How To Sell Anything

Today we're sharing an infograpghy by Anna Vital on how to sell anything to survive as an entrepreneur, starting with trust: having a clientele that trusts you is vital for any sale, and it's something that should be built since the beginning, even if your client doesn't buy the product when you first approach him. 

Stand optimistic, yet transparent about your products, and be reasonable on where/when to approach your clients. Also make sure that you follow the sale (or prospective sale), whether you already made the sale, or not: always make sure the client is happy with the product, and be patient: you'll probably hear a lot of "nos" before hearing a YES.

The Importance of Visual Branding

 

In the direct sales business, visual branding is extremely important, as it will help you connect with your community, and express your brand's personality, making it memorable.

Here's a few tips on how to develop the Visual Branding:

• Set your color palette: a strong color palette is a key element of brand recognition; bright or pastel colors inspire creativity and dark blues and maroons inspire trust and insurance
• Determine your brand's fonts (and stick with them). This way, even before your clients read the message, they will recognize the font and associate it with the brand automatically;
• Be consistent with your design templates & structure.

Sales Techniques - That Actually work

 

Today we're showing an infography by the Professional Academy with some Sales Techniques. 

Sales can be competitive and demanding, but if you believe in yourself, if you're professional and trustworthy, and a great listener to your clients, your sales will definitely grow and most important: your clientele.

5 Rules To Get More Instagram Followers

1. #nofilter is the most popular hashtag on Instagram, and Mayfair is the most successful filter when it comes to user interactions;
2. Statistically, Sunday and Monday are the best two days to post on Instagram;
3. The more #hashtags you use, the more your follower engagement will increase;
4. Any time is good to post pictures, there is no better time of the day to post;
5. But if you're posting videos, the best hour to do so is after work hours, between 9p.m. and 8.a.m. to get the highest number of interactions.

Instagram VS Vine (Twitter)

Social Media is at war. Instagram has been growing more and more, while Twitter is still very popular. Instagram now allows 15 seconds of video, shareable to Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, E-mail and so on. Vine, the Twitter video app, only allows 6 seconds of video, and only shareable to Facebook and Twitter, but it allows embedding to blog posts.
One thing we know for sure: short video usage in social media has become more and more popular when it comes to engaging with the community and clients.

Tips by Younique: Be Different Than Your Competition

Competition is tough, but if you keep copying the same techniques as the competition, if you don't stand out, if you don't think out of the box, you'll just be another small fish in the ocean.
This quote is an advice for those sellers who keep looking at the competition as role models. It's always good to have mentors when it comes to business, but copying every move will just tie your feet into the ground, when you are able to fly.

Social Media: Essential Tasks

1. Sign in, check messages, comments and replies;
2. Damage control if necessary;
3. Post fresh content;
4. Reach out to at least 3 of your followers;
5. Reach out to at least 3 new people;
6. Monitor the competitors and the industry reviews;
7. Brainstorm future posts based on your followers feedback;
8. Check out statistics

The Uses of Social Media (And How it Will Boost Your Business)

1. Know your audience;
2. Use multiple sites (don't just stick to Facebook and Twitter, explore the advantages of Pinterest, Instagram and Google+ as well);
3. Use a Social Media Manager (if you don't have the resources to hire someone, use sites like Ping.fm and HootSuite;
4. Post visual content (photos, videos...);
5. Interact and engage with your audience (followers);
6. Commit & be patient.

The Importance of Hashtags

In the world of Social Media, hashtags are everywhere! Once you hashtag a word on Twitter, Instagram, Google + and even Faceboo everyone can see it, all account users. The word goes directly into the hashtag world and this allows users who aren't following you to see it, and to see the message and/or content you post related to this word.
However, don't give in to temptation in creating a hashtag in every single word you use: Use them wisely, by subject, relevance and importance. The recommended ratio is 1-3 hashtag words per tweet/publication, or else you might be just missing the point and creating clutter in your social media profiles.

4 Social Media Tips

1. Be Yourself: I know, this might sound as a big cliche, but the thing is, if you share your own values and interest on your social media your audience will be authentic and will definitely grow faster, rather than if you play it safe.
2. Interact with your audience: liking pictures and commenting back isn't interacting. Asking people to buy your product isn't interacting either, but asking your audience to participate in giveaways or contests will definitely catch their attention.
3. Don't make direct advertising: people hate it on social media. Instead entertain them, give them a reason to visit your page.
4. Make your effort constant: Maintenance is key when managing your social media pages. If you don't care about your page, people will just assume you don't care about your business and products.
   

Quote of the day: Business Without Advertising...

Today's inspirational quote comes from Steuart Henderson Britt, and is right on the spot: business without advertising doesn't exist, people don't know where you are or what you do. Nobody notices!
So go out, advertise! Mouth to mouth is the cheapest way, social media don't cost a thing as well, blogs, comments, forums, all of them for free.
Make sure that girl sees the wink (metaphorically, of course)!

How to Deal With Criticism

• Change your perspective;
• Know the difference between constructive and destructive criticism (and envy as well);
• Accept that you, as everyone else, have flaws, and don't take things too personally;
• Understand what you're being told;
• Analyze it, see if there is any truth in it;
• Address the issue carefully;
• Thank whoever makes the constructive criticism;
• Remember that constructive criticism can improve you as a person as a direct seller as well;
• Stay confident and show it;
• Always be polite, whether people make you constructive or destructive criticism. Kill them with kindness, as it's usually said.

Quote of the day: Profit !

Profit isn't random, and should never be seen as random, as something that comes at the end. When we think about profit, it should be planned for in the beginning, to be taken as a goal, something to work for.

Tips on How to Fight Stress

Being a successful direct seller or presenter is a demanding job, as well as working towards success. But without work, success doesn't come overnight. There are worries and problems and dealing with them can be very stressful.

So here are some tips on how to deal with stress:

• Learn to breathe!

• Identify the stress - you will only deal with the stress as soon as you identify the sources of the stress. Take some time to think about it and hello good mood ! :)

• Exercise daily - exercise increases the levels of endorphines, therefor you will feel much better after, more relaxed, calm, and promotes a good night of sleep.

• Having a healthy diet - After all , the quality of what we eat influences the state of our physical and mental health . 

Extra tip: Drink more water!

Marketing Tips on Social Media : Twitter

Still following the line of the previous post regarding Social Media, today we're sharing some tips on how to use the big giant Twitter:

 

Marketing Tips on Social Media : Facebook

Social Media has become more and more important to direct sales business, as it connects with everyone, with several other social media platforms and it's a cheap way of reaching everyone online. So here's a quick guide on how to work with Facebook, in order to boost your sales:

Products Are the Key

This quote from Seth Godin couldn't be more accurate regarding Direct Sales business. What happens sometimes is that the direct sellers are more focused on finding new customers in order to enroll their client list, but they tend to forget sometimes the clients they already have, the loyal ones. So here's an advice: find products for your costumers, and don't focus too much on finding new customers for your products!

How to Beat Insomnia

• If you love coffee, you should drink six hours before bedtime.
•  Naps during the day and heavy meals should be avoided.
• Avoid alcoholic drinks.
• If you exercise, try to do it during the day, it will make you feel more tired at night.
• After dinner, switch the television or computer for a good book.
• Try to establish a time to go to bed. You should sleep 7-8 hours a night.
• If you're one of those who snore, try changing positions.
• Avoid having strong lightning in your bedroom.

 If you still cannot sleep, do not stay in bed spin from one side to another. Get up and do something else that will make you relax. From household activities or maybe try some YouTube Yoga video classes.

Tips: How To Think Faster

• Use the first principle of Improv Comedy, say "Yes, and... ?" This prompt response and pause will give a little bit time to make up the best response;
• Relax your jaw muscles and if the other side doesn't speak, don't feel the need to fill the silence, let it be for a while;
• Work with the first thought that comes to mind, it's there for a reason;
• Listen to your gut, it thinks faster than the brain.

Extra advice: It's better to be quiet and look stupid, than talk and make it clear to everyone.

5 Tips For Every Successful Woman

The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack of will.

1. Know the value of networking!
2. Don't say "I'm sorry" all the time, or you'll risk being taken as someone insecure;
3. Find a (good) mentor. Even if your mentor isn't the best one, you will learn with her flaws and mistakes, which is better than learning all of them by yourself;
4. Find your personal time and place. Because everyone needs to clear their head once in a while, in a neutral place not related to work and responsibilities.
5. Be confident and believe in yourself and in your success. Don't let criticism make you doubt your value and ruin your ambition.

The Disadvantages Of Being An Enterpreneur

In our previous post we spoke about the advantages of being an entrepreneur, but because the sun doesn't always shine, we're also going to mention the disadvantages of being one. Not because we want to discourage you to pursue your own career as an entrepreneur, not at all, but because knowing the down sides beforehand is helpful, so you can prevent some of the things that can go wrong, and learn early how to deal with them.

• Making your own hours/schedule can lead to distraction and procrastination if you aren't strict and disciplined with yourself;
• The money income comes and goes. Sometimes there is money but sometimes it might be a while without any income;
• If you're an entrepreneur working from home, the chores might catch you up, like laundry, cleaning, etc.;
• Having your own hours can make you work 3h a day or 18h a day, you will never know;
• When you're sick, there's nobody else to replace you.

The Advantages of Being an Entrepreneur

Someone once said that "being an entrepreneur is living a few years of your life like most people won't, so that you can spend the rest of your life like most people can't".
There are perks, but disadvantages as well. Today, let's check the advantages of being an entrepreneur:

• You have your own schedule;
• You work at your own pace and rhythm;
• You're the master of your own creativity: you create what you want to create;
• You're the boss, and you get to discipline yourself;
• You can work from any place in the world;
• The money you make is yours and yours only;
• You're always open to any possibilities.

How To Be More Organized

1. Create your own routines;
2. Take care of your things, like little tasks that have to be done (pay the bills, fill the car with gas, etc.);
3. Pay attention to your budget (check your account balance regularly, create little budgets according to your needs);
4. Get some inspiration: sometimes all we need is a little push, like having a good soundtrack in the background, or step outside the house/office for a clear thinking moment, you pick!
5. Get rid of the stuff you don't need: things that you don't need in your house, or lose files on your desk, or in your computer. They are just creating a chaos that you don't need;
6. Create a daily, weekly or monthly task sheet, organized by priorities: low; medium or high. The gratification of accomplishing a certain task will motivate you to perform all the other tasks in need!

Why Fit When You Can Stand Out

This is one serious question when it comes to direct sales. If everyone related to direct sales you know and/or worship are all doing the same, same techniques, same speech, same method, would it be an actual good idea for you to follow their footsteps?
Consider this: sometimes it can be positive to copy the masters of the trade, but why not stepping out of your comfort zone and do something different? Why fit in the same system when you can actually be different, creative and stand out?
Be bold, take risks. It might be profitable in the long run!

Tip of the Day: Enjoying The Present; Preparing The Future

Perhaps your sales are going extremely well, and you feel like you've accomplished a great client portfolio, or you have exceeded yourself in sales lately and you feel like now you don't have to do anything else, things are just working for yourself.
But be careful, tomorrow's success is built today, so if you stop working today, chances are that success won't just come to your lap tomorrow.
Enjoy your success, enjoy the present, but don't forget about the future. Everyday is a chance to change the future.