Be an Angel and Give Someone Who Deserves it A Gift…on Me!

November 10, 2009 by Julie
Filed under Team Building

Gift Bag

It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed. ~Napoleon Hill

You probably know someone who could really use our audio trainings but just isn't in a position to order them. Maybe it's a new consultant who's absolutely on fire and would use those new ideas to launch an amazing business in 2010. Or maybe you know someone who needs to be re-energized and listening to and applying the ideas from our audio programs would give them just the jump start they need.

For the past two years, we've used November, the traditional month of giving thanks, to give back to our community. We've given away over 50 audio programs to deserving direct sellers. Every year, we count on you to help us give this gift of knowledge to someone who deserves it by nominating someone to receive one of our popular audio programs. The process is simple.

Simply click here (info@julieannejones.com) to e-mail us with:

Your nominee's full name
Your nominee's mailing address
A brief note telling us why you're nominating them (tell us what's special about them and why they deserve this gift)
The audio program you think would benefit them the most (either Designing an Amazing Party Experience or Coaching Your Host to Maximum Success)

It's that simple. We'll e-mail them the MP3 downloadable version of the program you request (and include a copy of your nomination e-mail to let them know who nominated them). We send the gift, you get to be the angel in that person's life!

This offer is limited to the first twenty-five people nominated, so do it today!

Tags: Direct sales, Gratitude, Leadership, Team Building

Hey, It's Not About You!

November 5, 2009 by Julie
Filed under Coaching, Home Party, Sponsoring, Team Building

4 Comments

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.

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.

Tags: Host Coaching, Relationship Building, Self Development, Team Building

People are Your Greatest Business Asset

October 27, 2009 by Julie
Filed under Leadership, Relationship Building, Team Building

2 Comments

CB048898 I’ve always been very independent. From the day I was born (according to my mom), I’ve had no fear. I tend to plunge into projects before I even really know how I’ll actually make them happen. It has taught me to be brave, which is great. Unfortunately, it has also taught me to be somewhat of a loner because (blessedly) most people don’t work at the pace or with the same energy I do. That’s why, when I started my company, I pretty much did “it all” by myself. I was a one woman show.

Once the company grew to a point where it was humanly impossible for one person to run it all alone, I had to bring on support staff to help with that. What that has meant for me in the past year or so has been learning to let go and “give” part of my projects, tasks, dreams, even trust to other people. When Nancy (whom I affectionately now refer to as my ‘VP of everything’) first came on board, I was a horrible micro manager. It took a long time to trust that she could handle things without me. Now, with our Julie on board as well, I am watching Nancy go through the same thing. Turning it over is hard.The realization I had around this over the past month or so is that Nancy (and now Julie) are, hands down, my most valuable business assets. They are both as committed to my company as I am. That value to me is priceless. Realizing that has made me take better care of them and make sure they know how important they are to me often.

You’re an independent contractor. As a direct seller, you work alone. Except, if you’ve been doing this for any time at all, you know you don’t. Your business is more dependent on others than mine is. You depend on your hosts to partner with you to create successful parties. You depend on the passion your guests have for your products. And if you’re a leader, you depend on your downline, quite literally, for your income.

So ask yourself today, “What do I do, on a consistent basis, to take care of my most valuable commodity?”

Are you thanking your hosts before, during, and after their parties?
Are you appreciating your guests by providing them with an experience that’s fun and fulfilling at your parties?
Do you create a team for your downline that supports their growth and learning continually?

I promise you, as you shift your focus to what you are doing on your own and focus on how you can impact and support the human commodity in your business, everything you’ve dreamed your direct sales business could ever be will begin to unfold for you.

How do you take care of the people in your business?

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

Tags: business planning, Customer Service, Direct sales, Leadership, Relationship Building, Team Building

Reading: My Direct Sales Interview with Julie Anne Jones

October 8, 2009 by Julie
Filed under Home Party, Sponsoring

2 Comments

Training is my passion and next week I’m starting a four part group tele-training course with Jackie Ulmer’s team called "Designing an Amazing Party Experience." I’ll be teaching them how to maximize their party experience so they’re getting bookings, sponsoring leads, and sales from it. I love teaching these courses because they’re small groups (no more than 20 people on the calls) and I get a chance to interact and get to know everyone through the course of the four-week program.

Jackie is an amazing woman. I met here right here on this blog when she left a comment about one of my posts. She has a very successful direct sales business and is also a savvy social media user. She has leveraged the internet to build her team and has an awesome blog with tons of great information for direct sellers. (Check it out!)

Jackie interviewed me last week so that her team and readers could get to know me a little better and we had a really fun, lively discussion about the "state" of the direct sales industry, specifically why I believe that direct sales is the answer in today’s economy (just like it was for me 10 years ago).

Click on over and read her blog post and then click on the link to listen to this short interview. Then tell me what you think below. I’d love your feedback!

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):

Tags: Blogging, Direct sales, Facebook, Home Parties, Sponsoring, Twitter

A New Way to Look at Creative Sponsoring…

September 16, 2009 by Julie
Filed under Sponsoring

10 Comments

I’m often asked, beyond recruiting at your parties, what are some other ways to find new representatives? In my opinion, it’s all about finding a way to trigger conversations as you move through your life, interact at your kid’s school, church, shopping, etc.

Now, just for the record, I have to tell you, I’ve never been a big proponent of assaulting someone in the grocery store line to share your opportunity. Having them approach you is a much better way to start the conversation. So what are you carrying, wearing, etc. that’s going to have someone approach you and ask you about your business rather than the other way around. Logo-enhanced clothing, a bag with your company name on it, I’ve even seen bags with clear slots that feature small items or your catalog. Think outside the box here and see how creative you can be.

Once you do get one of these golden opportunities and you find the conversation turning toward your business, be sure you keep your sharing short and sweet and make it about them! The best way to do that is to ask questions about their life and needs. Questions like “What do you do for a living?” or “How many kids do you have?” can often lead to conversations about how your business can support them. The more you can tie your information into what they share, instead of vomiting your business plan or experience all over them, the more likely they’ll be to want to learn more.

I always had a catalog and a few party date cards and once we’d conversed a little, I’d offer them a catalog and invite them to fill out the card with their info so I could enter them into my drawing for that month (I did a monthly drawing for a certain amount of free merchandise, a popular item from my product line, etc when they hosted a party). That way I had their info and could follow up. I also asked if it would be ok for me to follow up with them in a few days and when would be convenient. That makes the follow up call much easier to make on your part.

One final idea when it comes to recruiting right now - many people who say no in May or June as summer is starting may have a completely different mindset now that the fall is here. Go through your old leads and find people who may have fallen away or through the cracks and make it a point to connect with them in the next few weeks. The kids are back in school and this is a perfect time for many people to start a new business.

How do you recruit outside of your parties? I’d love to hear your ideas.

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):

Tags: Direct sales, Follow-Up, Sponsoring, Sponsoring

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