Marketingonpoint » Direct Sales Knowledge

Uniqueness is Crucial with Online Direct Sales Promotions

admin — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:09:00 +0000

When you join a Direct Sales company, no matter which one it is, you may feel like just one in a crowd of many hundreds, possibly even thousands, of consultants. If there are several people from the same company in close proximity, being unique in a sea of many is crucial for your online direct sales business.

One way to make yourself stand out from among the crowd is to have a webpage associated with the parent company that you’re working with. You may have already been given a company webpage, but everyone has one of those. The name of the game is being unique, and a company page doesn’t say that.

Before purchasing a domain name, however, read up on your company’s rules for online marketing. You don’t want to do anything that will jeopardize your standing with them. If they don’t have a problem with it, by all means, create your own web page.

Optimally, you should already have a domain name picked out before you start your business, but don’t feel locked in to having the company name as part of it. In fact, you can choose something different from the company name so you can keep the domain if you ever separate from them. Come up with some ideas and then see if they’re available. Don’t be afraid to purchase more than one if you really like the name. If at all possible, try to find a name with a dot com extension – not that they’re any more valuable, but they’re more recognizable and easier to remember.

After you have your website domain purchased, you can begin to fill it with unique information. Don’t use only the information provided by the company. Add other value to the site, as well. If your company sells cookware, why not include great recipes that can be made with that cookware. If your company sells toys, provide articles that extol the virtue of playing with those particular types of toys. The options are endless and are only limited by your imagination.

OK, you have a domain; it’s filled with original content that compliments the product your direct sales company has to offer. What else can you do to stand out in the crowd? What else will make your online presence unique from the many other consultants or associates? Why not try adding audio or video to your website?

If you have spent any time at all on the internet, you’ll have seen the popularity of websites such as YouTube. Audio (podcasts) and video (webcasts) files haven’t been added to very many business websites yet, so if you put one on yours you’ll be seen as an innovator – someone to emulate as the popularity of the business tool expands. Besides, as well as being able to communicate with your team and prospective customers on a different level, podcasts and webcasts are just plain fun.

Regardless of the fact that you are running a direct sales business and have been given the same training and tools to do so, you don’t have to be like everyone else in the company. There are ways to make your online direct sales business stand out. Create your webpage with your own domain name, provide great content that will drive people to your site, and then add audio or video segments for your customers and team members to enjoy. You’ll be glad you took the initiative and decided to be unique.

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Promote Your Direct Sales Business with Giveaways and Contests

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Everyone loves to get something for free. Run your favorite search engine using the word “free” and you’ll have thousands of hits. It is just a matter of fact, people like receiving things and they also love the challenge of a good contest. You can use both of these facts to promote your direct sales business.

Giveaways: What can give away to promote your business?

Pens – Wherever you go, someone asks to borrow a pen to write something down, and then forgets to give it back to you. Why not take advantage of this “natural” tendency and use it to your advantage? Check to see if your direct sales company has pens with the company name on them that you can purchase.

Better yet, spend a little bit of money and have them printed with your business URL. The next time someone asks to borrow a pen, you can give them one with your name and website on it. They will see this web address each time they use the pen and it might help generate a sale. The pens aren’t that expensive, so why not give them several? They can give them out instead of their favorite pen, and in that way they’ll have done advertising for you.

Mouse pads – If you work on a computer, you use a mouse pad. What better thing to give away than something that will be useful and that you know will be used? People sit at computers all day long with their hand resting on their mouse pad. If you have your website address printed onto mouse pads, and give them away, you’re keeping the name of your business before potential customers. Choose something that’s visually appealing, as well as functional. If the person you’ve given the mouse pad to has many people visit them during work, they may ask where to get one, too.

Contests: Use them to generate leads.

One way to generate leads is to have a contest that people will be eager to participate in. Choose an item, such as a gaming system or the newest MP3 player, as a prize and you’ll have people beating down the doors to your direct sales website to enter. Make sure the rules are clearly stated so people know what to expect and know when a winner will be announced.

Of course, for a chance to win, they’ll have to leave their name, address, email address, and telephone number. Make sure to advertise the contest with a press release, and you’ve increased the possibility that more people will sign up. Don’t forget, however, to issue another press release when the contest is over; you need to announce the winner.

Using giveaways and contests to bring traffic to your website accomplishes two things:
1) It promotes your business by giving people a reason to come to your website.
2) By providing these items, not only will you bring potential customers to your website, you can also take the price off of your taxes as advertising costs.

Take advantage of people’s desire to get free items, and you’ve taken a step into a new realm of marketing your business. Remember to choose wisely when to hold contests and what items to giveaway to advertise your website. You might generate so much buzz about your direct sales business that you won’t lack for customer and direct leads for quite some time.

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Making Your Direct Sales Website Search Engine Friendly

admin — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

It’s time to “surf the web”. What do you do? You go to a search engine and type a target phrase into the search box. Within seconds you receive a list of websites. You begin to click on websites that interest you. Before long, you’ve found what you’re looking for. If you’re wise, you’ll make your direct sales website search engine friendly in the same way, so that you can be found when someone begins their search.

How do you make your website search engine friendly? Following are some hints to make your website easier to find.

1. Submit your direct sales website to the largest directories and search engines. Concentrate on the Yahoo! and Open Project Directory directories. Google and AOL would be good choices for search engines to target.

2. Submit just the main page of your website, not each individual page. The other pages will be found by following the links from the main page. Creating a “site map” might help the search engines find all of your links, but there’s no guarantee.

3. Choose keywords that are as specific as possible. If your direct sales companies sells educational toys, you’ll do better by using “educational toys” than you would using “toys and games” as your keywords.

4. The more websites you have linking to yours, the better your site will rank on the search engines. To get links back to your website, consider a “link exchange” campaign. Find other websites in your same niche and ask them if they would exchange links with you. If they do, both websites should benefit.

5. Your title page tag is the first thing a search engine displays, so you’ll want yours to be good. Take your time and come up with something that will explain your website.

6. Search engines, while important, are not the only way to drive traffic to your website. Consider adding a signature line to your outgoing email that includes your business email address. Write articles and submit them to various free article sites; make sure to include a bio box with your URL at the bottom. Find and post at related forums, posting your link in your signature line, if it is allowed.

7. Don’t forget about offline marketing. Have pens, business cards, and flyers printed with your direct sales business email and website. Bumper stickers might be another good bet, as well as magnets.

Creating a website isn’t that hard to do. Take some time, think things through, make a plan, and then follow it. If you have problems, you can always ask at different forums for ways to improve your search engine results. People are generally willing to help make your direct sales website search engine friendly.

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How a Blog Can Help Grow Your Direct Sales Business

admin — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Having a website for your home based business is almost a necessity in today’s high tech, internet-crazy world. Having a website might not be enough, though. Take a look to see how a web log, or “blog”, can help grow your direct sales business as well.

Many direct sales businesses offer their sales associates a website that links directly back to the parent company’s site. You might even have taken a bold step and chosen to purchase a domain name and created your own business website. Those are both good ideas, but perhaps you should also add a blog to your arsenal of online marketing tools.

You want to use every available option when promoting your direct sales business, whether offline or online. You wouldn’t think of starting a new home business without purchasing business cards. Why would you consider having one without using a blog to help generate leads and possibly recruit new team members?

A blog can be effective for promoting your business. It can also help you meet new prospects, either as customer or as part of your downline. Blogs can also be a creative outlet when you’ve had to deal with the restrictions of some direct sales companies. A blog can truly help your business reach a new level.

Before you jump on the blog bandwagon, however, you need to read and understand your company’s policy about using the internet for marketing. If they do not allow personal internet advertising it would be better to set this idea aside. Use whatever means they allow to do your marketing.

Consider your goals for having a blog and write them down. Know what you want to accomplish with your blog before you write your first sentence. Think about the people that will be reading your blog, usually your prospective customers or downline, then design your blog with them in mind. Find an area to focus on – whether sales, recruiting, or training – and build your blog around that focus area.

Blogging about your direct sales business gives you an outlet to discuss new products and specials that will be coming up, and gives your team members and customers a sneak peak at new items before they are available. Blogs also allow you to share things that may be related to your business but not a direct part of it. For instance, if your products relate to cooking, use your blog to post recipes for your readers to enjoy. Try to remember who your target market is and provide them with things they will find valuable.

It is easy to see why blogging has become so popular. Millions of people use their blog to express themselves every day. Why not take advantage of this tool and use it to help your direct sales business grow? All it takes is a little bit of time and thought, and a desire to offer your customers and team members another outlet to success.

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Direct Selling Benefits from Individual Domain Names

admin — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Owning a direct sales company is one of the most well-known avenues for helping to generate extra income for your family’s budget. A major benefit of working with a direct sales company is that, quite often, they provide you with a free website to send prospective team members. While this company website might do the trick in a pinch, if you want to see your sales and your team explode, consider purchasing your own domain name.

Why would owning your own domain name be a good idea? There are actually several reasons. Here are six reasons to consider before deciding to purchase a domain name or not:

1. It’s simple to remember. As an associate of a direct sales company, “your” webpage will lead prospective clients to the company, using a URL similar to this: http://www.parentcompany.com/yourname. If you purchase your own domain name, your website address would look quite different: http://www.yourdomain.com. It is much easier for a prospective customer or team member to remember the second domain name.

2. It sets you apart. Choosing your own domain name allows you freedom to add your own personality to your business. You’re not required to maintain the company’s status quo if you have your own name. Your business reflects you and helps you stand out from the crowd.

3. You know how you’re doing. If you have your own domain, you can track the number of visitors to your website, and you know how they’ve found you. You can try different marketing campaigns and see which one is bringing in the most traffic. Having a company website doesn’t allow you this option.

4. Give them something extra. Having your own domain name, as opposed to a company website, also allows you to offer your clients and team members extras. Do you want to provide content to help your team members? Consider writing articles that will give them tools to grow their business.

5. Multiple emails come in handy. Just imagine, instead of having all your company email coming to one address and having to plod through each and every one, you could have an email address to match each function of your business: one for those requesting further information, one for a newsletter that you’ve started, one for comments/suggestions, and one that’s dedicated to team members only.

6. Who do you want to benefit from all your website traffic? If you do spend a good deal of time marketing your business and people go to your company’s website, who will be the one to benefit most from it? Your parent company, of course!

Having your own domain name, however, lets you have prospective customers and team members go to your personal website first. If they would like further information, you can link to your company website. By doing this, you will have gotten “first dibs” on the prospect rather than their having to search a large website to find you.

While these six reasons for having your own domain name for your direct sales business aren’t the only ones, they are something to consider before you choose to “just” use the site your company has provided. The reasons for having your own domain name are varied, but ultimately the choice is up to you.

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Check Online Sales Rules with Direct Sales Companies

admin — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Direct sales companies abound. Look around and you’re likely to see someone advertising how you can lose weight or make money from home. The opportunities all sound good, but how do you decide which one to buy into? Determining the rules of any direct sales company, especially when it comes to selling online, is critical if you would like to make use of the internet to do your business.

It wasn’t that long ago that direct sales companies only had a website that explained their opportunity and how you could join their team. That has changed dramatically within the last ten years. Not all direct sales companies have the same rules when it comes to selling online. In fact, some may not allow their associates to sell online at all.

Most direct sales transactions are completed person-to-person, face-to-face during a party or demonstration. Some people don’t want to wait for a party to get what they want, however, and will often turn to the internet. If the parent company has a website, the prospective customer will likely find what they want. However, if they want to develop a relationship with the company, they may also choose to find a consultant.

How do you know what a direct sales company’s online sales rules are? Of course, the easiest way to find out is to ask, but not all companies may be forthcoming with their information. You may have to ask for additional information by signing up on their website, but be prepared to be approached and encouraged to “sign on the dotted line”.

If at all possible, refrain from joining any direct sales company until you’ve had ample time to thoroughly read over their materials. Know ahead of time what their compensation plan is, how they help you succeed in a business, and also what online marketing you will be able to do. What do you do if they won’t give you this information? Thank them for the opportunity, but tell them you’re not interested and you’d rather not be contacted again.

If the company will allow you to have an internet presence, don’t settle for using just the website that they provide. You can create a separate website, with your own domain, which will link to the main company page. Having a personal website gives you much more freedom in meeting your prospects’ needs, as well as those of your team members.

Remember, if you’re looking into a direct sales company, don’t be afraid to ask questions – particularly about their rules for running your business online. If you don’t get the response you would like, consider a different company. You want to find one that will support your interests and success as much as their own.

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Are Parties Necessary for Direct Sales Success?

admin — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

People who are considering a home based business in direct sales begin to think about companies that use party plans as a means to generate income. Party plans encourage prospective customers to host a party in order to earn free or discounted products. Are parties necessary if you want to work in direct sales?

Not all direct sales companies require their associates to conduct parties. In fact, some direct sales companies don’t require parties at all. You may want to look further into companies offering a different plan for marketing if you are not comfortable talking to crowds of people.

Melaleuca, Avon, and World Book, among others, do not require a party plan. So, are they necessary for success? Obviously, the answer is no. Even people that are associated with party plan companies can succeed by using other marketing plans. It happens every day, you just have to do some research and determine what the other options are.

Direct sales success really depends more on you than on the method of marketing the product to potential customers. If you don’t believe in the company and the product, it doesn’t matter what you do – you won’t be able to make your home business a success. Here are some ideas to help you succeed whether you’re using a party plan or not:

1. Familiarize yourself with the business manual you received in your start-up kit. Make a list of questions you have and then contact your upline sponsor as soon as you can. Understanding what is expected of you, what you can and cannot do to market the product, and how the company will pay you will make all the difference in how you conduct your business.

2. Follow the instructions given to you during training. Most likely you will be told to make a list of everyone you know. This will be your master list, the first people you will contact about your new business. If you don’t complete this task, you’re not going to do the rest. Swallow your pride and ask for your money back. This company is not for you.

3. Begin networking with other business owners. Join the local Chamber of Commerce and get plugged into regular meetings. You must promote your business if it is to grow, and networking with other business people is a great way to let others know about your company.

4. Schedule specific times during the week to work on the various aspects of your business. If you’re at home, make sure to let friends and family members know that you do not want to be interrupted during your “work” hours.

5. Tell everyone about your business. Don’t assume that they already know about it or that they’re not interested. You might be surprised to find that more people are interested than you think.

These five points show that you do not have to be involved in home parties in order to succeed in direct sales. Your success is ultimately up to you, and depends on how serious you are about treating your business as a business. If you want to see your business grow, you have to act in ways that will cause growth to happen.

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Seven Tips to Get More Bookings at Your Next Direct Sales Party

admin — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Hosting your first demonstration, or home party, for your new direct sales home business can be daunting. You hope and pray that someone will be interested enough in your products to purchase them, of course, but you also hope that you will get at least one future booking. Using these seven tips may help you to get more bookings at your next direct sales party.

1. Exchange shows – chances are you know other people who have direct sales businesses. If your goal is to book another party, ask them to do it and then tell them that you would book a party through them in return.

2. If the school doesn’t object, leave a catalog or two in the teacher’s lounge where your child goes to school. Teachers are always on the lookout for bargains and things that will benefit their children. If you sell educational toys or items, you may be able to obtain more than one booking.

3. Leave brochures or catalogs in the waiting room at your doctor’s or dentist’s office on your next visit. Also leave a copy with the receptionist or ask if you can leave one in their lounge.

4. Check with your local Chamber of Commerce to see if there is a Welcome Wagon for new people moving into the area. If there isn’t a Welcome Wagon, ask them if you could leave a stack of brochures or business cards to be placed in welcome packages for new citizens.

5. Send catalogs or opportunity literature to people chosen randomly from the telephone book. Make sure to keep a record of everyone that you have sent this information. If you choose to try this tip in the future, you want to send the information to other people.

6. Begin your demonstration by mentioning to the guests that the hostess will be receiving free gifts for having the party. Also tell them what the hostess is working toward and exactly what she needs to receive that item. Don’t be afraid to boldly ask them to book a party to help the hostess reach that goal.

7. Make the suggestion that by booking a second show in the future, the hostess will be guaranteed an opportunity to see and try new products as they are released. This is particularly effective if your hostess last held a show in the spring. Hosting a party closer to the holidays would help her save money on her own holiday shopping.

These seven tips for getting more bookings at your next direct sales party are just a drop in the bucket. Take a few minutes to think of other things you could do to get bookings. If all else fails, ask family if they will host a party for you.

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Six Tips for Successful Online Recruiting for Your Direct Sales Business

admin — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

Most direct sales for your business will come through person-to-person contact with those interested in your product. You may do demonstrations and hold parties, and those methods are generally productive. There are people who “surf the net”, however, who you may not be able to reach any other way. Here are six tips for capturing that market and successfully recruiting online.

1. Use the big draw

Everyone enjoys getting something for free. Begin your recruiting process by offering free ebooks, reports, or articles. People will sign up to receive the free item and leave their contact information.

2. Establish relationships

No matter how your prospective recruit found you, either online or offline, remember that they are a real person and deserve to be treated as such. Be available to them offline to answer questions. Develop a relationship based on trust and your new friend may become your newest team member.

3. Have an online party

Instead of using the traditional home party approach, consider throwing an online party. The benefits of an online party are that they take much less time than a home party, the potential customer can purchase the item they’re interested in without feeling pressured to purchase more, plus they can come back and purchase something else if the deadline for orders is a few days away.

4. Write an article

The suggestion might sound odd but it might be just what you need to generate leads for potential recruits. Create articles that will capture a reader’s attention by presenting your product in a non-sales way, and you’ll come across as a friend rather than someone only trying to make a sale. Give potential customers and team members a reason to believe that you are knowledgeable. You’ll be surprised how people will listen to someone who sounds like an expert.

5. Use message boards

Be careful how you approach someone on a message board. Get to know the person by finding out their interests. Befriend them and they will likely visit the link in your signature line. Don’t send emails or private messages unless you have been asked. Unsolicited emails and private messages will get you branded as a “spammer”, and you don’t want that. Reply to a request for information only if your opportunity meets the person’s stated interests.

6. Better communication

In this day and age, people are constantly on the go. By using the internet you may be able to stay in contact with your potential team members. Don’t forget to use email and newsletters to alert prospects of upcoming deals.

Using these six tips may not guarantee you more success when recruiting online; however, your chances for success are greater. Try these, along with any others you can find with research. Test these suggestions and use the one that brings you the best results.

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Five Things To Outsource in Your Direct Sales Business

admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:09:00 +0000

“Outsourcing” is a hot topic right now, but what is it and can you use it in your direct sales business? Outsourcing is the process by which you pay someone else to do tasks that take you away from making money with your business. Can you use it for direct sales businesses? You sure can! Here are five things you can outsource to make your direct sales business more efficient, and possibly even more profitable.

1. Newsletters

As a direct sales business owner, you have to communicate with your downline. A newsletter is a great way to do this. However, if you’re not comfortable writing a newsletter each month, you can outsource this task to someone who is more suited to it.

Find a ghostwriter, someone who will write the content in the newsletter for you. You can still pass it off as your own work. No one on your team needs to be the wiser. You do need to make sure you’ve read the content, though, just in case someone asks a question about it.

2. New target markets

Hire someone to call your current customer list and ask them some pointed questions. Ask them how old they are, which products they are using, their income bracket, whether they rent or own their home, and how many people are in their family. You may find, after compiling the information, that you have more people in one age and income bracket using your products than any other market. Now you know which new market group to target with your advertising dollar.

3. Autoresponders

Autoresponders, an automatic system of sending pre-written emails to your contact list, are great for saving time and money. You may not understand the concept, but there are people that would be willing to set up your autoresponder system for you. They will be able to create emails for nearly any reason you would send an email, all without having to personally attend to an email system.

4. Drop shipping

If you’re in direct sales, you may have one outsourced task already taken care of for you. Many direct sales companies have a process in place where you never have to maintain inventory of the products you sell. This process is called “drop shipping”. You place the order, tell the system where the order needs to go, and the company sends it to your customer for you. If your sales are brisk and it is keeping you from other work, you may consider outsourcing this task further by hiring someone to input these orders for you.

5. Direct mailing

After you’ve built up a client list, you’ll want to keep in contact with them on a regular basis. You may have created a postcard with coupons and need to mail it out right before a major event or holiday. Paying someone to label and stamp each postcard could be money well spent.

Outsourcing is an excellent way to get more done in your direct sales business. There’s no reason that you, as the business owner, must attend to each and every task. Your time and effort would best be spent completing tasks that will help generate a higher income. Even though you may be putting out money by outsourcing these five tasks, it might be some of the best money you’ve ever spent.

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Marketingonpoint » Direct Sales Knowledge

Uniqueness is Crucial with Online Direct Sales Promotions

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Promote Your Direct Sales Business with Giveaways and Contests

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