Dear Archive Visitor, It's amazing how quickly things can change. Just a few weeks ago we sent our daughter, Tess, off to college. We thought that was a big change. Then a week ago, our middle daughter, Audrey, was accepted into the Nutmeg Conservatory (a wonderful dance school in Connecticut) and we became faced with the decision of whether or not to send her away at age 16. I'll admit that we didn't take long to reach a decision, and within 5 days we had Audrey packed and on an airplane to pursue her dream to become a professional ballerina. It's deeply satisfying to know that your children are doing exactly what they want to do. Are you doing exactly what you want to do? Hopefully you can answer yes to that question or at least feel that you are on a path that's taking you where you want to go. In this week's lesson I'll share how to avoid taking a prospect where she doesn't want to go, which is critical to your long-term success as a direct sales entrepreneur.

Warning: Hard-Selling is a Dangerous Trap By Tammy Stanley Have you ever heard that people hate to be sold to but they love to buy? You probably have. However, you don't usually hear that explained and so you forge ahead doing what you think you need to do to get people to buy from you. Just guess what most people think is required to convince others to buy from them? Go ahead and take a guess. Your guess might even be better than my answer! Most people think they have to paint a completely optimistic picture for their prospect. In other words, they think the prospect needs to be SOLD before she'll buy (Obviously people who think like that have never seen me walk into a store, spot a belt I love, pick out my size, walk to the register and whip out my wallet in less than three minutes of entering the joint). Look, I know we've all heard, "You have to accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative.." Heck, we've even heard The Andrew Sisters and Bing Crosby sing it! (I confess, even I own that album/CD) But here's the point - prospects know that all pretty roses have thorns. Years ago one of my off-spring sales managers called me up and told me about an insight she'd had. It occurred to her why so many of her consultants quit when the going got tough while my consultants would hang in there in spite of the rough times. She told me, "I always tell them how easy this business is, but I've noticed that you don't do that." Even at opportunities meetings I always found something to say that removed some of the luster. For example, "People in this business love to say that women only need to see our product because it sells itself. Don't believe anyone who tells you that. If you think I haven't worked to get where I am, you're gravely mistaken. Now, have I had a ton of fun along the way? Have I earned a great living for loving my job? Yes." Instead of accentuating the positive to the ridiculous (this product sells itself, this job is so fun you won't call it work, you won't believe they pay you so much for how little you do, etc.), you're much better off presenting yourself as a reasonable person who's assessment of the business opportunity or products is trustworthy. In the end, prospects find that far more appealing than fabrication. Certainly some prospects can be lured in with fabrication, but they'll have little to no tolerance of anything less than the picture perfect description you gave them. If you want customers who buy from you for years and team members who have stick-to-it-ness, drop the hard-sell pitches fast, and add the flavor of reality to your presentations about your products and your business opportunity. What never ceases to amaze me is that plenty of sales people still use hard-selling techniques. The reason they do that is because they believe that nothing has changed in the world of sales over the past 50 years. But all you have to do to discredit that theory is to look around you. If you take a marketing class at your local university, you'll discover that the textbook authors don't refer to the people who live in America as Americans, but rather as consumers. Yes, the people around you are very used to consuming. Most have seen enough commercials for three lifetimes, and they've purchased enough stuff to start a business on Ebay! They know a sales pitch when they hear one. In other words, they're not easily fooled or manipulated by a syrupy sweet, hard-sell sales pitch. Want to stand out as a sales person these days? Challenge yourself to let go of the Pollyanna Pitch. A couple weeks ago I told you about the appliance salesman who dared to tell me how manufacturers deliberately make lousy compressors for refrigerators these days so that people have to replace them two to three times more frequently. I bought a refrigerator from him within ten minutes. And if you remember, he didn't follow me around as I browsed giving me reason after reason why I wanted such and such feature. In fact, I actually had to search for him once I made my decision, and a key point is that I did because I wanted him to get the commissions for being so honest with me. Imagine him going home to his wife and saying, "Wow, I made the easiest sale ever today. I never even said one nice thing about a single refrigerator, and this lady bought one from me within ten minutes of walking in to the place. Isn't that kind of strange?" And his wife, who always reads The Sales Refinery Insights each week replies, "Honey, it's not strange at all. Didn't you know, people don't want to be sold but they love to buy." 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

I subscribe to a good number of ezines. Some of them are rather helpful, but I've noticed something interesting. One day while reading one of my favorite marketers ezine, I realized that he shared such useful information in his ezines, one could easily conclude that she could just read his ezine for free and would eventually learn everything he could teach her. Then I broke out with a hearty, "MOOOOAHAAHAHAHA." You see, I've bought a good number of this marketer's products, and although his ezine content is great, it pales in comparison to his audio programs and books. I think I've read almost all his books and audio programs at least twice, and some even four times. They're so content rich, I have to keep going over them until I implement everything he talks about. If you're one the subscribers that looks forward to reading my Sales Refinery Insights each week, it's because you know it's worth reading. But the only way you can read it and break out into a hearty "MOOOOAHAAHAHAHA" is to purchase one of my audio programs or my book. This week I highly suggest "Irresistible Vocal Marketing for he Direct Sales Entrepreneur." This CD set reveals the seven deadly mistakes made by most direct sellers while telling others what they do. You'll learn what gets your prospects eager to learn more and the key components to a powerful message that attracts prospects like crazy. You'll also hear examples of introductions that changed the businesses for the entrepreneurs who invested $250 to be in my Irresistible Vocal Marketing Workshop, as I guide you to develop a magnetic 10-second introduction and 30-second commercial all your own. Click on the picture above to learn more about it and secure your copy today.

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