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...]
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...]
The Right Way to Create a Sales Forecast in Direct Selling
Every year, usually after convention season is over and most direct selling companies kick into their high-selling season, another important task begins (or at least it should): the formulation of the sales forecast for the balance of the year, and the plan for the entire following year. This is a good time to appraise how well your initiatives and tactics are working in the current year. Are we ahead or behind our plan? What worked and what didn’t work? Honest and clear answers to … [Read more...]
How to Create a Direct Selling Event Schedule
For virtually all of your conference planning, you need to start with the basic commitment trio. The “Big 3” are your theme, budget and schedule. And out of those three, your schedule is the one component that will require the most ongoing time and attention. Event schedules will be updated and revised constantly, circulated widely and universally depended on as projects move forward and your event unfolds. Since this is the time of year when most direct sales companies are planning their … [Read more...]
Time is Running Out for Your 2018 Event
If your company is like most, your annual event happens in July or August. That means it’s coming up soon, and you’re busy trying to get more attendees. You know what the best tools are to promote your event? Quotes, impressions and testimonials from your 2017 attendees. People want to know what’s in it for them. They want benefits, specific benefits. How to Acquire Testimonials Ask Reach out to attendees via whatever channels you can … email, social media, newsletters, … [Read more...]
Now’s the Time to Start Promoting Your Summer Event!
With holiday happenings all around us, it’s doubtful your summer event is weighing heavily on your mind right now. But it should be. Here’s why: Many, if not most direct selling companies have leadership events in the early part of the year. That’s the ideal time to gather what you need to successfully promote your event. More on that in a moment. This is the time of year vacation schedules are being put together for 2018. Even if a consultant is not tied to a strict, planned vacation … [Read more...]
9 Surefire Ways to Supercharge Your Strategic Planning
Q: On a scale of one to 10, how would you rate your company’s strategic planning process? I recently asked that question to a group of about 25 direct selling executives, and the average answer was a “5”, with the highest being a “7”. That should tell us a lot about how we feel about our planning process. Dwight Eisenhower once said: In planning for battle, I have always felt that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable. I love that quote because it speaks to the priority of … [Read more...]
Strategic Planning Done Right
In this short 30-minute webinar, Brett Duncan shares simple ways any direct selling company can get the most out of their planning process. Learn specific techniques and guidelines you can use to improve the planning process at your office. Get Instant Access to this webinar and many others. Create your free account now! The Planning Process Whether you are a one-person company or a thousand-employee company, you will receive valuable information from this webinar because the planning … [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...]
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...]
Planning a Convention Agenda That Leads to Maximum Momentum
Regardless of your job title, any corporate member of a direct selling company needs to master event planning. All direct sales businesses really run because of our events, so we are all involved. In this training, Brett Duncan and Dick Wilson from Strategic Choice Partners walk you through the ins and outs of planning your next direct sales convention or event effectively. Get Instant Access to this webinar and many others. Create your free account now! Both Brett and Dick share their … [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 Difference Between a Mission & Vision Statement
No day-long corporate strategy session or weekend retreat can survive for long without two things being forced upon everyone to ponder and pander over: Mission Statement Vision Statement I’ll confess, I’ve never had a strong grasp on the differences between them. Most vision statements I’ve seen would pass for mission statements and vice versa. But then I heard them both explained this way, and it made all the difference in the world. I first saw this expressed by Christopher S. … [Read more...]
“Turn-Arounds” Are Hard to Do!
Perhaps the hardest task any management team can undertake is turning around a long successful company that’s declining. There’s simply nothing easy about a turn-around. The process is always disruptive, often painful, and requires setting a plan and sticking with it, even if it takes time to show results. A Change Plan More important, getting it done requires a clear-eyed ability to see the reality of the situation, then assessing what needs to be done. In other words, coming up … [Read more...]