Direct selling has been good to me and my family. Over the last eleven years that I’ve been working with WineShop at Home, I’ve grown my team beyond what I thought was possible, earned enough to help support my family and made some incredible friends.
I’ve become pretty familiar with the world of direct selling. I have a lot of friends who sell for other companies, like Stella & Dot and Arbonne, and I know the system.
But even though I’m very well-versed in the in’s and out’s of direct sales, there are things direct marketers do that are total turn-offs and that drive me absolutely bonkers.
Are you guilty of any of these direct selling pet peeves?
Pet Peeve #1: The Sneaky Coffee Invite
Please, please don’t call somebody you haven’t talked to for a while and invite them for coffee under the pretext of “catching up” when all you really want to do is give them the (insert the name of the newest MLM company) presentation.
Do you realize how much people hate this? I have a friend who described it like this: “I went to coffee with an old friend. We chatted for about 10 minutes before he pulled out a flipbook and started walking me through all the products his company offered. I couldn’t believe it. He talked for about 40 minutes while I just sat there, stunned at his insensitivity. That’s 40 minutes I’ll never get back… and somebody I’ll never go to coffee with again!”
Yikes!
If you would like a friend to listen, that’s fine (heck, I have an entire script I teach my emerging team leaders to invite people to listen). But make sure she knows what she’s getting into before you hold her hostage to walk her through product and business descriptions she didn’t ask to hear! Because if they are a real friend and you ask nicely with no attachment to the outcome, likely they will listen and they may even have a referral for you!
Pet Peeve #2: The Forced Facebook Group
OMG, I can’t tell you how many product-pushing Facebook groups I’ve been added to without permission over the years. The truth is, I don’t mind being part of those groups – in fact, I want to support my friends who participate in direct sales.
But what I can’t stand is being added without consent. Why would I buy if you haven’t invited me to be part of your group or asked for an order?
There’s a simple solution: if you want to start a Facebook group, rather than blindly adding every person you’ve ever met, send them a message. Say something like, “Hey, Diane, I just want to let you know that I’m starting a group for my business and if you’d like to participate, click here to join. I didn’t want to automatically add you just in case you’re not interested in the products but I would love to have you follow me and the business…”
So much more respectful! And guess what? I’ll probably buy from that person.
Pet Peeve #3: The High-Pressure Consultant
Over the years, I’ve cultivated some great (and lasting!) friendships with consultants for other companies besides WineShop at Home. We’ve joined each other’s direct selling businesses here and there, and our friendships have survived for one key reason: none of us is attached to whether the other stays with the company.
If you’re in direct selling, you simply have to understand that not all businesses are for all people. If your friend joins your team but later realizes she’s not feeling that it’s a fit, let her go! Trying to force someone to stay will only harm your relationship.
Direct sales consultants can walk a fine line between providing their friends and family with great products and getting a little too pushy. If you can master that walk and you choose a company that really offers great products people WANT (hello, WineShop!), your business will do well, really well.
Are you thinking about joining a direct sales company? WineShop at Home might have just what you need. Click HERE to speak with me directly and find out if WineShop at Home is the company for you! HINT: if you like to earn wine and incentive trips, we’ll probably be a fit
Tiffany Royce says
Fantastic perspective. You do it well.