Direct selling can be a challenging profession, but also one of the most rewarding, if you get it right. Requiring hard work and dedication, it is no get-rich-quick scheme, but for those who succeed, the rewards can be great and the sense of satisfaction gained from running your own business is hard to surpass. So, to give you the best chance of success in this popular profession, here are some top tips on how to smash it as a direct seller.
1. Choose a company carefully
Before you begin your direct selling enterprise, be sure to choose the company you join very carefully. This will stand you in good stead for the many hours of endeavour ahead, as you need to ensure that the company you join has integrity and rewards its members well for their work. A good place to start when looking for a credible company is the Direct Selling Association, which can provide guidance and a list of members that are required to abide by an agreed code of ethics. This is important, as so-called Ponzi and pyramid scheme scams, which exploit unsuspecting people, may masquerade as legitimate direct selling companies. It is therefore wise to find out all that you can before deciding to join a company, including checking out the terms of their compensation plan, which details how you will be rewarded for your efforts, as some are more generous than others.
2. Products to shout about
To be sure of success, it is essential to pick products to sell that you can really shout about. After all, if you don’t think they’re great, who will? In an industry which once seemed to revolve around cosmetics and plastic containers, there is now a wide range of products to choose from, including clothing, books, technology and even online training products. So, there really is something to suit all tastes and interests. Once you have chosen the products you want to sell, be sure to learn all you can about them. If you want to be convincing and excel in your business, you must be knowledgeable about what you’re selling, and enthusiasm for your products will be endearing. So, try as many of them as you can – there’s nothing more compelling than first-hand experience, and your customers will appreciate a genuine word-of-mouth recommendation.
3. Get a game plan
When you’re happy with your choice of company and products, it’s time to get a game plan. First, you need to decide exactly what your goal is, not just that you want to be successful – be specific and set a timescale, as this will give you a greater chance of success! So, goals such as ‘I will achieve the rank of X within my first month with the company’, or ‘I will earn an income of at least Y from my business within six months’, work well. However, you then need to draw up a step-by-step plan of how you will achieve this – willpower alone won’t cut it! One strategy which has been found to improve your chances of success by over 300% is a method called ‘If-then planning’ – a system where you decide in advance exactly when and where you will take action to achieve your aims, taking the form of ‘If X happens, then I will do Y’. For example, ‘If it’s 9.00am on a workday, I will contact five potential customers before lunchtime’. However, if you join a reputable company, they will also provide training in a duplicatable system for you to follow, which will set you on the path to success.
4. Network like a ninja
Once you’ve got your plan of action drawn up, there really is nothing for it but to work your socks off! Like any business startup, it will take a lot of time and effort to make a success of your new enterprise, and there is just no substitute for hard work. However, in an industry which used to depend on door-to-door selling, you are now no longer limited to building a local business, but can cast your net much wider for success. By clever use of social media you can now go global from the comfort of your own home. Nevertheless, some things don’t change, and to truly succeed, you still need to ‘speak’, whether online or in person, to as many people as possible. This is a business which is all about people and those who network like a Ninja will surely win through. Yes, this may mean leaving your comfort zone to conquer any fear of selling, but the rewards are worth it and you might even make friends along the way!
5. Never give up
Finally, if you ask any truly successful direct seller what the key to their success is, you can bet they will say ‘Never give up!’. It is certainly true that persistence pays off, as it is likely you will experience your fair share of rejections before you succeed, but the secret is to keep positive and don’t be dissuaded. This may be easier said than done, but if you throw in the towel you will never know how close you came to striking gold. So, if you feel you’ve hit a roadblock on the route to success, why not reach out to those who can help and support you? The beauty of this business is that you work in a team, with a leader who can act as a mentor when needed. Chances are they will have experienced the same pitfalls as you, so can point you in the right direction for success. The savvy direct seller therefore knows that they need never go it alone, but can always access expert advice to take their business to the next level.
So, to make your mark in the world of direct selling, there really are no shortcuts, but with careful consideration, planning and persistence, you can carve out a promising career for a future without limits.
