One of the amazing things about working in direct sales is the mobility and flexibility it offers. If you own a phone and a computer with Internet connection, you can run the business from anywhere, and the truth is, it’s not THAT hard to restart your business from a new location if you move.
There are a few things to keep in mind when you relocate. Specifically, the goals are to keep your old clients (or at least make sure they’re well taken care of), and create a list of new ones that love you and want what you offer.
Here are a few tips.
Don’t be Afraid to Ask for What You Want
The key to starting up your business successfully and quickly in your new area is to start asking people right away.
If you’re moving to a brand new location, odds are really good that you’re coming in contact with people who can help you build your business. Real estate agents, workers, utilities, the ladies at the preschool, people at the doctors’ office, your new hairdresser…
You’re meeting a lot of people as you settle into your new area, and guess what? All those people probably drink wine and need it.
You should be asking all of them to support your business. Of course, it’s their choice whether they actually want to or not, but if you don’t at least ask you’re selling yourself short. Often people really want to help you since you’re new to the area.
If this feels challenging for you, think of it this way: you’re spending money with them! You’re paying them for their service, why would it be unreasonable to ask the same in return?
Maybe hosting a tasting isn’t quite in their comfort zone just yet, and if that’s the case, that’s totally fine. Maybe you’ll ask them where they do their networking. Which vendor events have they attended that are successful?
Ask for Referrals before You Leave
One of the most brilliant things successful consultants do when they’re moving is ask for referrals before they leave town. If you’re willing to ask all your current clients for referrals in the new area, odds are good that someone knows someone and that someone might just host for you.
Ask friends, clients and post on your Facebook wall that you’re re-locating and you’re looking to connect with people in the new area who are interested in wine and may want to host tastings.
You’ll be surprised how much people want to jump in and help you create connections.
Don’t Forget about Your Current Client Base
And of course, you don’t want to forget about the people who have made your business what it is today! Your current clients are important, and you want to make sure to take good care of them before you go.
If they’re hosts or occasional customers, you’re probably not seeing them too frequently, anyway. Hopefully you have enough of a relationship with them that they’ll be open to getting serviced by a new consultant. You can tell them you’re leaving, and transfer their account over to a consultant in their area (who’s on your team!) that will take good care of them.
If they’re Wine Club or frequent customers, you have a relationship with them. That won’t change, you’ll just be servicing them from a different area code or time zone.
Here’s a great tip: 2 months before you move, take a new consultant with you everywhere you go. Don’t go anywhere alone! Prime this person to take over the business in your area.
Don’t have anyone like that? Easy. Every time you go to a tasting, tell them, “I’m looking for someone in this area to take over all my clients…” This is a great way to connect with someone who would be an excellent new team member.
Re-Book Your Clients
When you tell your clients you’re leaving town, it’s a great reason to ask them to re-book, saying, “Let’s do one more tasting before I leave for good!”
Don’t be afraid to book yourself up to the very last minute: I did my last tasting in Virginia the day before the moving truck left. My house was empty, my husband was already in Florida and the kids were with a babysitter and I was late for the tasting because I was signing the pages and pages of inventory sheets for our household goods. Guess who showed up at that tasting? One of the BEST leaders on my team, Brittany and you can read about her 25+ consecutive months of leadership in next week’s blog post!
If I hadn’t been willing to do that tasting right up until the last minute, I would have walked away from thousands of dollars in business and an amazing business relationship. I was willing to do what others weren’t.
Restarting your business in a new area can be a challenge, but it’s not impossible. I know you can do it successfully!