Dear Archive Visitor, So I didn't get picked as the author of the number one sales article of the week (again), BUT one of the decision makers wrote me and told me that I'm the only one so far to be nominated twice. I have to admit, I felt really good about that. But I barely got to chew on that compliment because the following day I received word that I was nominated AGAIN! Now we know what this means to me... there's hardly enough room for my family, me and my EGO in this house anymore. But what does all this mean to YOU? Well, being a subscriber to The Sales Refinery entitles you to reading some of the top sales articles being written! And in addition to that, you learn a little about shameless self-promotion!

If You Don't Ask... By Tammy Stanley Several people have requested articles on generating bookings. This is a great topic because it's such an important component of the direct sales business. And because it is such an important component, I want to devote more than just one week of articles to it. When you begin a direct sales business, one of the best ways to get it moving is to get bookings in your calendar during your first month of business. Why is that? ItÕs the easiest way to get your business going in the right direction. If you had five hostesses who held shows for you, you would immediately expand your business because each hostess would introduce you to more people. Even if each of those five hostesses had only three guests at her show, youÕd have the opportunity to sell your product to 20 people (5 hostesses + 15 guests) instead of only five people. Now if I offered you fifteen dollars for every five you gave me, would you take me up on the offer? Of course you would, and it wouldnÕt even matter which day of the week I offered it. A hostess is someone who is likely to present you with a scenario quite similar to that. So tell me, why isnÕt your calendar flooded with bookings? Only because you might not know who would consider being a hostess. Of course the reason you might not know that is you havenÕt asked. OOOOh, IÕve come to the scary part now havenÕt I? Asking. If that is tough for you, itÕs time to get out a big piece of paper and on it write this quote by Mohandas Gandhi, ÒIf you donÕt ask, you donÕt get.Ó Then put that piece of paper in a place where you will see it everyday. Years ago, I made a sign that I put in the middle of the big blackboard in my office. That sign says, ÒA Quitter Never Wins, And A Winner Never Quits.Ó I may not consciously look at that sign everyday, but I can tell you that IÕve had MANY days where I felt like quitting, but even then, I can be found working away in my office. I believe that quote has become part of my subconscious. No matter what I might say or think consciously, subconsciously I know that winners keep on keeping on. Winners in the direct sales business ask. There are different ways to do this; some involve better marketing. But today I want to get you started on the easiest way. That way is simply asking people you know to help you. Fairly recently a new friend of mine called me and left me a message that she had enjoyed meeting me at a particular event and to give her a call. I made the mistake of not calling her right after hearing her message and then completely forgot all about returning her call. A few weeks later she called again. I apologized profusely for having forgotten all about her previous message. Then she said, ÒOh IÕll forgive you, if youÕll host a party for me.Ó She truly did this in a humorous way, but when you get right down to it, she saw an opportunity and asked. When I started my direct sales business, I had no trouble recruiting but I did have difficulty getting bookings. Then one day I made a list of about 10 very casual acquaintances. I called each of them that day and said something very similar to this, ÒHi Cindy, the reason IÕm calling you is because I have a business that IÕve never told you about. Through home presentations, I market a line of clothing that allows you to create over 21 outfits with just 8 garments. I set a big goal this month of having 10 presentations and was wondering if you would consider being one of my hostesses?Ó Hey, it may not be the greatest script in the world, but guess what? It worked. By the end of the day I had 7 bookings in my calendar and from those 7 bookings I built a million dollar sales unit within two years. HmmmÉ Maybe, just maybe, asking has its benefits. Today, not tomorrow, make a list of 10 casual acquaintances. Then write out a little script similar to the one I used. When it comes to describing what you do, think of an intriguing benefit. Then take a deep breath and pick up your phone, and start calling those acquaintances. And above all remember this, ÒIf you donÕt ask, you donÕt get.Ó WANT TO SEE MORE ARTICLES LIKE THIS ONE? WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Author, Sales Trainer, and Professional Speaker Tammy Stanley publishes the propelling 'Sales Refinery Insights' weekly ezine for direct sales professionals. If you're ready to jump-start your direct sales business, make more money, and create more value, get your FREE tips now at www.tammystanley.com/ezine/ezine_offer_ds.htm

A couple of weeks ago I was talking with a new friend of mine during lunch at a networking meeting. My new friend, Cynthia, is a sales director with Mary Kay Cosmetics. When I asked her how things were going, she told me that things were GREAT. What I want you to understand is that she wasn't just saying that to get me to believe it. How do I know this? Simple. I asked her to tell me what was happening that was so GREAT. She proceeded to tell me many of the things that had been happening in her business since I'd last talked with her. Later during our talk she told me about something that had changed her business in the past. When she told me about this, I realized why I love her energy and her enthusiasm for her Mary Kay business. Here's what she told me. One night while doing a Mary Kay class for a hostess and her guests, she stayed focused on helping each person feel special. At the end of the night she could see that each woman felt better about herself. Guess how much she sold? Nothing. As it turned out, the next evening she had scheduled a Mary Kay class with another hostess and her guests. That night Cyndra focused on helping each person feel special. At the end of the night she could see that each woman felt better about herself. How much did she sell that night? She told me, "A ton!" Here's what she concluded: No matter how much she sold, her result was the same Ñ each woman left feeling better about herself. Cyndra said that after she had that realization, everything in her business just started clicking. I believe the reason why that happened is that she defined a purpose for doing her business and for booking hostesses. Once she saw the reason for booking a class as a means to create value as opposed to just sales, her passion was ignited. Now think about this (this won't hurt Ñ you won't have to think for very long), would you want to book a show with a distributor who presented a slick salesman pitch or one who simply was alive with passion and enthusiasm? Sometimes the slick sales people get us to book, but they don't get us to HOLD the booking because we never wanted to have the show in the first place. However, when we meet people with passion, we want to be around them and we want to help them. How can you ignite passion into your business? The idea isn't to copy my friend, Cyndra. Dive in and discover what YOU love about doing your business. Your purpose doesn't have to be lofty. It only has to be something you love doing.

Tammy Stanley, founded and directs The Sales Refinery, a sales training company that assists direct sales consultants to generate more business and build long-lasting sales teams through powerful marketing, selling and leadership strategies.

Tammy has been coaching and training since 1994 and has a deep understanding of the challenges and needs of the independent sales consultant. While raising four children, Tammy built a multi-million dollar direct sales organization, reaching her company's Circle of Excellence 7 consecutive years in a row. She earned numerous sales and leadership awards, world travel, and promoted 11 offspring managers.

The Tammy Stanley Sales Refinery
Tempe, AZ 85283
Call Today: 480-775-4866
tammy@TammyStanley.com