3 Follow Up Appointment Strategies for those Chronic Sales Call Cancellations

By Barb Girson

For those of you direct sales women and entrepreneurs who are unsure of when to change stride with your sales prospecting leads, here are three simple steps to take after the second or third sales cancellation.

1. Ask sincerely and directly: “Is this a time or scheduling issue or is it lack of interest?”
2. Give them permission to be honest with you. “I believe it will be beneficial to meet and take a look at what we have, however, if you are not equally committed to this meeting, please tell me.”
3. Wish well, and release. You deserve to be with those who value your time and respect what you are offering.

Do remember that there are times when the reason for a sales cancellation is valid such as an illness, an emergency, a death in the family and a conflict that cannot be avoided. In this case it is best to be understanding and empathic.  This is usually not the case, though, when canceling becomes repetitive or chronic.

My theory is that there are some people that would rather say “yes” and cancel than be direct.  Wouldn’t it be nice if we were forced to hear the cold, honest truth?

“My interest is simply too low” or “You have not captured my imagination about how what you offer can make a difference to my life or business.”

Sure, the truth can sting, but the dance around honesty can hurt us in an organizational and monetary context too.  After all, time is money!

Consider how every minute you waste setting appointments and hanging onto chronic sales cancellers means you rob yourself of precious time you could spend actually helping customers or other sales prospects, and in turn actually helping your business grow.

Invest in the clients who are worth your investment in time.

Lastly, if you allow them an opportunity to be honest, and they opt out, give them an invitation to return.  When prospects see that they can be truthful with you, yet still keep the door open if their needs, wants or situation changes, you thereby preserve the relationship while protecting your own energy.

Stamp out the chronic sales cancellation and continue to build your potential list for direct sales and sales professional opportunities, purposeful sales prospecting and setting follow up appointments.

Value your time, your enthusiasm, and push forward!

If you enjoyed this article and are looking for other business networking strategies, join Barb Girson in Network for New Work.  Too busy to attend a teleclass?  Sign up for our email newsletter for discounts on replays.

Download the PDF Version of Sales Cancellation Checklist – 3 Sales Tips

Other Related Articles:

Go, Grow, and Get Gusto To Reach Your Goals

Be a Recruiting Talent Scout – 3 Steps to Finding Your ACE’s

©2012 Barb Girson Original Work

Edited by Robyn Brooke

________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Barb Girson, International Direct Selling Industry expert, trainer and Registered Corporate Coach(TM), is a highly interactive, creative speaker & author offering professional skill development programs for workshops, leader retreats, and annual conventions & telecasts sales training programs. Custom programs /Coaching 1:1 available.

What Entrepreneurs and Direct Sales Women Can Do When Sales Leads Cancel

By Barb Girson

Most entrepreneurs, direct sales women who own and operate a business, or those specializing in sales have encountered the “chronic follow up sales call cancellation”.  Canceled sales calls can lead to distractions, discouragement, and even worse deter you from your goal, which is to increase your business revenue / home party sales.

Visualize this Networking Follow Up Scene

While attending networking events, you are sales prospecting and building rapport.  You are full of excitement about the people you meet and the opportunity to introduce them your business.

Using a direct sales lead’s or sales prospect’s business card—that you generated from a networking event—you follow up by calling them on the phone.  You exchange pleasantries and have a hunch this person might need or want your products and / or services.

By passing the initial qualifying test, you determine that they are ready to move onto the next step. During the follow up sales call, you set an appointment and a day or so later you send them an email.

Everything is going well until you are ready to go to the appointment when you receive “the call”.  Client, “Hello, Sue.  I have to cancel our appointment something’s come up.” Your sales prospect melts away to focus on something more pressing.

It happens.

You reschedule.

The situation repeats—once, twice or several times. The question I receive most often is
“When do you stop pursuing a prospect?” and “Why would this person(s) keep setting sales appointments, seem interested, and then cancel?”  These are reasonable questions.

All of my direct sales and corporate sales training and experience in setting follow up appointments has led me to believe there are times when direct sales women and entrepreneurs are more invested in meeting with the prospect than the prospect is in meeting with us.  The act of casually canceling is usually a good indicator that your interest in meeting this prospect exceeds their interest in meeting you.

A characteristic of coaching direct sales and corporate companies for women is dealing with sales cancellations and the beleaguering practice of hanging onto leads that seem hopeful.  I have experienced, and seen all too often, how both instances deter from the act of pursuing more productive sales opportunities.

For those of you who are asking the questions above, here’s my answer:

Do all that you can to protect yourself from discouragement by generating enough leads so that any one cancellation does not rob you of one of your most revenue-generating assets—your enthusiasm!  My personal sales policy when doing direct sales or running a home-based business was that if someone canceled on me without a valid reason three times, I politely removed them from my list.  Additionally, you can do this without burning bridges because we all know that people, situations and needs change.

This does not mean that you end communication with your sales prospecting lead.  Instead, set up a Chronic Follow Up Sales Cancellation Strategy.  Do not fret, I have put together a sales cancellation checklist for you to use.

Excited to generate leads and want to know the insider tips for avoiding those pesky chronic follow up sales call cancellations?  Join me (Barb Girson) for Network for New Work.

Download a PDF version of Chronic Follow Up Sales Cancellations

You might also appreciate these articles:

Follow Up Do’s and Don’ts – 2 Unforgettable Stories

Selling – The High-heeled Approach

I Left a Voice Mail – Why Don’t They Call Me Back?

©2012 Barb Girson Original Work All Rights Reserved

Edited by Robyn Brooke

________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Barb Girson, International Direct Selling Industry expert, trainer and Registered Corporate Coach(TM), is a highly interactive, creative speaker & author offering professional skill development programs for workshops, leader retreats, and annual conventions & telecasts sales training programs. Custom programs /Coaching 1:1 available.

As a loyal subscriber you can take advantage of featured exclusive pricing!

Coaching MP3 Downloads – Subscriber Special Save over $80!

Network for New Work - Replay

Learn strategies to build an effective network with potential and current prospects/clients by developing meaningful relationships with people to grow your business and your sales.

Get Details >>

Formats: Replay (MP3 Download)
Length: 280 Minutes of coaching/training (4) sessions
Target Audience: Entrepreneurs, Sales Professionals, Company Leaders, Direct Sales, Direct Sellers, Home Party Planners, Work At Home Moms, New Business Development Professionals, Direct Sales Leaders, Coaches, Speakers, Professional Organizers, Small Business Owners, Authors, Service Providers

Regular Price: $99.00

Price: $15.99

Sign up for our email newsletter list to receive exclusive subscriber offers and discounts!

These are tools that I use in my business and I think you will find them helpful in yours! Check back frequently for new products and services.  We test and try all listings before endorsing them.

Accounting

FRESHBOOKS - The fastest way to track time and invoice your clients. Great for teams, freelancers and service providers. [FREE ACCOUNT]

Data Backups

DROPBOX - Always have your files when you need it with Dropbox. 2GB account is free!

Email Marketing

CONSTANT CONTACT -  An email marketing tool to assists users of all technical levels with creating professional and high impact email newsletters, email promotions, email event invitations, online surveying and more!  Customize a pre-made design in minutes or create your own.  This service includes real-time response tracking, automated messaging, an extensive library of pre-made templates for every occasion, and more!  [FREE 60-day trial]

Promotional Material

VISTAPRINT – Is an online service that offers affordable business services for creating flyers, business cards, custom company shirts and more.

URL Shortening Service

TINYURL - Tired of those looooonnnnggg web addresses?  Do you need to simplify an email address?  Check out TinyURL!  It allows you to create a shortened version to add to your electronic communications.  [FREE ACCESS]

Web Hosting

HOSTGATOR - Hostgator is the provider that hosts my site. They are responsive and have helped me several times trouble shoot issues on my site and have been able to help me resolve the problems. Their service is reliable and their customer and technical support is excellent. Please use my affiliate link if you decide to use their service.

Disclaimer: Some of the links above may be affiliate links which provide a small compensation for referring others. All resources are ones that I personally use and recommend.

Receive My Award-Winning Sales Strategies eBook

Free to participants and subscribers.

Inside this eBook, you will find:

• Making Your Business Card Work Better
• Using Simple Follow Up Tips
• Branding Your Business Card
• Networking Planning Form
• And More!

Download eBook Now!

See Special Offer Below

________________________________________________________________

Exclusive Participant & Email Subscriber Offers

Unforgettable Follow Up – Self Study (Only $15.99 For a Limited Time)

Includes:

4 Audio replay (MP3) coaching sessions – 165 Minutes of coaching!
Radio Interview Audio (Mp3)
Radio Transcripts (14 pages)
Getting Ready Guide (19 pages) with:

• Where to start
• Sales tips/ Reasons to follow up
• Email template / Tracking form
• Suggested Follow Up Process
• Voicemail template

Learn how to improve your follow up skills and increase your sales.

Target Audience: Sales Professionals, Entrepreneurs, New Business Development Professionals, Company Leaders, Direct Sales Leaders, Coaches, Speakers, Professional Organizers, Small Business Owners, Authors, Service Providers, Direct Sellers, Home Party Plan Reps, Work At Home Moms

Regular: $99

Special: $15.99 (Over $80 Savings!)

Not an email subscriber but would like to take advantage of an exclusive offer? Join our email list with the sign up below.

By Barb Girson

To Sales / Business Networking Ninjas, networking is a way to utilize tools to reach and infiltrate other professionals, as well as a way to employ business pursuit tactics to generate new business.  In this context, business is a fierce match, and Networking Ninjas its players.

Business Networking Ninjas by trade meet multitudes of people.  During each said interaction, Ninjas make a habit of sharing what they do, what they have done and what they will do.  Business Networking Ninjas know this interaction is done on both the verbal and non-verbal scale.  While it is the verbal cues that often move optimistic encounters along, Sales Ninjas give the non-verbal cues that signal “Dismiss” or “next” as soon as one appears uninterested in your product or service. Business Networking Ninjas are ALL about the sale.  Sales Networking Ninjas never really get what networking is about.

Polished, professional and goal-oriented as a Ninja may be, the Ninja does however fall short of business perfection.  Can you guess why?

Outcome Obsession!

In the process of a Sales Ninja becoming connected to a potential outcome, the Ninja fails to connect to the actual person.  Whereas this rarely works at a speed-dating event, this practice will always be regrettable in business.  Fast and furious networking leads to futile networking!

So let’s get something straight:

If you compared networking to cooking, it’s a crock pot—not microwave. The main ingredients in the recipe to building strong business relationships are time, trust, and talking to one another.

To effectively network to build business relationships:

1. Steer clear of Business Networking Ninjas. They are not concerned with the effort it takes to foster a connection or relationship.
2. Understand that networking is the process and the purpose is to build mutually beneficial relationships.
3. Relationships develop with repeated conversations and shared experiences. Find those who have mutual interest.
4. Open your mind.  People can bring value and meaning to your business in limitless ways… Look beyond the traditional sale.  Forgo the pursuit of networking for the immediate outcome and when it occurs, be delighted.

To learn how to handle the 3 most common concerns that women entrepreneurs, small business owners, and sales professionals encounter when networking visit: How to conquer the 3 most networking concerns – pushy, perfection-possibly-no

To learn the art and science of networking to build relationships and generate leads register for Network for New Work.

©2012 Barb Girson Original Work

Edited by Robyn Brooke

[Download PDF Version of Are you a Business Networking Ninja? - 4 Ways to Effectively Network to Build Business Relationships]

Sign Up For Live, Replay or Both

Join Us Today!

________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Barb Girson, International Direct Selling Industry expert, trainer and Registered Corporate Coach(TM), is a highly interactive, creative speaker & author offering professional skill development programs for workshops, leader retreats, and annual conventions & telecasts sales training programs. Custom programs /Coaching 1:1 available.

Exclusive Participant & Email Subscriber Offers

My Marketing & Sales Skills Development Guide and Action Planner

Gain the advertising and revenue generating insight you need to succeed.  This guide covers Barb Girson’s best met strategies to guide you in building your business.

• Sales Skills Review
• Marketing & Sales Tools Inventory
• Monthly Priority Planner
• Formula to Figure Out Your Annual Target Income and Hourly Rate

Get Details >>

Formats: Ebook (PDF)
Target Audience: For Sales Professionals, Entrepreneurs, Business Owners, Coaches, Authors, Technical Writers, Speakers, Professional Organizers, Marketers, Service Providers etc.

Regular: $29.99

Special: $9.99 ($20 Savings!)

Not an email subscriber but would like to take advantage of an exclusive offer?  Join our email list with the sign up below.

By Barb Girson

With the professionals that I coach, a challenge that often arises is, “I don’t have enough time,” or “if only I had more time.” We all feel it.   We all know it.  We are living in a state of feeling time deprivation.  

The reality, however, is that when we identify what is most important to us—and earnestly set priorities—we do find time for what is important to us.  In light of the New Year, let us be reminded that we can all benefit by reevaluating our time management.   Let’s create structure around these goals.  We must commit to O.W.N. it!

O.W.N. Defined:

·         O – Own your outlook and offer your time selectively

·         W – Work your Plan (annual, monthly, weekly, daily)

·         N – No, know and now

Here are 10 points to help you make time your O.W.N:

1. Own Your Outlook Of Time.

Jan Choze, In her book, “How To Train A Wild Elephant” succinctly states, “When we are in the present moment, there is plenty of time.”  This quote underlines the fact that when we reform our outlook, habits, and practices, there can truly be plenty of time.

2. Own Your One-On-One Time. 

Be mindful of who receives the gift of your personal attention. Your success will directly correspond to how you ultimately spend your time and focused attention.

Meeting prospects and team members for lunch and working individually is one way to build deeper relationships and connections with your team and/or colleagues.   This process is vital to building a strong organization.

Determine which activities can be handled in a group environment and which ones require your personal attention.

“Money, I can only gain or lose. But time I can only lose. So, I must spend it carefully.”
-Source Unknown

3. Work Your Plan – (Annual, Monthly, Weekly, Daily).

The start of the year is the ideal time to create your annual goals.

Break down your goals to determine what it is you want to accomplish.  Make these goals attainable by adding traceable goal dates.  Plot out your desired progress on monthly charting tools.

Break down monthly goals into weekly steps.  A weekly plan will help you visualize where you will use time and when you will take time off. Refine this list daily, so that you wake up ready to go.

We hear this advice often, however, I am still amazed with how often I witness neglect for the planning part of the process. Map out your journey.  The very act of transferring a goal from your mind onto paper makes it concrete and tangible at once.

“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.”

- Leanard Bernstein

“Not enough time means choices.”

- Barb Girson

4.  Work With Routines.

Recognize the value of setting up routines. Routines will set you free because once they are established, they require less thinking to implement.  Identify the actions that lead to your desired results.  Create new rituals and apply discipline.  Schedule days in and days out of the home office.

·         Monday – Booking personal business

·         Tuesday – Taking care of your sales team

·         Wednesday – Way from home work

·         Thursday – Thirsty to grow – Future Leader

·         Friday  - Networking for new leads

5.  Work With Phone Appointments.

Ever since I began setting scheduled phone appointments, the quality level and effectiveness of my calls have gone up while my levels of frustration and stress have gone down.  The difference in my previous approach to my new one is not subtle!  Now I rarely speak on the phone without a scheduled appointment. This saves both parties from the time vacuum of playing phone tag.  Treat the phone as you would a live meeting, and watch as this time becomes steadily more productive.

6. Work With Scheduling Appointments For Yourself.

Whatever you wish to get done, make an appointment. When you honor the appointments you make with yourself, you build self-trust. You start believing in yourself and therefore your goals become achievable. This simple, organic process builds self-efficacy. Give each task a time slot.

7. Work With Taking Time-Off, Too.

Schedule your time off from work at least two nights per week.  Arrange your relaxation time around the completion of your work each day.  To preserve your sanity, preserve just a little bit of unscheduled time each work day.

8. No Is Necessary!

Decide when t to say “No” and then let it go.

Recently I was with a coaching client and listened to her talk about how this year was going to be her year to grow. She put forth a very aggressive plan with specific targets to achieve.  The only area she had not carefully considered is what will give in her already full life. She is a devoted Mom with two children and is involved in her their activities.

After considering the goals, she set to improve upon her system and the needs of her children.  She decided to ‘sitter up‘.  In other words, she decided that she could afford to have a babysitter around a little more so that she could pursue on some of her big potential clients.  This decision came after considering that her children are now independent enough that she could take this step.

My client described the joy in finally accepting the fact that she is not Superwoman and does not need to keep saying, “yes” to more and more demands, only to lie awake at night ruminating over how to get it all done.

We are all super women… but we are not Superwoman.  See the difference? It is just not necessary.

9. Know How To Say NO

Be vigilant and honor boundaries you set for yourself:

Here are some handy phrases to assist you when it is time to say, “NO”:

• I cannot do that, however here is what I can do.
• I am sorry, I am full this week, month, year…
•  Although I cannot take on this project, request, et cetera, I may know someone who can… *Referrals are great way to keep this exchange positive for all relevant parties, and a great way to expand networking circles of services.
• Let me check my calendar and get back to you…

 10. Do It Now

Take time now to learn technology tools that will help to save you time in the future. 

For me, mastering Gmail and Google Calendars to the fullest has saved me heaps of time. 

In closing, I am reminded of a quote from a mentor of mine, Joe Hara, the former President of Tupperware Inc. “What we do right now will have a great impact on where we will be tomorrow.” Make time your O.W.N. and do it now!  This will truly create excitement and achievement for the year ahead. 

O.W.N. Your Time – Learn more of Barb Girson’s

time-saving strategies by attending the

Googlize Your Time and Your Team

© 2012 Barb Girson Original Work

Edited by Robin Brooke

Related Article: HGooglize To Save You Time and Money – List of 18 Benefits

[Download PDF Version of Make Your Time Your O.W.N.]

Sign Up For Live, Replay or Both

Join Us Today!

________________________________________________________________

About The Author

Barb Girson, International Direct Selling Industry expert, trainer and Registered Corporate Coach(TM), is a highly interactive, creative speaker & author offering professional skill development programs for workshops, leader retreats, and annual conventions & telecasts sales training programs. Custom programs /Coaching 1:1 available.

Before you close your doors for the holidays, ask yourself if you have successfully considered your client or customer needs?

Many professionals, entrepreneurs and service providers close down shop during the latter part of December.  The need to have down time is real, so it seems as though the holidays are a perfect time to check out.

While rest and recovery are important and needed, there are ways to reduce your hours, enjoy the holidays and ensure clients who have time and money to spend now can get a response.

It is sometimes a little frustrating to receive those ‘closed for the duration’ notes as part of classic, holiday customer service.  After trying to reach a potential vendor to possibly enroll in training program for early next year, my efforts landed in the automated reply.  As I groaned to the festive tune of, “UGHHHHHH! Where are they when we need them?!,”  this message reminded me how your clients might appreciate it if you are among the minority of business owners, companies, or entrepreneurs operating in between the holidays.

The email said:

“Our company offices will be closed Dec 16th – Jan 8, 2012. I will return on January 9th and all emails will be answered at that time.
In case of an emergency please call ???/???/???? and someone will get back to you as soon as we can.
My best,”

In addition, a professional colleague sent me this:

“Good morning All:
As this year draws to a close, I wanted to let you know the our office schedule for the balance of this year.  Our office will be open until Friday, December 23.  Our office will be closed beginning December 24 and will reopen January 3, 2012.  I will begin my winter holiday on December 21 and return January 4.”

While it’s true that one of the advantages of being a business owner is the ability to set his/her own schedule, let’s not forget that the end of the year can be a prime time to take client calls and cover emails.

There must be others like me who use holiday down time after Christmas and before New Year’s to finish evaluating the previous year’s business. On a personal note, I happen to have a track record of making some of my most significant decisions and/or purchases during this season.  In the past, I’ve done some of my greatest investing in training, professional conferences, and advertising at this time.  During one holiday ‘shutdown’ season, I even purchased a house on December 31st!  Consequently,  I am grateful to those who have will answer their phone this time of the year.

One professional on my team who remains accessible during the holiday season is my accountant—and thank goodness for that.
The last few years my accountant has strategically advised me to take some time both anticipating  goods and services for the upcoming year and to purchase before the year-end as tax-saving strategy.  “Spend wisely”, he said as he illustrated the tax benefits.  This process has been refined over time.
Some of the categories that you can still easily purchase before year-end are:

• Business supplies
• Technology tools/equipment
• Professional development training and coaching
• Organizations and professional memberships and associations
• Conference registrations and travel (airline tickets, prepay hotel rooms)
• Business promotional items
• Advertising and marketing expenditures

And speaking of another winding year, here are a few year-end rituals to put on your checklist (if you have not already done so):

1. Call to your accountant for a year to date business review
2. Review of current year’s expenses
3. Evaluate of what is working and not working
4. Determine if any planned expenditures would be more beneficial in the current year or the next year
5. Consider having someone cover email and phone matters, even  if it can only be done for limited hours between Christmas and New Year’s. (Limited access still affords you and your team the downtime.)

Tactics to position the New Year for growth and success:

• Make sure when you close for the holidays — check in with your clients first.
• Be aware of who has money to use or loose due their annual budgeting process. (Who has money to spend  to save on current year taxes or who is waiting for the New Year to buy your products and services?)

Once you have considered these steps, you are ready to close your doors until the New Year.

As for me?  Of course I am taking some time off… but my time sensitive messages and e-mails will not go neglected.

Barb Girson 2011 © Original Work

Edited by Robyn Brooke

Join My Ezine List

[Download the PDF Version of Before You Close Your Doors for the Holidays - 5 Year-End Rituals]

Join me for exciting entrepreneur sales circle strategies.

Other articles on this topic:

‘Tis the Season for Family, Friends, & Follow Up – 10 Timely Tips by Barb Girson

________________________________________________________________

Special Limited Time Offers

Sign Up for Our Ezine and Receive Discounts off of Featured Products!

Share Your G.I.F.T.S. & Grow™

Gain confidence and attract the right recruits for your team. Learn to offer your gifts to build a strong organization. Get recruiting word choices and tactics to help you consistently sponsor with a system.

Get Details >>

Formats: Select Live, Replay (MP3 Download) or Both
Length: 280 Minutes of coaching/training (4) sessions
Target Audience: Entrepreneurs, Sales Professionals, Company Leaders, Direct Sales Leaders, Team Builders, Home Party Plan Recruiters, Direct Selling Independent Consultants


Price: $99.00

My Marketing & Sales Skills Development Guide and Action Planner™

Barb Girson of My Sales Tactics offers her insight into building your revenue in this e-Book.

Use this guide to layout your marketing & sales plan for upcoming events.Become a ezine subscriber for a discount on this product.

Get exercises, information, checklists and forms to help you create your own sales and marketing development plan including a:

• Sales Skills Review
• Marketing & Sales Tools Inventory
• Monthly Priority Planner
• Formula to Figure Out Your Annual Target Income and Hourly Rate

Plus .... Sales Tips To Build Your Confidence and more!

Get Details >>
Price: $29.99

________________________________________________________________

Permission to reprint this article is granted with inclusion of “About the Author, contact information, & active web site link”.

Tags: motivational, motivation, Home-based business, party plan, direct selling, new year’s goals, success in new year, time management, direct selling

Ready to get off to a successful start in the New Year? Read my motivational tips, and I think you will be glad you did.
After my first January when my home party-plan business had a disappointing start, I have learned how to bridge the excitement of the holiday season with the launch of a successful New Year, so the momentum of the November and December is carried into a successful January and February. Over the years, I have refined these simple time-tested tips and January became a great launching pad for the success.

1. So Goes January Goes The Year!

It often is said, “So Goes January, Goes The Year!” Each New Year is filled with promise and a renewed hope that this year will be a defining year; this year we will make monumental changes to improve life for our families and ourselves. Select a motto and follow these tips to begin making your motto come true. For example:

• It’s the Year To Invest in My Career!
• Book more your business will soar
• It’s a new year make, proceed without fear
• New year, make success appear
• Find your Zen, if not  now; then when?
• Create your own…

By challenging yourself to book twice as many parties in January and February as you want to hold each of the other months. Make your personal booking goal to BOOK EIGHT and feel great to launch the year. Fill your planner with parties before you return from your holiday break (or shortly after returning. Book extra and you will feel terrific. Determine and implement a few new consistent steps to improve your success in the New Year.

2.  Set Your Annual Targets!

Figure your sales target that you need/want to achieve monthly. Break your goal into how many parties it will take monthly by dividing your sales goal by your party average to get a number of parties you need to hold each month. Build a cushion. When you book extra you will feel that much more terrific!

3.  Get Ready For Success!

Set up a planning day in the next two weeks. If possible, find a business buddy and work together. (I have an annual planning day sometime after Christmas and before mid-January.) For years, a business buddy and I would get ready for success on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Our spouses would watch football, and munch on the typical game day food. Our children would play. We would dream, plan and prepare.

• What can you do in advance to be ready for success?
• Make up your Hostess folders.
• Label all collateral materials with your contact information.
• Make your call list.
• Prepare for a mailing.
• Clean up your Kit!
• Purge items that you no longer need in your office.
• Organize your files. Set up your file folders for the year.

4.  Use Strategic Bonus Incentives

Reward those who help you launch your New Year. Make sure all of your previous Customers and Hostesses know what is offered to launch the year. Do not duplicate what your company offers! However you can fill in any gaps, at your expense.
You might offer a personal incentive for:

• Filling the soonest dates you want to work.
• Pursuing repeat business.
• Call back past Customers and encourage them to gather friends and family. You bring your service to them. The guests will appreciate an event to look forward to after the holidays are over.
• Encourage multiple purchases.
• Suggest that your Customers stock up on items for upcoming gift-giving occasions. (Valentines Day, Easter, Birthdays)
• Retaining the biggest spenders from last year.
• Call back everyone who spent over the amount of your average customer order last year. Offer an incentive for placing another order before the 15Th of month.
• Does the telephone ever get heavy? Do you experience call reluctance? To help you get in the right mind set as you dial the phone, you can silently sing, “Hey big spender, spend a little time with me…at a home party.” This is a fun way to imagine success and have your voice convey your fun, upbeat attitude.

5. Have a System for Your Success.

Develop a systematic approach to your business which when followed consistently produces consistent results. Follow these Five Alive Tips and you will be ready for this to be your year to make monumental changes and move your business forward.
You will also be glad when the old adage proves true for you. “So Goes January Goes The Year!”

Barb Girson Original Work

©2011 All Rights Reserved

Join My Ezine List

[Download the PDF Version of Success Checklist - 5 Alive Tips for the New Year]

Other articles on this topic:

My New Year’s 2 Steps to Success

________________________________________________________________

Permission to reprint this article is granted with inclusion of “About the Author, contact information, & active web site link”.