Volume = Earnings.... It's That Simple!

by: Dioni Morales, Director of Stylists Services

We don't have to be mathematicians to know that one million dollars times zero ($1,000,000 x 0) equals ZERO! So it doesn't matter if we are offered $1 million to do something - if we don't do that something, we are left with ZERO.

It is also the same when referring to a compensation plan.  At Vessel we have an incredibly generous compensation plan, one that rewards the Stylists for the way that they "work" their business.  But the fact of the matter is that there's still "work" to be done, that "work" translates into volume, and that volume translates into earnings - or better yet, money!

Increasing the volume you and your team are moving is what will get you rank advancements, and even better,  bigger checks. Although we spend a lot of time talking about and training in prospecting and enrolling, the truth is that your income is not 100% correlated to how many people you have. In fact, to a certain extent it has nothing to do with it!  If you have ten thousand people in your downline who are doing zero volume, you are making zero money. 

With Vessel there are three ways you can make volume:

1. Parties/Open Houses: It's the best way to introduce both Vessel's product and the Vessel opportunity. People love seeing the product in person and it has proven to be the best way to sell (see last week's post about the Power of the Party). You make 30% right away in retail commissions and you increase your PSV (Personal Sales Volume).  This will help you in rank advancements, which means bigger checks for you. 

2. Introductory Volume: With the NEW and unique Vessel Product Packages Program, we offer the new Stylists full volume ($100, $300 or $800) when they buy any of our three Product Packages offered, and these Packages are at a substantial discount. Also, with the new "Qualified Stylist" status, we are giving new Stylists an incentive to be Active ($300) in their first 30 days (with a special incentive to become Active in their first 15 days).  This means volume for them personally and team volume for you.

3. Customers: There is no such thing as a business that does NOT have customers, it's just not possible. Experts in the industry recommend that we build a base of Customers. At Vessel we have created the Preferred Customer Program that offers a 10% discount to those people who are likely to want to purchase our product on a regular basis.  These purchases not only give you a 20% retail commission (paid weekly), but more importantly it helps you increase your PSV and it builds that base of independent customers. So how do you get those customers? Promote and Enroll.

• Promote: when you endorse or recommend a product, you are not being pushy.  You are simply talking about it. There's a big difference between promoting and selling, but the end result is the same -  a sale and volume for your Vessel business.

• Enroll: Don't go out recruiting like you are looking for soldiers to join the battle.  Enroll instead. This is both true when "enrolling" for the business or for the Preferred Customer Program. People enroll in things because they want to be part of something. So be wise when inviting  others to take part of this great opportunity.

Stylists, let's work on increasing your volume and helping your team do the same.  That is what it will take for you and your team to promote in rank.  Rank advancement means higher percentages off of the same volume.

We have heard many times that one of the greatest things about direct sales is that we decide how big we want our income to be.  At the end of the day, that income is determined by nothing other than the volume that we and our team our moving.... it's that simple!

The Power of the Party

 

At Vessel, we talk often about the Power of the Party.  We have commented many times that, while Facebook and online parties have their place, Stylists really should concentrate on booking live parties as much as possible.  We offer incentives that are designed to reward parties.  We are, in fact, a home party business model.

Why are we so hung up about parties?

First of all, due to the very nature of our product, Vessel is an experience that is best portrayed face-to-face.  Of course fragrance is pretty hard to convey to a customer unless the customer can actually smell it.  The actual feel, weight, size and quality of our jewelry is best experienced in person.  And finally, the fun of putting together various looks with friends is a direct sales made-in-heaven activity for any group.   These are the reasons that we chose this business model for Vessel.  It truly is a product that is best highlighted through live interaction with customers. 
 

But, for our Stylists, there is an even more compelling reason to focus on live parties.
 

Has the following scenario happened to any of you?  You found Vessel, and boy does this unique product -  as well as the opportunity to be in on the ground floor - excite you!  You are ready to GO FOR IT!  You made your list of contacts and you lined up parties.  The parties were successful and fun.  You didn't even have to talk all that much, the products just seemed to sell themselves. But ... as you gradually worked your way through your contacts (many of whom know each other and know the same groups of people) ... you notice that you are running out of people to host Vessel parties.  Short of finding people on the street (which does happen, so we're not knocking it!) - now what do you do? 
 

If this describes you in any way, your problem is that you didn't take full advantage of your current parties to generate future parties and future Stylists to your downline.  It won't necessarily just happen on its own.  You need to have a PLAN.
 

Fortunately, Vessel offers a very precise plan of action designed to help you optimize every Vessel party you do.  We call this plan of action the Power of the Party.  It's basically a script on "what to say when" in order to obtain future bookings and attract new people to your team.  If you follow this basic approach, you will keep replenishing your business and build a successful downline. 
 

We are happy to announce that a video of an example of a Vessel Home Party is now available on the Vessel website, as are the accompanying scripts. 
 

Some people are more comfortable actually following a script verbatim.  Some are not.  What is important is not that you do it exactly like Tracy does it, but that you make sure you hit all the important points and opportunities to convert customers into hosts, and into team members.  You can and should insert your own personality into the party presentation ... just be sure to cover all the points in as natural a way as possible. 
 

It may not feel natural at first.  You may be like Tracy was when she first started down this road many years ago.  She has shared many times that when she first started to really use the Power of the Party scripts, she was sometimes so nervous she threw up beforehand.  But, like almost anything in life, the more you do it the easier and more natural it becomes. 
 

The Stylists who attended last year's First Anniversary event will confirm that the party presentation was fun - even mesmerizing.  I think the common remark was that they kind of forgot that they were at a Stylist training session.  When we video-taped the Vessel Home Party that is now on the website, the "party guests" were basically friends who agreed to be taped to help us out.  By the end of the evening, they all purchased product (even though we had assured them that we didn't expect that of them) and wanted to book a party with Tracy. 
 

Done right, the home party is POWERFUL. 
 

Please take a look at the Vessel Home Party on the website, which is on the Stylist tab, along with the Hostess Coaching video.  It really all goes together, we just taped them separately.  See if you don't feel drawn in by the way Tracy does the party.  Do you see how this could help you generate an on-going business?
 

But the Power does not stop with you!  Every time you sign up a new team member and help them to learn, understand and correctly use the home party system, you are building your legacy Vessel business.  Do you want to be a member of the Founders Club?  Do you want to drive a new car on Vessel's dime?  Do you want to travel the world with Vessel? 
 

It all starts with the Power of the Party.  Use that power to exponentially grow your business!

To Your Success!

Susan

Happy Valentine's Day

There are many ways to say "I love you" on Valentine's Day. Along with candy and flowers, jewelry is one of the most popular Valentine gifts. But chocolate is quickly eaten and roses soon wilt, where a beautiful piece of Vessel scented jewelry is an enduring gift of heartfelt affection.

In ancient times, the heart was believed to be the center of all human emotions. Since the heart is in the center of the body, and love is such a powerful emotion, the heart became the symbol of love. In modern times, the heart is one of the most common symbols of Valentine's Day.

Here are some lovely Vessel looks, highlighting our beautiful Heart Lockets, ScentSpheres and Charms.

Large Heart Locket and Elodie Chain
in Antique Gold, with Tangerine Flower ScentSpheres

Large Heart Locket and Laura Chain
in Rhodium Plating, with Heart & Key Charm,
Turquoise Charm, and Aqua ScentSpheres

Small Heart Locket and Alexa Chain
in Gun Metal, with White w/Black Flowers ScentSpheres

Small Heart Locket and Alexa Chain 
in Rhodium Plating, with Heart Charm
and Red Heart ScentSpheres

Pet Paw Locket (with heart design) in Rhodium Plating
with Amethyst Charm and Mouse Charm

Black Flower with Small Heart Locket in Rhodium Plating
and Turquoise Charm with Aqua ScentSpheres

Brown Flower with Small Heart Locket in Rhodium Plating
with Ivory ScentSpheres

Heart Charm

Vessel is showing our love and appreciation to our Stylists and Customers. Through Valentine's Day, when your order is $50 or more, we're giving you a FREE Heart Charm.

Choose a Vessel piece for someone special in your life, including yourself! We hope you all have a very Happy Valentine's Day!

Destination Ruby: Make the Perfect Pitch

by: Dioni Morales, Director of Stylists Services


I believe all of you have one goal in common: Ruby! Of course you want to be part of the Founder's Club. To reach that goal, you need to sign up new Stylists who also want to grow their business. For you to get those Stylists, you need to give them the "Perfect Pitch."

A great leader from Australia, who I had the opportunity to hear a few months back, talked about the "Pitch" -  those few choice words that must be practiced and perfected, because most times you will only have a few minutes to grab someone's attention.  It might sound like a cliché, but it will always be true that the first impression is always the most important.

Here are a few tips to create your own personal Perfect Pitch.

The Do's:

• Keep your goals in mind.
• Quality will always out-perform quantity.
• Have the right mind-set

The Don'ts:

• Don't pitch within your comfort zone - you are not looking for the many, you're looking for the qualified few.
• Never edit your pitch: stick to the full story.

The How's: 

• There are four parts to the pitch. Your pitch should include: 

1. Products
2. Company
3. Opportunity
4. You

• Tips to work on when practicing to perfect your pitch:
• Your enthusiasm
• Your belief
• Find out their hot point
• People buy YOU
• Seek referrals

Remember, cover all the bases but focus on what interests THEM the most. Your pitch will really influence the quality of people who join your team.  When you pitch only the product, you will get customers.  But when you pitch the opportunity as well, you will get entrepreneurs.  And that, my dear friends, is how you get to Ruby!

Improve Your Networking Skills

adapted from a Direct Sales Education Foundation article

Successful networking is a necessary part of growing a direct sales business and taking it to the next level.  It involves a certain amount of social grace and the ability to engage people in conversation and make them feel comfortable.  A few lucky people seem to be born with these skills, but anyone can master them with dedication and persistence.

Here are some specific ideas to help you improve your networking skills:

• Focus on building relationships.  This will allow for long-term planning.  Even if this contact can't help you in your endeavor right now, the opportunity may arise in the future for this person to offer something of value to your business.  Give something of yourself when establishing professional relationships.  For example, a dance studio owner / dance teacher looking to expand her clientele by offering classes for children under 5 years old holds an open house for prospective students and their parents.  When speaking with some of the parents individually, she asks each why they would like to start the child in a dance class and offers a free demo class, as well as a discounted private lesson for those interested in joining her studio.  The parents recognize that the teacher is giving her time and expertise so that they may have a risk-free trial before committing to a year of classes.  This also allows the teacher to get to know her future students and show the parents that she truly cares about their early dance education.  In what way can you be of service to a prospective customer or new downline member?

• Keep the initial conversation social and friendly.   An initial introduction is not the time to offer unsolicited advice on the topic at hand.  Make sure the conversation centers around common interests.  The dance teacher shares her own stories about how she got started at a young age, which helps prospects relate to her on a more personal level.  This is more effective than preaching her philosophy on why children should start their dance classes as soon as possible.  A light-hearted conversational tone is best in networking situations.  Telling a new acquaintance about why you love Vessel will be more powerful than telling her why she or he should. 

• Don't make people uncomfortable by digging too deep.  Although you do want to build a relationship and find out a bit more about the person, be careful not to pry into their personal lives at an inappropriate level.  One mother of twins attending a demo gymnastics class with her children finds herself being asked by total strangers if she used fertility treatments to conceive.  A seemingly innocent question made in social conversation is actually quite personal.  Don't make this mistake.  Let the other person guide you in how much they are willing to share, but err on the side of caution when asking personal questions.  Act interested, but don't grill them!

Just like any skill, networking take practice.  The more you do it, the better you become and the more relaxed and open you appear to the new people you meet.  You won't necessarily do it perfectly, but you will become much better at turning strangers into friends and becoming a networking success!

To Your Success!

Susan

This is the Best Time to Prospect!

by: Dioni Morales, Director of Stylists Services

It's the beginning of  a new year, so that means it's time to start putting action to your goals.  Hopefully, you've already determined your goals and have put them in writing.  I'm sure that one of your business goals is to talk to others about Vessel.

Remember that you are not the only one making goals at this time of the year.  There are many, many people who have evaluated their lives, what they are dissatisfied with, and what they are looking for ... something new, something different. And here you are, ready to do some PROSPECTING!  What you need to do is to find the right people to add to your Vessel team, without wasting time with those who are not right, or who are not yet ready.

A couple of months ago I had the opportunity to hear Paula Pritchard speak.  Ms. Pritchard is a pioneer in the direct sales industry.  She has been involved with direct sales for nearly four decades, and is one of the first women to get to the "top" and make millions.  She is also an author and speaker. She gave really great points on Prospecting and I'm sharing those with you:

• There are only two ways to make money: Showing the product and showing the business. Success is in the "SHOW".

• Only 50% of the population is available to you, because only 50% are hardwired to be entrepreneurs. In other words, the other 50% are hardwired to work for others.

• Qualifying people is critical!  Be selective!  Some people will NEVER be entrepreneurs.  Don't waste your time! Go on a fact-finding mission.  Ask questions, such as what they want out of life.

• Being told NO is a requirement. There will be a time when you don't even remember the "no's." A lot of people walk into a store and leaves empty-handed, and it's alright.

• Someone said to Paula once: "Call me when you make your first million," and her response was, "I won't need you then."  

• If you were given 200 shells and you knew that there were 10 pearls, wouldn't you open all 200 shells looking for those 10?

• You need six legs to get to Diamond.  But don't just recruit six -  recruit more. Otherwise, it will be miserable for you and for your recruits, because you're putting way too much pressure on those six.  You can't try to turn a liter into a gallon, some people just want to be a liter!

• Fall in love with the process, not the result.  Detach from it, don't take it personally.

• The way you do the invite is their first training.

• Your biggest success will come after your biggest disappointment. 

• Preparation is 80% of recruiting! Get the story right and work on your own belief and confidence.  It needs to flow smoothly.  People will notice if you don't show confidence, even if you have to "fake" it at first.  

• Become a student of the invitation.  PRACTICE!

• Ask them: "Do you like selling?" If they say NO, you say: "Oh, great, you'll love this!"  If they say YES, you say, "Oh, great, you'll love this!"

Go out there and find the fifty percent who are hard-wired to be entrepreneurs, and who are just waiting for you to present them with the Vessel opportunity!

My Story Matters

In my June 2014 blog post I talked about the five Vessel “Scents” that convey our guiding principles and a sense of place and purpose for all those involved with Vessel. One of these guiding principles, “Scents of Service”, motivates us to contribute in meaningful ways to our society and those around us. We serve each other and support women and girl related charitable causes. One such charity is My Story Matters.

The mission of My Story Matters, founded by Amy Chandler, is "giving the gift of story to individuals in need by publishing uplifting, inspiring and motivational stories of faith, courage and talent for individuals who could not otherwise do so for themselves."  Amy is a wonderful woman with a heart of gold. She is an inspiration to me with the unceasing service she provides to family, friends, acquaintances and strangers.

Vessel partners with My Story Matters on their Angel Series.  As described by My Story Matters, “Our Angel Series is dedicated to preserving the life story of those sweet spirits who left this earth at a young age. We will focus on the lives of children who died before the age of 12. Although their stay with us was brief they definitely leave a lasting impression on all those they came in contact with.” My Story Matters provides a beautiful storybook to the families who have lost a child, and Vessel contributes to the mother a scented jewelry set, including the birthstone of her sweet child that passed away.

Here are a few notes of thanks we have received from these dear mothers and families:

“Dear Vessel, A package arrived at our house from My Story Matters last Saturday. Inside the package were a book about my daughter who passed away and a beautiful necklace! Thank you so much for your kindness and generosity. It touched my hear to think that someone is trying to cheer me up. The scent is very calming, and also reminds me of my daughter who used to love scented lotions. Thank you very much for the wonderful surprise gift!”

“Dear Vessel, How generous of you to donate the necklace. Very special. Thank you for your compassion and kindness.”

“Dear Vessel, Thank you for the absolutely beautiful necklace to help our hearts when we remember our precious son. Your gift was a surprise to us and has such significant meaning to us. Thank you again for your kindness and selflessness.”

We are so grateful to My Story Matters for letting Vessel be involved in a small way in the special service they provide to these beloved families. For more information, to donate time, materials or money, or to nominate someone for a story book, please see the My Story Matters website. As we continue to work with My Story Matters, we pray for those families who loose a precious child, and hope to offer a special sense of remembrance with a piece of Vessel scented jewelry.

With love,

Karen