If you are launching a new direct selling company, you may be contemplating the use of a pilot program and/or a pre-launch, before you launch your company. A pre-launch is also called a soft launch. Pilot Programs A pilot program is a group of activities planned as a test or a trial of a business…
What About Sales Tax?
If you’re launching a new direct selling company, you should be asking this question! Collection and Remittance Most businesses register for sales tax collection authority, collect sales taxes, and remit collected taxes only in the states where the business has a physical presence (a store, an office, or a warehouse). However, direct selling companies are…
Retention Rules
Retention starts with recruiting. If your company isn’t recruiting new representatives, your business will grow smaller. Retention is just as important as recruiting. Retention is keeping your recruited representatives active in the business as long as possible. The impact of retention is huge. Do you know the average rate of retention of direct selling companies?
What Do Investors Want?
If you have a great idea for a new business, you may need some financial help to get your business off the ground. To get funding, you should think of yourself as a salesperson with potential investors as your customers. The best salespeople believe it’s smart to get to know your customers. If you are…
Business Partner Decisions
“I chose the wrong person.” “We didn’t share the same expectations.” “It turned out that our ethics were very different.” Just like marriages, business relationships can break apart for fundamental reasons. Whether you’re in search of new business partners or you’re already hooked up, there are smart things you can do now to strengthen these…
A Recipe for Successful Team Conference Calls
Like a cake, the secret for a successful team conference call depends on the right mix of ingredients. Whether the call is to be held by the company with its top leaders, or by a leader with her team, our recipe works for both. 1. Start on Time with a Roll Call When you start…
The Answer: Why Simple Compensation Plans Don’t Work
In this five-minute video, Jay Leisner will show you what’s wrong with simple plans and what your compensation plan must do to motivate and reward the right behaviors. This content was presented in Dallas, Texas at the Direct Selling Association’s “Be Connected Conference” on Thursday, December 4, 2014. Learn more about the 12…
Why You Should Invest In Yourself
If you are building or growing a direct selling company, your success in business depends on what you know. The smartest business leaders are always students. They never stop learning. If you want your sales force to understand the importance of continuing education, your sales leaders need to show them by example. Who shows your…
Silly Reasons Not To Have A Business Plan
One of the topics I discuss with my clients and prospective clients is the importance of a direct selling business plan. When I bring this subject up, I hear some very interesting reasons why they don’t bother to write one. What Are Your Company’s Reasons? This video will explain why some businesses don’t write a…
Important: Don’t Miss The Direct Selling Edge Conference Webinar
If you have or will have a direct selling, network marketing, party plan, social selling, or affiliate marketing company, you should register today for our Direct Selling Edge Conference Webinar. This is an industry event for new and established direct selling company owners and employees to learn how to better operate their businesses. At one…
Direct Sales Tales That Teach
Over the years that I’ve worked to improve party plan and network marketing companies, I’ve seen the results of mistakes made by others with good intentions. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Learn from the mistakes of others. You can’t live long enough to make them all yourself.” I agree. There is wisdom to be learned from the…
Where Do Leaders Come From?
WHAT IS A LEADER? In general terms, a leader is a person who has personally enrolled “so many” others and who is active in the business by meeting or exceeding the minimum personal and group volume requirements of the company’s compensation plan. It would be great if everyone who joined a direct selling company became…