How to Build Your Team Fast in Direct Sales

Are you new to direct sales, network marketing, or multi-level marketing? Does your company have an awesome incentive for growing your team and/or moving title? Here are some tips for building your team fast and helping you earn those incentives.

Face to Face Prospecting

In my past experience (I’ve been selling Avon for over 6 years and am an area sales leader and national recruiter) I’ve found that the fastest way to build my team is by face to face prospecting. Now, don’t get overwhelmed by those words! I am somewhat introverted, so striking up  conversation with people doesn’t come naturally to me. But, I have found that if I mentally prepare myself and have a “script” in mind, then I’m more comfortable striking up a conversation about my business. 

How to Strike Up Conversation About Your Business

In my business (Avon) we typically don’t have home parties (although you certainly can) so our business comes from building our customer base by offering brochures and taking customer’s orders. The more brochures we can get out (aka marketing our Avon business locally) the more customers we will have. Going door to door these days can be a bit scary, especially if you go alone, which I don’t ever recommend unless you really know the neighborhood. My preferred method of finding new customers is by incorporating networking into my every day life. Now, as I stated above, I am somewhat introverted, so being mentally prepared is a must for me. When I go to the grocery store, I make sure I have brochures on hand which are already labeled or stamped. I also make sure they are visible so people can see them while shopping, and so it’s not a complete surprise when I begin talking about Avon.

When I approach the cashier, I make sure to greet her or him and smile. As she or he is ringing up my groceries, I simply ask, “Have you seen an Avon book lately?” For me, those are the easiest words to use to strike up a conversation about my business. If you’re in a different business, you could use the words, “Have you seen the new products (insert your company name) has to offer?” Or, “Are you familiar with (insert your company name)?” If your business doesn’t use their catalog or brochures for marketing, then be sure to have some sort of contact information on hand to give them. Then, and this is the most important part, ask for their contact information so you can follow up with them. You can carry a small notebook and pen and have them write their name and number in it, or ask them to write it on the back of the receipt. Then be sure to follow up!!!

Follow up, Follow up, Follow up!!!

Notice the emphasis on following up? That is because you can prospect all day long, and maybe you will get a customer or two who actually calls you to place their order or book a party, or sign up. But if you follow up with each one you spoke to, your response rate (aka order rate, book a party rate, sign up rate) will increase 300%.

Turn a Buying Customer into a New Team Member

Once you’ve started the conversation and have gotten your new potential customer’s attention turned toward your business, you can then turn the conversation toward them becoming a new team member (aka new recruit/down line member). If the person I’m speaking to says “Yes” to accepting a brochure or contact information, then simply ask, “Would you be interested in selling?” Usually the first response is “No”, but don’t let that be the end of the conversation. If they say “No”,  it just means they need more information. 🙂 So offer it to them gently, but interestingly. What incentive does your company have for new recruits? How much profit can you earn in your business?  For instance, my company has a Kickstart program for new representatives which, if followed, they can earn $1010 in just 90 days. So, the next thing I say is, “Would you be interested in earning $1000 in 90 days?” I mean, who can say no to that, right? Believe it or not, people still do though. And if they’re persistent with saying No, then I just say, “That’s okay, I would love to serve you as a customer.”

Obviously these are just examples for you to use while out networking. The key is to find what works best for you and your personality. Once you get a system that works for you, use it and practice it and make it a habit. Once you’re comfortable with it though, then it’s time to stretch yourself out of your comfort zone and find a new system so that you can reach even more people. I’ll talk more about that in my next post, “Stepping out of Your Comfort Zone to Build Your Business Big.”

Feel free to leave your comments or questions below in the comment section. Thanks for reading! Oh and if you would like to buy Avon, click here, or if you want make $1000 in 90 days, click here!

Just a few of the New Avon Incentives