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Direct Sales Tips for Growth

direct sales tips for growth

direct sales tipsWould you like direct sales tips for growth? Whether you want to start or grow a direct sales business, changing your mindset towards traditional business will be key to your success. Choosing to do direct sales as a side hustle requires some thoughtful consideration, because essentially you are starting a REAL business.

Starting a business costs money and time. A direct sales business is one of the cheapest ways to start a small business, but you really have to consider the amount of time, sweat, money, and effort you have to put into your business.

 

Some people start a direct sales business for the discount of products they love and others jump into direct sales to have extra income from their side hustle.

 

If you are thinking about a side hustle with a direct sales company, then take your time to find products you love and a leader you trust.

~ This article may contain affiliate links. I only suggest product or services I believe will benefit my readers. All opinions are 100% mine! ~

Is Direct Sales an extra income side hustle for me?

Here’s a little background on my experience joining a direct sales company.

I started with a protein drink direct sales business after my second son was born. In my heart, I was determined to leave my teaching job so that I could stay home with my 2 boys (we now have 3!).

I bought the kit, persuaded my brother to join me, and found one other friend to be on my team. My approach to selling was to mix up the drink and take it around to classrooms after school to see if teachers wanted to try it. I made a few sales, but I never followed up with people and I never pushed my product. I barely shared it on social media!

Did I mention that I’m super shy AND introverted?!

So WHY am I always drawn back to direct sales?

I see my friends and friends-of-friends sharing about their latest favorite Direct Sales Company and their amazing products. Even though I am totally an introvert, every few months I start to consider maybe this whole direct sales marketing gig is for me.

But what exactly is drawing me to want to give this crazy side biz a try…

My friends who are marketing their businesses the right way (there definitely is a wrong way!) on Facebook and social media are using Attraction Marketing. They aren’t shoving their products in my face or messaging me to buy their products.

Instead they are sharing their lifestyle which happens to include the amazing products they use with their company. People who use attraction marketing are sharing value through their posts, videos, blogs, and other social media channels.

Over the past 9 months, I’ve been constantly learning how to develop an audience of people who want to hear my message. I think that if I can apply the strategies I’ve used for affiliate marketing and blogging to a direct sales business, then being an introvert/shy won’t be an issue.

So what exactly is Attraction Marketing?

“Attraction Marketing” is kind of a buzz word in the world of Network Marketing. Basically it means that you are leading with value through your social media posts, blogs, videos by sharing information and education about your products. The idea is when you provide amazing value you will be attracting people who care about your product.

Sometimes you might see people share a post about the amazing life they have because of their direct marketing business…they are using attraction marketing to draw people to their business who have the same desires.

Another post you may see is how to use a product or the amazing effects of a product. In this type of post you are drawing people who value health, skincare, natural living, etc.

Does attraction marketing work?

Attraction marketing does work to some extent. If you are sharing posts on Facebook, Instagram, Snap Chat, or other social media platforms you are still only reaching your audience which is mostly made up of friends and family.

And after a few months, your educational and informational posts are going to be overlooked or ignored.

A lot of direct sales business owners start to feel stuck. How can you grow your following? How can you build a tribe of people who want your awesome products or want to start a business venture with you?

As I contemplate jumping into another direct sales job opportunity, I have realized that a lot of what I do as a blogger could easily influence a direct sales business. These are tips that will help you grow a following of people who are interested in the same goals and dreams you have.

Direct Sales Tips for Growth

#1 Think like a business leader.

If you have already started a direct sales business and your goal is to create a real income, then you have to have the mindset of a business leader. Your goal is to not be working “in” your business spending all your time hunting down your next lead.

 

You need a strategic plan for creating new sales and helping others start their own businesses. Think about your message and how you present your business to people. No one wants to be “sold to.”

 

People want to know “what’s in it for me?” In order to create a successful business, you need to be able to provide people with high quality value and resources to meet their needs or solve a problem.

 

#2 If you are in a direct sales business you are not *Rodan + Fields* or *Young Living* or *Beauty Counter* etc.

 

You need to create YOUR brand. People want to connect with your image. Think about who you are and be authentic to YOUR story. If you live a crazy life as a mom of a bunch of kids…share that story. If you are obsessed with makeup and fashion…go with that story. If you are a hot mess…trust me, we can totally relate 🙂 SHARE YOUR STORY!

 

I can think off the top of my head 10 people in my circle of friends who have the SAME direct sales business!

 

The question is WHY would I choose someone to join in their business adventure?

I’m not choosing the product, I’m choosing THE STORY I want to connect with. You have to create your personal brand to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack.

 

I’ll be honest it sounds hard to do, but this is totally possible. There is no one like you! People will be drawn to the way you talk, your personal story, and your leadership.

 

#3 You need to have a Facebook page separate from your personal page.

 

Here’s the thing, you’ve probably exhausted all those friends and family who are going to join you on your journey…maybe not. You might get a few stragglers as you share how your business grows, but your business isn’t going to have BIG growth if you just keep sharing to the same people over and over again.

 

You need to build your Facebook page as part of your personal BRAND. We aren’t talking about “Sally’s Young Living Page.” That’s so boring!  

 

Think about your story…what are you trying to say? Who are you trying to ATTRACT to your business?

 

*Sally is trying to attract moms who want to create a natural/toxin free living environment.  So her Facebook page could be “Natural Living Moms” or “The Essential Mom” or something more clever 😉

 

Then you are going to use your Facebook page to provide TONS of value to your ideal customers. You can post memes, blog posts about using your product, photos, videos, etc. You can also sell your products from your page. The idea is that you are drawing in people from all over the country who CONNECT with YOUR brand!

 

You can also promote a private Facebook group for anyone who would like to sell your products and join your team!

 

Resource: If marketing through a Facebook page sounds like something you want to do, then I would highly recommend you join the FREE Facebook Page Massive Growth Strategies! There are tons of free videos with Rachel who teaches a course called Moolah Marketing (who to create profitable Facebook pages). Rachel provides amazing value in the free facebook group. Jump in and watch/read everything you can get your hands on!

 

#4 Learn everything you can about online marketing with Click Funnels.

 

Have you heard of Russell Brunson? He is the developer of Click Funnels, an all inclusive online marketing platform. Click Funnels includes sales funnels that help you to build your business, sell your products, and grow your customer base.

 

I’ll let Russel give you the details on Click Funnel:

If You Have a Business, We Have a Sales Funnel That’ll Work for You from ClickFunnels on Vimeo.

 

 

Russell Brunson is pretty much a genius marketer, and here’s the crazy thing…he gives a ton of information away for FREE!  

 

Whether you ever decide to use the Click Funnels platform you need to learn about sales funnels and how to utilize them effectively for your business.

 

Resource: Two suggestions…I highly recommend Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson. This book is all about finding you message and building your tribe (customers who are crazy about YOUR brand and your product).

 

This book is amazing and will change your mindset about your business! The book is FREE, but you do pay $7.95 for shipping and handling.

 

My second recommendation is for you to join as a Click Funnels Affiliate. You don’t have to buy anything to become an affiliate, or even give your credit card information.

 

The 90 day Click Funnels Bootcamp led by Russell Brunson, is the reason you need to join. He basically teaches you about online marketing in 30 – 40 minute videos over the course of 90 days. The value is incredible…and it’s all for free!

 

If you want to give Click Funnels a try and see what it can do for your business, then there is a 2 week free trial.

 

Recommended Reading:

5 Ways to Use a Sales Funnel to Build Your Network Marketing Business

How to Launch a High Achieving MLM Sales Funnel

#5 Start building an email list.

 

Building an email list is integral to your business. You own your email list, meaning you can take it with you wherever you go. Facebook owns Facebook…they can change the algorithm and lower your reach. They control what is seen, what you can share, but your email list belongs to you.

 

This is where you can build a relationship with your customers sell your products and convert customers into business owners who trust you enough to let you in their inbox!

 

Resource: Mailerlite is my email platform and I love it! They have amazing features like nicely designed landing pages, segmenting, automation, and other great features for free up to 1000 email subscribers. If you are just starting out I highly recommend Mailerlite. Note: You will need a blog/website with access to an email address in order to set up Mailerlite.

 

#6 Start a blog or website for your brand.

 

Blogging may seem like an overwhelming task to take on, but you can do so much with a blog again because it is YOURS! You can provide value, attract your ideal customers, and capture emails with a sign-up for a newsletter.

 

You could use your blog to continue your branding of your direct sales business or you could redirect your blog pages to your direct sales company site (you need to check with your company to see if that is allowed.)

 

You can easily start a blog for free with WordPress. However, I think that owning your own domain gives you more authority in your niche. A self-hosted site gives you a great place to develop your brand and drive traffic to your business.

 

All you would need is a simple website with a menu bar, option to join your email list, and blog posts about products or joining your company. Another valuable reason (related to number 7) is that you will be able to do more marketing on social media with a blog.

 

Resource: You can sign up for a self-hosted site with Bluehost for as little as $3.95 per month! You will also get a free domain name ($15 value). A self-hosted site is valuable for you because you will be able to set up an email account, Pinterest Business account, and you will be able to develop your personal brand.

Related Reading: How to Start a Blog

#7 Create a Pinterest Business Account.

 

Pinterest is an amazing way to find FREE targeted traffic to your website and landing page. It is the number one referrer for most bloggers and small businesses using a website to generate traffic.

 

Pinterest works like a search engine. People are going to Pinterest looking for something specific. While other social media platforms are about connecting with friends and family, Pinterest is all about inspiration for your life.

 

You need a self-hosted website to create a Pinterest Business Account. With a Pinterest Business Account you can track pins to find out who is pinning your pin and how many times it is being shared. You can create pins that drive traffic to your email sign up, Facebook page, Facebook group, etc.

 

Pinterest is one of the best tools for getting pin-pointed targeted traffic.

Recommended Reading: 

How to Use Pinterest for Direct Sales

How to Spy on Your Competition!

This quick little trick will let you spy on how your competition is using a sales funnel…

Go to the Google search bar.

Type in:    Site: clickfunnels.com (your niche) to see sales funnels that other business owners are using!

Here’s an example >>> Site: clickfunnels.com rodan and fields

Final Note:

When I’m ready to start my direct sales business, these are the steps I will take to market my business to people who are already interested in my products and business venture.

You can use each of these tools listed above to develop a strategic plan to attract people who are already interested in starting a direct sales company without posting constantly to your personal Facebook page and hearing crickets.

 

Are you ready to take your direct sales company to the next level?