There are so many ways to have a successful direct sales business, that sometimes we get caught up in the “Oh, I should be doing THAT with my business!” or “Oh, I have to add _____ to my to-do list!” Because it can be overwhelming with all we could be doing with our businesses, sometimes it’s helpful to get BACK TO BASICS with what we should be doing with our businesses. If you slowed down over the summer, now is the time to reignite your business!
Back to Basics Checklist – Fall 2014
1. Organize your product inventory, separate out retired items, and determine if or what new items you need to add to your display or stock. Place that order.
2. Organize your marketing materials, such as catalogs, business cards, post cards, flyers, hostess rewards information, prospect packs, etc. Separate out stale materials, and determine if or what you need to add to your materials. Place that order or print out the necessary documents.
3. File and cull! If you’re like me, you have paper evvvvverywhere. Spend time cleaning your desk, tossing out what’s stale or non relevant, and filing what needs to be saved. Perhaps this is the time to buy super cute new office supplies and folders.
4. You just cleaned your desk, and likely found scraps of paper, lead forms, order forms, and Post-it Notes with customer info or prospect on them. Use them to update your customer and hostesses databases, such as your contact log, Hot 100, spreadsheet, or newsletters.
5. Now to online! Spend some time updating your social media sites. Change the cover graphics to represent current products and collections. Review any posts and cull out old or retired products or images. Create some new posts, to refresh your followers.
6. Update your calendar. What dates are you available for bookings? Mark them out – they are business dates, and can’t be overbooked with personal or family commitments.
7. Now that your physical and online workspaces are under control, let’s get to bookings! Pull out your Hot 100 and your F.R.A.N.K.S. lists. Update them as needed with new connections.
8. Set your goals! Make a list of customers and hostesses to personally contact (phone, text, email – no mass messages!) to share the Fall Collections every day for the next XX days. Suggested script: “Hi Mary, this is Brenda Ster! I was just giving my best customers a service call, to check in and see if there is anything you need, or anything I can help you with? Our new Fall catalog is available, and it’s amaaaaazing. I’d love to setup a time to share it with you!”
9. We’re coming into Fall – perfect time for fall vendor events! Assuming your calendar is updated and you have hostess bookings in progress, you should know what dates you still have available to fill. Check out this post for ideas on where to source events. FairsandFestivals.net is also a great site for sourcing leads.
10. Reconnect with your team. If you have sponsored new consultants into your business, now is the time to message them, and check-in on their goals, Fall plans, and any needs for support or training. Whether this is done via your team’s Facebook group, text, phone call, or email – make it personal and stay connected.
Fall is the perfect time to reenergize your direct sales business, since you have time to get organized before the holiday shopping frenzy. Stay organized, stay focused, and you can reignite your business!
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