Here's a summary of an article Brett Duncan recently published on WorldOfDirectSelling.com. Read the entire article here → I love Prince – not the royals across the pond, but the musical genius who gave us “When Doves Cry” and countless other hits. From a tender age of seven, his music struck a chord with me, and it’s been a lifelong affair. Among the myriad concerts I’ve attended, Prince’s performances are unrivaled, sitting proudly in my top five experiences. But why bring up Prince, … [Read more...]
The Fundamental Unit of Success in Direct Selling
Here's a summary of an article Brett Duncan recently published on WorldOfDirectSelling.com. Read the entire article here → The ever-persistent question that dances through my mind and discussions, both in grand auditoriums filled with the eager faces of field leaders and the more intimate confines of boardrooms adorned with pensive execs: "What is the fundamental unit of success in direct selling?" It's a query I toss into the air every chance I get, hoping to catch reflections, insights, … [Read more...]
The Easiest Thing to Sell
Here's a summary of an article Brett Duncan recently published on WorldOfDirectSelling.com. Read the entire article here → Oh, the thrill of the sale! Have you ever thought about what truly makes selling a breeze? Here’s a nugget of wisdom I stumbled upon: The simplest thing to sell is something someone already wants to buy. Mind-blowing, right? Let’s dive into a little confession of mine. Often, I've seen sales as a bit of an art of persuasion rather than a straightforward offer. You … [Read more...]
New Numbers for a New Year
It's 2024, and let me tell you, we're swimming in an ocean of data and AI advancements. As someone who likes to keep things simple and actionable, I'm both awed and a bit overwhelmed by it all. What's crucial, I've found, is to cut through the clutter and focus on the metrics that really matter. It's easy to get lost in data, but why complicate things when you can streamline your focus? So, let's dive into what I believe are the key numbers to watch in 2024 for anyone in the direct … [Read more...]
Turning Customer Acquisition Into Customer Repetition
Breaking Down the Fundamentals of a Customer Rewards Program Without a doubt, what I have been asked to help companies with the most over the last three years is in helping them create and launch a Customer Rewards Program. These programs are called all kinds of different things (e.g. Loyalty Programs, Referral Programs, Preferred Customer Programs, Points Programs, etc.), but the core interest is in finding ways for the corporate team to engage Customers more in a way that leads to more orders … [Read more...]
It’s Time to Do a New Thing
I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to write about this month. Not that I didn’t have ideas. I have lots of ideas. Tons of ‘em. Too many, in fact. I mean, when you mix the “resolution-centric, hope-springs-eternal, goal-setting” spirit of the New Year with the “What-the-$#@&-is-going-on-around-here?!!” mindset of most direct selling execs these days, the stakes for picking the right article topic seem high. I struggled with going uber-specific and tactical vs. staying philosophical and … [Read more...]
How To Start Thinking Differently About Compensation Plans
There’s something that’s becoming quite evident in direct selling right now: Yesterday’s compensation plan design best practices don’t pack the punch that they used to. And no wonder: It’s a completely different world now. And yet, so many direct selling companies are choosing to “tweak” their plans, adding some flashy trends on top of an otherwise outdated foundation. I get the hesitancy. Changing compensation plans is not for the faint of heart (or the weak of mind). It’s scary to move into … [Read more...]
15 Principles for Developing Your Independent Salesforce
I was recently asked to share tips and training to new and young direct selling companies on how to build up and develop your salesforce. And the training was to be no more than 20 minutes long! I’m all for a good challenge, but to cover what seems to be the lifeblood of success in our channel in a mere 20 minutes, when probably 20 days still wouldn’t quite do it justice, seemed a tad daunting. In fairness, the point of the program was to provide quick input on the basics of all areas of direct … [Read more...]
Embracing a Next-Steps Mentality
I go to a church that is built on a simple but profound principle: help people take their next step in their spiritual journey. When you hear it explained, it’s a pretty powerful concept. The idea is that everyone, no matter where on their journey they are, has a next step to take. Everyone can progress. Everyone can still become more. In many ways, I feel like this is the underlying promise that every direct sales company offers. As an industry that celebrates personal development, what we … [Read more...]
3 Stats Direct Selling Companies Must Pay More Attention to in 2023
One of the things I love about my job as a consultant to direct selling companies is that I get to work with a variety of companies at a variety of stages. And while I see little nuances and differences among them all, I can promise you that all direct selling companies have much more in common than they think. So, when I start to see some work that I’m doing with several clients resonate at a really high level, it makes me think, “That would make for a great article!” And today’s article is … [Read more...]
The Rise of Fractional Executives in Direct Selling
“Everything rises and falls on leadership.” John Maxwell wrote these words to begin one of the most important works on the topic of leadership, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. It’s a phrase many of us hear often from our field leaders, and it’s one that proves itself over and over again, not just among our salesforce, but at the corporate office, too. I tend to agree with Maxwell. But if you really dwell on his statement, you begin to feel the weight of it. Is leadership really … [Read more...]
What Norms Aren’t Worth Rushing Back to?
As we all do everything we can to rush back to normal, stop and consider what “normals” actually aren’t worth rushing back to. I heard this statement on a podcast recently. It’s not a podcast specific to direct sales, but it’s a statement that has haunted me over the last 10 days or so. As we navigate our way past the initial shock and awe of the pandemic, and now settle into figuring out what to do now, I think every strategic discussion should incorporate this question as its starting … [Read more...]
3 Fundamental Transitions for Direct Selling
Being driven by what people can sell versus what people will buy may sound similar, but they’re actually very different concepts. Direct selling is changing. We’re in the middle of a shift from point A to point B. We may not be exactly clear on what point B is, but we definitely know that point A is in the rearview mirror. The three transitions below encompass the most important areas for a direct selling company to address as quickly as possible. These aren’t meant to be new concepts, but … [Read more...]
Are You Doing the Math for Your Distributors?
Today’s direct seller has more access to data and numbers than any generation of direct seller ever had before. Backoffices are packed with beautiful reports, dashboards are dotted with wonderful widgets and notifications, and promotions and programs are launched every day to accelerate sales and income. And yet, my experience tells me that Distributors don’t always appreciate all this stuff like I think they should. Some of the obvious perks of a new promotion often get overlooked. The … [Read more...]
Our Story Is Better Than Their Story. Are You Telling It?
From company announcements to proclamations from the investing world to regulatory agency decisions to even a TV series, there is no shortage of hot opinions and big news in the world of direct selling. As the old saying goes, “any news is good news.” But is that really true here? It seems the only news we’re getting falls in the “bad news” category. Further, the only opinions those of us in the industry are giving are just opinions and pontifications on that bad news. Maybe the reason it … [Read more...]