Maximizing Success: Strategies for Growing Your Direct Sales Team

[elizabethfox]

Ok I have a woman hosting a show for me this Sat. She just sent me this email and I wanted to know what you all thought I should do. Right now I have NO recruits and NO prospects. This woman wants join, but only be a hobby consultant. I think she would be SOOOOO good at this, and I am hoping once she starts doing it, she will want to increase her show schedule. But I don't want to have someone on my team who does nothing either.

Sounds like she wants to be a kit napper to me!

Here is is email....What would YOU do??

I'm seriously considering purchasing the Consultant pack. There are a few things I need to learn first. #1 do you know, can you find out, approx. what % of the product sold is made in the USA? #2 are you ok with a "hobby" Consultant in your downline? I want to hostess or sponsor a hostess as a hobby only. I might only do 4 shows a year. My motivation is to get all the great product in the Consultant pack, to hostess my own parties 2-3 x's per year and to be available if my friends or family want a party and to take advantage of the Consultant discount on items I'd like to buy for my own pleasure.

 

[cmdtrgd]

First off you need to let her know that she is agreeing to do 4 shows, not purchasing the Consultant pack. Explain the New Consultant Rewards program that she will be eligible for in her first 90 days. Since she wants products at a discount, this is a GREAT way to get them! Make a plan with her to get her 4 shows in before the end of her 90 days (30 would be better) so she can get free money AND pay back the investment in the kit.Secondly, let her know that in order to take advantage of the consultant discount and kit enhancement month as well as sample packs, she needs to submit $200 in sales every 2 months. So, she would be looking at 1 show every other month which is close to what she wants to do now.Third, suggest that she plan two live open houses each year - one for each season kick off. That way her friends and family know it is coming and that takes care of 2 of the 6 shows each year she would need to hold.Make sure you have everything planned out for a hobby consultant and go for it! Also, let her know that you are fine with having a hobby consultant, but she will be getting all the training and idea emails that you send out to all your team members. She will have the opportunity to choose which trainings as well as which incentives she wants to go for. And, of course, if she decides to step up her business, you will be there to help.

 

[stacywhitlow]

I would let her know that she will only get a discount if she is an active consultant. Doing only 2-3 shows a year will not keep her active. She will need to do about 1 show a month ($200 commissionable sales in a 2 month period) in order to get anything from PC. Schedule an interview with her to answer any questions she has & explain things to her.

 

[stacywhitlow]

Looks like we were typing at the same time.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Ok I have a woman hosting a show for me this Sat. She just sent me this email and I wanted to know what you all thought I should do. Right now I have NO recruits and NO prospects. This woman wants join, but only be a hobby consultant. I think she would be SOOOOO good at this, and I am hoping once she starts doing it, she will want to increase her show schedule. But I don't want to have someone on my team who does nothing either.

Sounds like she wants to be a kit napper to me!

Here is is email....What would YOU do??

I'm seriously considering purchasing the Consultant pack. There are a few things I need to learn first. #1 do you know, can you find out, approx. what % of the product sold is made in the USA? #2 are you ok with a "hobby" Consultant in your downline? I want to hostess or sponsor a hostess as a hobby only. I might only do 4 shows a year. My motivation is to get all the great product in the Consultant pack, to hostess my own parties 2-3 x's per year and to be available if my friends or family want a party and to take advantage of the Consultant discount on items I'd like to buy for my own pleasure.

It sounds like she is used to Home Party Plans where you can sign up to be a "Consultant" but you never have to really do shows. MK, Beauticontrol, Stampin Up, CM, Arbonne, etc....are all like that. So, people sign up just for the consultant discount, and to give their friends and family the consultant discount. You probably need to tell her that PC is not set up like that, and that we can't use our consultant discount for friends and family.

 

[Mwalker]

Im a hobbyist. I "plan" 6 shows a year. Thats 1 every 2 months thats needed to stay active. Mostly open house style that are just a bunch of my friends and neighbors to come over for a dinner party. Wrangle up enough orders to stay active and maintain my discount for things I want.That being said...... I actually do around 10 shows a yr. Random people ask me to do show and I don't turn them down. I just dont push it as often as I probably could. My director doesnt mind. Which is probably why I stay with it. It would drive me NUTS if my director kept pushing me to "DO MORE". Encourages me as well as her $1000+ sales people. I still go to all the meetings so I can stay involved.Just be very clear with the expectations and requirements of PC.
And yes I very well could use my discount to buy products for friends and family. Id be limited by our rules, only get 20% off and then would still have to find other people to submit orders to maintain the ability to use my discount. Seems like a whole heck of alot of work that way. Tell them they'll save more by hosting a show. Better than what your personal discount would be. But she'll learn as she goes what works. Dont give up. Just make it work.

 

[hperschnick]

Give her a chance... if my recruiter took everything I said and thought about it negatively she wouldn't have signed me - I have done this almost a year and I'm almost to my 15,000 career sales. I didn't want to give her false hope that I would do this forever because I didn't know if I would enjoy it or be good at it. I wanted to know the MINIMUM I would have to do when I purchased the kit (the 4 shows). Make sure she has those scheduled before you sign her... those will most likely result in more shows and when she gets her PC$$ she will be hooked, then the commission check will come in and that will be the icing on the cake. Give her all of the information that others have mentioned but don't count her out... you never know how circumstances will change for her or what she will think of it once she actaully starts.

 

[elizabethfox]

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[Lorna May]

My goodness, your potential recruit was me 3 1/2 years ago. Those were almost all my exact questions and reasoning. After my first show I was hooked though and couldn't wait to book another show.
Perhaps once she does the necessary shows to qualify she to will want more. If not what is wrong with a part time consultant (once she qualifies) at least you know where she stands.
Just my two cents
ll

 

[Chefgirl2]

I say sign her now. I

have had people sign saying all they were going to do were catalog shows or just a few a year. If you have 4 doing $500 -$1,000 months that add up to lots of income for you in the long run. If you have 15-20 it's even better! The overall sales of my hobbiest are a nice portion of my paycheck.

Just don't invest too much time in them. Call them during the first month once or twice a week. After that see if she wants more and offer to help if she does.

 

[rennea]

I too say sign her up!!!! I was her at one time and have remained active for over 3 years.