are working a party, your demeanor and approach will help to establish a good or bad reputation among your customers. One of the most powerful tools you have in attracting good consultants is a professional reputation. When you pay attention to the way you conduct business, you are improving your chances of finding qualified consultants to help your business grow.

Consultant Busy Schedule

A direct sales consultant wants the opportunity to make money. That is why a busy schedule can be helpful in recruiting new sales professionals. When consultants see that your schedule is always filled, you will start to get inquiries about any open positions you may have.

If you have reached the point where you are turning down bookings because you need another consultant, then make sure you keep the contact information for each hostess that you had to turn down. Always leave the door open for a future booking and use that list of interested hostesses as an enticement to get qualified consultants to work for your company.

Sales Training Program

One of the first things a potential new consultant will ask about is your training program. If you take your home party business seriously, then you have a comprehensive training program for each new consultant that you hire. A good training program will put even the most inexperienced party consultant at ease because she knows that she will not be thrown into an uncomfortable situation.

Your training program should include information about your products and your selling process along with plenty of on-the-job training. Let recruits know that they will not be expected to host their own parties until they are completely comfortable with the process.

Recruiting Consistency

Recruiting new consultants is difficult, and keeping them can be just as hard to do. When you run a sales organization, your consultants expect consistency in everything you do. They expect bookings to be confirmed, products to be available and their pay schedule to be honored. As long as you can maintain consistency in your business dealings, then you will be able to retain talented consultants.

If you want to grow your direct sales business, then you need to be able to recruit good consultants. The process of recruiting is ongoing and your professional reputation can mean the difference between attracting good talent or having to turn down bookings.

Recruiting direct sales consultants takes a continuous focus and decision. Deb Bixler provides direct sales training for consultants on how to increase cash flow at home by putting systems into place that create a consistent cash flow.

Customer Service Is The Heart Of A Direct Sales Home Business

Saturday, September 8th, 2012

When you run and operate a home business in Direct Sales, you need to be really conscious of the type of customer service that you give to others who come into contact with you and your business. Unlike big brick and mortar retail type of stores, you have no one else to blame if poor customer service is given to your party hosts and customers.

It is a proven fact that people will purchase products and services from party plan consultants who they feel comfortable with, who treat them well, who consistently contact them and with who they make a personal connection with.

Today I would like to share with you, several ways that you can make your party hosts and customers feel special and important, to you and your home business.

1. If you are utilizing email to stay in touch with your business associates, party hosts, customers and/or downline team, it is important that you answer those emails in a timely manner. When people contact you via email regarding business matters, they don’t want to be left hanging for days on end. Business emails should be answered in a minimum of 24 hours unless it is the weekend.

2. When you are corresponding with business associates and clients via telephone, it is important to do so when you are not feeling rushed. In addition, background noise should be kept to a minimum. In other words, customers deserve more than two minutes of your time and they should be able to talk to you without a screaming spouse or kids in the background. Those who you speak to via telephone deserve your undivided attention when you are speaking to them about business matters.

3. It is important to try to make a personal connection with your party hosts and customers. I like to ask them a few questions and I really try to act interested in their answers. You could talk about marriage, children, sports, hobbies, food, whatever…just try to make a personal connection with them so that they feel comfortable in working with you.

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Guest Post – The Home Office Deduction & Direct Sales

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

Guest Post – The Home Office Deduction & Direct Sales

A direct sales business has benefits beyond meeting new people and generating your own income.

2 Incomes One Effort = Home Office Deduction

As a home-based company, your direct sales business also offers tax deductions that you could not normally take. When you use your home as an office, it is like generating a second income

To take full advantage of the potential benefits of tax deductions associated with a home office, become familiar with the different kinds of information you need to collect for your tax accountant. Determining the full extent of your home office tax deductions is something you should leave to an expert. But you can help your cause by collecting all of the information needed to lower your income taxes when working from home.

What To Deduct?

There are many things that are deductable. A few of the things that are deductable inlcude:

- Office Equipment

Any kind of equipment you use for your office could be a deduction on your income taxes. Keep receipts for every phone, computer, monitor, printer and any other office equipment you purchase. If you do not have a receipt for the equipment you are using, then make a note of the model, manufacturer, serial number and retail price for your accountant.

- Office Supplies

When you use office supplies in home-based business, you could be creating tax deductions for yourself. Supplies such as printer ink, blank CDs, labels, paper, envelopes and pens are all deductible if you used them for your business.

The major difference between office supplies and office equipment is that you will need to have receipts for every office supply you purchase. Keep a log of all of your purchases and make sure you have a store receipt to back up every purchase.

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What Really IS a Direct Sales Fundraiser?

Saturday, May 19th, 2012

If you are new to Direct Sales, you may hear a lot about Fundraising, but not find a lot of information as to what it really is. Well, I am here to clear up the mystique for you!

Fundraising is an event in which a charitable organization is identified to receive funds that are raised specifically for that charity, non profit group or select individual(s). In terms of Direct Sales, the donation to the charity usually comes out of the profit of the representative and the amount is identified ahead of time by way of either a percentage donation or a flat amount.

Many companies offer fundraising to help their reps but that does not mean the company kicks in money. Most of the time, the representative is the donor of his or her profit from the sale of goods through her business. There are some companies, however, that do have specific items to use for fundraising that are at a special price or they will have specific donation amounts.

If the group has a non profit status and a valid non profit number, most companies will withhold taxes from the fundraiser shipment so the customer does not have to pay State sales tax on the product. If your state does not have sales tax, this will not apply to you. Make sure to check with your company ahead of time on their procedures. They most likely will have special shipping procedures and instructions for fundraising sales so study them and ask questions!

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Direct Sales Tips For Success

Saturday, April 28th, 2012

Success in a home-based business requires organization, promotion, and discipline. Though a home-based business offers more freedom and flexibility than traditional employment, it may require more focus, dedication, and creativity. You are the principal determinant for success or failure and you need to be up to the task.

3 Tips For Business Success

Though success in business requires many different skills and tasks and the list of tips for success would be quite lengthy, here are three that will help get any home business off on the right foot.

Sales Organization

When running a business out of your home, it is imperative that you have an organized and dedicated space for your business. Take a little extra time to organize the space so it works for you and your needs. Arrange the desk, the furniture, and the file cabinets for maximum efficiency. Organize your files so they are easy to find and use a software program or planner for reminders of daily and periodic tasks. Make sure to keep all tax documents, receipts, and income information in clearly marked, accessible files. You may have to try a few different methods before you find one that works for you. If you find that something isn’t working, don’t hesitate to change it.

Promotion For Business Success

Promotion and marketing are the keys to a successful business. If no one knows your business exists, they cannot buy your products or purchase your services. To increase your customer base, you need to market. You will need to try many different methods of marketing to find what works best for your business. Finding the correct marketing strategy is often a constant game of trial and error. Even if you find a strategy that works, it may eventually begin to diminish in effectiveness, and it will be time to look for new promotional methods.

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