Work Your Plan – The 5 P’s that Turned Around My Home-Party Business (Part 2)

(Part 2 - This list is a continuation from the previous post.)

1. Products: (mentioned in the previous post)
   
   
2. Programs:
   Study the programs your company offers to your hosts, sponsoring leads, and new consultants. Those programs should also be duplicable.
   · First, I make a monthly appointment to update your contact list. Whether you do this on your computer or on note book paper, this is a valuable business tool. My contact list is a fundamental part of my business that constantly changes.
   · Next, I approach each new calendar month as if I were reliving my “launch” period over again. You know that time; it was during the first few weeks of your new business career when you had lots of enthusiasm, numerous parties dated and a growing support network. Even long after our “freshman year” as consultants, we can still repeat this process over and over each month. You can have the same experience by planning a “Lift Off” to get your business off to a good start each month. For me, my “Lift Off” objective is to submit two parties at least $400 each during the first 15 days of the month.
   · Third, I set a personal sales goal, which varies each month but I always strive to be somewhere on the top sellers list for my company. That way my team sees that I am working to achieve my own goals. Boast about your achievements! Put a hardcopy of the top sellers list, with your name highlighted, in a company Brag Book (a collection of news, announcements, reprints, etc. in a 3-ring binder). I even highlight all the names of those in my down-line of consultants who are also listed in each category on the top sellers list. At my parties I make a point to share my Brag Book with the host and guests. Leading by this example is the easiest way to find the brightest new consultants at our parties.
   
   CALL TO ACTION: Continuously update your contact lists, submit two $400 parties within first 15 days each month, and set an achievable monthly personal sales volume and strive to see your name on the top sellers list for your company.
   
   
3. Purpose:
   Every direct sales home party company has a mission. Learn that mission and how it applies to you personally. When you find one with a mission in which you can believe, you’ll want to share it with everyone! About a year and a half into my career with my present company, I began living the mission. My son was old enough to take a genuine interest in our products. For me it is now personal. When I realized that the mission became personal, my approach to running my business, sharing the products, inviting people to join the programs, and everything else also changed. For you, it may become personal when you have first-hand play experience with your company’s products.
   
   CALL TO ACTION: Find within yourself what makes your company personal for you!
   
   
4. People:
   Day in and day out with my direct sales home party business I have the privilege to work with so many wonderful people: those within the company, on my own team and among the growing customer base. Do yourself a favor and take time to get to know the persons in the company with whom you will be working. Attend training meetings, listen in on conference calls various levels in the organization. Make note of the new ideas you hear at the meetings and during conversations. Twist them to fit your personality and business mode of operation. That is what I’ve always done at when attending training.
   Another thing that helped with my approach is a suggestion by Ilene Meckley, a successful direct sales coach, who said, “no matter what you are offering, inviting people is much better than announcing it” to them. Once I began applying this advice, sharing what I have to offer with everyone became easier for me. After all I’ve been practicing for many years and now most of the time the right words seem to come naturally. Don’t get me wrong, I still need more practice as I apply what I have learned and find what works in certain situations with different people.
   
   CALL TO ACTION: Practice, practice, practice the right words to say in many different situations when you meet people both at and away from your parties. You will eventually perfect your own technique.
   
   
5. Plan:
   It’s said that the most successful people in direct sales are those who are goal driven. Here is where I decided to plan my work then work my plan. Part of my new plan included setting achievable short-term and long-range goals for me and my family. It is with these goals in mind that I created my “Dream Board”. Almost two years ago now I collected images from magazines and catalogs to create a collage that visualizes what we as a family wanted to accomplish. Still today as I walk into my home office, my Dream Board is in my line of sight the minute I enter the room. This visual reminder is proof of what is to come and what I have already achieved thanks to my home-party business.
   
   CALL TO ACTION: Dream, brainstorm, then create a list of your business goals. Visualize your goals in the form of a Treasure Map, Dream Board, or Dream Book. Watch it change as you cross off tangible and intangible items just for doing your job as an independent representative for your company.

If you are considering a direct sales business opportunity, use these Five P’s to help you make the right choice when selecting a home party company that best suits your personality and needs. If you are already in a direct sales business and need a boost, following my example will take you to the next level.

My suggestions are not anything new for the veteran independent consultants but rather my own spin on how I managed to turn around my direct sales home-party business. You likely already know where your personal business needs improving.

I do “get up and go to work everyday.” And you can too. I do this by offering the products I represent to everyone, introducing the programs to my hosts and sponsoring leads, and bringing together a fabulous group of people to join my growing team. When you make it personal, the rewards are gratifying.

None of my successes would have been possible had I not set forth to plan my work then work my plan. Practice the right words to take your personal business to the next level. Follow my example and you too will gain confidence to realize your dreams.