Network of Women In Business

Is Duplication in Direct Sales a Realistic Possibility?

by Audrey Okaneko

As far back as I can remember, I have heard the phrase “you need to be duplicatable”, when referring to the upline/downline relationship in direct sales.

I’m not sure I’ll ever forget an experience I had very early on. I saw an ad that was so well written, so convincing, that I responded and joined, thinking I would “run two businesses”. The ad was all about a great system, about the entire team working together, with the same system. This ad was all about duplication.

Right after signing up, I was asked to call the upline to the upline. While I could very well afford the few cents the phone call would cost me, I was very surprised that this man did not have an 800 number. The original ad of course had an 800 number to call. The person who I originally spoke to also had an 800 number. Ut oh, I was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe I’d been had by an ad.

Know Your Product Line

by Audrey Okaneko

This article is for those people representing direct sales companies that manufacture more than a handful of products. When I speak to folks involved in network marketing, representing companies that do indeed manufacture more than a handful of products, I often ask them if they know their product line.

More often than not, I’ll get an answer of “I can’t afford to buy every product”, or “I don’t use every product”. These answers always strike me as odd as I never asked if all products were bought and used. What I did ask was whether they knew their product line.

It is very hard to sell and sponsor if you are not familiar with what you offer. For example, perhaps you sell a line of dietary supplements. Perhaps you only know about the daily multi vitamin product. Great product, you use it every day. However, you’ve just met Susan, a woman in her 50’s and she is looking for a product that truly addresses middle age and menopause. She has no interest in a daily multi vitamin. If you don’t know your product line, if you can’t tell Susan what you sell and why your product is worth buying, you just may lose her as a potential customer or potential distributor.

Are You Listening To Your Customers?

by Audrey Okaneko

All of us want to make a sale. However that sale will only come if we offer our customer exactly what they want.

Today, there are many many choices, both online and offline. Do a web search for any one product and you’ll find there are thousands out there selling the exact same product. Then look in your local phone book. Again, you’ll find there are many choices.

A friend of mine loves the phrase “I was given two ears and one mouth so that I should listen twice as much as I speak”. This phrase fits right into business and sales. If we listen to our customers and only answer what they’ve asked us, it becomes much easier to close the sale.

Let me provide a personal example. I was looking to buy a new digital camera. I went to the first store and was very clear that I did not want to spend over $200. I was also clear that I hoped to have a larger sized screen. The sales person only heard half of what I said and choose to show me a camera that did indeed have a huge screen, but the camera was $500. Apparently this person had been taught to start high. I once again said “I really don’t wish to spend over $200”. The second camera shown to me was about $250. I said it wasn’t what I was looking for and I left.

Sorting Through People To Join Your Direct Sales Business

by Audrey Okaneko

I remember the first time someone spoke to me about “sorting through people”. I had to ask them to repeat what they had said. I was truly in shock that someone was suggesting I sort through people.

As a crocheter, I often sort through yarn at Walmart. My idea of sorting is looking for the right color. I’ll look and scan, and then reach deep into the barrel hoping to find just the right yarn for whatever project I am working on. Of course this means I’m tossing out those skeins I don’t believe are right for my project.

My daughter and I love to watch movies. Again at Walmart, my daughter and I can spend an hour sorting through the DVD sale bin. We toss aside those movies we already have or don’t wish to purchase and we put the ones we do want into our shopping cart.

This is my idea of “sorting”. So when I heard the word sort in reference to people I actually flinched a bit. I just could not imagine choosing only the “best” people and tossing aside the others.

Ten Ways You Can Support Your Downline

by Audrey Okaneko

Very often in direct sales, folks will ask “how can I help my downline?” Here are ten suggestions of ways to support your downline:

1. Prepare a series of emails that you’ll send to the new person, either one per day, or one per week, depending on how much material you cover. These emails can contain any combination of the information below, or they can contain information on how to host your first party or how to get your first customer.

2. Send a list of phone numbers. Include your phone number, your uplines phone number and the phone numbers to the various departments at your company.

3. Send a list of links to the company, where to order, where to view downline information, where to view personal monthly sales, and where to read about the compensation plan.

How Do I Reach My Existing Customers?

by D.L. Mayer

One of the biggest trends in business today is Client Relationship Management. Businesses big and small are realizing they have to work even harder to keep the customers they have. Customers have more choices available to them, more options to find the products they need, than ever before. This is primarily due to advances in technology and specifically the internet. We can research and compare products and services without even leaving our homes. Now the focus of marketing to existing customers is getting them involved.

The more a customer is involved in your business, the less likely they are to go elsewhere. If they have a vested interest in your business, they are less likely to easily turn to a competitor. For instance, think about the options you have with your bank. Many banks have a significant number of online options available to you. With online bill pay systems, you can make payments through your bank without ever having to buy a check or a stamp. This is a great service for you the customer. But it takes time and effort to input all that information online to set up those account to enable you to make those payments. Once you have that set up, you are not likely to suddenly decide you would rather have your account somewhere else. It will take a lot of consideration on your part before you throw away that time you have invested to go to another bank. Your bank is counting on that.

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