Hi Mary.

I missed the beginning of the show you just did with Renee. I haven’t thought much about January because I have only 2 shows booked for December. My biggest problem is getting shows booked – I have that phone-a-phobia, fear of hearing “No” too many times. I’ve been a consultant with Jockey for over a year now, and although I enjoy it, I’m not doing well with it yet. Anyway I liked what you said about not discounting products but adding value somewhere instead. Great idea, we as direct sellers lose out when we give away coupons. I guess my question is, are there certain phrases to use when trying to book shows in January? I’ve had several people tell me “Not now, but maybe after the holidays.” So when should I contact them and firm up a date? Now or later? It seems that sooner would be better, to get the date on the calendar, but then I’ve had people cancel when the party was farther out, I guess it’s easier to cancel when no preparations have begun. So….any advice would be helpful!! Thanks. Linda

Linda,

You bring up several opportunities to create business with your potential host. “Not now, maybe after the holidays” is an easy way to not say no. The next time you hear this response, you might try this:
Now is a busy time, may I share with you some of the fun ways we could get your friends together in January? When you acknowledge her reason for not committing right now, you let her know that you are listening. She will be more open to listening to you when she knows you are listening to her. This may lead to some more conversation. Of course you will want to be prepared with something that makes January a great time to host a party. Remember, people schedule parties for different reasons. The host benefits on your product line, an easy way to get their friends together or the excitement they have captured from your description of your January party. Take time to create an advertisement for your January show. Here’s an idea:
January is ‘snuggle in’ month. I love to ask everyone to bring their favorite slippers to the party. We can call it Snuggle up in Your Slippers. Everyone can vote on the funniest, warmest or prettiest slippers for a prize. The added benefit to you is that if it’s wet outside, they will all leave their shoes at the door! January is a great time for a party because there is little competition for peoples’ time. If she demonstrates some interest in your idea, be sure to have your calendar ready. Use a pencil and ask her pencil in a date. Let her know you will call to confirm and to let her know how you will make her experience with you fun and easy. Set a definite time to connect.

You can always find a reason to follow up. The people who do the follow up are the ones with a full calendar. Here is one approach:
Hi, this is Linda from Jockey. I am calling today to thank you for attending the party at (host’s name) home. Do you have a quick minute? I would love to ask a few questions about your experience. What was the best part of the evening for you? Do you have any feedback that would help me create a better experience? Thank you for your input. I would also like to follow up on our conversation at the party. You mentioned that after the holidays might be a good time to get your friends together. I have created some fun options for January. One added bonus for my January hosts is that I will take care of the preparation for you. May I share the January party experience with you?

The number one piece of advice I can give you around follow up is to release the outcome. The goal is to make a connection and continue to form a relationship. If your customer senses that you are disappointed, they will feel that the call was really all about you, not them. Think of the calls as good customer service, the added value that will set you apart. If you do enough of this, you will find customers searching for you.

Around cancellations, you have the answer, start preparations immediately after the party is scheduled. Set a time to review how you will support the host and make her experience easy and fun. Have a clear plan! Describe your plan to your host and then follow through. Once a host has created an invitation list and sent it to you, she won’t cancel.

If you are struggling with fears around follow up, consider engaging a coach. Find one who is experienced in direct sales and understands your struggles. A good coach will help you overcome those fears and begin building the business your desire.

I recently found myself swirling in all the choices. I had heard that a Social Media Strategy is important, so off I went, signing up for webinars galore. I learned a bit about Facebook, a lot about creating Traffic, a little about copy writing, ignored the whole Twitter thing, created a blog of sorts, wrote a few articles for Linked In. Followed up my connections until I got stuck figuring out all about Skype. I met some cool people on the way as I spent 12-15 hours a day posting, reading and learning new technology. I espoused the dream of the amazing network marketer’s life style. Why wasn’t the money flowing?  

I have been in this industry a long time; I knew the answer was about time management and building on my gifts. I tried writing down my top five things to do each day. I set a timer and attempted to work in blocks of time. I set goals for each area of my life and business. I still kept swirling. I had a hunch I had taken on too many priorities, yet I was unable to decide which one to let go. I had chosen to dive in head first and couldn’t stand on the outside to see what was happening.

It might interest you to know that I am a professional business coach. As I was swirling in my pond, I was having great success helping others find clarity in their own. It suddenly dawned on me, I need a coach! I chose to connect with two different coaches, one who is a certified business coach and one who coaches people in attraction marketing. After two 30 minute calls, I had clarity and was ready to dive in! A coach can look from the outside and help you pull out what is the most important. A coach believes you can achieve your dreams. A true coach is someone who empowers their clients to tap into their own potential and achieve positive change. My business coach helped to set boundaries around the amount of time I wanted to commit to each of my businesses. My attraction marketing coach helped me to sift through all the internet marketing options and focus on two. I am excited about my new plan, my daily work schedule and my writer’s block has ended!!!

How do you decide where to focus your precious time? What marketing strategies work for you?

Mary McLoughlin

614.850.9965

www.marymcloughlin.com

Are you swimming in the internet marketing pool without a rudder? Check out www.mlmabundantfaith.com for a ship to drive the traffic.

 Success in the direct selling industry is based on relationships, so it only stands to reason that quality communication is a vital skill to be acquired. Traditionally, the phone has been a top method. The underlying cause of phone a phobia is fear, in specific the fear of rejection. In order to be rejected, one usually must ask for something. What if the focus of the calls shifted from asking for what we want, to building a relationship? Who do you always say yes to? In my life, it’s the people I know, like and trust. These are the ones I care about and who care about me, my friends, family and some business partners. The business partners I know, like and trust are the ones who take time to get to know me. They are the ones who share who they are and how they will serve me or fulfill a need of mine. They demonstrate through their communication what they have to offer, and then I ask for their service or product. Maybe phone a phobia is all about the wrong expectations. If the goal is to communicate and build a relationship, what is the risk of rejection? Lower the risk of rejection and you will lower the fear.

How do you start this shift? Determine what you have to give. Can you offer service? Can you just say thank you? Is there something that would enhance the product your customer has already purchased? Try some of these: a new way to clean the jewelry, a new benefit of the health product or a recipe for the tool. Focus your call on giving. Do this more than once with the same customer or product. Give value. When it’s time to ask, you customers will know you, like you and trust you. They will say yes.

Mary McLoughlin

614.850.9965

www.marymcloughlin.com

 P.S. To learn ways to give value to your customer via the internet, go to www.mlmabundantfaith.com

 This industry provides amazing opportunities to grow personally while you achieve your dreams.  I grew from a frazzled mom with two young children into a multimillion dollar business owner. What surprised me was how the lessons I learned about business are the same important ones for a blessed life. These are the lessons that served me well in my party plan business and that I will take with me into my future.     

10.   Systemize, Systemize, Systemize!

Anything that is to be done more than once requires a system: cleaning your house, your party plan, the laundry, expenses, taxes and more. Systems reduce stress and make what you do easy to duplicate. Others will be able to experience your success and your life will be in order.

9.       Mentoring is a Two Way Street

Someone else has already done what you want to do and you know how to do things others want to accomplish. Share your knowledge and search out people who know what you want to know. Offer to be of service and to serve. You will be blessed in both relationships. 

8.       Love Your Product

Know what you love about your product and why others might love it, too. Share stories about the difference your product makes in your life and the lives of others. This will fuel your passion and make selling easy.

7.       Keep It Easy & Simple

As a ‘D’ personality, I am constantly looking for the next good idea. I have learned that often, staying with what works produces better results. Keeping the tasks of life and business to a few simple steps accomplishes more. Both by you and by those you influence; team members, hosts, customers and kids.

6.       Ignite Your Fire

Spend time learning what excites and motivates you in business and life. Do more of it. Your passion for living will ignite the fire in others. When life feels complacent, revisit your passion and either reconnect or establish a new one.

5.       It’s All About the People

Relationships make life worth living. When we connect, both parties feel valued. When people feel valued they want to be with you. This leads to lots of great things in life.

4.       Learn to Listen

Listening from your heart is the most powerful way to connect to others. Knowing that you are really heard creates emotion that is indistinguishable from love. Those around you will feel valued when you learn to listen.

3.       Make It Fun

Have fun and so will those around you. People will be drawn to you; more customers, more hosts, more consultants and more friends. You family will want to be around you more, too.

2.       Know Your Why

What is your unique purpose on this earth? What matters to you? What accomplishments make you feel whole? What actions will you take toward this end and how does your business help you accomplish this? Connect with your why and you will bound out of bed in the morning. This is what makes life exciting to live. 

1.       You Are Enough

Get comfortable in your own skin. You are a unique person, whom God put on this earth for a special purpose. When you share yourself with authenticity, others will feel comfortable doing the same. This allows you and others to take risks and be comfortable with the failures that lead to success.

More about these lessons in future blogs….

Please comment on this new blog – what resonates with you? What would make it better? Which sites are good links?

As I have journeyed through the many roles of leadership, I have discovered three distinct roles that help others succeed. Trainers share knowledge, mentors share wisdom and coaches share discovery. A great leader knows when and how to be all three. To understand the difference, let’s build a house.

We could start at the local Home Depot and take classes from a trainer or educator who knows the skills needed to build a house. We may spend time with a number of different trainers to learn all the skills necessary.  We could learn about lumber, about plumbing, about electricity and about painting. It’s possible we could learn all the skills needed to build a house and never meet anyone who has actually built one.

We could find someone who has already built a house. This could be our mentor, someone who is willing to share their experience with us. We could gain lots of wisdom about what to do and what not to do while building a house.  A mentor would teach us how to build a house just like they did.

We might engage a coach. The coach will ask questions that will help us discover what we need to learn and where to find the learning. The questions might lead us to a trainer or a mentor. We will uncover our strengths, knowledge and weaknesses. We will gain insight into the obstacles we might encounter as we build our house. Ultimately, the coach will help us learn to design our own house.

To be an effective leader, it’s important to know when to train, when to mentor and when to coach. It was after I discovered how and when to be all three that my team members began having success….

Several boneless chicken breasts.

One pound of kielbasa sausage

Olive Oil

2-3 cloves of garlic

1-2 red peppers (or a jar of roasted red peppers)

1 onion – sweet is best

1 can of olives, sliced

1 pound of pasta. Bow ties are our favorite

8 ounces feta cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese

Start one pound of your favorite pasta cooking in boiling water.

Cut several boneless chicken breasts into bite size pieces.

Cut one pound of kielbasa sausage into one inch slices.

Pour a tablespoon or two of olive oil into a wok or stir fry skillet. (substitute a large frying pan if you must.)

Add 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic.

When garlic is lightly brown, add the chicken and stir fry just until pink disappears.

Toss in the sausage at the same time as the chicken.

Remove the meat from the pan.

While the meat is cooking:

Cut up a red pepper or two (or open a jar of roasted red peppers)

Cut up an onion – sweet ones are best.

Slice up the olives.

After removing the meat, toss in the vegetables. You may want to add a bit more oil.

Stir fry just until crisp tender.

Toss the meat back into the pot.

Add spices. The easiest is a good Greek Blend, like Pampered Chef Greek Rub.

You can substitute, basil, oregano, salt & pepper.

Add crushed red pepper to taste. We like it hot, so I add quite a bit.

Drain the pasta and add to the stir fry skillet.

Toss together, adding extra olive oil to taste.

Just before serving, toss in a container of feta cheese.

Top with grated parmesan.

Yumm!!

(This makes enough to feed the neighborhood!)

This recipe was created to serve all the Young Life leaders who hung out at our home. (College students with little money and big appetites!)

Life has possibilities. Choices. Mine might be like yours or they might not. It’s all good. I love the power of choice. The option to try something new. The challenges of new beginnings. As life gets stale, I begin to realize that I haven’t begun something new.

My life is full of past new beginnings: The unfinished quilts in my sewing studio. The books with bookmarks still somewhere in the middle. The piles in the basement where I began sorting all the clutter. The pages of pictures that are laid out  and ready to scrapbook. The somewhat limp vegetables that never quite made it to that new recipe. The bible studies that only have half of the chapters completed.

I used to choose guilt about all these unfinished new beginnings. Then I began to think about what I would never have learned had I not begun. I wouldn’t know that star blocks (they have a name, but who could remember!) and snowball blocks really don’t look great next to each other in a quilt. I wouldn’t know that I don’t like to read fantasy fiction books. I wouldn’t have experienced joy on remembering all the precious moments in the lives of my children as I sorted the pictures. I would never have discovered the recipe for Mary’s famous Young Life pasta and begun the tradition of ‘cooking with scraps’.    

I have learned that I restore my soul by working with fabric, whether I ever finish the project or not. I love to read, and cherish the time and opportunity to read a wide variety of genre. I can decide after a few chapters not to continue, but I learned what I don’t like!  God speaks to me through many ways. Sometimes it’s just a chapter in a devotional, one verse or an entire study. I love to play in the kitchen, starting with whatever ingredients I have on hand. It’s more fun if I have good choices, even if that means a few rot before they make it into the pot.

New beginnings unlock my creative spirit. New beginnings challenge me to risk. New beginnings open my soul to possibilities. New beginnings make me feel alive.

This blog is part of my new beginning.