Direct Selling Leaders Experts

Every skilled coach is a master at the art of listening. Deep listening. Hearing the meaning behind the words and fully understanding what the client is really saying.

Essentially, listening is the key component, not just to coaching, but to communicating in general.

Many of the women I coach share that one of their biggest frustrations with their other half is that they don’t listen to them and hear what they’re saying. They may seem like they are listening but it is obvious they are not paying any attention.

The simple act of giving your partner your full & undivided attention while they are speaking is one of the most valuable investments you can make in your relationship.

Listening does take some effort. If you’re multitasking – you’re not listening. If you take over the conversation or switch subjects, you’re not listening.

Ever find yourself in a conversation and you have something in your mind to say, just waiting for a lull so you can jump in? Guess what? You’re not really listening to the other person any more.

When my wife wants to talk with me, I stop what I’m doing, turn TV off and turn to face her with full eye contact. She has no doubts about having my attention. While she is speaking, I maintain eye contact, stay still and do not reach for the phone if it rings.

If something pops into my mind to say, I’ll jot it down, or let it go, so as to stay focused on what she is saying. Occasionally, I will utilize another coaching skill: Reflecting back. I will repeat something I heard her say. This shows two things. 1) I am truly listening, 2) I am clarifying so as to fully understand.

We had a fun experience a little while back. She asked me to do something. I repeated back what I heard her say, and she confirmed. I then went to do what I thought she asked and she immediately asked me what I was doing. Even though I had heard what she said and confirmed it, my interpretation of what she meant was not the same.

So, when I reflect back, I shift the words to reflect what I interpreted her meaning. If that was incorrect, she can then shift it for me.

If your other half doesn’t listen the way you would like for them too, remember that it is a skill that can be improved like any other.

To help them practice, start by being clear on what you want. Ie: Let them know you would like to talk with them for a few minutes. If they are watching a ball game and you walk up and start talking, you’re not being fair to them.

Let them know if you would like them to just listen, or if you want their feedback.

If they start talking over or changing the subject, bring them back to what you were talking about. Acknowledge they have something you want to hear, but can we finish this first?

Of course, it is essential YOU practice the art of deep listening yourself first. When you partner wishes to speak to you, stop what you are doing and make eye contact. When they begin to experience it from you – and how fulfilling it is to be truly listened to, they should respond in kind.

If your partner just isn’t able to listen to you the way you want, I know a Coach that is.

Be successful – together

Happy Holidays! May this season be one filled with love and abundance for you and those you love!The holidays are a wonderful time to recognize the abundance in your life – your family and friends, your homes, gifts you’ve given and gifts you’ve received. For many of us the holiday season is, indeed, a time of great fulfillment and abundance. Unfortunately, for others (perhaps you) it is a time of great stress and scarcity.Have you ever heard the holiday song with the lyric about “celebrating Christmas all year round”? What do you think is meant by that sentiment in the song? I think the lyric expresses a wish that the joy, love, fulfillment and abundance that many of us experience during the holidays continue – for everyone – year round.

Do you feel that everywhere in your office or home, you see nothing but paper? Here are some simple tips in helping keep the paper you have whether in your office or home organized.

1. Keep a trash can or pail right next to the mail box. Tear up or throw away mail that is not important, such as advertising that you did not ask for as well as other papers that you do not want or need. If it is a document that is not necessary and is not pressing, then it is a document that you should not keep. You don’t want all that junk mail. Treat it like junk and throw it away.

2. Avoid piling up the papers. Give a time every day for going through all the documents you have and eliminate things that you do not need or that do not require your immediate attention. This may include newspapers and magazines which you can store for future reading and recycling. You should remember however to take them out from time to time and not stack them for too long of a time, like a month or even a year.

3. Select a day in your week for paying bills and answering letters. Instead of postponing replies, try answering them, send your thank you notes, and pay the necessary bills on a specific day. This way, you would not need to answer mail or pay bills every day. That way, you save more time for doing your daily tasks and you have no reason putting off one job from one day to the other because you are too busy answering your emails.

4. If you cannot cope with reading all of your newspapers and magazines, it might be better if you limit your subscriptions for newspapers and magazines to a smaller number. This is important, especially if you want to remove much of the clutter from your home or office. Ask yourself how much time do you really have for reading all of your subscriptions? Cutting down on subscriptions does not mean that you would never be able to read your newspaper or magazine of choice. If you are free at some point, you can pick a copy of your favorite magazine or publication from a newsstand or a bookstore.

5. Don’t allow clutter to get you discouraged. Remember that you can’t do everything in just one day. Start with something small and be happy about it.

I know when I start getting the same question in my email box over and over again, it’s time to blog!  I have been harping on what to do before year end - but now I find it’s time to share what NOT to do in your year end tax planning.

A lot of people are under the impression that if they buy a bunch of inventory before year end, that they will get a big tax deduction for their 2007 taxes.  NOT SO.  You only get to deduct the cost of inventory purchases when you sell your products. 

Little example here:  Jane was on a message board and read another distributor’s post.  That person was telling the world to buy inventory as a way to reduce their taxes.  Good thing Jane has me as her CPA.   She contacted me and thought maybe there had been a law change.  “No” I said, with a heavy sigh.  It’s just that time of year -

 Just for the record, let me say this one more time.  Do not buy a bunch of inventory as a way to reduce your current year tax liability.  You can only deduct the cost of inventory as you sell the product.

Does anyone out there have any thoughts on this subject they would  like to share?

I was listening to NPR this morning after I dropped my son at school.  Actually it was their Business Report called Marketplace.

They were dong a re-cap of holiday retail sales.  What was doing well, what wasn’t, what consumers/customers were thinking etc.  Most of it was pretty dull and pretty predictable UNTIL……

They said that Retail Gift Cards will account for 20% of all retail holiday sales - 20%!!!  That is a huge number.  There is no other single product pulling in that kind of percentage.

So, if you are looking for a quick and easy way to generate last minute business this holiday season, crank out some gift cards and offer them to your customers and prospects.

Some companies have those cute, premade plastic cards to use.  If your company is not one of those, don’t fret.  You can print out business card size Gift Cards using these tips:

1.  At the top ion Big Letters put “ABC Company Gift Card”

2.  Leave the denomination blank so you can fill it in

3.  Be sure to put “Redeemable ONLY through Jane Smith, Consultant” and include your website, email and phone. number.

Once you have them ready to go, take them with you wherever you go so you can offer them to last minute shoppers who just don’t know what to get Aunt Bertha or Uncle Simon!

Love & Success!
Sarah

Hello! My name is Julie Weitz and I’m the owner of Outward Image Coaching and Training. My staff of coaches and I started Outward Image as a place for Direct Sales professionals to come to learn and grow. We have designed our website to support you, the direct sales professional, in discovery - whether you’re looking for business tips and training or personal or business coaching.

According to the Direct Sales Association,  U.S. direct sales revenues total over 30 billion dollars annually. This profession is limitless!

Individuals can literally write their own paychecks, set their own hours, and within company parameters, make their own rules. Then why are more representatives failing than succeeding?

Of course, there are many variables at work within and outside the profession. But one thing is certain:  leaders are constantly looking for ways to help their organization and representatives are searching for ways to build their businesses. Both are looking for greater returns.

Here are some questions we can help you answer:

• What’s stopping you from taking your business to the next level?

• If you could achieve your ultimate vision for your life and business within one year, what would you experience?

• What would it be worth to you to break through the barriers that are keeping you from creating your ideal life and business?

One of the things that innovators (that’s you!) do is look around at other industries for things to “borrow” for their business.  It’s just smart, not to mention time-saving, to imitate what works well and adapt to your own marketplace.

Today I was listening to one of my teachers, Alexandria Brown, talk about marketing and choosing a target market.  She was talking about choosing a very specific individual to tailor all of your marketing to.  How old are they? Are they men or women? Single or married? Kids or No Kids?  Get the idea?

Now, I know that ANYONE can buy your product - of course they can, but the problem your product solves will be different for a stay-at-home-mom than for, say, a grandmother. If you try to use the same marketing message to reach both of them, you will reach neither of them.

Let me borrow my example for the car industry.  Now, anyone over 16 with the right amount of money can buy any car on the market, right?  So, automobile companies could try to market their cars to “everyone”, but they don’t. Why? Because a single guy with lots of disposable income is looking for a totally different car than a married mom with 2 kids.

Which market does Volvo go after? You guessed it! The married mom with 2 kids - oh and they also add that she is 35 years old.  The messages they craft are designed to speak to her specific priorities.  Does this make their marketing easier?  You betcha.  Does their target market feel like Volvo understands their problems and priorities? Absolutely. 

Now, if the the single guy with lots of disposable income wants a Volvo, they will absolutely sell it to him.  But they know if they tried to market to him and to the 35 year old mom with two kids, they would miss connecting with both of them.

So, my challenge to you is - think about who your target market might be.  Who do you attract?  Who do you do your best work with?  Whose problems and challenges can you solve with your products or services.  Here’s a hint: your best target market problably looks alot like you!

I would love for you to post your responses, questions and or thoughts about this idea!

Love & Success!
Sarah

Team leaders are responsible for making their team feel supported. They have an enormous impact, be it positive or negative, on the entire team. He or she must interact with each member of the team. This interaction determines the whole team’s performance.

A team leader must engage in five kinds of behavior that have been proven to be effective in the working environment. 1.) Monitors the team’s work effectively and gives feedback and reactions to the problems at work by understanding the root. 2.) Provides support to a team member’s decision-making and actions 3.) Helps lessen the stressful situations for those working under him and socializes with the team members. 4.) Recognizes good works of the individual and knows whether this should be regarded privately or publicly. 5.) Consults subordinates about their work and is open to the ideas and opinions of each.

A team’s interaction with one another is negative when the leader is engaged in the three kinds of ineffective actions which are 1.) ineffectively monitors the work and displays an inadequate comprehension of his team’s capabilities and provides negative and non-constructive feedback and delay on the checking of the status of work. 2.) failure to clarify objectives and roles by giving assignments that aren’t the responsibilities of a team member and 3.) ineffectively dealing with problems at hand.

Therefore, a team leader must be on top of his game when it comes to the responsibilities of each team member. By being updated on the situation, he will have an easier time coming up with a solution when a problem arises. This makes it easier for the team and the leader as well.

A team leader must also be charismatic enough to be liked by his members. At the same time, he should show them that he isn’t one to be pushed. He should have authority but at the same time he should be able to put himself in his subordinates’ shoes.

Empathy is a key character of any team leader. By supporting each individual member, he will be able to reach out to them in ways that they would like from a leader. By sympathizing with each member, the team leader gets to know him and her on both a personal and professional level that will be beneficial to the team.