Color Your World

Think of a world without color. With no variety or diversity in our surroundings we would no doubt soon tire of a dull, dreary environment. Thank goodness for color and the wonderful function it has in our life. The colors we surround ourselves with can help us feel happiness and joy. Color can inspire and motivate us. And our color choices show our personal style.   

The company Pantone is the global authority on color, inspiring artists, designers and stylists to color the world. Twice a year Pantone unveils the top seasonal colors, and each year selects a “color of the year”.  These are the colors that provide the inspiration for fashion and design. Just look at how many of our Vessel ScentSpheres match the top Pantone colors for the past several years. These are just a few of our ScentSphere color options.

Hot Pink

Rust

Leaf Green

Lavender

Light Blue

Ruby

Ivory

Yellow

Royal

Turquoise

Raspberry

Vessel ScentSpheres are a perfect way to bring color into your style choices. They can help accentuate the colors in your clothing, or add a pop of color into a neutral palette.  A variety of ScentSpheres allows you to change one piece of jewelry into multiple looks. So instead of the need for a different piece of jewelry to match every outfit, you can simply change out your ScentSpheres to complement whatever you wear. Continue to add our beautiful range of ScentSpheres in our fashionable, on-trend color choices. Think about ScentSpheres as a vital piece of your wardrobe, and an ideal way to color your world.

A Very Significant Solution

by: Dioni Morales, Director of Stylist Services


We hear and read about it everywhere. We think about it often.  It might even keep us awake at night.

Retirement.

I'm not talking about the fun aspects of retirement, but rather the worrisome part of it.  Are we going to have enough money saved to enjoy a comfortable retirement?  I've been thinking about this a great deal because of my own parents.  How are they going to manage?  Are they going to be OK?  I worry also for my mother-in-law, who is an immigrant and has nothing saved for her retirement.  Are we going to have to take over that responsibility?  It's a serious topic, and as the Baby Boomers begin to enter their retirement years, it's changing the economics and the work force of this country.

So it was very refreshing to hear from Robert Laura, a retirement activist and a contributor for Forbes magazine.  Mr. Laura authored an article in Forbes recently about the advantages of joining a Direct Selling company for retirement income.  He noted,  "I believe that the entire industry is poised for explosive growth and can be one of the most significant solutions to America's current retirement saving crisis."

Mr. Laura reviewed the psychology of retirement.  It's not only about the money, he says.  There are a lot of Baby Boomers who are disenchanted with their current careers.  They are worn-out and don't feel a connection with their jobs anymore. And more importantly, they want to be part of something bigger or better, to have a positive effect on others.  They see "facets of life that can be fulfilled with specific types of products and service available through Direct Selling opportunities."

He adds: "Direct Selling programs also offer very low barriers into entrepreneurship, often providing training, support, and ample encouragement along the way. As retirees begin to realize they need activities that keep them busy, relevant, in good health, and connected to others, the time, energy and cost to participate in these kinds of companies make them very appealing to large segments of the population caught up in these dynamics."

Daria M. Brezinski Ph.D., a practicing psychologist and former marketing director for a network marketing magazine, adds, "Many people don't realize these companies are successful because they help people satisfy a number of important human needs, including feeling significant, having connections, learning something new, and making a difference. I have heard people say again and again, 'I'm doing this because I'm meeting amazing people.... making so many connections... and I feel so good about myself"."

Mr. Laura interviewed numerous people who are working in this industry.  He found out that if you treat it as a hobby, it won't pay you like a business.  People who treated their Direct Sales business as a true business were able to replace their full-time job,  and have been able to decrease a typical 50-hour work week to 20 hours, which allows them more time with their families, etc.

He concludes by predicting that "the industry could soon experience larger-than-life growth, spurred by Baby Boomers looking to adjust their retirement feelings and plans."

The Direct Selling industry is becoming more and more mainstream. Talking about the Vessel opportunity to others will become easier and easier as people become more familiar with this business model and more comfortable with buying and selling this way.  Direct Sales is and will continue to be a solution to people's financial situations, and can offer a career that they enjoy, at any stage of their lives.

Sponsorship versus Recruiting

In building your Vessel business, you will be signing people up under you.  You may have heard this activity referred to as "sponsoring" or "recruiting,"  and often the terms are used interchangeably, as though they mean the same thing.  It is important to understand that there are differences, and ultimately, those differences are critical.

To put it simply, recruiters are focused on signing up as many people as possible, without a great deal of thought or planning on what happens with those new people after they sign up.  They may actually have limited contact, if any, with the new recruits and will often leave the new recruit on their own to figure out how to get training, how to order, how to do a party, how to determine goals, what company resources are available, and on and on.  Some recruiters are apparently hoping that if they sign up enough people, they will surely have a superstar or two on their hands without any further effort on their part. 

On the other hand, someone who is focused on being a good Sponsor will spend time with their new Stylists.  They will get to know each Stylist as the unique person that she/he is.  They will help the new Stylist set goals, make sure the new Stylist knows the critical information AND (this is important) how to find information if they need it.  An effective Sponsor will make sure that their downline members are getting on the weekly conference calls and accessing all the training tools that Vessel has made available.  A great Sponsor will learn the strengths and weaknesses of all of their team members in order to develop synergistic ways for them to work together.  They will learn when to push people to do more, and when positive support and encouragement is all that is needed.  Successful Sponsors will help their downline have fun with their business, and will recognize those who reach their goals or even just achieve notable improvement. 

Most importantly, a great Sponsor sets an example for others in all she does.  She teaches her downline how to sponsor by being a good Sponsor.  At the end of the day, a person becomes a leader in a company by leading through example, serving others and clearly showing how to duplicate those efforts.  If done correctly, you only need to directly manage the level below you, because the Stylists on that level have also learned to manage the level directly below them, and so on. 

That is the true power behind the direct sales model - DUPLICATION. 

Not everyone you meet, or even everyone you sign up, is going to be a leader.  But for those who are truly interested in that goal, your efforts as a Sponsor can impact their success (and, by extension, YOUR success) in a truly significant way.  Generally speaking, those who seek to provide support through being a great Sponsor have better financial results than those who recruit and forget. 

It sometimes happens in direct sales that you may be sponsored by someone who doesn't really do anything.  The beauty of direct sales is that YOU can still be successful!  The beauty of Vessel is that we do provide the training and support to help you reach your personal potential. 

To Your Success!

Susan

Building Your Business This Holiday Season

by Tracy Ralph, National Sales Director

If you are like most small businesses, you are heading into your busiest time of the year.  As customers look for holiday gifts, it's important to remind them about your business, so that when you have what they are looking for, they shop with you.  After all, it's easy for customers to run to a faceless big box store and get a lot of generic gifts.  It's up to you to make it just as easy to shop with you.  The bonus is that your personal attention will help customers find exactly the right gift, increasing both customer satisfaction and repeat business.

But this all happens when customers are aware of you.  So this period is critical.  What you do now will determine whether or not customers think of you when shopping for holiday gifts.  Here are some tips to get yourself in front of customers and remind them that you're there:

• ADVERTISE - Even if you don't advertise at any other time of the year, it makes a lot of sense to advertise when the holiday season comes around.  And thanks to online tools, there are many inexpensive options at your disposal.  Check out local publications, and form alliances with local businesses to cross-promote.  Just remember that you must use the Vessel Independent Stylist logo on all materials.

• SPONSOR - At this time of year, many communities hold many special events, and they often look for businesses to help offset the costs of these events.  In return, your business is featured in literature about the event.  Take some time to identify special events in your area, and sponsor a few.  It's a great way to promote awareness of your business.

• HOLIDAY FAIRS - Vendor events are another great way to promote awareness of your business.  Although you may not make a lot of sales, these can be an excellent way to get contact information that allows you to market more directly to potential customers and prospects.  So get a table at a few holiday events to build awareness and your mailing list.  And then follow up!  That's the key to success for this type of event.

• BOOK MORE PARTIES - You will sell more and recruit more if you do more parties.  So especially at the holidays, book double (at least) the amount of parties that you normally do.  People are more inclined to book when they know their friends want to do holiday shopping, and you will sell more.  Best of all, all those parties will lead to additional bookings and a thriving business.

• SPECIAL EVENTS - Consider hosting your own special events and inviting past customers, along wit their friends and others in your community.  Call it a "Customer Appreciation Party" or a "Holiday MIxer."  By offering your own event with lots of fun attractions, more people will become aware of your business.  In your advertising, you can mention the event, which can set you apart from other advertisers who only talk about buying.  You are offering something to people in return, which can be a competitive advantage.

• DONATIONS - Remember that many non-profit organizations use this time of year to host events and raise funds for their causes.  So find ways to donate that will promote your business.  For example, if a non-profit is hosting an event where there will be a silent auction, consider donating a Vessel piece or set.  If a fundraising event is being held, find out how your business can be listed in the program in return for a monetary donation.  You'll be helping the organization and promoting your business at the same time.

Commit to making this your most profitable holiday season yet!  With a little planning, you can get in front of more customers, which will lead to a bigger business. 

New Products!!

We love launching new products, and last month we were excited to expand our Vessel line with the introduction of several new items. We added five Lockets, two Locket Earrings and four Chains in additional finishes, including a brand new finish, Gold Tone. Five of our Charms are now available in Gold Plate, and we also have five beautiful new ScentSphere colors.

Here are some beautiful looks to try in the new finishes and colors.

Teardrop Locket & Alexa Chain in Gold Tone
with Star Charm in Gold Plate & Turquoise ScentSpheres. 

Leaf Earrings & Locket with Kristen Chain in Antique Copper
with Light Blue ScentSpheres.

 

Leaf Locket and Kaiya Chain in Gold Tone
with Ladybug Charm in Gold Plate and Wine ScentSpheres. 

Teardrop Locket and Laura Chain in Gun Metal
with Hot Pink ScentSpheres.

Check out all of our new products on the Vessel Store at store.vesselscentsofstyle.com

Toyota vs. Rolls Royce

by: Dioni Morales, Director of Stylist Services

Who remembers Pac Man? I loved Pac Man, and was actually very good at it.  A couple of months ago I was playing at a Pac Man table, and one of my 4 year old daughters decided to sit down and play with me. I was on one side and she was sitting on the other.  She didn't want me to help her, so as you might guess, she was being eaten by the "ghosts" over and over again.  She couldn't move past that level.  I could see her frustration as she saw that the colors on my screen where changing as I moved up the levels. After about 20 minutes, she just looked at me and said "Mom, I want mine to be red like yours."  I told her I could help her, but she wanted to do it on her own.  As you can imagine, she never got past that level - at least not that time.

I felt bad for her at the moment.  Then I started thinking how sometimes that's exactly the way we want things in life to go for us.  We want to get to the top without previous experience, or going through the obstacles and the growing pains. Some people sign up with a direct selling company and give up when they don't get to the top rank in a few months.  Many times they blame the company and/or the industry.  The truth is, we need to commit to the training.  We need to go out and actually do it and learn from our mistakes. In the book Go Pro, Eric Worre talks about how it takes 10,000 hours to be a professional in just about anything, so why would we think that we can just reach the top without taking the time to learn and get trained? 

But there's great news: 

• In this industry you will get paid while you learn, train and even while you make mistakes.

• You decide where you want to get to and how big your check is going to be.  You can't really do that in most other professions.

• Direct sales gives you the freedom that other careers can't offer. 

At the end of it all, it's about where you want to be, how far you want to go in this career, and where you want to end up. 

When things are not going as fast as you would like, just remember that it takes six months to build a Rolls Royce and only 13 hours to build a Toyota.

Let's take the time to build ourselves a Rolls Royce!

Summer Slowdown?

There is a saying, and almost an expectation, in the direct sales industry that the summer months will be slow.  And it is true that summer poses unique challenges in booking parties.  Everyone is busy with vacations, sports teams, family get-togethers, and on and on.  However, there certainly are steps you can take to optimize your business over the summer months! 

For those who say they're just too busy to host a party...there are many ways to accommodate busy schedules.  You can suggest parties outside–at the park, at the pool, or on the deck.  Or opt to do quick lunch time parties in the lunch room, conference room or break room. The hosts and guests will appreciate you honoring their busy schedules. 

 

There are lots of local fairs, expos and other events in the summer that might make sense to attend - go where the people are!

Be ready to do business while you are on the move by always having your business with you. Create a Business-in-a-box that you can grab as you run out the door that contains all the things you need to make good use of those “stolen minutes”.

You can also take the opportunity to get yourself reorganized and prepared.  Use the time to clear out your work space, organize your files, brainstorm marketing ideas, read relevant articles and business books, etc.  All the things you wish you had time for when things start picking up - now is a good time to do them! 

Whenever you find yourself with waiting time on your hands, bring catalogs to sticker/label or marketing collateral to put together recruiting packets or a bulk mailing. You can multitask; you’re a parent. You multitask all the time. Other parents may be curious what you’re doing and you’ll get work done at the same time.

Here are other ways to make the most of waiting times:

• Read up on company literature and news.  
• Carry a calculator so you can process paperwork or close a show.
• Make return calls to team members and answer questions, offer encouragement and provide mentoring.
• Make “feel good calls” to potential team members to answer questions.
• Follow-up on customer inquiries.
• Write heart-felt thank you notes to customers and hostesses.
• Check in with hostesses of upcoming parties to see if they have any questions and give them encouragement.

And, as always, simply WEAR your Vessel jewelry!  Make sure you take the time to create a unique jewelry combination to complement your outfit of the day.  That is the competitive advantage of our line (in addition to the ability to wear jewelry and perfume in one fantastic piece) is the ability to so precisely coordinate your outfit and your jewelry every single day, every single outfit.  Take the time to showcase that advantage every time you go out. 

As we all know, one of the best benefits of building your own direct sales business is the ability to meld your work and family life in a better way ... the ability schedule work around your family life rather than the other way around.  So one thing you should consider is the improved ability you have to take your own vacation or attend all those athletic events.  Take advantage of slow times by filling it with personal fun.  This will help you feel refreshed and recharged when you head into the fall season. 

To your success!

Susan