How to Succeed at Direct Sales

Once upon a time, people who wanted to succeed at direct sales went door to door, worked "contact lists" full of family and friends, and ran parties in order to make their sales. Some people got lucky and went on to become sales superstars. Other people found this method extremely ineffective and struggled on, never quite reaching their dreams of wealth and freedom. Still others eventually quit, declaring all direct sales a "scam."



It's a sad truth-sales are hard. Direct sales aren't any easier just because you are the boss. In fact, you might find that those other bosses: paying your rent and feeding your family-are harsher taskmasters than anyone working with you in an office building. There's also the rejection, and rejection can be very difficult. People don't always respect salespeople or treat them well, which is also very difficult. The psychological side of sales; the fear and the rejection-often drive otherwise talented people away from a direct sales career.



Fortunately the playing field has changed quite a bit. The Internet has made it possible for people who do their job right to enjoy high levels of sales without once contacting their mother or their hair dresser. You don't have to run parties unless you want to and you don't have to pursue anybody at all. The new way to succeed in direct sales involves arranging matters so that potential customers call you. You just have to pick up the phone, talk to them, and walk them to what they want.



Does this sound like an impossible fairy tale? Not if you redefine your job description and adjust your worldview. The Internet is a place where people go to find answers to their problems. If you adjust your worldview so that you are educating them about those answers and making yourself available, you shift from being a "salesperson" to an educator, or an expert. The information you offer is free, because the solution they want isn't. The information you offer is free, because it establishes trust, and brings down the walls that live between salespeople and their prospects. The information also serves as a filter. The people who call you already like you, your solution, and what you have to offer.



There's an easy, free way to do all of this. You don't have to pay mountains of money for Google Adwords or expensive graphical banner ads. Instead, you need to set yourself up with a regular place to offer up information. A website with a blog will do nicely. Then you need to create a Facebook Page and begin forming relationships through social media. As you offer information on your blog, post the links on your Facebook Page. You will also post other interesting links, build up your fellow brothers and sisters in non-competing direct sales, and just talk to people about their interests, needs, desires, and problems. When you are the solution they will come to you. When someone else is, they'll appreciate how you pointed that out to them.



You will never come across as sales-y, because sales won't be your job anymore. Even if you still make your money on sales. Even if your company still calls it a Direct Sales company. Your mindset will have shifted and so will the way other people react to you. When that happens, you will begin to enjoy the success that you've been dreaming of. And who knows? Your mother might even call to buy something from you after all, not because it's a pity sale, but because she's seen the education you've given online and feels you offer her the right solution, too.