How to Get People to Join Your Team*

by Tracy Ralph, National Sales Director


When you’re ready to take your direct sales business to the next level, recruiting others to join your team is the place to start. You have the potential to create a steady income stream while helping people achieve their own financial goals. In today’s post, we suggest some ways to build your downline and grow your business.

• Share great ideas that help everyone. Whether the idea is your own or someone else’s, if you think it will help others, don’t hesitate to share it with your prospects. While presenting your opportunity to a recruit, for example, share an idea for having a successful launch party that worked for you. Your method will help the recruit by giving him or her a jump start on the business, and it will help you by finding customers for your downline. By sharing great ideas that are mutually beneficial, you generate excitement and enthusiasm about your opportunity, which will in turn increase your chances of signing your prospect.
• Do both big and small things to help make your team members’ lives better.  After a team member’s initial launch and the first few months working the business, it can be easy to lose touch or at least frequent contact. One small way of making your team members’ lives better is to check in regularly with words of encouragement, a motivational quote, or even a little gift of appreciation. On a bigger scale, you might host a weekend brunch at your house or local restaurant to reward your team’s hard work and accomplishment. Take the initiative to be a positive force in their lives. You can recruit others to join your team by introducing them to people in your downline who will attest to your role in their professional lives.
• Stay optimistic and enthusiastic. Even if a prospect seems skeptical, unsure, or even confused about the opportunity, it is important to maintain a positive attitude and enthusiastic outlook about the business. If you don’t falter, he or she will notice that you are confident enough not to be shaken by a possible rejection.
• Always do the right thing. There may be times when you are faced with some sort of conflict or dilemma. One direct sales consultant was excited to sign her very first recruit, but it became clear during the presentation that this person was so eager that she didn’t think to ask a lot of important questions that might sway her decision about whether or not to sign with the company. The consultant was tempted to ignore that fact and let the recruit sign on the dotted line anyway, but she listened to her conscience and offered the important information to the recruit as well as a chance to ask more questions. The recruit wound up signing, but even if she hadn’t, doing the right thing will allow you to never have to look back at your past action and feel guilty. Direct sales is about helping people, so your actions should always reflect that.
• Listen more than you talk. A prospect wants and NEEDS to be heard. He or she may want to tell you why joining this business is even a consideration. And although, she/he may have lots of questions for you and provide you with plenty of opportunity to speak, make sure that you are doing most of the listening. By truly listening to others, we can tune into what their message is, and find effective ways to help.
• Stay humble. No matter how high you climb to the top of that proverbial ladder of success, ALWAYS stay humble. Remember that there are always improvements to be made and higher levels to reach. Continue helping those who are just starting out, take compliments with gratitude and grace, and pay it forward. Your sincere humility will increase your likeability and have a positive effect on your business.

 

Building your team requires a lot of preparation, patience, hard work, determination, and the right mindset. 
 

*Direct Selling Education Foundation

Dream Big ... and Help Your Team Dream Big Too!

by Dioni Morales, Director of Stylist Services

Yesterday as my husband and I were working in our home office, our 5-year-old twin daughters came in.  They started talking about their future - their future husbands (which gave my husband an instant headache), their future children (one wants 4, the other 5), the names of their future children, what they would feed them, how we would take care of them when they went on dates, etc.  They went on and on for at least an hour and they were very specific!  It was really quite funny and a bit emotional ... but more than anything, it was eye-opening.

I thought, it's not common to have kids so young be so detailed on what they see in their future.  It got me thinking and I might have the answer: my husband and I are ALWAYS talking about our dreams and goals, places we want to travel to, houses we want to buy, electric car we want to get, people and organizations we want to help, etc.  Obviously my daughters have been paying attention.

The same way we have an impact with our children, we can have an impact with our team. We talk about being a great example to our team all the time - showing them how to work the business and making it duplicable, so as to develop independent Stylists.  Shouldn't we be an example as well for the way we dream and we set our goals, on our positive attitudes and our motivation?  Wouldn't that have as great an impact on our team as anything else?

My suggestion to you today is to start sharing your goals and dreams with your team.  Let them know that you have no doubt that you can reach them with the help of your Vessel business.  Let them share their goals with you, and tell them that you will help them reach their goals as well.  They will see you in a different light.  They will see you as a big contributor in their lives.  And if they ever have a "not so good" day, you can remind them about their specific goals.  You can help them to not lose sight of their dreams and they remember what they are working for.

There are two quotes from Zig Ziglar that I love and reflect upon often:

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

and

"True joy comes when you inspire, encourage and guide someone else on a path that benefits him or her."

So allow yourself to dream big and help others dream big as well!  And let Vessel help you and your team get there!

Why Direct Sales? Why Vessel?

If you or someone you know has ever wondered about the validity of joining a direct sales company, keep reading!  The old notion that direct sales companies are nothing more than scams or "pyramid" schemes has been proven wrong by decades of successful results from a multitude of direct sales companies selling a vast array of services and products.  "Personal selling" is now considered mainstream, and a buying method preferred by more and more consumers. 

The DSA (Direct Selling Association) just reported that "direct selling the U.S. has risen to record highs in both estimated retail sales ($34.47 billion) and number of people involved in direct selling (18.2 million)."  This is an increase of 5.5% over 2013 retail sales, and an increase of 8.3% over 2013 number of participants who sell this way. 

Certainly, the recent "Great Recession" has been a contributing factor.  Direct sales offers the unemployed a low cost way to go into business for themselves, giving them the ability to create a perfect work/personal life balance and to control their professional destiny.  And, even though the unemployment rate has thankfully declined in recent months, the "underemployed (discouraged, marginally attached, and part-time workers) has decreased at a slower rate and is still above pre-recession levels." 

Another factor is the number of Baby Boomers beginning to close in on retirement age.  Some want to develop a supplemental income stream to ease themselves into retirement; others want the chance, however late in life, to find work that they truly enjoy.

Stay-at-home parents are looking for ways to keep their families a priority but still bring income into the home.  With direct sales, they can determine the hours that are convenient for them, instead of being constrained by a set schedule. 

People of all ages and situations sometimes need an extra income that can be generated at home and in their spare time. 

Young people want more autonomy and control in their work.  Gone are the days of working for the same company for 40 years and retiring with a gold watch.  Absolute loyalty to specific companies has declined, both on the part of employers and of employees.

And let's not forget the customer, who in today's uber-connected world appreciates the convenience and personal touch of buying products and services through this model.  Whether it's the ability to Facebook a friend to place a skin care order, or attending a fun Vessel party with family and friends, consumers are definitely gravitating toward the direct sales model. 

So, why Vessel?

First and foremost, of course, are your personal "why's" - which could range anywhere from needing a supplemental income or perhaps enough money to make a new car payment, to wanting to build your own business, to desiring recognition for your efforts.  The most important reason is YOUR reason.   

Once you have decided to join a direct sales company, here are just a few ways in which Vessel is a compelling choice:

• Vessel offers a compelling and new product concept.  You WILL be approached when you wear it!
• The market is completely unsaturated and wide open.  You have a very good chance of being the first Vessel Stylist in your area.
• Combined with the first two points, you also have the opportunity of getting in on the ground floor of a company that has a unique product and a market that is not filled with similar companies. 
• Vessel has a strong compensation plan which rewards you for each of the 5 Golden Behaviors of successful direct sellers. 
• Vessel offers the opportunity to become part of our Founders Club.
• Vessel has a Fast Start Bonus, rank advancement bonuses, and many others! 
• We provide amazing training, including regular conference calls, one-on-one coaching calls, and the opportunity to participate in our Leadership Class if qualified. 
• Vessel has a Direct Hire program that offers immediate recognition for those experienced direct sellers looking for a new home. 

This is just a partial list of Vessel's unique offering.  For a more complete list see our Compensation Plan Unique Points on the Vessel website (www.vesselscentsofstyle.com). 

If you or someone you know has been looking for a new and unique company, your search is over!  Vessel offers everything you've been looking for. 

To Your Success!

Susan

Habits of a Remarkable Recruiter

by Tracy Ralph, National Sales Director

Did you know that there are 5 habits of Remarkable Recruiters?  Generally, Remarkable Recruiters recruit 12 or more Stylists per year consistently, year after year. They are "Remarkable" because of what they do:





1 
They work their business with consistency. Imagine if someone asks, “How many parties do you do a month?”  A good recruiter says something like this: “Well, sometimes I do 2-3 a month, and other times, I do 6-8 per month… it really depends on what’s going on.” The Remarkable Recruiter says “I do two parties a week. This is what I’ve found works best for my family and with my schedule.” Inconsistency comes across as a struggle, as if you are working in “survival” mode.  Every time you do a party, you have to start everything all over again. Work consistently and you’ll have a steady stream of perspective recruits. This is the key to making it work. You’ll have more fun with consistency.

2
Remarkable Recruiters smile a lot. The smile is on their face, in their eyes and in their body language. They’re warm and sincere, and loving what they’re doing. A Remarkable Recruiter focuses on the joy and the work itself — and has a greater satisfaction in what they do.

3
Remarkable Recruiters are active, not passive, in their recruiting. They just know that if they see interest, it’s up to them to take action, such as saying "Have you ever thought about doing what I’m doing?"  They engage in conversation and ask people. Being active isn’t being pushy.  If I was to take a butterfly net and stand out in the middle of the road, I might eventually catch a butterfly or two.  But waiting for a butterfly to come by is being passive.  What if I were to take my net to a flower garden?  I’d be far more likely to catch a butterfly, by putting myself in the driver’s seat.  Are you waiting for leads to come along?  Are you waiting for the boxes on the Order Form to do your recruiting for you?  Passive recruiters use the butterfly net in the road theory. If you use flyers in your business, you might as well be saying, “Here, you throw this away.”  Flyers are a passive tool.  Are you waiting for customers to come to you? ASK!  Don’t be afraid to take the lead and present the opportunity.

4
Active Recruiters focus more on others than on themselves. They focus on the needs of others. They also say words that will unlock fears.  Imagine that you’re at a party and someone says to you, “ Wow, you’re really great at this!”  Did you absorb the compliment like a sponge?  Focus instead on that person.  For example, if someone says, “You were really good tonight,” you could say something like, “Thank you, but I think that what you might have noticed is my enthusiasm for my job, and how much I like what I’m doing.”  Do you say words that you hope will unlock fears?  Check yourself this way: am I thinking “me” or am I focused on the “needs” of others?  Active Recruiters focus more on others than on themselves.

5
Stay in control of the process. If someone says, "Maybe I’ll just go home and think about it." - that leads to “fence sitting” and indecision.  Letting your prospect go home and think about it is losing control.  You might think, what can I do?  I sure don’t want to be pushy.  Remarkable Recruiters always know what the next step is, and they manage to have involvement in that next step.  For example, a  Remarkable Recruiter will get involved and possibly say something like this: “Lets chat about that.  How do you see yourself thinking about it?  Maybe we can work together on a few notes that you’re taking away from today’s conversation.  Let’s set up a good time to get together and talk more.”  A Remarkable Recruiter doesn’t let the recruit put her in the passenger seat and take her for a ride. The Remarkable Recruiter stays in the driver’s seat.  If a prospect asks for Information, the Remarkable Recruiter knows that giving her the Information is the quickest way of losing the recruit.  Giving the Information limits the Recruiter from having a role.  In a sense, it lets the Information do the recruiting.  Giving too much Information is a way of losing control.  However, a Remarkable Recruiter could say,  “I’d love to set up a time to meet to see how this could work for you. In the meantime, I will send you home with our Opportunity Brochure to hold you over until we can get together.” A Remarkable Recruiter maintains involvement.  Follow up while interest is high (24-48 hours max!).  Then make that call a high priority!  If you don’t call them, someone else will!

Work on your skills.  Don’t sit and wait, hoping to see if they will improve. Know your strengths and build on them.

Wear It and Share It

When you wear your Vessel scented jewelry, you'll be amazed at the comments, questions and compliments you receive. When others express interest in, or curiosity about our products, that's an ideal way to share Vessel with those you meet on a daily basis.

Unlike some other products sold through direct sales, like skin care or nutritional products that may be more difficult to start a conversation about, your Vessel jewelry can literally be front and center - visible for everyone to see, and a perfect conversation starter.

When I wear the Sun Locket,
I ALWAYS get compliments! 

No one has ever approached me out of the blue to ask what multi-vitamin supplement I take, or what daily moisturizer I use. Yet I've had neighbors, bank tellers, cashiers, doctors, nurses, and even total strangers at the gas pump ask me about my Vessel jewelry. They comment on what a beautiful necklace I'm wearing, and when I explain that it is also scented, they are even more intrigued and want to know more. It's a natural opening for me to talk about the jewelry and the company, and to gauge their interest in Vessel.

Instead of the mindset of "selling" Vessel products, take the approach of "sharing" your excitement and enthusiasm for Vessel when others comment on, or start asking questions about your jewelry. To me, the concept of "WEAR IT AND SHARE IT" is like the notion "BE A PRODUCT OF YOUR PRODUCT". When we implement the products into our daily life - in our case wearing a piece every day, we're making Vessel an integral part of our lives.


So as a Vessel Stylist, make Vessel scented jewelry a part of your daily life. Wear a set each day. Make it pop with color and emanate with fragrance, and as you "share" instead of "sell", you'll be amazed at the contacts you make and the rewarding interactions you'll have with others.

With love...
Karen

Don't stop mining!

by: Dioni Morales, Director of Stylist Services

Many years ago, after finding only a little bit of gold, a mining company decided to stop mining the gold and sell their equipment to another company. The new company hired a geologist who used his skills to help the miners find a great deal of gold just three feet away from where the old company had stopped mining.  The new company went on to make millions of dollars. Many times we give up right when we are about to find our Gold.

I heard this story and had shared it with you before but I want to dissect it a bit.

* Don't stop mining: Some people start a business with a lot of hopes and excitement, they do a few parties, talk to a few people, make a little bit of money and that's it! Then they all of a sudden stop booking parties, talking to people about the opportunity, and working the business. They just STOP altogether. And worse, they then come to the conclusion that this business just doesn't work. 

* We are your "geologists". With Vessel, you have a National Training Director, whose sole purpose is to train and guide you to achieve success in your Vessel business. I am also here to help you comprehend in detail the compensation plan, keep your sales reports up to date, etc. We offer weekly trainings and annual conventions. And even our founders are very accesible to help you in any way.

* Make sure you get to that Gold: We actually have a rank called Gold Stylist, but we don't want you to stop there. We know that you can get to Sapphire and continue on to Diamond. How do you get there? You don't give up. You just keep mining - but mining smart. Learn from others, do what your "geologists" tell you to do, and you WILL get there.

You would never say that Universities don't work because you went for just one semester, or didn't study hard enough, or do all you had to do to graduate. So you cannot say that this industry doesn't work just because you did not do what it takes to get to the top, to graduate, to get to Gold or in Vessel's case, to get to Diamond.

Work hard, but work smart. With Vessel we will show you how!! 

Why Should You Go to Convention?

I know Tracy has talked before about how going to her first direct sales convention changed her life, and I'm sure she'll be telling the story again between now and the time of Vessel's Convention.  It's very powerful, but it's her story so I'll let her tell it. 

I have been involved with direct sales for almost 25 years, and I personally know the inspiration, bonding and impact it has on those who attend.  From small intimate groups to huge crowds, direct sales conventions all have one thing in common - they Pump. You. Up!

I decided to see what other industry professionals had to say about the wisdom of attending convention.  And to them, it IS a matter of wisdom.  Several quoted industry statistics (as has Tracy) showing that convention attendees make more money from their direct sales business than do their non-attending colleagues. 

Here are a few more quotes:

"I find it no wonder that statistics show those who regularly attend their direct selling meetings tend to have higher sales and are more successful in their recruiting efforts.  So my question is this: if you are currently involved in such a company and have not attended a training or meeting, what are you waiting for?  Are you already making enough from your business?  Do you understand what is necessary for your business to be a success?  Are you already an expert on your product line and/or compensation plan?  If you answer no to any of those three questions, then you need to get to a meeting more than ever." 
Rosemarie Kahn

"...I'll admit: with my many, many years in the direct sales industry, I've been there, done that, and would even say I've seen it all at annual convention ... Even with that history, I would implore you: "Get thee to your company's annual meeting."  Why?  Because it's not just boas and tiaras (as nice as those can be...).  Need to charge it and make up the difference with extra sales in the fall?  Need to bunk up to 6 people to a room?  Need to drive 10 hours in the car?  Doesn't matter.  Just do what it takes to get there.  If you're not committed enough to attend convention, I'll go out on a limb and say you should probably just go ahead and resign.  It's THAT important to your business."
Martha McBride

"In fact, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that you can't afford NOT to go to National Conference if you want to make money with your business.  It's where you network with your colleagues, get a fresh batch of enthusiasm, get trained, get up-close with the latest products, and get to know your company execs... Don't cheat yourself.  Get to National Conference.  It's worth every penny."
Jennifer Fong


And finally, this article from Direct Sales Talk:

REASONS YOU NEED TO ATTEND YOUR ANNUAL DIRECT SALES CONFERENCE

Every year most direct sales businesses offer conferences for you to attend.  Most of the time they are nowhere near your home, and while it may be a budget stretcher for you, it is one expense you really need to incur.  No whining or excuses.  Book the room and pay for the conference ticket.  I don't care what it takes, but you should do it!

Now, let me tell you why it's so important that you go to your annual direct sales conference:

• The annual conference is the best place to get motivated - Need some motivation in your business?  Go to the annual conference.  There you will see lots of people just like you who are making a success of their direct sales business.  You can learn what they did to get where they are and what they're doing to stay on top!
• Incentives, incentives, incentives - Often companies will offer an incentive, like a discounted price or free registration to the conference if you reach a certain amount in sales and/or recruits (note: see Vessel's promotions here).  Setting your goals to reach these incentives will not only get you to the conference, but it will give your business a boost as well.  Think of all the shows you will be holding and all the sales you will be making to reach your goal. 
• The momentum you'll gain is priceless - When you get back from the annual conference, you'll be empowered with so much knowledge and motivation nothing will stop you from reaching your sales goals and gaining new recruits.  If you boosted your sales and recruits to reach a goal prior to going to the conference, you'll have all those shows to follow up on.  Your excitement will rub off on your new and potential recruits  They will want to sign up right away when they see how excited you are.
• The knowledge you'll learn is invaluable - Most annual conferences offer classes you can take while there.  These classes will teach you how to be more successful in your direct sales business.  The classes are usually taught by people at the top, who were once where you are right now.  They will teach you how to get to the next level of your business.
• The camaraderie is an experience all its own - Everyone attending the annual conference has something in common with you.  You will make new friends and possibly even meet a new mentor or role model.  There won't be a luncheon or banquet you will attend where you won't have something to talk about with someone else.
• It's great to meet others from all over the country - and learn how they approach and talk to their clients.  Ask what they do to gain business.

If you have been thinking about going to the annual conference but you just weren't sure about it, think about it no more.  Set your goals.  Make your plans.  And GO.  Do special sales or promotions to help pay for it, but whatever you do, just get there.  I promise you won't regret it.  You will come back with so much excitement, ideas and energy about your business, it will certainly flourish!  Now go sign up already! 


By the way, that last line was still a quote from the Direct Sales Talk article, but it bears repeating:

Now go sign up already!

To Your Success!

Susan