Dear Archive Visitor, I am having a BLAST with my new tele-seminar series. Many of the participants are taking advantage of my email support and completing their homework assignments in order to get my suggestions and feedback. This is one of the things I like so much about this series - getting to know the participants and assisting them with their issues. One of the biggest issues direct sales consultants face is unreturned phone messages. I have some GOOD NEWS for you on that front. If you missed my FREE tele-seminar on my birthday (See how I tried to be with you, my loyal subscribers, on my birthday?), don't despair. I will be offering that call, How to Get Prospects and Customers to Call You Back, again on May 6th at 5Pm Pacific Time. (Look for details in the near future). Another one of the biggest issues direct sales consultants deal with is picking up the phone and following-up with customers. In today's Sales Refinery Insights article I share some ideas on how you can feel more comfortable while following-up with your customers.

3 Simple Secrets to Attracting MORE Prospects (Listen right now) You can never have too many prospects! The more prospects you have the more you improve your opportunity to sell your products, book shows, and recruit. However, building a successful direct sales business requires intriguing prospects quickly, leaving them hungry to know more, and knowing how to use the telephone effectively. This jam-packed-information AUDIO covers 3 simple ways to accomplish all of that. Listen right now at your convenience via live streaming or download.

Is It Possible to Feel Comfortable Following Up with Customers By Tammy Stanley Name a direct sales consultant that loves to pick up the phone and call prospects, and I can show you a consultant that would rather not. The statistics at the DSA (Direct Selling Association) even prove that Ð the average direct sales customer buys only 1.3 times a year! If customers are only buying from their direct sales consultant in any given company once a year, there can be no denying that direct sales consultants are not developing a large number of repeat customers. There is no need to feel alone, when it comes to sales call reluctance. I assure you, you are not alone. Just think of the last time you went to a home party and the consultant at that show actually followed-up with you within a month. That just is not a common occurance. Recently one of my subscribers explained one reason why she feels uncomfortable making those follow-up phone calls - she feels like an annoying little dog, nipping at someone's heels, if she goes through all the suggested steps direct sales consultants often hear about (building rapport, offering the business opportunity, asking about hosting, asking for a referral, and closing with appreciation). This is such a valid concern, and obviously one that plenty of other direct sales consultants have, that I felt compelled to offer some of my "insights." Interestingly enough, the tele-seminar I've been hired to do next week for a national training company is titled, "Creating Value Through Add-on Selling." One of the first points I will make on that call is this: Considering how difficult it is these days to speak to a customer live, why on earth would you not want your customer and you to benefit as much as possible from that communicative opportunity? That being said, you will seem like a little dog nipping at the heels, begging for more, more, more if you simply say: "I think you're swell, Sally. Would you like to look at the business opportunity? No? Well how would you feel about being a hostess? Too busy? Well what about a catalog show? Not interested? Do you know someone who would be? Can't think of one right now? Well gee whiz, Sally, I sure do appreciate you and hope to take care of all your fashion needs in the future. If you'd like, I'll put you on my ezine list and send you something every month." Okay, I know you don't do that. But you probably resist making those follow-up calls or at least asking all those questions because you WORRY about sounding like that. The key, dear reader, is in the transition. Without the proper transition, it will sound like your focus is only on you getting what you want - more recruits, more bookings, more sales, more customers, and repeat orders. And you are right in thinking that customers do not want to be drilled with questions for YOUR self-serving purposes. See if you detect a difference in the way this follow-up call sounds: "I not only enjoyed meeting you last night, Sally, I couldn't stop thinking today that you'd make a great XYZ consultant. Would you like to get together with me this week sometime to look at our flexible business opportunity? Oh, I can appreciate that you are happy in your career. It's actually nice to know someone like me who likes her job. May I ask you a question? Even though you don't want to start a business with XYZ, how would you feel about introducing your friends to these products by being one of my hostesses and getting a few more of the things you wanted at last night's show for free? I see, you feel over-loaded with projects at work right now. Hearing that you are already feeling overwhelmed, I don't want to be someone who's adding more on your plate. I was just wondering if there is someone you know that you think would like XYZ products as much as you do - maybe the first person that came to mind, when I asked you about being a hostess. I see, well sometimes people feel uncomfortable giving their friends names and phone numbers before they have even spoken to their friends and sometimes they don't. Either way, I understand, and it certainly doesn't change my appreciation for you. Thank you so much for coming to Jane's home party last night. I'd love to keep you updated with my monthly email. Would you be okay with that?" When I read through the two scenarios, they feel completely different. The reason why is that the first example demonstrates a consultant just going through the motions, just asking the questions. In the second scenario, the consultant responds to her customer and thereby makes a smooth and a sincere transition into her next question. Instead of sounding like a robot with an agenda, you CAN sound like a person who really wants to service her customers. Yes, servicing your customers also means that you will be working to grow your business as well. But guess what? No one thinks badly of you for that. You may or may not like Starbucks, but you cannot ignore the fact that Howard Schultz put real thought into servicing his customers. And in case you haven't noticed, very few people resent him for that. Quite the opposite - Americans love Starbucks; that's why you can now find Starbucks at rest stops along the interstate highways. Now I understand that "servicing customers" at Starbucks isn't about follow-up phone calls. But the plain and simple truth is that in direct sales it is. The reason why statistics show that the average direct sales customer only buys one time a year is because no further steps are taken by the consultants to initiate another sale. Years ago I packed a large trunk and moved across the world to live in Freiburg, Germany. At the time my ability to speak German was probably the equivalent of a three year-old child. If you think I was not petrified of sounding like an idiot, when I went to the market, the bakery, and the bank, THINK AGAIN. But just guess how I ended up getting very, very comfortable with all of that? Yes, by doing the very thing I was petrified to do - speaking in German at the market, the bakery, the bank, and everywhere else. The only way you are going to get good at responding to your customers and transitioning with grace and ease is to get out there and practice. Will you make a few mistakes? Most likely. I know I did and sometimes STILL do. But I know what I know today partly because of all the mistakes I've made, and more importantly because of my willingness to learn and grow from my mistakes. If you are one of my loyal subscribers, I have a favor to ask of you today. Seize the Phone and call one customer you have been too nervous to follow up with. Then email me or call me and tell me you did it - you did the very thing you were petrified to do! 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

STEP-BY-STEP PROSPECTING AND BOOKING SYSTEM Tele-seminar Series! When you sign up NOW for the next series, you can participate in the series I have going on right now, AND you can participate in the series that begins on May 27th. If you have any questions about this, you are more than welcomed to call me (480) 775-4866 or send me an email. If you want to join in by our next call on April 27th, just call me or send me an email. Here are a couple testimonials from recent participants: "You usually have to sift through a lot of material to find a few ideas that you can actually take to your business and start using right away, not so with the material that Tammy has put together. This is real meat and potatoes training that tells you not only what you should do, but why you should do it. Knowing "why" makes it a lot easier to put action to the "what"!! I'm ready for my 2nd, 3rd and 4th helpings!!" -Shelly Finck, Tripp, SD "Tammy Stanley has some great direct selling tips. She encourages you to take the next step by giving homework assignments and earning bonuses and more ideas! This really helped me to not procrastinate because I really wanted to learn more and go out and try her tips. I Did! They work!! This is one Tele-seminar that I feel I'm getting my money's worth! Can't wait for the next one! Thanks Tammy! You started a fire under me!" Vera Cruz, Spring Branch, TX Imagine having the secrets to skyrocket your telephone results, the keys to having bookings galore, prospecting techniques powerful enough to generate interest in minutes, and the strategies to maximizing customer sales and retention! You can stop imagining that and learn exactly how to do it in my STEP-BY-STEP PROSPECTING AND BOOKING SYSTEM Tele-seminar series. This series includes four tele-seminars delivered every other week for eight weeks. To learn more about this incredibly content-rich program, click here to read all about it. If you want to arrange this series as a private tele-seminar exclusively for your sales unit or company, just give me a call at 480-775-4866, and I'll tell you how simple that is to arrange.

Tammy Stanley, founded and directs The Sales Refinery, a sales training company that assists sales professionals 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