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.
Think about it. 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 read about our coaching.
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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.
Good for you, Laura. I remember you from the convention and I’m so proud of you for making the changes.
Julie Anne, you’re so right! When we finally face our fear of trying something differently and embrace change…. Business blossoms! I had the incredible opportunity to be at the Tomboy Tools National Convention and hear you speak. I’m one of those hyper-organized, not-a-paper-out-of-place, system-so-organized-only-I-can-figure-it-out type people and it terrified me to go home and re-arrange my space into hot, warm and cold zones. I knew it would take a couple of hours, tops, to do, so I figured I didn’t have that much to lose and I did it. After all, I had said that change was good and I was willing to do what it took.
I have never been so productive in my life! I spend two minutes organizing instead of twenty and I actually don’t mind getting on the phone and making my customer service calls! I will never EVER go back to my overly complicated system again. I can still find everything, I am more productive than ever, my calendar has filled up, my recruit leads are stronger and my customer services calls have brought in more sales than ever…. All because I re-arranged my space.
So try it. Take the plunge. Embrace change. Pick one thing at a time…. Take baby steps. It works.
Thanks, Helen. You are one of the people who is open to change and does implement so much of what I teach. Have a great time at your conference!
Julie Anne – you are SO RIGHT! Change is good! Change is essential if we want a break-through in our businesses. Change doesn’t mean more work…it means doing work differently to get better results.
The tips you share, the information in your newsletters and your training materials are helping me take my business to a whole new level. I so appreciate you!
I’m attending my company’s Leadership Conference this week and look forward to implementing more changes.