Today's guest blogger Anna Howard shares a little of her direct sales story and then gives you four great tips for what to think about when considering success in our industry (and just a hint…these are gret sponsoring tools as you're chatting with someone who is considering your opportunity).
I am a wife of a retired U.S. Navy petty officer. I remember back when the ship would deploy it was a round of parties, Tupperware, Princess House, and any other Direct Sales company that was around. It fostered a social aspect to bring military wives together while our husbands were out serving our country. Did the thought ever cross my mind at that time to become a part of this great industry? Well to be honest…no. I can tell you now though that I wish I knew then what I know now!
Now fast forward to end of the year 2012. I’ve been working in a corporate environment with P&G for 16 years, the economy is awful and the job market is almost non-existent here in North Carolina. Two weeks before Christmas with no warning I am laid off. Talk about a tailspin and I knew I needed to do something fast. A friend tried to talk to me about joining her team in Direct Sales. I knew I didn’t want to do what she was doing but it planted the seed.
When looking at becoming a part of the Direct Sales Industry I learned a few key things that everyone looking into our industry needs to think about:
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Do your research! There are many companies out there so find one that is a good fit for YOU. Ask about fees, earnings potential, and activity required in sales. Make sure it fits with what it is you are looking for.
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Be Passionate and excited about the product and company you are representing. If you love cooking look at those types of companies. Love make-up, jewelry, bath and body products….you get the idea.
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Decide HOW you want to work your business. Is it going to be a hobby, part-time, or do you want to work your business full-time and move up the career path?
- Set goals. I can’t stress this enough as I am a firm believer that you MUST set a path and lay the foundation for what you want to achieve. It’s all there for you and you just need to build a roadmap to get there.
So this is exactly what I did and I settled on my company, Azuli Skye jewelry. I am passionate about our products and the company. This is what has made me successful in my Direct Sales Business. It never feels like work – I am just sharing the product that I have to offer to my customers and empowering other women to take the same path and build a business based on their goals.
Direct Sales is a blessing as far as I am concerned. You are going to get out of it what you put into it and the benefit is that you are working for yourself. All that hard work that you put into it is going to be appreciated because it is for yourself. The relationships and friendships that you build can last a lifetime. The earning potential is incredible.
Our industry is out there for you to build a career that is flexible and provides work-life balance for you. Just imagine if all those years ago I had started my career in Direct Sales. Here’s to YOUR SUCCESS!
Anna Howard has been in Direct Sales with her current company, Azuli Skye jewelry, since January 2012. She promoted to Director this past August and I is currently the Founding Director for the company. She has been in sales for most of her career but this is her first venture into Direct Sales. You can connect with her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/sparklewithAnna or on her website at http://azuliskye.com/Annahoward.
