Here's a summary of an article Michael Smith recently published on WorldOfDirectSelling.com. Read the entire article here → Throughout my years, I've found invaluable lessons in one field often illuminate practices in another. My time in martial arts taught me the power of basics, a principle I've carried over into setting up a client services department. Let me guide you through my perspective on why setting expectations is the linchpin to providing excellent service. The Most … [Read more...]
Communication: The Overlooked Key to an Event’s Success
Communication is always the key to success for any event. I’ve always told my teams, “If I’m calling you, I need to tell you something important!" It’s when communication is limited that the disaster will happen. Texting is Not the Same And let’s be clear—by “communication,” I mean either face-to-face or voice-to-voice contact. Texting is okay if there’s no urgency to the message, or maybe as a follow-up. But when you’re in the middle of a live event, getting timely information to … [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...]
Most Technology Problems Are Not Actually Technology Problems
Having started my career in the direct selling industry in 2002, you can imagine the swift changes I’ve experienced in a relatively short period of time in how direct selling works. I’m sure many of you can say the same. As the model evolves and adapts, we found ourselves today rethinking components of direct selling that seemed like bedrocks of our business. Technology = Opportunity & Confusion At the forefront of these changes, you’ll find technology as an equal-opportunity … [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...]
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...]
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...]
The Only Marketing Questions You Need to Answer
Marketing can be a really simple thing if you let it. Think about who you want to reach with your product, service, idea or message. It may be customers you already have, or it may be someone you’ve targeted but haven’t quite connected with yet. Can you see them in your mind? OK, now get a clear picture of what it is you're marketing. Your idea. Your message. Your product. Your service. Get Clarity & Ask Yourself These Questions Now keep your customer and your idea at the … [Read more...]