Take the challenge, be the successful businesswoman you long to be as a business owner in direct selling. This truly is a woman’s world of opportunity. Women from all walks of life are enjoying the freedom of being independent business owners. In fact, women own over 40% of all privately held businesses in the US and by 2010, it is expected that women will control 60% of the wealth in this country. What makes direct selling the best business option for women today? The ever-demanding lifestyle of the working woman has inspired millions of women to pursue and build successful network marketing businesses. Women in the workforce on average earn 25% less than their male counterparts and struggle with the need to create a better work life balance during child rearing years. Direct Selling offers business options with no limitations, built upon relationships and driven by value centric choices. NULL
Of the over 13.5 million direct sellers in the US, 83% are women. With over 1500 different direct selling companies in this country, it is possible to find the perfect product, opportunity and company culture to match the values and financial needs of any prospect. Because direct selling businesses are relationship based, it makes sense for women to market to women. Statistically speaking direct selling really is a Woman’s World of Opportunity. Unlike corporate career paths, there is no limit to the number of top earners in a direct selling business. In fact, top company executives often earn less annually than their top field leaders. Equally as important, direct sellers know that it is not necessary to eliminate others by blocking their success on the road to career advancement. In direct selling, helping others succeed is one of the necessary practices that lead to the creation of residual income.
A few simple but powerful principles are found at the core of the direct selling approach, which resonate with women.
Once mastered, there is no limit to the income and accomplishments available to anyone willing to work at building their own direct selling business. For the entrepreneurial woman of today, understanding and incorporating these basic principles into a daily routine are comfortable and doable because they are often more natural to women.
The first principle to understand is that direct selling is about people first, product second.
The only way to secure a residual income benefit from your direct selling business is by focusing time and effort on assisting others. Teaching and coaching others must become an integral part of the daily routine. Women are naturally very nurturing and prefer communication styles that support and encourage others. Building a team is a natural fit.
The second basic principle to understand is the power of more.
There will always be a need to find new people. Successful direct sellers know they will always have 1/3rd coming, 1/3rd doing, and 1/3rd leaving. There is no such thing as a “quality recruit”. Everyone should be given the opportunity to experience the empowering success of having his or her own direct selling business. To create a solid business that produces residual income, the leader must learn to sponsor others and sponsor many each month. The power of more is always in effect. The simple truth is, the more people you talk to, the more people you will recruit or add as a customer to your business. And the more people you talk to about your business, the more successful you become. Any woman can be successful by doing what comes natural; talking and listening. Because no one walks around with a sign on their chest declaring their most precious dreams and goals, the only way to learn what truly motivates someone and help them achieve their personal goals is by listening.
Basic principle #3 requires a commitment to be consistently persistence.
The most successful direct sellers learn early in their career to seize every moment within the day that will allow them to create an interest in others for their products and business opportunity. Never, ever, ever give up. Developing a routine that engages others daily creates business momentum. Successful direct sellers learn to ask for referrals everywhere they go. They multi task by embedding phone calls and other income building activities within their family, business and social schedule to ensure that the business is moving forward. Because women are naturals at multi-tasking, a direct selling business works for her when she retains a consistent effort each day. The direct selling business owner operates from the comfort of her home and car enabling her to take her work on the go. Scheduled income building activities with customers and team members are often sandwiched between soccer practice and a visit to the grocery. Successful entrepreneurs are persistent in their quest for new customers and team members learning to seize the opportunities that emerge as they engage in everyday conversations. The store is always open because the direct seller knows to be prepared with information and materials that make it easy to generate interest in her product and business. Being consistently ready and persistently moving forward keeps the business growing.
No one joins a direct selling business with the intention of failing.
That said, to be successful in network marketing, a leader must ensure that every individual is equipped to make the journey to success by providing a simple, consistent supply of information, skill development, inspirational communication and training. So why do so many join and never achieve great things with their business? Often, it is because what they want out of the business is different from what the leader expects them to deliver. Successful direct sellers learn they cannot impose their own goals and expectations on others.
The fourth basic principle is the power of recognition.
Learn to appreciate and encourage success at all levels. Learn to be consistent and fair with the support given, but never want it more for someone than they do for themselves. Your definition of success may differ, but everyone’s success adds value to the business. Because women are often more comfortable giving praise and recognition to others, they are often very successful at retention through sincere recognition. Acknowledging accomplishment is easy, so do it often. When a leader is realistic in their expectations of others, acknowledging their contribution becomes an easy part of building a team.
The fifth basic principle is harnessing the power of positive thinking.
Napoleon Hill writes, “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, he will achieve.” This principle is evidenced in all the great accomplishments of history. Great athletes, inventors, entrepreneurs and millionaires have learned the secret of feeding their mind with positive mental images and thoughts for centuries. Seeing things accomplished in the mind’s eye has a definitive cause and effect influence on the thoughts and actions taken. When you learn to feed your mind with the images of your success, your natural response will follow that path. The most successful people in network marketing have learned to maintain their own personal mental attitude through the day-to-day ups and downs of business. Focusing thoughts on the accomplished outcome provides the mental guideposts along the way despite temporary obstacles of the moment. Those that achieve understand that what they think translates into what they do. Successful people also understand that people are attracted to positive, enthusiastic, confident, happy people. If you want to create a team of committed, excited, enthusiastic, can-do members, be a leader with those same attributes. Fill your mind with positive, productive ideas and thoughts. Read positive success stories of others who have walked in your shoes. Learn from their lessons. Listen to motivational tapes and positive thinking messages. V
isualize yourself achieving your dreams and reinforce your thinking with spoken affirmations. Just as it is important to care for your body with good nutrition and exercise, so is it important to care for your mind with positive thinking. Flexibility, unlimited income potential, and independence top the list of the best reasons for getting started in a direct selling business of your own.
But what makes a network-marketing woman successful is doing what comes naturally.
As Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Women have a great deal in common with a tea bag. Put them in a little hot water and see how strong they become.” Take the challenge, be the successful businesswoman you long to be as a business owner in direct selling. This truly is a woman’s world of opportunity.
Downloads
- It’s a Woman’s World by Pam Dean - December 1, 2013
