Hey, It's Not About You!

In coaching school they basically teach you how to listen. Sometimes I think it's comical that I spent over $4000.00 and a whole year to become a certified coach basically learning how to listen! It has got to be one of the toughest skills you'll ever attempt to perfect because we as human beings tend to be sort of self centered. We'll be quiet while the other person takes their turn to talk, but we're basically just waiting until it's our turn to talk again (because what we have to say is infinitely more interesting than what the other person is saying). So even though we may be quietly nodding, we're not really hearing what the other person is saying. We're figuring out what we're going to say once it's our turn again. And yet, if you can truly master the art of listening, your life and business will change.

One of the best ways to learn to listen is to become curious. Start asking questions. We call them powerful or open ended questions in coaching. Whether you're visiting with a host during a host coaching appointment, connecting with guests at the beginning of your parties, or coaching the representatives on your team, asking powerful questions will completely change your results. A powerful question is one that's open ended and allows the person being asked to imagine and expand their answer. Using a question like "How would your life change if you decided to join my team?" is much more powerful than "Would you like to learn more about my opportunity?" (And just FYI, if a question can be answered with a yes or no, it's not open ended).

Get it? So start listening to yourself. Are you mostly talking about yourself or asking questions about other people? And when you are asking questions, are they powerful and open ended, leading the person you're asking into greater possibility, or closed ended, yes or no questions? Believe me, the more you make it about them and forget about yourself, the more effective you'll be as a communicator.
 

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A Crazy Simple Tool That WILL Increase Your Sponsoring Results

 I’m teaching a new group training course to a Pampered Chef group right now. It’s a four week tele-course program called "Building a Strong Direct Sales Team."  Two weeks ago we were talking about supporting your new representatives with training and coaching. I was talking about taking new recruits with you to your parties and in the middle of the training I actually said out loud, "That’s a great idea for a blog post! I’m going to write about that!"

So, here goes. When I was an active direct seller, my upline’s motto (which I happily adopted) was "never walk alone." Your parties are fertile soil for teaching a new representative through hands on, experiential learning. That, in and of itself, is reason enough to start taking people with you. What came up during our tele-training is an even better reason. It turns your party into a sponsoring environment and you’ll begin to effortlessly increase the interest in joining your team.

Think about this for a moment. You have an enthusiastic new representative with you who is excited about just beginning their business. They’re interacting with you and the guests and sharing that enthusiasm. And you’re introducing that person, making a big deal about the fact that they’re the newest person on your team, and explaining that you’re training them that evening at your party. Your guests have to be thinking, "Wow, if I started my business with this person, I’d get the same high level, quality commitment and training!" How easy is that?

Here are a few tips for incorporating this very easy tool into your current training program (and if you don’t have a training program for your new representatives, this is a great place to start).

• Inviting them to ride to and from the show together will be an effective use of your time and give you some great one-on-one training time.
• Have them practice their opportunity talk, booking talk, or their introduction with you and support them in crafting it to their satisfaction. 
• Be sure you introduce them at the party and make a big deal about them. This creates a recruiting atmosphere at your parties.
• You might even ask your representatives to actually do a portion of your party. They could actually demonstrate a few of your items. 
• Request that they take notes, notice details, and share what they learned during the ride home.

This one single tool could completely change not only the experience your new representatives are having, but also your sponsoring results. What do you think?

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE?

You may, as long as you do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):

Julie Anne Jones is a success language consultant, a direct sales coach and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, visit her at www.julieannejones.com or check out her blog at http://julieannejones.com.

Change is Good!

Chances are good many of you either just returned from your national convention or conference or are on your way in the next week or so. The whole point of that experience is to "shake up your snow globe" a bit and get you thinking in a new direction about your business. You may be really fired up about an idea while sitting in the break-out session or listening to the key note address. Once you get home and realize that to actually implement it is going to require change, however, you’ll more than likely be tempted to just keep doing it the old way (all the while complaining about the results you’re not getting). So why not get your investment’s worth out of your National event this year? Make a plan, be brave, and embrace the motto "Change is good."

At the beginning of my live training on "Designing an Amazing Party Experience", I ask the room two simple questions. First I ask if there’s anyone in the room who is 100% satisfied with their presentation. No one ever raises their hand. Next, I say "If I could give you a formula for getting everything you’ve ever wanted from your direct sales business – all the bookings, sponsoring leads, and sales you could ever want -  raise your hand if you would be willing to change what you’re currently doing." Not surprisingly, every hand in the room goes up. "Mmm hmm. Sure you would." I think to myself.

If you’ve ever attended one of my live events, you know the motto "Change is good" is something you learn right away (and repeat often through the course of my training). But here’s the funny part. Even after I’ve hammered this point home and everyone has agreed to it up front, they still cling to the "old" way of doing things until I can convince them to try something new. Especially if the concept I’m teaching is a radical change from the way they’ve "always done it," convincing the people who only an hour before enthusiastically agreed that they would change what they’re currently doing to actually make a change is often a real challenge. Once I read them a few powerful testimonials of others who’ve had results doing it the new way, they tend to embrace the idea of change. But it’s never easy. We, as human beings, don’t love change. Most of us downright hate it.

Change has been the only constant in my life over the past few years. Heck, those of you who’ve followed me for any length of time know that I’ve had no less than three last names in the past five years (and just for the record, I will NEVER, as God is my witness, change my name again. I came in with this name, I’m going out with it!). And, no, it hasn’t been easy. Sometimes I’ve felt like the ground beneath my feet would never stop shifting. And I also know it’s been my ability to embrace that motto "Change is good" that’s made the past few years such an exhilarating ride as well.

Now, if you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know I seldom (like never) sell you anything here. Today, I’m simply going to offer you a gentle nudge toward something that could really, really support you. We’re offering a Convention/Conference coaching session (live, on the phone with one of our coaches) that’s specifically designed to help you make a plan and get moving toward your goals as soon as you return from your national event. Best of all, it’s only $24.95 (that’s about $100.00 less than our coaches usually charge for one of these appointments).

Think about it. For less than a tank of gas or a new pair of shoes (on sale), you can get help making a clear plan that could just take your direct sales business to a whole new level this year. Click here to order and one of our coaches will get in touch with you and get you started on a plan to make it happen.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE?

You may, as long as you do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):

Julie Anne Jones is a success language consultant, a direct sales coach and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, visit her at www.julieannejones.com or check out her blog at http://julieannejones.com.

3 Simple Steps that Will Virtually Eliminate Party Cancellations

As a direct seller, I learned very quickly that my success or failure in my business had a lot to do with my relationship with my host. And it also became apparent very quickly that my relationship with a host succeeded or failed based in large part upon how I set that host up the night they booked their party with me.

 WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE FOR FREE IN PRINT OR ONLINE?

You may, as long as you do not alter it and include the following information (with active links as appropriate):

Julie Anne Jones is a success language consultant, a direct sales coach and trainer, and the CEO of Julie Anne Jones, Inc. She is known for her authentic and easy-to-use scripting and specializes in specific language and tools for success in direct sales. To learn more about Julie Anne and her products and services, visit her at www.julieannejones.com or check out her blog at http://julieannejones.com.

The Single Most Important Line Item on Your P&L… Personal Coaching!

Here’s the truth… there is probably a line item missing from the expense column of your P&L that is arguably the most important investment you should be making during these times.

Yes, everyone is watching the bottom line closely these days. Today’s economic climate dictates that we carefully monitor what’s flowing in and what’s flowing out. But as you and I are called upon to up our game in all aspects of growing our businesses there is one investment we can’t afford to cut – the investment in ourselves via coaching.

“But coaching is a luxury” you may be saying. “What I need is strategy!”

Is that really true? How many strategies do you already know of and have not implemented? How many books and audio programs have you invested in and still not woven the suggestions they contain into your day to day business model?

The truth is, to take your business to the next level you need to focus on your ability to IMPLEMENT the strategies you already have on your plate! The money is in implementing the strategies you already know of to the best of your ability – PUT THEM ON STERIODS if you will. Because success in business is in ACTING on what you know, not just knowing.

Here’s my story… While I’m a business strategist who helps business owners select, implement and profit from utilizing the right strategies, what I was missing was a life coach that could guide and support me in my personal world. Since coaching with my coach, John Dulworth, my life and my business has been completely transformed. From losing 12 pounds and getting my body in better shape than when I was in college, to exploding my revenues by redefining my business model to be in alignment with my purpose, these shifts came from having a skilled life coach on my team.

You need two types of coaching: personal and business.

Business Coaching with a seasoned strategist is essential because they shorten the learning curve and enable you to make better decisions. Imagine having a wise sounding board with whom you can brainstorm strategies for reaching new markets, harnessing technology, building your team and optimizing your marketing dollars. These are all areas in which a business coach can make a positive and profitable difference.

Personal Coaching with a certified life coach is essential because, in the end, the success of your business is dependent upon YOU. Are you in the right place emotionally and mentally to take on all that comes from growing a business? Are you able to handle set backs or navigate a challenge with ease and confidence? Are you able to see things clearly so you can correct your course when you get off track? And more importantly, can you maintain your momentum and enthusiasm to do what needs to be done? This is what a life coach offers.

So stop being penny-wise and pound foolish and put this single most important line item onto your P&L. The result will be a happier YOU and a stronger BOTTOM LINE!

To get the support you need from a business strategist and a life coach all wrapped into one incredible 8 week business building program, click here. Join the Revenue Revolution!

Today's post was written by guest blogger Jane Deuber. Jane is the President of Profit Partners. What strikes people about Jane is her ability to identify the quickest (and most cost effective) path to take a business from concept to profits and, perhaps equally important, to make the process simple and fun.She lives in breathtaking Pebble Beach, California, has a successful marriage of 23 years, enjoys a rich personal and family life AND boasts an impressive track record of building successful businesses for both herself and her clients. Jane DOES have it all and is a passionate and brilliant teacher we can all learn from.

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