A thought before you start your week:
“It ain’t braggin’ if you can back it up.”
~Dizzy Dean
What are you best in the world at doing?
How will you humbly tell people about it?
How will it earn you money?
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If you are reading this you have already made some decisions about what you want to accomplish this year and what you might want to do differently.
I am so excited about your quest, whatever it is. Keep us posted as you reach for your goals. You are definitely on your way to a fantastic 2010. I am always energized by a New Year, ready to see what new opportunities will present themselves because I am eager to dream. A friend shared this acronym for DREAM:
D is for Desire
Every dream starts with desire. Big or small, do you know what you want? Big or small, do you dream for others?
R is for Responsibility
Will you take responsibility for your business? Will you blame others for your lack of success?
E is for Engaged
Get involved with your business. Engage in those activities that will bring you the results you want. Will you get in and get going or stand on the sidelines watching others?
A is for Attitude
We really do choose our attitude. We really can wake up every morning and decide if it is going to be a great day…. or not. What is your daily attitude? If it isn’t so hot, change it.
M is for Momentum
Everyone knows it is easier to keep our business rolling rather than jump start it from a standstill. What are you doing to initiate your momentum this month? What are you doing to kick your business up a notch?
I am driven by the dream. How about you? Where are your dreams taking you?
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Welcome to another edition of Wacky Wednesday Wisdom, our ongoing effort to help direct sellers and other entrepreneurs get through the week. Today we are sharing some insightful blogs on the topic of marketing. This is not Super Bowl marketing, but the type of marketing for all of us work at home types.
If you are a beginner in direct sales, these are great sources of information for you. If you are an experienced leader, these may be pieces you can point your team members towards to help them. If you are struggling, these may give you the “AHA” moment to recover what you seem to have forgotten.
102 Questions. Naomi Dunford gives us a list of 101 +1 Marketing Questions. The list can be overwhelming, but only if you let it. Pick the ones that hit your intuitive button, answer them, and then come back for the rest later. If you are afraid of losing the list, print it off and pin it to your wall. These questions are too important to not answer. By the way, you will learn much about yourself along the way.
Carve Your Niche. Most direct sellers don’t think about their niche—the core group of people and needs that view as a necessary supplier. Michel Fortin has some great insights on shifting your focus so that you dominate your niche. Your life is much easier when you see yourself as an expert or specialist or THE person to contact.
WOMM. We don’t often think of word-of-mouth marketing in direct sales, but it’s really a natural avenue. Hakki Ozmorali , co-founder of the Turkish DSA, recently started writing a blog and has some things to say about WOMM and Network Marketing.
The Truth. Do you try to tell the truth or tell just what you think you need to tell? It’s a tough question. Brett Duncan gives us an interesting insight on Lying to My Wife. FYI, we want to offer our congratulations to Brett Duncan, who has recently joined Mannatech as Senior Director of Global Online Solutions. We’ll be seeing more of him online.
The Obvious Secret. John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing tells us the obvious: Do What Works. Duh. You should read the details.
Please share your thoughts. We’d love to hear about your experiences and ideas as you read these insightful articles.
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A thought before you start your week:
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
How does your present contain your past and future?
How do you hold your past at arm’s length to look at it objectively?
Are you attached or committed to your future?
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Be observant! Throughout your days, one of your goals can be to absorb as much information as possible that can help you improve yourself and your business. This doesn’t necessarily mean you must read every single book or article and watch every program that contains information that you could use, although a healthy interest in such materials is certainly a good thing. What it does mean is that you can pay attention to the people and events that affect your business and strive to learn from them at all times.
Begin with yourself. Keeping a close eye on your own actions and words can be difficult, but it’s important to do so to maintain an awareness of your own strengths and weaknesses. In addition to reflecting regularly on what you do and say, talk to your peers and customers about your performance. Ask them for suggestions on how you can improve.
Of course, it’s also important to pay attention to your customers to learn what their needs and concerns are. Do your best to listen to them, and get in the habit of asking questions to learn their opinions. Be sure to listen to everything without interrupting, and don’t stop listening because you think you know what they’re going to say next. Also, letting them know you’re listening carefully will, in itself, strengthen your relationship.
Finally, pay attention to leaders and successful people—not only in your company or organization, but in other groups to which you belong. Discover what works for them and try to imitate their best habits. Talk to these people whenever possible, ask questions, and make it your goal to learn as much as possible from them.
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Welcome to another edition of Wacky Wednesday Wisdom, our ongoing effort to help direct sellers and other entrepreneurs get through the week. Today we are sharing some of the random bits of news that should make us think about some future re-directions in direct sales.
If you are a beginner in direct sales, these are great sources of information for you. If you are an experienced leader, these may be pieces you can point your team members towards to help them. If you are struggling, these may give you the AHA moment to recover what you seem to have forgotten.
We Did It! Women now are the majority of workers in the U.S. workforce. While I don’t claim to be a part of the ‘we,” that was the title in the Economist announcing it. Tom Peters provides more details as he celebrates the moment that women became the official majority. What does this mean to the way you recruit, sell, or develop leaders?
Soft Addictions.The internet has opened up a whole new world for direct sellers to create community. And the phenomena is so new that we struggle with understanding it’s implications. Spending a lot of time in front of your computer? Maybe you are softly addicted. Melissa Ruggieri explores this idea in a recent issue of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Marketing Plan? One of my favorite new blog writers is Robert Middleton. I saw him train at the recent International Coach Federation Convention and thought his ideas were incredibly clear and powerful. He writes a lot like he talks. There is a no-nonsense style that makes you want to save his words and dig back into them when you have more time. One of his recent topics was on Marketing Plan Formulas. Do you have one? Please don’t ask for mine yet.
Do You Negotiate? Most of us would answer that with a categorical YES. For most women, though, it’s a tough position to take. Whitney Johnson asks the question, Can Nice Girls Negotiate? I’d love to hear your answer.
Please share your thoughts. We’d love to hear about your experiences and ideas as you read these insightful articles.
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A thought before you start your week:
“The greatest gift is a portion of thyself.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Who will you gift without spending money?
How will you give when you “don’t have the time?”
What will you give that lets the receiver claim as uniquely you?
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Welcome to another edition of Wacky Wednesday Wisdom, our ongoing effort to help direct sellers and other entrepreneurs get through the week. Today we are sharing some of the thoughts we’ve found recently about time management and delegation.
If you are a beginner in direct sales, these are great sources of information for you. If you are an experienced leader, these may be pieces you can point your team members towards to help them. If you are struggling, these may give you the AHA moment to recover what you seem to have forgotten.
It’s FOCUS. Susan Reid does a great job of explaining how it’s not time—it’s setting priorities and sticking to them. Her Inner Samurai Priority System gives a clear path towards getting more control of your focus.
Time Manage Like Jim Collins. When I first saw this Bronwyn Fryer article, I was really intrigued. After I read it, I decided that Jim Collins really knows how to match time with his priorities. While I’m not sure I can be disciplined enough to manage like this, his concept of maintaining white space in your life has real appeal.
Outsourcing. Casey Graham writes about outsourcing bookkeeping. While it’s not intended for direct selling entrepreneurs, the rationale still remains the same. Outsourcing frees you to do what you do best. Let a professional do what you can’t, don’t want to, or can hire done.
Bonus: Improve Your Marriage. One thing I try to do every Wednesday is provide you with a way to laugh, cry, or get out of your way. January is one of those months where we get so caught up in our resolutions and other activities that we almost forget what is really important. Tess Marshall offers 50 Ways to Improve Your Marriage and I can’t think of a better way to spend some time.
How do you manage your priorities? Who do you turn to for delegation and outsourcing? Please share your thoughts.
A thought before you start your week:
“Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
~Judy Garland
What do you do that no one else comes close on?
How will you live that every day?
When will you be ready to tell the world?
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Do you have a variety of different cultures within your team? What a great opportunity you have to embrace the uniqueness of your team members. By doing so, you not only unite your team, but you expand each other’s understanding of different interpretations. By reaching out to others that are different from yourself, you afford the opportunity to serve others and grow in the process. This can increase your business in limitless ways. Not only can you bring in more prospects, but in the process, create a wealth of new ideas, from different viewpoints. This in turn can transform your business from local to global. Nowadays, new clients are just a click away. You have an opportunity to make it happen and celebrate together.
What are some ways you could incorporate cultural differences in your next meeting?
Can you think of any cultural celebrations you would like to embrace with your team and their prospects? Can you calendar them today?
About the Author: Karen Orem specializes in assisting, supporting and guiding in the direct sales arena. She is a coach in progress and is involved in supporting the DSWA’s ELITE Leadership Program. Karen also enjoys supporting Team Connections, The Coach Toolkit and Direct Sales Distributors. Contact Karen at korem@netscape.com.
