I recently wrote an article titled, "9 Ways to Supercharge Your Strategic Planning," for our good friends at WorldOfDirectSelling.com. If you haven't read that article yet, do it now. It includes a more comprehensive listing of tips that can help you make the most of your strategic planning process this year. The video above provides a few bonus tips to add to the mix. Enjoy! Additional Resources for Strategic Planning Here are a few other valuable resources that can help you maximize … [Read more...]
Open-Neck Vs. Closed-Neck Compensation Plan
A friend of mine who is starting a direct selling company posed this question to me: How many downlines in my compensation plan should go toward the company? My Answer The number of downlines that come direct to the company has a big impact on how quickly your compensation plan matures and hits its highest possible payout levels. Too often, however, the founding management of a direct selling company fails to consider the impact of this issue. Regardless of the design of your plan or … [Read more...]
No More Custom Previews in Facebook
If you use Facebook for your business, there are some changes that are about to happen. Sadly, these changes will probably put a hiccup in your planning process, but they are better to know about now than not at all. Earlier this year (2017), Facebook made some updates in an effort to improve its ability to measure real-time signals to make sure what YOU are sharing is authentic information. According to Facebook, these updates were made to stop the false news epidemic that has infected … [Read more...]
Make Tracks to Great Customer Service
Your Customer Service department is your window into the world of your sales force. Customer Service Reps hear it all and deal with it all. Putting out fires is what they do. But that’s only half of their job. To be really effective, reps also need to carefully track what they encounter, so everyone in the organization can learn from their experiences and make future decisions based on what’s really going on in the field. Take Notes A little time spent taking the right notes in the … [Read more...]
Is Being Different Than Amazon a Competitive Advantage?
Have you ever considered there being hidden competition between direct selling companies and Amazon? We didn't either until this conversation. Brett Duncan, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Strategic Choice Partners, shares a thought-provoking conversation he had at a recent DSA meeting with some executives from very successful direct selling companies in his guest article on The Source DS titled, “Is Direct Selling the Anti-Amazon? And is That a Good Thing?” Be sure to read the full … [Read more...]
Determining the True Cost of a Meeting
I just finished suffering through an almost pointless meeting. Happens all the time, actually. In fact, it happens all the time for most of us. So why is that? Why do we continue to spend so much time in meetings we all know are useless? Today, during the meeting, prior to paper-cutting my wrists with the agenda, I did some figuring. I tried to figure out what that meeting was costing us, simply based on hourly rates from the salaries of the people in the room. I came up with $210 for this … [Read more...]
Charting Your Digital Roadmap
Trying to decide what direction to go in the digital world can be overwhelming, which is why Brett Duncan walks you through 7 vital questions to help you chart your digital roadmap. In this training, Brett uses his creativity to help you get clear on what you need to do in the digital space. Get Instant Access to this webinar and many others. Create your free account now! Here are two of the vital questions you need to ask yourself: Question #1 So what do you want? These … [Read more...]
The 5 Steps a Venture Capitalist Takes to Value Your Business
In the world of direct selling, one of the most difficult issues includes capital formation and how to make your particular company attractive to a venture capitalist in order to raise the necessary capital to take your company to the next level of growth. Dan Murphy, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Strategic Choice Partners, discusses how Venture Capitalists (VCs) think about valuing business, and how you should think about it as you prepare, in his guest article on the World of Direct … [Read more...]
Are You a Ball Roller?
Have you ever been stuck with a large group of people, all with good ideas, but the very thought of getting started as a group is absolutely paralyzing? That’s because groups aren't good at starting things. A person is. And yet, we celebrate consensus and compromise and synergy and brainstorming and all that crap. It’s not bad crap, in all fairness. It just isn’t everything. For example, one of the worst things about brainstorming is that it leaves you overwhelmed by all the things you … [Read more...]
The Moment of Truth – Controlling Your Awards Night
This article is part of an ongoing series by Dick Wilson, titled “Awards Night." View the rest of the series HERE. Over the past several weeks, we’ve explored many awards night “before” considerations—what needs to happen in the weeks and days leading up to your event. Now it’s time to look at what you can do on the night itself to make the evening run as smoothly as possible. Here is my “Top 10 List” of awards night do’s and don’ts: Scripts – Have scripts, or something close … [Read more...]
The Real Benefit of Social Media
I finally experienced the real, most fundamental benefit of social media for direct sales companies. It’s not prospecting. It’s not retention. It’s not recruiting. It’s brand awareness, in its simplest form. Brand Awareness in Action A while back, while scrolling through Facebook updates, I noticed one of my high school friends touting their love for a certain direct sales company. A day later, another high school friend posted a similar message for the same company. … [Read more...]
How To Become a FedEx & UPS Power User
Small parcel shipping has become an integral part of today’s business environment. UPS and FedEx dominate the parcel shipping industry with a combined market share of over 90 percent. This commanding position allows the carriers to dictate pricing and contract rules. Despite the carriers wielding so much control over its users, well-informed Power Users of UPS and FedEx can still maximize their savings potential. Although there are many similarities in UPS and FedEx contracts and pricing … [Read more...]
What’s Your Hell or High Water Statement?
Let me blunt. Your problem isn’t ideas. It’s not social media or your website. It’s not even customers. Your problem is commitment. Your problem is you confuse business with busy-ness. You think success is measured by the size of your to-do list. You think the best option is lots of options. And you’re confused when it comes to commitment. Don’t worry; you’re not alone. This isn’t just a “business thing.” It’s a human thing. People logically know that focus and commitment are effective, but … [Read more...]
Free Webinar – Strategic Planning Done Right with Brett Duncan
What thoughts go through your head when you hear the phrase "Strategic Planning?" Do you shudder in fear at the thought of late nights prepping spreadsheets and powerpoint decks? Do you start to yawn as you think of sitting idle for days on end in the same conference room chair? Do you get anxious feeling like you're already behind and that your planning process is more of a thorn in your flesh instead of a strategic advantage? REGISTER NOW Turn Planning into Something You Want to Do (Not … [Read more...]
A Fast Start Program for the Fast Start Program
It’s pretty standard for a party-plan company to have some sort of Fast Start program. While the names and details vary, the intent is the same. Helping new consultants experience success by rewarding them for incremental achievements during their first few months of business. These programs are carefully crafted to help new consultants quickly reach the first level of leadership, which has proven to be a solid indicator of future success. The strategy for achieving Fast Start challenges is … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- …
- 11
- Next Page »