Question 1:


You've approached all your warm market, you've got a great product & opportunity that you really believe in, but you don't have a track record & things aren't happening as fast as they should be -- what do you say when people want to know how well you're doing???


JD:
My advice is to stay positive and focus on the good that is occuring with your business! You might not be where you "think" you should be, but you are making baby steps. Any step in a right direction, is one step CLOSER to your goal!!! When people ask you, just be honest. Tell them you are steadily moving forward. Then tell them your goals. If you verbalize your intentions, then people will be more inclined to help you achieve them.


KP:

Think Positive, Live Positive, Be Positive! If you believe in your product so will others. If the product is great, it will speak for itself.


Things aren't happening as fast as WHO says they should? You should not let the expectations of other people determine your success. The product and how long you have been selling for factor into the timeline. I would focus on the positive. I had a start-up that eventually failed. When people asked me how well I was doing, I always said it was going well. In my mind it was going well, I was learning and gaining experience. Even when the business failed I still felt positive about my experience and I knew those experiences would serve me well. They do every day!


NM:

It's tempting to share disappointments and difficulties. The problem is that success has a certain mystique . . . people are more likely to refer new customers if they think things are going well for you (as long as you're not bragging). Plus, the more you talk about your business as if it's everything you expected, the more it becomes that way as you project success as a reality. So -- the answer is it's going well and you're really enjoying your new venture.


Of course, if you are speaking with a close friend whom you trust you can let it all hang out. And if you're speaking to someone who you think may have ideas about a specific problem you're facing, you could ask for input . . . for example, "It's going pretty well, but I'm having problems with cold calls. Do you have any suggestions for me?"


Question 2

How do you book home parties when you just don't know many people?


How do you get people interested in Hosting Book Parties (Catalog Parties)? What should the verbiage be for online marketing??


KP:
I started as an independent consultant with a direct sales company with NO WARM MARKET! No one I knew was interested in my product. SOOOOOO I did a couple of craft fairs and fundraisers for my church and women’s group to get going. I handed out flyers for the fundraiser at the craft fair so anyone interested could come check my product out without any obligation.


Online marketing can be difficult. Are you hosting an online event in a chat room or just a catalog party via email? I have done catalog parties in person and have had mystery host online events (I used my active customer base for this so you may need to wait). If you are in direct sales it is better to create a live customer base before you worry about online customer activity. I waited 9 months before I had a website. Now the customers I have created a relationship with order online from me all the time and so do their family members and friends. They do not feel like they are ordering off a website, they are ordering from me -- a real person.



For online marketing: What would you respond to? If you would not click on it, why should someone else? Sell it to yourself and that should be your verbiage. And remember less is more when it comes to advertising. My most successful ads are short, to the point and have great pictures that tell the story for me.


NM:

My first piece of advice is to work on building your community wherever you go. For me, that means sharing baked goods, shoveling out driveways for older people, hosting play-dates, and helping others create networking opportunities. When I have an invitation or need to sell something for a fundraiser, people show up for me because I've been there for them. The second, more specific piece of advice is to find a few local organizations (PTO's, preschools, churches, etc.) whose members are in your target market and offer to host parties to benefit them. You donate all or a portion of your proceeds to these organizations. Bingo - everyone who attends is on your list. Many MLM businesses offer specific discounts in these situations, making it easy for you to set up your events as fundraisers. A friend of mine who started her business that way is now among the ten top sellers in the New England region.


Your second question is much too broad for me to answer, but I would
suggest you read Jay Conrad Levinson's "Guerrilla Advertising"
for great hints on advertising verbiage and placement. You can find
information on this book on Wild WE's Resources page.