Motivation — Karen Phelps Direct Selling Tips

Revive Your Direct Selling Business

May 27, 2011 By karen 38 Comments

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Spring is here and it's getting pretty close to summer in Michigan. The trees are in full bloom, the flowers are preparing for their brilliant display of color and I am so excited to begin enjoying my gardens, pond and serene landscape after the extremely long hard winter. Those who live in the middle and southern states don't experience the complete loss of vegetation during the winter like we do in the north. Trees and flowers may go dormant but it sure isn't like it is up North and at least you still have some green to look at during the winter. Then there is Paradise, the places you can go to like Hawaii, Mexico, the Caribbean and other tropical destinations. There everything grows all year long. The tropical foliage grows to be enormous and plants that we grow indoors in Michigan are found in abundance in outdoor landscaping and our 4 foot plants are 10 trees! Wow, what a difference climate can make!

As I was pondering the effects of nature on different climates I couldn't help but think about direct sellers and their businesses. Many direct sellers allow their business to completely die off at various times of the year. They develop cyclical patterns of stopping and starting their business and their business often dies off completely so they must start all over again. Their booking schedule is non-existent, their team has died and it's not a pretty picture. Their business is much like the winter season in the Northern states, totally dormant and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring. Unfortunately some of them will be much like the plants that just couldn't survive the long hard winter and their business will die completely.

Now you have the second group of direct sellers who are mostly consistent but tend to have slowdowns rather than complete stops in their business. They may have a week or two with inactivity but it's usually easier to get going again because they have not had a complete stop. They are much more like the Southern states whose plants are dormant but in Spring can easily bounce back and don't have to wait for the ground to thaw before they begin to pop up again. They will have times their business isn't consistent but they are survivors and don't give up.

The third group of direct sellers understand the importance of having systems and creating consistency in all areas of their business. They do not stop holding parties because it's time to recruit and they don't stop recruiting and building a team because their personal business is booming. They are Superstars! They are the tropical paradise where everything is in bloom all the time! Just like the plants have the right amount of rain, sunshine and the perfect temperature these direct sellers have the perfect conditions for having a successful business. They have a great attitude and a desire to share their products, host program and business opportunity with others. Nothing prevents them from relentlessly pursuing their goals.

We often don't have a choice in the selection of the climate in which we live but we can choose the climate we create for our business. If "you are in it to win it" you need to choose a tropical climate that is constantly thriving. Here are a few tips on creating the "perfect climate" for direct selling success.

Have Goals. I know it's been said over and over again but those who are aimlessly working their business with no specific goals will most likely be gone within a year or so! WHAT do you want? WHY do you want it? WHAT are you willing to do to get it? Once you reach a goal SET A NEW ONE! Many people fail because of their failure to stay one step ahead of the game. It's important to reach your goal and then have a new one in place ready to stretch you to the limit again!!! My "Blueprint for Success and Prosperity" is perfect for those who want a simple start to finish system for accomplishing what you want in life.
Work your business as if your life depended on it! OMG, I can't believe the little distractions that direct sellers allow to get in the way. The dog is sick…really, your whole business has to be put on hold. Do "INCOME PRODUCING" activities every day. Phone calls, interviews, parties, customer service calls, customer emails, team coaching calls, training new recruits. These are income producing activities. Get them done! Which leads me to the next tip…
Schedule Everything. Those who are the most productive are the ones who create a schedule and stick to it! Schedule personal time for exercise and motivation. Schedule family time (I mean quality family time not just sitting in front of the TV.) Schedule party nights, coaching calls, follow-up calls, interview time, training time and of course monthly meetings if you are a leader.
Build a BIG Team. If you want big bucks in direct selling you need to be smart and build a team immediately. Then you need to work with everyone you bring into the business and encourage as many as possible to move into leadership. The more leaders you develop the larger your team will grow and the added bonus is you can make a positive impact on so many people's lives!
Keep Learning. If you want to be successful you need to learn from people who are successful. As one of my mentors is fond of saying, "Don't take advice from people driving broken down Pintos." Learn from the Pros who have walked in your shoes. Watch and emulate the top people in your company. Chances are if you do what they are doing you'll soon begin to earn what they are earning!
Don't Stop Doing What Works. Many direct sellers work hard to get to a certain title or to earn a company trip and then once it happens they slack off, back off and pretty much quit working the system that got them there! It is necessary to have a system for your parties that helps you identify business prospects, get 3 new bookings and lots of sales. You need a system for identifying business prospects, interviewing them, signing them, training and mentoring them and moving them into leadership. You need to work systems and the systems will work for you. The BEST leadership system out there is "Blueprint for Mastering Direct Selling Leadership"

Signing with a direct selling company is easy. Having a thriving, prosperous business can be easy too as long as you stay focused and don't let obstacles get in your way! Remember…EVERYONE HAS A CHOICE, I hope you CHOOSE SUCCESS!

Filed Under: Bookings, Leadership, Motivation, Sales, Sponsoring, What's happening Tagged With: booking home parties, direct sales, direct sales success, direct selling, direct selling consistency, direct selling leader, direct selling success, dreams, getting recruits, goal setting, hostess coaching, increase party sales, recruiting, Sponsoring, success tips, team, winner

What Do Your Direct Selling Customers Want?

May 4, 2011 By karen 18 Comments

Was at an awesome sales and marketing event this past weekend and the message that was coming through LOUD and CLEAR was…YOU MUST KNOW WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER WANTS in order to sell to them!

Now, you're probably thinking to yourself, "I already know what my customer wants! They WANT and NEED my product and or opportunity! This kind of thinking will get you into lots of trouble and even worse can cost you lots of sales.

Now to be honest with you, I've been guilty of this same thing! Example: I know I have the best direct selling success products on the market complete with step-by-step systems that will help you have more success than you ever dreamed possible. I know your investment in my products can help you!

I KNOW YOU WANT TO SUCCEED! Or do I? Well, let's discuss this…I believe that everyone wants to succeed in everything they do and if truth be know that is most likely the case with many people but the truth is, I really don't know that is true about you! Maybe you just joined your direct selling company to earn an extra couple hundred dollars per year and you are perfectly content with what is happening (or not happening) in your business.

"I CAN'T ASSUME YOU WANT THE SUCCESS OTHERS HAVE!"

I have to discover what you really want and the only way I can do this is by asking FOCUSED QUESTIONS!

There is so much you can do to find out about the people you meet. All you have to do is ask the right questions.

Let's look at a couple situations where you can implement this. First of all there is your home party. Many consultants enter their home party with one objective in mind, to make a sale a quickly as possible and get the heck out of there! It's all about how can this person help me? Now, what if you approached it from a different angle? What if you asked yourself, "how can I best serve these people in attendance tonight?" BUT, you can't just have a turn-around in your thinking you also need to have a turn around in your actions and everything you do at the party.

1. You could begin with an introduction and have each guest tell a little bit about herself so you can get to know everyone. Watch each person intently and focus on processing the information you learn so you can help each individual later.

2. You can ask more questions during the party that are directly related to the products, the host opportunity or the business opportunity. Rule of thumb is you should have no more than 5-6 sentences and then follow up with a question. This will not only keep your guests engaged but it will also help you to identify their needs.

3. Use examples of certain situations where your product or service has helped other people and then ask the crowd, How many of you have ever found yourself in this situation?" or "How many of you would find this helpful?" Don't forget to raise your hand when you are asking a question that you want a response to.

4. When you are talking to the guest and taking her order keep asking questions to find out what her needs are and how you can help her? Ask a question, listen to her answer and then restate what she said and follow up with another question until you feel you have enough information to provide her with the best possible solution.

How much do you know your new recruit before you sign her? I'm hoping you know what makes her tick, what she wants from the business, why she wants it and what she is willing to do to get it! If not you are seriously setting her up for failure and setting yourself up for lots of anguish when you try to motivate her to go out and book, sell and recruit! I'm a firm believer that it all begins with the interview and I know that was one of the reasons why my personal recruits sold 3 times the company average which put more money in their bank account as well as my leadership bonus check!

Now, let's talk about the Interview of a Potential Recruit. This is another area where it really helps to know lots of information. Do you know what makes your prospect tick? Do you know why she might be interested in the business opportunity, not just in getting a kit! Do you know how much she would like to earn each week and what she would like to do with her earnings? Do you know what she is willing to do in order to make it happen? Do you know if she is willing to receive the education she will need in order to help her be more successful? If you don't know the answers to these questions you are setting your new recruit up for failure and you are going to be beating your head against the wall every time you try to get her to go out and hold a party.

The "5 Mistakes That Can Sabotage Your New Recruit's Success and How to Avoid Them" Webinar Replay can provide you with lots of things you can do to have BETTER RECRUITS so if you haven't watched it here is the link.

Watch 5 Mistakes Replay

Here's a few things you can begin doing right away.

1. Play the "Sponsoring Game" just like I show you in "It's a Party Out There". You MUST play it with the 8 questions provided so your new recruits will duplicate what you do. You MUST play both part One and Part Two of the Sponsoring Game. If you leave your party and you don't know anything about the guests in attendance and why they might be interested in your business opportunity it's YOUR FAULT!
If you don't have "It's a Party Out There" you can learn more here.

2. Make sure you ask lots of questions when you are interviewing your prospect. Many people find it helpful to use the Interview Guide that is part of the Blueprint for Mastering Direct Selling Leadership.

3. Do performance reviews every 6 months with active team members to help them stay on track to achieve their goals. Make sure you ask questions to find out what they want to improve in their business along with their 6 month income goal. You can put together a list of questions to help your consultant raise her goals to avoid becoming stagnant in her business. There is a great form that I used that is also included in the Blueprint for Mastering Direct Selling Leadership.

Take time to review these simple strategies and implement them as soon as possible and watch how quickly and easily you begin to increase your sales, booking and recruit's success!

If you found this article helpful please make sure you use the links to share with others who can benefit from it. Post it on FB, Twitter or your blog to help others have the success they deserve.

Comment on this post and you'll be entered into a drawing for a Free 60 day "Direct Selling Doctor Inner Circle Membership" ($60 Value)

Filed Under: Leadership, Motivation, Sales, Sponsoring, What's happening Tagged With: asking questions, direct sales, direct selling, direct selling leader, dreams, goal setting, increase party sales, know your customer, recruiting, Sponsoring, success tips

Secrets from Millionaires can Lead to Direct Selling Success

May 3, 2011 By karen 5 Comments

Wow, I had a blast this past weekend at the Glazer-Kennedy Super Conference. I really am amazed when I attend a training of this caliber at the amount of successful people in the audience. I love hanging around entrepreneurs who are actively working to grow their businesses instead of sitting back and blaming the economy and numerous other factors for their lack of ambition. Many have an unwillingness to remove themselves from in front of television, or Facebook, or their i-phone or any other distractions that interfere with working on what's most important, which is of course, making money! Many people will go out of their way to do just about anything that won't put money in their bank account. Few people will take the time that I did to head to Chicago for 3 days of intense training and take along 2 other members of our company. Nor would they justify the $3,500 investment to grow their business.

That's what distinguishes the Top 10% of entrepreneurs (direct sellers included) is their ability to identify that they can't go it alone! They need help from people who have walked in their shoes and survived, thrived and built a business in spite of what the "naysayers" have told them. I am constantly evaluating what I need to learn in order to stay in the Top 10% and then I translate it into methods to help direct sellers move up to and stay in the Top 10% of their company. Business as we know it is changing faster than ever and those who do not take time to learn new skills will be left in the dust. Watch for upcoming articles of my take-aways from this event.

I want to hear your thoughts so please feel free to leave your thoughts and share this post with others.

Filed Under: Motivation, What's happening Tagged With: attitude, direct sales, direct selling, direct selling leader, dreams, goal setting, success tips, winner

Choose How You Will Live Each Day!

April 8, 2011 By karen Leave a Comment

John is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, 'If I were any better, I would be twins!'

He was a natural motivator.

If an employee was having a bad day, John was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up and asked him, 'I don't get it!'

'You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?'

He replied, 'Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or…you can choose to be in a bad mood

I choose to be in a good mood.'

Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or…I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.

Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or…I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

'Yeah, right, it's not that easy,' I protested.

'Yes, it is,' he said. 'Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood.

You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life.'

Each day has enough trouble of its own.' Matthew 6:34.

After all today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.

Filed Under: Motivation Tagged With: attitude, goal setting, success tips, winner

Direct Selling Jump Into January Teleseminar

December 1, 2010 By karen 1 Comment

January used to be one of my favorite times of the year for booking parties and I often found myself with more bookings than I could handle. Anyone can have lots of successful parties in January! All it takes is some determination and preparation and you too can have as many bookings as you'd like in January.Teleseminars and events online

Join me on Wednesday, December 8'th at 1:00 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. Eastern for my annual Jump Into January Teleseminar that has helped tens of thousands of direct sellers fill their calendar with January parties!

You'll learn:

    * How to prepare a special offer for January Hosts
    * A simple script for making calls to get January bookings
    * How to create a partnership with your hostess to get more bookings
    * My secret weapon that helped me secure and hold 16 – 20 parties EVERY JANUARY!
    * Plus lots more…
      So, make sure you register for this spectacular call and get ready to have a great start in 2010. When you register you can join me for either call!

Filed Under: Bookings, Motivation, Sales, Teleseminars Tagged With: direct sales, direct selling, direct selling leader, getting bookings, goal setting, increase party sales, january bookings, success tips

Commitment to Your Direct Selling Business

October 22, 2010 By karen Leave a Comment

Over the years I have heard Zig Ziglar say over and over again, "Most people are as committed as a kamikaze pilot on his 99'th mission." I tend to agree with him, especially when it comes to direct selling. What is commitment anyway? The American Heritage dictionary says the commitment means "to do or perform, to pledge oneself to a position." You can be committed to your spouse, your family, your company, your goals, your exercise program or just about anything. But are you? Commitment means that even if it gets tough you are going to stay the course.

Committed people are tough! They would rather fight than give up! Committed direct sellers are on the phone making calls to generate new business. Committed Direct Sellers understand the need to work the business EVERY DAY, not just when it strikes them. They schedule business building activities into their calendar instead of just waiting to see if there is time to work the business today, tomorrow, this week or this month. Committed direct sellers treat their business like a job and commit to "go to work every day." It's not always easy to be committed but it is always rewarding.

A while ago I committed to working out with a personal trainer 3 days a week at 6:00 a.m. Until this time I had forgotten that there was a 6:00 a.m.! Even though I had been walking daily for over 25 years I began to realize that I need to build up my muscles. Since I was clueless in how to work any of the machines at the gym that I joined I hired a personal trainer to not only show me how to work the machines but also to commit myself to show up each day! (When you pay someone to teach you I guarantee you will show up!) The first day was torture! During this one hour I completed 60 lunges, (he did have to help me get up after the first 10!) 45 squats, plus other leg, arm and stomach exercises. During this first hour of exercise I set a simple goal for myself; to get to the car without falling down in the parking lot! There was no way I wanted all the fitness buffs on the treadmills in the window to see how weak and wobbly my legs were. At the end of the class my trainer said to me, "so are you coming back for more?" My body was telling me to give up right then and there but my mind was telling me that I had committed to this by pre-paying him for a month (what was I thinking?) and I didn't want to throw money away so I showed up again the following scheduled day. I went home and looked in the mirror because I was sure I left most of my rear end at the gym that day! No such luck it was still there! I knew I'd have to go back! After the first day's workout it took my body about 3-4 days for my body to quit hurting! After the second time it took about 2-3 days to quit hurting every time I moved! Each time I went my body became stronger and more used to the exercise and now I continue to workout 3 days a week and I feel GREAT, but it wasn't easy! It is worth it! It was the repetition of the exercise that helped get my body into condition.

That's what commitment will do for you! It will keep you doing what you know you need to do even when the results might not be immediate! It's what makes you dial the 10th person even after hearing the previous 9 people tell you NO! It's what keeps you focused on the end result not the bumpy ride! The repetition of Direct Selling activities will get your business conditioned for success. Here are some ways you can commit yourself to your Direct Selling Business!

Take time when you begin to learn how to do things right! When you begin an exercise program if you don't learn how to lift weights properly you can tear your muscles and injure your body. The same is true of your direct selling business. If you don't take time to learn about the company, products and how to offer the opportunity when you begin you could exhaust your warm market without creating any business for yourself. Your company offers training, meetings and literature explaining what you need to know. Take the time to learn everything you can as soon as you join!
Prepare your calling agenda and have our scripts ready. When you are in an exercise program, each time you begin to exercise you need to warm up and stretch before you begin the weight lifting part of the program. Before you pick up the phone to make your calls for the day get prepared. Make a list of who you are going to call. Jot down next to their name what you are calling about. (Example, are you calling to follow up on a product order, calling to book a party, or following up on the business opportunity?) Also, make sure you have practiced your phone scripts before you begin making your calls. Make sure you check
Have and Keep a Consistent Schedule. When you begin exercising it will become easier on your body when you keep a consistent exercise schedule. You remember how to do the exercise from day to day and pretty soon the exercise program becomes second nature to you. The same is true of your Direct Selling business. Keeping a consistent schedule for your parties and your phone calls will help you to make your business easy for you to do! Your choice of words, the presentation at your party, your "I Story" and everything you do will become second nature to you when you keep repeating the pattern over and over again. Most people that struggle with their phone calls and/or party presentations do so because they never do enough to get "really good" at it. Getting on the phone once or twice a month or only holding one or two parties a month makes it hard for anyone to master the techniques. So be consistently working your business EVERY WEEK!
Don't be afraid to try new things. During your exercise program you will notice that there are a lot of other people in the gym that are doing a variety of different exercises. I discovered that it was good for me and my body to keep variety in my workout. When approached with a new idea are you one who tries it our right away or do you shy away from it because it's different. I have to confess, when I first heard about the "sponsoring game" (you can learn how to do this in the It's a Party Out There program) at a meeting I came home and didn't do anything about it. But, I did tell a new consultant about the game and she went out and played the sponsoring game that very night and called me the next morning with three people to talk to about coming into the business. She wasn't afraid to try something new and it paid off with 7 new recruits within her first two months in the business. I learned a valuable lesson too! Don't be afraid to try something because someone else is going to pass you by while you are waiting!
Constantly remind yourself of your why. Busy schedules make it easy for us to skip our exercise routine. We rush to cram in a few more minutes of checking emails, watching television and endless things that cause us to waste our precious hours. Pretty soon, we have come up with a million reasons why we don't have the time to exercise. I keep a picture handy of the body I had a few years ago and it reminds me that I need to keep up the exercise if I want to get it back again. As a consultant with a Direct Selling company it will become very easy for you to lose track of time and skip making calls one week and deliberately take a week or two off from holding parties because you are just too busy! Think back about why you are doing this business, what you want to achieve and why you want to achieve it. Keep your why in front of you all the time. Continually remind yourself that you can do anything as long as it keeps you close to your reason for doing the business. It was never hard for me to book and hold three to four parties per week for twenty two years because all I had to do was look at my sons and knew that I was fulfilling "my why" of staying home with them!

Yes commitment is a very funny thing! It helps to keep you focused on the good things you can have in your life. You can and will make anything happen when you really want to! You are an incredible individual and you can be successful in Direct Selling as soon as you become committed to yourself and your business!

Filed Under: Bookings, Motivation, Sales Tagged With: direct selling, dreams, getting bookings, getting recruits, goal setting, Sponsoring, success tips, winner

In Pursuit of Excellence

October 5, 2010 By karen 1 Comment

I'm one of those crazy people who USED to procrastinate because I wanted everything to be PERFECT! Not anymore! Well, I still procrastinate but not for the same reason. I no longer worry about being perfect! Over 20 years ago I discovered a motto I still live by today! "DONE is BETTER than Perfect!" If you keep waiting for perfection you'll be sitting on the sidelines only half participating in life. People will pass you by because they are running, while you are just strolling waiting for the perfect time to exert extra effort! Here are a few tips I've learned over the years that have helped me have the success I WANT and DESERVE!

1. "DONE is BETTER than Perfect!" What have you put off because you wanted everything to be just right! There is NO PERFECT TIME TO START A BUSINESS! The time to begin is NOW! You cannot study perfection! All you can do is keep doing what must be done, learning and implementing new skills, making alterations and improvements until everything gets better with time.

2. NOTHING will get better until YOU GET BETTER. You have to work on yourself first! If you don't know how to do something correctly it's time you learned! Insanity is doing the same things that DON'T WORK over and over again and expecting different results. If what you are doing doesn't work LEARN from someone who has been where you want to go.

3. Improve Your Head Game! You'll never be a millionaire if you don't see yourself as a millionaire first. The negative things you tell yourself on a daily basis (automatic negative thoughts) play a big part in your success. You must begin NOW programming your brain for success! Begin to consciously replace negative thoughts with positive ones and watch your business and your life soar. Ex:Negative – "It's so hard to get bookings." Positive – "I'm amazed how easy it is to book and hold 3 successful parties every week."

4. Dump the Negative People In Your Life. You read it right! If the majority of people you hang around with are negative you'll have a hard time staying upbeat and positive. Do everything you can to remove as many negative people as you can from your life or limit the amount of time you spend with them.

5. Do More Income Producing Activities. 20% of What You Do accounts for 80% of your results. It's time you started doing what will actually give you the results you are looking for. Stop doing activities that aren't income producing! Keep track of everything you do every 1/2 hour of the day for 7 days and then review the list to see how many of these things actually put you closer to your goals. Focus on doing more of those things the following week and you'll begin noticing an increase in your results. All distractions need to go!

6. Know Your WHY. When your WHY Is strong enough you'll figure out how! Take time to write down what you really want your life to be like next year. WHY do you want it? What will happen if your goals become a reality? How will you feel?

7. You can Never Stop Learning. Those who want to stay ahead of their competition will always keep learning. People who invest in themselves and their business BELIEVE they will be successful. I've never been afraid to invest in my education. Even though I don't have a college degree I have made a very good income over the years. I've learned what I need to know from people who know how to make money. When I come across a product that I know can help me or my business I get it. Not investing in myself is like telling my subconscious, "who are you fooling, you can't make money doing this?" I don't let negative thoughts influence me when making buying decisions. If you BELIEVE you will succeed you'll make decisions with an abundance mentality rather than a lack mentality. I provide some of the best motivational and direct selling tools on the planet. Check them out including "The Blueprint for Mastering Direct Selling Leadership" (pictured below) which is on Special for $647 and is geared toward leaders who want to earn $50k, $100k or more per year from their direct selling businesses. Leadership Blueprint Info

Filed Under: Motivation Tagged With: direct sales, direct selling, dreams, getting bookings, goal setting, success tips, winner

Put the Fun Back into the “Fundamentals of Selling”

September 1, 2010 By karen Leave a Comment

In this day and age everyone wants to be on the fast track! Salespeople often look for and take every short cut possible in order to reach their goals and objectives, often cutting corners or burning bridges that sooner or later will have to be dealt with. It seems like with over 30 successful years in sales and teaching sales I would have learned EVERYTHING by now but truth is I have invested in 5 sales books and 1 sales course this year that are opening my eyes to what's happening in the sales arena. Here are a few things I have gleaned from my studies so far! From Jeffrey Gitomer's "Little Red Book of Selling"

   1. "People don't like to be sold, but they love to buy."
      Your job as a master salesman is to create an atmosphere where people want to buy!
   2. Study and implement an application. It's no secret that those who become GREAT at selling apply and implement techniques they have learned. Anything you learn is useless unless you apply it!
   3. Don't WHINE if it doesn't work right the first time. Basic selling principles WORK time after time but they don't work EVERY time. Get over it!
   4. Hang around with the right people. Hang around with successful people. Get as far away from the Whiners as possible.
   5. Ask questions, but make sure they are smart questions not dumb ones. Instead of asking, "what type of skin care do you us?" you could ask, "What is the one thing you would improve about your skin care?" Let them tell you why the product they are using is lacking.

      Okay so I've given you a few tips from Jeffrey's book now here are a few from Joseph Sugarman's Book – "Triggers – 30 Sales Tools you can use to control the mind of your prospect to motivate, influence and Persuade.
   6. Have Consistency. Do the "right things" over and over again to persuade your prospect to buy!
   7. Tell Stories – Truth is stories sell. You can demonstrate and show a product or you can tell a story about a product. Whichever you choose to do the STORY wins every time!
   8. Keep it Simple. The more complicated you make your presentation, pricing, special offer, etc. the less likely someone is to act. This is true when doing parties. Sometimes guests are in a state of overwhelm because there is TOO MUCH ON DISPLAY and they can't make up their mind!
   9. Have a sense of Urgency. "Susie, My dates are going fast and I wanted to give you first chance to share the new catalog with your friends, before I call the others in your circle." (works great for re-booking hostesses)
10. Create the Desire to Belong. Take a look at the I-phone and the I-pad. People go nuts because they want to identify with the group who has all the latest gadgets. Create your own clubs that people can belong to!
11. Invest in Yourself. People who invest in themselves and their business BELIEVE they will be successful. When I come across a product that I know can help me or my business I get it. Not investing in myself is like telling my subconscious, "who are you fooling, you can't make money doing this?" I learned from Jim Rohn to work harder on myself than I do on my business so I don't let negative thoughts influence me when making buying decisions. If you BELIEVE you will succeed you'll make decisions with an abundance mentality rather than a lack mentality. I provide some of the best motivational and direct selling tools on the planet. Check them out including "The Blueprint for Success and Prosperity"

Filed Under: Motivation, Sales Tagged With: direct sales, direct selling, goal setting, increase party sales, success tips, winner

Lifestyle Freedom With Your Direct Selling Business

July 3, 2010 By karen Leave a Comment

I loved having my own successful direct selling business for twenty-five years. The parties were fun, my team was awesome and the money was a whole lot better than I would have been earning from my 9 -5 job! I earned 22 trips around the world and more contest prizes than I ever could have imagined when I first began selling in 1978.

Because, direct selling was so good for me I’m often saddened when consultants tell me they aren’t getting what they want from their business. I love the tenacity, ambition, work ethic and creativity displayed by successful direct sellers. It’s Independence Weekend and I thought it would be fitting to share a few of the success tips that helped use my direct selling business to provide financial independence as well as the “lifestyle freedom” that is so important to many of us:

1. Set your goals! I know, you’ve been told this over and over and over again and you are probably sick and tired of hearing it. Truth is, if you don’t set your goals you’ll be halfheartedly working your business and shouldn’t expect much success. It’s been proven over and over again, those who have goals do better and EARN MORE!
2. Work Weekly! If you aren’t working your business on a weekly basis it’s just a hobby. Don’t plan monthly activity plan for weekly activity. Hold parties every week. Make follow up calls every week. Interview prospects every week. The consistency you’ll develop by doing things weekly will dramatically increase your sales and your paycheck.
3. Attend Trainings & Meetings! Only foolish people would attempt to begin their business with no training. Only non-committed consultants would continue in the business without support and continuing their education. If you want to succeed you’ll be where you are supposed to be when you are supposed to be there. NO EXCUSES…Find a Way!
4. Work harder on yourself than you do on your business. It doesn’t matter how hard you try if your attitude is lousy. Most successful people will tell you they work on their attitude and other success habits on a daily basis. Listen to motivational CDs. Listen to training CDs. Talk positively to yourself. Get away from the quick-sand crowd and start hanging out with winners.
5. Do the RIGHT THINGS, the RIGHT WAY. It’s not how much time you spend in your business it’s whether or not you are doing the right things while you are working. You can be busy doing things that won’t bring in income and in that case, you’ll still be broke. Or you can get smart and start doing things the right way. Got lots of party cancellations? People who mail invites for their hostesses experience less than a 20% cancellation rate. Your recruits lazy? People who have successful recruits know what to do to get them off to the best start. You’ve got to do things the RIGHT WAY!
6. Get healthy NOW! It’s hard to get things done fast when your energy is dragging. If you smoke, STOP! (I know it’s easy to say because I’ve never smoked but the truth is…it’s killing you. If you’re over-weight, LOSE IT! I’ve been a Weight Watchers lifetime member for 20 years and I’ve invested in JJ Virgin’s Fat Loss program last year which helped me take off 18 pounds and get healthier in the process. If you don’t exercise, GET MOVING! Doing the right things for your body won’t guarantee that you won’t get sick but you’ll feel much better all the way around and you will usually have greater energy which is a must when you have your own business. If you are too tired or sick to get it done, it usually won’t get done.
7. Invest in Yourself. People who invest in themselves and their business BELIEVE they will be successful. When I come across a product that I know can help me or my business I get it. Not investing in myself is like telling my subconscious, “who are you fooling, you can’t make money doing this?” I already told you to work harder on yourself than you do on your business so don’t let your negative thoughts influence you when making decisions. If you BELIEVE you will succeed you’ll make decisions with an abundance mentality rather than a lack mentality. I provide some of the best motivational and direct selling tools on the planet. Check them out.

I’ve learned that strategies for growing a successful direct selling business are not unique to certain individuals or companies. Success is determined by the use of predictable, repeatable, simple actions but not just any actions – the right actions. The driving force behind your success is YOU! Are you ready for the challenge?

Filed Under: Getting to know Karen, Motivation, Sales Tagged With: direct selling, dreams, goal setting, success tips, winner

NO Excuses!

June 9, 2010 By karen 2 Comments

“When confronted with a problem you have one of two choices to make. You can find an excuse for the problem or find a way to solve it. Ultimately the choice is yours.” ~
Karen Phelps

Last week I mentioned that having a direct selling business is a lot like having a garden. You must tend to your customers, hostesses and team just like you would the flowers in your garden. It’s not always easy but in the end your garden and your business look just the way you want them!

This week I thought I’d share few thoughts as to why people make excuses. I decided to make this a 2-part article with the first week focusing on how to overcome making excuses and next week focusing on how to overcome excuses others give you! You’ll want to read both parts so watch for next week’s newsletter!

You know, I’m not much different from you in many ways. I have fantastic family, I’m working from home, I have my plate more than full and sometimes I don’t get out of my office until 10:00 at night. Other times, (like last weekend) I just blow everything off and have fun, which I’m entitled to do once in awhile.

There is one thing I try never to do though and that is to “give excuses” as to why something isn’t done, hasn’t been started, or isn’t important enough to show up. I try my best to hold myself accountable in everything I do! For example, I volunteer through the Waterford Rotary Club, where I’ll take over as Club President June 30′th. No one is busier than I am and yet I show up at fund-raisers and events, mentor a high-school student and attend the weekly meetings every Tuesday unless I’m traveling. I made a commitment to the club when I joined and there is no reason to go back on my word or begin giving excuses as to why I can’t be where I’m supposed to be when I’m supposed to be there.

I’ve made a commitment to myself to complete 2 books this year so every morning I am up by 7 a.m. (many days by 6 a.m.) and in my office writing. If I don’t discipline myself then down the road when the projects aren’t finished I’ll be looking for excuses as to why they aren’t done! I’m no different than anyone else, of course it’s NEVER MY FAULT! Hey we begin placing the blame on outside sources at a very early age, remember the broken case that wasn’t your fault? How about the homework that the dog ate? How about the time you struck out because you weren’t ready when the pitcher through the ball? I’ll bet you can go back and think of hundreds of times when you made an excuse BUT you are a grown-up now and it’s time to shape up!

In my many observations of people through the years I have discovered the most successful people DON’T MAKE EXCUSES! It is always easier to blame someone or something else for your lack of follow-through or commitment. It’s easier to blame the economy for lackluster sales than it is to “LEARN HOW TO PROSPER IN ANY ECONOMY.” I’m constantly amazed that 2 people living in the same town working for the same sales company can have totally different results. One will struggle getting people to book and hold parties while another will go on to set a company record for high sales. The big difference is the successful consultant will have a GREAT ATTITUDE and WON’T MAKE EXCUSES! The other consultant will have a lousy attitude and is constantly looking for excuses.

So in case I struck a nerve with you, I want you to really START PAYING ATTENTION to what you do on a daily basis and how many times per day you make an excuse. In fact I’m going to challenge you to keep a list and write them down. The only way you can correct something is to make a conscious change to do so! Then, there’s a great teleseminar this week on how to fill your calendar with bookings that will be held at 2 different times (sorry, no replay) so if you need bookings I’d find a way to be on the call! There’s another great leadership call where you can listen to leaders share what’s working to build their teams and increase their income, you should probably find time to listen to that call too! The number for the replay is (712) 432-0453 Pin 6745228#.
You see, I’m trying to help you by providing F*R*E*E resources for you BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP! No Exuses, right?
Here’s to YOU and YOUR SUCCESS!
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WHAT ABOUT YOU??? DO YOU MAKE EXCUSES? PLEASE SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS POST!

Filed Under: Motivation Tagged With: direct sales, direct selling, dreams, goal setting, success tips, winner