How To Promote Your Business

• Take advantage of the Internet:

The internet is a low cost medium of advertisement, especially with the rise of social media. If before you needed to spend a lot of money on outdoors or radio/tv spots to get your product to the audience, these days internet gets to pretty much everyone,

•  Highlight Available Promotions

 Make sure your audience knows about the available promotions you have on your products. Make sure they're highlighted on your social profiles, blog or websites.

•  Be creative

Use your creativity to promote your business. Get out of your comfort zone, create your own style, your own mailing list and sms list as well: clients tend to read more the promo text messages than the promo emails that often land on the spam box.

Tip of The Day: Engage In Your Local Community

Are you engaged in your local community's activities? Volunteer groups, activities, junior summer camps, scouts, church groups, choir groups, there are plenty of opportunities for you to engage and potentially grow your client list. Networking is one of the oldest sales techniques there is, and while many people think that networking it is done online only, the truth is getting out and meet people in person really exponentiates the seller-client contact and sale.

3 Simple Rules in Life

Today's tip of the day is 3 little simple rules in life that have a lot of impact on your seller profile and on the way you see yourself as a professional direct seller.
1. Don't procrastinate, if you want something don't wait for it to fall into your lap, go out and work for it. Don't take success for granted, it takes sweat and hard work but at the end, the feeling of mission accomplished, and having what you really want is priceless!
2. Take risks, get out of your comfort zone and ask, you will never know what the answer will be. You already know that the answer can be a round "no" but what if it's a yes?
3. Move forward: don't stay at the same place, make a plan, make a new plan if the first one doesn't work, but remember, don't give up!

The success indicator

Here's something to make you think about: the success indicator. Do you consider yourself successful? Do you admire someone who you think is successful? Are they really?
Learn how to identify the behaviours and actions of a successful person and aim for the same.
Be positive, inspiring, help others and keep yourself organized. Create a goal list, learn, accept responsibility and give credit to your team's success.

Leadership tips

• Learn to motivate others;
• Take initiative;
• Adapt to change (whether it's a change in your team, the market or economy). Make sure you're always on the top of your game;
• Be a good communicator;
• Act confident and inspiring to others and yourself as well;
• Stand still under pressure. Take one step at the time and don't crack down, it will only make you lose focus and time.

How to Prevent Cancellations

No matter how good of a seller you are, and how professionally you deal with clients, sometimes they just cancel the order, and it can be very upsetting. So here's some tips on how to deal with it and not lose the client at all:

• Communicate: perhaps it's not a bad idea to create a .pdf with your business rules up front, this way your clients will take you and your business a bit more seriously;
• According to the order volume, you can ask for a percentage up front, to secure the order. 10% to 20% is acceptable ;
• Create a policy agreement and publish it in your website, blog or social networks. If a client bails on you, address him directly and copy & paste the link where your business policy is written;
• If a client constantly cancels the order, don't hesitate to stop receiving any more order from him. The energy you spend chasing him and dealing with these issues can certainly be used in making new contacts and potential (and better) clients.

Quote of the day: Inspire and motivate your team

Being a successful direct seller isn't all about selling a lot by yourself, but about being an inspiration and a great team leader. Inspire your team with supporting words, with benefits, parties and invitations and you will soon learn the power of a strong chain of enthusiastic and motivated sellers, even in those days when you're not feeling at your best, you will realize how great it is to have a supportive team behind you.

Direct sales tips: the personal touch

Did you know that statistically it is more likely for a person to say "no" on the phone than in person?
Instead of calling a customer asking if they need to order something, try to schedule a meeting, something informal, like a coffee or pay them a quick visit at home to show what new products you have, promotions or samples. The personal touch will show your clients that you care personally for each one of them, and that they are not just a number.

How to organize a workshop

A workshop doesn't usually last longer than 3 hours, and it can be divided into various workshops that are conducted in different blocks, separated by no less than 20 minutes each, so that participants can relax, talk and drink something in between activities.

The big difference with events such as conferences, seminars or symposia is that they are prepared precisely in order to assistants to participate actively coordinated by an expert or representative of the theme that connects them. The role of the coordinator is essential in the workshop as he will be in charge all the participants interactions, the products and the techniques used.

The organization of a workshop can be set to make demonstrations of products and their use supporting the theoretical presentation in order to enable participants to experience the products and usage in a real context, being also able to ask questions to the coordinator.

The 10 Commandments of Sales

1. Think - The sale is in your mind;
2. Believe - Develop a belief system that can't be penetrated;
3. Get Involved - Develop compatibility and personal involvement before starting the sale;
4. Find out - People buy for their own reasons, not for yours. Discover their motives first;
5. Ask - If you ask the wrong questions, you will get the wrong answers;
6. Observe - your ability to observe must be as powerful as your ability to sell and your ability to listen;
7. Dare - Dare to take risks;
8. Assume - Know who is to blame when the sale is made;
9. Deserve - Sell for the relationship, not for the commission;
10. Prove - A testimony is worth a hundred sales presentations;

You don't become a great salesman in just one day. But you can become an excellent salesman day by day.

Grow your Client List With a Giveaway

If you're a direct seller and you own a blog or Facebook page (or both!), one of the best ways to increase your client list and get people to know about your brand and products is to host a Giveaway.

Select one of your products, or create a bundle and start spreading the word. If you have a blog in Wordpress there are multiple of plugins that will help you, for example: "And the winner is" is one of the plugins that, once installed, will randomly select one of the comments left in your post. But there are other alternatives that work with all blogging platforms, like Random.org .

Usually the giveaway consists in a couple of rules: like the page, comment the post and share through the social media accounts. If you're giving away a bundle from Younique, for example, you will make a post explaining the contest rules, ask for the participants to like Younique's Facebook page, leave a comment in the Giveaway post's comments section and share the post's link through their Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest. You should define a time span for the contest so you can gather as much as new followers and prospective clients as possible, usually one week or two is enough. And take a picture of the prize, so the clients know exactly what they are trying to win.

At the end of the giveaway, use the tools (plugin or Random.org) to select the winner, and make a post with the name of who won.

Close your deal faster

Working with sales requires that the seller has many skills, such as communication, charisma, understanding, patience and persuasiveness. 

There are some sales techniques that help the seller to make a satisfactory commercial representation and make their exports more quickly:

• Anticipate

The sooner you start planning your method of sale, the more success you will have. It is very important to consider how you approach your customer .

• Create a bond with the customer

The proximity will now help you in the sales process and increase your chances of business to be successful, because by trusting you, the client also trusts the product you represent.

• Be understanding

Understand what your customer is willing and offer him exactly what he looks for in good condition for payment.

• Collaborate

If the client isn't satisfied with the conditions, give him some other alternatives .

• Learn to listen

Listen to what your customer has to say. It is important that everyone agrees with the decision to be made for the sale to be closed in the most transparent way possible .

• Inspire confidence

If the client is in doubt, give as much information as possible to make him feel safe. Introduce him actual results of other successful sales and customer satisfaction surveys .

• Provide clear and objective responses

Demonstrate safety when responding to customer inquiries. An unsecured vendor demonstrates a lack of training and distrust. If you show that you know deeply what is selling, the customer will also have confidence in you and the product you offer .

The representative who is prepared and prepare an effective plan of sales can make all the difference at the time of sale.

Promoting your business site / blog

Promoting on social media helps the clients getting to know your sales site or blog. They provide a contact with the audience and draw attention and interest to those who have no knowledge of the product / service / brand you are publishing about.

Social media tools, like Twitter ( RT ) and Facebook ( Share and Like ) help in spreading the idea and help to increase the popularity of the web site and/or blog. But for a successful promotion, it must be done in a creative and well - structured manner.

SEO , SMM and SMO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization), SMM (Social Media Marketing) and SMO (Social Media Optimization) are factors that can't be excluded when creating a social network for any product / service / brand. They aid in the achievement of increased online traffic, attracting the target audience, expanding content and generating a market recognition. In practice: this means that the more your site or blog is shaped and structured with an online marketing goal - attract the target audience - the more the ranking in the search engines (like Google and Bing) will increase, and more prospective clients will see your site or blog. 

The SEO analyzes the behavior of the target audience and helps the site's improvement. As for the SMM, it checks the performing marketing and creates quality content. SMO, increases the amount of visitors in social media.

If you are a Younique presenter, and you have your own blog, these are the three main areas of online marketing you should focus on: analyze your audience and its behavior when visiting your blog; create quality content to engage your audience and promote it through the social media channels. 

Encourage your staff to sell more and better

Some simple sales techniques are critical to the performance of the team, which is reversed in profit and growth for both parties :

Most customers do not know exactly what they need. So take the opportunity to discover the appropriate times to offer their solutions (and how to offer in order to emphasize the value they deliver to the customer);
In this sense: price is not everything. Show the customer the advantages that your product offers . Who sells makeup does not offer lip glosses, but beauty, self confidence, comfort and even social status.

Keep in touch: the customer doesn't always buy the product at first, so be courteous and leave open doors to a new opportunity .
Encourage the use of software and social media: many direct sales businesses are still in the past in this regard and do not see the importance of using the social media. This software and social media use needs to be aligned to a personalized sales routine, favoring the management of the customers , orders, and providing all the tools so that they best meet the customer and sell more.

What is on the rise today is the ability to exhibit products and issue orders on the tablet or Smartphone, since they will give more agility and value the products sold, and create a more modern impact on the client himself.

Direct sells: What not to do

In the last post we spoke about Direct Sellers To Do List, a list of tips to do with your sales parties and events.
Today, we're providing you a list of tips of what not to do for your sales events:

• Don't talk on the phone while your potential clients are browsing around your table. It is highly unprofessional to look disinterested and it will make people lose their interest as well, and eventually your sales will suffer.

• Being behind the table or the stall with your head down (reading, texting...) or staring at the floor. This will refrain your clients to feel open to ask you questions and will make them uncomfortable picking up some of your products you have for sale. 

•  If you're organizing the sale with someone else, or some other sellers, don't talk about organizational issues in front of your clients: they will think they are actually disturbing the event, or think they came to a bad sale, especially if they are new clients. Keep those issues to discuss after the sale or, if really needed, do it discretely and with a smile on your face. 

•  The previous don't also applies if you have a helper at your table or booth. Talking to each other constantly will give an idea that you are preoccupied and busy with something else and could discourage potential clients from buying. 

Direct sellers to do list:

Here are some tips to help you become an organized seller, paying attention to detail and make your business look more serious, which will reflect on trust from your clients and prospected clients as well:

• Clean your items and display them neatly, on a rack or on a table;

• Place the price tags in each product individually or collectively, so it is visible and clear to your customers;

• Sort your items by category, for example: eye shadows; pencils, foundations, mascaras...

• Advertise the sales: let the people know beforehand where the sales party will take place: Use Facebook, Craig's list, or send a personalized e-mail to your established clients, friends, co-workers, etc.  

• Don't clutter your items, find a balance between the amount of products you have for sale and the opportunity for them to be seen.

Cross selling

Cross selling is a marketing technique, in which the seller tries to sell to their established clients other products and services other than the ones the client original bought, being more effective if they are complementary products or services.
Next time your clients ask for the 3D Fiber Lashes mascara, show them the eyeshadows Minerals Pigment Powder, or when they show interest in buying the BB Cream , explain them great the BB Cream shades match with the lip glosses.

The power of word-of-mouth

It's the oldest tricks in the history of sales, before spot ads, billboards and online affiliate programs. When the product is good, it sells by itself and word travels far and fast, especially when the competition is tight.
Create your own referral program by rewarding your most loyal clients: every time they bring you a new client, find a way of rewarding them to show appreciation.
Keep your old clients happy and the new ones excited about your brand!

XXI century direct sales parties

Imagine having a direct sales party with your customers all over the world. Or being away on vacation with your friends or family and still be able to participate in a sales event. Wouldn't it be great?
Luckily for us, we're in the XXI century, a new millennium of possibilities at just one click of a distance.

• Skype -> you can build your community around Skype by creating a group, and engaging in a group chat, talking about your products, hearing your clients feedback, and giving advice to one another, all of this in the comfort of your own home. 

• Google Hangouts -> it's easy to create a Google Hangout. Just schedule a day and a time for the hangout, set up your webcam and invite your customers. It's like a living room environment, everyone will be able to see and hear everybody in the hangout face to face, as the one speaking is the one who appears on the screen. Also, everyone is able to hear what everyone is saying and you can still chat or send some links to your products on the chat window on your right.

Enjoy your XXI century direct sales parties !

The Rockstar Effect

Rockstars are considered superior talents, they are worshiped, opinion makers, respected and confident. If you're not ready yet to be a rockstar in your business, try hiring one to the next sales party or booth event: you will surprise and engage your community and customers, and you'll get enough inspiration to become one yourself. Hire a professional make up artist to your event and challenge him to use only the products you're selling on your client's complete make overs. You can actually make it as a game and raffle 3 or 4 make overs through your event guests. Not only this will be a way of showing off your product's potential at a professional level, but your customers will be focused on learning new techniques with the products they are already familiar with.

How to use Instagram to boost your business

If you look at Instagram as a tool instead of social entertainment, there are plenty of ways of benefiting from it. Almost everyone uses a Smartphone these days and the old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" has never been more actual. Plus, Instagram has the video feature, hashtags and direct sending, plus all the other sharing options for other social media channels, such as Tumblr, Foursquare and Facebook.
You can build your own community of followers, clients and prospect new ones by adding following the ones which profile is related to what your business is about.
Fashion, beauty and the food business have been the most profitable businesses on Instagram. Here are some tips:
Take live pictures from your business events, parties and gatherings and share them in real time;
Use and follow hashtags: by doing this you will be exposing your business as well as knowing what's out there, especially your competition;
Create a personality to your business: don't just share images and videos of your products, share inspirational pictures, thoughts, and tips. Make your audience feel that they are dealing with a human being instead of a marketing machine.

Quick & healthy recipe for your next direct sales party

One of the biggest keys to a successful direct sales party or gathering is to connect with your customers and bond. You can bond over experiences and over the product you're selling but you can also provide a good treat, specially for those sweet tooth.
So why not cake & tea?
What? Cake makes you fat? Not a problem! You're a vegan? Lucky for you, this is a vegan cake!
Here's a recipe for Banana  super easy to follow:

Ingredients:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 apple, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup Sucanat or Stevia (...or sugar)
• 1 3/4 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts (or any other nuts)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a 9-inch loaf pan.
In a medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
Add the diced apple, Stevia (or Sucanat), flour, applesauce, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the bowl, and mix well. Pour into greased pan, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry.
Cool in pan for 15 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack. 

Enjoy!

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