Are you looking at network marketing or party plan selling as a possible sales channel for your company? This is direct selling. Direct selling is the umbrella term often used to describe a business with independent representatives who can earn money on their personal sales as well as on the sales of others in their downline organization….
It’s What You Don’t Know
I began my career in direct selling in 1986 when I went to work for a company that develops and sells network marketing software. My previous background was software development, so I was hired as a programmer/analyst. Within a few months, I was promoted to project leader. In those days, project leaders did everything for their…
Good Communication
Communication with the field is one of many vital ingredients in the success formula for direct selling companies. It should start within minutes of receipt of a new representative’s application. An automated email from your company should be sent confirming acceptance of the application, along with some words of thanks and excitement. In the starter…
Tuning Your Company
Like an orchestra, a direct selling company is composed of many instruments, each of which must do its part to produce the desired result, a symphonic success! When one or more elements are in need of tuning, the performance of the whole company suffers. Are your company’s instruments tuned for success?
What About Sales Tax?
If you’re launching a new direct selling company, you should be asking this question! Collection and Remittance Most businesses register for sales tax collection authority, collect sales taxes, and remit collected taxes only in the states where the business has a physical presence (a store, an office, or a warehouse). However, direct selling companies are…
Measure and Take Action!
Operators of direct selling companies need an accurate set of gauges for measuring the business. We call these measurements “Key Operating Indicators.” Without them, you will be flying your business partly in the dark! Key Operating Indicators are the most important measurements of your business. Direct selling owners and executives use these metrics to run…
Top 10 Problems of Direct Selling Companies
Direct selling companies face and conquer many problems as they launch, grow, and become successful enterprises. As top MLM consultants, we have observed that there are 10 types of problems faced by network marketing, MLM, and party plan direct selling companies. In this post, we will not only list them for you but also provide…
Introducing New And Improved Products
Product development is not a task you should check off your list. That’s because it should never be completed! What’s New? Independent representatives and their customers expect you will offer new and improved products. Direct selling companies want their representatives to consume or use personally more of their products. Both network marketing and party plan…
How To Have A Successful Recruiting Culture
A direct selling executive once told me, “We don’t have a recruiting culture.” What exactly is a recruiting culture? The simple definition is a high rate of early recruiting. To have a recruiting culture, a company must do several important activities well. Watch my video to learn about them. Who Are Your Recruiters? In some direct…
How Do I Know If My Product Is Good For Direct Selling?
All network marketing and party plan direct selling companies are in search of new products. Some products are better suited for direct selling than others. Do you ever wonder about what the ideal product would look like? We have. In all, we’ve identified 20 attributes of the ideal direct selling product. You should know them…
Is It Wise To Use Another Company’s Compensation Plan?
If you are considering using another company’s compensation plan, exactly the same or with a few changes, you need to watch this video. Watch And Learn As you watch, ask yourself the questions listed. We think you will be surprised by what you discover. 8 Common Compensation Plan Mistakes Too High-Rank Qualifications In…
Thumper’s Wisdom
In the classic Disney film “Bambi”, the rabbit Thumper offered some great advice. He said, “If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.” What does this have to do with direct selling? The answer is “a lot.” Something Good When people join a direct selling company, they are…