10 Ways to Kick-Start Your New Direct Sales Business

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You’ve searched long and hard and finally found a direct sales company you want to build a business around. So you signed up as a new consultant, got your starter kit, and you’re ready to go. Now what? You need to get busy, get some sales and some bookings to build your momentum! Here are 10 things you can do right away to get your new business off to a great start.

1. Order business cards. If the company you’ve chosen doesn’t provide them, order from a local printer or VistaPrint, but don’t neglect this important marketing tool. Once you have your cards in hand, pass them out everywhere you go. There’s a reason people have been using business cards for decades: they work!

2. Create a flyer. Include a product highlight or an offer for a free catalog, along with your phone number, email and website address. Print a bunch or have them copied onto colorful paper and post them everywhere you can. Many businesses around your town will have bulletin boards for this very purpose. Make the most of them and get the word out.

3. Buy a plain muslin tote and applique paper for your printer and create your own personalized tote. Or have one made. Be sure your logo is big and your website address is included. Then fill it with catalogs, brochures, samples and order forms and carry it everywhere you go.

4. Does your company offer a fundraising program? Then call your local PTA, clubs, churches and other groups who could use your services. You could become known as the fundraising gal and make a business just doing fundraisers! If your company doesn’t have a fundraising program, create your own. Offer a discount so groups can make a profit, design a flyer outlining the program and get busy making those calls.

5. If you’ll be doing home parties, create a list of everyone you know and book as many parties as you can during the first three weeks. Call family, friends, neighbors, teachers, co-workers and anyone you “used to know.” Offer an added incentive to anyone who books one of your first shows.

6. Ask for referrals. Ask every one of those people you called to book a party if they can refer three people who may be interested in doing the same. Assure them you’ll treat those names and phone numbers like gold and not SPAM or abuse the contact. Then begin to call your referral list and offer the same booking incentive to each of them. You should be well on your way to a full calendar by now!

7. Join a local business leads or networking group (or start your own). These groups only allow one representative from each industry, so any referrals for what you sell would be directed to you. Read up on business networking to make the most of your efforts. Finding the right group can give your business a huge boost in sales almost immediately.

8. Send out a press release. If you can’t write a professional release, hire a writer to do it for you. It needs to be well-written, not a sales letter, and it needs to address a unique aspect of your business. Done properly, a press release can generate a tremendous amount of free publicity for your new business so it’s worth the effort and small cost it may require.

9. Write an article (or two) about your industry and submit it to article directories, ezine publishers, print newsletters, your local newspaper, and webmasters. Be sure to make it entertaining and informative so readers will want to learn more from you. Include a link to your website or a contact email address at the bottom and add a free offer to generate the greatest response.

10. Create goodie bags to hand out to people you meet. Place a business card, coupon, sample product, brochure, piece of candy and anything else you think will work inside a zipper bag. Place a label on the front with full contact information and hand them out all over town.

Use your creativity and the excitement you feel when your business is new to generate quick sales and your business will start growing immediately. That, in turn, will add more excitement, which will bring in more business. You’ll be a successful direct sales business owner before you know it!

Tags: Direct Sales Marketing, direct sales tips, home party plan tips, success in direct sales