How to not make money in direct sales

If you do not put on your big boss pants & own it, you will be losing money in no time. I will most likely not even hit on all the ways, however these are the top ways I see people losing money regularly.

I'm sharing the ooops I did that, what I've seen so many others do, and well what most people just won't talk about in this blog post. What I've discovered is it's a live and learn, no doubt we will still make mistakes however we can learn from them and then tell others not to do the same as that fits perfect with my moto:

We change the world when we change ourselves,
then tell some friends, and then change our community...and it grows from there!

#SpreadLoveNotToxins

As you read thru these, step back and look at it from the perspective which you own a cute boutique on a tree lined street. Would you still be doing these things and be able to pay rent and yourself?

1. Putting in a bulk order and then not charging guests for shipping & taxes. You think you are helping them but you are losing money by paying for their shipping & taxes.

Depending on how your company's website is set up, you need to watch to not give away your discount as well. Grab the pen & paper, maybe even the calculator and figure out the math. Do not short yourself just to get a "sale", you are degrading your own value!

Plus who wants to wait on an order, in today's instant satisfaction culture many will lose the excitement & interest the longer they have to wait.

Side note: you could have liability issues if something arises with a customer (allergic reaction, etc) because they didn't purchase thru the company (aka you didn't put their order under their name) the liability could fall back on you.

2. Give away your discount. You signed up for that perk. If someone else wants the discount they are fully capable of signing up for the discount themselves.

A great example of this can be offering Free Shipping...that cuts into your profits!

Remember those big boss pants, own it like a business & you want your business to be profitable.

3. Carrying inventory. If the company is set up that way, run away! Despite all the talk most the time your customers will be wanting to buy items you do not use regularly or like yourself. Funny not funny but it's so true!

Plus then you do not have to clutter up your house with products you stress about trying to sell. When you are stressed out it is no longer fun. When it's not fun, it's not worth doing and most likely you will not do anything.

4. Never talking about the products.

Think about it ...

...you post about that coffee or smoothie because you loved it.

...you're kids are having a fundraiser & you share that flyer everywhere.

...you took a photo with you wearing Nike, Birkenstocks, Stanley cup, etc.

...you posted pictures of your vacation or staycation with your favorite memories.

If you can talk about any of those and a slew of other things, there's no reason you can't talk about products you are using daily!

You do not even need to vomit about them daily in order to still add that extra $50, $100, or $400 to your bank account each month. Educate and entertain to build relationships to then be able to provide solutions, guidance, and insider tips.

5. Trying to talk about every product the company offers and that everyone needs it. Find your top 5 to 7 products which you use & love, talk about them as if you aren't even selling them. When you are confident in talking about the products which have made an impact on your life it becomes easier to make recommendations to others.

Tell your experiences, here's a few starting points:

What problem did the product solve for you?
What improvements have you experienced since using the product?
How, when, or where are you using the products?

Then when you get a question about a product you are not familiar with, reach out to your leader as they most likely can share insight. Plus that's what they are there for, utilize them! {see #7}

6. Never believing you are worthy of earning extra income. Most of the above scenarios happen because we having giving hearts and we aren't trained in receiving.

A great quote from Mother Teresa: "It takes a checkbook to change the world." Now go out there and fill up your checkbook so that you can make an even greater impact on this world than you already are!

7. Not asking! Literally for anything! This is a struggle for women as we are providers, problem solvers, and givers. Practice asking even with little things so that it becomes natural when you need to ask for bigger things.

Your sponsor or leader is not responsible for your success or failure. We are adults and have to take responsibility for what we want out of the journey. As you go to work, your supervisor is not doing your job for you they are there for support & guidance be sure to ASK all your questions.

Inaction breeds doubt and free; Action breeds Confidence and Courage. Practice, then practice some more.

The American Dream is still based on being a small business owner, perhaps that business looks different now than it did 10, 50, or 100 years ago. The beauty of direct sales is the low overhead, flexibility, and built in support system. Embrace the offerings & utilize the ones which fit in with wherever you are at in your journey.

Pursue something you are passionate about, make money doing it, and live your life the way you want to live it! In true transparency, many times direct sales is just a stepping stone in discovering a true passion and getting the building blocks to transform into a another business journey.

Where will your journey take you?

If you found any of these helpful pass it along to friends or share on social, use #CocktailDiet or tag me!

April Carnahan

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Advice for small business owners