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Laurie Ayers Scentsy Independent Consultant Blog

Read All Instructions Before Use

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While shoveling snow this morning  I was recalling a time when I received a new 1.5″ Digital Pocket Viewer as a gift. (Yes your mind wanders looking at all that white stuff day after day, after day). So anyway…. I was thinking about this little gadget I received.  It was before I had a smart phone so I didn’t have any way to keep in my purse digital photos of my kiddos.

RTFMThe first page of the little manual read:   READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE.  I remember thinking how difficult could this little gizmo could be, as it was merely a little plug and play device.   It was written in all caps, so the warning scared me into actually reading all instructions before use.

At the very bottom of paragraph two I read (again in all caps) DO NOT LAUNCH THE SOFTWARE YET.    We all know someone or many someones who never read instructions. They can just figure it out … or so they think. In this particular case launching the software at that point would seem like a natural thing to do.

Then I started thinking about all the people who sign up to be consultants for home-based companies. (I told you the snow shoveling mind wanders). Most independent consultants are either given or have access to the company policies and procedures.   It is my understanding that most enrollment processes require that new consultants also need to sign or click that they have read, and agree to the information contained in the policies and procedures.   They affirm that they have READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE.   However it has been my experience that truly, most do NOT read the policies and procedures before beginning their business. [Read more…] about Read All Instructions Before Use

That’s it – I quit! Dealing with Direct Sales Frustrations

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fed up with direct salesFrustrated with your direct sales business or parent company? Then this post is for you.

You’ve probably heard all the cliches about the grass being greener on the other side and watering your own grass. There’s a popular quote, “Don’t let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad life.” This can also be reworded to “Don’t let a bad day make you feel like you have a bad business (or that you’re with the wrong direct sales company).”

The honest truth is that no one person, business or company is perfect. There’s no perfect spouse, no perfect house and certainly no perfect direct sales company.   It is also true that if you do due diligence you can find a pretty awesome spouse, house and direct sales company.

If you leave at the first sign of trouble then you weren’t really committed from the start. If you’ve had more than a few hiccups and you leave, then you may have unrealistic expectations. Note:  I am not referring to glaring and repeated failures or moral discord that you simply may not be able to ignore.

I’m specifically talking about some of the things you don’t like about your company. You can get frustrated and fed up and declare, “That’s it; I quit!” And you certainly can do that. But then you’ll just have to start over somewhere else.   And if you don’t see any warts in the beginning, you’ll eventually see them. Then how long will it be before you make the same declaration again and decide that you’ve had enough and quit? [Read more…] about That’s it – I quit! Dealing with Direct Sales Frustrations

Have You Ever Said ‘Can You Do Me a Favor?’ in Direct Sales?

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If you’re asking customers to do you a favor by ordering: JUST STOP IT!

“Can you do me a favor and host a party for me?”  “Can you do me a favor?  I’m only $200 away from reaching my goal. Can you place an order from me?”  “Can you do a favor for me and place an order.  I’ll place one from you next month, I promise!”

Six words that should never be uttered by a Direct Sales consultant are “Can you do me a favor?”

Exception: the only time those six words should be uttered by a home party plan consultant is if she is asking someone to assist her by holding the door open.

Think about it. It’s backwards thinking. You are not in business so that customers can do YOU a favor.  You are in business so that you can make your customers’ lives easier, better, healthier or prettier (and yes to make a profit too!).  If no one needs or wants your product or service, then why bother to be in business?

If you’re trying to earn an incentive trip, you’re not earning it by begging customers to you do a favor. If you’ve been working your business throughout the qualification period, then you’d be earning it.

Don’t manipulate people to buy something from you or to agree to host a party. Can you really feel good about yourself and your business if you need to guilt or pressure people into buying? What message are you sending? You’re sending the message that you don’t really believe in your products or opportunity. [Read more…] about Have You Ever Said ‘Can You Do Me a Favor?’ in Direct Sales?

Quickest Way to Get Me to Unfollow You on Twitter

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I love Twitter. I use it daily. I’ve learned some amazing tidbits and met some fabulous people. I highly, highly, encourage direct sellers to jump on the Twitter bandwagon. In fact, come follow me @directsalesblog, then come back and finish this article.

This is not a post about the benefits of using Twitter, nor how to get followers; and it’s not a post about the content of what you tweet. There are plenty of resources about that and that is an entirely different conversation.

Instead I want to talk about:

The Quickest Way to Get Me to Unfollow You on Twitter

DMs – Direct Messages are great opportunity to start a conversation in private. It’s a great platform to start building personal relationships or to say something that the entire Twitterverse doesn’t need to be bogged down with.

Note I mention words like conversation (indicating two-way), and personal and relationships.

What bugs the beegeebers out of me are Tweeps using the DM to spam me. If I have decided to follow you because you look interesting or whatever reason, and then you almost instantly send me a DM sending me to your FB page or website or to buy your book, then you’re spamming me. And I will instantly go unfollow you. You have your settings set up to autoreply with your ad. [Read more…] about Quickest Way to Get Me to Unfollow You on Twitter

Can’t Afford Not to Stay a Consultant

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circleEvery time consultants are up for termination due to inactivity I hear it: “I can’t afford to keep my [xyz direct sales] business, so I’m going to quit or I’m going to be terminated.”

I don’t understand that logic.

If you are struggling financially, and you already own a direct sales business, and also have access to great products that you can share and sell “¦ and earn money by doing so – why would you quit that? Isn’t that the answer to prayer? Isn’t this a solution to help you out financially? A few more crazy comments I hear:

“My husband doesn’t get paid until Friday.”

Not sure what a spouse’s payday has to do with your ability to pick up the phone and make some sales to save your account – unless of course the phone has been shut off due to failure to pay the bill. Then I’d high tail it to the public library to use the free internet. That way you can send emails and set up an online party. Then you can save your business and then continue so sell so that you can pay the phone bill.

“I can’t afford to stay a consultant.” [Read more…] about Can’t Afford Not to Stay a Consultant