Direct sellers are the unsung heroes of the e-retail and e-commerce industries. Times are changing and the direct selling industry is reaching new heights every day. The year 2020 alone saw a huge spike in the number of new direct sellers starting their India careers. Direct selling is where you sell products directly to the customers in a non-retail environment by eliminating intermediaries’ need. Here are some direct selling pro tips that will help make things more streamlined for you as a direct seller.
1. Do Your Homework
Market research, legwork, and getting your know-how are important aspects of every professional endeavour, but getting started in sales requires copious amounts of homework on your part. Without studying the market and identifying its pain points, there is no chance you will succeed. Direct selling is not black and white as they make it seem. It is not simply just knocking on doors or making calls to potential buyers. The market has evolved immensely, and you will be at a loss following age-old tactics. Knowing what the market demands, identifying the supply-chain logistics, and bridging that gap is how you make a sizeable impact. Gone are the days when sweet-talking could land you a big sale. Address the consumer’s needs, and you can be sure of making good progress.
2. Only Pick Products That You Believe In
When you can vouch for something you are selling, your sales pitch will sound ten times more convincing. Promoting or selling the products that you would use or can 100% get behind should be the ones you should be marketing. Nobody wants to buy something that the seller clearly has no interest in. Your personal experience with a product can go a long way towards making the consumer believe in its worth. So, back the products that are worth their salt and offer the consumers exactly what they seek.
3. Be a Team Player
A direct seller must be a good team player because building your team up and accessing more fronts is always preferable to going at it yourself. Teamwork pays more in the long run while you cover more ground. A good team with a common mindset and goal can help you achieve the easy numbers you aim for. Direct sellers need to invest more time managing their teams and delegating the right tasks to the right people. Identifying the strengths of different individuals in your team and assigning roles based on skill levels and experience is a sure-fire way of winning the market.
4. Network, Network, Network
The most popular adage in real estate – ‘Only one thing matters – location, location and location’ – talks about the most important thing in that field. The same goes for direct selling; only one thing really matters for growth – networking, networking, and networking. Gaining traction amongst groups of active people in the target community is your best way in. Every person can be a potential client, and if not, every new person you meet could lead you to a host of new clients. Socialising is becoming a lost art, and as a direct seller, you must bring your A-game if you want to make the biggest impact in your social circles. Simply showcasing the opportunities that you bring to the table can get most people interested. Networking is your best bet as a direct seller.
5. Follow the Footsteps of Your Heroes
Every direct seller needs a mentor, and following in your idols’ footsteps is a positive approach you could benefit from. Warren Buffet once famously said, ‘I always knew I was going to be rich. I don’t think I ever doubted it for a minute.’ The world’s most successful men teach us the best lessons; they teach us that there is no substitute for hard work. The most determined and most persevering ones will taste true success. Wise words from our heroes can give us a sense of belief, and every direct seller needs that from time to time to keep the eyes on the prize.
6. Be More Actionable
Words mean nothing if actions do not back them. Thoughts and ideas come to fruition only through action. Having a game plan ready and scheduling meeting with clients on a regular basis is important. It would be best if you always kept busy by finding that next sale, that next opportunity. Making early inroads in a dense market can get you in the driver’s seat. Approaching clients with a positive mindset and confidently pitching your product are things you need to implement on a daily basis successfully. This is only possible if you strategise and execute based on a set plan rather than going with the flow.
7. If-Then Planning
In sales, there is always the possibility of a big sale coming through at any time. The onus is on you, as the direct seller, to be prepared for such a circumstance. The method of ‘If-Then Planning’ comes in handy during such a situation. It could be something small like ‘If you close a sale by 4 PM, you make at least five more calls than usual the same day’. A bigger manifestation of this method is ‘If you reach your monthly numbers in 20 days, your new target for the next month shall be 1.5x your current target’. This method is guaranteed to boost your performance, and it keeps you motivated throughout.
8. Always Be Closing
The most important rule of direct selling is ABC – Always Be Closing. Never forget your primary goal – selling products. So, when you meet someone or socialise amongst your network, don’t forget to mention your business. Every place can be a place of business if you play your cards right. By checking the crowd’s pulse and finding the right environment, you can convert many leads into potential buyers. With more experience and by learning on the job, direct selling can become much easier.
9. Time Your Goals
Setting goals and achieving them periodically are the hallmarks of a great professional. Goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely. If goals are not time-bound, then the whole process is rendered useless. Direct sellers have daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly targets for a reason – to foster the growth and development of both the individual and the company. Goals achieved in the right timeframe can become the stepping stone for bigger and long-term goals.
10. Back the Right Horse
Finding the right company to work can be quite a challenge. The direct selling industry is growing multi-fold each year, and there are some outstanding players. QNET has become a household name in the last few years due to their immense success and their distributors and direct sellers’ growth. What sets the QNET family apart is that you receive the unique opportunity to start on your own feet by building your business and being your own boss. It is quite unlike many others where you get lured in by an ‘investment opportunity’. QNET is an ideal place to start as a direct seller, as they have a compensation plan to get you started. Check out this space for more – Best Business to Start Is with QNET Direct Selling (qnetindia.co)
