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Ok, so I am about to tell you the real deal about direct sales (or Multi-level marketing – whatever you want to call it). If you are looking for someone to tell you that it is easy and that it requires little to no effort, you may as well close this window now. Direct sales is not easy. Simple? Yes. Easy – no. Understanding this fact is critical if you want to achieve real success with direct sales. How do I know? Because this is what I do. If you are considering going into direct sales, you should definitely keep reading. It will give you the chance to start your business with the right mindset. If you are new to direct sales or have been in it for a while and have not seen the results that you want – here’s your chance to maybe see what you can do to turn that around.
Ok, so the first thing I want to say is this: Success in direct sales requires 5 things.
1. Hard Work. Yes, you will have to work hard to achieve results. They are not just going to fall into your lap. People are not going to chase you down to get your products and services. At least not at first. That comes after you have put in the time and energy to build your business and your reputation. You will have to hustle to make direct sales work for you. But, you know what, if it came easy to you, you wouldn’t appreciate it as much. Knowing that you EARNED your success makes all the difference in the world. That sense of accomplishment can actually motivate you to push harder and reach higher.
2. Dedication- If you want to be successful in direct sales, you have to be dedicated to what you are doing. You have to have a passion for it. This is something that you should consider when deciding on which company you will choose to align yourself with. Choose a company that you would actually enjoy working for. A company that offers products and services that you have an interest in (because if you don’t, tell me — how you are going to sell them?). A company whose mission statement you believe in. Don’t join a company just because it’s the “in” thing to do or because your best friend since forever is doing it. Choose a company that, at the end of the day, you are devoted to and can be proud to represent.
3. Commitment. Ok, so I know you are probably thinking “This child is a little slow. Dedication and commitment are the same thing”. Ok, so maybe TECHNICALLY they are synonymous with each other. However, think of it this way: you can be in a relationship with someone that you love dearly. They could be an awesome person and you love being with them and enjoy your relationship. You are a DEDICATED boyfriend or girlfriend. However, you may not be ready to make the COMMITMENT of marriage. It’s the same thing with direct sales. You have to be committed to your business. You have to always be willing to take it to the next level. That means committing to constant growth. Never settling – always striving to reach just a little bit further. To be a little bit better. Giving it your all. If you don’t give it your all, you won’t reap all of the benefits. Period.
4. Perseverance. I’ll be honest…direct sales can serve you a mighty bitch slap sometimes. The highs are great and the lows make you want to crawl off somewhere, wrap your arms around your knees and just sob until you can’t anymore. There will be times when your business will become stagnant. When it hits the wall – hard. You will feel like giving up. But that’s when you should work your hardest. You can’t give up every time things get tough. Because, trust me, everyone goes through those tough times. Even the best of the best. But, you know, they wouldn’t have become the best if they had given up when things became difficult. As I said before, sticking with it during the hard times makes the good times even better.
Now, while we are talking about perserverance, I HAVE to talk about the concept of rejection. YOU WILL BE TOLD NO. A lot. Accept that. Not everyone is going to be interested in your company or what you have to offer. Some people may even be outright against it. Clients and recruits are not going to fall into your lap. You have to seek them out and cultivate them.
It may seem crude, but you have to view people like weeds and flowers. The weeds are the people who are not interested in what you are offering. The weeds are the people who express interest initially and then decide not to pursue it. The weeds are even the people who join your team for a season and then die out. What you have to be on the lookout for are the flowers. The people who take the seeds that you plant and grow. The people who eventually help to spread those seeds and grow your business. The people who are as serious about the business opportunity or products/services as you are. The thing is, sometimes you can’t tell the difference between the weeds and the flowers. The flowers have to be cultivated properly or they will never bloom. So you have to persevere through all of the no’s until you get the maybe’s. And then keep working until those maybe’s become yes’s. If you give up because you hear “no” a lot, you will never get to the yes’s.
5. Time. You HAVE to put in time to see results. Direct sales is not something you can get into for 3 months and expect for everything to magically be super awesome and you be able to retire at 35. It takes time to build your business. Time to learn about the business and the products. To learn the ropes and perfect your technique. To build and maintain your client base. To build and maintain your team. Generally speaking, it takes six months before your business will really start to pick up. So if you are going to get into a direct sales business, be willing to commit at least 9 months- 1 year to working it before you decide it is not for you. And if you choose a business that you are passionate about, then that should not be an issue, right?
Another thing (the most important thing): you have to treat it like a job. If you treat it like a hobby, you will make “hobby” money. Treat it like a job and you can experience the full potential of direct sales. And that means putting in time. If you are only working your business a few hours a week, your income probably reflects that. If you can go several days without doing anything in your business, I bet your business isn’t where you want it to be. You should be putting in time EVERY SINGLE DAY working your business. Marketing. Talking to people. Reaching out to clients. Training. Your business should be a priority in your life. Only when you make it a priority will you experience the success that makes direct sales such a great source of income and freedom for so many people.
So there you have it, the truth behind direct sales. You can make tremendous amounts of money in this field. You can experience financial and personal freedom. You can watch your dreams come true one by one. But you have to work for it. If you are looking for a way to make direct sales work for you, feel free to message me for suggestions and support. I’m always eager to help other people to pursue their dreams and make them a reality. 😀
Until next time,
Tiffany Hathorn — Single Mommy Warrior
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