Top 10 Direct Sales Tips
It takes a lot to be successful in direct sales. You can’t just wing it and hope for the best. But if you’re motivated to get started, run through our top 10 success tips to see if you really have what it takes.
- Be a Goal Setter ~ What do you want to accomplish? Do you want to save for college education for your children? A new car? A new home? You can have whatever you want, but you have to want it enough to do the things that have to be done to get it. Whatever your direct sales goal, write it down and set a target date for reaching it
- Make Lists ~ Wrap up your day by listing all the things you want to get done the following day – personally, this is my favorite thing to do in the evening. That gives you an organized approach to each day. As each task is finished, mark it off your list.
- Get Psyched ~ Enthusiasm is the fuel that salespeople run on. Enthusiasm generates its own energy and that energy will rub off on your associates and your clients.
- Know the Magic Word ~ In direct sales, it’s ‘ask.’ You don’t have to wait for business to come to you. Create your own home business by asking for it. Ask for appointments, then you can do business. Ask for business, then you will close sales. Ask for referrals, then you always have a full list of potential clients. Be quietly, yet firmly aggressive.
- Make Peace With ‘No.’ ~ It’s not personal. In sales, as perhaps nowhere else, the law of averages works. Every no gets you closer to a yes.
- Schedule Your Time ~ A schedule is the roadmap by which salespeople travel. It takes the frustration out of the day. Plan your work then work your plan.
- Be Positive ~ Success in sales, as in all areas of life, is 90 percent attitude and 10 percent aptitude. If you aren’t feeling it on a particular day, fake it until you make it. It’s not hard to talk yourself into a good mood.
- Have an Office ~ Most direct salespeople work from their own homes, but it is essential to have a place where you can work in a organized and efficient manner. Review our list of indispensible home office tools
- Be Involved ~ Most direct sales organizations offer contests to stimulate production. Include winning contests as part of your business goals.
- Learn to Handle Money ~ A regular nine-to-five job usually means a paycheck at the end of the second week. Direct sales “reps” handle money constantly. Direct sales is instant income and constant income, but that doesn’t mean you can spend it instantly and constantly. Tighten your belt and you’ll enjoy more success.