Plan B is the new Plan A for many Americans
Historically, a full time job has been Plan A for the average middle class individual. However, the 2009 economic downturn has impacted two groups of people to rethink their strategies. First, the core working population has realized that they have been or may be the next layoff in corporate America. Second, the baby boomers and retirees have watched the value of their retirement plans, retirement savings and 401(k)’s evaporate by as much as 50 percent. Economic commentators have risen the new plausible retirement age to 75, rather than 65.
As America’s workers look for an alternative to Plan A, major newspaper and magazine articles have tracked tens of thousands of people looking into another option, Plan B: the Direct Selling/Network Marketing option. As noted by individuals who sign up with Direct Selling companies, “Since it is not a job, I can’t get fired.” To paraphrase Legally Blonde’s “pink is the new black”, Plan B is the new Plan A.
The 2009 Game Plan for the Direct Selling Option
Direct Selling companies and their distributors are seizing the moment. Giants of the industry, such as Avon or Amway, have spent millions on branding and recruitment, and expect to sign up hundreds of thousands of new consultants. They have proclaimed that 2009 is their year. And they were right….2009 was the year for many Direct Selling companies to “flaunt” their opportunities. Even, for the first time, the 2009 Super Bowl witnessed ad promotion from Avon, which interestingly, industry experts noted appealed to both men and women. And industry numbers are impressive, with more than 60 million individuals achieving global sales in excess of $100 million in approximately 170 countries.
Get Ready…..Get Set…..
So are you ready for Plan B, the Direct Selling option? Here are some important qualities to bring to this opportunity:
- Meet people. This is a people business. To be successful in direct selling, you have to let your hair down and mix it up with other people. The only way you’ll make sales or find recruits for your sales organization is to get out there and rub shoulders.
- Believe in your products. If you don’t use the goods or services your company offers, and you don’t sincerely believe that you’re doing people a service by offering these items to them, it will show up in your sales. You need to be the type of person who can get enthused about sharing good things with others.
- Be patient. Direct selling is like any other activity. You have to give it time. When you find a good company, you should give your new business at least two years to succeed.
- Attend company training programs. Most companies have high-quality training programs to teach you to sell the products and to recruit new distributors. If you want to be successful in this business, you must be willing to take advantage of ongoing training opportunities and incorporate what you learn in your daily operations.
- Work with your sponsor, and work with those you sponsor. A Direct Selling sales organization is very much like a family. When you first join a company, you are like a child who should be anxious to learn the ropes from the person who sponsored you. As you learn and gain experience, you should actively work with the distributors you sponsor, and help them do the same for the people they sponsor. The more success they achieve, the more success you will achieve.
- Think positive. Remember, this isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. There will be hard work. There will be rejection. If it takes ten presentations to make one sale, you’ll have to wade through nine rejections. If you’re the type of person who can maintain a positive attitude, you’ll have an advantage in direct selling.
- Get organized. This is a business. To succeed, you must be the type of person who can get down to business by being organized and methodical. Make good use of time planners, calendars and your smart phone apps. Use your home computer for tracking customers and recruits. Set aside a place in your home that is only for business.
- Be loyal. Don’t become a “multi-level junkie!” Don’t bounce from one direct selling program to another, which is a prescription for failure. The most successful distributors are those who focus on promoting the products or services of a single direct selling company over a long period of time. Find the right company and then stick with it. Loyalty pays.
- Work! Direct selling is not a quick, easy path to a lifetime of prosperity. Nor is it a free ride to wealth that requires absolutely no effort on your part. It doesn’t work that way. In fact, it doesn’t work at all unless you do! You have to devote time and effort to it, especially at first. It can bring huge rewards.
So, good luck with your Plan B. It may be the new Plan A.
You may find these articles helpful: “MLM Recruiting and Communication” and “MLM Recruiting and Leads Resources.” The video Recruiting Advice from an Industry Expert offers additional information on being a successful recruiter.
