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...]
How to Create a Marketing Roadmap That Gets Results
Marketing and communications have never been more important within the direct sales industry than they are right now. While good marketing always has been a common thread among successful companies, it’s often been overlooked as a recognized driver, playing second fiddle to compensation plan design, product development, field training and the like. Today’s direct sales marketing leader has a lot on his or her plate. In a new way, the industry is recognizing the need to deliberately … [Read more...]
5 Key Strategies to Improve Your Company’s Online Reputation
When customers perform a search for your company, what do they see on the first page of the Google results? Chances are a search might include websites with negative content about your company. Negative websites can hurt your brand and decrease your company’s revenue. You can either let your reputation and sales suffer, or you can manage your online reputation just as you manage everything else in your company—by taking steps to get the results you want and keep your company on track for … [Read more...]
Rethink Resolutions: 9 Resolutions for Direct Selling Companies in 2019
How has the beginning of 2019 been for you? As we enter the halfway point of 2019, it’s only natural to reflect on what we’ve accomplished so far, where we’ve fallen short of expectations, and what happened that we never saw coming. Every year is filled with its share of blessings and surprises. At the same time, in many ways, the first part of your year can look just like the last part of your year if we aren’t careful. Which gets me thinking about resolutions. Do you only make … [Read more...]
7 Trends That Prove Direct Selling is Changing
For quite awhile now, we’ve all been speculating about how much the direct selling industry will change over “the next five to ten years.” It’s been a fun and poignant phrase to add to our conversations with colleagues. It’s a sentiment that has captured our sense of change, while also pointing out our lack of clarity on exactly what that change will be. It’s been the perfect thing to say when we don’t know exactly what to say. Changes Happen in Micro-Phases In conversations, … [Read more...]
The Seismic Shifts in Marketing’s Role in Direct Selling
"Marketing doesn’t matter for a direct selling company.” Have you ever heard this one before? If you’ve been working in direct selling for more than ten years, there’s a good chance you’ve heard someone say this outright, or at least imply it. In fact, that person may have even been you. Brett Duncan, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Strategic Choice Partners, explores a few of the most obvious shifts we’ve seen in marketing over the last ten years in his guest article on The World of … [Read more...]
What Are Your Company’s Plans for Marketing Automation?
How can we automate as many components of our marketing as possible? And do it in a way that is effective? Brett Duncan, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Strategic Choice Partners, discusses why Marketing Automation is so important for any industry, especially direct selling, in his guest article on The SourceDS titled, “What is the biggest area of technology that direct selling companies are overlooking today?” Be sure to check out the full vlog. First off, you might be asking, what … [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...]
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...]
What is Your Onliness Statement?
If you haven’t read Marty Neumier’s book ZAG, the best advice I can give you is to leave this page and immediately go find one of Neumier’s books. Both ZAG and The Brand Gap represent milestone moments in my own understanding of how marketing works best. In ZAG, Neumier suggests creating an “onliness statement” for your product or company. Here’s how it works: Our brand is the only _______ that _______. That’s it. Fill in the blanks however you see fit. For example: We are the … [Read more...]
Why SEO Matters for Direct Sales Companies
At the corporate office, one question you have to be constantly asking yourself is, “How can we help our individual reps in ways that they can’t help themselves?” Answers to this question typically hover in the more logistical area of the business. Shipping product. Mailing checks. Creating products. These are all things that a sizeable corporate entity, not an individual sales rep, should focus on streamlining. It ultimately helps facilitate evangelism, which is what we’re all … [Read more...]
Direct Sales Marketing: Unusually the Same
Marketing for a direct sales company is a funny thing. Countless are the stories of companies within our fair industry who have welcomed an executive of the highest marketing pedigree with vast experience outside of direct sales, only to escort them out in short order, noting, most often, their lack of experience within direct sales. The very promises that allured us to them in the beginning (e.g. establishing a brand, updating our packaging, increasing awareness, incorporating true market … [Read more...]
7 Tools & Techniques that Crush Communication Confusion
Learn a proven and complete methodology for gathering and prioritizing your company's message every month, how to account for every communication touchpoint, and how to plan, document and track every communication effort. Get Instant Access to this webinar and many others. Create your free account now! Before you start your communication planning process, you need to ask yourself one very important question. Who? That's right. The question is simply, “Who?” – “Who are you marketing … [Read more...]
How to Create a Marketing Roadmap That Works
Marketing at a direct sales company can mean a lot of things, and it’s difficult to stay on top of it all, which is why Brett Duncan is giving away his 6 practical approaches to creating a marketing roadmap. And a roadmap that actually works. In this training, Brett will help you define your objectives and match your projects with your resources. Get Instant Access to this webinar and many others. Create your free account now! To start off. Brett asks, “What is marketing?” Marketing is … [Read more...]